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James Sirius Potter ([info]just_like_james) wrote in [info]mistaken_pieces,
@ 2011-07-16 00:58:00

Previous Entry  Add to memories!  Tell a Friend!  Next Entry
MP Revamp: First Meetings
Who: James, open.
Where: Platform 9 and 3/4 and beyond!
When: Right before the train leaves and onto the Sorting.
Rating: PG
Status: Ongoing.
Summary: Coming.

James was grinning by the time he burst through from the muggle side of the platform. He was immediately assaulted by a wave of noise as an entire platform full of kids and their parents tried to be heard over two shrill blasts of the scarlet train's engine. Behind him, James had no doubt his father, mum, and siblings would be passing through the barrier, but he didn't have time to deal with Lily-Lu's pouting or with Al's inability to decide if he was jealous or not.

He looked around quickly, trying to pick out anyone he knew. Cautiously, he pushed his trolley forward a bit and stretched up on his tiptoes to try to see if Teddy was about. The older boy had left way ahead of them, not wanting to miss out on good seats, no doubt.

"Oy, I'm going on ahead!" James shouted over his shoulder, then pushed ahead, not waiting to see what his mum would say to the contrary.

It was difficult with the crowds, but somehow he managed to get his trolley to pick up some speed as he raced for the other side of the platform.

If he couldn't see anything interesting happening on this end, then all sensibility protested that something worth seeing would be happening on the other end. And running over the tail of some poor student's pet was a small price to pay for James' entertainment!

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[info]the_instigators
2011-07-16 06:27 am UTC (link)
"Kit, watch where you're going!"

"Oh, it's fine, Mum!" the small, blonde girl responded, grinning from ear to ear. She was steadily (quickly) weaving through the crowd gathered on the platform, eyes set on one carriage in particular. And as she made her way (rushed) through the gaps between families, she wasn't exactly paying attention to what might be coming at her from either side.

She'd had to say her goodbyes to her father on the other side of the gateway to the platform. As a Muggle, he wouldn't be able to make it through the enchantment. Which had been an outright shame, in her opinion, because it would have been a fine thing for her to be able to wave goodbye to him as she left for Hogwarts for the very first time ever! He hadn't even been able to come with her to purchase her robes or schoolbooks, being unable to get into Diagon Alley. He had, however, promised to send her some sort of present before the term was out, though, so she was sure that that would be something to look forward to, at the very least.

"Kit, look out, you're about to--!"

Crash.

(Reply to this)


[info]just_like_james
2011-07-16 06:40 am UTC (link)
James didn't even register what happened as his cart jarred violently, sending him backwards with enough force to nearly knock the breath from him. At the same time, his trunk went one way and Halliford's cage bounced across the platform and rolled out of sight, but not out of hearing range as the owl let out a series of displeased shrieks.

"What the bloody hell...!" James shook his head a few times to clear the disorientation.

And then he managed to focus his glare on the girl who'd run into him (or who he'd run into, but he wasn't about to share the blame just yet).

"Watch where you're going!" he shouted, still not quite together enough to push up from where he was braced on the ground.

(Reply to this)


[info]the_instigators
2011-07-16 06:45 am UTC (link)
Even in spite of having just had the wind entirely knocked out of her, Madeleine still found enough breath to gasp in affront, "Watch where I'm going? You're the one that ran into me!"

When the two trolleys had collided, she'd been thrown sideways, landing on top of her smaller trunk as it had tumbled off the top. Now she pulled herself back up to her feet, surreptitiously rubbing her side before putting both hands on her hips, glaring down at the boy who'd run into her. "Hasn't your Mum ever told you that a girl always has the right of way?"

(Reply to this)


[info]just_like_james
2011-07-16 06:49 am UTC (link)
"Hasn't your mum ever taught you not to talk back to a man?" James spat back.

He scrambled to his feet, wincing slightly as he realized that his arse was most certainly bruised. To distract himself from that, he glared right back at the girl.

