10. Hobgoblins: Stubby Boardman
–Stubby Boardman,†Harry breathed, wondering why this name had sounded familiar.
Sirius shook his head as if trying to unfog it. –He was older than us. He and his friends started a band in their seventh year.â€
Lupin laughed, even though his eyes were still sad. –They were terrible. They'd play in the Great Hall sometimes—â€
–Hang on,†Harry said, remembering where he had heard the name. –The Quibbler reckons he's you!†Harry looked at Sirius.
–What?†Sirius and Lupin both said together.
–Yeah, Luna Lovegood was telling me about it on the train. –He reckons that 'Sirius Black,'†Harry made air quotes, –Is really Stubby Boardman on the run.â€
Sirius let out a single high-pitched laugh. –That is the most absurd thing I've heard in a while.†He turned to the letter.
To the future Stubby Boardman,
Since we've got this large block of time, I figured I'd draft another set of lyrics for the Hobgoblins.
Oh, can you siiiiiiiiing?
Sing it like a crazy niffler
Sounds better than a high-pitched whistler,
Oh-oh, sing it out like an ugly troll
A-singin' through your soul
Oooh-oooh dance like a grindylow
A Patronus with a blue-white glow
Oooh-oooh dance like a big banshee
A-not a thestral you can't see
Just let your wand down, feel okay!
Let your wand down, hey hey hey!
I said, let your wand down, your magic is free!
Let your wand down, hey hey hey!
Jump like a ghoul on fire
Like a house elf that's just been hired,
Ooh-ooh jump like a doxy that's sprayed
Like a dementor out in the day
Aaaaaah, sing like a hinkypunk
Like a boggart with a big fat rump
Oh-oh sing like a Norwegian Ridgeback
Like a leprechaun content to kick back...
Harry narrowed his eyes. –That's just about the worst thing I've ever read.â€
Lupin laughed. –See what I mean?â€
Sirius grunted. –And we were all forced to 'free concerts' once a month. Their treat.â€
Lupin smiled. –Remember that time—â€
–Yeah,†Sirius cut in, turning to Harry. –James and I replaced the sound system with Screeching Speakers.â€
Lupin scrunched up his face in the apparently painful memory. –It was even worse than the band.†Sirius put down the letter and reached for the next.
---
11. Gilderoy Lockhart: Always the Charmer
Harry recognized the next handwriting at once. Deliberately graceful and painstakingly perfect—it had to be his second year Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.
–Gilderoy Lockhart,†the three of them said together.
–How do you know Lockhart?†Sirius said, raising his eyebrows.
–He taught my second year,†Harry answered. –His memory's gone, he had Ron's broken wand and it backfired.â€
Sirius smiled a little too gleefully. –He was a stupid, arrogant—â€
–Git,†Harry finished. –He lost me all the bones in my arm! But it's fine,†Harry said hurriedly, seeing Lupin's concerned look.
Sirius nodded. –Even in our time, he wasn't particularly smart or talented. He was just an easy charmer. In many senses of the word.†Harry snorted. It was definitely possible.
–Why was he trying to perform a Memory Charm on you?†Lupin asked.
–We were in the Chamber of Secrets. He was going to get the story out of us and then make a book out of it.â€
–I wouldn't put it past him,†Sirius said, and the three of them laughed in agreement.
My dearest Gilderoy,
My, my, are you looking dapper as ever today. You are in the best years of your life, so I expect you to take full advantage of it! Oh, remind yourself later today to apply for Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award, the deadline's Thursday. And you'll have to persuade that weedy boy Prinkett to give you his Defense Against the Dark Arts notes, but no matter, it'll be another opportunity to practice that Memory Charm, which is, by the way, getting to be your strongest spell. Oh—Grimelda White is looking at you again—flash a smile, atta boy! I should think that the third time she asks you out, it would be prudent to accept. You can't keep them waiting forever, you know.
Once I'm finished this year, that's it! I'm out! Out into the wide wide world, ready to share my talents. Now, I'm really not sure exactly how I will go about that; there are many ways to share my talents, but I was told by a very credible source that I am a fantastic writer. And with my innate abilities to get in with the right people and—er—get to know them, I should be doing fabulously in a couple years' time!
