Singing Prankster| James Potter

Hidden Passages

(Oct. 7, 1974, Monday)

I walk out of class thinking about what to do now since I have a free period. Suddenly James Potter speaks up, "Hey El, you have a free period right?"

I turn around, to see James walking beside me. "Yeah, I do," I reply, wondering why he's asking.

James grins, "Well, I was thinking we could explore the castle. Let's see if we can find any hidden passages."

I look at him excitedly and respond, "That's a great idea! Let's go".

We said our goodbyes to the boys who had classes. And we start to walk down the long corridor toward the grand staircase.

"So, have you found any hidden passages yet?" I ask James curiously.

James chuckles. "Well, I know a few, but I was hoping we could find some new ones today," he replies.

We walk around the castle trying to find something interesting. We eventually stumble upon a passageway that neither of us has seen before. It was hidden behind a large tapestry tucked away in the corner of one of the rooms. We peek through the entrance and were amazed by what we saw.

As we walk down the dark, narrow passage, I feel James' hand brush against mine. I look up at him, and he gives me a small smile. I feel my heart race as we continue to walk. Why was I feeling this way, I shouldn't be. I shake my head to get rid of these strange unwanted thoughts. And decide to move my focus onto my surroundings.

The walls were lined with strange symbols, runes, and paintings which gave off an eerie vibe. At the end of the passage, there are a set of stairs that lead down into darkness surrounded by cobwebs. We had no idea where this secret passage would lead us but nevertheless proceeded downwards cautiously.

As we descended, it got darker and colder until eventually there was complete darkness surrounding us. Suddenly, a dim light came from James' wand.

We continue down the stairs, the darkness and cold making me feel more and more uneasy. The sound of our footsteps echoes throughout the passage, and I start to wonder if it's a good idea to keep going.

Suddenly, we reach the bottom of the stairs and enter a large room. The room is empty except for a large stone pedestal in the center. On the pedestal, there is a small glowing crystal. The crystal illuminates the room, casting a warm and comforting light.

I walk towards the pedestal, feeling drawn to the crystal's light. James follows me, his wand still lit. As we get closer to the pedestal, I feel my heart racing and my palms sweating. I don't know what is happening to me. It feels like I'm under a spell, a spell that I can't resist.

James puts his hand on my shoulder. "Are you okay, Ellie?" he asks his warm hand on my cold skin.

I nod, feeling my cheeks flush. "Yeah, I'm fine," I say, trying to compose myself.

James looks at me for a moment before turning his attention back to the crystal. "I wonder what it does," he says, reaching out to touch it.

As soon as James touches the crystal, a bright light fills the room, blinding us both. When the light fades, we look around to find ourselves in a completely different place.

We are standing in the middle of a beautiful garden, surrounded by colorful flowers and tall trees. The sun is shining bright in the sky, and I can feel the warmth on my skin. I look at James, and he seems just as bewildered as I am. "What just happened?" I ask, still trying to comprehend our new surroundings.

James shakes his head. "I don't know," he says, his eyes scanning the garden. "But it's beautiful."

I have to agree. The garden is unlike anything I've ever seen before. The flowers are vibrant and seem to glow in the sun's rays. Butterflies flutter around us, and I can hear the sound of a stream nearby.

We explore the garden, enjoying the beauty and tranquility of our surroundings. As we walk, I can feel James' eyes on me, and I can't help but feel a flutter in my stomach. I try to ignore it, telling myself that we're just friends, but the feeling only grows stronger.

We reach a clearing in the center of the garden where a small pond is situated. The water is crystal clear, and I can see fish swimming around in it.

James looks at me with a mischievous glint in his eye. "I think we should go for a swim," he says, grinning.

I raise my eyebrow, unsure. "Are you sure that's a good idea?" I ask, hesitantly.

James chuckles. "Live a little, El," he says, before removing his shirt and jumping into the water.

I watch as he splashes around, laughing and enjoying himself. He looks so carefree and happy, and I can't help but smile. I decide to join him, removing my own shirt and jumping in.

The water is refreshing, and I feel myself relax as I float on my back, staring up at the sky. James joins me, and we lay there together in silence.

After a few moments, James speaks up. "You know, Ellie, I really enjoy spending time with you," he says, his voice soft. I turn my head to look at him, and our eyes meet. 

"I enjoy spending time with you too, James," I say, my voice barely above a whisper. Why does he have to be cute? This is really bad. I never caught feelings for a guy so fast before. So why is James different? Maybe I should go to the Hospital Wing, there might be something wrong with me.

We stay in the water for a few more minutes, talking and laughing together. I find myself opening up to James more than I have with anyone else before. We finally get out of the water and make our way back through the garden, taking one last look at its beauty before we leave. As we reach the pedestal, the crystal is there still glowing. I look at James, and he gives me a small smile before touching it again with his wand. We are immediately transported back to where we started. 

The experience has left me feeling exhausted but content. I turn to look at James again to find him looking right at me, an unspoken understanding between us. 

After this whole experience, we leave the magical garden feeling refreshed and connected to each other in a way we hadn't before as if something had changed inside us both without either of us knowing why. 

We quickly make our way out of the dark, cold hidden passage. Lunch is about to start and I don't want to be late or miss it.  As we enter the Great Hall, we spot our friends at the Gryffindor table and make our way over to them. They all greet us with smiles and hugs, asking us where we've been. James and I share a secret smile, knowing that we just had an adventure that we'll never forget.

We sit down and start to eat, chatting and laughing with our friends.

"So, what did you two get up to?" Amber asked a glint of curiosity in her eye. 

James and I shared a look before answering. 

"Oh, just exploring," I replied with a smile.

 Isabella snorted in disbelief. "Come on guys, spill the beans!" she said. 

I laughed and shook my head. "Let's just say it was an adventure we will never forget," I said as James smiled at me knowingly. 

Our friends all exchanged looks before continuing to eat their lunch, changing the subject. The conversation changed to other topics, and soon enough we were laughing and joking about stupid things. We all finished eating our lunch, still talking and enjoying each other's company before we had to head off to our next classes.