"And you've killed my owl!"

Ignoring the fact that Hal sounded very much alive. Also ignoring that Al had just caught up and had darted off toward the noise of the distressed bird.

(Reply to this)


[info]the_instigators
2011-07-16 06:56 am UTC (link)
As soon as the other boy dared to say that she shouldn't talk back to a man, Madeleine's wand was in her hand. "I don't see a man around here," she shot, brandishing it at him. "I see a five-year-old trying to sneak into Hogwarts to try and play with the big kids!"

(Reply to this)


[info]just_like_james
2011-07-16 07:03 am UTC (link)
James' wand was in his hand a moment later. He lifted both eyebrows, feigning at being impressed.

"What? Are you going to shoot butterflies and rainbows at me, then?" he scoffed. "Better go back home to your mummy before you get into trouble!"

Which, in the back of his mind, James knew was about to happen to him. There was only so long the crowd could hold back his mum. Eventually she would catch up. Like she always did.

And then he'd be dead.

(Reply to this)


[info]the_instigators
2011-07-16 07:12 am UTC (link)
Madeleine's mouth dropped. Then she snapped it shut, drawing back her wand. "You wish! I'm gonna--"

"Expelliarmus!"

She wasn't going to do anything, apparently, as her wand soared out of her hand and into the crowd. Madeleine had only enough time to be shocked at the fact that she'd just lost her wand before she caught sight of her mother, holding her baby sister in one arm and two wands in the other.

Uh-oh...

(Reply to this)


[info]just_like_james
2011-07-16 07:39 am UTC (link)
James had the advantage (disadvantage?) of seeing his doom emerge from the crowd with the most livid expression he'd seen in at least a month.

Before he could even form the usual excuses from memory, his wand was also soaring through the air for Ginny to catch. For one terrible moment he was afraid she'd snap it in half on the spot.

But then she was storming across the platform with Albus peeking out from behind her with a look that held actual pity as he quietly sneaked up to place Hal's cage back on the trolley.

"James. Sirius. Potter."

James managed a weak smile for an instant. "Look! Aren't you proud? I'm already making friends!" He knew he was digging his own grave, but he couldn't stop the words from spilling out. "And you were afraid I wouldn't get along with the other kids. Of all the ideas...!"

Ginny turned quickly to offer the girl's mother an apology before rounding back on James. She didn't seem to have the words to even begin to rage at the moment. James took advantage of that to look around quickly for his dad.

For his only hope.

Lily-Lu might be helpful, too. He couldn't imagine that his mum would want her to see his murder, so that might buy him a few days of continued living.

(Reply to this)


[info]the_instigators
2011-07-18 12:24 am UTC (link)
"Madeleine Catelin Winters...!"

Madeleine winced, even as her mother assured the boy's mum that she needn't apologize, as it hadn't been his fault at all. Lies, she thought venomously, sneaking another glare at him.

But then Corey was rounding on her again, and Madeleine was forced to put all her effort into giving her mother her best innocent look. "Uh, hi, Mum. I made a friend already?"

Corey wasn't being dissuaded. "Madeleine, what have I told you about watching where you're going? You could have hurt somebody!"

But as her mother lectured her, Madeleine's thoughts turned to revenge.

She was going to have to show that boy up once they got to school. He was not going to get away with insulting her and knocking her down so easily...!

She would prevail!

(Reply to this)

AND NOW ONTO THE SORTING!
[info]the_instigators
2011-07-18 12:50 am UTC (link)
The train ride was brilliant.

Madeleine spent most of it jumping compartments, determined to meet as many people as humanly possible before the Sorting. For the most part she stuck to those where the students were obviously younger--first, second, third, a handful of fourth years--and any house but Slytherin. It wasn't so much that she already hated them, but more that she'd heard stories from enough people to nudge her away from them. And the jeers of the upper-level Slytherins certainly hadn't done anything to help that image.

"If I get into Slytherin," one boy confided, "I'm going home. I'd much rather be a Hufflepuff than go into that house of snakes."

