Capítulo 144: I challenge you
Monday morning classes began. James and the marauders headed to the Great Hall for breakfast and then to the first class.
James had not done all the homework left for him by the professors before the start of the Easter vacation. However, Sirius and the others let him copy from his homework, so he was covered. It would be bad to be punished or have points deducted in all subjects.
As James ate his breakfast he felt the gaze of many people on him. It was not pleasant to have so many stares, but there was nothing he could do about it so he continued eating.
After the day's classes were over, James had to give himself some time off to copy the homework he was behind on. With the marauders, they went to sit in the Middle Courtyard. One of the cloisters in the inner part of the castle.
This courtyard had grass in the open area. In one of the corners had grown a large tree that was many years old. In the center of the courtyard was a fountain with the appearance of a Wyvern.
This courtyard served as a relaxing place for students to gather. Since the day was sunny with no clouds in sight there were more students than usual.
"Why are there so many people?" complained Sirius as he sat on the grass with the others.
"I don't know. The day, I guess. A lot of them are Slytherin..." commented Lupin, noticing many green robes with the snake logo on them.
"I don't feel comfortable," muttered Peter, seeing so many Slytherin students. Besides, many were from older years.
"There aren't just Slytherin's. We'll be fine," said James, opening the book and pulling out a scroll. He couldn't waste time looking for another place. Toby started dictating to him, and James was copying at a great speed.
Sirius lay down on the grass and looked up at the clear sky. Lupin was quietly reading a book, and Peter was looking around as if he were watching hungry lions.
Not far from where the marauders sat was a group of Slytherin students conversing in loud tones. James if he saw the group would recognize several of the people.
One of the students was Gwen with her trademark blonde hair that had been cut short and now reached a little past her shoulders in length.
Next to her was her best friend Anastasia Nott, who was the center of the group and as always spoke in a high and arrogant tone.
There were also the Bulstrode brothers. Crabbe and Goyle, who were getting taller and bigger every day, and several other Slytherin students except for a Ravenclaw girl with long straight black hair, who was chatting with Anastasia.
Gwen was mute and kept out of the conversation. Every day, she found it more and more unbearable to put up with her best friend Anastasia. She noticed James sitting not far from them and looked at him worriedly.
She had sent him many letters but had received no reply. If it were a normal situation she would be angry at being ignored, but there wasn't a hint of anger in her when she looked at James. Just concerned and want to talk to him as soon as possible.
'Is he fine?' thought Gwen worriedly. She wanted to walk straight to James and ask him, but because of her 'friends' she couldn't.
She no longer cared about the opinions of Anastasia and the others. The problem was her mother and father, who were against her getting together with James. As for her father little did she care since he couldn't threaten her in some way, but her mother could use Emily, and she didn't want that.
"That's the Potter Family boy, right?" asked the Ravenclaw girl as she followed Gwen's gaze which was on James.
Gwen looked at the Ravenclaw girl with a frown. The girl's name was Tianne Windsor. The Windsor family is a renowned and ancient pureblood family hailing from Norway. This family was renowned for the diverse artistic and literary talents demonstrated by each Windsor.
Hogwarts is considered by many to be the best school of magic in Europe and the world, so it is not unusual for them to send foreigners here. The Windsors have attended Hogwarts for generations and are usually selected to Slytherin and Ravenclaw houses.
"'Yes, he is," Goyle replied with a mischievous grin as he looked at James. He hated James since his childhood, so he was pleased at the idea that he was grieving the loss of his grandfather.
"I heard he cast a Patronus in the shape of a Dragon," Tianne commented with a slight smile.
"Tsch, those rumors must be false. They're exaggerating," Anastasia sneered, looking toward James. A smile formed on her face. She remembered the day James had insulted her grandfather, and now his grandfather was dead.
"I don't know... Many claim they witnessed it with their own eyes," Tianne said doubtfully.
"Surely they did it to honor the legacy of a blood traitor," said Anastasia in a loud tone so that it would reach James' ears.
"Yes, yes! I doubt a blood traitor would have such a talent," said one of the Bulstrode brothers, and they all joined in continuing to call James a blood traitor.
The comments were in a high-pitched tone, and the groups were not far from each other. Many students, who were in the courtyard ceased their conversations and watched the two groups.
Sirius had stood up and was glaring at the Slytherin group. Lupin stopped reading his book and scowled at the Slytherins. He felt his aggression rising right now.
Peter looked around shaking, not knowing what to do. Toby stopped dictating and looked at James not knowing what to do.
"Keep dictating," James said without looking up from his scroll. He had heard everything Anastasia and the others said but ignored it.
Toby continued on the last sentence. Sirius and Lupin, seeing that James didn't want to do anything, stood still and looked away from that obnoxious group of people.
Gwen seemed to want to devour all of her "friends" including Anastasia her ex-best friend, since from that moment on she no longer considered her a friend.
Anastasia and the others did not stop. Crabbe, Goyle, and the Bulstrode brothers seeing James not reacting had more courage, and their comments became more rude than before. They were always afraid of James since the incident at Godric's Hollow it was time for their revenge.
Tianne was not rude to a deceased person, but she was fueling the fire with questions and comments that she made to generate conflict.
"I heard the funeral was attended by Arcturus Black III," Tianne commented with a faint amused smile.
"Yes, quite a presence for a traitor's funeral," said a fourth-year Slytherin boy who wanted Tianne to like him since this is a beauty from a rich and ancient family.
"It's true! It looks like there was a worthy presence at a traitor's funeral!" said Anastasia with a smile. She wasn't afraid of James. What could he do to her at Hogwarts?
She belonged to the Nott Family and was surrounded by students, who had great backgrounds.
