G. Lippert - James Potter and the Curse of the Gatekeeper

"So maybe Merlin's trying to find the other half of the stone," Zane mused. "I just can't buy that he's gone over to the dark side."

"He wouldn't need to 'go over'," James said suddenly. "Ravenclaw said he was dead dangerous! Rose was right; Merlin was just a magical mercenary. He only stopped killing and cursing for hire when he fell in love with the Lady of the Lake. Then that turned out completely horrible and Merlin went mad with revenge. He ended up killing her without even knowing it! After that, he hated the whole world, magic and Muggle alike, so he took Slytherin's Beacon Stone and allowed the descent of the one creature who could end it all! We're fooling ourselves if we don't believe that."

Zane shook his head gravely. "I hope you're wrong, James, but if you aren't, you three better be very careful."

"The whole world better be careful," James answered morosely. "Not that it'll matter much. There's only one thing we can do to help now."

"What's that?" Rose asked.

"Watch Merlin," James answered meaningfully. "And try to find the two halves of the Beacon Stone."

With the Christmas holiday fast approaching, James found time slipping by in a blur. He had been determined to ask Ralph to take him down to the Slytherin common room so James could confront Albus about the missing Invisibility Cloak and Marauder's Map, but each evening seemed to magically fill up with homework and studying, preparations for the week's Defence Club meeting, play rehearsals, and costume fittings.

By the evening of the last Quidditch match of the year, James had still not spoken to Albus. He determined he would do it that night after the match. As an early winter dusk descended over the grounds, dark, ominous clouds were pushing in from the east. By the time James and Rose were sidling into their seats in the Gryffindor grandstand, fat snowflakes had begun to fall. The snow made a thick, white curtain, transforming the pitch into a ghostly shadow play. Across the pitch, the Slytherin grandstand was nothing but a tall grey monolith.

The players streaked from their holding pens, foregoing the traditional displays of aerial acrobatics for fear that they might crash into one another in the fog of snow even before the match began. Far below, barely visible, Gryffindor Captain Devindar Das shook hands with Tabitha Corsica, Slytherin's Captain. Shortly thereafter, the two captains kicked off, joining their teams in the air. Cabe Ridcully, the match official, released the Bludgers and Snitch and tossed the Quaffle into the waiting team formations. The teams sprang into action and the match was underway.

James found it a very difficult match to watch, and not just because of the thick, blinding snowfall. He was still smarting from his failure to make the team for the second year in a row, and especially because he'd simply been too distracted to remember when try-outs were. He cursed himself repeatedly, thinking it should be him out there facing off against Albus as Seeker. It was nothing short of completely humiliating that Albus was showing him up on the broom. Fortunately, being a Gryffindor, James could legitimately cheer for Albus' opponents without it seeming like sour grapes. When Noah swatted a well-placed Bludger at Albus, striking him in the back and nearly throwing him off his broom, James leapt to his feet, hooting derisively. A moment later, he felt slightly guilty. Then he remembered that, most likely, Al had nicked the Invisibility Cloak and Marauder's Map and left James to take the blame for it. He hooted some more, shouting for Noah to aim for the head next time.

In the end, despite a very closely played match, Gryffindor had won. Tara Umar, Gryffindor's Seeker, did a victory lap around the grandstands, Snitch held high, while the air rang with cheers and raucous commotion.

James clumped down the stairs two at a time, meaning to catch Albus while he was still on the field. He ran out onto the snow-dusted grass, looking left and right for his brother. Finally, he saw him with his broom slung over his shoulder and his head down, apparently in deep conversation with Tabitha Corsica and Philia Goyle. Feeling a mixture of triumphant spite and righteous anger, James charged directly toward them.

"We have to talk, Albus," he yelled over the noise of the departing crowd. "Mum sent me a Howler that should've been addressed to you, you know."

Albus didn't respond, but Tabitha and Philia looked up. Philia scowled at James, but Tabitha's eyes were strangely bright and expressionless. She saw James approaching but didn't say anything.

James stopped a few feet away, his face going red. He had the distinct impression that he was interrupting something, and felt infuriatingly awkward. He was supposed to have the upper hand in this situation, wasn't he? He cleared his throat loudly.

"I hear you," Albus declared without turning around. Tabitha glanced away, out into the strangely silent snowfall. After a moment, she took Albus' broom and walked slowly toward the Slytherin holding pen. Philia followed, throwing a black look back in James' direction.

"Your timing is pretty rotten, James," Albus said, turning around but not raising his eyes.

"Well, I'm terribly sorry. Shall I make an appointment with your scheduler? I assume 'Tabby' would be in charge of that, yes?"

"This isn't about me, you prat," Albus said, finally looking at James. "Tabitha is going through a very hard time. The loss tonight is sort of the last straw. It meant a lot to her. But I'm sure you couldn't care less about that. You only care when Gryffindors have problems."

James narrowed his eyes and spread his hands. "What are you talking about, Al? I've hardly seen a speck of you ever since you disappeared into that Slytherin dungeon! So who exactly doesn't care what's going on outside his own house, eh? And not that you'd care, but I have very good reasons for hating that two-faced viper! Where were you last year when she was calling our Dad a liar and a fraud?"

Albus shook his head, not meeting James' eyes. "That was then. The point is, James, you're a Gryffindor. You just don't understand the way she grew up and the things she's had to deal with. Of course I don't agree with everything they say down there, but you have to understand the way they've been taught. They have reasons for being angry. Especially Tabitha."

James could barely listen. He stomped his foot on the field and nearly cursed. "It doesn't matter! Albus, they're just using you. How can you not see it? They don't have hearts! They don't care about you. Especially that silver-tongued minx. You'll regret ever being taken in by them! And don't say I didn't warn you."

Albus lowered his brow and looked hard at James. "I promise I'll never say you didn't warn me, James. But I'll tell you right now that Tabitha has never talked to me the way you're talking to me right now. Nor has she ever talked about you the way you're talking about her. She's my friend. And to be honest, she needs friends right now— a lot more than I need a brother."

James wanted to spit with rage. How could Albus be so completely obtuse? Albus stared at him as if he was simply waiting for James to go away.

"You took the Invisibility Cloak and the Marauder's Map," James finally said, resorting to the one thing he knew he could feel indignant about.

Albus' face changed. He looked truly puzzled and a little wary. "What are you talking about, James?"

"Don't play all innocent with me, Al. You heard the Howler Mum sent me. Rose said everyone in the Great Hall heard it the other day at breakfast. She thinks I stole them, just because I borrowed them last year. You have to tell Mum the truth."