At the station in Hogsmeade, they'd been met by a veritable mountain of a man (Hagrid; Madeleine's mother had told her about him several times before) who had ushered them all into boats for their first trip across the lake. Madeleine had heard all about it from Corey, who had told her exactly what she had to expect, but no matter how she'd heard about it, there had been nothing to prepare her for that first sight of Hogwarts across the lake.

It was magical.

They'd been ushered into line by one of the professors, hushed and shhed and quieted several times, but Madeleine was being uncharacteristically quiet, straining her neck to see the gigantic doors ahead of them. She knew that beyond them had to be the Great Hall, had to be the Hat her mum had told her about. She felt as though something was eating her from the inside, setting her on edge, even though she wasn't scared at all. Just--anxious. Excited. Terrified.

The doors to the Great Hall opened.

(Reply to this)


[info]auror_clone
2011-07-18 01:31 am UTC (link)
James raised a hand automatically to shield his eyes from the lights in the Great Hall. Until now they had been outdoors and in much darker corridors, but the inside of the Great Hall was ablaze with light.

Nothing about the Sorting and the beginning of term seemed set to be gloomy in any way. Even as James took in the mass of students already seated inside he couldn't stop the grin from spreading across his face. He knew several of the kids nearby weren't as enthused as he was, but nothing about the Sorting had him anything less than giddy about what was to come. He was confident he'd get into Gryffindor. The thought had never crossed his mind that he might end up somewhere else.

Especially after the train ride. He'd never really realized how many people knew his surname until then.

A boy with sandy brown hair who had ridden over in the same boat as James swallowed audibly, then, seeming to come to terms with something, lifted his chin up and put on a brave face as their fellow first years made ready to march out under the direction of one of the professors.

James' attention wandered for a moment, focusing for a brief moment on Madeleine (who he made a face at), before landing on a pale boy with blond hair. He was almost green.

"You know," James said slyly. "I hear that at least five students are sent home every year. Since they don't have the proper stuff to make it into any of the houses."

(Reply to this)


[info]star_student
2011-07-18 02:12 am UTC (link)
Aries had been trying to compose himself ever since encountering Hagrid. Of all the things he had expected from Hogwarts, Hagrid was so far the only thing that had defied every one of his expectations.

To say he was nervous about the Sorting would be an understatement. His parents had followed in the tradition of telling him nothing of the ceremony and what it involved. No matter what research he had tried, he hadn't been able to get hold of something that would warn him of what was to be expected.

The dark-haired boy's comment (Potter boy? Aries had heard whispers...) didn't help matters at all.

Before he could reply, the professor was shushing the Potter boy (which didn't seem to phase him -- the smug smirk stayed in place) and commanding them to follow in two rows. Aries allowed his gaze to stray upward past the floating candles and to the ceiling up above. The stars were clearly visible through the ceiling save for a few that were obscured by a cloud.

The amount of power needed for a spell on that scale was mind boggling to him.

While he had been watching the ceiling, their little procession had been brought up short at the front of the hall.

In the perfect position, he noticed, for over a hundred students to stare at him. He felt his mouth run dry.

Directly behind him, he could hear the Potter boy muttering more about the Sorting and what he'd heard about the strict requirements for getting into one of the four houses. He almost wanted to turn around and sock the boy for setting his nerves on edge, but the professor who had led them out was now placing a stool down. And... placing a burnt and battered hat on top of it?

There was a bewildering song as the hat sprang to life, and then came the names.

One after another his fellow first years stepped hesitantly forward to have their go at sitting on the stool and having the hat shout out one of the four houses.

"Ravenclaw!" "Hufflepuff!"

Almost too soon the professor read out, "Greengrass, Aries," and it was his turn.

As the brim of the hat fell down over his eyes, Aries stiffened, waiting for it to shout out a house name. Instead he felt an uncomfortable sensation in the back of his mind as a voice started up.

