Ch 2 Diagon Alley

"Remus! Peter!" James and Sirius said together. They ran over to their friends.

"How long have you been here?" James asked.

"Well, I got here around ten this morning," Peter replied.

"I got here last night. My parents dropped me off and I stayed in a room upstairs."

"Well, dad's going to send your stuff back to our place while mom takes us shopping." James replied.

Victor collected the luggage and went over to the floo network.

"I'll meet you at Quality Quidditch Supplies in an hour." Vallery said.

"So, we have an hour to our selves," Sirius asked.

"On one condition. No magic, which is an obvious and you stay out of trouble."

"Mrs. Potter," Remus replied. "That's two conditions and do you think we'd do any of them."

"Well Remus, I expect you to keep these two," she said pointing at James and Sirius, "In line. Make sure they don't try anything that'll get them in trouble." Remus nodded.

"Ok, where's that bloody brink I have to tap?" she asked herself.

"Right here Mrs. Potter." Sirius replied.

"Thank you Sirius," Vallery replied as she tapped the brick. Instantly the wall turned into a door way into the Magical Street.

"Now boys, remember one hour, in the Quidditch stores." She said.

"Thank mom," James gave his mom a quick peck on the cheek and ran after his friends.

"Where should we go first?" asked Peter.

"Well my ratty old friend," James replied. "I was hoping to buy some prank items. Old Snivelly won't know what hit him this year."

"I was hoping to buy a new quill," Remus replied.

"Remus, school items are after we meet up with my mom. This is our time, let's do some fun with it. I even brought the cloak. I'm sure there's something we could do with it."

"James, why do you have to carry the cloak with you everywhere you go?" Remus asked.

"Well, I find it's a lot more interesting and exciting when you're invisible. Besides, you never know when a good prank will pop up and the cloak can come in handy."

"You mean like at the park?" Sirius asked grinning mischievously.

"I still can't believe you left me to carry that kid alone. I think he may come from a magic family to. When that kid rang the door bell and I introduced myself she seemed to recognize Potter."

"You've lived there how long?"

"Sirius, it's not like that. I think she knew me."

The boys all looked at him.

"Well, maybe not me, but my family. Potter isn't a very common name."

"How many Potter's are there?" Peter asked.

"Not many. I believe the name is almost extinct. Most of my cousins on my dad's side with the name are females. The few males we have I doubt they will marry."

"Interesting," Sirius stood in thought.

"So James, how are you holding up?" Remus asked. He was a little hesitant on asking it.

"Well, fine, why?"

"It's just that if I was kidnapped and tortured by, well you know, I don't think I'd want to be seen in public."

"It wasn't a big deal. The prophet only said a boy from Hogwarts was held by him and was tortured, they didn't mention me." James was starting to feel uncomfortable. All he wanted to do was forget it, but his friends weren't letting him. Even his parents didn't mention it because they knew he didn't want to talk about it.

"It's just…"Remus said but was interrupted by Sirius.

"Remus, drop it. James doesn't want to talk about it." And Remus didn't bring it up again.

"So, are we going into the joke shop then?" Sirius asked.

"Sounds like a plan to me. But we only have forty-five minutes so we can't waste time." James replied. They ran all the way to Yates Joke Shop.

"Whoa, Sirius, this could do some damage." James replied looking at the window display.

"I haven't seen one of these things since my Uncle taught me how to prank old Reggy."

"And that was how long ago?" Remus asked.

"Well, I was only about seven I think, do the math." Sirius replied.

"It must be really old. This is an original." James replied. The boys walked into the shop.

"It's in perfect condition and no magic needed." Sirius replied.

"How does it work then if no magic is needed?" Peter asked with an interested look on his face.

"Well you can use magic, but if we saw old Snivelly today then we could use it on him and not get in trouble with the Ministry."

"But what does it do exactly?" asked Remus.

"Have you been under ground most of your life Remus. This thing is legend." Remus still had a blank look on his face.

"Ok, let me explain. Emeric the Evil invented a device that could fire invisible stunners at a person. These stunners would stun them though, they would shock them with pain and then they'd fall to the ground. That's not all it does though. I haven't read exactly what every detail it contains is used for but there are many different powers." James replied.

