Magical Mischief: Year One

xvi. Something Wicked This Way Comes

The train ride back to Hogwarts was rather uneventful, but James had a great time catching up with his friends. They exchanged stories about their holidays, and filled Remus and Peter in on the tragic events that had occurred.

Lily even came to visit their compartment to yell at James for the present he had sent her. ("Merry Christmas to you too, Evans.") It was a regular looking book which he had charmed to play his splendid voice singing various Christmas songs at an extremely high volume when opened. Apparently it had woken up her entire Muggle neighborhood at 2 o'clock in the morning.

Frank was nowhere to be seen, but Remus suggested that maybe he was taking an alternate mode of transportation back to the school with his mum.

Remus' hunch turned out to be right. They were sitting on the stairs in the front hall, munching on the humongous box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans that Peter had received for Christmas when the front doors burst open, revealing Frank, Dumbledore, and a rather formidable witch who James assumed was Augusta Longbottom.

"Do you need help getting your things to your dorm?" Mrs. Longbottom asked Frank.

"I can go get Mr. Filch to help you," Dumbledore said warmly.

James stood up quickly. "Actually, sir, my friends and I are more than happy to help Frank with his things."

Frank's expression brightened considerably.

Augusta smiled softly. "That would be wonderful, thank you." She turned to her son. "I've got to have a few words with your teachers and then I'll be off. Will you be alright?"

"Yes, mum."

They hugged goodbye and the four boys rushed down the stairs to help Frank as his mum left with Dumbledore.

"Thanks for this, you guys," Frank was saying as they reached the Gryffindor tower.

"How are you doing?" Remus asked quietly.

Frank looked at Remus with fire in his eyes. "I'll be doing better when I kill them."

Peter's eyebrows shot up. "You want to kill them?"

Frank stopped moving and looked them all dead in the eyes. "I have to kill them. I don't know when and I don't know how, but I will not rest until I avenge my family."

Sirius and James exchanged a glance. "We're with you."

Remus looked at Frank carefully. "I think that the best way to start would be to take your studies seriously... especially Defence Against the Dark Arts," he added.

"Oh Loony, always the model student," Sirius cracked.

"He's right though," said Frank. "I can't kill Death Eaters with a bat-bogey hex. From now on, no more goofing around. I have a goal now. And if there's a war coming against dark wizards, we've got to be prepared."

*\

Frank certainly put his words into action over the next couple weeks. He stayed up late in the common room every night, reading books on spells and practicing new defensive techniques. He focused on his school work and excelled in every single one of his classes.

"I reckon Frank will actually succeed in his goal," Sirius whispered to James in charms class. "At this rate, he could graduate early."

James nodded. "Do you think he'll actually do it?" he asked. "Kill the Death Eaters, I mean?" They glanced across the room at Frank who scribbled his notes down ferociously as Professor Flitwick explained the techniques behind the Knockback Jinx.

"I'd wager he'll get a few eventually," Sirius replied thoughtfully. "Not anytime soon though, mind you."

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Black," Flitwick called out. "Since you seem so keen on talking during my class, I'm sure you wouldn't mind demonstrating the Knockback Jinx for everyone?"

Several snickers and snorts of laughter sounded throughout the class. James looked at Lily who smiled smugly at him, awaiting his failure.

James smiled back at her, equally as smug. "Of course, Professor." He grandly flourished his wand, not aiming at anything in particular. "Flipendo!"

There was a deafening bang, and all the tables in the room got uprooted and thrown against the wall. Everyone fell off their chairs, and poor Professor Flitwick was knocked backwards off his tall platform of books.

James had to bite his lip to keep from laughing at the shock on everyone's faces, as well as the stone cold anger on Lily Evans' face that had her features contorted in a way that James had never thought possible. Sirius was rolling around on the floor, laughing harder than James had ever seen. Remus and Peter looked as if they were trying their hardest not to laugh.

Flitwick stood up and brushed himself off, looking somewhat surprised. "Wait in the corridor please, Mr. Potter," he said. "When this class is over, we will have a chat."

James nodded and made his way out of the classroom but paused to turn back. "I'm really sorry about this, Professor," he said genuinely.

Flitwick picked up his wand from where it had landed on the floor and started putting the classroom back in order. "We will talk about this later, James."

With one last look at Lily — who now looked utterly confused — James exited into the hallway, closing the door behind him. All the thoughts of the incident that had just occurred seemed to fade as he realized he was on his own and had free reign of the castle until the end of the period. Smiling to himself, he set off to explore.

He hadn't made it very far when a gruff voice called out to him from the opposite end of the corridor.

"Potter? What are you doing out of class?"

James turned to see Professor Warren striding towards him. "Er... Knockback Jinx mishap. Professor Flitwick was not impressed." He grinned sheepishly.

Warren chuckled. "Well, I suppose I better put you to good use. Come with me." James followed his teacher into his classroom. With a flick of his finger, Warren closed the door and turned to James.

"What are we doing?"

Warren ignored the question. "I ask that you do not repeat this to anyone. Dumbledore does not wish for you to know, but I know your father would want you to be informed."

James nodded, even though he had already decided to tell his friends the first chance he got. "Okay."

"Do you know why I'm here, James?" Warren asked, using his first name.

James was confused. "No, but I'm assuming there's another answer beyond 'teaching us Defence Against the Dark Arts.'"

Warren nodded. "I'm here on a favour to Dumbledore. The Longbottoms were not the first family to be tragically attacked, and they will not be the last. Something big is afoot in our world."

James thought of the conversation he had overheard months before on the stairs between Snape and Lily, where Snape had said something similar. "So you're here for protection? From the Death Eaters?"

"Precisely. It is my job to protect the students, especially those whose families fall into the category of targets the Death Eaters are likely to attack."

"Does anyone know who these Death Eaters work for?"

Warren thought for a moment. "Dumbledore has a few theories, ones that he's keeping close to his chest. The most we can do is stick to our good morals and never succumb to their evil. I brought you in here today to remind you that it is always worth fighting for good, no matter how dangerous or hopeless the situation. Evil can only grow when people refuse to fight it."

James looked at Warren with fire in his eyes. "I understand, Professor."

"Good. Now go back to class. Professor Flitwick will want to have a word with you."

James walked back to Charms, thinking about Warren's words. He silently vowed to never let Death Eaters or any evil go without a fight. No matter the situation, he would do everything he could to stop them and protect the people he loved.