"Nervous, are you?" asked the voice. "You wouldn't be the first... now let me see. Ah, this won't be hard. Shrewd, are you? Have some ambition, too, I see. Expect a lot, as well. About as characteristic as you can get for..."

"SLYTHERIN!"

Aries nearly fell off his chair as the sorting hat shouted out loud. Instead, bewildered and out of sorts, he managed to get it from his head and stumble toward the table that had just burst into applause.

(Reply to this)


[info]the_instigators
2011-07-18 02:47 am UTC (link)
The hall was bright, the tables full. Madeleine almost couldn't contain herself as they were led down between the tables, as the Hat was sat upon the stool before them and burst into song.

As she waited her turn, Madeleine fidgeted in place. There were so many letters between A and W! Why couldn't she have been born to a family that had a letter earlier on in the alphabet?

"Potter, James" brought a series of whispers around the hall. Madeleine knew vaguely who he was--she knew his father, of course, who hadn't heard of Harry Potter?--but Harry Potter's children hadn't really ever been on her radar until now. But as he stepped forward and headed up to the Hat, Madeleine felt a new surge of indignation rushing through her: he was the dolt who had crashed into her at King's Cross!

Send him to Hufflepuff, she thought vehemently. Hufflepuff!

But the Hat had barely touched his head before it was shouting out, "GRYFFINDOR!" and he was dropping it back onto the stool, smug grin still firmly fixed in place.

Madeleine stuck her tongue out at him as he passed by her.

More students were Sorted; Madeleine was beginning to think she'd have to wait forever when finally, "Winters, Madeleine!" rang out over the hall.

Although Corey had told her that the Hat was how students were Sorted, she'd neglected to mention that the Hat talked while on your head. So when it first spoke, Madeleine only just managed to keep herself from jumping a foot in the air.

"Ah, a difficult one, I see. Let's see if we can't see past all that energy... brave, are you? But not ambitious. Hardworking, but not always to your studies... And the strength of heart I'd expect from anyone in--

"--GRYFFINDOR!"

Madeleine grinned as she swept the hat off her head, setting it down on the stool before trotting off toward the applauding table.

(Reply to this)


[info]not_who_i_was
2011-07-18 03:07 am UTC (link)
Michael's eyes widened as James Potter was called up. The thought had never crossed his mind that he might end up in the same year as one of Harry Potter's children.

He couldn't even imagine what it must be like to have a father that famous.

As the Winters girl went to be sorted, Cale bit his lip and tried to shove away any more thoughts of fathers. And parents in general. It had only been a couple short years since the accident. It hadn't even really sunk in that he wouldn't be going to school with any of his siblings.

Before that thought could travel too far down an unfortunate road, Madeleine was trotting off to the applauding Gryffindor table and the words, "Wright, Michael," were summoning him forward. He lifted his chin, reinforcing his determination to get through this as he stepped forward and sat down, ready for the hat to be dropped down on top of his head.

"Not ambitious at all, I see."

Nothing had prepared him for that voice in his head.

"Not much for books, mm? But I see a fair bit of courage here. Strength in the face of adversity makes you a good candidate for--"

"--GRYFFINDOR!"

Michael wasn't sure how he felt about the sorting as he took the hat gingerly from his head and made his way to his new house mates, still making a point to hold his head high. The first free seat he found was across from James.

"You know," the boy said casually as Cale sat. "With your chin like that I can see straight up your nose

Cale's expression melted into a scowl.

Good to know Potter's kid was a complete prat.

(Reply to this)


[info]the_instigators
2011-07-18 03:20 am UTC (link)
Madeleine was sitting a couple seats down from the two boys, talking with a few kids she'd met on the train already, but at James' comment she turned back to look over at them. "Don't worry," she said to Cale, the very essence of nonchalance. "At least you haven't got a gigantic bogey hanging out of your nose for everyone to see, unlike someone else sitting across from you I could name."

A pause.

"At least it detracts from the nose hair."

