James Potter (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
alotofgood) wrote2011-06-22 10:23 pm
alotofgood) wrote2011-06-22 10:23 pm
Entry tags:
031. 10 october 1976. later that evening.
October 10, 1976 — Evening
Hogwarts, Scotland
Outside the Great Hall
It was a little strange how the Marauders seemed to have dwindled down by half that night.
Peter had arranged to get a little bit of extra help from a tutor for Herbology, and so after a quick helping of shepherd's pie and a couple of chicken drumsticks, he'd dashed off to the library. Honestly, he was becoming something of a Ravenclaw in study habits.
Sirius, of course, had gone off with Perdita to some location unknown though he'd made a big point of demonstrating how reluctant he felt going; it was only because he had promised to make it up to Perdita that he eventually relented.
That left James and Remus finishing the rest of their dinner with a sense of peace neither of them had known for six years. (Well, in Remus' case, anyway.)
"A bit weird, isn't it?" James says, picking at his cauldron cake with a frown.
"We could all do with a bit of change once in a —" Remus shakes his head. "Yeah," he finally says. "Definitely weird."
James laughs.
"So, Moony, it's just you and me tonight. I suppose we could always play a game of Wizard's Chess until Pete gets back."
"Or maybe you could actually finish up that Potions homework you were supposed to do," Remus points out.
James groans. "Don't even talk to me about Potions. Speaking of 'weird' things."
"You mean with Snivellus."
James nods. He'd told the Marauders what had happened in Potions class right after Potions class, being sure to describe how Snivellus' stare made him feel like he'd swallowed a bucket full of flobberworms. "Yeah, with Snivellus."
Remus' eyes flit past James' shoulder towards the Slytherin table for a brief second.
Once they've had their fill of dessert, James and Remus get up to head for the door and the Gryffindor Common Room.
"All right, Moony," James says, surrendering, "I'll work on Potions homework tonight."
"You won't regret it, you know. In fact, you getting a perfect score in Potions will probably help you impress Lily. It is her favourite — and best — subject, after all."
"Are you sure it wouldn't do the opposite? She might think I was trying to show her up."
Remus sighs the sort of sigh that tells him he's being a stupid, stupid, childish git.
James starts to laugh.
Neither of them notices, until moments later, that they're being followed. Not until the hairs on the back of his neck start to stand. His hand is already gripping his wand when he turns; he can see that Remus' is too.
"Potter," Snape spits. "Lupin. Good evening."
Mulciber sneers beside him.
"Yeah, right," says James. "What d'you want, Snivellus?"
Because he hardly thinks Snape means to come out to wish them a 'good evening'.
His eyes go quickly to the greasy git's hands; they both have their wands too. James doesn't honestly think they'd be stupid enough to try anything in plain sight of any passing student, but they have been known to do some ridiculously stupid things in the past.
When Snape doesn't answer, James continues. "Had a good summer, then, ol' Snivvy? We haven't talked since — oh, that little run-in with the pants last year, yeah? Did you manage to give them a wash, then?"
Maybe he's being stupid too, provoking him like this, he realizes, but Snape really has a way of setting his temper on fire.
Snape narrows his eyes in response. He raises his wand and sends blue sparks in James and Remus' direction — but not before James has cast a shield spell.
Remus shakes his head. "Look, whatever problems you have, this is not the time or the place to settle them. Dueling anywhere on school grounds outside of a properly regulated environment is strictly forbidden."
"Shut up," Mulciber says with all the eloquence of a block-headed Slytherin, sending a silent hex forward.
Well, James thinks, at least they're practicing their wordless spells.
Remus ducks. It bounces off the wall behind them, chipping the tough stone with flecks of debris. He sends a stunning spell in Mulciber's direction, just as quickly, with a deft flick of the wrist. Mulciber goes down like a heavy sack of potatoes.
James raises his eyebrows.
"Blimey, Remus. That was brilliant."
Remus smiles a little bashfully.
"You — have no right to be with her," Snape growls.
James turns his attention back to the greasy slug in front of them. "And, what? You do?"
