~mystikalolo~
Disclaimer: Look to previous chapters please.
A/N: Well… I haven't updated for a long time, now have I? ((Bad, bad mystikalolo!)) Sorry about that… but we can start right now with dear Chapter ten. Oh, WARNING: James's attitude might have changed a little from the previous chapter, which included James, till now. I'm not in quite the angst-y mood as I was when I wrote that chapter, I'm afraid. So if you'll just bear with me, things will be quite lovely!
Shall we then?
P.S. A/N: You might notice that Lacie has the tendency of talking to herself. A common habit that many do. I, myself do it about… hmm… every day of the 365-year? Yes… All right. Now to really start the chapter:
Chapter 10
(In Which There is Dark [Part 2])
Lacie walked slowly down the corridors. What was the use of walking fast? It wasn't like anyone was awaiting her arrival with open arms. Perhaps with a butcher's knife, but no open arms. Down to the dungeons, she walked. She had to serve a detention there.
She'd had her choice. Either it would be tonight, a Thursday, or tomorrow, a Friday. And tomorrow night was the Quidditch game. There wasn't a professor in all of Magical Europe who could keep her away from that game. The Gryffindor spirit had positioned itself quite permanently in Lacie. And a game between the Gryffindors and the Slytherins was always awaited with glee by both houses. Even McGonnagal and Kabrerro (The potions professor) were being almost miserable to each other. It was quite a pleasant surprise to all of those in Gryffindor.
The detention was for whispering (All right, maybe not whispering, more like shouting) a… well a word not very appropriate for a sixth year of Hogwarts, right in the middle of Potions class. Of course, Lacie would be the first one to admit that shouting out that nasty word was not the most intelligent of ideas, but she would also be the first one to tell you that Kabrerro was a fat bitch who deserved a shock now and then.
And most students of Hogwarts (Even some Slytherins in private) agreed with her. Montalne` Kabrerro was a "largely proportioned" woman of about 57. She had tiny smidgens of eyes that were a sluggish, swampy colour, and lint-coloured hair that stayed in an untidy bun, with stringy wisps of hair coming about everywhere. Her face consisted of a pudge-nose, wrinkled lips, and a double-chin. However, the one point that really made her unbearable to everyone, was her nastily, horrifying temper. At least 20 points would escape the Gryffindor hour-glass every class. And that was what had made Lacie stand up in front of the whole class and yell that Professor Kabrerro was most definitely the B-word. And that was what had gotten Lacie a detention to clean all of Dungeon No. 12.
Lacie started muttering to herself, " The clueless bitch. She's an absolute horror and an utter disgrace to a school like Hogwarts. Dumbledore must've been on a crack expedition when he found her. Why she's a no-good, unhealthy, ding-brain, hippogriff-looking (Oh, but why insult the poor hippogriffs?), rat-biting, snake-annihilating B-I-T-C-H, bitch!"
And more would have come, but for the fact that Lacie had reached her destination. She opened the door and went in. A blast of pitch-cold air blew right through her. She shivered. "Thank the Goddesses that I've brought my heavy cloak." The dungeon was alighted with torches, but was still dark enough to give off an unpleasant sense of eerie-ness.
Then, came a squeak. Lacie gasped, "Eek!" She looked down and saw a little grey mouse scurry out. Then she scolded herself, "Lacie, you bloody fool. What kind of girl are you? To be frightened by a little mouse!" And she rolled her eyes at herself. She looked around. "Ugh. This is the most nastiest dungeon I've seen in my life." She wiped a finger on the cold stonewall. "Eww, my hand's turned grey-brown!" She looked around. "Now, where's that bloody professor? Why would someone assign a detention if they're not going to be there to issue it?"
