Chapter Six: Ultra-Clutch
"We need to see Professor Dumbledore!" Dinah shouted at the first teacher, which happened to be Filch, they saw.
"I know not where Professor Dumbledore is," Filch said menacingly, another set of Dung Bombs have been set off on the fourth corridor. His angry eyes glared at the two Marauders.
"It wasn't us!" Sirius called, as they continued to run down the corridor.
"Wait!" James said abruptly, pulling a thin, tattered piece of parchment from his bag. He tapped his wand to it, muttering something Lily could not understand.
Not that Lily was paying any attention really, she kept staring off into space, her thoughts consuming her very being. Nothing seemed right to her. Lily's father couldn't be dead. Steve Evans is tough. She must have imagined the whole thing, yeah that sounded good. She just imagined seeing her dad drop dead in the middle of the reception.
"Lily," Dinah said gently, tugging on her arm, "Dumbledore is in his study."
Lily found herself being dragged completely by Dinah to the Headmaster's Office. The four stopped suddenly at the entrance with the two stone gargoyles. Sirius attempted to jump through the barrier which only resulted in him being thrown onto the floor by an invisible force.
"Bloody hell," he moaned, Dinah abandoned Lily for a moment to help him up.
"What's the password?" James asked, looking at Dinah and Lily.
"Sugar cube," Lily said weakly.
The gargoyles jumped aside, allowing them to pass into Dumbledore's study. Someone pulled Lily onto the stone steps as they rose higher and higher. Sirius was the first to the door, banging loudly three times.
A patient voice answered, "Come on in."
The four students pushed their way through the heavy oak door and entered Dumbledore's study. Before Lily had been mystified by all the beautiful trinkets that twinkled and whirred about the study, now all she wanted to do was chuck something heavy at them so they would shut up!
Dumbledore was sitting peacefully behind his enormous desk, soft lavender robes hanging off his thin body. He noticed the looks on their faces, forehead wrinkling in curiosity.
"Well, I wasn't expecting you four back for at least two hours," he said easily, his piercing blue eyes gazing at each of them intently.
James cleared his throat. "Uh, well, Professor, you see we ran into some trouble."
"There were Death Eaters at the damn wedding!" Sirius exclaimed loudly, causing some disturbance of the pictures, shuffling was heard from above to try and get a better view of the conversation happening below.
Dumbledore's expression didn't change. "I feared they would try something like that."
"You knew?" Dinah asked incredulously.
"I didn't know," continued Dumbledore, "it was a guess. My guesses usually turn out to be correct, and that's precisely why I wanted James and Sirius to attend the wedding."
Lily continued to stare at the floor. A dead look washed out her once bright green eyes. She knew that Dumbledore was looking at her, but she couldn't lift her eyes off the ground. A comforting hand grabbed her now clammy one. She didn't even bother to see who it was as it gave her a reassuring squeeze.
"Tell me everything," Dumbledore said, leaning forward, his hands on the desk in front of him.
Dinah started. "We were getting ready for the wedding, just like normal. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary while the actual wedding was going on."
Dumbledore cut her off. "Lily, did you notice anything?" His tone was soft and fatherly, Lily could have slapped him for sounding so paternal. Seeing as now she had no parents left anyway.
Green eyes finally lifted from the floor to stare at the wall behind Dumbledore. "Nothing really. I remember standing there, waiting for Petunia to walk down the aisle, and I think I saw them." She cocked her head to the two boys next to her. "But I thought I was just imaging it, no one was even supposed to know I was even at a wedding."
Dumbledore nodded, acknowledging for Lily to continue.
"We were at the reception, everyone was having a good time," Lily said, she found it hard to speak now. Words were getting stuck in her mouth. "My- My dad came to tell me that I had to make a speech for the bride and the groom. I really didn't want too. I noticed when I was up there that a group of people were making their way to the tent. I didn't make anything of it; they looked like normal guests that were just late."
"I said my speech and sat back down. Almost a second later," Lily choked, tears welled up in her eyes. A strong hand patted her back soothingly.
