Chapter III
The Announcement
The next two weeks had become a time for hard work. The girls had lived in the Library, practicing magic and studying the more complex theories, whilst the boys had become split. Remus and James, whilst working as Mr. Damson's helper picked up a few secrets that they didn't already know. The passwords, portraits and passageways were written neatly on an enchanted piece of parchment. Making a copy the boys thought it may come in handy.
But as the days passed, Sirius became more solitary. Peter was becoming tiring without James to join in and Remus to object to the jokes. So sitting alone with Peter, he slowly made the carrots and peas dance around his plate. Peter chattering in his ear, the conversation at the Ravenclaw table between James and Remus was all he could hear.
"Quiet Please!" the lucid voice echoed, and the hall became silent. This time, everyone was already expecting it, fidgeting in their seats to find out who would be going, only Padfoot and Wormtail were uninterested.
"Now," he smiled, "I know you are all eager to find out who will be going to the Triwizard Tournament as Hogwarts School's Team. It is for this reason that I will first tell you all about the arrangements of the trip." His sparkling smile cast the hall into a unified release of breath.
"Myself, and Prof. McGonnagal will be accompanying the selected students, and we will be travelling in one weeks time. All your lessons will be continued over in Beauxbatons with the aid of their excellent teachers and of course, Prof. McGonnagal and Myself."
"I am allowing all of the selected students access to Hogsmeade Village over the next week, to buy anything they require for their trip. If any of you need to travel home or get anything from there, either ask your parents to send it, or see me personally. I think you will all do us proud as a school, and I hope you will all enjoy the time away from this old Castle."
"So without anything else to delay the announcement I will tell you what you all are waiting for"
A roll of parchment unravelled out of mid air, into the hands of Dumbledore. The candles dimmed, "Please come to the front;
Georgia Sewell of Ravenclaw, Western Abbot of Slytherin,
Agora Oppingham of Slytherin,
Malcolm Hunt of Ravenclaw, Lily Evans of Gryffindor, Remus Lupin of Gryffindor, James Potter of Gryffindor, Diggory Wells of Hufflepuff,
Gregory Tyre of Slytherin,
Iona Denton of Hufflepuff,
Kiara Hubble of Hufflepuff, Severus Snape of Slytherin, Isabelle Harris of Ravenclaw, Anna Jacob of Hufflepuff and Amanda Knowall of Gryffindor."
James and Remus stood aghast at what they had just heard. Dumbledore had told them there was no chance of going, maybe their dedication to studies and work had proved them worthy. After all, Sirius wasn't called.
So with a short delay, they rose with the others and made their way up the aisle, to greet Prof. Dumbledore's smiling face. The line they formed was greeted with applause and cheers, and Dumbledore began to make his way down the line, shaking hands.
As he neared them, James whispered quickly in his ear, "But Professor, you said-"
"Boys, I will let you in on a little secret. The fact is, there was no call from the Ministry." he beamed at his little trick, the boys shook their heads and laughed. "I just wanted to know whether you two would show us that you really did want the chance to go, and Professor McGonnagal agrees that you have both been exceptionally good students."
He moved on hastily to shake other hands as James and Remus looked about the room. Of all the people there, Sirius was clapping the loudest. "You think he is jealous?" James whispered.
"I hope not, I just want to get out of this place and leave him to himself."
"And Wormy," James laughed.
"Without further ado, Bon Apetit! As they say in France," Prof. Dumbledore's hands summoned the usual foods and drinks. The Hogwarts Team marched back to their seats, but the boys decided to move, going over to the standing Sirius, they smiled.
"Well done," Sirius' face was beaming with pride, "Both of you."
"Thanks," James said as he sat to indulge in a plate of creamy mashed potato.
"I'm sorry Remus, I didn't mean it and I was a-"
"Stubborn fool to leave it this long?" Remus' face relaxed into a smile, and the four sat down together for a celebratory meal, not for the Triwizard, but for the Marauders.
"I can't wait, George!" shrieked Isabelle, "To think we got picked out of all of the three top years."
"But you know what this means?"
"What?"
"Now we have to study for our O.W.L.'s away from home, that is going to be a challenge,"
"Do you have to think of school all the time?" Isabelle slouched in her seat, "I mean, we've studied all the past four years and where has it got us?"
"To the top grades throughout our Year?" Georgina smirked, "And besides the past, this year is-"
"Ordinary Wizarding Levels, I know! But I'm up to speed on the topics and stuff and we'll still have lessons over there, can't we just enjoy our time there. It's going to be amazing, and I can't wait to see if James will ask me out,"
"Isabelle, you know he has eyes for Lily,"
"Until she realises that she has a good thing there, he's free and single."
"You are terrible," Georgina finished her last slice of beef drizzled in gravy when the remnants of the main course disappeared and the desserts arrived. A mountain of profiteroles landed in front of Isabelle, and she immediately tucked in, with lashings of thick cream on top.
"Well, I'm off to"
"Go and study?" mocked Isabelle between mouthfuls.
"Actually, I'm meeting Remus before we go to bed, and don't even think about making a saucy remark you!" the two girls laughed, as Georgina left the table to go and fetch Remus.
The boys spent more time together than ever over the course of their last week, they went to steal supplies from the Potions cupboard, to stock up on anything the champions might need, and they even offered the new Transfiguration Prof. some extra help, as a thank you.