"I never thought I'd see the day James gave Remus a history lesson." Sirius said with a smirk.

"Shut up Sirius. So, is this the one Emeric invented?"

"I think it's a copy. Legend says Emeric was destroyed in a duel before he was killed."

"If it's a copy then how could it be an original?"

"Remus, stop being so technical. The one Emeric made was the one and only until someone decided to take his idea and expand on it. These are the original ones after the expansions were made."

"When was that?"

"Remus, it's a device. It has powers, like any other wand has. How am I supposed to know exactly when it was first made?"

"It's just that Sirius said-."

"Remus the one I learned on was my Uncles, not mine." Sirius replied.

"I bet this is a fortune though," James said.

"That it is boy," said the owner of the shop.

"How much is it sir?" Remus asked.

"It's about fifty gallons."

"I don't have that much. I don't even think Sirius and I combined could get it."

"Oh well," Remus replied.

"Do you guys realize we've been here for fifteen minutes," Peter replied.

"Well, we should find some prank stuff. Yates, what do you suggest for four little pranksters who want to get back at an enemy?" Sirius asked.

"Well, you lads look about third years," he started.

"Second," James corrected.

"Have you pulled pranks before?" he asked.

"Well, yes, but we need new material." Sirius said.

"Well come over here and I'll give you the best." Yates said and with in ten minutes James and Sirius were walking out of the shop with a bag full of new prank material.

"I can't wait until we run into Snivellus." Sirius said.

"This may be your lucky day," Remus replied pointing.

James and Sirius looked up. Over at the ice cream store was Snape and Lily.

"Evans and Snivelly." Sirius replied,

"Since when is he Snivelly?" asked Peter.

"Since I decided it was a more suiting name for the greasy git." Sirius said.

"I agree," James said. He had a ton of thoughts running through his head. The first was the fact that Lily looked prettier then she did at the end of last year. The second was the fact that Evans was with Snape. And the final was what could he do to make Snape suffer?

"I really wish we had that stunner thing," Peter said.

"You and I both," James replied.

"What of our stock can we use. Something minor, I want the big prank to be for the first day of school. Maybe on the train when we can use magic." Sirius said.

The boys started to look through their bags.

"What about this, he won't be able to get it off for a month." James suggested.

"Maybe, it is a minor thing after all. But how do we get him to open it?"

"Maybe we could transfigure it to a gift and then label it…" Peter suggested.

"One we can't do magic and two why would he open a gift from someone he doesn't know." Remus said.

"Remus has a point, I got it. I'll use the cloak and set it down by his ice cream. He'll open it then we yell out and laugh."

"Nice James, do it!" Sirius said. He was smiling his grin again which mean he was in the zone of trouble.

"Ok, here I go. Cover me," he said. They stood around him as he pulled the cloak on. "Ok, here I go. Watch and learn," he whispered.

James walked over to Snape and Lily's table.

"I really can't wait to get back to Hogwarts Sev," Lily was saying.

"Well, we have spent a lot of time together this summer. It'll be good to see some other faces."

"As long as I don't have to see Potter's face until then I'll be fine." Lily said.

James stopped what he was doing.

"Lil, it'll be fine. If we run into those Marauders we can hex them."

"Sev, we aren't supposed to use magic outside school," Lily said with disapproving glance at Severus.

"I'm sorry Lil, it's just they make me want to curse them until you can't recognize those arrogant faces."

"Well," Lily continued. James didn't hear what else she said because he decided to tune them out and go out with his plan. He slowly grabbed the ice cream and put the smoke tube in it and replaced it with out notice. He then walked back to his friends and pulled the cloak off.

"What took you so long?" Sirius asked a little annoyed.

"I'll explain later, let's watch and enjoy." James said.

Sirius turned away but James knew he was going to get an earful later. Just as James looked back at Lily and Snape, Snape opened the ice cream and a smoke cloud blew up in his face.

"Sev!" Lily screamed a little surprised.

James and his friends started to laugh loudly. Lily looked over at them.

"Potter!" she yelled.

"Nice to see you too Evans. Maybe that will help the greasy gits hair." James replied between laughs.

"Potter, you wait until we get back to Hogwarts." Lily said and she grabbed Snape and stalked away while everyone was laughing.

