Hogwarts Express

James Potter- 1st January

James was sitting by himself in an empty compartment aboard the Hogwarts express, an entirely new experience for him. He still hadn't talked to Fred, although James had managed to apologise to Al and Lily. Apologised for not being there; for being wrapped up in himself. They had accepted and James felt much lighter after the fact.

He'd hugged both his parents tightly. Anything could happen, he realised that keenly now, his father could be murdered or he himself could be. There was a mass murderer after him and for all he knew this could be his last train journey to school.

But he wouldn't - couldn't - think like that. No one was going to get him. Ted was here to prevent the worst and there was no one he would trust more than his big brother. If it came down to it he would rather fight till the end than die easily.

He would not be weak anymore.

Still the past week had fired James up in a way that he couldn't explain, he felt like a bungee cord trembling under the strain, about to release. He knew his confrontation with Alison could be far more painful than Fred's words. He'd realised while he'd sulked and nursed his blistered self confidence that he had fallen for her, and that he'd fallen for her hard a long time ago now.

He could pinpoint when his feelings for her had changed. It was that night he'd followed her back to her downstairs, into the dark gloomy dungeon, to return her jumper. It was that night he saw her brother confront her.

It wasn't that she had been a damsel in distress. Because no one in their right mind would ever try to describe Alison Higgs as such. It was the cunning way she'd played her brother, letting him believe he had the upper hand when all along she had been in control of the situation.

He'd loved her for that.

Now he knew, however, that she was also playing him. And he, fool that he is, had made it so bloody easy.

He still hoped that it wasn't her. He hoped that when confronted she would deny everything. But he realised it had to have been her that slipped the information, there were no other explanations.

"James," Alison said, sliding into the compartment and slipping primly into the seat across from him. James didn't acknowledge her, his heart was thumping too wildly and his throat felt like a vice. She looked at him thoughtfully. 'Please,' James thought, 'Just admit it, please, please.' "I looked for you, Fred didn't know where you were." The words hung between them, she knew of course on some level that something between them had drastically changed. That what they were building towards had tarnished and never would be. Instead of speaking and explaining like James expected her to, she instead watched him carefully. Perhaps she knew that her next words would decide everything. She was weighing everything up, the perfect Slytherin. She blinked slowly and moved her hands onto her knees looking unsure for the first time.

There was a long pause and still James didn't dare speak. He wasn't brave enough, but she was.

"I heard about your dad, is he okay?"

"Right as rain," James said weakly.

"Good," another pause.

Out of nowhere James got the courage, the words falling out with sudden ease, "Did you tell your dad about the ball?"

"Yes," she replied simply and calmly, she didn't tense or in any way show guilt or nerves. Still James pressed on.

"So Fred is right, you did betray us," James said in quiet fury. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"I told my dad you were going to a ball and that I wished I could go," Alison said in a tone suggesting James was stupid, "how is that betraying you?"

"They knew about the party Allie, they knew the date, the place, you told them- and they nearly killed my dad!"

"That has nothing to do with me or my family. They wouldn't. Hundreds of people go to that ball, any one of them could be your traitor."

"We agreed Alison, we agreed we would decide together what information to feed and what information to hold back. To make sure if they were working for them no one would ever be hurt," James paused, "how can I ever trust you now?"

She reared back at his words, for the first time stung. But still she would not back down, it wasn't who she was, and James had known this was exactly how this conversation was going to go. "James, my family are not nice, I know that better than most, but I don't believe they are evil."

"I know it was them." It was the statement of a cocksure Gryfindor, but on that statement James was certain.

"Why because we are purebloods? Because they have different beliefs? That's rubbish James, and you know it."

They stared at each other, the air crackling in the tension filled compartment. She would not back down, and neither could he. "I can't trust you Al, not after this," the words almost broke him. "I want to, I really want to, but I just can't". She nodded, she'd already known that, probably from the second she'd realised what was wrong.

"James, I am sorry." She stood, standing in the doorway, ready to leave. She clearly wanted to say something as her mouth opened and closed. James looked at her hopefully, begging her with his eyes to say something to change this situation, something to make him forgive her so that they could pretend that the last ten minutes had never happened. But instead she turned and with a breathy pause said, "Take care of yourself." He nodded to her and she left. Perhaps he should have responded in kind, but he didn't. He instantly regretted it.

On the long journey to Hogwarts James realised what he'd known all along. That keeping secrets, especially about this, was wrong. Worse, it was done because of his own need to play the hero and his own feeling of inadequacy. His father needed to know, and should have known from the very start.

