Chapter 13
(A/N) Thanks for all the reviews! Sorry it took so long; ff.net was down for a while, and no one could upload… Oh, and note to one of my reviewers:
Bunnypear: this fic is not a continuation to Perfect Prefects… Or Not. It just shares a similar plot, but its plot will differ from Perfect Prefects eventually. As for Sirius… the point of this story is that by the end, everyone has changed a little, and has become more serious (no pun intended).
And, by the way, I think Canada's major language French, so… If I'm wrong, please correct me. The telegram is how they usually are, I think… anyway, on with the story!
Disclaimer: I own the plot. Augustus Rookwood belongs to J.K. (GoF)
*~*~*~*~*
Mr. Potter frowned.
"… list of victims given by an anonymous tip. It could be a trap, the Ministry is at a draw between using the list and not. We urge you to return as soon as possible."
The easy thing to do would be to wait and see who the next victim would be, but they wanted to make no sacrificial lambs in the Ministry's fight against Voldemort. So-
"Sir?"
Mr. Potter turned around to see- what was her name, Lavender, Lila, Lizzie- Lily. Lily Evans.
"Yes, Miss Evans?"
Lily took a step forward. "There's a message for you."
"Is it an important one?" Mr. Potter asked impatiently. "Miss Evans, I realize you are a teenager, and perhaps your opinion of matters of importance may differ from mine, so I would like to explain to you that I am a busy man, and cannot be bothered by small trials or petty problems."
She frowned. "I think, sir, it would be more of sentimental importance."
"Is it about my son, Miss Evans?" he asked, folding his glasses. "I am handling important matters at the current moment, and I must say, if it concerns him, he'll have to wait."
"It's your wife, sir," Lily said.
"My wife?" Mr. Potter stared at her in disbelief. "Tell me, why is it that you are delivering me this message?"
"The Headmaster received a message, which was urgent, for you. A telegram, in muggle form. P- James wasn't around to deliver it, so Professor Dumbledore gave it to me," Lily explained.
"I trust you did not behave like a typical teenage and read such private information?" Mr. Potter asked, taking the folded white paper from her.
"No, sir," Lily said.
"Is that all, Miss Evans?"
"Yes, sir."
"Goodnight, Merry Christmas," Mr. Potter nodded.
He returned to his desk, and opened the telegram. It read:
"TO MR. POTTER STOP
WE REGRET TO INFORM YOU OF YOUR WIFE'S ILL CONDITION STOP IT MAY BE IN YOUR BEST INTERESTS TO COME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE STOP HER SITUATION APPEARS GRAVE STOP
DR. HARRIS RICHARDSON".
*~*~*~*~*
Lily turned on her heel, walking into the Common Room, finding James, in a snogging session with some blonde- she couldn't tell which blonde.
She was basically sitting in his lap, snogging shamelessly in public.
"Don't you have to come up for air, eventually?" she asked.
James jerked up, as did the blonde, appearing to be Narcissa White. "What d'you want, Evans?" he asked, plainly not appreciating her interruption.
Narcissa peered up at her. "Aren't you that annoying Gryffindor who always argues with James?"
"Aren't you that bratty Slytherin who always sticks her tongue in the mouth of every rich guy she can find?" Lily retaliated.
James scowled. "What d'you want, Evans?" he repeated.
"I want many things, Potter. I want fortune, I want fame, I want my own mansion, I want to be a millionaire, and, most of all," Lily paused, narrowing her eyes, "I want to know why you're snogging with a Slytherin, and, even more, why you're snogging with the infamous Narcissa White, Lucius Malfoy's supposed girlfriend."
James shrugged. "None of your business, Evans. Do you mind?"
Lily rolled her eyes and turned for the stairs. Once there, she paused and turned around. "And Miss White? Fifteen points from Slytherin for entering the Gryffindor Common Room without written permission, and a detention for not being in your own house after lights out."