Most fondly,
Gilderoy Lockhart
Gilderoy Lockhart
Gilderoy Lockhart
Gilderoy Lockhart
Gilderoy Lockhart
Gilderoy Lockhart
–Blimey,†said Harry. –How many times can a man practice his own signature?â€
-----
12. James Potter: FIFTEEN YEARS
There was only one letter left in the pile, and Harry didn't know if he could bring himself to read it. If it wasn't from his father, he would probably be curious enough to raid McGonagall's office to find that missing letter. And if it was from his fifteen-year-old father, he was still a bit apprehensive.
Harry looked away as Lupin unfolded the piece of parchment, but Sirius and Lupin's silence was a dead giveaway.
–I remember this,†Sirius said, letting out a tiny, sad laugh. –He wouldn't show me what he was writing. Said it was really personal.†So was it a violation to read it, then? Were they disobeying his father's wishes? It felt odd, being here with his father's best friends, sharing old school memories. Feeling such a strong connection to everything, yet at the same time, none at all. It was as if he was suspended somewhere between actually being there in the moment and hearing about it from a far-off voice.
Lupin and Sirius were reading, and as much as Harry was reluctant to gaze upon his father's private letter, he found himself hungrily devouring word after word.
Dear James,
Lily Evans is watching me. I know it.
I wouldn't write this much if she wasn't. Seriously, in fifteen years, I'll still remember who I was in 1975. It's not like a person can change that drastically in fifteen years, right? In fifteen years, I'll probably have a job. Maybe I'll be an Auror, an Animagus would make a bloody brilliant Auror. I've always wanted to work with International Quidditch, but it seems almost like a waste with everything that's brewing right now. Mum said I'd never have to work, that they passed on enough gold to support me and a family for a lifetime. But what else would I do? I won't just sit around all day. Remus will definitely work—he'll be Minister of Magic before we know it. Sirius has as much chance of inheriting his family's fortune as I do of becoming best friends with Snivellus, and Pettigrew will probably be stuck testing cauldron bottom thickness. So really, I've got to find something.
Fifteen years is a long time. Maybe I'll be married. Maybe I'll have kids. Now that's a scary thought. I wish I was sitting next to Evans to see what she's writing. Does she want to get married? Does she want kids? The family cottage in Godric's Hollow; vacations on the seashore. We'll host quad-family dinners every Sunday...
This is a bit embarrassing. If anyone ever gets hold of this, I'll be finished. James Potter wanting a quiet lifestyle? Unheard of! Now Padfoot's trying to peek, I think this letter's over—better put it away before he sees it and announces to the whole school what a softy I am.
James –Prongs†Potter
Harry could guess as to why his father did not want this shared with anyone. He was 15, for Merlin's sake, yet he already had his entire life planned out. Harry blinked fervently, his throat growing hot. Out of this dream of his father's, Harry was the only thing that had survived.
Sirius put a hand on Harry's shoulder and Lupin sighed. –I think he would have wanted us to read it,†he said.
Harry waited a few seconds and cleared his throat. –Do you think it was all because my mother was watching?â€
Lupin shook his head. –He mentioned some of these things from time to time. He always wanted to live in Godric's Hollow. It's where his ancestors lived.â€
–And they always had us for dinner, too,†Lupin said, –Even though we saw each other much more often than once a week.â€
Sirius smiled, his eyes in a far-off place. –James and I used to take a ride on the motorcycle after dark, after the Muggle police wouldn't be able to see us. I remember when they were deciding on a name for you...†and Sirius relayed a story in which he and James had been caught by the Muggle police, and when asked for their names, they rattled off a few fake names James was brainstorming for Harry.
The three of them sat in silence for a while, Lupin and Sirius contemplating James, and Harry mentally running through all the stories he'd heard about his parents, trying to put them in order, and cement them to memory.
–Thanks,†he croaked finally with a watery smile. –Thanks for showing me these.†Even though it didn't all show everyone in the best light, especially his father, Harry could live with that. And he had written it, and that was as good a gift as any.
Lupin smiled wearily. –Merry Christmas.â€
Love, Hogwarts by Amortentia Black
Chapter Notes: Harry, Sirius and Remus read the last three letters in the stack: Stubby Boardman, Gilderoy Lockhart, and James Potter.
Chapter Endnotes: ------
That's it! These letters were character exercises for me in writing my full story. Next, I'll be posting a short story that takes place earlier, and afterwards I'll begin to post my full story (I've got 4 chapters written so far.) Follow me to stay updated!