Chapter 16 Peter's Wall
James woke the next day, bright and early as he usually did. He waddled down the steps and slid across the wooden floor of the common room. He got his coffee complete with cream and sugar and returned. It was rather difficult to push his way through the portrait hole this morning. There was a large crowd in front of the bulletin board that blocked his path. He whipped out his wand and was just about to hex a first year that had accidently stepped on his foot when Lily Evans came into view.
"Stop right there!" Lily ordered, pointing her finger at James as she marched towards them. James grinned and twirled his wand between his fingers before putting it away.
"Evans, you're not even a prefect yet and you're already bossing me around," James teased, running his fingers through his hair to make sure it was just right. Lily was too busy consoling the scared first year to pay attention to his remark.
"James, I'm really glad that you've stopped bugging Severus but you've got to stop bothering the first years. They're helpless. It's really not fair," she told him.
"He stepped on my foot!" James defended.
"I'm sure it was an accident," Lily said. " Anyway, how did your meeting go yesterday? I take it you didn't get expelled?"
"Nope. Just have to tutor people with your darling Severus," James said and made a face like he swallowed vinegar.
"Well, I'm glad you're not expelled," Lily smiled.
"And I'm glad you're still gorgeous, though I don't think my heart can take it," James said dramatically. Lily rolled her eyes.
"Whatever, Potter," Lily said, dryly, and turned to leave.
"May I admire you again today?" James called after her.
Lily rolled her eyes at him as she disappeared behind the portrait. James turned back to the bustling crowd. "Excuse me. Pardon me," he said as he pushed people out of his way toward the bulletin board. There were many things that could have been the centre of attention but the crowd stilled when they noticed who was now in the front and that made James queezey. He read through noticing; the new password, bono malum superate, active starting tomorrow morning, the announcement for the last quidditch game of the season, the winner of the chess competition, the winner of the gobstones competition, the candidates for next year's head boy and girl, and then an announcement for a new study period lead by Sirius Black, James Potter, Severus Snape, and the prefects from all houses. Beneath it was a list of all the people who wanted to take the class and it was already filled from top to bottom, some had even squeezed their names onto the sides. James ripped it from the wall, pushed his way over to a chair, climbed on top, and called out:
"Why do so many of you need tutoring?"
The first years gulped and looked at each other apprehensively, the sixth and seventh years laughed, but it was a fifth year, Frank Longbottom, who answered.
"We all wanted to see you have to work with Snape," Frank grinned. James rolled his eyes and jumped down.
"I don't see what's so entertaining about that slimy git. And you've got to work with him too Longbottom, you're a prefect," James said.
"Not him, you. You're always coming up with brilliant stuff. Turning his rucksack into a rabbit and his desk into a pig. Can't wait to see what you come up with next." Longbottom said with a murmur of agreement from the crowd. "Well, I've got to go. Prefect duties. See ya later Potter."
James stared incredulously at the dispersing crowd. He hadn't realised he had caught so many people's attention and that so many people were on his side. Lily always made him out to be some sort of monster. Then again she never seemed to grasp that Snape was just as - if not more - guilty than he. He picked on people only because he thought he was better than them. You mess up on your potion, Snape would be there with his snide comments. Make a mistake in Defense, Snape would be there just to show off. He was incorrigible. If he wasn't there to keep Snape in line chaos would fall.
He got back to his dorm room, still clutching the list as he read it over. There was Franchesca Brown, Tom Williams, Dan Millar, and Jennifer Watts, but no Lily Evans.
"What's that you've got?" Peter asked. He was already dressed in his school robes.
"List of people who signed up for the tutoring Dumbledore's making us do," James mumbled. Peter looked over his shoulder to read the list.
"That's a lot of people," Peter remarked.
"Yeah, a lot," James said, rolling his eyes. He tossed the list onto his bed and downed his now lukewarm coffee. "Where's Sirius?"
"Shower. Imma go get some breakie. See ya later," Peter said, as he left James alone in the dorm room.