(Reply to this)


[info]auror_clone
2011-07-18 03:27 am UTC (link)
"Sorry?" James placed a hand to his ear. "Didn't quite catch that. What were you saying about my nose?"

He squinted, scrutinizing Madeleine for a moment before brightening.

"Oh! I see how it is. It's because you've got that little squished thing, yeah? Wish you had a real nose."

--

Cale... had no words.

He couldn't believe he had just heard that retort, and he couldn't even wrap his mind around the fact that the boy across from him would be his dorm mate for the next seven years.

Unless he got kicked out.

Cale supposed there was always hope.

(Reply to this)


[info]the_instigators
2011-07-18 03:34 am UTC (link)
Madeleine already had plans for her first hex of the semester. For a moment, she almost considered going for her wand, but no, they were sitting in the middle of the Great Hall with all of the professors watching. There was no sense in getting herself in trouble this early on.

"Did you know your nose never-ever stops growing?" she asked instead. "So at least mine'll never get too big. Your nose is going to take over your face before third year comes around!"

With that said, she turned her attention to the blond boy instead. "I'm Madeleine," she said, giving him a nod and a grin. "You're Michael, right?"

(Reply to this)


[info]not_who_i_was
2011-07-18 03:41 am UTC (link)
"Cale is fine," he managed, not able to keep from watching Potter from the corner of his eye. "And you're... Madeleine?"

Potter looked indignant. You'd think no one had ever stood up to him before. Which, come to think of it, might be something of the problem. Cale couldn't imagine many people talking back to one of the Potter children.

Maybe some of that peripheral fame had gone straight to the other boy's head.

Cale smiled faintly at the thought of it. There was a sort of small satisfaction to be had when someone like Potter got a run for their money.

"Oy! Wright. Don't talk to her. She sounds like a cheese grater." James pulled a dramatic face. "If she keeps on going my ears might bleed."

Cale gave the other boy an incredulous look.

What exactly was a cheese grater supposed to sound like?

(Reply to this)


[info]the_instigators
2011-07-18 03:45 am UTC (link)
Oh, Madeleine knew exactly how to handle James now.

"Cale?" she repeated, ignoring James outright. "Where'd that come from?"

It wasn't a very good derivative, if that was what it was supposed to be! But of course, her Da had called her "Kit" for years, too, and it wasn't as though that had come from anything obvious...

(Reply to this)


[info]not_who_i_was
2011-07-18 03:52 am UTC (link)
Cale blinked. He had never been asked that before. Of course, he'd never been around other children much, either.

"Er... it's just my name. With the front end sort of hacked off. My sister thought it worked and everyone sort of picked up on it..." As he became aware he was rambling, he trailed off.

--

James frowned. Then scowled. "So I s'pose we'll call her 'Mad', then?"

He wasn't coming up with anything amazing. How was he supposed to retort when he was being ignored? Al usually didn't last long at that tactic, but he wasn't going to put it past the obnoxious blond girl to keep it up.

(Reply to this)


[info]the_instigators
2011-07-18 03:58 am UTC (link)
Madeleine frowned slightly. "But if it's supposed to be 'Michael' with the first part chopped off, wouldn't it be 'Cal'?" she wondered. And then shrugged. "But who'm I to argue with that? Cale it is!"

Still ignoring James. She actually wanted to go back to the conversation going on on her other side, but if James was still trying to get a rise out of her, she had to keep up the conversation with Cale. "So how long've you known about Hogwarts, anyways?" she asked. She'd met a fair-few Muggle-born wizards on the train to Hogsmeade--she was beginning to wonder if they weren't making up nearly half the new group of first years!

(Reply to this)


[info]not_who_i_was
2011-07-18 04:18 am UTC (link)
"Erm, since forever, I suppose." Cale tilted his head to one side, sizing Madeleine up for a moment. He hadn't considered that she might be Muggle-born. She seemed too confident about everything for that.

"And you?" he asked, curious now. "Were you prepared for the Sorting, or was this all new for you?"

