Chapter 21 Debute et Fin
The end of April 1974
Lily Evans and James Potter were friends.
They were actually friends, not just friendly and courteous. Most people assumed it was because James could not talk and muck everything up. Lily and her friends (her Gryffindor friends) were often seen with our Marauders in the last few weeks of April. They played gobstones in the common room. They ate lunch together in the Great Hall. They were seen in The Three Broomsticks during April's Hogsmeade weekend. Lily beat James in a race on broomsticks. Josie Archer taught Remus Lupin how to lure Bowtruckles. Mary Macdonald helped Peter Pettigrew get over his fear of the giant squid in The Black Lake. And Eilidh Nicnevin and Sirius Black were not talking to each other. In fact, they refused to even look at each other. When either was confronted on this issue they blamed the other. In reality, Sirius was the one who officially started it.
Lily had invited James and his friends to join the girls in a night game of Quidditch. As surprised as James was that Lily was sneaking out of the castle after hours and only to play a Quidditch game, he happily accepted. He even showed Lily a secret passage out of the castle that led directly to the Quidditch field. Eilidh had offered to let Sirius borrow her broom (he had not yet got his back from his mother) while she rode her brother's. Sirius simply strode past without giving any acknowledgement that she had spoken. It was fine by her. If Sirius did not want to talk to her, she would not force him to. Sirius simply could not stand conversing with someone who had protected the man who attacked her and threatened her and then calls him family. So they didn't talk and they rarely looked, and if one was to catch the other's eye it was only to quickly scowl without the other's noticing.
Lucius Malfoy had lost his hair.
It was all anyone could talk about and it seemed to have a major impact on his ego. He was usually seen strutting around Hogwarts with his head held high, Narcissa on his arm and his 'friends' following closely behind. Now he walked quickly, hunched over, and with the hood of his robes held tightly around his head.
It had happened slowly. Lucius first noticed it at breakfast one day. He had casually raked his fingers through his hair and chunks of it had fallen out. He hid it from Narcissa and snuck off to the Hospital Wing under the excuse of Head Boy duties at the first chance he got in hopes that the nurse would be able to provide a remedy. (She could find none.) Too ashamed to actually approach his Potions professor with this issue, Snape was the next best thing. They tried for hours, attempting every counter curse and every potion they could think of, but nothing worked. In fact, it seemed to have only sped up the process. Snape seemed sure that this was "Potter's work" but Lucius was not convinced. James Potter seemed more inclined to use direct offences, leaving no room to wonder who it had come from.
By dinner, he was completely bald.
An owl, one of the school owls Lucius noted, swooped in and dropped a bulky letter onto his plate. The envelope only had his name written across it in all caps. He knew no one who wrote like this. Prompted by his wife, he opened the envelope. As soon as he did, sparkling dust of green and gold shot out over head and formed the words:
COURTESY OF YOUR MUDBLOOD PEERS
and a phial rolled out of the envelope Lucius had dropped in surprise labelled MINOXIDIL, REGROW YOUR HAIR IN SECONDS. Lucius, in order to keep his pride intact, slammed the phial down breaking the glass and spilling the liquid over Avery's lap. As a result, his leg hair began to grow rapidly. Avery was sent to Professor Slughorn's office and Lucius Malfoy remained bald.
James Potter had been attacked by an unknown source.
It was during the free period between their third and fourth classes. James and Sirius were on their way to the Hospital Wing to fulfil the detentions McGonagall had given them the day of the food fight when out of nowhere there was a flash of light and James hair began to fall out in small clusters as though someone was trying to scalp him. If someone really was trying to scalp him, they were unsuccessful. James's hair remained a messy nest atop his head with only random bits of skin protruding through. It did nothing more than christening him "patches" by his three closest friends.
The end of May 1974
Their last day of their month of silence was an eventful one. It was the first day of final exams at Hogwarts, a full moon, and James Potter's birthday. The students of Hogwarts were expecting something to go amiss on such a legendary day. However, the usual mischief makers were unusually compliant and seemed to be extending their vow of silence.
"They're waiting until the very hour their vow started," explained Lily Evans, whispering to a very interested Ravenclaw by the name of Colin Aubrey during the Herbology exam, "so they can avoid any technicalities with people who placed bets against them. They're very appalled that there were people who thought they couldn't do it."
It was very well that they had decided to wait because Severus Snape seemed to be even more insufferable than usual that day. If they hadn't James would not have been able to hold his tongue during their Defense Against the Dark Arts exam.
They were facing boggarts. James was the first to volunteer. His worst fear being his friends and family dead, it was a rather simple task to finish especially when his real friends were all beside him and his parents had written to him mere hours before now, still, it was a gruesome sight. He yelled out "Ridiculous," (the Mandrake leaf was now stuck to his tongue so efficiently he had no trouble pronouncing the word) and Remus's corpse transformed into a dancing marionette - that may have looked a bit like Snape. He smiled proudly at his professor and took the indicated seat.
