Although the summer was ending and his NEWT exams were looming on the horizon, James was looking forward to returning the castle for his final year at Hogwarts. As much as he loved being home with Sirius and his parents, he missed playing Quidditch, being in the common room with Remus and Peter, and the company of a certain redhead he had been writing to over the holidays.
Mostly, he and Lily had been discussing the NEWTs and school life, but it was certainly an improvement from being called a prat and the looks of disapproval she often sent his way.
"Your letters are here," Dorea announced over her cup of tea, nodding towards the window where two owls waited to be allowed entry.
Charlus opened the window to let them in and the birds landed in front of the teens, offering their legs the missives had been tied to.
"I wonder if they'll tell us who the defence Professor is," Sirius mused aloud, retrieving his letter from the school and opening it.
"I doubt it," James muttered. "It's not like they can hope to compare with Peverell."
Sirius nodded his agreement as he read and James sighed before opening his, frowning as two badges fell into his palm.
"What the hell is this?" he questioned.
The first one filled him with excitement, a position he had hoped for ever since being selected for the team. He had been made the Quidditch captain of Gryffindor.
The other was one he had never wanted nor expected in his wildest dreams.
"Is that…?"
"No," James denied, "it must be a mistake. Why the hell would they?"
Sirius appeared to be equally horrified by the other badge and James dropped it on the table as though it had been coated in Doxy venom.
"They must be bloody mental," Sirius declared. "I couldn't think of anyone worse…"
"Sirius," Dorea chastised. "Now, what has upset you, James?"
The boy said nothing but pointed to the discarded badge disgustedly.
"Surely that isn't…"
"It is," Dorea confirmed, smiling proudly at her son. "Oh, James," she cooed as she stood and wrapped her arms around him.
"Mum, get off," James grumbled, smiling despite himself.
Dorea relented and took in the demeanour of the boy.
"This is a good thing," she pointed out. "Why would you be upset?"
"I don't want to be Head Boy," he mumbled. "I don't deserve it for one thing, and it means I will have to follow the rules. McGonagall did this!"
Sirius nodded his agreement.
"The woman is an evil genius," he declared. "She thinks that making you Head Boy will mean no pranks. Bollocks to that. We missed out last year because Peverell was there."
Charlus snorted as he shook his head.
"It appears as though you have been neutralised," he said amusedly.
YOU ARE READING
Whispers of a Raven by TheBlack'sResurgence
FanfictionThe world around him had crumbled as the Ministry fell. He had become the hunted, and with only his wits, resilience and an ominous raven, he'd had to learn to survive. But why was he so compelled to go to the one place he knew he should avoid? The...