--

James couldn't believe he was being ignored.

Well. He could, but he didn't want to.

This really was fairly new territory for him. Until now he had by and large mainly hung 'round with his cousins and various extended members of his family and friends of the family. All of that lot were fairly easy to deal with.

He needed reinforcements.

Peering down the table, James tried to spot his cousin or Teddy. He couldn't see Teddy (which meant nothing -- Teddy might be fooling around to the point that James wouldn't know him even if he saw him), but he did spot Fred near the end of the table. Too far off to be of much help.

James narrowed his eyes. He'd just have to take matters into his own hands.

He would bide his time until there was food to accidentally splatter at Winters.

(Reply to this)

Out of bed, no excuses!
[info]auror_clone
2011-07-18 05:07 am UTC (link)
The feast had really picked up for James once the start of term speech ended and the food appeared. Somehow between the old wizard talking and the loads of food that appeared he had forgotten all about his grudge against Winters.

After that it had been heading off to the new common room, remembering the password, and then all too soon classes had taken hold of his life.

While Winters may have been pushed from his mind, boredom had still managed to wriggle its way into his thoughts just the same as it always had at home. Along with a growing urge to stand out in some way. After the Sorting, James had found himself becoming just like any other first year.

He needed something that set him apart.

Meanwhile, while he tried to come up with the perfect scheme to propel himself into Hogwarts fame, James found himself lurking near the giant hourglasses that held the house points.

He'd left a note in the commons for anyone else out of bed at that hour to meet him there for an attack on Peeves. At this point James was thinking that no one had been brave enough (or had been awake) to take him up on his dare.

He had the feeling that the caretaker might be around at any moment, though. He'd only just missed him on his way down the changing staircase.

(Reply to this)


[info]the_instigators
2011-07-18 05:23 am UTC (link)
Madeleine, on the other hand, was lurking somewhere closer to the library.

She may have been swept up in the hullabaloo of the year beginning, but somewhere in the back of her mind, her desire to hex James Potter with a gigantic, bulbous nose still lurked. But she'd made friends with the girls in her year (well, for the most part; there was another blonde girl that seemed a little bit wary of her for some reason...), and had spent plenty of time running around the castle on her own time already.

On this particular night, she was off to find one of the paintings in the western wing. During one of their many late-night talks, one of the girls in her year had confessed to stumbling upon a couple of fifth-years snogging in one of the secret passages there. Madeleine had set out with a mind to hex the painting so that it would display whatever was behind it once it had closed. The charm was tricky, but she was sure that she'd be able to pull it off.

Now, she only had to find the painting that opened up to said secret passage...

(Reply to this)


[info]auror_clone
2011-07-18 05:34 am UTC (link)
Charms was something of a specialty for James.

He grinned to himself as he swished his wand again, muttering the spell he'd looked up earlier that evening. Before he had gotten tired of waiting, the hourglasses has been filled with coloured points for each house. Now each was filled with alternating red and gold points.

If he had been a wiser boy he would have left it at that.

Instead, he was resolutely trying to transfigure manes onto the statues of each of the house animals that sat atop the hourglasses. It wasn't going well.

Transfiguration, while not his worst subject, was not James' cup of tea.

"There." James grinned, admiring his work. The statues hadn't changed much, but it was good enough for him.

"Congratulations."

"Thank--" James stopped dead, shoulders hunching slightly as he realized he'd been caught.

"No, no." Quoft said, shaking his head as he stepped out of the shadows. "Thank you, Mr. Potter. Detention hasn't had a single taker since the term started. I've been waiting for someone to make an example of for the first years."

James paled, but managed a half grin. "Always glad to be of service."

(Reply to this)


[info]the_instigators
2011-07-18 05:51 am UTC (link)
Madeleine wasn't faring much better.

She'd found the painting she'd been looking for, and she'd cast her charm to great success. However, it was getting back to Gryffindor tower that had her all turned around. She'd found herself in a hall full of suits of armor, for the love of magic! She hadn't passed any suits of armor on her way there...!