Then Lacie saw a note placed on the dungeon door, held up by a sticky charm. She snatched it. "Aha. Here's a note. Hmm… what does it say? 'Errata, I won't be able to chaperone your detention tonight. I've a very important meeting to attend to. However, if the whole dungeon is not cleaned by tomorrow morning, I will most certainly hold another detention for you on the day of the Quidditch game. The room has a no-magic spell on it that is positively unbreakable, without my own attendance, so do not even try. In Dungeon No. 11, which is just next to Dungeon No. 12, there are cleaning supplies that you must use. Now stop standing and get to work. – Professor Kabrerro' "
Lacie stood there, anger slowly washing over her like beach water. Finally, she exploded. "Why that crazy bitch! Argh! She's got me caught in a way that just ruins everything. She knows I can't miss that Quidditch game. If I do, I'll never be able to try out for the team. Hmm… I wonder who the captain is anyway." But she got herself back to the task on hand. "Argh. Fine. Time to get those stupid supplies and start cleaning." She twisted the doorknob to Dungeon No. 11, which was connected to Dungeon No. 11. 'Kind of like some Muggle hotels' thought Lacie. In the room, there were brooms (the non-flying kind), mops, pails, tubs of water, and rags. "Hmph. You'd think that with all this magic, the wizards would've found some time to create a vacuum cleaner." (Yes, Lacie took muggle studies, and for some reason positively unknown to herself, she was quite the most brilliant student in her class.)
Lacie grabbed a pail and filled it with water. Cold, icy, drenching water. She shuddered. Then Lacie brought out a mop, and took a few rags. With these things, she marched back into the other dungeon. Lacie noticed that the fire was getting quite low in the torches. "Damn." Then she thought a bit. "Actually, no damn at all. If the torches go out, I have an absolutely legitimate excuse of why I just could not take the detention." She smiled. And it was not the pretty smile that lit up men's hearts, it was more the horridly evil smile that scared one half to death.
Although Lacie was of half a mind to just stand there and wait till the torches did blow out, she looked around herself and felt an uncharacteristic pang of pity for the dungeon. 'Poor dungeon. Stupid Kabrerro can't have ever cleaned this place. It must not even know what cleanliness feels like.' And also because she could not stand seeing the dung falling left and right, Lacie took up her rag and started cleaning vigorously.
After what felt like five hours, the moment that Lacie had been waiting for, came. The torches went off. Not one by one as Lacie'd expected, but rather all at once. However, Lacie was in too much of a hurry to notice. She grabbed her wand and smiled. "Oh what a pity. The torches went out. I'm afraid I shall just have to clean this dingy, disgustingly, slimy place some other time. Oh the sadness of it all." Then she laughed and turned to the door. However, the door was closed.
"Huh. That's funny. I was quite sure I'd left it open. Oh well. Must've closed it because of all the dust." She went to open it, but found it wouldn't budge. Lacie frowned. 'Don't tell me I'm not strong enough to open this door. There's not a stronger girl in the sixth year.' But the door just would not move. Lacie rolled her eyes. "Silly me, I can just use my wand. What's the spell now? Oh yes… Alohomora!" she shouted. But nothing happened. Lacie gasped.
"Oh dear Goddesses! The room is unable to respond to magic! Ugh! What am I to do now? Oh dear Lord and your Lady, what am I to do, now?" She paced back and forth. In pitch-black darkness.
The thought that she was surrounded by darkness had just entered her mind and it terrified her completely, breaking any temperament hold that she'd so far had over herself. As Lacie looked around, becoming wild with fear, she finally could not take it any more.
Loudly. Terrified. Almost psychotically…
She screamed bloody murder.
~~~~~***~~~~~
James groaned. Where was everybody? Where was Remus? Where was Sirius? Where was Pete—No, he didn't even want to think about that worm. But really, this was quite ridiculous. How did people just suddenly disappear? And James was really in the mood to go exploring tonight. His invisibility cloak was shiny and ready. The marauder's map was tucked in his pocket. And his wand was ready in his hand.
He sighed. But there was no one to go with, so what was the use of getting all spiffed up to go somewhere? Then he brightened up. Why not go alone?
The more James thought about this idea, the more it came to his liking. 'Yeah! Go by myself. It's not like I need those two and their arses tagging along. So much more could be accomplished when there's only one person. And so he went up to his dormitory to get his cloak. There were so many things in his cloak pockets that were taking up quite some space, not leaving enough comfortable space for James, so he didn't bother to pick up things that were falling. "Thank God all those huge candy wrappers are out. Padfoot clutters up these pockets way too much."