"Well that was worth the hour," James replied.

"Well, we are five minutes late for meeting your mom," Remus replied.

"What?!" James said. "We have to get going." The hurried down another street to Quality Quidditch Supplies. James rushed inside first and tried to spot his mom.

"Over there," he said pointing at the snitch case. James walked slowly up to her.

"Mom, how nice to see you." James said.

"Boys, you're late."

"Mom, we've been here all along, haven't we boys?" he asked his friends.

"Mrs. Potter, would I lie to you?" Sirius asked.

Vallery laughed, "You, I'm not sure of. Remus no and Peter, well, I haven't really got to know him as well."

"I wouldn't lie to you ma'am." Peter said.

"Well, where were you then?" she asked.

"Yates," Remus said.

"Boys, no more pranks I hope." Vallery said.

"Mom, we've matured, pranks are in the past."

"Really, then how come I heard a story about a haunted park right by our house when I was at the super market last weekend?" she asked, but there was a hint of laughter in her voice.

"Yes, we heard about that. A boy hurt himself that day," James said.

"And you didn't have anything to do with it?" she asked, eyeing him down.

"How would I pull that off without using magic?" James asked.

James knew his mother didn't know about the cloak.

"Well alright, now James, you are aloud to join the team this year and your father wants you to be ready. We gave you a new broom last year so he said not to buy you one but he does want to buy you some new practice balls."

"Really?" James asked. "Thanks mom," he hugged her.

"Now, here are four gallons and three sickles. That should cover for the balls. Then we are heading to Flourish and Blotts for books and then we can get quills and new potion ingredients."

"Can we stop at the owl store?" James asked.

"Why?"

"Well Sirius wants to buy an owl and I wanted to get our owl some treats." James replied.

"Well, I supposed but then we need to get home. Your father should be here soon. Why don't you go buy your practice balls and I'll wait outside for your father."

"Alright," James replied. Vallery walked away.

"Your mom is so nice," Peter replied.

"Well, dad says my grandfather Harold, was an amazing Quidditch player. Dad wasn't one himself but he thinks I have inherited the Quidditch gene so he just wants me to be ready." James replied.

"James, who is that your mom is talking to?" Sirius suddenly asked. James looked out the window. He's seen the face before but he didn't know who it was.

"He looks familiar," James said. He couldn't place the face though, where had he seen the face.

"In a good way or a bad?" asked Remus.

"I have a feeling it's a bad way," James said. In his mind he was searching for the face. Where had he seen it before? A part of him knew he didn't want to know.

"It's alright, your dad's there now." Remus replied. James came back to reality.

"Whoever it was, I doubt it matters." James said. "I better pay for these." James walked up to the counter and paid for the balls. Then he started to walk towards the door when he heard his parents arguing silently.

"I thought I told you not leave him out of your sight. Do you realize if I hadn't showed up and if I didn't have Aurors invisible all around here that, that Death Eater could've cursed you and taken James again."

"Victor, he's in there with his friends and with countess others."

"That didn't stop them taking him on the platform," Victor retorted.

"Can we not do this now? I don't want James to know they are still after him."

"Fine, but I'm going to go get him." Victor said. James backed up to go towards his friends who were looking at brooms and put a fake smile on his face.

"Any thing good?" he asked.

"Not really," Sirius replied.

"James, did you pay?" Victor asked.

"Hey dad, yea I have it right here."

"Well, let's go then. Your mother doesn't want to be here too long. She wants to get dinner started in a few hours and we need all your school supplies still."

"Ok, and thanks for the new balls." James said hugging his dad.

A/N: So here's chapter 2! I would like to answer a review I received that I could not respond to because she was not a member of fanfiction so Jenny here's the answer to you question:

No there is not another prophecy (at least I don't plan on there being another one but you never know what you writer sometimes and what pops into my head lol). Voldemort wanted James at the end of JPATMSB because he was trying to get his parents, Vallery and Victor (both pure bloods and powerful witch and wizard) to join the dark side. They refused everything he's tried so he thought by taking their son they'd do anything to get him back, including join the Death Eaters. So he only took James to recruit Vallery and Victor. I hope that clears it up a bit!

Anyways, reviews are greatly appreciated!