Dinah took over from there, saddened by Lily's grief. "The Killing Curse hit her dad. We looked around and saw the people Lily had seen walk in on their feet throwing curses at anything that moved."
"That's when we acted," James said. "Sirius and I had been sitting in the back. We saw that group of Death Eaters come in. We thought there was something wrong with them. They looked odd."
Sirius nodded. "So when the first spell went off, James and I tackled the ones that were closest to us. Then the girls spotted us and from then on it was insane."
Dumbledore nodded patiently. "Was anyone else hurt?"
Dinah looked around at them timidly. "I'm not entirely sure, sir. Apparently one of Lily's grandma's is a witch, and she was making Portkey's to give to people."
"We were cornered by a huge group of them," James continued. "Bellatrix Black had Dinah, Sirius, and I bound. We couldn't break free. I have no idea how she did it, but Lily managed to free us without saying a word and no wand."
Dumbledore flicked his eyes back to Lily. "Has this happened before, Lily?"
Lily coughed. She hadn't been listening. "Has what happened before?"
"Have you ever done magic without using a wand?"
She nodded. "Only once before. It was on the night returning to Hogwarts, when we were being attacked. Some Death Eater had me cornered. And I just kept thinking that if I had my wand I would send this Death Eater flying. Then it happened."
Folding his hands on his desk, Dumbledore looked surprised. "What happened today? What caused you to do it again?"
"Well," Lily said, taking a big breath, "like Potter said, they had captured them. I was still making Portkey's for everyone. I jinxed one of the Death Eaters as I approached, and Bellatrix took my wand. I wasn't quick enough. But she kept talking and I kept wanting to Stun someone, so they could drop Dinah and them. One of them did become Stunned. Bellatrix didn't even know what happened. I thought that I would love to have them be untied. I saw Dinah move, her ropes had come undone. I took it as my chance to jump on Bellatrix when her back was turned. She dropped my wand and I got their wands back. I made a Portkey to the Three Broomsticks. And then we came here."
Dumbledore stayed silent for a second after Lily's explanation. "This has never happened before that one night on the train?"
She shook her head.
"Then I doubt Voldemort would have known that you would be able to do wandless magic," he said, speaking to no one in particular.
"Sir," Lily wondered, "why can I do wandless magic?"
It took Dumbledore a moment to stew over the question. When he spoke, Lily was surprised to hear the amazement in his voice. "I honestly cannot tell you why you can do wandless magic, Lily. I've only met one other person in my life that could do it."
"Who?" Sirius asked eagerly.
"Stella Michelle Agatha Maebelle Lord," Dumbledore said defiantly.
The students were stumped. Never before had they ever heard of this person. Surely there would have been something about her in the library if she could do wandless magic.
Dinah was the first to speak. "Wait, Lily isn't that you're Grandma?"
Lily never remembered hearing her Grandmother's full name before. "That is precisely who it is," Dumbledore said.
"But we aren't even blood related!" Lily exclaimed. "She is my step-mum's mother. We're only related through the marriage."
"Yes, I am aware of that. This is my theory," Dumbledore began. "Your birthmother, Lily, died when you were very young. Your father remarried only two years after you were born. Steve Evans parents weren't active in your life, seeing as they thought him marrying only two years after Daisy died was preposterous. Grandma Mae, as you know her, became the fixture in your life that helped you through the hard times that your step-mother could not." Lily knew this was all true. Grandma Mae was practically her only family that didn't find her a freak, besides her dad.
"Mae and I have kept contact through those years, and by the time you were four, she started to see the signs of young magic. To tell you that she was most excited when she found out that you were indeed a witch! Finally someone in her family that could experience the magic of Hogwarts that Mae grew to love. Continuing up to your eleventh birthday, Mae watched you find out you could make things fly and move. I advised her to not say anything in fear of upsetting you somehow. She couldn't have been prouder though. I wrote to her right after your sorting, telling her you made it into Gryffindor house. She cried with tears, Gryffindor had been her house."
