Chapter 7 – Something Wicked This Way Comes
It had been a few days since Slughorn's supper club and James hadn't mentioned to anyone about the cloaked figure he had seen that night. He didn't really have much to tell. He had only caught a glimpse of them from behind in the shadows and for all he knew it was just someone messing around.
He headed to his Charms class but was late as he had been held at the end of his previous lesson by Professor Slughorn who had practically interrogated him about his enjoyment of his party and how much he was looking forward to him attending the next one.
By the time James had managed to get away everyone else was already seated in the Charms classroom and the only empty desk left was in between Noah and Polly. He thought to himself that at least it would give him chance to wind Polly up about the Slug Club.
Today Professor Flitwick was teaching them the Levitation Charm and was using a feather to demonstrate to the class.
"Make sure you get the flick with your wand right otherwise your feathers will never get off the table," Flitwick said as his feather started to float up and over the heads of the students nearest to him. "Now who would like to have a go first?"
James felt Polly's arm shoot up straight away beside him as the professor looked around and seeing no one else with their hand up, picked Polly much to James' annoyance.
"Wing-gar-dium Levi-o-sa," Polly said with crystal clear pronunciation and a perfect flick of the wrist that saw her feather float effortless upwards.
"Excellent work Miss Green," Flitwick commented and James made the mistake of turning to Polly and saw her smug smile. "Now the rest of you try amongst yourselves."
Polly now turned to James and waited for him to attempt the charm.
"I can't do it with you watching me," James said furiously, feeling Penny's eyes on him.
"Well I just did it with the whole class watching me," Polly retorted, dismissing James' comment.
James looked at the feather on the desk in front of him and said the pronunciation of the charm over and over again in his head. Then he mimicked the flick of his wrist as Polly continued to watch. He still didn't feel ready to try it but he knew if he put it off any longer Polly would only make some sort of snooty comment so he closed his eyes and hoped for the best.
"Wingardium Leviosa," James said and flicked his wand towards the feather and hoped for the best. When he opened his eyes again his feather was still firmly on the table.
"You're saying it wrong. It's…" Polly began to say but James stopped her before she could utter another syllable.
"Look I didn't ask for your help so if you could kindly mind your own business!" he snapped back.
"Well I was just trying to be helpful," Polly retorted before turning in a huff to Anwar who was on her other side and who was only too grateful for some help as he hadn't managed the charm either.
James went back to staring at his very stationary feather but didn't dare try the charm again until he was sure Polly wasn't listening.
"She was only trying to be nice," Noah said after he had managed to get his feather to lift up a hair's breadth from the desk and hover for a few seconds.
"No she was trying to be a perfect know-it-all as usual," James fumed before unsuccessfully attempting the spell again.
James looked across to Polly and Anwar who she was helping beside her and saw that Anwar's feather was now floating upwards the ceiling, which only annoyed James more.
"Noah did I tell you about my evening with Professor Slughorn last Friday?" James said in an overly loud voice so Polly would hear.
"Yes you've told me already," Noah replied unenthusiastically, which forced James to give him a hard nudge in the arm. "Ouch, what was that for?"
"It was such an informative evening," James continued with a quick glance to Polly to see if she was looking. "And it was great to spend time with Professor Slughorn outside of class. He told me so many great tips on potion making and chatting to all the other students was so interesting. A lot of them were prefects you know, so no doubt I won't have any trouble becoming one too."
Though James could only see the side of Polly's face he could tell she was fuming and was immensely jealous so much so that she messed up her charm and sent her feather flying across the room and it imbedded in the blackboard just above Flitwick's head. If he had been a person of normal size Polly would have had his eye out.
"Careful please students," Flitwick called out as he glanced up at the feather and Polly went bright red.
James was pleased with himself that he had got one up on Polly and continued with his own charm casting but no matter how many times he tried it he still couldn't get it and he knew Polly kept glancing over and was no doubt taking pleasure in his failure.
