Alley Wanderings and Ghost Stories
“So he’s not coming?”
“He said he’s sorry.”
“But you planned it so there weren’t any full moons and he’d be able to come. Was he still sick from the last one?”
“No, he looked fine. But he was really distracted and said he didn’t have time to talk. He also said not to wait for him to go to Diagon Alley when the booklists come, he won’t have time to go with us.”
“He won’t have time to get his school things with us? That’s the only other time we could’ve seen him.”
“That’s what he told me.”
“Did he at least say why he’s not coming?”
“Said it was a family problem, he didn’t want to explain.” James threw himself backwards on his bed and stared at the ceiling. “That kid has more problems than anyone I’ve ever met.”
“Yeah, but they’re not all his fault,” Sirius pointed out reproachfully, sitting down at the head of the bed and folding his arms across his chest.
“Wish he could’ve come,” Peter lamented as he took a seat on the floor, drawing his knees up to his chest.
“He left us his Animagus book, though.” James jerked his thumb towards his desk and they saw their friend’s birthday present lying on top. “That was why he just didn’t send me an owl. He Flooed over to give me that, said we should practise even if he isn’t here.”
Peter stood up to retrieve the book. Flipping through the pages, he sat down in between James and Sirius. “How are we supposed to do this?” he muttered. They knew from the beginning that this would be difficult to master; they may not even get it until after school finished. James and Sirius always managed to do anything they truly set their minds to, but Peter wasn’t so sure he would be able to do it. He was not unintelligent by any means; he just had a harder time at accomplishing challenging tasks than his friends did. He knew they would help him. He was not about to be left out on something as exciting as becoming an Animagus.
“My parents will be out tomorrow, and Willie won’t bother us,” James said, pulling his trainers on. “We can practise in the library.” He jumped off his bed and headed to the door. “Come on, Mum said she would let us go to Diagon Alley with her.”
Peter set the book down and he and Sirius hurried to follow James out the door, pulling their shoes on as they did so. James’s mother was waiting by the fireplace, the bowl of Floo Powder sitting in the palm of her hand. Mrs. Potter had a few errands to run and knew the boys would enjoy going to with her. They could look around while she did her shopping.
When they all emerged on the other side, in the Leaky Cauldron, they saw that, once again, the barroom was considerably empty. Tom the barman grinned wryly at them as he repeatedly rubbed the same spot on the counter with his bar rag. Mrs. Potter led them off to the alley in the back where they were confronted with a seemingly unmoving brick wall. Mrs. Potter tapped the correct brick and the wall part in half, allowing them entrance into the shopping street. Diagon Alley was rather empty, which didn’t surprise them in the least. The booklists had yet to arrive and they were only meant with older shoppers or people who just needed to get out of the house.
Mrs. Potter had to pick up a set of books at Flourish and Blotts. She was forever adding to the library and set of books she quite liked had had just been sent to the shop. She left the boys to wander about, and only instructed to meet her in the Leaky Cauldron at four. As Mrs. Potter walked up the cobblestone street the boys stood in the same spot, confused. They didn’t know quite where to go. They would usually have to go to the stores where they would get their school supplies, but they had none to get at the moment. Now they were at liberty to go wherever they liked. James immediately suggested Quality Quidditch Supplies. He had heard rumors of a new broomstick model being in and he wanted to check it out.
“You already have a broom,” Peter reminded him as they set a course for the shop.
“So, because I have a broom, I can’t look?”
“You don’t look, James. You drool,” Sirius mocked, earning a slap on the side of the head. They entered the store and James searched the store for any sign of the new broomstick, only to find none. Peter and Sirius laughed quietly as James’s face fell into a state of disappointment. He sulked around the shop for another few minutes before declaring defeat. They exited the shop and were, once again, unsure of where to go. Had there actually been a new broomstick model, it would have killed some time.
Coming out of Quality Quidditch Supplies, the boys made a beeline for Eeylops Owl Emporium. Peter’s parents had promised they would get him an owl for his thirteenth birthday and he wanted to get a head start looking, so he could drop obvious hints. A bell tinkled as James pushed the door open and they were met with the quiet hooting of numerous owls of various kinds “ Barn, snowy white Scoop. James, who already had the family owl at his disposal and did not want one of his own, spent his time sitting next to a snowy white owl, gently stroking the back of its head. Sirius knew that a personal owl was a far cry from reality, and joined James as they waited for Peter to find one he really liked.
