Chapter 8: Hell Week P1 Meet and Greet
James and Sirius start what is known as Hell Week for the bootcamp aspect of their training for Centurian Security. Which means no wands! They will be drilled for endurance, strength, and physical fighting capability, but will also learn how to do things without magick, and how to strengthen their wandless magick as well.
*disclaimer* I do not own Harry Potter. I do however own William Winthrop, Virgil Hultz, Deanna Paine, Eric Gold, Samuel Madison, and Nora Franks.
Cast:
(new characters)
Virgil Hultz: Jai Courtney
Deanna Paine: Katherine Winnick
Eric Gold: Colin Morgan
Samuel Madison: Bradley James
Nora Franks: Aja King
James' POV
He took his time getting ready. He didn't know how to feel about giving over his wand, the same wand he had with him since he had been but 11 years old! It had become a part of him, an extension of himself. At the same time, he saw the wisdom in what Will was saying. He also had become dependent upon it, dangerously so. He did not want to be rendered useless in a fight because someone had took his wand, or even broke it in the middle of a fight. Still, it would be a challenge, would ache like he imagined a missing limb would. He was truly rusty with wandless magick, more than he would admit out loud to anyone.
Yet, at the same time he was still adjusting to everything. For Merlin's sake, he had died just a week and a half ago! Now here he was, a new name, new face, and now changing even how he used his magick, he wondered if in a month or two there would be anything of the old James Potter left at all! He knew that on some level, Pads was feeling much of the same. It probably felt like even more of a whiplash, being part of a more modern world, where influence mattered a lot more than blood status! And how sad was it that it seemed refreshing that greed rather than pride ruled here! He had not been given much time to process all these changes.
And yet, at the same time, how marvelous it was that these were his problems! Rather an identity crisis then looking for the devil in every corner! Better this confusion than the nightmare that his home had become! Living in fear, hiding in secret, it had been no way to live! So he would square his shoulders, get over himself, and do this, and keep his family safe, build a new life away from despair and bloodshed. He went over all of this as he prepared for his first day. This day would be the first of what Will had called Hell Week. The first two weeks would determine whether new recruits would be able to proceed into further training and joining the ranks inside Centurion Security or not.
He was actually rather grateful for the man showing him the type of robes and muggle clothing he would be needing for the duration while shopping at The Black Dog. He mentally prepared himself for what would be one of the most intense string of days of his life. Quite unique actually, to have modeled the training and recruitment after the US Military. It would certainly be more gruelling than the intial Auror training he and…. well he had to get use to calling him Atlas now, had gotten before he and Lily had to go into hiding. He made his way downstairs, smiling to himself as the sound of Lils voice carried while she fed Harry and Emmie. He was quite taken with the little girl, not as much as Atlas, but still.
The dark haired todler was eatting the strange food called cereal, Cheerios it was called, which she would never take with milk. She was quiet, sometimes playing with one of the pieces. Lils was trying to get Harry to eat his scrambled eggs, but it looked like he kept dropping his fork on the floor. Something told him his boy was doing that on purpose. He let out a small laugh, which earned him his wife's ire. "Laugh it up Chuckles! Congrads, you are put on 'get Hank to eat' duty!" she declared, throwing her hands in the air. "Its alright love, you need to get dressed, you have to drive Atlas and I in today anyway. I'll make sure that he eats." he said. She heaved a big sigh. "See that you do." and gave him an apologetic smile as she got up and headed towards their bedroom.
He continued to grin, stooping down a little to look at his son. "I bet that you are more interested in what Emmie is eating, aren't you little love?!" he stated. Harry then pointed at where Emmie was trying to spin a Cheerio piece. "Lets try something then, yeah?" he asked aloud. He found the box of cereal and a small bowl, making sure not to give him milk as well. He took away the scrambled eggs, which he use to love. Harry gave him a big smile. Apparently that had been exactly what he had wanted. "Thank you Daddy!" his heart swelled as Harry gave him a big smile. Emmie looked up, smiling big and moving closer to Harry. They were going to be close, he could already tell. Like he and Atlas all over again!
He wondered when he would start referring to himself as Charles in his head. He was still wrapping his brain around calling Lily Lilah instead! Loud footsteps echoed into the kitchen indicating that Atlas was making his way down. They both were running behind, so James went ahead and filled two bowls full of the cereal as well and got the milk and silverware. "Eat up Pads, we have to have our energy up so that we can truly hate ourselves later!" he said in a jovial voice, causing his friend to groan. "Prongs, I love you, I do, but it is to early for your shite!" Atlas grumbled while coming in. James rolled his eyes at him, handing him his bowl. "Whatever Pads, we are in for Merlin knows what, we have to be our charming selves!" he responded.
Lils came back in, wacking Atlas on the back of his head as she did so. "Oi, whatcha do that for?!" he complained. "Watch your mouth! Children are present! That goes for both of you!" she eyeballed him as well as Atlas. "Yes Lils!" they both echoed in unison. She gave a gruff nod while they dug in, trying to get in as much coffee and cereal as they could before Anna Lee showed up to take the kids for the day. And speaking of Lils fellow, red headed she devil, the bell rang, causing Harry and Emmie to start sqirming to get to their new aunt. "On your best behavior! And hurry up, we need to get going or you are going to be late!" she shot at the both of them.
