A/N: So... uh... YAY for procrastination! yeah, I literally finished this about thirty minutes ago. My only excuse is that I was stuck for ideas once I got about halfway through... Ugh.
And WOW! WOWEE! 17 reviews! That breaks the record for the last fanfic's first chapter, which was 15! YAY NUMBERS!
But seriously (Siriusly- ha, u c wut i did thar?), you guys are all awesome! Thank you so much, and remember, I reply to ALL my reviewers!
But anyway, here's the way-too delayed thingy chapter thingy.
Disclaimer: Harry Potter blah blah J.K. Rowling blah blah. ;)
One morning about a week into the summer, the sun rose to find James waiting for the post owl. With his parents worried about him knowing of the increasing brutality of the Death Eater attacks, he'd been getting up early so he could intercept his own issue. When the holidays had started, he'd requested permission to see the paper after his parents had finished it, but he was always denied. So, James had sent in a subscription form, using his own pocket money to pay for it.
This morning, the owl was not carrying welcome news. It fluttered through the open window and dropped the Daily Prophet on James' bed, then glared at him as it waited for its payment. It was going to have to wait for a little bit.
As James unrolled the paper, he dropped it and nearly choked when he saw the headline: NEW ANTI-WEREWOLF LEGISLATION FINALLY PASSED.
James was still for a moment, trying to tell himself he'd misread it, but his thoughts were rudely interrupted when the owl screeched at him.
Numbly, he dropped several Knuts into the owl's leg pouch, then picked up the paper and began to read.
In an almost unanimous vote, the Wizengamot has finally decided to pass the bill that will restrict werewolves' rights. This bill has made it mandatory for all werewolves to register at the Ministry of Magic, and now urges that employers check the Werewolf Registry before hiring. Failure to register will result in the werewolf being turned over to the Department for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. The bill was introduced by Department of Magical Law Enforcement Senior Supervisor Dolores Umbridge, who has been a staunch advocate of half-breed regulation since 1964.
"I am delighted that the bill has finally passed," Umbridge said in an interview last night. "Werewolves are a danger to our society. Hopefully, with the new laws in place, we can reduce the threat they pose to the magical community, and we have taken a step in the right direction to lead to eliminating them."
The decision, which was almost unanimous, was made with the influence of the riser of werewolf attacks over the past five months. Despite the increasing number of bitten people- consisting mostly of children between the ages of four and ten- small, but vocal, groups of protestors have made themselves heard, insisting that even dangerous creatures deserve the same rights as wizards. The Werewolf Support (continued on page A7)
James threw the paper down and pounded the bed. He was trembling with a fury that surpassed any hatred he had ever experienced. The emotions boiling inside him were almost indescribable. He took several deep breaths, trying to regain his temper, but if anything, he was just becoming angrier.
Behind him, there was a huge crash, followed by the tinkling of glass. He'd managed to shatter the glass in the French doors that led to the terrace. James stared blankly at the mess, still seething.
"James?"
James whirled, certain he was going to be punished, but his father simply repaired the mess and turned to James. "What happened? Is everything okay?"
James' fists clenched. "No. No, it's not! That- they-!" He stood and delivered a vicious kick to the newspaper, which had slid onto the floor. The pages scattered everywhere, many with large rips down the middle.
He sank to his knees as his dad knelt and began sifting through the sheets. Mr. Potter paused when he found the front page.
"I'm sorry, son," he said softly. "I wish there was something I could do."
"What's going on?" Mrs. Potter appeared in the doorway. She looked around, taking in the jumbled newspaper, her concerned husband, and her outraged son.
"Remus didn't deserve this!" James yelled. "Any of this!"
"James Charlus Potter, we do not yell in this house," Mrs. Potter said firmly.
James looked at his feet and mumbled, "Sorry, mum." He raised his eyes to meet his parents' concerned looked, and he swallowed. "I just..." He made a helpless gesture.
Mrs. Potter pulled him into a hug. "You've been a wonderful friend to Remus, and I don't think anybody could do more than that."
James allowed her to hold him for a little while, but then he gently pushed her arms off and said, "I- I kind of want to be alone for a bit. Would you mind?"
Mr. Potter patted James' shoulder as the adults left. As soon as they were gone, James quietly shut the door and locked it.
His mother's words had reminded him that there was something more that he could do. He'd made a promise to Remus, they all had. It just seemed like they now had another incentive to master the transformation.
The loose floorboard under the bed was quickly pried up, and James retrieved the Animagus book.
Skimming through the pages, James realized that he wouldn't be able to move forward with the process until after he figured out what his animal form was. He let out a growl, but resigned himself to the fact that it was time to do some more Patronus work.
