Knights of Walpurgis

TITLE: The Knights of Walpurgis

AUTHOR: Clio

RATED: PG-13

DISCLAIMER: No Potter me-owny, but big late fee me-havey.  Don’t sue!

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IMPORTANT A/N:  I am rewriting this fic!  If you have not yet reread chapters one and two then do so before you read chapter three!

I hope my readers enjoy the new fic, but if you’d still like to read what I had posted of the old Knights you can find it on Fanfiction.net; search the author name “Goddess.Clio” (without quotation marks) or the story title “The Knights of Walpurgis” (again without quotation marks).  Thanks for all the reviews I had received and I hope that my reviewers will let me know how the rewrite is going! =^)

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Knights of Walpurgis

Previously…

Celeste said, resolutely, “I’m not going to lie to him.”

Lily sighed and turned away.

“But,” Celeste added, with reluctance, “I won’t say anything unless he asks me directly.”

Lily turned back to her.  Celeste looked entirely unhappy with this decision.  Over Celeste’s shoulder she could see that everyone had gone inside and the last black coach was trundling around the corner of the castle, empty.

“Thank you.”

Celeste turned and hurried inside.  Lily returned to her examination of the lake, pondering how she was expected to make it through this year.

“Get a grip,” she muttered to herself.

It wasn’t the end of the world, she thought.  She could always ask Dumbledore to reconsider his Head Boy appointment.

But what if he didn’t?

Lily toed a muddy patch of grass.  What would it be like having to shoulder the responsibility of Head Boy and Head Girl?  And study for her N.E.W.T.s?

Hushed voices drifted toward Lily on the breeze.  The first years had arrived and were disembarking their boats.  Lily watched from afar as Hagrid herded them up toward the castle longing for her own first year again, a time when the only things on her mind were friends and magic.  Her seventh, she feared, was destined to be different than all the rest.  And she’d have to get through it on her own.

With a last breath of night air, Lily made her way back up to Gryffindor tower.

PART I

Chapter 3

.:*~* A Memorable Monday *~*:.

“But she looks just the same to me,” Mark said, leaning around Mary McDonald to get a look at Nancy Shepherd sitting across the corridor.

“That’s because the crimper she went to mucked it up and she grew it back over night,” Adriana explained.  “Oh,” she went on, speaking to Eve, “and Salendra said she’d heard about something happening to James Potter over the holiday.”

“Really?” Eve asked, uninterested, flipping through a Witch Weekly she had found in the common room that morning.

Adriana nodded.  “Salendra said she heard from Lexi-Ann that Daphne told her about James being attacked by a band of those thugs, the Dog Cheaters, or whatever.”

“Death Eaters,” Mary corrected, irritably.

Adriana shot her a look, seemingly annoyed that she had been corrected.  “Whatever,” she said.  She turned and stalked off toward Salendra Prasad and a group of Hufflepuffs.

Monday morning of the second week of term had dawned bright and blue, promising a beautiful, clear day.  Lily was surprised at how quickly the first week had gone by.  Perhaps it was because she hadn’t yet gotten an opportunity to stop and think about the events of the week with all of her classes.  Even still, she was surprised to find that it was already the second week.

So far lessons were exactly what she had expected.  Teachers were spouting off the obligatory speeches on the importance of N.E.W.T.s to one’s future endeavors, setting practice exams and assigning term-long projects.  She had already been allotted an 8-roll-long essay for History of Magic on a topic of her own choosing, the mastery of three new charms from their set textbook by the following Wednesday, and to define the properties of an herb commonly found on the Hogwarts grounds.

The week hadn’t been completely predictable, though.  Lily’s very first lesson on Monday had been Defense Against the Dark Arts, and it was proving to be a very confusing class indeed.  Not because of the subjects covered or the professor’s teaching methods, but because of the lack of a professor at all.  The thirty seventh-year students had arrived on time for their lesson but found that their professor had not.  In fact, he hadn’t shown for the next lesson, either, or even the one Friday morning.