James hated being alone. It was too quiet. There was no one to talk to so he always ended up thinking out loud, making himself look insane. But he needed to show Sirius the list and tell him what Frank said, so he stayed. He could hear the alarm clock on his bedside table ticking away, the birds fluttering wings outside his window, people passing by in the hallway, Peter's cat purring in the sun patch on the floor. The small noises were itching away at his brain and he almost burst out of there when Sirius came strutting back into the dorm room. His hair had grown out and was now past his eyes so he kept shaking his head so he could see, flicking water as he did.
"Merlin's pants! Sirius, you have to take shorter showers! The earth is dying you know," James said as he dodged a few stray water droplets.
"If it's under an hour does it really count as a shower?" Sirius responded, taking his wand from his drawer so he could finish drying himself off. James ignored this and lurched into his story. Sirius stared at the list, mouth agape.
"How're we supposed to teach all these people? This is all of Gryffindor!" Sirius said.
"All except Evans," James muttered. He still hadn't quite figured her out. One minute she was fine with him the next she was shooting daggers at him.
"Who?" Sirius asked, only half listening. He was still eyeing the list, his eyes trailing over each of the names.
"'The ginger,'" James groaned.
"Oh, right," Sirius said, still not paying attention. James sighed, his eyebrows narrowing. He was hoping Sirius would give him advice about Lily. Sirius saw the look on James's face and rolled his eyes. "Think of it this way. It's less time she'll spend with Snivellus," Sirius told him, handing back the list.
"Yeah," James sighed, his disappointment lightening.
"Listen I think we should start with the Mandrake's tonight. We have to hold it in our mouths from full moon to full moon. So we have to come up with some excuse for not being able to talk for an entire month." Sirius said.
"Why don't we just do it? Who cares what they think?" James questioned, leading Sirius out the door.
"It's gonna look suspicious. And what we're doing is, technically, illegal," Sirius muttered.
"Black, relax. No one's gonna guess what we're doing," James shrugged.
"Maggie would. Especially if she finds out about the mandrakes. Dumbledore too," Sirius answered. James pinned the list of students back up on the board thinking about this.
"We have until dinner to think of something," James said as they left the common room and headed to breakfast.
It was odd being at Hogwarts now. The war was something that usually only affected their home life. Hogwarts was a safe haven from the chaos that was outside, which normally only the students who regularly read the prophet knew about. Ever since news of the attack on Marlene Mckinnon spread throughout the school Hogwarts changed. The students were scared. Everyone kept to their own house tables. When Bertha Jorkins let out the news that there were Death Eaters at school things really began to change. The staff didn't seem to take it seriously, but the students certainly did. People walked the halls in groups of no less than three. The Slytherins were thoroughly avoided. So, that is why the Gryffindor students spent most of their day in their tower
It was Saturday. A day with no classes, no assignments, a day of absolutely nothing but freedom. Which was the basic gist of Sirius's speech when he started ranting about his boredom.
"I should not be bored on a Saturday!" he concluded.
James was glaring out of the window with his chin resting in his hand having been unsuccessful at shutting Sirius up. Peter had fallen back to sleep in his four-poster with his cat curled around his head.
"So Sirius are you having a good day?" James asked with mocking interest.
"Bored! Bored! Bored! Bored! Bored!" Sirius yelled, stomping off to his bed. He climbed back in and tossed himself onto his side so his back was to James.
James sighed heavily and looked back to the window. The rain was pouring so hard he couldn't even see the quidditch field and could only hear the trees violently shaking in the wind. Saturday was a day to play quidditch since he couldn't play on the actual team. Feeling his disappointment starting to weigh in on him James moved away from the window.
Their dorm room was an absolute mess. The chessboard and pieces were littered across the floor, having been thrown when Sirius was accused of cheating. Then chaos had erupted. James had come to Peter's defence earning himself a sharp blow to his stomach. There were hexes and jinxes flying all over the place. The only thing that remained untouched in their room was Remus's bed.
James's eyes lingered on his bed. Remus would know what to do. He could pull Sirius out of his moods with a simple "let's go prank the Slytherins." When James had tired that all he got was a grumpy "How are we going to do that? Break into their impenetrable dormitory?"
The full moon was tonight and there was no way Madam Pomfrey would allow them to visit.
"Sirius?" James said, an idea suddenly popping into his head.
"What?" Sirius answered, sulkily.
"I need you to hex me," James said. Sirius sat up and looked at his friend as if he had lobsters crawling out of his ears.