"She's — I'm —"
"Well? Spit it out, Snivellus," James snaps. "I don't know when you started staring at her like that, or how long you plan to go on doing so, but it's making her uncomfortable. If you really care about her, you'll stop."
"How dare you tell me what to do as if you know her. You don't know her. You never have." The unsaid 'Not like I do' lingers in the air even after Snape flicks his wand. James barely dodges the aimed curse this time.
"That's enough," Remus says. "I will take 50 points off Slytherin for both you and Mulciber if you don't stop this right now."
Snape hardly seems to care for Remus' threats; in fact, he looks a bit wild with rage, like a madman. It's only the sound of an approaching group of giggling and chattering students, having finished their dinners, that gets him to stop.
Remus pulls on James' robes sleeve.
"Come on, Prongs."
"This isn't over, Potter," Snape says.
"No, I suppose not," James says.
When they've reached the Common Room, James goes straight for their dorm room, homework and everything else be damned.
Remus follows.
"Are you all right, James?" he asks, closing the door behind them.
James rubs his face, his glasses going askew. He flings his wand across his bed and starts to undo his tie. "I don't know," he admits. "Bugger it all, I hate that I'm actually considering what Snivellus said."
Remus frowns. "What, about you not knowing Lily at all?"
James doesn't answer, but his silence is response enough.
"Isn't that why you fancy her?" Remus says, instead. "Because you want to learn more about her? Isn't that what fancying someone's about?"
James pauses.
"It's obvious Snape doesn't know her either. If he did, they'd still be friends, wouldn't they?"
"Yeah," James finally says. "Yeah, I suppose you're right."
Remus nods. "I wouldn't put any weight on anything that comes out of that greasy git's mouth," he says, adopting their usual description of Snape, the one he usually chooses to be careful about using.
James smiles against his will. "You know, you're a lot better with giving advice than Padfoot is."
"Yes, well. That's not exactly news, is it?" Remus smiles too. "Come on, James. A quick game of Wizard's Chess downstairs, all right?"
"Yeah, all right."
He's not sure he can fully believe Remus just yet, even if it does make a whole lot of sense, but it's something.
Hogwarts, Scotland
Outside the Great Hall
It was a little strange how the Marauders seemed to have dwindled down by half that night.
Peter had arranged to get a little bit of extra help from a tutor for Herbology, and so after a quick helping of shepherd's pie and a couple of chicken drumsticks, he'd dashed off to the library. Honestly, he was becoming something of a Ravenclaw in study habits.
Sirius, of course, had gone off with Perdita to some location unknown though he'd made a big point of demonstrating how reluctant he felt going; it was only because he had promised to make it up to Perdita that he eventually relented.
That left James and Remus finishing the rest of their dinner with a sense of peace neither of them had known for six years. (Well, in Remus' case, anyway.)
"A bit weird, isn't it?" James says, picking at his cauldron cake with a frown.
"We could all do with a bit of change once in a —" Remus shakes his head. "Yeah," he finally says. "Definitely weird."
James laughs.
"So, Moony, it's just you and me tonight. I suppose we could always play a game of Wizard's Chess until Pete gets back."
"Or maybe you could actually finish up that Potions homework you were supposed to do," Remus points out.
James groans. "Don't even talk to me about Potions. Speaking of 'weird' things."
"You mean with Snivellus."
James nods. He'd told the Marauders what had happened in Potions class right after Potions class, being sure to describe how Snivellus' stare made him feel like he'd swallowed a bucket full of flobberworms. "Yeah, with Snivellus."
Remus' eyes flit past James' shoulder towards the Slytherin table for a brief second.
Once they've had their fill of dessert, James and Remus get up to head for the door and the Gryffindor Common Room.
"All right, Moony," James says, surrendering, "I'll work on Potions homework tonight."
"You won't regret it, you know. In fact, you getting a perfect score in Potions will probably help you impress Lily. It is her favourite — and best — subject, after all."
"Are you sure it wouldn't do the opposite? She might think I was trying to show her up."