Rosier was next. His boggart transformed into a small girl with dark hair and eyes. She did nothing but stare at Rosier, but still, when he raised his wand it shook a bit until the boggart changed into a smiling clown. The Slytherin girl behind him seemed much more afraid of the clown than anything else so it stayed, and began to laugh maniacally, stalking closer to the girl as it twitched its fingers and cocked its head. Most of the crowd grew weary as the girl failed to perform the spell, Severus, however, laughed loudly from his place in the back of the room.
"It's alright, Emma. Just try it one more time," Professor Radagast soothed, his eyes glued to the girl rather than the boggart. Emma nodded and gulped. She looked the clown directly in the eye and muttered "ridiculous" and the clown collapsed to the ground and turned into a giant bouncing spring. The crowd laughed and clapped loudly.
"Very well done, Emma," the professor smiled before calling up the next student. "Persephone Machault!"
Persephone grinned at Emma, then the professor, then nervously looked back to the spring that was bouncing ominously in the corner of the room. It lurched towards her, falling into thousands of crawling bugs as it did. Cockroaches, spiders, beetles and the likes were scuttling for her. Several people screamed, Persephone included. Severus laughed again. She ran and jumped onto a desk, her wand pointed at the leading centipede, and screeched, "ridiculous!" and it turned into a large snake.
Josie Archer, who had previously rolled her eyes at Persephone's bugs, screamed. The snake slithered for her and the crowd dispersed. Josie, still screaming, backed up against the door and was fumbling for the door handle. The snake only grew larger with her fear and was now gleaming over Josie's head, it's forked tongue licking the air about her. The professor called for her to try the spell as he ran to her aid, but Eilidh Nicnevin got their first. She jumped in front of her cowering friend and the boggart whirled about, trying to decide what shape to take on. It decided on a little girl, in a pink frilly dress and pigtails. The boggart began to skip around her singing in a plummy voice "You're a witch! You're a witch!" Josie hid her tear stained face behind Eilidh and clutched her hand. Eilidh raised her wand, almost lazily, and said in a soft voice, "ridiculous" and the bogart rolled across the room, transforming into a stoat. The girls swooned as it's long body jumped around the room searching for somebody's fear to latch onto. It stopped in front of Peter.
Peter eyed it determinedly, already knowing what it would turn into. The boggart, however, seemed confused.
"You've got this, Peter," Mary called. The rest of the class applauded encouragingly. Sirius backed up, hoping to speed the process along. The stoat's nose began to twitch and its ears flicked then it started to grow and morph into a form Sirius recognised to be Peter's mother with a switch.
"Stupid, useless boy!" the boggart yelled, raising the switch above her head, ready to strike. The class fell silent, except for Severus who snorted loudly. Before the switch could be brought down, Peter hollered "ridiculous!" and the bogart fell into a colourful liquidy goop, looking like a melted popsicle. Peter looked around at the confused faces of his classmates and smiled. He stepped onto the sticky puddle and slipped, falling onto his backside. The class roared with laughter. The bogart rose out from under Peter and swirled above their heads.
"Students who have already had their turn, find a seat on the right side of the room!" Professor Radagast called. "Everyone else, line up and get ready!"
The class scurried to the centre of the room, pushing their way to the front of the line. Severus and Sirius were fighting for the spot at the end of the line. They were too preoccupied to watch as the rest of the class went through their boggart.
Mary's boggart turned into a mummy. Avery's was, much to most of the class's amusement, the pope. Mulciber was a wendigo. Lily had by far scared the most people when her boggart turned into a dementor. The bell rang loudly as a Slytherin named Philip Montegrew turned his boggart into an odd looking purple cartoon character. Severus jumped at the noise. Sirius laughed at him. Marlene McKinnon stood in front of them shaking her head as she watched the rest of the class leave.
"I've got Astronomy next, Sev," Lily said, apologetically as she edged towards the door.
"It's fine," Severus responded, his eyes glued on Sirius. Lily smiled at them both before skipping out of class. James and Peter remained in their seats. Professor Radagast magically forced the boggart back into the trunk he originally had it in.
"Mr Snape, Mr Black, and Miss McKinnon are you at liberty to stay a bit longer to take the test?" Professor Radagast asked, moving to pick up a few stray quills. The three gave their affirmation. "Mr Potter and Mr Pettigrew, are you waiting for something?" James shook his head and Peter pointed to Sirius. Already used to their means of communications the professor nodded knowingly. "Sirius, perhaps you should go first then?"
