A/N: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! I'm sorry!! ducks from rubbish being hurled I'd prattle on about all of the distractions and stuff, but that would just bored you. But school finishes in exactly 8 days, and although I'll be working a lot on the holidays I'll still have tons of time to write. I think you'd have to fain the SOSE department at my school (long story) and my new fish, James and Sirius, for this update. All hail the fantails in the fishbowl.
Disclaimer: I own none of the characters you recognize, and some of the ones you don't. I also do not own the ship, although I'd like to.
Dedication: Dedicated to the pirates of old, because even though they were mostly bad people, I have to admit they really are fascinating.
"Fetch Lupin for me," James called to his cabin boy.
The captain was in a bad mood – today had not been a good day. The wind had died down completely, and he was getting frustrated. A small smile played over his lips as he thought of the female stow away and the fact that, as he predicted, she had not turned herself in.
Lupin strode through the door. "Peter said you wanted to see me captain," he said.
"Yes, how far are we from Tortooga?" James asked brightly.
"Umm, about five days in a southern direction. But Captain, why change course? We're almost at our destination."
"It seems that I must change my plans to accommodate to a much larger need," James stated mysteriously. Lupin frowned slightly and turned to leave. "Oh and Remus?" James asked. Remus turned around slowly. "I've heard word that Malfoy will be there, "The captain said, a ghost of a smile on his face.
"Very well captain," Remus said, half smiling too, and he left quietly. Being the navigator for the ship, he was used to the eccentric captain's quirks and his knack for attracting trouble. He understood why James was rather excited about the prospect of Malfoy being there. The two were sworn mortal enemies, and James took every chance to have some kind of duel with Malfoy.
Malfoy was the captain of The Serpent, a ship that was entirely black, sails and all. Remus had sat around the table many times listening to James and Sirius crack jokes that Malfoy should spend his plunder on a new haircut or something to make him look better instead of having his ship painted black.
Remus personally thought that the blackness of The Serpent reflected the blackness in its crew's hearts. He knew most people thought that pirates had no feeling and they were all evil, but he knew the crew of The Serpent were the only evil crew of Pirates. Sure all the crew of The Patronus stole and plundered, but they only killed people in self defence. The crew of The Serpent killed for the fun of it.
He climbed the wooden stairs and emerged onto the deck, taking in a sniff of the sea air. Some described their life as the best – full of adventure for those of the brave hearted; others called it the worst, saying it could only end in the hanged man's noose. Everyone had to admit that it was a risk, but also that it was worth it. If you were a good pirate avoiding was the noose was easy enough anyway.
He walked across the deck and leapt up a second set of stairs two at a time. When he reached the top deck where Sirius was at the wheel he told him of the captain's new plans. "Captain's called for a change of course," he told him. "We're changing our heading to Tortooga."
"Sodding hell! He can never makeup his mind! Why the sudden change of heart?" Sirius asked.
"No idea. Some cryptic riddle about issues and needing to go to Tortooga." Remus smiled. "Oh and he did mention Malfoy was going to be there," he said with the air of someone commenting on the weather.
"Did he now?" asked Sirius with a grin. "Tortooga it is then."
He gave a few shouts, ordering the crew to get ready to change direction. Slowly he turned the ship's wheel and the ship obliged, moving around to the right. Suddenly the sails filled with wind and the ship picked up speed.
"Tortooga here we come," said Sirius with a smile. Remus clapped him on the back and ran over to the rigging to take his shift in the crow's nest.
James sat at his desk and moved all of the documents on it to the right. He suddenly decided he didn't want them there, so he moved them back to the left.
No. That wasn't right either.
He was spared from the agonising decision of where he should put them by a knock on his door.
"Come in," he called, leaning back in his chair.
A group of about six men in the crew came in. Some where looking tired, but they all had the same curious expression on their faces.
"What can I do for you?" James asked pleasantly.
"Well captain," said the one at the front who was about half a foot taller than the others. "We was just wondering…well…has the woman in the crew come to see you yet?" The others nodded; some eagerly, others slightly fearfully.
"Were you now?" James asked, cocking an eyebrow. His eyes looked from man to man, until his eyes rested on one standing at the back. How daring and smart! He definitely did not expect this member of his crew to be doing this. But, he had to admit, it really was the perfect cover. His eyes travelled back to the leader of this little 'gang'.
"Well as a matter of fact she has indeed come to see me," he said, trying hard not to show that he was lying. "She came to see me early this morning. Is that all?" he asked politely.
"Err, yes captain," the leader said and then turned to leave. The rest of the group turned and started to follow him.
"Evans," James said rather loudly. One stopped and turned around as the others left.
"Yes captain?"
"I trust you'll be ready for first look out duty tonight?" James asked. "We're getting close to Tortooga and we'll need your sharp eyes."
"Yes captain," Evans said, and then slowly walked out of the captain's quarters.
Yes, a daring and smart move indeed.
A/N: If you haven't picked up the clues now and realised what was going on and who she is, then no offence but you're a bit slow...