30 Minutes Later
"If I didn't know any better, I would think you were in a rush to get rid of our charming selves, Lils!" Atlas snarked with a bow after he exited the vehicle. He had somehow managed to beat him to the front seat. "Now, you shouldn't think such things! Who doesn't like a grumpy stray on the furniture in the morning!" Lils said right back, causing him to crack a smile. It was still entertaining to watch them banter back and forth between each other. "Come on, Lilah here has to go meet with Max to start putting together
The Cauldron today, and we have to go get our arses kicked all over Boston" James wrapped an arm around Atlas' shoulders and started steering him towards what looked to muggles to be an industrial metal working building. He touched the rune coin that Will had given him and Atlas did the same. Everything seemed to spin before they were in front of the same building surrounded by a swirm of people.
Lils drove off, heading towards Max's while he and Pads entered the fray. He saw the moment, the actual moment, when his friend finally became truly awake. It was the moment he set his eyes on a toned, beautiful woman with long blond hair that was tightly braided partially at her temples on each side and the rest left free to flow down her back and glaciel blue eyes wearing an black workout outfit with yellow streaks up the sides and a pair of tennis shoes.
To James she looked absolutely fierce, the kind that Narcissa Malfoy use to try to be but this one could just pull off with little to no effort. However, unlike the former Black, with that fierceness could also be found humor in her eyes, amusement on her features as her eyes landed on the staring Padfoot, and he imagined several men doing the same behind them.
A wicked smirk streched on her lips as she gave them a nod of acknowledgement before turning back to the front. James internally groaned. Pads was not use to not being oogled by the fairer sex, afterall, even as a straight man, James could even admit that Pads was absolutely striking in appearance, there was a reason that they both could of had their pick at Hogwarts, of which his best mate took full advantage whereas he just found it annoying. Even first year he had eyes for only one girl. So for the beautiful blonde to do nothing but acknowledge his existance would mean that he would be absolutely relentless in getting her to notice him. He tried not to face palm himself. He didn't even know her and he felt sorry for her!
To distract himself from those thoughts he looked around, seeing already where the cliques were forming. There was a blonde man with dark blue eyes, good build, and relaxed demeaner making his way towards them. He actually reminded James much of himself, with an easy smile and a glint in his eye. His gate was confident as he made his way over. James had to smack Pads' arm to get his attention. "Hello there! You must be the Winthrop boys! I see you have met Deanna." he smirked good naturely at Atlas, who was still watching the blonde woman out of the corner of his eye. "Not yet, but I will, I assure you." Pads tone left no room for doubt, he was going to be watching the now named Deanna, waiting to make a move.
Just because he could, James hit his arm again. Their companion let out a laugh. "I am going to enjoy watching that! I'm Samuel by the way, Samuel Madison." he stuck his hand out. James was happy that he had been drilled in how muggles greet one another. "Charles Winthrop, friends call me Charlie." he replied, sticking out his own hand and shaking Samuel's. "Oi, oh yeah, um sorry about that, name's Atlas!" Pads followed suit, shaking the man's hand. "I hope you Brits are up for whats coming. This is going to be brutal! They don't mess around at Centurion, the only accept the best, and there is a reason that they call it Hell Week." and finally that caught his best mate's full attention. Both would be very interested in learning a little bit more about what they were about to be in for.
While focusing on Samuel another man made a way towards them through the small crowd. "Hey Sam, wait up!" James looked up to see a man of mid build with black hair and stone grey eyes. There was almost an innocence to his face, his gate confident, but not so strident as his friend's was. Samuel rolled his eyes while Pads tried to hide a smirk. James couldn't blame him, there was something in the dark haired man's demeaner that instantly reminded him of Remus. He turned his mind from those thoughts as quickly as possible, feeling the pang of loss for their friend and fellow Marauder. Samuel turned towards his friend and waited, an annoyed but amused expression on his face. Finally join them, he turned back to him and Pads. "And this idiot is Eric Gold!" he introduced them.
Nervously, the man who had just been introduced ran a hand through the hair at the back of his scalp. "Oh hello!" he said sheepishly. He glared at Samuel. "Are you ever not going to be a royal pain in the ass Sam?" his blunt good natured quip made both he and Atlas bust out in laughter. Eric also reached out a hand. This time Atlas was first. "Atlas Winthrop, it's nice to meet you Eric." he said with a smile. "Right, one of the Brit Winthrop boys, we heard you would be joining. You will learn that word travels rather fast in Wizarding Boston." he said lightly. James reached out to shake his hand next. "Charles, and like I told your friend here, you can call me Charlie." he said with a grin. "Atlas here was just telling us about how he wants to 'get to know' Deanna." Samuel said jovially, hands forming air quotes.