“That one’s nice, Pete,” James said, nodding towards a brown owl speckled with black. Peter moved towards it for closer inspection. The owl was nice; it had golden eyes that caught the light in a strange fashion. But it wasn’t exactly what Peter was looking for. He wove his way further into the store, looking at the owls in the very back. He saw a pitch black owl, which shocked him. He didn’t think owls could ever be all black. He had never seen one like it. To contrast its dark feathers were its lightly coloured eyes that stood out extensively. Though initially surprised, Peter took a liking to the owl and decided that this would be the one he would hint to his parents for.
“Hey, let’s go to the Magical Menagerie,” Sirius suggested as they exited the Emporium. The Magical Menagerie was a pet store but, unlike Eeylops Owl Emporium, it contained more than simply owls. It held everything from magical, dancing rats to large furry cats. As they made their way to the pet store, Sirius’s eyes caught a head of sleek blonde hair that was all too familiar to him “ Lucius Malfoy. His eyes continued to follow the Slytherin’s progress down the street. Malfoy stopped and cast a covert glance at his surroundings, before turning off into a dark side street. It was Knockturn Alley, a street full of shops dedicated solely to the Dark Arts.
“What are you looking at, Sirius?” Peter asked when he noticed Sirius was distracted by something.
“Narcissa’s boyfriend,” Sirius replied grimly, nodding towards the head of blonde hair, which was still visible in the darkened alleyway.
“Lucius Malfoy?” James said, remembering an occurrence in their first year that involved Malfoy calling Sirius a “disappointment” to the Black Family. The pair had graduated from school the previous year, something for which Sirius was eternally grateful.
“What’s he doing down there?” Peter wondered. If someone trekked down Knockturn Alley, it usually meant they were up to no good.
“Are you kidding? That’s where he belongs.” Sirius moved closer to the entrance and glanced over his shoulder at his friends, a mischievous smile playing at his lips. “Let’s follow him.”
“Are you mad?” Peter hissed. He had no intentions of ever going down that street.
“What’s the harm in it?”
“We get caught by some crazy Dark wizards?”
“Don’t be such a coward, Peter.”
“Hold on,” James said suddenly, cutting off Peter’s retort. He shoved his hand in his robe pocket and withdrew a silvery cloak. “We’ll use the cloak.”
“Why do you have that?”
“In case Sirius got the idea to wander down Knockturn Alley, of course.” He rolled his eyes. “My dad told me to carry it around with me.”
He led the two over towards the entry and, casually checking their surroundings, tossed the cloak over the three of them. They had to crouch lower than usual, as all three of them had grown considerably. They didn’t want their feet to be seen. They crept stealthily into the darkened street, sidestepping a grim-looking witch who was muttering madly to herself. Lucius’s head was no longer in sight; he must have turned into one of the shops. James and Peter, who were on either side of Sirius and had better views of the stores, peered through the windows. Lucius must have been moving quickly, as he was not in any businesses closest to the entrance.
“There he is,” James whispered, pointing into the window of Borgin and Burkes. Lucius’s back was to them as he conversed with a slimy man behind the counter. They neared the building and Sirius’s hand was on the doorknob before James stopped him. “Too obvious.”
Neither of the boys could hear the conversation going on in Borgin and Burkes, but they were sure it was about nothing admirable. All they could do was take in the forbidding décor of the shop. Even if the establishment had not been placed in the middle of a street devoted to the Dark Arts, it would have been painfully obvious where the owner’s allegiance laid. The minimal lighting cast a murky glow around, illuminating only the objects it could catch in the light. There were skulls mounted on the cluttered shelves, caskets standing against the walls, cabinets that looked as if they would never let you out if you made the mistake of stepping inside.
Sirius’s gaze focused on his cousin’s boyfriend and the man behind the counter. It seemed to be an irritated conversation, mostly on the part of the worker. His eyes were dangerously narrowed and his mouth drawn into a tight frown. Lucius must have been talking very low; he was bent forward and the man had inclined his ear. Sirius recalled a time earlier that summer, when Narcissa had brought Lucius by the house; he had spoken to Sirius in a very low, intimidating voice. That must have been the manner in which he was speaking at that moment. When Lucius backed away, he held out his hand, the man taking it only reluctantly. Sirius wished he could see the expression on Lucius’s face; it would give him some sort of indication as to what had happened.
