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HP - Chapter 173: Valuable information
🕑 Added 2024-07-23 17:23:15 +0000 UTCJames created quite a stir at the Gryffindor table when he said he was leaving the team. He had his reasons. His routine is very demanding, and having three days of training that lasts more than an hour makes things very difficult for him.
The most important thing now is to improve his strength, and his social relations and prepare for the war against Voldemort and his death eaters. The war is already happening. Although in silence and in skirmishes on the part of the death eaters who want to rebel against the Ministry of Magic and impose their ideals.
By the plea of the whole team and the Gryffindor table in general, James decided to stay as a substitute seeker and was given a leave of absence so that his training sessions would not last so long. Instead of an hour and a half, he would train for forty-five minutes.
On the other hand, although he liked quidditch and it was a hobby, he wasn't as passionate about it as he was about magic. He already won the trophy last year and dedicated it to his late grandfather. He didn't have much ambition to win the championship again, his mind was focused elsewhere.
“You caused quite a ruckus today,” Lupin commented from under the invisibility cloak. Beside him were all the marauders.
They were on their way to the dragon clubhouse. It had been fourteen days since they had started investigating the magical creatures and plants found in the forbidden forest. It took them longer than expected, but they had everything ready.
The next step was to brew potions and antidotes for the venoms. They would do that today in the potions room of the house.
James and Regulus used their house elves to bring them the necessary ingredients for all the potions and antidotes they needed.
“I didn't mean to. I just want to spend that time training my magic,” James said with a slight grimace. He said it without much thought, forgetting that he was at the table with everyone watching him. He would have had to discuss it privately with William.
Worst of all, he didn't get his assignment to leave the team. He'll have to go three days and have forty-five minutes of quidditch training. That's two hours and fifteen minutes a week. He could spend that time improving his elemental magic, his Occlumency, or his wandless magic. Every improvement counts towards becoming a little stronger.
Lupin, Sirius, Peter, and Toby looked at each other with worried expressions. They already knew all too well James' obsession with training his magic. How else would he have cast a corporeal Patronus at the age of twelve and defeated a DADA professor? Besides, they knew of his unusual talent in wandless magic.
What worried them was James' growing obsession with each passing day in his magical training and study. He seemed to want to take charge of the war and personally defeat Voldemort. That was strange and disturbing to them.
They walked in silence. When they reached the dragon clubhouse they met Gwen, Regulus, and Snape, who had already arrived.
“Let's start with the anti-venoms first,” Severus said without greeting. In his pale, long-fingered hand he held a long parchment. Here they had written down all the potions and antidotes they should take on their excursion.
“Hi, Snape. Nice to see you,” Sirius said sarcastically. Snape just grunted slightly and started to head for the potions room. Regulus followed him with the ingredients in a leather bag.
“James. Follow me I want to talk to you,” Gwen said, taking James by the hand and leading him to the dueling room for privacy.
James reached to pass the bag of ingredients he got to Lupin and had no choice but to be dragged into the living room by Gwen.
“No one says hi...” said Sirius, shaking his head.
“I'll take this to Snape. Then we'll talk strategy for exploring the forbidden forest,” said Lupin starting to walk towards the potions room.
James, Snape, and Gwen would get to work on the potions and anti-venoms. The first two were the most knowledgeable in the art of potions, and Gwen as a fourth-year student had more knowledge and experience than Lupin, Sirius, Regulus, and the others.
Lupin along with the remaining marauders and Regulus will discuss the first route to take when they enter the forest, while the others work in the potions room.
“What's going on?” asked James as Gwen locked the door to the dueling room.
“Let's sit down,” said Gwen, heading for the bleachers that allowed them to observe the duel.
James followed her and sat down next to her. Their knees bumped, “What's wrong? You look worried,” he asked.
“Where to start...” muttered Gwen, sorting out her thoughts. Before she spoke, she cast Silencio Barriera around her and James, who was a little surprised by this but said nothing and waited.
Fifteen minutes later, Gwen finished speaking. James' face was serious. Long story short, Gwen's parents had joined the Death Eaters.
This had been going on for months. Gwen noticed that her parents were having strange meetings at the mansion, but at those times she was not allowed to leave her room.
How did she know that the guests were death eaters? Thanks to Slinky. The mansion's house elf Shafiq.
Gwen at Emily's request began to treat Slinky better. She usually treated him neither good nor bad. Neutral. Thanks to this the elf told her about the secret meetings her parents had, since the creature had to attend the guests and bring drinks and so on.
