Chapter 5: A Broomstick and Snivellus
James smiled.
Before him, in the window of the Quidditch supply shop, was a brand new broomstick. It was the most beautiful broomstick he'd ever seen, and he wanted it more than he'd ever wanted anything in his life. He touched the glass longingly and once more reread the card detailing the attributes of the broom, the Nimbus 1500. His hands itched for it, and he could barely keep from pressing his nose against the glass like the many eleven- and twelve-year-olds that surrounded him and joined in his admiration.
A hand at his back made him jump, and he quickly whirled around, wand already drawn. There stood Sirius, draped in the plum colored cloak he'd insisted on wearing that day. He let out a barking laugh, and James lowered his wand.
"One of these days, I'll get you," he muttered.
"Sure." Sirius said, "I'd like to see you try." James was just about to suggest that he would do just that when Sirius caught sight of the broom.
"Bloody hell." he breathed, "That's a broom."
"Well spotted." James said dryly.
"Come on, let's ask how much it is."
"Too much. My parents have tightened my spending money."
Sirius dismissed him with an airy gesture.
"We'll just pop in and take a look."
Sirius was already stepping into the store, so James reluctantly followed him. Once inside, Sirius went up to the balding man at the counter, who was polishing a display of snitches.
"Hello, my good man." Sirius said to him, "I want to inquire about that fine broomstick in your window."
"Ah, that one's a beauty, in'it?" the man said. "Nimbus 1500, they've outdone themselves this time. Completely revolutionized the broomstick, those men have."
"I quite agree, er--" Sirius paused and read a bright nametag pinned to the man's shirt, "Albert. Lovely name. Could you tell me how much they are?"
"100 galleons apiece, young man." At this, Albert looked a little mournful, "If I made a few more galleons at this job, I'd buy it meself, but it does cost to get the best."
Sirius looked thoughtful, while James stared at Albert with wide eyes.
"That's a small fortune." he gasped. He rounded on Sirius. "Come on, Sirius, there's no way in hell my parents will let me spend that kind of money."
"I know." Sirius said, and his face took on an expression of resolve. He took a step closer to the counter and withdrew a large bag from the cloak he wore. He plunked it on the counter and grinned.
"Give me two. I think you'll find everything in order." he said. "And I expect to receive fifty galleons back, mind you. I know exactly how much is in there."
Albert tried his best not to look surprised as he began counting the money with his wand, but James didn't bother to hide his shock.
"Bloody hell." he whispered, "Sirius did you--did you kill somebody?" He noted Sirius's pleased expression with growing concern.
"Jamie, Jimmy, who do you think I am?"
"You."
"Right." Sirius dusted a speck off his cloak and watched with false concentration as Albert continued his counting.
"How did you get it?"
Sirius looked as though he'd been waiting forever for James to ask. "Uncle Alphard."
"Who?"
"My uncle, Uncle Alphard. He died."
James wasn't sure if he should be offering his congratulations or condolences. Therefore, he settled for a vague "Hmm."
"He left me all his money, the good chap." Sirius said, dashing invisible tears of joy from his eyes, "Never properly gave him credit, but he came through for me…almost makes me regret the time I kidnapped his kneazle and threw him to the giant squid."
"Done!" cried Albert triumphantly. He returned fifty galleons, then came out from behind the counter and went into the storeroom. He emerged a moment later, gingerly carrying two broomsticks wrapped in brown paper.
"You're a good man, Albert." Sirius said, winking at him. He lifted the brooms to rest on his shoulder and walked out of the store, still managing to look completely at ease. James hastened after him.
"Sirius, what the hell?" James whispered to him, ignoring how people were staring, "Even if your uncle did leave you money, you can't just--"
"Look, James, do you want the broom or not? I'll give it back if it bothers you that much. No good if you don't want it." Sirius's expression had darkened considerably, and James knew his best friend well enough not to argue any more.