James opened his mouth, but Lily continued, "And a detention to you, Potter, as, even first years are aware, it is not allowed to invite others not of the Gryffindor house into the Common Room after hours without granted permission from the professors."
With that, Lily continued her way up the stairs, having her Christmas brightened by far.
*~*~*~*~*
By the next day, Lily was disgusted to find, Narcissa was to be found once again in a lip-lock with Malfoy at the breakfast table.
"Christmas morning," Evelyn yawned.
Lily took her seat primly, and nodded slightly. Her wavy auburn hair hung loosely at her shoulders as she brushed it into a half ponytail.
James, Sirius, and Remus appeared, dragging Peter with them, as they caught snatches of "he's not going to kill you", "he's always like that", "stop worrying", and "give it a rest; you're over-reacting."
James yanked Peter into a seat next to him, saying, "Snape always makes up that junk."
"B-b-but he meant it! I'm sure of it!" Peter cried.
"Well, even if he did mean it, you have us. We're your friends, remember?" Sirius asked, patting Peter's arm on the other side of him.
"Besides, he shouldn't be making threats. All you need to do is give word, Pete, and I can inform Dumbledore," James said.
"No!" Peter cried out. "Severus'll get even more mad at me!"
Lily frowned. "What, may I ask, is going on?"
Sirius groaned, James sighed, and Remus drew a breath. "Snape, being the git that he is, threatened Peter about Voldemort, and how if he didn't join the Dark Side, he'd be the next on the list of targets," Remus explained.
"Do you know how many rules that violates?" she asked. "If you turned Snape in, he could end up in very much trouble.
James nodded. "She's right, Peter. As Head Boy, I could report him, if you want-"
"You don't have an option, Potter," Lily interrupted. "If you even bothered to read the rule book McGonagall owled us, it clearly states that it is our duty to report any student who threatens, injures, or does anything else that is not consented to another student, no matter how harmless it seems."
James rolled his eyes. "Whatever, Evans. The point is, Peter, that we can report Snape."
"N-n-no, I'll be alright," Peter stammered, as Snape sent him a glare from across the Great Hall.
*~*~*~*~*
James walked into his father's room, seeing him packing.
Noticing his son in the doorway, Mr. Potter stood up. "I'm leaving this afternoon; they need me back at the Ministry."
James nodded. "How long?"
"In an hour," his father said. "Your mother… she's not doing too well. The muggle doctors can't do anything, either."
James nodded, and turned to leave.
*~*~*~*~*
Lily shivered in the cold, but stayed out anyway.
The snow crunched under her feet, as the sunshine cast her shadow upon it. Making her way to a small porch swing in the gazebo, she let out a long breath and watched as it evaporated in the air.
It was in a convenient spot, the gazebo. It was quite close to the lake, a cherry blossom tree next to it, though one couldn't tell the difference in the winter. The porch swing, like a bench, was in the middle of the gazebo, with a few chairs off to the sides.
Sitting down on the swing, Lily started to do what she often found herself doing when her mind was too cluttered, sorting her thoughts out.
*~*~*~*~*
James kicked a small stone in his path, as he let out a slow breath, watching it evaporate.
Making his way to the gazebo, he noticed a figure on the swing.
It unnerved him, seeing someone in his thinking spot, but then, it wasn't uncommon. After all, the gazebo had been erected only just three years ago, due to a petition started by the seventh years at the time, who wanted to do something with the empty lot of land near the lake which simply did not grow grass.
*~*~*~*~*
Lily heard the footsteps of someone else… a familiar, steady walk.
Without turning around, she murmured, "Potter. Didn't fancy seeing you out here."
"Isn't it a bit chilly for you to be out here?" James asked harshly, taking a seat next to her on the swing.
"No."
Her answer was followed by an unwelcome silence. Finally, James said, "What brings you out here, Evans?"
"I like to come here to think," Lily said. "And you?"