He looked around to see if anyone was watching. But the only person he saw was Cocoa. And she was probably going to the Ravenclaw Common Room. She did that sometimes when the Ravenclaw sixth year girls, including her twin, were having a slumber party. And Cocoa did not see James.
Finally, James went out the door, saying a cheery good-bye to the Fat Lady, under his invisibility cloak, scaring the good lady practically to her grave portrait.
James did not need to even glance at his Marauder's Map because he knew where he was going. Potions Area. He smirked to himself. 'Stupid Kabrerro. The crazy lady won't know what hit her when she finds half of her beloved supplies missing. That woman is deviless, herself, and the most likely Deatheater. Can't stand her a bit.'
Then he thought back to yesterday's class. That girl, what was her name? Lacie Errata (She was a no-good bitch too), yes? Well, Errata had just about put that scary old cow Kabrerro into her place. Yelling out in front of the whole class, that Kabrerro was a bitch might've not been the smartest thing, but she'd certainly got the right idea. He smiled to himself as he thought of the incident.
Just then his feet stopped, as if mechanically. He looked up. Yes, here he was, right where he wanted to be. The dungeons.
He looked down at his feet and grinned. "Good job feet," he whispered. He knew that if Sirius or Remus had caught him acting this way, they would've thought him quite a flipped pancake. "But it isn't what they think," he said to himself, "it's what I think."
He walked dungeon to dungeon till he found Kabrerro's class dungeon. 'Aha,' he thought, 'I've found you, you bloody dungeon. Now to those fabulous potion ingredients and recipe books. Just think of the great pranks Padfoot, Moony, Worm—argh. No! Not him! Get out of my head you—you stupid piece of bloody venom—' He sighed and started over. 'Just think of all the great pranks that can be pulled with Kabrerro's supply.
He grinned to himself with glee. And he pushed open the door to Dungeon No. 11.
((A/N: Ohh, I wanted to stop here so badly! This cliffhanger is just begging to be left. *Sigh* But I cannot. Because I'm afraid that if I do stop here, then you might not actually find out what happens to James till next Groundhog's Day. After all, you know how I dilly dally with my stories! So, I decided to go on. I EXPECT A NICE JUICY REVIEW IN THANKS FOR THIS!))
As soon as he walked inside the dungeon, the door slammed behind him. He jumped and immediately closed his eyes. Then he frowned. Little things like slamming doors should not scare a sixteen-year-old male. He opened one eye, and then the other. Then he frowned again. Had he opened his eyes, or hadn't he?
It looked the same either way. The room was a perfect blend of black, black, and then again, black. James sighed. 'All right then. Out with the wand. He groped about his cloak to take out his wand, when to his horror, he realized it was not there.
"HOLY SHIT!" He looked about the darkness in utter dismay. He'd accidentally dropped his wand in his room when all those things were falling out of his cloak. This was horrible! James was completely helpless without his wand. He'd always been taught to go everywhere with his wand, and was severely punished if he ever forgot. It was the one rule his parents were very strict about. But James had never learned how to take care of himself without a wand. His wand was his life-support.
"Damn! Muggle-borns have it better than us! They got the best of both worlds!" Then James gasped. He searched around his cloak. "DAMN!"
He could not find his Marauder's Map. "Oh God, please let it be in my room. Please let me not have dropped the damned thing. I'll be sure to get ripped apart, limb by limb by Remus and Sirius and—ugh—and you know who else. Please oh fucking please let it be safe in the Sixth Year Boys Dormitory."
Then James dropped to his knees. He felt like… crying? No, most certainly not. James only cried when he was unutterably sad. He'd only cried two times in his life after the age of six. And even then, they were only tears, not actual crying. No, this was a different feeling. One of… unbearable anger. James felt so stupid and idiotic and—and—"FUCK!" he yelled. This just was not how he had planned his sixth year.