James broke the quill he was holding in his hand. He calmly stood up and started walking towards the group. The marauders made ugly expressions at this. They weren't worried about James. They were worried about their enemies. It would be bad if he hurt them badly and got severely punished or worse, expelled.
Anastasia's group noticed James and stood in a horizontal line so James could see how many there were. More than ten students. Some sophomores, some juniors, and even seniors.
"What are you doing Potter? Why do you have your wand?" asked Anastasia with a nasty grin.
Crabbe, Goyle, and the Bulstrode brothers for a moment hesitated at James' cold stare remembering old times, but then they got brave again and put on defiant looks.
They were a big group, and they were at Hogwarts. James could only do so much.
James didn't respond instead, he waved his wand at high speed and exclaimed in a cold tone, "Flippendo!"
A flash hit Anastasia at high speed. Anastasia felt an immense pain in her chest. The girl shrieked as she was sent flying into the tree with great force. She fell unconscious and with drool in her mouth.
James cast the most powerful Flipendo yet. He put all his anger into that throw. Outclassing the Flipendo Duo.
"What the hell are you doing? Are you crazy?" shouted the fourth-year Slytherin boy. Everyone was gawking at James.
Did he attack a girl without a wand? No one thought he would dare act without the mediation of a duel, let alone if a person didn't have their wand ready.
"Shut up. Pull out your wand. I'll give you a chance," said James, looking at the fourth-year boy as if he were a fly to swat.
"Arrogant! Expelliarmus!" shouted the boy, throwing a swift red flash at James.
"Protego," said James, and with utmost ease he fended off the attack. He didn't even have to use his most powerful Protego.
"Carpe Retractum," exclaimed James without giving the Slytherin boy another chance.
From his wand came a retractable magic rope made of light. The rope grabbed the boy's ankle, and James swung his wand swiftly.
The boy was dragged by the rope and swept across the lawn of the courtyard. Many students had to dodge it. Finally, James released him by throwing him into the tree. His fate was to be knocked unconscious after the big hit just like Anastasia.
It all happened in a matter of seconds. The Slytherin group and Tianne looked at James trembling. Would they be next? If they attacked all together they might stand a chance, though they didn't hold out much hope seeing how easily James defeated a fourth-year student.
Besides, behind James were Sirius, Lupin, Peter and Toby. All ready to fight if necessary.
'Wonderful,' thought Gwen, looking at James with sparkling eyes. She loved it when James swept the floor in such a crushing way with the others and treated them like the garbage they were.
'It would be wonderful to smash insects together,' thought Gwen imagining fictional scenarios and getting lost in her fantasy. It didn't matter much to her that James had sent her ex-best friend flying. If James didn't show up at that moment, she would have done so she would no longer tolerate James' family being made fun of. She knew how much James cared about his family.
Goyle, Crabbe, and the Bulstrode brothers looked at James with terrified faces. They shouldn't have dared to provoke him.
James approached the group with even steps. There was no hurry on his face, and he looked straight ahead without lowering his gaze.
"Hi Goyle," said James, standing mere inches away from the tall, burly boy who passed him in height and weight.
The courtyard fell silent. Goyle looked down without making eye contact with James.
Getting no response James walked to the side. He stood in front of Crabbe and stared at him. The boy like his friend looked down at the ground and seemed to have his eyes glued to the ground.
"Hi Crabbe," James said in a tone that sounded friendly. Silence reigned again.
"How cold," added James, taking a few steps away and looking towards the other members of the group who had insulted his grandfather's deceased.
"So... Who's going to do it?" asked James in a clear tone as his gaze went from one student to another. He even looked at Tianne, who felt a shiver and quickly looked down.
'What's wrong with me... Why am I shaking?' thought Tianne, looking at the floor and noticing her left hand trembling slightly.
"Who will call my family blood traitors?" asked James after a pause, and the place went silent again. The other students watching from afar looked at each other nervously for some reason. The atmosphere was heavy. Even the marauders didn't know what to do.
"Come on. I don't care. Go ahead. Please," James said, walking close to the group, but no one responded.
James stopped near one of Bulstrode's brothers and walked over. The boy stood next to his brother and the Ravenclaw girl.
"What about you, Bulstrode number 1?" asked James, not knowing the boy's name. He only knew his last name.
"Go on, say it. I challenge you," said James, moving closer to the boy who didn't dare look at James.
"Do it," said James in a soft tone giving the boy a gentle punch in the abdomen.
"Do it, do it, DO IT!" shouted James suddenly in a powerful tone that scared many. The Bulstrode boy from fright fell on his butt. Tianne let out an audible scream and felt her heart beat faster at James' sudden shout.
Others near James recoiled in fright at the powerful scream.
"Come on. Who wants to say? They looked like fun a moment ago" said James, setting the boy down and taking a distance as he watched the crestfallen faces of the others.
"What about you Ravenclaw girl? Say it," said James, approaching the black straight-haired girl.
"No?" asked James after a few seconds. He asked the same question to all the students in the group, who were teasing him, but no one answered.
"No one? Who dares to call the Potter Family blood traitors!?" shouted James standing in the center of the courtyard and looking at everyone with a defiant air.
He wanted someone to have the courage to do so, but no one spoke up. It looked like he wouldn't be able to get even with these idiots. He had felt lighter when he hit the other two.
Since he received no response he didn't hit anyone else. He was not a bully who would hit people who put their heads down and had no fighting spirit to challenge him. He turned and walked out of the yard.
"Cowards," Sirius said, looking at the Slytherin students. He said it loud enough for everyone to hear. It would have been fun to fight so many Slytherin students. He was ready now, though it wouldn't be as challenging as the ice vault.
The marauders followed James. Peter grabbed James' books and quickly followed.
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