Madeleine frowned, trying to reconcile her map of the castle during the day with what she was now seeing in the near-dark. Though her wand was lit, it was as dim as she dared to make it in an effort to move around undiscovered.

"Maybe down this hallway...?" she wondered to herself quietly.

"I believe Gryffindor tower would be the other way, Miss Winters."

Madeleine squeaked, whipping around to catch sight of the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. "Professor Scrims," she gasped, searching wildly for an excuse to use. "I was just--we have--"

"Don't try to give me an excuse," Scrims told her, looking tired. "I've no mind to play that game tonight."

"Even if it was a really, really good one?" Madeleine ventured, looking hopeful.

But her hopes were dashed as Scrims shook her head. "I think not. Quoft's office, if you please. I'm sure he's got several ideas for a suitable detention he'd be willing to share with us..."

Madeleine pulled a face as she followed after the portly man, sneaking a glance back toward the corridor the painting was done. At least she'd managed to hex it and get away first...?

(Reply to this)


[info]grim_sentinel
2011-07-18 05:58 am UTC (link)
"Two weeks?" James exploded, throwing his hands up in the air. "That's bloody bollocks! And inhumane!"

Quoft weathered the outrage from behind his desk, quietly regarding his steepled fingers. It was rare to get a first year with enough nerve to talk back, but not unheard of. He could deal with him well enough.

"Inhumane?" he asked with unending patience. "Only on Sundays, Mr. Potter. Keep that in mind. Now, before we decide what the actual substance of your punishment will be..."

Quoft paused, tilting his head to one side as a knock came on the door.

This was turning into a busy night. "Enter."

(Reply to this)


[info]the_instigators
2011-07-18 06:07 am UTC (link)
Madeleine winced at the sound of the caretaker's voice. She didn't care what the professors said; Quoft was a cranky old man and she was terrified to deal with him. But Professor Scrims wasn't aware of this; he pushed the door open and stuck his head inside. "Aha, Mr Potter," he said mildly. "Out of bed as well? You should know that bad things happen to students who don't get enough sleep at night." He turned back to Madeleine then, gesturing her inside.

"Another student out of bed for you, Quoft. Wandering the halls."

Madeleine stepped through the door, frowning, wondering for an instant why Scrims wasn't following her in--but the door shut after her and she turned to look at it. Scrims--Scrims had left her here! In the clutches of old Grumpypants Quoft!

Pulling another face, Madeleine turned back to face her doom.

...Potter was there, too? She hadn't thought he'd had it in him.

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[info]grim_sentinel
2011-07-18 06:17 am UTC (link)
"Have a seat, if you will, Miss Winters." Quoft pinched the bridge of his nose, praying for the fortitude to deal with students starting at rule-breaking so early in their wizarding careers.

It was his life's work to ensure that their first detention was their last, but at this time of night it was sometimes hard to muster up the energy to strike the fear of Merlin into their tiny little minds.

"Toilets," he mused. "How do you two feel about them?"

James expression froze. He had learnt from Teddy about Quoft. Not to even mention all the horror stories he'd heard from students since arriving at Hogwarts.

"Don't tell him anything," he advised out of the corner of his mouth. In this situation, the enemy of his enemy would need to be his friend.

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[info]the_instigators
2011-07-18 06:26 am UTC (link)
Like he was telling her anything she didn't already know! Madeleine had amassed several year's worth of detentions by this time from Muggle schooling, had gotten into trouble from her own parents, her friends' parents, even strangers in stores or parks--she had this thing.

"Cleaning toilets?" she guessed, both eyebrows raising slightly. "My mum used that punishment when I was eight."

There was a chance she was wrong, of course, but Madeleine's guess was that the one she was appalled by was going to be the one he laid on them. That had been the way her teachers functioned, at least!