After the lesson ended James headed to the Great Hall for lunch with Noah. As they got to the bottom of the staircase James spotted Seth Cooper on his own huddled in a corner and looking upset and pointed him out to Noah.
"I wonder what's up with him? We should go make sure he's OK," James said and didn't wait for Noah to answer before he started heading in Seth's direction.
"Hey Seth," James said and Seth turned to him and his eyes looked red like he had been crying. "Is everything alright?"
"It's nothing," Seth said dismissively and wiped his eyes with the back of his sleeve.
It was then that James noticed Seth's bag in his other hand and what looked like red paint on it. "What happened to your bag?"
"Nothing. I need to go now," Seth replied and made a move to leave.
"Wait Seth, you can tell us. We're your friends," Noah added before Seth could move past them.
"Did someone put paint on your bag?" James asked and put a reassuring hand on Seth's shoulder.
"It's nothing," Seth said trying again to dismiss the situation.
"It doesn't look like nothing," Noah said as he got a better look at the bag and it looked like someone had written something with the paint. "What does it say?"
Seth knew he couldn't lie anymore so turned the bag to his friends who could see just exactly what was written on it – 'MUDBLOOD'.
"Who did this?" James asked furiously. "Though as if I need to ask."
"I don't know who did it. I had left my bag in the Transfiguration classroom after the lesson and when I went back to get it someone had written that on it."
"But you have Transfiguration with Slytherin don't you?" James asked.
Seth nodded reluctantly.
"Come on lets go to the headmistress' office right now and show her what Greta did," James said feeling outraged.
"But I don't know it was Greta who did it," Seth replied, turning his bag around again so he didn't have to look at the word.
"He's right James. What proof do we have?" Noah interjected.
"And accusing her will only make things worse," Seth added, feeling hopeless.
"Well let's try and get the paint off then at least," James suggested, knowing full well Seth didn't want to walk around with that written on his bag for the rest of the day.
"I've tried but it won't wash off. They must have used a spell to put it on. It won't come off."
"Well Professor Flitwick will know a charm to remove it," said James.
"No! We can't ask a teacher. They'll want to know who did it," Seth protested.
"I know someone who's not a teacher we can ask who will know a spell to remove it. And I'm sure James will only be too pleased to ask her for help," Noah said with a sly smile on his face.
James knew exactly who Noah was referring to and as much as he didn't want to ask Polly for help, he knew she would probably be able to remove the paint no problem. "Maybe Seth you can go and ask Polly on your own. I'm sure she will only be too happy to help you."
Though Seth should have been happy they had found a solution to his graffiti problem he was looking even more nervous now and it was obvious for both James and Noah to see.
"Come on we'll all go, won't we James?" Noah said putting emphasis on the last line and James knew he had no choice and reluctantly agreed.
The three of them made their way to the Great Hall and could see Polly sat at the Gryffindor table tucking into her lunch.
"Maybe Seth you should do the talking at it's your problem?" James suggested but Seth seemed to be too busy making sure no one in the crowded Great Hall saw what was written on his bag that he didn't hear what James had said as they headed over to Polly.
There was an awkward silence as the three of them stood behind Polly but no one said anything. Polly could sense them behind her and turned around.
"Yes?" she said in a condescending manner. "Can I help you?"
James looked to Seth but he seemed unable to form any words. "Seth's got something he would like to ask you, haven't you Seth?" James said and tried to nudge Seth forward but he seemed rooted to the spot and still said nothing and Polly was beginning to look frustrated.
"I'm trying to finish my lunch before my next lesson," Polly said and turned away from them.
"Wait," James said reluctantly. "Seth needs your help with a spell."
"Oh he does, does he?" Polly said and turned to look at James and not Seth and could tell James was now looking very uncomfortable. "What can I help him with?"
James looked at Seth and knew he wasn't going to get any words out of him so grudgingly again spoke. "He needs some sort of cleaning spell to get some paint off his bag."
