The Spark {Book 5 in the Star of Gryffindor Series}

Chapter 33 - The Moment of Truth

The Daily Prophet
Issue No. 102,192
21 May, 2022

Predatels Infiltrate Hogwarts!

Yesterday, an auror spokesman informed us, Isaac Predatel was seen inside Hogwarts grounds. He tried to act two fifth year students that were not identified, and Professor Parvati Patil is in St. Mungo's currently for curse damage. Isaac Predatel and his followers unfortunately escaped...

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The next day, James sat with us at breakfast. He was acting very strange, refusing to look at Wren most of the time. She had been excited to see us all together at first, but by halfway through the meal that happiness had faded in obvious agitation. She didn't seem to get why James was acting that way (I had to admit, he seemed angry). I wanted to shake him, of course (even Albus and I weren't that obvious) but I acted like nothing was wrong at all.

Unsurprisingly, considering how James was acting, Wren told us she was going to go find Colette (for the first time in a solid month) and study for Ancient Runes after breakfast, and promptly left the three of us alone. As soon as she was gone, Albus and I tried to lecture James on the finer of points of not acting like an absolutely asshole, but he waved us off. "Let's get the Map and see where they're going. You said Colette was in on it, too, right?"

So we grudgingly agreed to go get the Map.

All the way to the common room, Albus and I came up with excuse after excuse to put off this confrontation—Fred had called an emergency practice to help James prepare for next year (not true, James said, because Fred was already going to spend two weeks with him next summer preparing for next year), Nico Jasper and his creepy snakes were making Lily uncomfortable (Lily could deal with Nico better than we could, honestly, said James), the house elves had made some awesome cake for dinner tonight and wouldn't it be fun to sneak down and have some early (no, James said, because he couldn't enjoy cake with something like this on his mind).

We tried to come up with excuses as he searched the Map for Colette and Wren's names—Haverna had given him detention and forgotten to tell him (screw her, said James), Mr. Potter might get back any time and we probably needed to say hi when he did (he can wait an hour, said James), Albus had a stomach ache (okay, bye, we'll meet you in the hospital wing later, said James).

They weren't on the Map, James finally concluded, having taken at least twice as long as normal because of our incessant excuses. "They must be in the Room of Requirement," he said. And then he paused. "Are you two coming with me?"

"If you're really going to do this, yes," I said, sighing. "I still think you should reconsider."

"That's not happening. I can't... I need to confront her. See if it's really true. I just don't want to go alone. Especially the Room of Requirement." He frowned, looking away. "It's... It's how she got away last time. We've got to make sure that doesn't happen again."

"Hey, perfect reason to wait until next week," Albus pointed out, grinning hopefully.

"No," James said. "I've got to do this now, before I lose my nerve. Maybe... Maybe there's still a way..." He shook his head. "No. There isn't, I'm sure. If this has been going on as long it looks like it has been, she's past the point of no return. I have to do this. But I can't do it alone."

We did not come up with excuses on the way to the Room of Requirement.

It was pretty easy to get in. We just thought about how much we needed a room to create spells, and the door appeared. Colette was sitting on the floor, reading a book and twirling her wand idly. Wren was sitting a few meters away, apparently lost in thought. She glanced up as we walked in, though, and smiled unsurely. "Hey, guys."