James Castle
Chapter 12: Million Galleon Man
The school was locked down again on Sunday; no one was allowed to leave their respective towers. Hermione didn't bother asking James where he went, she figured she's read about it soon enough. "That owl isn't getting any treats from me for a while," James grumbled as Hermione petted and fed the snowy white owl.
"Be nice," Hermione frowned at him. They were at a secluded window in the Gryffindor tower, preparing to send a pair of letters to Frank. "She's a nice owl, what is her name?" she asked as she tied the letters to her leg.
"Hedwig, Moony bought her for me for me before he came here to teach," James sighed. "Hermione, please don't keep any secrets like this from me again," he sighed, petting his owl who was staring angrily at him.
"Then stop keeping things from me," Hermione scolded him, releasing Hedwig and closing and locking the window behind them. "I'm a big girl James, I can handle it," she frowned.
"Some secrets can't get out Hermione, it's safer that way," he walked next to her, pressing his head against the window. "If people found out, you'd be in danger, just by being around me," he relaxed when she patted him on the back.
"I'm okay with a little danger," she smiled, wrapping her arms around him. "So, how mad is Malfoy going to be when he sees you?" she asked quietly as some younger students walked by.
"Oh, I'm pretty sure he'll try to kill me the first chance he gets," James chuckled. "He'll have some help from a few of his classmates I imagine," James figured a few of the Death Eaters must have had children in Hogwarts.
"How bad is the story going to be?" she asked, thinking back to the articles that came out about the Punishers following the execution of Bellatrix LeStrange, painting him as an insane muggle killer.
"Oh, on a scale of one to ten, probably a twenty," he laughed and walked her back to the common room, changing to a much happier subject.
The Great Hall was silent as James entered Monday morning for breakfast. He had taken an extra long shower, preparing for whatever was going to be thrown at him, so most of the school was there already there when he opened the doors and slipped inside. A room full of eyes locked on him as he cautiously walked his way toward the Gryffindor table to Hermione.
"Mudblood filth!" Malfoy screamed, pulling his wand along with half a dozen other Slytherins. "You're going to pay!" he spat, the tip of his wand growing red. Before any of them could get a spell off, they were knocked off their feet from a blast of light by the Headmaster.
"Severus, please take them somewhere to cool down, inform them they will have detention with me all week," Dumbledore ordered the Potions Master. "Fifty points from Slytherin, there will be no dueling or attacking other students in Hogwarts!" his voice boomed. "Anyone breaking these rules will be punished severely," he continued. "I have an announcement to make, regarding the events in the Daily Prophet," he motioned James to take his seat by Hermione as Snape levitated the Slytherins from the Great Hall. "As irresponsibly reported by the Prophet, yes James Castle is the nephew of the killer known as the Punisher," he eyed the remaining Slytherins, watching to see if anyone else was going to make a move. "He has been questioned by myself and Minister and had no part in the actions of his Uncle. Anyone thinking of taking action against him to get back at his Uncle will be punished very harshly," he directed the last bit at the remaining Slytherins. "Let me make this perfectly clear, Frank Castle is a criminal and will be caught by the Aurors, no one has the right to act as executioner, regardless of the crimes someone may or may not have committed," he frowned as James snorted at this last part. "Now, continue with your breakfast, and remember my warnings," he finished, eyeing James and Hermione carefully. "I'm going to have to have a word with that boy," he mumbled to himself as he say down and relaxed into his chair.
"Are you okay?" Hermione asked as soon as the Headmaster had finished talking, holding James' hand tightly.
"Peachy," he eyed the newspaper she was slide down the table away from him. "Come on, let me see it," he gestured at Ron who handed him the copy of the Daily Prophet past an angry Hermione.
"Ronald!" she turned, glaring at him.
"Sorry Hermione, but he's going to find out eventually," Ron shrugged, stuffing his face with bacon and sausage. "Might as well get it over with," he choked on a bit of food before Hermione hit him on the back hard, dislodging it. "Thanks Hermione," he gasped.
"Maybe if you took the time to chew," she scolded him some more, going into a tirade about his less than stellar grades and obsession with Quiddich.
James tuned Hermione and Ron's voices out as he glanced over the paper.
Wanted, Dead or Alive
1 million Galleon reward
James frowned at the picture under the headline. It showed the Punisher pointing his gun at and glaring threateningly at the camera. 'Damn, the Malfoy woman survived,' he swore to himself, reading the caption on the picture, explaining how the picture was taken from a Pensieve memory of Narcissa Malfoy.
The wizarding world was shocked Halloween night as the Muggle mass murderer Frank Castle, AKA the Punisher assaulted the home of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy. According to Aurors Kingsley Shacklebolt and Nymphadora Tonks, who were given the task of bringing the man to justice the week after the slaying of Bellatrix LeStrange, Castle entered the home around 8:00 PM, using muggle explosives to break the wards on the doorway.