"I want it," he said, grinning as the realization of owning the broomstick fully hit him. Sirius's face brightened, and he shrugged off one of the brooms, leaving James to make a grab not unlike one he'd use in Quidditch to keep it from hitting the ground.
"Good." Sirius said as James imitated his carrying method, "It was bothering my shoulder."
James rolled his eyes.
"Listen," Sirius continued, "how about we dump all this in our room and look for Moony, eh? No use looking for Wormtail, he'll manage to show up sooner or later. Probably the only real talent I've ever seen out of him."
"I'm surprised you're not--" James stopped. He'd been about to say `looking for your brother'. Normally they'd help Regulus with his school shopping on Mrs. Black's strict instruction. That was not to say that the brothers enjoyed doing so, but there was a clear sense of duty and both brothers had come to accept the tradition. Obviously, though, since Sirius had run away from home that wouldn't happen this year. He glanced at Sirius, who hadn't seemed to notice and sighed. He had been stepping on eggshells with him lately, even more so than usual.
"What? Surprised I'm not what?"
"Nothing."
"What?"
"It's nothing."
Sirius didn't have time to protest, because at that moment he was ambushed.
"Argh!"
James laughed at the sight. Sirius's broom had dropped to the ground as a girl with brown hair had launched herself at him and was clinging to him, her legs wrapped around his waist and arms draped over his neck.
"Sirius!" she squealed into his ear.
"Which one is this, Sirius?" James laughed.
"Dunno." Sirius grunted darkly. "Oy, you--yes, you, off for a moment, let's get a look at you."
The girl reluctantly let go of him, and James could see that it was Dorcas Meadowes, a fifth year girl who was in Ravenclaw and, if he remembered correctly, was a decent keeper on their Quidditch team. She herself was not what he would consider extremely attractive, but she was by no means ugly.
"Sirius, I'm so glad to see you, I thought that I wouldn't be able to until school started." she said breathlessly.
Sirius rubbed the back of his neck and threw James a discreet look that had become their signal for `Help me'. James, however, was curious, and therefore chose not to notice.
"And I'm so sorry, I know I owled you, but I really wasn't able to respond to the one you sent me at the beginning of August, my family and I went on holiday to Egypt at the end of July, and we've only just gotten back, and well--I hope you'll forgive me." She flushed bright red, probably realizing that she was gushing.
"No, er--it's okay. Really." Sirius gave the signal again, this time glancing at James's broomstick pointedly as though to say `I can still take it back.' It was then that James chose to intervene.
"Hey, Dorcas." James said, "It's lovely to see you again."
Dorcas raised her eyebrows. James had teased her rather mercilessly in the past, and while she may have forgotten any qualms she had about Sirius, such graces had apparently not been extended to him.
"Really." she said suspiciously, "Is that so?"
"Er--yes." he said, wondering why the hell he did these things for Sirius, "In fact, it's--oh, shit Sirius, look, there's Lupin."
Sirius grinned at James appreciatively.
"Right. Sorry, love, but Lupin's a bit of a testy fellow, and--"
"Oh, I know Remus." Dorcas said, smiling brightly, "I'm a prefect this year, so I need to speak with him anyway."
Sirius's smile evaporated. Seeing this, James quickly cut in,
"But surely, you would want to speak to the Head Boy?" He was thinking quickly, and Sirius was looking at him as though he'd gone mad.
"Yes." Dorcas said, lifting her chin, "That's why I'm going with you to speak to Remus."
"But-er-Remus isn't Head Boy." James wiped his hands on his pants, hoping she'd fall into his trap.
Dorcas was visibly shocked.
"Well--well then who is?"
"No idea." James said smoothly, relieved that things were going as he'd hoped, "Your guess is as good as mine. Better, in fact. But now we really need to…" He trailed off, allowing Dorcas to assume what she wanted about what they really had to do.
"What? Oh yes, yes." Dorcas seemed to be in a daze, and James guessed that she was going through every other eligible candidate there could be for the position. A smug smile growing on his face, he strolled away.