Shame prickled his insides, leaving him cold and shaky as the realisation of what he'd failed to do came over him. Fred was right, of course he was.

He would never be able to explain this in a letter, and he couldn't face doing it. He was a coward, not a Gryffindor. He'd have to tell Ted since he was at the school. Ted would listen and pass on the information. Ted would always protect him from his father's disappointment.

About an hour away from Hogwarts the door slid open again. Maddy stood at the door biting her lip. They'd barely spoken all year in comparison to before, although they did of course train together. They'd drifted apart, James had obviously been off obsessed with Alison and she and Aalaa had been hanging around the other girls for once. James tried to smile at her but he gave it up for a bad job when she winced at him.

"Hey Jimmy," she said quietly, slipping in and plopping down next to him. "I've missed you."

James looked at her carefully, she looked sincere, and apologetic, perhaps he hadn't been the only one distracted. Seeing her again, James realised just how much he had missed her and their group. He'd let too many things pass by because of Alison, made a lot of mistakes. "Me too."

She wrapped her arms around him and gave him a quick hug. "I'm sorry I stopped hanging around you all, we, Aalaa and I, were fed up with all the drama with you and Higgs."

"I'm sorry I wasn't around too."

"I really wanted it to work out with you both, but I just saw her and she didn't look very happy."

"No... Whatever we were, it's over."

"I'm sorry James."

"Shouldn't be. I was a right idiot."

She looked at him knowingly, "Everyone always is with their first love." James choked but she just laughed at him, "Do you not remember when me and Freddie dated in fifth year? We used to hide from you all." James smiled as he thought back.

"Could never find you, still don't know what you were doing."

"Playing exploding snap mostly," Maddy deadpanned. James laughed loudly.

"So what've you been up to?" He asked, for the rest of the journey they caught each other up on everything they'd missed and James laughed harder than he had in days, it was a good feeling, and he was glad she'd come to find him.

The first night back at Hogwart's was stranger than normal. James had sat by himself at the table and thankfully Fred and Dan had sat at the opposite end of the table. Aalaa and Maddy were not as keen to leave him alone and so they (and the other two Gryfindor sixth years) joined him. James tuned out most of the evening's conversation, it was too fixated on boys, makeup and stuff about other people.

James was one of the first to leave the hall. He was half-way to the common room when he heard someone yelling after him. He turned, a guy with purple hair was breathlessly chasing him up the moving staircase.

"James! Wait," he called. James smiled at him as he got there. "I'm supposed to be your bodyguard, bro," Teddy grinned ruffling James' hair, "can't do that if you are always running off."

"You are here for everyone's protection," James pointed out, scowling up at him.

"Yeah, but I like you more," Teddy winked.

"Don't you have a partner?" James asked in confusion, he hadn't seen anyone else at the meal and now he thought about it Ted had been alone before Christmas too.

"I do, Greg, but because Oldridge and Creevey are still sick Greg has been paired with Freya."

James frowned, "Isn't there anyone else?"

"Well there is, but Harry doesn't want the protection too obvious and I think he knows me being here is a little pointless. They haven't got through the wards before."

"About all that, I fucked up Ted, I really fucked up," Ted frowned at him but let him continue, "Alison Higg's knew about the Ministry ball and she told her father, I think he is behind the terrorist group. We've been feeding them information to see if he is a part of it. Alison won't listen to me, but I know that they are behind all of it."

"Start from the beginning," so James did, he explained everything, everything they'd discussed and everything Alison had told him. He knew he was breaking her trust but he also knew that he had to follow the greater good. Ted listened intently, questioning him occasionally, and nodded when James finally finished. "I'll fire call him now, don't worry about it Jimmy, Harry will be proud of you for this." James disagreed but said nothing, instead thanking Ted and they then went their separate ways.

Unknown- Hogwarts

"Is it done?" A low voice asked from just out of sight, the body hulking in the shadows. The man who faced them nodded slowly before answering.

"It is," he said shakily, "I just left him to tell you-"

"That is enough, boy," the voice paused as if considering, "you did well tonight and you will be rewarded."

"Thank you," he said shakily, raising a hand to his sweaty brow.

"It won't be long now, and when the time comes, you will fight beside us?"

"Of course," he breathed, his voice firm but quiet.

"Good, it is time we make our opinion clear, don't you think?" He nodded in certainty before turning to disappear into the night. Leaving the other to smile crookedly before vanishing from sight. It would all soon end.