"What?" Sirius repeated.
"Hex me."
"Why?" Sirius asked, suspiciously.
"Because… I think your hair's stupid," James said, crossing his arms. Sirius looked offended for a split second.
"That's your prerogative," he said, turning away from him.
"And that… you're worse at magic than Peter," James said. Sirius snorted. James groaned, marched over to Sirius, then pushed him out of bed. Sirius shot up, anger flashing in his stony eyes.
"What the hell did you do that for!" he yelled.
"Cause you're a git!" James said, preparing himself for the blow. Sirius grabbed his wand that had fallen out of his pocket and thrust it into James's face. James's face was already contorted in pain even though he hadn't done anything and that is what stopped him. Instead, he pushed him away from his bed and got back into it. "Merlin Sirius, can't you just be a man and hex me?"
"That's sexist. I'm gonna tell Evans you said that " Sirius threatened.
"Oh yeah, well I'm gonna… tell Snape that you have a crush on him," James said, expecting to get a rise out of his friend. Sirius remained silent. "Then I'll…. I'll tie Regulus to one of the Quidditch poles. Maybe he'll get struck by lightning, that would be awesome to see!"
"You wouldn't. You promised me that Regulus was off limits," Sirius said, the boredom still heavy in his voice.
"I'll still tell Snape," James threatened.
"Do it, I dare you," Sirius said, knowing James would never back down from a dare. "And you have to make him believe it, or else it doesn't count."
"You're daring me to ruin your reputation?" James asked.
"I'm daring you to do the impossible," Sirius clarified.
James and Sirius were staring each other down, the challenge lighting both their eyes.
"Peter, get up, we're going to find Snivellus!" James yelled, running to get properly dressed. Peter sucked in a deep breath but considered it not worth the loss of sleep. "Peter! Now!"
"Peter Reginald Octavius Rudolph Potter Lupin Black Pettigrew get out of bed this instant!" Sirius ordered.
"How many names do you think I have?" Peter yawned.
"I don't actually know, I just decided to improvise," Sirius told him, waiting impatiently by the door.
"Well I don't have a middle name and I have only one surname," Peter said, getting dressed.
James crossed the room carrying in his hands a large stack of paper. Sirius eyed them suspiciously.
"You have four last names. We've all adopted each other," James said.
"Everyone needs a middle name. From now on you shall be Peter Cadwallader Pettigrew," Sirius declared.
"Cadwallader?" James repeated. "That's worse than my middle name."
"One could argue that it's better," Sirius replied.
"How?" Peter asked.
"...it's…cooler," Sirius said.
Peter scoffed. James was now rummaging through the papers in his hand.
"What's that you've got there, James?" Sirius asked curiously.
"Nothing," James said quickly, clutching the papers to his chest. Sirius's interest peaked. He lunged at James and both of them dropped to the floor rolling around as Sirius tried to pry open James's fingers.
"What! The! Hell!" Sirius yelled, having successfully pulled the papers free. The papers were not actually papers at all but pictures. Pictures of Sirius sleeping in a compromising position in second year; pictures of Sirius covered in what he knew to be pickle juice in first year; pictures of Sirius with red lipstick and heavy blue eyeshadow he dressed in for a dare at the beginning of this year.
"Language for the love of Merlin!" James groaned trying to push Sirius off of his stomach. Sirius paid no attention of this, he was too busy flipping through the series of embarrassing pictures with a mortified expression on his face. Peter had crept up behind Sirius curious to see what his usual confident friend was so embarrassed about. Once Sirius got to the picture of him in his underpants he jumped to his feet and pulled out his wand prepared to burn the small stack.
"No, no, no! Don't destroy them! Think of the memories!" James yelled, scurrying to his feet and placing a hand on top of the photos under Sirius's wand.
"Memories!" Sirius said, ripping the pile away from James. James made to grab the pictures back but Sirius danced away from him. "You were going to share these with Snivellus weren't you? You don't think I have embarrassing pictures of you?" Sirius yelled as James chased him around the room.
"You said I had to be convincing!" James yelled. Peter was starting to get dizzy from watching them run around in circles.
"Guys, come on! Don't fight!" Peter demanded as James whipped out his wand and shot the jelly-leg jinx at Sirius who skillfully dodged it.