“Here he comes,” James said, holding out his arm to back Sirius and Peter away from the opening door. Lucius exited the shop, a smug smile etched on his face. He cast another look around and swept up the street and back into Diagon Alley, all the while cleaning his hand on the inside of his robe.
“Where did you three go today?” Mrs. Potter asked curiously when she met the boys at the Leaky Cauldron a few hours later. The boys had spent their remaining time wandering the cobblestone streets aimlessly, talking heatedly about what they had seen. They knew Lucius Malfoy was scum, but they couldn’t think of why he was consulting in Knockturn Alley.
“Nowhere really,” James replied vaguely. “Went to Eeylops, Quality Quidditch Supplies.”
“Did they have the new broom you heard about?”
“No, it was only a rumor.”
“Well, come on, then. Your father said he was getting home early today.”
The three boys followed Mrs. Potter over to the fireplace, deciding silently that it was best she did not know about their trek into Knockturn Alley.
The boys sat in the library of James’s house, flipping anxiously through the pages of Remus’s Animagi book. They started with the Patronus that they had read about at school. It was described as a spell that was well beyond the Ordinary Wizarding Level. They had two years before they would take their O.W.L. exams, how were they to perform this? It didn’t sound difficult when written down, but when put into execution it would probably prove to be a challenge. They had to concentrate on the happiest memory they could remember and a silvery substance would erupt from their wands, turning into an animal that related to their personality.
“Wait a moment,” James said. “We can’t do this.”
“Why not?” Sirius asked, frustrated. They had been sitting for an hour, doing nothing except reading a book that was getting them nowhere.
“We can’t do magic outside of school!”
“Merlin,” Peter muttered, slumping back in his seat. “How are we going to get anywhere?”
“Don’t ask me.” James slammed the book shut. He stood up and walked around the room, irritated. How were they to make any progress if they could not use their magic outside of school? They couldn’t risk being expelled; their efforts would be for nothing. They couldn’t help Remus if they were kicked out of school. “Maybe we can just think of anything that would be a happy memory, so we don’t have to waste time with that when we try our Patronuses.”
And so they did. James dug out the notebook he had used the previous year when they were tracking down Remus’s disappearances, and started a new section on their Animagi training sessions. Sirius didn’t have to waste any time thinking up his happiest memory. When he was Sorted into Gryffindor rather than Slytherin, nothing could quite beat that moment. James sat a little longer, his quill poised, but his mind at a standstill. He had no significantly terrible experiences to compare the good ones with. He had to sort through his happy memories and finally came upon his first trip on the Hogwarts Express where he met his three best friends. It took Peter even longer to come up with a happy memory, but he decided to go with the first time he successfully transfigured something in school.
“What do we do after we get our Patronus form?” Peter asked Sirius, who was skimming through the book.
“Uh… we brew a potion with the hairs of whatever our animal is,” Sirius replied slowly, reading the instructions. “Sounds a bit like a Polyjuice Potion. It’s really difficult to brew. I guess James and I will work on that.”
“What if we’re some really exotic animal that’s impossible to find?” James asked playfully.
“I doubt any of us will be a tropical fish. If we were, we’d have a hard time getting hair.”
“I fancy myself as a majestic horse.” James drew himself up, lifting his chin and placing his hands on his hips.
Sirius snickered at his friend’s pathetic pose. “I fancy you as a slimy slug.”
“Whatever our form is depends on our personalities,” Peter plowed on, diverting James’s impending retort. “They put some examples on this page.” He pushed the book forward so James and Sirius could get a better look. There were the personality traits listed in a column on the left, and a number of possible animal correspondents on the right. Loyalty was befitting of a dog, slightly touched in the head corresponded with a hummingbird. The boys couldn’t pinpoint their perfect match; they could only narrow it down to about fifteen choices each.
James collected the book and tucked it under his arm. “It was worth a shot.” He shrugged and led the way back to his room so he could stow the book away until he could give it back to Remus. Remus didn’t give a time when he would come back for it; he didn’t say much of anything while he was there. James had been sitting by the fireplace, lounging in one of the comfortable armchairs, when the emerald flames unexpectedly erupted under the mantle. Startled, James nearly fell forward onto the floor, but recovered himself long enough to recognise the sandy haired boy that had come stumbling over the grate, covered in soot.
Remus’s face was pale and his eyes focusing on everything and nothing. He had never been to the Potters’ before, but didn’t even seem to take in his new surroundings. He was clutching his book in a vice-like grip, before pushing it into James’s arms. He spoke quickly, saying something was going on at home and he was really sorry, but he just couldn’t come and visit. He wasn’t even supposed to be there at that moment. His parents had no idea. Before James could even get a word out, Remus had gone back through the fireplace and Flooed home. James couldn’t understand it, what was happening that caused him to behave like that?