Gwen showed Slinky a picture of the death eaters (obtained from the newspapers) attacking with their peculiar masks, and Slinky told her that they were the same ones that the guests had on at most meetings.
However, the death eaters who visited Shafiq Manor were not numerous and did not always wear masks. One of them was Andrew Nott. Father of Anastasia Nott, Gwen's former best friend. Gwen's father and Andrew were old friends. There were also the Bulstrode's.
'No need to hide their identities when visiting a supremacist and an old friend...' thought James. Most likely when Marcellus had agreed to join the death eaters, he would have been given masks for himself and his wife.
“James?” called Gwen, taking James' robe in her delicate hand.
“Yes?” asked James, snapping back to reality. Gwen's information was very helpful. He already knew of three families that belonged to the Death Eaters. Though it was somewhat obvious to think of the Nott's and the Shafiq's. As for the Bulstrode not so much, so that was good to know.
“Do you hate me?” asked Gwen, lowering her gaze.
“What? Why would I hate you?” asked James.
“My parents joined the death eaters... You hate supremacists and more so death eaters who murder muggles, muggle-borns, and half-bloods just because they don't have pure blood,” replied Gwen.
“You're not like your parents or those demented people. I won't hate you just because of your family history. If I did that I should hate Sirius too,” James commented, resting his hand on Gwen's.
“But, I'm not like your friend, Sirius...” said Gwen, who was still crestfallen. By this, she meant that she had despised and discriminated against Muggles, Muggle-born, and half-bloods in the past. Even as a child, she recalled insulting James because his family were blood traitors.
In contrast, Sirius always rejected the supremacist ideals of his family and was always rebellious. A true black sheep with all the letters. Not even Andromeda and Alphard had been that way when they were Sirius' age.
Sirius whenever he could openly show his liking for Muggles, was elected to Gryffindor House, breaking the Black tradition, and at high society parties he got on badly with all the supremacists.
“Sirius is a special case...” said James with a strange smile. Despite his best friend growing up with Alphard, who had extravagant tastes, Sirius had a rebellious spirit rarely seen in a boy.
“You changed. Besides, your discrimination was always fueled by your parents. I noticed that you didn't hate muggles, muggle-born and half-bloods. You're not like Anastasia Nott or those crazies,” James said, and this time Gwen looked up, meeting James' eyes.
“If your hatred of my family or muggles had been as great as Anastasia's or the other supremacists, I would never have befriended you. Your change was real, and it shows what a great person you are,” James said, placing his hand on Gwen's cheek and slowly moving his face toward her until he kissed her lips.
After a few seconds, James slowly pulled away from Gwen opening his eyes, and noticed that the girl was still static in her place. Tears were coming out of her beautiful blue eyes for some reason unknown to him.
“Are you okay?” asked James worriedly.
“Yeah... snif... I'm so glad you don't hate me!” exclaimed Gwen, suddenly hugging James.
“Easy, easy...” said James, accepting the hug and patting Gwen, who had this fear for a long time.
“I'm worried about your safety when you go home...” commented James after Gwen calmed down.
“Why?” asked Gwen. It would be impossible for her parents to put her in danger no matter how much they belonged to the death eaters. They were always very protective, especially her father.
James didn't think Marcellus or Lysandra would put Gwen in danger either. He was worried about the other death eaters. Especially because of the relationship James has with Gwen.
James is Lord Potter, the leader of the Potter family. One of the few pureblood families that is openly considered a blood traitor. The other is the Weasley family.
Death Eaters could target blood traitors in the future as they oppose their goals. They could use Gwen to get to James, although he still believes this will not happen. Since to the death eaters and Voldemort, he is only a thirteen-year-old boy. He does not pose a real threat at the moment or a threat where the death eaters should turn on the Shafiqs for wanting to use Gwen.
James explained this to Gwen and told her to be vigilant and on guard whenever she returned to the house. Also, don't rule out Marcellus and Lysandra joining the death eaters against their will. If the Death Eaters knock on your door and you refuse you could be putting your family at risk. So James didn't write off Gwen's parents. After all, they would be his in-laws in the future. He should try to save them or have them redeem themselves. Give them a chance as long as they haven't committed irreversible crimes.
After that twenty-minute talk, James and Gwen left the dueling room. They headed immediately to the potions room, where Snape was already starting.
Snape said no comment, as he knew Gwen would start an argument and preferred to spare him.
They spent two hours creating potions. It wasn't much time to create a large batch, so they would need several days to have the necessary potions and antidotes for the whole group.
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