"So, thus, I think that from all the care and love that she put into making your life better than it was, her magic somehow seeped its way into your own blood. She was like the mother you never had, and Lily, you had never had the tender care of anyone before. Your step-mother left you to fend for yourself, which I wasn't all too happy about. But Mae made it her life mission to help you grow up to the girl you were destined to be. I know that sounds all farfetched, you could just been any normal Muggleborn witch, but Mae likes to think that she somehow gave you your magical powers."
Lily's thoughts drifted to all the times she had spent with her Grandma Mae, wondering if anything she had ever done or said seemed weird to her now. Not one single memory stuck out in her mind, which could be to the fact that she wasn't really thinking that hard anyway.
"That's all very interesting, Professor," Lily said, "but that doesn't really explain why I can do wandless magic."
His eyes twinkled. "Now Lily, I thought you might catch on." She blushed. "Like I said, Mae liked to think she transferred her magic to you. Mae was an extraordinary witch. It's sad to me that she doesn't continue with it now. But Mae learnt in her fifth year here that she could perform magic without using her wand. She came to me, explaining to me the exact symptoms you have recently just described. Greatly surprised I was to learn this. Mae, as you, was also a Muggleborn. This level of magic is hard to come by, and my knowledge of only knowing her as the only wandless magic performer is strengthened by that."
"So Lily, you can believe what you want. I'm not sure what exactly I believe but I do know you have immense magical power that you have not discovered inside yourself yet. Even if some of Mae's magic has rubbed off on you, only the strength in you can make the magic work."
Somehow, this didn't help Lily at all. She still had no idea why she could do wandless magic when half of the Wizarding World could not. She had never heard of elders' magic seeping into young children around them. Lily wondered if that was true, if Petunia would be a witch also. The thought scared Lily. Her head began to hurt with all the recent discoveries.
All Lily wanted to do was go lay down, but knew she wouldn't find peace in sleep.
Dinah saved her friend from anymore weird explanations. "Professor, why did the Death Eaters attack at Petunia's wedding though? It doesn't make any sense. How would they have known that Lily's sister was having a wedding? And how would they have known the exact location?"
"All very good questions Dinah," Dumbledore chuckled, "right now I think a nice trip to the infirmary is in check. Then you could proceed down to the grounds to greet our students along with the rest of the school."
"But Professor," James started.
He held up a hand to silence the black haired boy. "Not right now James. Lily needs to be tended to, and looking upon you, you as well. I will discuss this night with you in the future. My spirits would be dampened if I must talk about the doings of Lord Voldemort at this very moment when such an important event is about to happen at Hogwarts. I will contact the four of you later this week and we will have our discussion."
The four nodded glumly.
"I'll send Poppy word that you will be coming. Hurry along now, the other schools are due to arrive in half an hour." He ushered them to the door. "James, could I have a quick word with you?"
Curiously, James agreed. Sirius, Dinah, and Lily waited for him at the entrance to Dumbledore's study. James appeared no more than five minutes later, an unreadable expression on his face.
He cleared his throat. "Let's go to the Hospital Wing."
"Lily!" exclaimed Camryn, as they appeared through the Portrait Hole. "How was the wedding?"
Lily forced a smile to her face. "It was great." She would save the real story for after the other schools arrived.
Dinah nodded eagerly. "Not enough farm animals to fit my liking though."
That managed to make Lily crack a real smile, which she hadn't done since her father... She couldn't even think the word, she couldn't believe that it was real.
"Wait," Dinah said, looking at Camryn carefully, "did you change you hair?"
Camryn smiled slyly. A head of beautiful long dark blond hair swished behind Camryn's back. "I made her do it," Kaelin said shortly, "the short stuff wasn't doing it for me."
"Thank Merlin, I didn't like it either."
"I'm glad you guys are so supportive of me," Camryn said sarcastically.
"Where have you two been?" Kaelin asked suspiciously, glancing between Sirius and James.