The boys were stumped on what to do. They could not practise becoming Animagi, due to their inability to do magic at the present. Peter would protest playing Quidditch and it was nowhere near warm enough to go swimming at the lake. Sirius was gazing out at the evening sky, purplish and still as twilight fell. Mr. and Mrs. Potter had returned from work and errands, and were in the downstairs. Mrs. Potter was fixing dinner and Mr. Potter was probably reading the paper, or else having a quiet conversation with his wife.
“I have an idea,” Sirius said suddenly, breaking his gaze away from the window.
“What?” James asked from his bed.
“Is there any spare wood around here?”
James sat up, looking befuddled. “Out back, why?”
“After dinner, why don’t we take any sweet we can put on a stick and roast them over a fire? Tell ghost stories like Muggles do.”
“Do you know any good ones?” Peter asked skeptically.
“Of course I do. I’ve seen pictures of it… I heard some kids who take Muggle Studies talking about it.”
“Hey, how do your parents feel about you taking that class?” James asked inquisitively.
“Thrilled… If I keep this up they may blast me off the family tree.” Sirius stood up and peered at his two friends. “So are we going to do that or just sit here bored?”
After dinner with James’s parents, the boys raided the kitchen for anything they could put on a stick. After fifteen minutes, they made their way to the backyard, their arms laden with Chocolate Frogs, marshmallows, and Cauldron Cakes (only because James begged) and set them down on the grass. James led the way to the area where his father kept the firewood. It was stacked in a neat pile beside the door to the kitchen. The curtains were pulled back from the door and they could see Willie bustling about, doing her nightly scrub. They collected the logs and brought them back to where they had deposited their candy.
“Who can light it?” Peter asked as he put the last log in place.
James volunteered and pulled out a pack of matches he had swiped from the kitchen. Sirius, bewildered, asked why his parents would have matches. James shrugged; sometimes his mother preferred doing things the Muggle way. He struck the match against the box and set the flame to the log nearest to him. The pile erupted, illuminating the dark night sky and giving the area a frightening atmosphere. The boys sat down and began spearing their candy onto their sticks and roasting them over the roaring flame.
“Okay, who’s going first?” James asked, blowing furiously on a flame that had found its way onto his Cauldron Cake.
Sirius grinned evilly. “I think I will.” He bit off his Chocolate Frog’s leg and stood up, pacing around the fire, deep in thought. “Okay, then.” He spun around, now standing opposite James and Peter across the fire. “I suppose neither of you have ever wondered about Inferi?” James and Peter shook their heads. “Well, you see, Inferi… they’re not very nice little beasts. Reincarnated dead… brought back to life, though not exactly living. They’re corpses, you see. If someone’s feeling particularly evil… they’ll animate the corpses so they can attack poor unsuspecting people. A lot of times they’ll go after innocent boys… girls too.”
There was a noise that James and Peter couldn’t distinguish, but it didn’t seem to bother Sirius.
“There was this one time, in Bulgaria I believe, where a town was ravaged by these monsters. It was a dark, calm summer night… very much like this. The town was having a bonfire; having a great time, singing and dancing… eating sweets on sticks… and all of the sudden they had some unwelcome visitors. The Inferi didn’t hesitate to rip to shreds anyone who was not nearest to the fire, because Inferi can’t stand the light. So it was a real shame when it started raining and the fire was extinguished. No one was safe after that. The night was filled with these innocent peoples’ cries as the Inferi ripped them limb from limb.” Sirius paused for a moment to take in the terrified faces of his companions. “Anyway, legend goes that the people who died, their spirits still haunt that Bulgarian village. On late summer nights you can still hear their cries. The Inferi that killed them… well, they’ve moved on. They’ve traveled far and wide to find new prey. Often they go after people with fires, so the rain can just,” Sirius snapped his finger and the fire was out, “put the fire out.”
James and Peter jumped out of their seats and ran to the house so quickly that they could not even see what the cause was. Sirius, however, stood happily in his place, laughing loudly beside a short, pointy-eared figure. He held out his hand, which the figure took. “Thanks, Willie. You’re the best.”
The Potters’ House Elf stood beside Sirius, holding an empty bucket. “You is welcome, Master Sirius.”