"An escape from reality," James replied.
"That depends on your idea of reality," Lily countered. "For me, this is reality, and Hogwarts is a fantasy."
"The one thing not magically made," James said slowly.
"It's not your kind of magic," she agreed, "But sometimes, the air is so refreshing, the sun sets right in front of here, the stars always seem brighter from here. I would say that it qualifies as some sort of magic."
"I suppose," James shrugged.
"What's your reality, then?" Lily asked softly. "And why are you escaping from it?"
"My dad," James said. "I have no normal life."
"Oh?"
"You have no idea," he said. "No idea at all."
Lily was inclined to say something in response, but at his second statement, he appeared to be talking to himself, and she decided to leave him alone.
Thus, the two teenagers stared straight ahead, deep in thought.
*~*~*~*~*
"… and that's the Big Dipper, right there," James pointed.
All the Marauders, Evelyn, Bella, and Lily were stargazing in the gazebo, doing some Astronomy homework they had been given prior to the holidays.
"My turn," Lily said, as James let her have her turn at the telescope. "There's the Big Dipper, I can see it. Over there, it's… Aurora Borealis, Northern Lights."
"What?" James stood. "Can't be, that's not possible."
"Wait, it's green light, moving… oh. Oh, my."
"What?" Remus asked.
Lily stepped back. "It's the Dark Mark."
*~*~*~*~*
James frowned. The Dark Mark?
The Dark Mark was the mark of a skull with a snake protruding out of its mouth, as a tongue. It was the mark of death, and whenever it was found above a person's house, it was known that someone had been attacked and killed. By now, it had grown quite common to see, as it seemed to be all over the papers.
Still, he didn't think that Voldemort would dare to attack so close to Hogwarts. Wasn't Albus Dumbledore the one person Voldemort was afraid of?
*~*~*~*~*
"… Voldemort struck again at a nearby Ministry member, Augustus Rookwood's house, killing a centaur found in the area, a dog and a cat were stunned. All three were branded with the Dark Mark. Strangely enough, the Ministry member appeared at work the next day, perfectly fine."
James frowned. "They are so blind sometimes…"
Evelyn plopped down next to him at the dinner table. "Who are so blind?"
"Well, isn't it obvious?" James said. "The only way for the Rookwood to get out alive is-"
"If he was a Death Eater himself," Lily said, appearing next to them.
"Right," James nodded. "I mean, the guy's in the Mysteries Department, probably passing on information. I overheard my dad telling someone over the phone that they were watching certain members of the Ministry closely, because they associated with suspected Death Eaters. There's more that I hear, but I would get in so much trouble if I told you."
"Guilt by association," Lily chewed her lip thoughtfully. "That doesn't seem right, but Crouch is taking so many precautions now, and it seems to be working."
Evelyn shrugged. "So, are we still up for working on our Astronomy homework tonight?"
"Uh, yeah, sure," James shrugged.
"I'm in," Lily nodded.
*~*~*~*~*
"Ursa Major," Sirius said, pointing at the constellation. "Bear."
Lily sighed. "Sirius, that's Ursa Minor," she said, recording something in her notebook.
"No, it's Ursa Major," Sirius said, frowning.
"Minor."
"Major."
"Minor."
"Major."
"Minor."
"Major."
Evelyn rolled her eyes. "Stop it, both of you," she said. "My turn."
This began an uneventful night of taking turns at pointing out different constellations, planets, and stars.
*~*~*~*~*
Professor Dumbledore sighed heavily as he read the school year's agenda.
The Head students seemed to be taking on twice as much as they had been doing the previous years. Still, he was quite sure that they would be able to handle it.
And yet…
Was it right to burden them with so many projects? Surely they would be pushed past their limits by one of these projects? Of course, the Ministry was right in wanting to teach these students what they were truly up against, but were they going into the extreme, slightly?
