A/N: Hi everyone. Sorry for the long wait, but I'm officially swamped with work, sports, and life in general. I'm so exhausted, and I'm just trying to get this posted before I go to school because I won't be home till very late and then I have to get started on my huge pile of homework that seems to exponentially grow every hour. Sigh. But I won't get into that. At least, not too much. So how about a little school related poll? If you could drop any class or subject…you didn't need it to graduate...which one would you get rid of? Personally, I'm thinking AP Bio or English. I love reading and writing, but geez. I have too much to do already. Anyways, I'll let you read. Please review. Sorry for the delay.
Chapter Seven: The Training Begins
James woke up at five the morning of July twenty-ninth. He hadn't been able to sleep at all, due to nerves, and woke up in a cold sweat.
He looked around his room in a daze before pulling the covers off himself. He knew Sirius would have to get up early this morning too; he had to meet with someone from the regular Auror Academy at eight.
He knew it was early as he looked out the sky and saw the sun barely rising over the buildings of London. James decided what he needed was a good run. He hadn't had a real jog since Hogwarts, and it always helped him clear his head.
After suiting up, he left a note for Sirius to tell him where he was- although he seriously doubted that Sirius would be up before he returned.
Half an hour later, James returned, sweating, and feeling utterly refreshed. The exercise had eased some of his nerves, but the excitement of the anticipated meeting gave him a completely new set of butterflies.
When he returned, he heard Sirius groaning and swearing from his bedroom, James chuckled as Sirius stumbled out of his room, just wearing his boxer shorts and swinging his arms at an owl that was flying above his head.
Charlotte's owl.
"I'm not bloody Prongs!" Sirius shouted diving at the owl in an attempt to shoo it from his head.
James laughed again and Sirius looked up at him, almost glaring.
"Ruddy owl! James is there!" Sirius pointed at James before heading back to his room and slamming the door.
James laughed again to himself as Ralph flew over to him, looking pleased that no one was hitting him, and dropped the letter in James's hands.
Dear James,
Sorry if this is too early, but I was excited for you and couldn't sleep and then I woke up early and I decided you were probably nervous too. You don't need to be, James. You'll do fine. They want you there; they know you can do it. I know you can do it. And I know you know you can do it, you arrogant toerag. I love you! You're brilliant. Everything will be fine. Come visit me after you're done for the day, I'll make you dinner.
Pork chops?
I love you,
Your Shnuckums.
P.S. Charlotte and I wish Sirius luck, too!
James chuckled as he read the letter. Lily certainly did know him, she knew him enough to know how to comfort him, and he loved her. He knew everything would go all right today, and smiled.
With his newfound confidence, he began to get ready, he also made sure Sirius was up, and went down to a local Muggle café and got them some breakfast.
James entered the neat office of Alice Longbottom at exactly seven that morning. He had actually arrived at the Ministry at six thirty, but took the time to walk off some nerves and grab a cup of coffee.
Alice, a short, round-faced woman with shoulder-length blonde hair smiled up to him as he entered and stood up, her hand out stretched.
"Hello, James. Nice to see you again, I was Alice Stone back at Hogwarts. Do you remember me?" she asked in a kind tone.
James nodded. "Yes, ma'm, " he replied with a grin. "You dated Longbottom back then. I'm assuming you married?"
Alice beamed and held up her left hand. "Yes, one year! We married right after we completed Auror training, although it was frowned upon. Aurors aren't supposed to marry each other, after all."
She continued to smile and offered James a seat while reclaiming hers.
"The Elite program is something new, developed this year, due to the lack of Aurors." she started, immediately changing to a serious, business like tone. James smiled, she sort of reminded him of Lily.
"You have been selected due to your fantastic marks, N.E.W.T. scores, recommendations, and obvious natural talent. There are eleven others new to the program." she went on.
She stopped for a moment and studied James.
"You have stopped fooling around so much, haven't you? I know you and your little friends used to be such big pranksters."
James nodded eagerly. "Yes, yes ma'm. I was made Head Boy this year, and Lily straightened me out."
Alice smiled. "Lily? Lily Evans? Red hair? Brilliant at Charms?"
James grinned. "Yes, that's the one."
"I take it you stopped annoying her so much, then? I remember the rows you two used to have…she had quite a temper…when it came to you, at least. Pretty even tempered and kind hearted to everyone else."