At first, Lily supposed Faraday, whose name she had learned from Rhea King, must have run into some family crisis and had to rush away.  With his absence a second time students began to wonder about his health.  Perhaps he was ill.  Remus Lupin, however, discounted this theory as he had visited the hospital wing on Thursday and had been Madam Pomfrey’s only patient. 

With no suitable explanation at hand, the likelihood of another lesson that morning sans professor seemed inevitable.

The bell had rung nearly twenty minutes ago and the seventh-years were strewn about the corridor outside the Defense classroom on the first floor, their bags in a pile, awaiting the improbable arrival of their professor.  Caleb Costel, a Hufflepuff boy with shaggy blonde hair and larger than usual ears, had wandered over to the group massed around one of the high, pointed windows, the Daily Prophet tucked under his arm.

Mary, sitting in the deep stone sill of the window, said, dubiously, “Is that it, then?”

Caleb nodded and waved the Prophet at the group.  “Anyone not read it yet?”

Both Mark and Eve spoke up.  Caleb opened the folded paper to reveal the front page’s headline,

                    Ministry Approves Ban on Apparition

He continued on to read the article aloud.

                    In response to last month’s startling attacks

                    on the Hillsburies, a goblin family residing in

                    , Godwin, Minister of

                    Magic, has passed unprecedented new

                    legislation banning civilian apparition.  The

                    magical form of transport, purported to be

                    the method favored by the group of ruffians

                    calling themselves Death Eaters, has been

                    temporarily outlawed to all but Ministry

                    officials, Aurors, members of Magic Law

                    Enforcement Squads and Mediwizards.

                    Reactions to this new and, we are assured,

                    temporary law have been mixed but, after

                    hearing account after account of attacks,

                    most are coming round to side with the

                    Ministry.  “It’s about time the Ministry is

                    taking action against these unruly hooligans,”

                    says Wilhelmina Hartley of number 3 Ferens

                    Park, .  “I, for one, am over the moon

                    about it and would be well shot of apparition

                    should it never be legalized again.”

Several students nearby turned to Caleb as he continued his recitation.  Remus, Celeste and Sirius moved toward them to listen better.

                    Not all are pleased with the Ministry’s latest

                    legislative action.  Former Minister for Magic,

                    John Henry Weston, has vehemently spoken

                    out against the current Minister calling him the

                     “most imperialist Minister for Magic

                    has yet seen.”  (For further reporting on the

                    Weston/Godwin confrontation see page 3)

                    The apparition ban comes in the wake of the

                    Ministry’s new regime designed to limit

                    Death Eater mobility, following quickly on the

                    heels of the Portkey restrictions and the

                    further regulations enforced on the Floo

                    Network.

                    A representative of the Department of Magical

                    Transportation, which monitors the licensing

                    and practice of apparition, announced that it

                    will be issuing fines of five thousand Galleons

                    to any witch or wizard found apparating

                    illegally within the . 

Eve scoffed.  “Like that would stop You Know Who or his little minions from apparating.”

Lily agreed.  “They have no qualms about torturing or killing innocent people,” she added, “but give them a fine…”

“Oh, how they’ll quiver,” Mary laughed.

“Seriously, though,” Eve said, “it’s not going to stop them.”

“The Death Eaters don’t care what kinds of fines they’d rack up,” Mark pointed out, “because they’d stiff the Ministry anyway.  You Know Who could apparate in front of Godwin and all Godwin would do is crap his pants.  The rich people could afford to be fined a hundred times but would probably never be called on to foot the bill because they know the right people,” Mark rolled his eyes.  “So the only thing this law will do,” he finished, “is inconvenience all the working people who now no longer have a quick way to work.”

“How do they keep track of this?” Mary asked.  “You have to be 17 to get your license so the trace would have been lifted.”

“They don’t say,” Remus said.