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[info]grim_sentinel
2011-07-18 06:36 am UTC (link)
"Cleaning?" Quoft allowed himself a patronizing smile. "Hardly. I merely wished to point out that you're off to a fine start of flushing your magical careers down one of them."

He leaned back in his chair, regarding the two and sizing up what the best sort of punishment would be.

"First you will both be addressing owls back to your parents tonight. Ignoring this charge will be your first mistake."

He planned to send his own owl to each of their parents the following afternoon, taking special care to mention that the children should have already sent notification of their misdeeds.

"Afterward you're both to begin mopping the entirety of the toilets on each floor. No magic. I want every sink and mirror shining." He paused again, considering anything he'd left out. "If you finish that, I will give you another task to complete and another right until the beginning of your first class. Report back during every break."

If they wanted to be out of bed, he would aide them in their quest. If they were so concerned about wandering the castle at all hours of the night, sleep must not be a very high priority.

He lifted an eyebrow. "You're dismissed."

James.... narrowed his eyes. He didn't know exactly what the caretaker was playing at, but he wasn't sure the old man was going to actually follow through.

Writing home was one thing, but letting them continue staying out of bed?

James pulled a smirk into place. "Works for me."

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[info]the_instigators
2011-07-18 06:44 am UTC (link)
So Quoft was telling them that they had full reign of the castle for the night, so long as the bathrooms were scrubbed by morning?

She could do that.

"Sounds good," Madeleine said, grinning.

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[info]grim_sentinel
2011-07-18 06:47 am UTC (link)
"Of course it does."

Quoft lifted his coffee cup from its place at the corner of his desk and took a self-satisfied sip.

"I'll be along in half an hour to see to it that you've begun on the first floor toilets."

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[info]the_instigators
2011-07-18 06:54 am UTC (link)
"So we... can go?"

Madeleine hadn't been expecting that. She hadn't been expecting for Quoft to just... let them go.

But he was letting them go, sending them up to the owlery first to write home to their parents.

Madeleine gave it thirty seconds once they'd set out from Quoft's office, starting their steady way up the stairs.

Then, "Nice job, Potter, getting caught out of bed and setting the rest of the professors on edge."

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[info]auror_clone
2011-07-18 06:59 am UTC (link)
James had a little bounce in his step. Quoft wasn't nearly as bad as everyone made him out to be. This detention would be a breeze. Even if he was likely to get a Howler from his mum by breakfast if Hal flew too fast.

Winters wasn't going to get under his skin, either.

"How about you, Winters? You won't be so smug when everyone's talking about my prank tomorrow." He smirked, glancing over. "Did you even manage anything? You got caught too, in case you've forgotten."

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[info]the_instigators
2011-07-18 07:07 am UTC (link)
Madeleine was wearing a smirk to match James' own. "We'll see what Teddy Lupin and Victoire Weaseley have to say once they realize everybody's seen them snogging in the painting outside of the Transfiguration classroom. Or anyone else trying to claim that passage as their own."

For a moment she allowed herself to imagine the reactions from the rest of the student body, grinning to herself.

"What did you try to do, anyways? I saw you were trying to recruit help--ikkle Jamesiekins couldn't do it on his own?"

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[info]auror_clone
2011-07-18 07:13 am UTC (link)
James snorted, trying to cover his surprise -- Teddy was snogging who?!

"You'll find out with everyone else," James assured, taking the high road this time and resolutely ignoring the nickname. "And I just wanted to share my fame with someone less talented than myself. It's too bad no one was brave enough to come along."

And they called themselves Gryffindors!

That bit about Teddy, though... Now that he considered it, it seemed the perfect diversion to put into the letter to keep all of the unwanted attention and wrath of his mum from him!

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expression = madeleine's face right now. XD;;;;;
[info]the_instigators
2011-07-18 07:18 am UTC (link)
"Uh-huh," Madeleine said. "That just means it can't stand up to what I've done, doesn't it?"

Not that she was surprised, of course!

"It's all right, Jamesies. You don't have to feel bad about it."

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