Chapter 13: Chapter 13-
"What's with the new Potter?" Narcissa asked at the dinner that night. The castle was abuzz with rumours that Rickard Potter had beaten an Auror and was impervious to the Imperius.
Kingsley looked at Andromeda who looked at Severus.
Severus sighed, "Potterclaw had him beat from the first spell. In fact, it looked like if he had been a real duel Bartley would have never would have gotten the first curse off, he looked ready to bolt."
Avery picked up the narrative, "He's been in fights before. And the half blood bastard isn't like the legitimate Potter, he doesn't know tricks. He's seen real battle."
"He even called out the professor before it started," Severus noted, "Like he knew the moment he was called down and the Imperius was brought up that the professor meant to use it on him. Who would assume a professor would use one of the Unforgivables on a student?"
"By the way he's actually a Pure blood Potter, and from what I've heard from a Griffindork, whom in turn heard it from James when he was telling his group of menaces. He's the son of Henry Potter." said a Vanessa Fawley a brunette witch.
Her statement caused the group to contemplate and processed the information.
"Who is he really?" asked Narcissa breaking the silence, "I heard a rumour that his mother was killed by a dark lord."
"What dark lord?" a third year asked.
Someone shushed him.
"He is more than he appears," Kingsley spoke up, his rumbling voice so rarely heard hushed the gossip.
"Has anyone asked him about his odd scar?"
Narcissa asked, "The one on the side of his head."
A few people shook their heads.
Andromeda looked over her shoulder at her two Ravenclaw boys.
Ricky Potter, raven haired, blue gray eyed mystery that he was had too many secrets. But his candour from a week ago when she had found him studying Dark Art books struck her.
A boy who was in the purest house, from the lightest pureblood family, raised by muggles, was studying Dark Art books because he said his mother had been murdered by a madman.
A madman who had used a Killing Curse on a baby, a baby who had survived.
"We need to push," Andromeda said suddenly, looking around at her housemates. "He's into something, something that I think we are all going to be a part of sooner rather than later."
"Like what? What could a Potter possibly be into that would be of any consequence," Severus asked.
Andromeda looked the boy straight into his onyx eyes, "There's a rising dark lord and he's after us."
"After us?" Regulus echoed.
She leaned forward and had to fight back a smile as everyone else leaned forward as well.
"The muggle disappearances, and some of the muggleborns. This new Dark Lord is looking to use us as cannon fodder."
"And what if he is fighting for us?" Avery interjected.
Her returning smile was more of a snarl, "I am no one's slave."
"Who says he's going to enslave us?" he shot back.
Kingsley spoke, and again everyone hushed to listen, "Because that's what dark lords do, because that is the nature of the Dark Arts. Power comes at a price, either we work for it as individuals or we must pay with our freedoms to follow someone else. I am with Black, I will be no one's slave."
A new train of rumour swept the Slytherin table that had nothing to do with Ricky Potter and everything to do with retaining their own wills. It was true that purebloods were losing standing and power, but none of them wanted to trade prestige for freedom. Not if it was phrased like that.
Avery, Crabbe, Goyle, Lestrange, and Rosier exchanged looks. They would be rolling to see who would have to tell the Dark Lord that his secret campaign was no longer secret, and its reception wasn't a warm one.
Albus Dumbledore watched the students eating their dinner wondering what prank James had pulled this time to throw them into a tissy.
The Slytherin and Ravenclaw tables were particularly active, the Slytherins whispering as if they were trying to mimic snakes and the Ravenclaws boisterous as a tavern on a Friday night.
He had been away at the ministry to discuss a few worrying disappearances of lesser ministry workers.
The staff table seemed to be just as talkative as the students, Filius, in particular, looked glowing.
"Where's Scott?" Albus asked, noting their DADA professor was missing, it was far too early in the year for yet another replacement.
Filius smiled brightly and Pomona chuckled.
"What have I missed?"
Minerva's lips curled up, "Mr. Potter."