Lily said, perplexed, “But I read every bloody line of that contract when I got my license.  They didn’t say anything about monitoring me.”

“They wouldn’t,” Sirius replied, bitterly.  “But they monitor everything.  If you put an engorgement charm on your willy, they know about it.”

“And you know this from personal experience, do you?” Celeste quipped, moving to the window sill and sitting next to Lily.

“Me?  No, not at all,” Sirius smiled, serenely.  “I’m very well endowed.”

“Very self-assured,” Lily corrected.

Caleb dismissed Sirius’s pronouncement. “You know what girls are always saying...”

Sirius shrugged.  “Ouch?”

There was a chorus of vulgar laughter.

“And you’re sure this isn’t some kind of joke?” Mary asked, looking down at the newspaper.

“Very,” Remus said.  “They’re broadcasting bulletins over the WWN every half hour.  We’ve heard three this morning on Sirius’s Wireless Receiver already.”

“It figures,” Sirius said, “that the Ministry would pull a stunt like this a year after I get my license.”

“It’s not a personal attack on you,” Remus said, parentally.  “I don’t think many people know how interfering the Ministry is.  They don’t exactly broadcast the fact that they monitor apparition.”

Lily thought back to her own apparition test in Hogsmeade earlier that year.  She certainly didn’t remember reading anything that allowed the Ministry to track her use of apparition.  In fact, she didn’t remember much from that day, as Peter had accidentally apparated into Zonko’s Joke shop and proceeded to accidentally set off their whole stock of Filibuster’s Fabulous No-Heat, Wet-Start Fireworks, driving every bit of the apparition license contract from her mind.

Celeste picked lint off her robes absently.

“Where’s James?” Mark asked.

“Chatting up his latest love interest.”  At Mary and Eve’s inquisitive look Celeste added, “Daphne Jones,” and a gagging noise.  “I wish he’d improve on his taste in girls.”

“He had,” Remus replied, grinning at Lily.  “But she keeps turning him down.”

“Reckon it’ll be a good year?” Caleb asked Mark.

Quidditch, Lily thought.  All boys talk about is Quidditch.

Mark shrugged.  “I don’t know.  We’ve got to replace a Beater and a Chaser now that Melanie’s gone.”

“What kind of side do you think Gryffindor will be putting up?” Caleb asked Sirius.

“Now, now, Mr. Costel,” Sirius chided, shaking his finger at the wiry boy and plopping his butt on the deep stone window sill next to Celeste.  “Just because I’m friends with the Captain…”

“Replacing a Beater and a Chaser isn’t exactly easy, is it?” Lily asked, more for conversation than actual curiosity.

“No, it’s not,” Mark said.  “Seeker and Keeper are one thing, they operate fairly independently, but the other two positions…   The chemistry’s got to be just right between the players.”

“Mark’ll have to put in extra time if he wants to keep his position,” Caleb jabbed good-naturedly.

“Nonsense,” Eve said.  She smoothed Marks hair fussily.  “James will keep him on.”

Mark batted her hand away and Eve grinned playfully.

“Does he know when he’ll hold trials?” Celeste asked.

“Are you thinking of coming down?” Mark asked.  Celeste shrugged.

Lily said, “Are you a good flyer?”

Sirius said, “She is rather talented at riding things with long, hard poles…”  Celeste elbowed Sirius in the gut.  He raised his hands and added, “So I’ve heard.  Just an innocent rumor I picked up somewhere.”  He gave a cough that sounded suspiciously like “Adriana.”

Lily hid her laughter behind her hand, exchanging looks with Eve.  Lily knew Salendra, who was standing near by and no doubt listening in, was probably salivating over this new little tidbit and absently wondered how long it would be before the rumors that Celeste and Sirius were engaged in a passionate love affair started circulating.

“You know,” Sirius continued, stuffing his hands in his pockets and scootching a little closer to Celeste, “if you fancied a good ride, I could loan you my pole tonight, say, nine o’clock?”