Sirius said, "We were down on the grounds all day."
James nodded his agreement.
"Well you should have invited us down!" Kaelin said. "All we did was sit in the library and pretend to do our homework. Boooring."
Lily sighed, thankful that her friend hadn't been more curious. "So, when are we supposed to go down to the Entrance Hall?"
"Right now!" Jensen shouted, grabbing one of Lily and James' arms. "Come on, we want to get a good view."
James looked over Jensen's head to Lily, but she was staring determinedly forward. He sighed. James would have done anything in the world to take the pain away. Sadly, he knew exactly how it was to lose a loved one.
It was ten years to the day that his little brother, Jacob Potter, was taken away from James and his family by Death Eaters. James could remember it like it was yesterday.
A six year old James jumped through a pile of leaves, wanting to send them flying in every direction. Jacob, four years old at the time, followed his big brothers actions. Their parents sat on the sidelines laughing at the pair. Jacobs red hair flew in every direction. It was ever bit as messy as his older brothers.
James' mother, Melissa Potter, waddled around their large backyard. She was nearly seven months pregnant with her third child. James' father, Harold Potter, made sure his wife didn't do anything she wasn't supposed too.
"Mummy!" James called. "I want to ride my broom!"
Melissa chuckled. "You know where it's at."
"But Mummy," complained James.
Harold gave him a stern look. "James, you can get your broom yourself."
"I'll come with you!" offered Jacob.
The two brothers set off to the shed in the backyard that held all their toys. James turned to his little brother. "Let's race!"
"Go!" shouted Jacob, taking off before James could comprehend what was going on.
"Hey, you cheater!" James yelled, racing after him.
James caught up with the laughing boy easily. "Jacob, that's cheating," James told his brother, who was wandering on the edge of the yard. "Jacob, what are you doing?"
Jacob continued wandered along the edge, which James knew he wasn't supposed to be doing. Shaking his head at the younger brother, James opened the door to the shed, throwing toys away from him so he could find his broomstick.
A thin handle stuck out of a pile of old blocks. James thrust his hand into the pile and pulled out his toy broomstick. Smiling, the young boy walked back out of the shed.
"Come on Jacob!" James called, beginning to run.
James stopped, something wasn't right.
Jacob wasn't there running with him. He turned back to the shed, where Jacob had been wandering. A large cloaked figure stood over the small boy. James saw Jacob reach up, trying to touch the person.
"Jacob!" yelled James. "Don't touch it!"
The cloaked figure twisted to James upon hearing his voice. James couldn't make out the face underneath the cloak. But he knew that a slow grin was forming on the intruders face.
"Get away from my brother," he said, advancing on the figure, pointing his broomstick at him.
The figure laughed. "You aren't ever going to see your brother again."
Before James could even think of another word to say, his baby brother, Jacob, and the cloaked figure disappeared with a quick pop. He saw his parents rushing over to James.
"Mummy, someone took Jacob!" James shouted.
Melissa let out a terrible cry and slumped to the ground. Harold looked around furiously. "James, where did they go?"
He shook his head. "They went pop!"
Tears spilled out of Melissa's hazel eyes. "Mummy, is Jacob okay?"
A watery smile grazed his mother's face. "Jacob is going to be alright," she assured him, gathering James in a bone crushing hug.
James knew that was a lie. They had found his baby brother's body only two days later, floating in a nearby river. From that moment on, James knew that he would never let anyone experience the pain and loss he had felt that night, ever again. For ten years, James has lived with the guilt of Jacob's death. If he hadn't wanted to get his broomstick so badly, or at least made Jacob come with him into the shed, Jacob would be here with him right now, causing as much mayhem as he and Sirius now did.
The guilt still lingered with him.
"James, are you alright?" Jensen asked him, looking at him with concern in her oddly colored lime green eyes.
"Yeah, I'm fine," he said shortly.