"And why are you asking me?" Polly said with a smile on her face and took pleasure in watching James squirm.
"Come on Seth let's leave it," James said, not wanting to stroke Polly's ego because he thought if her head got any bigger there'd be no room for anyone else in the Great Hall.
As James turned to leave and tried to coax Seth to follow, Seth turned his bag around to show Polly the writing and she gasped in shock as she read the word.
"Come on lets go somewhere quiet and I'll sort that out. Don't worry Seth I'll get that off no problem," Polly said and immediately stood up and put her arm around Seth as the four of them exited the hall.
And it had been no problem at all for Polly. Once they had got to an empty classroom she had cast a spell and the words had disappeared instantly with no trace left behind. And she had done it without gloating or boasting to James about her superior magical abilities, which James was glad of. Polly had asked Seth who had done it but like he had told James and Noah he said he didn't know and still refused to report it to a teacher. But at least Seth seemed happier now but he still seemed a little shaken up and all three of them had insisted on walking him to his next lesson before they themselves headed to their Flying class.
"I think it's obvious it was Greta," James fumed as they walked down to the practice lawns.
"You don't know that for sure," Polly said, trying to be the voice of reason.
"She was picking on Seth before about coming from a muggle family," James replied.
"Well I'm afraid to say she's probably not the only person at Hogwarts who thinks like that," Polly commented. "Unfortunately there are others in the wizarding world who still hold that view."
As they reached their Flying lesson James could see Greta across the lawn with her two friends laughing to each other and bet to himself that they were no doubt laughing about what they had written on Seth's bag. It made James' blood boil and he was certain that he wasn't going to let her get away with it.
"Right class grab your brooms and get ready to fly," Madam Hooch said as she strode over to her students. "Today we're going to be doing some more challenging manoeuvres."
The class collected a broom each and gathered around Madam Hooch who gathered some more equipment and began to explain what she wanted them to do.
"This is what we call a Bludger," she said showing the class a metallic looking ball that was about ten centimetres in diameter. "Usually they're bewitched to fly around on their own and knock players off their brooms but the ones we will be using today have not been. And these are beater's bats," she continued, holding up two wooden bats. "What I want you to do in pairs is fly around and hit the Bludger back and forth between each other. Can I have two volunteers to demonstrate?"
A fair few hands in the class went up as Madam Hooch scanned for someone she thought would be capable of giving a good demonstration.
"Yes Miss Payne and…" Hooch called out and she considered her second choice.
James' hand hadn't been up but as soon as Greta was selected his arm shot up and he took a step forward to make himself more noticeable to Hooch.
"… Mr Potter. Yes that should be a good match. Both come up here and mount your brooms and take one of these each," Madam Hooch said handing them their bats. "Now Mr Potter you take the Bludger as well and both fly up about ten feet from the ground and at a gentle pace start flying around with a good few feet between you and start hitting the Bludger back and forth. And mind you don't fly over the rest of us because a Bludger on someone's head won't do them much good."
"Let me know if that's too heavy for your puny arms and I can take it up," Greta said mockingly to James who just ignored her quip.
James and Greta kicked off from the ground and started to rise up on their brooms. Once they were high enough up and a safe distance from the rest of the class James threw the Bludger up and swung his bat at it knocking it to Greta. Greta hit the Bludger back but with more force than James had done and he had to duck as it was sailing too high and almost hit him in the head.
"Miss Payne this is a friendly exercise. You're meant to just be hitting it so your partner can pass it back!" Madam Hooch shouted up to them.
"Sorry Miss, sometimes I don't know my own strength," she shouted back with a sly smile on her face as Madam Hooch cast a spell on another Bludger that was on the grass near her feet and it started to raise up towards James.
"Try again, but not so hard this time," Hooch called out as James caught the Bludger.