“I think you mean your toothpick,” Celeste retorted.

Mark asked through his own laughter, “What position?”

Lily couldn’t help but suggest, “The missionary position.”

“Don’t you start too, Evans,” Celeste warned, narrowing missing Lily’s head with her potions book.  Celeste added to Mark, “I’m not actually going to try out.”

“What are you coming for then?”

Eve, whose own shoulders were bouncing with suppressed laughter, said, “She likes to watch the blokes strut around with their shirts off.”

“Oh,” Mark said with comprehension.  He added, more to himself, “I’d better do some sit-ups or something then.”

They fell into an easy silence.  Lily separated a lock of her long, dark red hair and twirled it absently.

After several minutes Mark checked his watch. “Where is this retched bloke?”

“Maybe Lily could…” Eve started.

She looked up.  “Maybe I could what?”

Eve shook her head.  “You’re Head Girl.  You could do something.”

“Like what?” Lily asked.  “I can’t force a professor to show up for his own lessons.”

The group fell into another silence.  After a few more minutes James and Peter sauntered over.

He said to Sirius, “This chap’s a no-show again.”

“Yeah, I think so.”

“Daphne, Peter and I were going to take off.  You coming?”

Sirius nodded and moved away to find his bag.  As James turned to walk away Lily caught his arm.

“You’re leaving?”

He thought a moment.  “Looks like it.  Want to come?  We could ditch Daphne no problem.  I know this pretty, secluded little spot on the grounds—”

“You can’t leave.”

“Why not?”

Lily replied, testily, “Because you’re Head Boy.”

James cocked an eyebrow and continued on his way toward the pile of book bags.  Lily followed, her arms crossed tightly over her chest.  He asked, “What does me being Head Boy have anything to do with it?”  He pulled his bag from the bottom of the pile and turned to her, slinging it over his shoulder.

“You’re meant to be an example for other students,” Lily said.

“Then,” James countered, “they should follow my example and leave as well.”

He turned, his bag swinging wildly, and made his way toward Sirius, Peter, Remus and several girls who seemed to be leaving as well, among them were Daphne Jones and Lexi-Ann LaRayne.

“James, please, you need to stay!”

“Why?” James rounded on her, “Why should I stay when Faraday doesn’t think these lessons important enough to show up to?  I’m simply repaying the favor.”

“There’s only fifteen minutes left in the lesson,” Lily replied.  “What could you possibly do in fifteen minutes that would make it worth leaving?”

“Lots of things,” he said, coldly.  “Top on my list of priorities is to go make out with Daphne.”

Lily scoffed, disgustedly.  “You’re a pig.”

They glared at each other for a moment.  James took a few steps toward her, leaning down until they were almost nose to nose.  “Oink, oink.”

He turned away from her and several things happened at once.

There was a tremendous bang, a mass movement by the students, and the exact spot James Potter had been standing on erupted in a cloud of putrid, grey smoke intermingled with blue sparks.  The Lily found herself stumbling backwards into someone’s arms.  Her momentum was too great, though, and they both fell backwards.  She looked up to see Garrett Masterson. 

She blinked, clearing her eyes, and looked around at the other students.  Many of them had dashed away down the corridor several yards.  Several others seemed to have been knocked off their feet as Lily had been and were now making apologies for bloody noses and smashed toes.  A few more still were uncurling themselves from fetal positions, not able to spring to their feet quickly enough to run away.  The students who had managed to stay on their feet were now moving toward James, obscuring Lily’s view of him.

Lily felt hands on her back, pushing her into a sitting position.  “You alright?” Garrett asked.

“Yeah, sorry,” Lily said, standing and offering Garrett a hand up.

“No problem,” he replied.  “It’s not every day I have a pretty girl on top of me.”

She gave Garrett a half-amused, half-exasperated smile, and pushed through the crowd that had congregated in the corridor.  James was picking himself up off the floor, his wand clutched in his right hand and his eyes wide behind skewed glasses.  Sirius, too, had his wand raised as he glared suspiciously around at the circle of on-lookers, panting from the surge of adrenaline.  Daphne knelt next to James, trying to help him up, but her hands were shaking badly.