"That's quite alright boys, but I was the only one really who had a totally fresh idea of you. From what I'd seen in my time here, you have excelled and tried your hardest at Transfigurations and many other subjects I here, no matter what your past I think you deserved it just for trying."
"Mind you though," she said in her heady Scottish accent, "I will have no misbehaviour in Beauxbatons. I don't mind telling you that next year, I will be taking over as Head of Gryffindor House, so I expect nothing but the best from you!"
"Thank you Prof. and we won't let you down." Remus finished up tidying the desks as James reverted all the needles on the desks back into matches. He remembered the first practical Transfiguration lesson he had, the old Matchstick to Needle spell.
"Mutatio Similis," he spoke softly to the needles, ad they shifted from steel to wood, from needle-eye to match-head. Prof. McGonnagal walked up behind him.
"You're a good Transfiguration student Mr. Potter." she said, "Have you ever thought about teaching as a career?"
"Um…" he honestly hadn't thought about any career. Apart from Quidditch he hadn't thought about much else. "I hadn't, no."
"Well I'm sure you would make a fine Transfiguration Professor, do you know about Animaguses?" James smirked, it quickly changed to an intrigued eye when he saw McGonnagal's face.
"Isn't that when a wizard or witch can turn into an animal?"
"Why yes." Her eyes had become lit now, "I am an Animagus myself, but it is quite difficult magic you know, not many would be able to master it even if they wanted to. I imagine you would though, when you can use transfiguration as well as you can."
"You are an Animagus Professor?" he said aghast. Since the previous year, when the boys had worked day and night to get the hang of the magic, they had never met another wizard or witch who could do it. "What is your animal, if you don't mind me asking Professor?"
"Not at all," she relaxed her shoulders and moved towards the next desk, and as she did, her body shrunk upwards, and her hat split into two pointed ears. The Professor landed neatly on the desk and turned as a cat to James.
Remus' attention was now caught, although not an Animagus himself, he was a werewolf and was fascinated by anything similar. He smiled and clapped, turning the others attentions to him.
McGonnagal shifted back with another leap, and walked towards Remus. "Are you a registered Animagus then Professor?" he asked.
"Why of course I am boys, who wouldn't register? I mean, to risk the Ministry of Magic tracking them down. It is a far better thing to be honest about these things boys, I'm sure if you ever attempt to become one yourselves you would go about it the proper way."
The boys knew that it was illegal not only to attempt the Animagus magic without declaring so first, but also to do so before coming of age; that is seventeen. The three were particularly pleased with themselves that they had not only done it three years before most people would even consider it, but without any proper tuition.
Of course, Remus was there to tell them all about his experience of transforming and the emotions and feelings he had.
"Yes Professor." James and Remus looked slyly at one another, "Is it okay if we go now?"
"Certainly, but remember now you only have two days before we leave. Do you have everything?"
"We'll be going into Hogsmeade tomorrow afternoon. Potions has been cancelled."
"I see, then I will see you in two days boys."
Hogsmeade was quiet that afternoon. Most students weren't allowed out without a chaperone, but the Hogwarts Team was. With the serious business of buying extra clothes and supplies of Butterbeer that they apparently didn't have in France, they set about the cold, autumnal day.
"How do you think we're gonna get there?" said James
"Maybe the train, I don't know where the Hogwarts track goes past London from here, so maybe it just carries on over the Channel." Remus finished putting the last of the chocolate frogs in his bag and thanked the shop-keeper.
"And have you heard about Durmstrang?"
"What about them?" Remus asked
"I hear that it's up north where there's snow all year round. But they don't even teach Defence Against the Dark Arts!"
"What do they teach?"
"They actually learn The Dark Arts themselves. They get lessons on curses and hexes, and they get taught Elemental Magic too, controlling fire and wind."
"Well, let's just hope the old Hogwarts magic can beat the Europeans." Remus smiled, "I'm meeting Georgia in the Tea Room in five minutes, did you want to join us or are you going back?"
"Playing third wheel isn't my thing thanks,"
"Well, Isabelle, Amanda and Lily will be there too." Remus could see James' sarcastic look twist into a beaming smile. Behind all the acting cool, he was truly besotted with her. Sirius and James had always been in some kind of game to act cool, but Remus knew James wasn't really like that.
"That would be great then."
"But James, can I give you some advice?" James waited eagerly, any advice that someone with a girlfriend had was worth knowing, "Be yourself, and not that show-off that comes out when Sirius is around. Lily hates that kind of thing, and don't be cocky either. Just be…you."
James was taken aback, Remus never said anything personal like that usually. Maybe Sirius had been a bad influence, on all of them. "Sure."
"I hope Remus doesn't bring Potter," Lily had been moaning about him all day, what he would do in France to ruin the School's reputation, how he would annoy her all year. The others were getting pretty tired of it.
"Yes, I think he is invited. But I tell you what Lil, he only acts like that 'cos of Sirius Black. What an arrogant pure-blood, he swans around as if he were better than us, an everyone thinks he's cool. Pah!" said Amanda, unusually in depth.
"Well I think Potter's fabulous." Isabelle spooned a dollop of whipped cream into her mouth.
"You are welcome to him." Lily looked away from them now, eyeing the window. "Oh! Here he comes now."