But what memory was so happy that he could use it to help him conjure a corporeal Patronus? He had lots of great memories, but were any of them powerful enough? Maybe... James frowned as he thought. There was the day he got his Hogwarts letter... that was at least a good place to start.
"Expecto Patronum," he whispered. As expected, he was able to produce a large silvery cloud of vapor, but nothing more. James tried to focus harder, but the effort drained him, and he was forced to give it up. He would have to pick a different memory.
He gave himself a few minutes before attempting it again. And again. Try as he might, though, he never seemed to do more than conjure a bunch of mist. James sighed and cracked his knuckles, breathing heavily. Calm down and pick a better memory. You have to do this for Remus.
James thought longer this time, trying to think of the perfect memory to focus on. His thoughts strayed to Lily, to the day he and the others had frozen the Great Hall at her request. Lily had looked so happy, sliding around on the ice, and she has smiling because of something he'd done! Well, he and his friends, but still. James thought about how she had laughed as she raced across the slick floor, her red hair fanning out behind her.
"Expecto Patronum!" James cried.
He almost forgot to breathe as an enormous silvery creature sprang forth and galloped across the room. It turned and headed back to him, stopping a few feet away.
The stag nudged him with its antlered head and disappeared.
James was frozen for a full minute before he lunged for his trunk, digging through it before managing to extract the two-way mirror.
"Sirius," he said. The mirror shimmered before showing James his friend.
"Hey, James," Sirius said, his tone light. "What's up?"
"I'm a stag!" James yelled, unable to contain his excitement. "Sirius, I'm gonna be a stag!"
"Brilliant!" Sirius grinned at him, but then he looked quickly over his shoulder. "Look, I'm sorry I can't talk, but dear old mum is calling. I have to go."
"Bye," James said, but Sirius was already gone. Undeterred, James hurried downstairs, where he found his mum making breakfast. "Mum, can Liz and Peter come over? Like, right now?"
Mrs. Potter looked a little startled at his sudden request, but she nodded. James went over to the fireplace, grabbed a pinch of Floo Powder, and stuck his head in the flames.
Liz stumbled as she spun out of the fireplace. She brushed the soot from her shirt and grinned at James when he steadied her.
"So, what was so important that Pete and I had to come over immediately?" she asked.
James glanced around and grimaced, which Liz took as a sign to stay silent. "I can't wait to hang out," James said, a bit louder than usual.
The fireplace glowed as green flames erupted, and a second later, Peter was stepping into James' kitchen.
"Hi!" he began, but James had already grabbed him and Liz and was dragging them upstairs.
"Have you guys seen the news yet?" he asked urgently once the door to his room was shut tightly and locked. When they both shook their heads, he shoved the front page under their noses. "I just had to show you this."
Liz frowned, trying to think of what could possibly be more important that it required immediate attention from just her and Peter. Then again, it was James. For all she knew, he wanted to show off some new Quidditch move. But, as she read the article, her fists clenched and she felt an overwhelming urge to find this Umbridge lady and punch her in the face.
"How could anyone agree to this?" she cried, outraged. "And Remus- I just-!"
Peter was shaking his head, mouth slightly open. "And we can't do anything about it," he whispered.
"Actually, we can. Just watch," James said, drawing his wand. "Expecto Patronum!"
Liz and Peter gasped at the silver stag. Liz watched it enviously, wishing she could do that herself. But she knew what that meant. They were one step closer to at least making Remus' transformations more bearable.
"So, I know what my animal is," James said proudly. "But, since you guys were having such a rough tie of it, I thought, maybe, I could help."
Liz and Peter exchanged grins. "That would be great," Peter said. "Where do we start?"
"Just try to concentrate," James said. "Just think back to something- anything- that makes you happy, even today."
Liz was more than a little disappointed. "James, I've made a list- a whole list!- of happy memories, and not one of them has worked! I'm rubbish at Charms, I'll never get it."
james tapped his cheek, thinking.
Liz waited impatiently, knowing he couldn't just pull a solution out of thin air. Peter, meanwhile, had scrunched his face up in concentration.
"Maybe..." James said slowly, "Maybe, instead of a regular happy memory, you should think of somebody you like."
"But Sirius said his memory was when Remus was able to stay at Hogwarts," Liz protested.
"Just the second time. We don't know anything about the first," James pointed out. He shrugged. "Besides, it worked for me when I thought of Lily," he said, his cheeks reddening slightly.
Liz sighed and rubbed her temples. "Fine. I'll try." She pulled out her wand and tapped her leg as she thought.