Dumbledore looked out the big picture window, where the Gryffindors were stargazing. It was, indeed, a pleasant break from seeing James Potter and Lily Evans shouting obscenities at each other, but…
How long would it last?
If the Ministry's idea worked, not for long.
Sighing, Dumbledore pressed a red button, and said, "Will the two Head Students please report to my office at this time? Password's Treacle Fudge."
And so it began.
*~*~*~*~*
"If this is about last week's prank, I'm telling him you provoked me," James said.
"Me?" Lily frowned. "That was all your idea. I was just innocently sleeping, when there was a entire tidal wave splashed on me."
"You were asleep. That's a reason," James said. "All I have to say is that it was an accident."
"Brat."
"Priss."
"Idiot."
"Snob,"
"Git."
"Carrot-top."
Lily rolled her eyes, reminded suddenly of first year, when he had transfigured the top of her head into a, well, carrot-top. "Pig snout."
James laughed, remembering the time she had transfigured his nose into a pig snout in first year… The Head students had thought it to be funny to use it as a password every year. "Treacle Fudge."
The two stone gargoyles blocking the way to the Headmaster's office suddenly sprang apart, granting them entrance.
*~*~*~*~*
Dumbledore turned to face James and Lily.
"Miss Evans, Mr. Potter, I wish to inform you that we will be receiving four exchange students from the United States and Canada within three days," he said. "It is your duty to make them feel as home as possible. However, after three days of their stay, we will be shipping the two of you off to their school, in America, for a month and a half, about seven and a half weeks."
Lily frowned. "But-"
"Let me finish, Miss Evans. During your stay, you will not be allowed contact with anyone at Hogwarts through owl or otherwise. Nor may you keep in correspondence with anyone you know already, aside from yourselves. The objective of this is to allow you to adapt to a change of scenery, without your closest friends."
"But sir, there's a quidditch match coming up, and the postponed game against the Slytherins-"
Dumbledore held up a hand to stop James. "Yes, you will miss that. We have the alternates in your place. Any other questions?"
Lily bit her lip. "I get to bring my owl, right?"
"Miss Evans, you are not allowed to keep in correspondence-"
"For company only, sir," she said quickly. "Besides, Hera has a strict diet, and I really need to keep her with me."
Dumbledore nodded. "You, James? Have you any pet that you feel you must bring?"
"My owl, only, sir."
"Good," Dumbledore nodded. "We have sent a letter to both your parents. Before you leave for the airport, you will both be allowed to stop by your parents' house, upon their requests."
James' eyes darkened slightly.
*~*~*~*~*
Sure enough, within three days, the four different exchange students arrived, two from each school.
Two boys, and two girls.
"Students, it gives me great pleasure to announce our four exchange students, Leslie McKinnion and Jonathan Steel from the Salem School of Magic of America, and Michelle JeDoire and Michael DeVivre from the Canadien École de Magie of Canada," Dumbledore smiled at the four students.
"That Michael kid looks like a Slytherin," Evelyn whispered to Lily as she applauded.
"They have already been sorted. Miss McKinnion, to Gryffindor, Mr. Steel to Ravenclaw, Miss JeDoire to Ravenclaw, and Mr. DeVivre to Slytherin. Please move onto your breakfast table at this time," the Headmaster said.
The girl introduced as "Leslie McKinnion" walked over and took a seat next to Lily and James, obviously nervous.
"Hi… I'm looking for the Head Students?" she asked.
"That's us," James nodded.
"Um, I need to get my schedule from you."
Lily smiled, and gave her the sheet of paper.
As if the ice had been broken through this gesture, Leslie perked up immediately. "So, do you really have tea every day?"
"Well-"
"Oh! I love your accent!"
James raised an eyebrow. "What accent? You're the one with the accent."
*~*~*~*~*
(A/N) Yay! That was a long chapter!!!!!!!!!!!!! Review, PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sorry if I had any typos, or anything…
To Come: Meet the parents.