Eric eyed Atlas. "I wish you good luck, it was nice to know you, you know, while you were still alive." he said in mock seriousness patting his shoulder. Pads eyebrows rose. "She doesn't look like an Ice Queen, not that it would deter me anyway, all ice has to melt sometime." he replied. Sam just simply gave him an amused smirk. "Deanna Paine is not like those English girls you might be use to. That girl is my proof that the Vikings didn't die out, they just pretended to become English or Icelandic! It is going to take a lot more than looks and wit to get her attention, Pretty Boy!" Eric said jovially. Atlas simply nodded. "Very good, I like a challenge, rather refreshing actually." sounding like he was talking as much to himself as current company. James heaved a sigh.
A wicked gleam suddenly lit in Eric's eyes as he gazed into the crowd once more. "Speaking of suitors who may or may not have a death wish, isn't that Nora Franks Sam?" he said smugly. Both James and he followed the slightly smaller man's gaze to land on an absolutely gorgeous African American woman, also toned with long hair pulled into a high pony tail wearing a similar outfit to Deanna's only dark blue with white stripes running up the leggings of it and up the sleeves. She was making her way up to Deanna, said pony tail blowing strands here and there into the brisk Boston morning. What made James smile was the nervous gaze Samuel gave the woman, with a longing in his eyes he recongnized all to well. After all, he gazed at Lils that way all throughout Hogwarts, still did to that very day. As he watched he found it to be quite apparent that Denna and Nora were close, he did not even need to look at Pads to know he was noting it.
Sometimes Atlas could be down right analytical and predatory when it came to a female he fancied, especially when they did not immediately fall for his charms. As if to prove the point, a thoughtful grin graced his friend's face. "You fancy her then?" he asked Samuel. Said man glared at Eric, who didn't look the least bit sorry. Suddenly looking sheepish, he ran a hand through his blond hair and answered "whats not to fancy about her?". Oh yeah, that man was definately crazy about the woman, he remembered acting in a similar manner when trying to get Lils to so much as look in his general direction. Before they could get deeper into conversation however, everyone was interupted when a loud and commanding voice called out to the crowd.
"Alright you maggots, eyes to the front!" and as though a spell had been cast, all chatter had ceased, as had movement. James looked towards the front of the building, where an impressively intimidating man commanded their attention. He was an attractive, atheletic looking blonde, covered in tattoos. He could almost make out what looked to be one on the man's neck. His eyes were the definition of cold blue steel, his frame powerful, his voice deep. James would not be at all surprised if before he came to Centurion Security the man before them had actually been in the US Military. He wore what looked like military casual, with a plain white t-shirt, camo pants, and combat boots. His blonde hair was shaved on all sides accept up top, where it was left a little long and swept back.
"My name is Virgil Hultz, YOU will not use that name, to YOU maggots I am CO, for those to stupid to understand what that means, I am your Commanding Officer, and for this next week, I own you! Now, you will enter the building, single file, and give me your name. Once you enter that building, you belong to me! You will surrender your wand, athame, or any other magickal items that you have with you! It is my job to test you, to push you past your limit, to show you the weak little worms that you are, and make you better, or break you. Now, line up, and maggots….welcome to Hell!" he smirked at the crowd. Atlas looked like he was about to say something, but James pinched him, HARD! Their CO did not look like a man to mess with, this wasn't Hogwarts nor was the man anything like Moody!
They all lined up, no longer looking anywhere but the front. It was quite a feat to pull off to get any Marauder to line up like that, so James was entirely sure what to think. He was suddenly a lot less willing to part from his wand, that was for certain! Due to nearly being late, the four of them were near to last, and so it took 15 minutes before they made it to the front. James stepped forward first. "Charles Winthrop, CO." he said looking up, gazing into the steel blue eyes up close, and feeling even more sure that this man had seen things even he, James Potter, member of the Order of the Phoneix, had never seen before. "Ah yes, one of the British shits I am going to have to endure. Your last name will do you no favors here. I will expect you to be better than everyone else, I will be having my eye upon you, understood?" he said with a cruel smile. "Yes sir, CO." he said softly.
"I don't think I heard you, maggot. You will speak up when you address me! Now is that understood?" he now understood truly what he meant when Will said he ran recruiting like US boot camp. "Yes sir, CO!" he said clearly and loudly, eyes to the front, not looking at him. "Move on, and don't take to long." he said, voice sounding almost amused as he turned from James to Pads behind him. "Something funny Pretty Boy?" he asked him. "No sir, CO sir! Atlas Winthrop, CO!" he heard behind him loudly. "I've got plans for you Pretty Boy, don't you go soft and quit on me!" he heard as the voice got softer and softer as he moved further inside. But a few feet from the right he nearly jumped when he heard right in his ear, "All magickal items, your wands, blades, and athames you will put here!" he looked over and saw what was a giant vault room.
The reluctance to give up his wand, even knowing that he would be getting it back, almost became overwhelming! He had to made himself think that had he been better trained, not so reliant on his wand, then he, not the Dark Lord, would of had the advantage. That he needed to be better, to be stronger, and therefore not so reliant on that wand. He needed more than the type of magick that he learned at Hogwarts. And so finally, he gave off his wand, feeling naked without it, like he just cut off his hand and gave it over to the man who seemed to run the vault room. He heaved a sigh to himself. That only seemed to prove the point. He could not afford to be rendered useless without his wand.