Sixth year was supposed to be one of the most fantastic years of his life. After fifth year had—well he knew about fifth year and did not want to go into all the horrible details. However, sixth year was supposed to be so completely different. James was supposed to have had the time of his life! It should have been the marauders. He admitted to himself right then and there, that he wanted all of the marauders, together. "Ugh. We were supposed to have such a great, carefree, hilarious time this year! We had so many pranks and things we wanted to pull off. Damn us! We're such idiotic blokes!"
Then he stopped in the midst of scolding himself. He heard something. A faint… what was that thing? Was it a—a scream? It was! A girl's scream. It stopped.
It started again. A faint "aaaahhhh!" was heard. He groped his way around, trying to see which way the scream was coming from. Finally he stopped. There was a door where he'd stopped. And it wasn't the same door he'd come through. James frowned. What the hell?
He tapped on the stone door with a wooden doorstopper he'd found in his cloak. ("Great, of all things a door-stopper? What a bloody idiot Padfoot is.") He talked loudly cupping his mouth to the door. "Hullo! Hullo! Is anyone there?"
The screaming lessened and stopped.
James tried again, "HULLO! Hullo, is anyone there?" James did not really expect anyone to answer, but as he'd nothing else to do, this suited him fine.
So when he actually heard something from the other side, he got quite a shock.
"OH my GODDESS! Is someone really there?"
James gasped. The person on the door had just answered to his question, "Is anyone there?" He answered back. "Yeah, this is James. James Potter. Who are you?"
James heard a scornful sigh and was puzzled. The door "answered" back. "Figures it's you. I get trapped in this fucking dungeon, seeing no signs of living creature and finally when I hear a sign of one, it turns out to be you."
James was taken aback. He frowned. "Well excuse you! Who the hell are you? And what do you have against me?"
He heard the answer. "It's me, damn it. Lacie Errata."
James groaned. Now he knew why the voice sounded so bloody pissed on hearing that it was him. "Oh, it's you, huh? Well then, I agree with you. Damn."
He heard agreeing sounds being made. "Yes, yes, quite, quite. But tell me, how did you get yourself into this mess?"
James answered, "I was bloody looking for some adventure."
"Oh Goddess, I am definitely rolling my eyes at you right now. How stupid of you to actually go looking for trouble."
"Don't rub it in. Besides, what are you doing here?"
Lacie told him her story.
James laughed. "Talk about me looking for trouble? You were the one who straight out asked for it. Of course I'm not disagreeing with your name-calling Kabrerro. But still—"
"Ugh, I know, I know! But I couldn't help it, she's such a—"
"—bitch yeah, I know."
Lacie laughed. "It's funny how we agree with each other when we're trapped like two mice in ice."
James raised his brows. "Two mice in ice?"
Lacie smiled. "One of my odd sayings."
"Ah. Quaint."
"Yeah, yeah, but we still don't know what we're going to do now. Do you by chance have your wand? Wait, of course you do, even you, idiotic bastard though you may be, even you cannot forget your wand."
James winced. "Maybe I'm more of an idiotic bastard than you though?"
He heard Lacie shriek in annoyance. "ARE YOU SERIOUS?"
James could not help it. He just couldn't. "No, of course not. That's my good friend—"
"Oh, SHUT UP! You arse-hole! I hate that joke!"
"Why are you so mad? Don't you have your own wand?"
"Yeah, but Kabrerro made this room magic-repelling in honour of my detention, so my wand does not work."
"Oh."
"Yeah."
"Damn."
"Yeah."
~~~~~***~~~~~
A/N: FINISHED! ((With this particular chapter I mean.)) Ohh, you should be so damn happy! I wrote this all out in one and a half hours! That's speed and I mean SPEED as in RECORD time for me! I know that both James's and Lacie's attitudes have changed, but don't you rather appreciate their non-fighting? They still argue, just more adult-ish. And in response to many of my reviewers, do not fear! Lacie will discover, or start to discover her true identity in a couple more chapters! Yay!
Now… please review and tell me what you think of my latest chapter. Love all of you *tons*