Hey everyone,
This next part of the party is going to be slightly more positive and enjoyable.
I assure you,
Venquine1990
Chapter 19
An Interrupted Party – Part 02
24th of June 1995
Great Hall, Hogwarts
James' POV
As Hagrid and I left the Antechamber, I spotted a sight that makes a huge smile bloom on my face.
Lily has her head lying on Sirius' shoulder and Harry seems entranced with Cedric's gaze as the two couples flow across the dancefloor.
"Now that's what my boy should've been able to do during the Yule ball." I think to myself.
Yet as I gaze past the dancefloor, I spot a few of the Weasleys. And suddenly, the magic of the Potter Lordship ring – which I regained as soon as Lord Hades revived me – sends a new bit of knowledge into my mind.
My eyes widen as I digest what the magic of the family tells me and what this will mean, not just for my boy, but even more-so for the family he is closest to.
Instantly, even though I had already planned a little something to thank Molly for how she took Harry in a few times over the years, I make another decision in regards to the family.
I look around and scan the Great Hall for the Weasley who can produce the best benefits with the new knowledge I just gained.
And while I wonder if the young man is talking to Fleur thanks to the small comment in the fourth book or because of what actually happened in the maze, I head over to them.
William spots me as I approach him and the young French Champion and seems to know that I want to talk with him. He turns to Fleur and says:
"Glad to know that you're doing better.
Will you excuse me? Lord Potter is coming."
I smile at him as Fleur nods and heads off.
"What can I do for you, Lord Potter?"
I motion for the doorway out of the Great Hall, which is a few meters away from where the young man was talking with Fleur. And when we're standing in the corner of the doorway, I explain my reason for approaching him.
"I know that you know of the contract, Bill. Every Heir gets informed about it when they first take the ring.
And I know that your family still has a year to go, but my own Lordship ring just informed me about something.
You may not know this, but your brothers, Ron and the twins, pulled my son out of the – I'll just call it as I see it – prison that was my sister-in-law's home.
And while Lily and I have always been grateful for this, my Lordship ring just informed me that, if they hadn't done this, Harry would've died of starvation."
William looks at me shocked and I grin at him as I say: "So you get what I'm trying to say, right? Considering that there is that clause in the contract about a Potter repaying a Life Debt and all that.
You know what to do, right?" And the fact that the young man rushes out of the Great Hall as soon as I ask this question answers my question perfectly.
I grin at his retreating back and decide to just cover everything to do with House Weasley while I'm at it.
And so I head back inside and back to where I saw the Weasleys seated at a different table. And again I feel as if some kind of God or Goddess is smiling down at me, as – while some might expect them to be with friends and having fun – the twins are seated at the same table as their mother.
"All three Weasleys I want to talk with seated at the same table.
Combined with Lord Hades reviving Lily and me earlier – yeah, this is my lucky day."
I think to myself as I ask the trio if I can join them at their table. They nod at me and I sit down.
I smile at Molly as she asks me where William rushed off to, yet I ignore her question and just turn to the twins as I start to put my plan into action.
"So boys, now that you know that Siri, Remus and I are the Marauders, let me ask you this. Have you ever heard of Marauder Incorporated?"
Molly seems both hesitant and shocked and the looks on the faces of her boys prove that they've never heard of our organization.
I smirk at them, send a quick wink their mother's way, and lean back in my seat as I state: "I see that you haven't. Well then, let me tell you what it's all about.
You see, my dad knew, almost since my first semester and after he met Siri and Remus, that the three of us would make Hogwarts unsafe.
Yet while he was always very supportive of my youthful desire to have fun, he also always impressed upon me the need to mix this with preparing for the future.
And if there is one life-lesson he taught me that, I think, you boys can really benefit from it's this:
An Enterprise, corporation or organization is always judged for multiple aspects, but especially the multiple skills and talents of its crew and staff. And there are always old and new ways through which we can show these skills and talents. Always make sure you use both."
I have the undivided attention of all three Weasleys. And a quick glance around proves that it's not just them.
But this is irrelevant to me and I just continue: "I'm sure you boys are smart enough to get what I'm saying it.
Either way, when Siri and I were seventeen, just before my old man passed away, he helped us create Marauders' Incorporated.
And to thank him, for how he raised me, how he took Sirius in and for his understanding and support, we decided to implement his life-lesson into our corporation.
So, if you boys want to your jokeshop sponsored by our corporation, you're going to have to work. Because Marauders Incorporated only sponsors those – who are able to beat Padfoot, Moony and myself in at least one NEWT subject each;
One for me,
One for Moony,
one for Padfoot.
Do that – and you got the sponsor. But just so you know, my Lordship ring just told me that even your brothers Bill and Percy haven't been able to do that yet.
Do you boys think that you can?"
Molly seems to actually be in two-battle with herself for some reason. Yet the twins turn to look at each other and they say:
"Library."
"First thing."
"Tomorrow."
I grin at the two boys and stretch out my hand at them.
And one at a time, they both shake it.
Both accepting the challenge.
The two leave the table, obviously deciding to have some fun before they start studying tomorrow, and I turn to Molly as I whisper:
"You're a great mother, Molly. But for some reason you just never seemed able to understand what motivates those two. Yet neither did you ever really explain to them – outside of your desire to see them work at the Ministry – the importance of their OWLs and NEWTs.
Now, they have the motivation to achieve what they dream to create and through it, they'll give you what all parents want; evidence to show off to others how great your kids really are."
The woman's smile is still somewhat reluctant and I whisper: "Molly, before it changed into that other form, you didn't even realize that you weren't using your own wand.
What does that mean for that object, but that it has the actual proportions of a real wand. It proves that, even if the jokeshop fails, and I personally doubt that – your boys can actually go into the wand-crafting business.
They have the skills and the talents, Molly. All they need to really become recognized for their accomplishments is the paper evidence.
And while they were young, naïve and callous to think that such a thing won't matter in the long run, they just needed the right lesson to prove them wrong.
But because even you apparently didn't even know about MI, you weren't able to provide them the knowledge they needed to be successful long term.
It's all about consideration, communication – and the luck of having the right facts to get the job done. You were just unfortunate enough not to have the latter of the three."
Yet then, while Molly seems to really think about this, the twins come back. And their next words floor even me and make their mother almost fall out of her chair with a yelp.
"We're redoing our OWLs after the reading is over."
I shake my head at the two of them and think: "Wait, what?"
And this time I watch two retreating backs with astonishment.
Ha, that happened,
Also, Marauders Incorporated might not be the right word as I'm not really well-versed in the terminology or nature of such enterprises. If someone could give me a bit of background to study – and maybe a name change if necessary – I'd greatly appreciate it.
Till next time,
Venquine1990
PS. Should I combine this chapter with the last one or keep them separate? Let me know.