He glanced to Lily again, this time he found her looking up at him. The trace of tears wanting to spill out of her eyes was evident. James vowed to himself that no one, no one he loved, would ever be hurt again by Voldemort as long as he lived. Looking at Lily one last time made his decision all the more clearer.
Voldemort is going down.
The air in Hogwarts was filled to the brim with excitement. The four tables had been charmed to allow their new students places to sit. Close to a hundred foreign students now sat tentatively on the wooden benches, glancing around the Great Hall, whispering amongst themselves.
Dumbledore cleared his throat loudly. Talking and whisperings ceased immediately. "It is my great pleasure to welcome the students of the schools, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, to Hogwarts! I hope you all had a wonderful travel. Now, since we are finally altogether, I will explain the musical we shall be doing here at Hogwarts."
Scrapping of benches was heard so that everyone could face the Headmaster. "Good, it has been determined that we will be performing the musical Hairspray." The news was met with confused glances between friends and classmates. "Professor Burbage," Dumbledore said, gesturing to the pretty Muggle Studies teacher, "has informed me that this is a Muggle musical based on the hard times of the sixties. Professor Burbage will be in charge of the casting and everyone else who is going to participate in the production. I know I said before that Quidditch players from Hogwarts must compete in the musical, but I've rethought my proclamation and have now decided that if you would like to you may be in the musical, I am not forcing anyone to be in the musical though."
James stared, dumbfounded, at Dumbledore. "He must be joking," he groaned.
Lily would have smiled, the satisfaction of seeing James do something he didn't want made her happy, but she just couldn't be happy at the moment.
"Sadly, I am not joking Mr. Potter," chuckled Dumbledore, eyes twinkling. "The teachers and I discussed it and found that it would certainly be way too many students if we did that. So, with that in our minds, auditions will be held tomorrow evening after classes conclude. To anyone who wishes to audition, Professor Burbage has scripts with her. You may pick them up on your way out. I expect nothing but greatness from the production. And for Quidditch, Madam Hooch will be posting the schedules in every dormitory and on every bulletin board. Now, welcome and enjoy the feast new students!"
"I can't believe him," muttered James to his Marauders.
Sirius chortled. "Tough luck mate, maybe you shouldn't have told him about your bet with Evans."
James glared at his friend. Sirius continued laughing.
Remus shook his head at Sirius. "Prongs, it's not the end of the world. I've learned about Hairspray in Muggle Studies. It's a really interesting musical about this girl that doesn't fit in with the status quo, per se, and she changes everyone's views on the way of life."
"Lovely Moony, just my kind of musical," James said sarcastically. "It's not like I can sing anyhow."
"Yeah you can!" Sirius said. "You're not half bad when you sing in the shower."
This received odd looks from the girls. Dinah asked, laughing, "You listen to James when he is in the shower?"
Laughter followed her question. "We always thought you were gay, mate," Kaelin added, patting Sirius' hand sympathetically.
"I am not gay!" shouted Sirius, slumping his shoulders.
"So Emer," said Camryn, "what part do you want to audition for?"
"Not sure," Lily said softly, her mind had stopped thinking about the wedding for the time being. "I've never heard of this musical before."
"Don't you have to try out for the lead?" voiced Jensen from over her mound of chicken legs.
"Oh yeah," she said. "I forgot about that completely."
"How about I go get the script and see who you can try out for?" suggested Dinah, already rising from the table.
Two minutes later she scampered down the aisle and plopped back down in her seat. She slammed a pile of parchment onto the table. Lily grabbed one, hoping it would take her mind off the events that kept tantalizing her.
"Hm, there are a ton of songs," said Jensen, flipping through a packet.
Lily nodded her agreement. She didn't know if she was up to do a musical at the moment. Singing about love and whatnot just didn't appeal to her. But she wouldn't back out of the deal, there was no way she would give James Potter that satisfaction.
okay... sooo im really busy with school and volleyball. and depending on if people like this story or not im not going to continue to write it if no one likes it. i loove writing it. but i never have any time. so if you want to know whats going to be going on with their lives. tell me. thanks.