The Marauders: Year One | #Wattys2016

The Hogwarts Seeker

The Hogwarts Seeker

"It's your go, mate."

James had been staring into the fire, thinking, and not noticed Sirius had taken his turn at chess, smashing James's poorly played knight. He snapped back to focus and looked down at the board, trying to put together the meaning of the location of pieces before him. Finally, unable to, he reached down and laid his king piece down, "I forfeit, I'm too distracted to play well."

Sirius raised his eyebrow, "That's the first time I haven't lost at Wizard Chess against you."

"Yeah, well." James shrugged. "Thank the Dark Lord for it."

Peter, who had been watching the game like it was a spectator sport, leaned back into the cushions on the couch and sighed as Sirius started picking up the pieces and putting them into their bag. "Are you still worrying about your folks?" Remus asked, looking up from the History of Magic textbook on his lap.

"Yeah," James said, "I am."

"He'll be alright," said Sirius.

"You don't know that," James said, "I'm sure all those muggles thought they'd be alright, too, before they were blown to smithereens by the Dark Lord's followers, ey?"

Silence fell over the lot of them. Peter's nose twitched and Remus looked back to his book - it was safer there, reading about the Goblin Wars.

"One day, we'll join the Resistance and we'll take care of the Dark Lord and his followers and there won't be anything to worry about anymore," Sirius said, trying to comfort James.

James frowned, "I should hope the Dark Lord will have been long dead by the time we are old enough to join the Resistance."

"Maybe, maybe not," Sirius said, "And besides, even if the Dark Lord's defeated, doesn't mean there won't be bad guys out there for us to do in." He climbed onto the couch beside Peter and punched a throw pillow a couple times so he could nestle himself into it, tossing his feet up onto Peter's lap. "And in the mean time, at least you don't need to worry about if your dad's the one doing all the horrible things out there. You know he's a good guy." Sirius's worst nightmare lately had been one which had featured his father looming darkly over Charlus Potter. James would never forgive him if his father was the reason Mr. Potter died, the way the Bells had done. Sirius still dreaded what would happen if Derek ever found out that it was Orion Black who had killed his folks...

As though summoned by the thought, Derek Bell quite suddenly appeared over the back of the couch. His face was long and solemn. "Hey. Potter. Can I have a talk with you?"

James looked up in surprise. "Yeah, of course." He got up from the floor, shooting Sirius a look of concern, and followed as Derek waved for him to come along out into the corridor. They climbed through the portrait hole and as soon as the Fat Lady had swung closed, Derek turned to James and took a deep breath.

"I don't know if you've heard yet or not, but Alex Tinnamin's been pulled out of school."

"He has?" James asked, shocked, "Because of the attacks?"

Derek nodded. "Yeah. And he won't be coming back this term... which means, we're - er - we're one man short for the tourney."

James's skin instantly sprouted goosepimples. "You are?"

"Yeah." Derek nodded, "And we need to fill the gap, move some things about."

"Are - are you asking me?" James stammered. "I'll score you so many goals at the tourney - you won't regret it --"