James didn’t eat during the feast. He just got as far as poking his fork at the chicken. His entire appetite had disappeared. Usually, James threw mashed potatoes at Snape’s and Malfoy’s backs, but now, he didn’t feel like sharing jokes with Sirius, or talk about their plans for next full moon with Remus.
“Hey,” Sirius said, “That chicken is already dead. You can eat it now, mate.”
“Sorry,” James muttered, “But… I’m just not hungry…”
“Don’t worry, Prongs,” Remus comforted, “Lily will be just fine.”
“How would you know? You weren’t there! Do you really want to know how close that dementor got to her? This close!” He demonstrated with his fingers. Several people turned their heads and began to eavesdrop on James, thirsty for the truth.
“Actually, I didn’t want to know, James.” Peter looked sickly at his food and dropped his fork.
“She got immediate treatment. Remember on the train platform?” Remus reminded James, quietly. “There was Professor McGonagall, most of the other teachers, Hagrid-”
“Heck, even Dumbledore was there,” Sirius remarked.
“Of course Dumbledore would be there…” James grumbled. He looked up at the teachers’ table up front. Dumbledore was deep in conversation with Professor McGonagall.
About the dementor, no doubt, James thought.
Suddenly, Dumbledore stood up and raised his arms. The Great Hall fell silent and all eyes were on Dumbledore.
Dumbledore lowed his arms and started to state the usual: Quidditch try-outs, rules, etc.
Remus kept paying attention to Dumbledore, even though he had memorized all the rules and, frankly, had absolutely no chance of making the Gryffindor Quidditch team even if James had put a spell on his broom.
Sirius, however, took his spoon and began flinging peas at Snape. Peter giggled every time Sirius managed to fling a pea that would stick to Snape’s greasy head.
“And to conclude,” Dumbledore finally announced, “I would like to note about the event on the train this afternoon.”
Sirius paused in mid-flick and Peter choked on his giggling. Everyone who had lost focus during the headmaster’s speech was now looking up, attentively.
“I know that many interpretations of what happened are already filling your minds, but the truth has nothing to do with evil gnomes, I assure you.”
“Than what did happen?” James heard a Hufflepuff boy whisper to his friend. James rolled his eyes.
“I received an urgent letter from the Hogwarts Express,” Dumbledore continued (James could have sworn that Dumbledore glanced at him), “Declaring that the power had gone out.”
There were murmurs of agreement throughout the hall.
“And… I was also informed that a student had been attacked… by a dementor.”
Gasps, followed by more murmurs, spread through the great hall a second time.
James ran his hand through his hair. Did Dumbledore have to be so dramatic? Even Sirius could have said it less dramatically…
“Oh, no…” James heard Julianne say, “Lily!” James’s eyes turned to Julianne and her ring of friends.
“What?” one of her friends, with long, curly blonde hair and blue eyes, asked, “The dementor attacked Lily?”
“Yes, Amy!” Julianne whispered hoarsely, “That’s why I didn’t see her all train ride! I only saw her right before the train began to move!”
“Who was she with last?” another brown-haired girl, Lily’s friend from Hufflepuff, asked. Julianne leaned over to reach her and replied, “Amos Diggory, Alice… at least I think so…”
Alice glanced over at the Ravenclaw table and saw Amos Diggory pretending to be dementors with his pals, scaring a group of girls.
James growled under his breath. Amos Diggory was, if possible, acting more arrogant than him!
“Doesn’t look too upset, does he?” Alice wondered.
“I don’t think so…” Amy agreed.
Dumbledore raised his hands again signaling for more silence. The quiet came slowly, but surely.
“We are still trying to discover the sender of the dementor-”
“Voldemort!” Sirius coughed. The entire hall flinched at the sound of the name, except for James, Remus, and Dumbledore.
“That will be enough, Mr. Black,” Dumbledore warned. Sirius, however, seemed very pleased with himself at being called “Mr. Black” because he sat up straighter and smiled.
“Guards are being posted all around Hogwarts and special charms were cast over more vulnerable locations at Hogwarts,” Dumbledore carried on, “But… tonight, I strongly recommend caution to all. You are all dismissed.”
A few seconds lingered of silence fluttered over the students. When James could bear the silence any longer, he stood up and walked towards the exit of the Great Hall. Clatter and speaking came to life, for James had broken the silence.
Prefects began calling out for first years and everyone else headed to their dormitories.
“Hey, James!” Remus yelled.
“What?”
“What’s the password, mate?” Sirius asked.
“Stardust.” Peter began giggling again and Sirius fell over in breathless laughter. Even Remus grinned from ear to ear.
“Stardust? You’re joking right, James?”
“Star dust is a funny password, but wait until you forget it, and THEN we’ll see what’s funny. Plus, no Slytherin will ever be caught saying that word.”
Sirius stuck out his tongue at James and James stuck it back.
“Well, you won’t hear me say ‘stardust’ either,” Sirius nagged.
“Well, good luck getting into the common room.” At that, James turned on his heal and headed to the greenhouses, where he thought he’d find something for a special person.