Remus sighs the sort of sigh that tells him he's being a stupid, stupid, childish git.
James starts to laugh.
Neither of them notices, until moments later, that they're being followed. Not until the hairs on the back of his neck start to stand. His hand is already gripping his wand when he turns; he can see that Remus' is too.
"Potter," Snape spits. "Lupin. Good evening."
Mulciber sneers beside him.
"Yeah, right," says James. "What d'you want, Snivellus?"
Because he hardly thinks Snape means to come out to wish them a 'good evening'.
His eyes go quickly to the greasy git's hands; they both have their wands too. James doesn't honestly think they'd be stupid enough to try anything in plain sight of any passing student, but they have been known to do some ridiculously stupid things in the past.
When Snape doesn't answer, James continues. "Had a good summer, then, ol' Snivvy? We haven't talked since — oh, that little run-in with the pants last year, yeah? Did you manage to give them a wash, then?"
Maybe he's being stupid too, provoking him like this, he realizes, but Snape really has a way of setting his temper on fire.
Snape narrows his eyes in response. He raises his wand and sends blue sparks in James and Remus' direction — but not before James has cast a shield spell.
Remus shakes his head. "Look, whatever problems you have, this is not the time or the place to settle them. Dueling anywhere on school grounds outside of a properly regulated environment is strictly forbidden."
"Shut up," Mulciber says with all the eloquence of a block-headed Slytherin, sending a silent hex forward.
Well, James thinks, at least they're practicing their wordless spells.
Remus ducks. It bounces off the wall behind them, chipping the tough stone with flecks of debris. He sends a stunning spell in Mulciber's direction, just as quickly, with a deft flick of the wrist. Mulciber goes down like a heavy sack of potatoes.
James raises his eyebrows.
"Blimey, Remus. That was brilliant."
Remus smiles a little bashfully.
"You — have no right to be with her," Snape growls.
James turns his attention back to the greasy slug in front of them. "And, what? You do?"
"She's — I'm —"
"Well? Spit it out, Snivellus," James snaps. "I don't know when you started staring at her like that, or how long you plan to go on doing so, but it's making her uncomfortable. If you really care about her, you'll stop."
"How dare you tell me what to do as if you know her. You don't know her. You never have." The unsaid 'Not like I do' lingers in the air even after Snape flicks his wand. James barely dodges the aimed curse this time.
"That's enough," Remus says. "I will take 50 points off Slytherin for both you and Mulciber if you don't stop this right now."
Snape hardly seems to care for Remus' threats; in fact, he looks a bit wild with rage, like a madman. It's only the sound of an approaching group of giggling and chattering students, having finished their dinners, that gets him to stop.
Remus pulls on James' robes sleeve.
"Come on, Prongs."
"This isn't over, Potter," Snape says.
"No, I suppose not," James says.
When they've reached the Common Room, James goes straight for their dorm room, homework and everything else be damned.
Remus follows.
"Are you all right, James?" he asks, closing the door behind them.
James rubs his face, his glasses going askew. He flings his wand across his bed and starts to undo his tie. "I don't know," he admits. "Bugger it all, I hate that I'm actually considering what Snivellus said."
Remus frowns. "What, about you not knowing Lily at all?"
James doesn't answer, but his silence is response enough.
"Isn't that why you fancy her?" Remus says, instead. "Because you want to learn more about her? Isn't that what fancying someone's about?"
James pauses.
"It's obvious Snape doesn't know her either. If he did, they'd still be friends, wouldn't they?"
"Yeah," James finally says. "Yeah, I suppose you're right."
Remus nods. "I wouldn't put any weight on anything that comes out of that greasy git's mouth," he says, adopting their usual description of Snape, the one he usually chooses to be careful about using.
James smiles against his will. "You know, you're a lot better with giving advice than Padfoot is."
"Yes, well. That's not exactly news, is it?" Remus smiles too. "Come on, James. A quick game of Wizard's Chess downstairs, all right?"
"Yeah, all right."
He's not sure he can fully believe Remus just yet, even if it does make a whole lot of sense, but it's something.