James looked over to Greta who was waiting for him to pass the Bludger. He could see a devious look on her face and knew no doubt she was planning to hit it back again just as hard. But James wanted to teach her a lesson. Not for nearly hitting him in the head but for what he was almost certain she had done to Seth's bag. Even if Seth had not wanted to report it, James didn't think Greta should be allowed to get away with it.
"What are you waiting for Mr Potter?" Madam Hooch called up.
"I think it's too heavy for him," Greta yelled back mockingly.
James took his chance while Greta was momentarily distracted looking down at Hooch. He quickly threw the Bludger into the air and hit it with the bat with all his might, deliberately aiming it lower than where Greta's arms and bat were. Greta turned to see it hurtling towards her but wasn't quick enough to react and the Bludger struck the back of her broom, jolting her clean off her broom. Greta screamed out as she fell but Madam Hooch was quick to act and cast a spell that turned the ground below Greta into a sponge like surface.
"Are you OK Miss Payne?" Madam Hooch said as she approached Greta who was struggling to get to her feet on the squishy ground and James came flying down on his broom and dismounted.
"I'm sorry Greta. I just don't know my own strength," he said and couldn't help but smile as he watched Greta struggle to walk and fall back down.
Eventually Madam Hooch cast another spell and the ground went back to being solid and finally Greta could stand up.
"He did that on purpose!" she fumed and started to storm over to James with a look if she was about to hit him.
"Now Miss Payne I'm sure it was an accident wasn't it Mr Potter?"
"Of course Miss," James replied with an air of smugness like he was the model student.
"I'll get you for this Potter," Greta raged back.
"Now Miss Payne there will be none of that," Hooch snapped back. "But maybe it's best if you don't work together anymore."
James turned away from Greta who was still seething and carried his broom away feeling pleased with himself that he had literally knocked her off her perch.
After the lesson James had been quick to return to the Gryffindor common room in case Greta had tried to take some sort of revenge on him. He headed up to his dormitory to drop off his stuff before dinner.
"Did you see the look on her face?" James asked to Noah as they entered their bedroom.
"Do you think it's wise to aggravate her like that? She hates you enough already."
"You can't say she didn't have it coming?" James replied.
Noah didn't respond.
James emptied out his bag on his bed and placed his Charms textbook on his bedside table with the piece of parchment detailing his homework and saw another piece of parchment laying there with his Transfiguration homework on that was due tomorrow and he hadn't yet done.
"Have you done the Transfiguration assignment yet?" James called out to Noah.
"Yes thank you," Noah replied but he knew exactly what James was about to ask next.
"Can I borrow it?"
"Borrow it? What you mean is can you copy it?" Noah said.
"Come on help a friend out," James pleaded.
"And what do I get in return?" Noah asked back.
"You can copy my homework anytime you need to."
"Why would I do that? You're doing worse than me in most lessons," Noah joked.
"Hey! But fair point. I'm not sure I have any sweets left. I think I gave you the last of my chocolate when you were in the hospital. Let me see if I have anything left in my trunk."
James opened his trunk and began to rummage through it taking out his big winter coat that lay on top. As he dug right near the bottom he felt a sharp shooting pain in his arm and jerked his arm back out the trunk.
"Ouch!" he shouted.
"What's up?" Noah asked looking on as James glanced at his thumb and could see blood.
"I stabbed my finger on something," James replied before sucking on his thumb to stop the bleeding and with his other hand began to remove some more of his clothes to find what had cut him. As he lifted a spare pair of robes he revealed a wand laying at the bottom of his trunk. "Where did that come from?" he said having never seen that wand before in his life.
James reached in and picked the wand up but instantly regretted it. He felt a burning sensation in his hand and flung his arm back. The wand went flying across the room and landed on the floor near the door just as James' other dormmates were walking in. James hand was still throbbing as Leo looked down at the wand.
"Who's is this?" Leo asked as he reached down to pick the wand up that lay at his feet.
"Don't touch it!" James yelled as the burning sensation started to travel up his arm and he began to feel like he was about to be violently sick. But before he actually could everything went black and he slumped to the floor.