"How did you--where the hell did that come from?" Sirius hissed at him incredulously after he'd picked up his broom and scampered after him.
"Simple." James said breezily, "I'm the one person in the world who she won't expect to get it."
"See, I knew there must be something I liked about you."
"I wish I could say the same for you." James retorted, "Honestly, Dorcas Meadowes?"
"I was lonely. Very lonely."
"I had no idea you resorted to cradle robbing."
"I hardly call snogging a girl two years my junior cradle robbing."
"And you wrote to her?"
"Whatever things have been said among my acquaintances and rivals, `Sirius Black is cold-hearted' is not one of them, Prongs."
"But `Sirius Black is a lying, cheating bastard' is."
Sirius laughed.
"You're jealous."
James scoffed.
"Sure I am."
It was then that they did spot Remus, sitting outside the Leaky Cauldron and reading a book.
"Moony!"
After having put away and explained the broomsticks and laughed about Dorcas, the three boys headed to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. James and Sirius had just finished placing bets on how long it would take for Peter to catch up with them, and they had just received their ice cream, when Snape appeared, brooding and looking like the bright weather did not at all agree with him.
"This is what I love, mates." Sirius said loudly, "The taste of ice cream and fresh new opportunities to spend time with Snivellus. Hey there, Snivelly!"
Snape, who had been slightly hunched over and squinting his eyes, looked up at Sirius with a scowl.
"Well if it isn't Black, Potty, and Lupin." His gaze rested on Remus a moment longer, calculating. "Glad to see we've all grown up, hm?"
"All that's grown is your nose. Honestly Snivelly, you must be doing something to it, it's absolutely huge." As Sirius said this, James looked at the aforementioned nose and realized that it was indeed larger, due to a swelling bruise that was coloring his otherwise pallid face. Though he'd heard things about Snape senior, he ignored the queasy feeling in his stomach and told himself that Snivellus had probably hit the giant thing on a door.
Snape sneered.
"Say what you like, but I'd be careful. Especially when you yourself have such secrets on your conscience. " His gaze rested on Remus once more, and Remus raised his eyebrows as Sirius turned scarlet. Snape, at the end of sixth year, had become increasingly bothersome in his questions of Remus's whereabouts during the full moon--so much, in fact, that they had all begun to worry that he knew the truth about Remus's condition.
"Shut it, or I'll be forced to hex you, Snivelly." Sirius growled.
"Is that supposed to scare me?" Snape asked darkly. Sirius was about to reply when someone appeared at Snape's elbow. James's stomach became even more nauseous when he saw that it was Lily.
"Severus, what are you doing?" she asked brightly. She followed his stare and James looked down when she started to watch them as well. He continued to watch from the corner of his eye, and saw that for a moment she was going to say something to him, then shook her head and said quietly,
"Come on, Severus. It's too early for ice cream, and I have to get some Head Girl stuff anyway."
Severus scowled at her, but he complied. After they'd walked away, Sirius shook his head.
"Damn." he said, "And I'd so missed hexing Snivelly. And who was that girl who was with him? Was that--" his eyes widened, "Was that Lily Evans?"
"Yes." Remus said, not realizing Sirius's newfound obsession with her.
"I'd never seen her." Sirius said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "But this--this is brilliant."
"Why?"
"Because Prongs is Head Boy, and if she's Head Girl, then it'll make everything so much simpler."
"What?"
Sirius, lost in thought, did not answer Remus's question.
"James, what is he talking about? James?"
James wasn't listening. It had hit him, heavier than the knowledge that he owned a new broomstick, what this would mean. While James was a prankster, he knew that what Sirius was planning was wrong. Especially after having gone to her house and met her mother…
"James!"
"What?" James shook himself out of his reverie, the queasiness in his stomach having reached its worst point.
"Your ice cream's melting."
"Bugger."
Cleaning up the dripping mess with a flick of his wand, James decided that since meeting Lily Evans, things in his life had gone from bad to worse. Something needed to be done about it.
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