"I'd rather go last if you don't mind," Sirius said politely, though his irritation with the boy behind him seeped through his voice.
"I thought you weren't talking, Black? Too good to keep your promises?" Severus remarked, haughtily. Forgetting his wand, Sirius lunged at him with his fist raised. Marlene stepped between them and held them apart at arm's length. James was on his feet, ready to assist.
"I'll go first, Professor," Marlene said sweetly, though she pushed Sirius so hard he fell back into a desk behind him. "It'll give these gits a chance to work it out."
Professor Radagast nodded. He opened the trunk and stood back to allow the boggart to get a read on Marlene. He stepped over to where Sirius was now sitting and Severus stood glowering at him.
"What's going on with you two? Usually, you two are fighting over who goes first, not last," the professor whispered to allow Marlene enough focus to concur the vampire shaped bogart.
"Professor, I'm sorry, but isn't our worst fear kind of a private matter," Sirius replied, cautiously. The professor seemed taken aback by this. Neither of them was particularly shy. He thought back to the beginning of this term when he originally introduced the boggarts to the class. Neither of them had faced the boggart then.
"If you're afraid-" Radagast began.
"I'm not afraid!" the boys yelled together, starting both him and the rest of the room's inhabitants. They glared at each other, seeming to be repulsed that they had said the same thing at the same time.
"Very well," Radagast said sternly, not liking the fact that he had just been yelled at. "We'll have to schedule something during your free period. You may go." Severus fled as quickly as his spindly legs could manage. Sirius thanked the professor and stood by the door waiting for his friends. "Excellent job Marlene! Full marks!" Sirius and his friends could hear the professor praising Marlene all the way down the now empty corridor.
"What is your boggart anyway, Sirius?" James inquired casually. Sirius sighed heavily, knowing that James would take an interest.
"He doesn't know, does he? He never got a chance at the beginning of term," Peter answered.
"Actually, I do know," Sirius said, looking determinedly ahead. "Last year, my dad's father died and we went to his house to square things and there was a boggart there…."
"So, what was it?" James pressed after a moment's pause. Sirius bit his lip nervously and took a deep breath.
"You guys. All three of you. Telling me that I was just like my family and stuff," Sirius shrugged as if it were no big deal but the confession weighed on him. He eyed James out of the corner of his eye. James looked thoughtful. Peter twitched his nose before looking at Sirius. He was about to say something when they rounded a corner but a patronising voice cut him off.
"How very sentimental of you, Black." Severus Snape sat on a bench beside a window, his notes in his hand and his rucksack between his legs. He looked smugly up at the trio. "Your family is full of great witches and wizards so I wouldn't fear turning out like them if I were you." Sirius felt his heart rise to his throat. This was exactly why he had wanted to go last.
"Oh, yeah and what's your boggart, Snivellus? Soap?" James countered, stuffing his hand into the pocket of his robes and grasping his wand tightly.
"No, actually, it's spending another year with you," Severus snarled.
"Aw, afraid I'll make you vomit slugs again?" James pouted his lower lip in mocked sympathy.
"No! I'm afraid you're stupid will rub off on me," Severus turned. Leaning against the armrest of the bench he flicked his notes straight.
"Watch it Snivellus! Evans isn't here to save your arse this time," Sirius growled over James's mocking laughter.
"I don't need Lily to save me! I can take both of you, right here, right now!" Severus threw his notes back to his bag and ripped out his wand.
"Oh, look, Sirius, sweet little Snivellus is mad that a muggle born is better at magic than he is," James cooed.
"Have something against muggle borns Snivellus?" Peter asked, threateningly as he whipped out his wand.
"Conjunctivito!" Severus yelled before Peter got a chance to attack. Peter sank to his knees, palming his eyes, as he cried out in pain. Sirius crouched down, instinctively, to see if Peter was okay.
"Expelliarmus!" James yelled before Severus could turn on one of them.
"What'd you do to him?" Sirius yelled, his wand in his face. He grabbed Severus's arm, stopping him from driving for his wand.
"It's called the Conjunctivitis curse, but of course I could hardly expect an imbecile like you to know that," Severus snarled. He wrenched his arm free of Sirius's grip and dived for his wand next to a row of knights.
"Oppungo!" Sirius yelled, pointing to one of the knights. The knight swung its mace, missing Severus by inches only because he flung himself out of its way. The knight stepped off its pedestal and Severus scurried back. Reaching the wall, he pointed his wand and yelled the only thing he could come up with: "Confingo!" The knight exploded, causing many of its metal pieces to fly through the air, hitting James on his head and Sirius on his back. Peter had ducked for cover behind a pillar.
Peeves came swooping in, yelling "Fire in the corridor! Fire in the corridor!", leading Mr Filch as several of the surrounding classrooms finally opened. Several small fires had started on the corridors many wooden decorative pieces.