"Ah, and what antics have come to pass then?"
"Don't look at me," his second said, "It was not my Potter this time. It was Filius's Potter."
Albus looked around to Ravenclaw Head of House who somehow managed to glow even brighter with the attention, showing rows of bright teeth and a glint of pride in his eyes.
Is our newest Potter as much of a trickster than?"
he shook his head, "He overcame our 'master' Auror in a duel."
Albus' eyebrows shot up, "Did he? I assume the rumours have grown. Do you know what truly happened?"
"He resisted the Imperius curse and stupefied Scott. Once he revived him, Harry shielded against all of his attacks before disarming him. He made quite the impression." replied Filius with excitement
Albus frowned, "Imperius Curse?"
Minerva spoke up again, "Yes, the Imperius demonstration. The one you gave him permissio-"
But she caught his gaze and the slight shake of his head, he had done no such thing. It seemed he would be looking into replacing the DADA position, again.
He sighed, it was quite troublesome to do every year, much less twice a year. Perhaps he would teach a few classes until they could find a substitute.
He would not report Scott to the authorities if he went quietly, or if one of the parents decided to press charges. He thought an Auror would have known better.
Young Alistor would beside himself, or perhaps he might praise his ex-teacher's initiative, it was always hard to tell with him.
"Though he is a Ravenclaw but I think he might be our next Newt Scamander," Horace said, "Bright boy like that with a head for trouble."
Albus wondered how a self taught boy could be an expert in dueling. How fast was he able to shake off the Imperius? What does that say about him?
"Oh, I do hope so!" Silvanus enthused. "He's been pretty good in my class, but next week we start with Hagrid's hippogryphs. We will see how he fares."
Later on the day a young could be seen sitting on the grass reading a book. Next to him came the figure of a slightly younger looking gir, she wasl clutching a stack of books against her chest.
"Hi, Ricky!" Lily greeted, finding him alone behind a tree in the courtyard.
He looked up with a smile, "Hello, Lily. How are you?"
She sat down beside him, "I'm well, how are you and what in Merlin's name are you reading? The book is giant."
His smile grew, and she noted that he was handsome which somehow reminded her of James. She shook herself. James was a snot, she wasn't going to think about him being handsome, even if his cousin kind off reminded her of him.
"The extended version of Fantastic Beasts with some of his field notes. Kettleburn gave me a copy, said I should get to know other great troublemakers."
"Is it any good?"
"His note taking is a bit erratic, but yeah, it really is. I hate that I missed my entire summer but his chapter on kelpies is great. The way he writes about magical creatures… it makes it hard to dislike them."
"The kelpies tried to drown and eat you. You could have died."
He shrugged, as if near death experiences weren't anything to be hung up on.
"How's your cousin, taking your dueling skills? You are the talk of the castle."
He shrugged again but this time he did look bothered, "He hasn't talked to me since Ravenclaw won that last Quidditch match."
"You mean when you won it."
He frowned, "It's a team sport."
"Yeah but you-"
"No, it's a team sport. I'm a good Seeker in all but the Snitch isn't always that easy to find and-"
"Are you sure you're a Potter," she cut him off, "You are too humble."
He shut his book, "Enough about me, what about you, Lily. What are you like?"
She smiled, and settled herself more comfortably against the tree. She really liked Ricky, there was something about him, like a kinship.
Sometimes Severus made her uncomfortable because despite liking him, he was intelligent and was exceedingly kind to her, he also made her feel pressured for not liking him more.
She knew he had a crush on her, but she just didn't, couldn't bring herself to feel the same way.
Ricky on the other hand, unlike James or Sev, never, ever flirted with her. And she didn't want him to. She wanted more friends, she had so few.
"Well," she said, "I'm skilled in Charms, Potions, and Arithmancy. I like flowers, because duh, but I don't like Herbology.
Flowers should not eat people or scream at you when you try giving them a new home. I like going to the movies and reading non-school related books."