Laughter rang through the air and the students fell silent.  A stocky man with a broad face threw off an invisibility coak, clapping his hands and grinning.  The students parted as he made his way toward the center of the circle, expressions of suspicion and shock donning everyone’s faces.

“Fantastic!” he cried, laughing.  “Smashin’ performance, Mister…?  Mister…?”  But James merely climbed to his feet, straightening his glasses and glaring back at him.

The man waved his hand carelessly, apparently not fussed that his new student was snubbing his question. “Never mind.  Just thought I’d obey the rule of polite society and ask yer name first.”

Lily doubted whether this man had ever been a part of polite society.  He was a large, bulky man with a closely shaved head of what Lily thought was blond hair and faded black robes that didn’t do anything to mask his large arms and robust chest.  His several gold teeth glimmered in the morning sunlight as he grinned and he spoke with a cockney accent.

He gestured toward the classroom door.  In all the commotion, Lily hadn’t realized it had swung open, “If yeh would, Mr. Potter.”

Slowly, the students collected their belongings and filed into the classroom.  Lily followed Mary McDonald into the cool, watching James push a distraught Daphne off him, irritably.  Once everyone had found a seat the stocky man closed the door.  He made his way through the desks, waving his wand at the shutters over the windows which swung open.  Reaching the front desk, he turned and clapped his hands together, a pleased look on his face.

“Well,” he continued.  “I had hoped to demonstrate the dangers facin' an unsuspectin' victim of a Spaventoso Attack, but I’m afraid I chose to pick on a subject wiv, er, rather blindin' reflexes.”  The man continued to smile broadly at James, while James continued to glare back.  “But never mind dat.  Introductions, I suppose.  I'm Rigel Faraday, yer new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.”

The class grumbled collectively.

“Now, can Uncle Tom Cobley and all tell me what a Spaventoso Attack is?  What about you?”

A short, dumpy girl named Nancy Shepherd sat up, looking nervous to be the first one called on.

She said in a quaivering, “Spaventoso is a surprise attack.  It’s meant to be used when your opponent is in an unsuspecting state of mind.”

“An’ what does it do?  You there.”

Faraday pointed to the back at a girl with chestnut-brown hair and olive skin who had been craning her neck trying to see James.  “It… creates a cloud of blue-grey smoke,” she replied, “that only the caster can see through.  It gives the caster an advantage, allowing them time to cast a more dangerous or deadly spell while disorienting the victim.”

“Right tasty.  That’s a bee hive to you, and for the other young lady and let’s say a pig pen for Mr. Potter for his excellent use of a shielding charm,” Faraday said.

Mary turned to Lily and mouthed, “Pig Pen?”

Lily replied silently, “Ten points.”

“I admit,” Faraday said, “dat Spaventoso is a bit rud’mentary fer an N.E.W.T.-level lesson, but it’s a good spell tah know when you’re buyin’ fer time.”

He smiled around at the class who all returned his smile with confused or suspicious stares.  The remaining five minutes of the lesson passed in this awkward silence, and when the bell rang Faraday immediately strode to the door, opened it, and disappeared into the corridor before the students had even stood up.

Everyone watch him leave in the same puzzled silence.  When the door banged shut, they all looked around at each other in utter confusion.

Lily and James exchanged looks.  “So that’s Faraday.”

.:*~* Clio *~*:.

A/N:

Yay for reviews!  They become an addiction, I swear…  Yay for validation from total strangers! :-D

Allesandra_Thornbird – You get the honor of first reviewer of the new (and improved??) Knights!  Thanks for the compliments about the dialogue, I work very hard at it!  And I hope I continue, too! :-J

Sweet_Millie – Thank you for the review, and I hope you liked chapter three as much as you liked chapters one and two!