Peter glanced at james. "D'you... do you think if I thought about Melissa...?" he grinned shyly.
James smiled broadly and gave Peter a hearty slap on the back. "I think that'll work great, Pete."
Liz swallowed when James looked expectantly at her. "Ah..."
"Quit stalling, Liz! Just try it!" James snapped.
"I'm thinking," Liz snapped back. "Gimme a minute."
james rolled his eyes and turned back to Peter. "Okay- so, do you have any good memories about Melissa? One that still makes you feel elated, even today?"
Liz was distracted from her thoughts. "Who uses 'elated' in casual conversation?"
"I thought you were supposed to be focusing?" James asked, raising his eyebrows at her. Liz stuck her tongue out at him. James rolled his eyes and continued. "Besides, I wouldn't say that practicing a spell that will allow us to progress to breaking the law counts as 'casual conversation'."
"Touche." Liz was going to say more, but James semi-playfully glared at her and motioned for her to get back to work.
Liz gnawed on the inside of her cheek as she considered James' words. Think about someone you like...
"Am I really gonna have to do this?" she muttered aloud.
"Yes," answered James and Peter.
Liz gave them the stink-eye. "I wasn't talking to you."
They ignored her and went back to work on finding Peter a memory.
Liz sighed again as she begrudgingly realized what she was going to have to do.
So, what memories of Remus did she have that were powerful enough to at least get her started on producing a Patronus? She thought back, her cheeks reddening as she recalled Ted and Andromeda's wedding, and how she and Remus had spent a song dancing awkwardly near their table so he wouldn't trip over his dress robes. How they had held hands, really held hands, for the first time...
"Expecto Patronum," she whispered, concentrating as hard as she could on that memory.
For a moment, nothing happened. Then, after spluttering for a bit, a thin stream of mist began to form.
"YES!" Liz yelled, startling the boys. "I DID IT!"
"I knew you could do it," James said smugly. "But good job, Eb."
As the mist dissipated, Liz suddenly felt rather drained. "Well, I don't think I can do that again," she said, panting. "At least, not just yet. I'll watch you guys, okay?"
"Okay, Peter," James said, "If Liz can do it, you can do it. You're not leaving here until you produce a real Patronus."
Peter nodded, gripping his wand determinedly. He already knew what memory he was going to use: Melissa's smile when she saw the necklace he'd made for her.
Remembering it brought an equally bright smile to his own face. He raised his wand-
"So, are you thinking of a memory?" James asked, startling Peter and breaking his concentration.
"James!" he yelled, surprising everyone, including himself. "I had one, and you startled me!"
"Well, sorry," James said snippily. Peter sighed and closed his eyes, trying to ignore him.
Okay, just focus on Melissa...
"Expecto Patronum." Lots of silver vapor, but no definite shape.
"You-"
"If you tell me 'you can do it' one more time, I'm gonna take your wand and-"
"Never mind,' James said quickly. "Carry on."
Maybe that memory wasn't enough. Maybe... maybe the day he'd worked up the nerve to ask her out?
Peter could feel his face warming up, which he took as a good sign. But, instead of rushing it, he was determined to take his time in order to get it perfect. James might have been annoying, but Peter knew he was right. He just needed more confidence.
Deep breaths.
After an age, Peter finally raised his wand again. "Expecto Patronum!"
Peter's mouth dropped open, momentarily forgetting to breathe.
As the Patronus streaked across the room, the Marauders squinted, trying to see the silver animal. Whatever it was, it was small.
"Can you get it to come back?" Liz asked.
Uncertainly, Peter motioned for the Patronus to return, and it came to a halt at his feet. They knelt for a better look.
James and Liz both cheered and hugged Peter, jabbering about what his nickname would be, and good job Peter, I told you you could do it, but all Peter could do was stare numbly.
As the Patronus faded, Peter finally managed to say, "I hate rodents..."
"I've got it!" James yelled. "Wormtail! It fits so well! Congratulations, Peter- Wormy- third one to get a nickname-" His face darkened and he pounded a fist on the floor. "Oh, come on," he growled. "What are you supposed to name a stag?"
A/N: Yeah, I know. It was short. next one will probably have some more Remus, and I'm also pretty sure I'll be bringing in the Hogsmeade forms... but the only certainty I have for any future Hogsmeade visits will involve Lily... and that's all I'm going to say! BWAHAHAHA!
Anyway, I kept my word, so you can put those torches and pitchforks away! HA! And yeah, the next update will be Sunday- oh, uh... maybe? I think I have another convention to attend- FandomFest- this upcoming weekend... hmm. Well, it'll be SOMETIME around then, I promise!
Until next time,
-Dndchk