James smiled again. "Yes, I managed to shape up and she managed to give me a chance."
Alice nodded. "I know this is slightly unprofessional, but let's just say we're catching up as friends for a few minutes. I'd like to get to know you if you're going to be working here and all." she smiled sneakily and continued. "So are you two dating?"
"Yes, actually---" James beamed and then stopped, he had almost said they were engaged, but remembering that this was an Auror office and that his father was in close proximity, closed his mouth. "Well, we've been dating for about seven months."
Alice smiled and nodded, not noticing anything peculiar about James.
"Alright then, friend-time over. Back to business." she grinned. "You will be able to complete your training in a year, you have double the time of training in a shorter period of time, however, and it will be vigorous. Can you devote six days a week for the next year to the program? You won't be training all day, but you will be expected to show up six out of seven days. You will get some vacation time, limited, however. Are you up to it?"
James nodded. "Yes."
"Alright then, it's time for you to meet your instructor." Alice announced, closing some folders that had been lying on her desk and standing up.
James stood up, but had a confused expression on his face.
"Aren't you going to be instructing me?" James asked hopefully.
He had been looking forward to having someone as agreeable and kind as Alice to train him; she could understand James needing time off for a wedding.
Alice almost laughed. "No, no, they wouldn't let me train the Elites yet. Not after being out of training for only a year myself. Frank and I are in charge of the regular Auror Academy."
James nodded, trying to hide the disappointment from his face.
Alice patted him on the back as she walked out of her office.
"Don't worry, James, you'll be fine. If you need anything, feel free to come to me and Frank, oh, and tell Lily to write me sometime, I'd really like to know how she's doing."
James nodded as they stopped outside a plain oak door, no doubt his trainer's office.
Alice knocked and waited for a gruff voice to reply. She turned to James and smiled, extending her hand again.
"It's been a pleasure meeting with you, James, I'll see you around." she smiled and as James shook her hand, she turned to leave, deserting James by the door of a very grumpy sounding person.
He sighed and then turned the doorknob to enter.
What he saw was a harsh looking man sitting behind his desk. He had wild hair, several scars on his face, and most peculiarly, an electric-blue eye that pivoted in all directions.
James's face tightened as both eyes focused on him.
"Name?" he said.
"Potter. James Potter, sir." James said in the most mature voice he could muster. He managed to take a glimpse at the name tagged on the desk.
Alastor Moody.
James recognized that name; he worked with James's father. James remembered his father talking of the man's brilliance, even if he was slightly paranoid. They called him "Mad-Eye" if James remembered correctly. He was an excellent Auror.
Mad-Eye Moody didn't seem to have a need to reply to James, as his electric blue eye looked James over.
He had the horrible feeling that it could see through him and gulped.
"Very well, then." Moody finally said. "Take a seat. My name is Alastor Moody. You're to call me Moody, if anything."
James nodded as he nervously took a seat.
Moody waved his arm and the oak door behind James slammed shut, leaving James inside the office with a man he wasn't sure was sane.
James trudged into his apartment at half past five, feeling completely and utterly exhausted.
Alastor Moody had made it completely clear that the Elite program wasn't going to be a bunch of laughs.
After having a strict interview with James, which he was sure lasted almost three hours in itself, Moody had decided that he needed to personally see where James's skill level was at.
Needless to say, he had spent the rest of the day, despite a fifteen minute lunch break and two five minute bathroom breaks, having spell upon spell being thrown at him. He was physically and mentally exhausted. He was almost angry that the Ministry had first introduced him to Alice. It was as if they were just taunting him, saying "Here's how nice we can be, too bad for you."
James sighed as he looked around his flat. He needed to see Lily. Before he could leave to apparate, he saw Sirius sprawled out on the floor in the living room.
"You alright?" James asked, peering over at Sirius.
Sirius nodded his head. "Yes, just got back from training an hour or so ago. Bloody ruthless that Longbottom is. Put him and his wife together and they're bloody…I don't know. They look so young and friendly but they're so skilled…and I'm just beat. We had so much training today…four hours at least."
James would have liked to retort something along the lines of "Only four hours? With sane people?" But he knew that the regular Auror Academy was no picnic, and it wasn't fair to pull Sirius's effort down just because he had more to endure.
Sirius looked up at him from where he was sprawled, almost motionless.
"I imagine you had a hell of a day, you look terrible. Are you going to Lily's like that?" Sirius said.