"Aguamenti," James said and water shot out of his wand, dousing the fires and saving many of the pieces.
"What is going on here?" Professor Flitwick squeaked, shooing his class back inside the room. "Continue working on your essays, I'll be back in a moment!"
"It was their fault!" Severus yelled, point at James and Sirius. Filch grabbed Peter and forced him to stand. Peter whimpered, his eyes swollen shut.
"I bet this one had something to do with it too!"
"Honestly, I don't know how they're not expelled!"
"That's not true! Snape shot first!"
"Enough!" Flitwick yelled with so much force he almost toppled over. They were so startled even Peeves fell silent. "Severus, did you fire first?" Flitwick asked calmly.
"It was their fault! If they hadn't-"
"Enough. Did you fire first?" asked Flitwick sternly.
"W - yes but -"
"Detention, Mr Snape, this Saturday, and twenty points from Slytherin. We do not tolerate duelling at Hogwarts, especially when you are to be taking exams. Now off with you," Professor Flitwick ordered. Severus scoffed and sent a hateful look towards the professor. He gathered his things and stalked off towards his next exam. "Mr Potter and Mr Black I'll take 20 points as well from Gryffindor for your undoubtful hand in this. Please take Mr Pettigrew to the Hospital Wing and then go straight to class."
"Yes, Professor," James and Sirius said, prying their friend from Filch's still grasping fingers.
It was unfortunate for Severus that his next class happened to be on the same path to the Hospital Wing. Had it not been, James would not have jinxed him and he would not have leeks spilling out of his ears.
The beginning of June 1974
Lily Evans and James Potter were no longer friends.
Lily had heard the news of their duel first from Severus. Directly after she returned to her cold and distant ways, seeming to dislike him even more now than ever before. This was much easier for Eilidh and Sirius to continue their silent treatment for each other. Mary Macdonald and Josie Archer, however, remained secret friends of the four.
Ravenclaw won both the Quidditch Cup and the House Championship.
Slytherin had lost the match by a fraction of a point. It was the most intense game Hogwarts had seen yet. They very proudly ate their last meal under blue and bronze decorations.
The Marauders pranked the entire staff.
On their last night of school, James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew, snuck out of their dormitory in the middle of the night. They stole one of the boats used to bring the first years across The Black Lake and sailed to the middle of it. They lit a wick and jumped into the lake before the fireworks set off into the sky.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Colourful dragons, pygmy puffs, hippogriffs and other magical creatures littered the sky, waking the entire castle. They hid, sniggering in the bush along the lake's edge, watching as their professor's tried, to no avail, to put an end to their fireworks show. An hour past before the finally began. Thousands of fireworks went off at once. A large red and orange Phoenix flew gracefully around the castle. A cat danced its way towards Professor McGonagall who held her head in her hands, trying to hide her smirk. A yellow and brown badger leapt its way across the lake and chased the still circling phoenix. A lion shot into the air with a mighty roar, jumped across the length of the lake, and prowled after the badger. A green and silver snake slithered its way around the castle's dungeons. An Eagle flew into the sky, spinning around magnificently before exploding again showering the students in blue and bronze ash. The rest of the animals followed, covering the grounds in Hogwarts colours. Just when they thought it was all over there was another loud BANG! and the sky read:
CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 1974
James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew were sent off in the morning on the Hogwarts Express to their respective homes with the promise of a week's worth of detentions for when they returned.
Hey, crazyfangirl100 you're amazing! (For some reason, your pm is off or else I would have let you know that personally.) And don't worry about me not continuing, I've got plans, a lot of them, so I probably won't stop until people stop reading because this is fun :D I'm really glad you liked it and I hope I didn't disappoint with this chapter. Thank you so much for your review and for reading. 3
All rights reserved to the legend JK Rowling
***Starting in year four their use of bad language or "offensive terms" (shout out to James) will increase, or I want to write it like that at least, given the fact that they're getting older and it happens. But, of course, my readers come first so if any of you have any problem with bad language (ex: "the f-word") pleeease let me know! through either an anonymous comment or a private message, whatever you feel comfortable with. Trust me I get being uncomfortable with it, I was for a long time. Note that even if only one person tells me that they're uncomfortable with it, I won't do it, so sorry if that's something you look forward to. Even if nobody says anything or you're too late coming in, I'll put a warning for bad language at the beginning of the chapter so you can skip it and message me and I'll just tell you the important stuff that happens so you can keep up.
Thank you for those who have reviewed, favourited, followed, or just read (though I don't know how you keep up with it if you're not following, you have a talent) you guys are awesome.
...ok I'm done,
Lots of love and XO's***