Sanctuary

Chapter 70

Saturday, 27 January 1973

In the week since reading the hidden Journal entry, James and Peter had slipped away to classroom 12c to practise channelling a total of four times. The first time they visited, the relief at the rush of magic flowing through him had weakened James' knees so much he'd had to sit down. A deeply hidden and perpetually ignored part of him had believed he'd never feel it again, and it was such an integral part of his being that the idea of being without it was unbearable. It had taken considerable effort to gain control over it, though. The castle's magic felt vastly different from his own.

If he were ever asked, James would describe his magic as similar to the whoosh of air as it passes your ear. Depending on the power of the spell he was casting, it could range anywhere between a gentle summer's breeze and a raging hurricane (that may be an exaggeration, but one day...). Hogwarts' magic was something else altogether. He'd felt other people's magic before, of course. His parents' was much like his own; Sirius' had the whoosh, but with additional warmth, like taking the lid off a bubbling cauldron. Remus' magic was more of a crackle than a whoosh, but it had the same heat as Sirius' in a slower, more considered way—more like breaking open a freshly baked loaf of bread. Peter's magic was different. It oozed, slow and pondering, but it was powerful and thorough when it reached its target.

Hogwarts', though. Hogwarts' magic was everything. All of it. Whooshing, crackling, oozing, rushing. Hot, cold, dark, light. It was like being in the Ritual clearing but a million times better; completely overwhelming and thoroughly addictive. James couldn't get enough of it.

Which is why he'd been such a scattered mess all morning, unable to think about anything but the fact he'd be spending a full two hours there that afternoon, overseeing the first Creature Hunt lesson. His body thrummed with energy fighting to be released and he couldn't keep still to save his life.

'Do you think we should change the plan? James is a bit...'

James stopped practising dramatically spinning on his heel while unsheathing his wand and glared at Remus. 'James is a bit what?'

'Energetic,' Remus said.

'Over-excited,' Peter said.

'Insane,' Sirius said.

'I'm fine.' James shoved his wand back into its holster. 'It's too late to change the plan now, and we don't have time to argue about it, anyway. Are these for me?' He pointed to the three vials of Polyjuice potion Peter had laid out on the brewing station.

'Yeah,' Peter answered. 'Take one every thirty minutes to be safe.'

James slipped them into his pocket with a nod. 'Understood. Shall we go?'

They'd staged a minor argument at lunch, with Remus expressing his disapproval to James and Sirius for not attending the Creature Hunt lessons, while James and Sirius loudly crowed about how skilled they were and how unnecessary it was for them to go. It had made James feel like a right prat, honestly, but it was the only logical excuse for them not to be there.

So they said goodbye to Remus and Peter outside the entrance to Gryffindor Tower, and James and Sirius headed through the Common room, up the stairs, into their dorm, donned the invisibility cloak, and flew out the window, leaving it open so they could get back in later. How Fab and Gid had kept their identities a secret without an invisibility cloak, James couldn't imagine. The thing was invaluable.

Swooping down until he was level with the third-floor windows, James flew along until they found classroom 12c, stopping at the next window along so Sirius could unlock it before flying inside.

After dismounting from the broom and propping it against a wall, they quickly changed into clothes that would fit Peter's cousin. Sirius had chosen a knee-length dress in pale blue, while James had gone for a more practical flared jeans and t-shirt combo.