"Oh, and what kind of books are those?"
She grinned, "The romantic kind, ones that are just for fun, with heroic tragedies and happy endings."
He smiled back, "I like happy endings too. What about your family? You're muggleborn too, right?"
"I live with my parents, who are simply the best people ever. And my older sister." She couldn't keep the bitterness out of her voice at the end.
He raised a brow.
She sighed, "I love her, truly, but ever since I went to Hogwarts, Tuni-"
"Tuni?" he asked, mirth shimmering in his eyes.
"Er, Petunia, flower names, her and I. She hates me."
"She can't hate you," Ricky said kindly. "No one who knows you could hate you, Lily. I bet she's just jealous."
"You don't know her. The things she says. She's… she's awful. And she makes me feel awful that we can't be close. She thinks I'm a freak."
He put an arm around her shoulder, "My foster family said the same about me. But some things aren't our fault. Some things have nothing to do with us and everything to do with their issues."
Lily relaxed against his side, feeling as if she were the one, not James, to have found a long-lost brother.
"Mind if I stay and read with you?" she asked, it was one of those rare days in autumn where the sun decided to make a lasting appearance. It was not a day to be spent indoors. In two layers of cloaks, one couldn't feel the cold.
"One of your romantic fun books?"
"Hey, there are magical creatures in them too."
"Really? Like what, giant spiders?"
"Ew. No. Like werewolves, but not like this world's werewolves. Romantic werewolves."
"You will have to tell me how it ends," he said taking his arm back to flip the open his oversized book. He stayed close though, so that their sides stayed pressed together. It was comfy and solidly platonic.
How odd to feel so close to someone I am just getting to know? I feel affection for him, I feel proud of him which is weird, isn't it?
It was weird, to feel so much for someone she knew so little about. To feel a connection and yet feel none of the butterflies she felt when she was just reading about characters in her books sharing a glance. How she felt for Ricky was how she felt about her parents and sister, Which was weird.
Ricky Potter wasn't Lily's family, so why did she wish so badly that he was?
Elsewhere in the castle a boy was passing by and tge scene happen to catch his eye.
James froze as he was passing the courtyard. He stared at the couple reading books under the tree and it was like someone had stabbed him through the heart.
All these years worrying about Snape and there was his freaking Cousin sitting shoulder to shoulder with the love of his life.
"James," Sirius said a bit forcefully. They were supposed to meet Moony and Wormtail by the lake.
He didn't really care.
"James," Sirius said again, a bit softer, taking him by the arm. "Let it go."
"Let it go?" he asked turning on his best friend, "let it go? Look at them."
"I see two people reading books together."
"Together."
"They aren't looking at each other, or holding hands," he said, "Don't treat it like there is something more going on. I've seen the way he looks at her, and the way you look at her. He doesn't love her. Not like that. If anything, he acts like a brother to her."
"You're taking his side?" James snarled low, they were both being careful to keep their voices down.
"Yeah, I am. Because you know what, James Potter? Ricky has done more in the last month or so to try to get to know you than you have given him the time of day."
"You like him more than me."
"No, I don't. Ricky is a freaking enigma, he just happens to be a likable enigma. But you and I? James, you dolt, you are the best friend I have. So as your friend, I'm telling you, you will be happier if you don't make an enemy out of family who has done nothing but be kind to you."
"Kind. Winning the last match, stealing my girl, how is that kind?"
"She isn't yours. And for the record, I think in the last week he's given my cousins more enormous looks than Lily Evans. And winning the match isn't something you should fault him for. All he proved was that he was as competitive as you are."
"He likes your cousins?" James asked, distracted.
Sirius slung an arm around his friend's shoulders, "Many have been entranced by the Black Sisters in the past, but perhaps we should begin discussion on how to keep my cousins from slowly murdering your cousin if he does something foolish."
James shook his head, "I am so glad Bellatrix graduated." As he let himself be led away.
"Aren't we all, aren't we all."
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