According to the testimony of Narcissa Malfoy, there were eleven business associates of her husband there that night, but the Ministry has been unable to verify this due to the nature of the case. After making his way through the house, executing the defenseless wizards there, he found Lucius and Narcissa trying to escape through the Floo, firing his muggle firearm at them, killing Lucius, who used the last bit of his strength to push Narcissa into the Floo. She was hit in the shoulder by a bullet and treated at St. Mungos and is recovering nicely. It appears that Castle then released Fiendfyre, destroying the home and the bodies. It took a team from the Ministry nearly seven hours to contain and extinguish the flames.
The Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, has issued a standing order to kill Frank Castle on sight and offered a one million Galleon reward for the capture of the killer, dead or alive. When questioned as to why Castle is killing wizards, he admitted that the man has a nephew, James Castle, age 17, at Hogwarts, who has been questioned by Aurors in regards to the Bellatrix LeStrange killing. Minister Fudge stressed that the boy had no knowledge of what Frank Castle was doing and he is not under suspicion.
"What an interesting read," James muttered, throwing the paper back at Ron. "Hermione, remind me to strangle the Minister when I see him again for mentioning me," he fumed, digging into his breakfast.
"Be nice," she glared at him, hitting him on the arm. "People would have found out eventually," she scolded him.
Later that day in Defense Against the Dark Arts, Moody asked for Hermione and James to stay after for a bit. James glared at Moody, just wanting the day to end. People had been avoiding him like the plague, even his own housemates. The only ones that were not avoiding him were the Slytherins who were waiting for chances to attack him, though only two had the gall to actually carry through with it. They both ended up in the hospital wing after James sent the pair of them into the wall with an Expelliarmus.
After the rest of the class had left, Moody locked the door, placing several wards on it. "Drink this," he ordered, throwing a vial of liquid at James.
"I've already been questioned under Veritaserum," James glared at Moody, throwing the vial back. "By the Headmaster Dumbledore and Minister Fudge," he caught the vial when Moody threw it back to him again.
"Minister Fudge and Dumbledore don't know you two have guns, now drink," he stomped impatiently. "Drink or word of your little toys may find it's way to them," he glared at the boy.
James bit his lip, holding back a long string of curse words before chugging the potion. "Why are you doing this Professor Moody?" Hermione frowned as James became calm and the potion took effect.
"Because, I don't trust anyone, much less that rag of a newspaper. I want the truth, straight from the source," Moody explained harshly. "Who are you?" he turned his eye to the boy, making sure his eyes stayed glazed over, indicating the potion was working.
"James Castle," he responded.
"Do you know who killed LeStrange and those people in the Malfoy mansion?" he continued.
"It was the Punisher," the boy stared back at him.
"And the Punisher is Frank Castle, the man you raised you, your uncle?" Moody continued.
"Of course he is, that garbage piece of paper the Prophet got that right," James smirked.
"Why are you showing emotion?" Moody frowned, knowing his Veritaserum was good, he tested it on himself earlier.
"Ask Dumbledore, it's a mix of Occulmency and natural immunity, trust me, the potion is working," James calmed Hermione who was wringing her hands together.
"Where did he get the fiendfyre?" Moody demanded.
"He stole it from Knockturn Alley."
"When was the last time you saw him?" Moody continued.
"A week before school started, but we've been talking via owl," James admitted.
"Have you been giving him orders, telling him who to kill?" Moody demanded.
"No, I haven't told Frank who to kill. He and I do not talk about his business as the Punisher," James shook his head as his eyes started clearing up. "The Veritaserum is wearing off," he mumbled.
"Do you or Miss Granger here have anything else that could help track him down?" Moody asked as the potion continued to wear off.
"Nope, we don't even know where he is," James replied, getting up from his seat. "Can we go now Professor Moody?" he asked, glancing at the door.
"Go," Moody frowned at them as he waved his wand, removing the wards and locks on the door. "Keep those guns where they belong you two, I don't want to be cleaning bits of Slytherin off the walls," Moody growled.
"Don't worry Professor, I can handle them without my gun," James laughed as he and Hermione left the DADA classroom.
"James, you should not have let him use that potion on you, there's no way of knowing what it was," Hermione scolded him as they walked back to the Gryffindor tower.
"It was either that or get in trouble because of the guns Hermione," he shrugged. "Besides, he didn't learn anything that Dumbledore didn't already know, or have an idea about," he paused at the portrait of the fat lady.
"He learned about you owling Frank," Hermione pointed out.
"Dumbledore had to have had an idea about that already, he's not stupid. Don't worry, Frank knows how to lay low," he smiled as she gave the password opening into the common room. "Ah, hell," he swore when he saw an older man waiting for them.
"James, language!" Hermione hit him. "What brings you here Professor Lupin?" she asked the angry werewolf.
"You and me are going to have a long talk now James," Lupin got up, glaring at the boy.
"Fine, where can me, you, and Hermione talk?" he shrugged.
"We are going to talk alone," Lupin frowned at James.
"It's okay Moony, she knows," James frowned as the werewolf relaxed.
"Then might I suggest the Head Girl's room, we should be secure there," he gestured at the stairs.
"They turn into a slide," James frowned, not budging.
"Ah, I guess it means you haven't snuck up to her room yet," Lupin laughed as James looked ready to kill him. "She's the Head Girl James, she can deactivate the spell," Lupin replied as Hermione pressed her wand to the banister.