James groaned. He had planned on going to Lily's right then, but when he looked at himself, he realized he need to shower, get a change of clothes, and do the best he could to manage his hair.
"No, I'm going to get a quick shower. Do you want to come for dinner? I'm sure she'd love to see you." James offered.
Sirius nodded, jumping up from his previous comatose state and patted his stomach. "I could use some food, and I haven't seen those two in a while."
James grinned to himself as he headed to his room and bathroom. Sirius and Charlotte had something going on, if only he could get them to admit it.
James and Sirius, once in clean, Muggle clothes, ventured to Lily and Charlotte's flat and knocked on the door.
Lily greeted them, beaming and letting James pull his arms around to give her a long kiss.
Sirius just shook his head and walked towards the kitchen in hopes of finding Charlotte.
"So how was training?" Lily asked him.
James sighed but was able to manage a grin.
"It started out so nicely…I met with Alice Longbottom, and I thought maybe she'd be my trainer…she is so nice and friendly…you remember her from Hogwarts?"
Lily nodded. "Yes, but she was Alice Stone then, right? Oh my! She and Frank got married…how cute!" Lily exclaimed. "They were Head Boy and Head Girl their seventh year too!"
James smiled. "Yes, she'd like you to write her sometime, catch up..." James watched Lily as she nodded and then he continued. "And well, that was nice and everything…and then she drops me off at this other office, and tells me she and Frank are leading the regular Auror Academy…and that my trainer is inside the office."
Lily gasped before ushering James to the sitting room and motioning him to sit down beside her.
"Well, my trainer is this completely...insane old Auror, very respectable…my dad speaks most highly of him…but he's mad. His name is Alastor Moody, but he's got this eye…it's electric blue and swivels around and I think it can see through things. His nickname is 'Mad-Eye' but I don't think I'll ever be able to call him that…he was so brutal."
Lily smiled sympathetically and put her small hand through James's hair affectionately.
"But he's probably one of the best, I'm sure it'll be alright. And if your dad respects him, he must be absolutely brilliant."
James nodded before laying back on the couch. "Yes, I suppose you're right…but he's going to kill me if we keep going on like this."
James then grinned at her. "Tomorrow we go over charms. Maybe it won't be so bad."
Lily smiled back at him. "It'll get better. Training is going to take some getting used to, that's all. Think of it as conditioning for Quidditch."
The smile on James's face widened. This was why he loved Lily Evans.
James leaned in and kissed her, letting his hand touch her face softly. Lily responded and let her hand pull on his arm, urging him closer. James moved towards her and began to kiss her more feverishly and allowed his hands to caress her sides.
Sirius and Charlotte then appeared in the sitting room, grinning at each other.
They watched them for a second, preparing to make the most out of an embarrassing situation.
Sirius turned to Charlotte. "So, Charlotte, I'd say it's a little hot in here." he said in a loud, obnoxious voice.
Charlotte giggled as they watched James scramble off top of Lily and Lily sat back on the sofa, her face turning a bright red.
James cleared his throat. "So, is dinner ready?"
Lily stood up and brushed off her skirt. "Yes, it is…we better eat before it gets too cold." Lily smiled at James. "Pork chops."
James jumped up happily and followed her into the kitchen.
"Well, if it is cold, we know just the two people that could warm it up!" Sirius exclaimed behind them, smirking as the back of James's neck turned red as pulled Lily's hand into his, pretending not to hear his best friend.
"Those two are so cute!" Charlotte exclaimed, smiling.
Sirius nodded. "Yes, well they should be…it took forever to get those two together…"
Charlotte grinned at him, showing her perfect white teeth. Sirius smiled back at her and put his arm around her waist.
"The food is calling." He stated, grinning.
Charlotte nodded as they walked into the kitchen together.
Special thanks to:
anonymously morgan, scooter5710, -xanthia-, sharp-tongued, glowing-ice, IAMSOAP, X.Little.Black.Cat.X, dreamergirl86, Jude Harrison, Precious421, Kaean, hoolihoopgrl131, Zippy-Wings, chikichiki, and Forest Unicorn.
official cheeky devil: Yes, I do like your new name, lol. Bo was a friend and teammate of mine that I ran with for a couple of years. He died in a horrible car accident, and he is greatly missed. He was one of the best people I've ever met. Thanks for the review, keep reading.
Thanks to my beta, of course.
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