"Missed, Potter!" Sirius said, then ducked behind the bed again as James shot another jinx at him. Peter crossed the room and ran over to his trunk, rummaging through it frantically.
"Don't be such a sissy, Black, come out from under the bed!" James teased. Sirius was under the bed but only so he could fetch his shoes to throw at James. He was determined not to use magic against him since that is what he wanted in the first place.
"Guys, LOOK!" Peter yelled, as loud as he could holding his arms above his head. In his hands, were yet more pictures. Sirius stopped mid throw and stared at Peter, dangerously, not even blinking. James, with his wand still, pointed at Sirius, froze and glared at Peter.
"I've got pictures too," Peter said, taking his arms down to flip through his pile. "This one's of Sirius in first year when the ginger scrubbed frosting in his hair." Peter threw the picture to the floor and picked out another one. "This one's of James, right before Christmas holiday second year, started crying when Filch was yelling at him."
"I was sleep deprived!" James defended, running over to pick up the picture of himself Peter had tossed to the floor.
"And this one's of Remus when he fell asleep in the common room and we piled all that stuff on him last month," Peter said, placing the picture in James's outstretched hand. "I even have one of me. Look, I charmed the camera to take the picture by itself. I was trying to prank you guys but ended up pranking myself." Peter held out the picture for them to see. It started as just a picture of their dormitory door, then Peter walked in and the room exploded with coloured dust. As the dust cleared they could clearly see Peter frozen in the doorway, his scrunched up face covered in sparkling rainbow dust. "Couldn't wash that stuff off for weeks," Peter chuckled, relieved to see his friends' smiling faces.
"I remember that," Sirius laughed.
"See. Memories," James grinned, clasping a hand on Sirius's shoulder.
"But you were going to show our 'memories' to our arch nemesis!" Sirius accused the tension building again.
"Oh, don't be so dramatic!" James complained.
"Guys! Who cares who sees it? Most of this stuff the whole school's seen anyways! And anyone who hasn't will just see a couple of idiots having fun with their best mates," Peter said. He took the picture of himself out of James's hands and pinned it to the blank wall, usually reserved for assignment reminders. "I don't care who sees." Peter turned back to his friends.
James and Sirius were shocked by his confidence. Both were a little embarrassed by the contents of the pictures but wanted to support their friend. So, with a quick exchange, they pinned their pictures up right next to Peter's for all who entered to see. When they were done they stood back to look proudly at what they had done.
"Lupin is going to love this!" James grinned, as he eyed a particular picture of Remus snoring with his mouth wide open and his face covered in what was probably chocolate frosting from his 12th birthday last year. A knock at their door caused all of them to jump in surprise.
James and Sirius exchanged nervous glances as Peter went to open the door. The pictures would be the first thing anyone would see when they entered the dorm room.
"Oh, hey Frank," Peter said brightly and opened the door wider to let Frank in.
"Wotcher, Pete. I just came to check on you guys. It sounded like you were killing each other in here just a few seconds ago, then it got eerily quiet," Frank said. It didn't seem like he had noticed the pictures, much to James's and Sirius's relief.
"Aw, Longbottom, I always knew you liked us," James clutching his chest and batting his eyes. Frank laughed shaking his head.
"Well, I am a prefect, it's sorta my job to care," Frank told him. "What're you guys doing anyway?"
"We were so incredibly bored, and I mean bored, that we decided to play a game of cat and mouse," Sirius answered.
"In which case, Sirius was the mouse," James added.
"I- that doesn't - shut up Potter," Sirius answered.
"Okay… You know instead of destroying school property and forcing your beloved prefect to take points away from his own house, you could join us in a game of Truth or Dare," Frank offered.
"Truth or Dare?"
"You sure you want to do that, Longbottom?"
James, Peter, and Sirius grinned mischievously. This would cause anyone who was not in their first year or in their right mind to withdraw their offer and quickly leave the room. However, the third years' dormitory wasn't the only room boredom had infected and the game of Truth or Dare was moving rather slowly without them so instead Frank returned their mischievous grins and nodded.
*** all rights reserved to John Hughes and J.K. Rowling of course.
Thanks and happy Christmas (depending on when you read this and if you celebrate.)
XO***