"And you were planning on telling me this when?" James poked Hermione in the side at the top of the stairs when she stopped and reactivated the defenses.
"Oh eventually, when I was ready to sneak you up," she smirked at him.
"I really do not want to be hearing this you two," Lupin complained as Hermione led them to her room. "What you two do is your own business, I trust you to be intelligent and use protection," he laughed as the two of them froze.
"Professor Lupin!" Hermione blushed.
"Moony!" James glared, grinding his teeth.
"Fine enough on that subject," Lupin shrugged as he closed the door behind them and warded it. "On to another subject, what the bloody hell do you think you are doing?" he gripped James by the shirt pulling him close.
"Back off Moony," James hit his hand away, glaring at the werewolf. "What's your problem?" he frowned as the werewolf threw the copy of the Daily Prophet at him. "Oh, that," he shrugged.
"Quite interesting, Frank being over here, killing Death Eaters quite efficiently it seems," Lupin stared at the two of them. "I talked to him on the phone James, he's in Chicago, what do you think you are doing?" he questioned the boy.
"Taking care of the garbage Moony," James frowned before going to a comfortable looking chair, dropping into it roughly. "Taking care of the garbage," he muttered to himself, staring into space.
"Miss Granger, you know about all this and you haven't stopped him?" Moody ran his hands through his hair. "He's going to get himself killed out there," he stared as the girl went and started massaging James' shoulders from behind.
"I wanted to stop him Professor Lupin, I'd love for him not to go out there, doing what he does," she continued rubbing his back, relaxing him. "But he needs to be there, the Ministry is being taken over from the inside, muggles…are being killed every day," she shuddered, thinking of her parents. "Someone needs to do something," she wiped the tears away, glaring at him.
"But why him, why alone?" Lupin growled, sitting on Hermione's bed, staring at the two students.
"Because of who I am Moony," James spoke after a few tense moments. "They killed my family, they ruined my life, they killed me," he glared at the werewolf, breathing heavily. "Frank saved me, he built me back up, gave me what I needed, you helped too you know," James sighed, looking down at the carpet.
"I didn't mean for you to use those weapons, or any of those things you were making for Frank," Lupin slumped his head in defeat. "You're all I have left of your parents Harry," Lupin stopped when he realized his mistake.
James tensed up, shaking, gripping his wand in his pocket tightly. "Harry Potter is dead, he…" James stopped talking as Hermione got between him and Lupin, distracting him with a kiss.
"I'm sorry James, forgive me," Lupin begged once Hermione broke the kiss.
"James," Hermione glared at him, hands on her hips.
"It's okay Moony," James replied. "I finally got them to work you know, a year after you left," he smiled, pulling his gun and handing it to the werewolf. "It's a permanent charm that swaps between bullets, stunners, reductos, incarcerous, a smoke charm, and stupefies," James explained. "It needs a wizard to work though, I really was trying to make them for Frank, Moody," James sighed as he was given the gun back.
"You should know, Sirius Black is your Godfather, I can find him if you want," Moody offered. "He can be trusted James, he was found innocent of his crimes after he found the real traitor Peter Pettigre…" he stopped, taking in the look on the boy's face. "How big of a hand did you have in Pettigrew's capture?" he asked James.
"Black approached me in the forest when I was training, in his animagus form. I made him change and almost killed him right there," James admitted. "I made him swear an oath, if I brought him the rat, he would return that night, otherwise I would kill him. And the rest is history," James shrugged. "I gave him Max's card, in case he needed a way to hide out somewhere, if you want to contact him," James explained.
"Does he have any idea about you?" Lupin asked.
"He might have, but after I scared the hell out of him and he saw no curse scar on my head, he seemed to accept who I was and who I was not," James frowned.
"He probably suspects," Lupin commented. "I heard from Kingsley Shacklebolt that he is going after the man that he said he was going after the assassin that killed the Dursleys," Lupin told them.
"Good luck with that, Frank is still trying to find the bastard himself," James shrugged.
"Just be careful out there James, please," Lupin gave up. "Dumbledore called for me after he found out I was the one to tutor you in the States, he somehow got your record unsealed after the latest killings," Lupin explained as Hermione jumped. "Relax Miss Granger, I'm not going to give them anything useful, my condition makes me quite immune to Legilmancy and Veritaserum, but I'll need to give them something, some kind of idea of what the Punisher's plans are," Lupin explained.
"They're terrorists, I'm going to treat them as such," James leaned back into the chair relaxing. "I'll start taking out his supporters, the Death Eaters that are funneling him money," he explained. "They're start turning on him, being killed by him, or going to the Ministry, begging for mercy," James continued. "Then I'll kill Voldemort, and live happily ever after," he smiled getting out of the chair. "Want to see what I can make my cloak do?" he grinned ear to ear, pulling his wand out to demonstrate to his old teacher.
A/N: Another done, rawr. Business will be picking up in the coming chapters, keep an eye out for the appearances of Tonks, Shacklebolt, Frank, and the return of Sirius.