Prequel Challenge - The Bike
This is a short piece I wrote for the HPN 800 Prequel Writing Challenge. It was written before the release of the prequel by J K Rowling and was named the entry most like J K Rowling's prequel. I am merely posting it here again so that things are all archived together.
The Bike
“So, what do you think?” asked Sirius Black, his grey eyes bright with anticipation.
James Potter looked at his friend, glanced at the dangerous looking contraption he’d apparently just purchased, and wondered what an appropriate response might be. He was amazed the machine had actually made it all the way from the shop, but somehow he didn’t think Sirius would appreciate that particular insight.
Sirius gave a fond sigh, running his hand along the surface of the motorbike. “She’s a beauty, isn’t she?”
“She?”
“She.” Sirius nodded firmly. “I’ve been trying to think of a name for her. What do you think of Mary Sue?”
“I think you’ve lost it completely,” James muttered under his breath.
Sirius turned to protectively shield the bike from James. “Don’t you listen to him, darling. He’s just jealous.”
“You’re not really going to ride it, are you?” James asked, doubting his friend’s sanity more with every minute.
“Of course, I can’t leave her to go rusty from lack of use,” Sirius replied.
“Go rusty?” queried James, his tone more than slightly sarcastic. He pointed at a rather worn patch of rust to emphasise his point.
Sirius pulled out his wand and pointed it at the spot. “Nothing a little magic can’t fix,” he said, and James watched as the metal repaired itself.
“Did you apply to the Ministry for permission to make it fly?” James asked, knowing the answer even before he’d finished the question.
“Not exactly.”
“You’re not going to apply, are you?”
“Since when do Marauders ask for permission to do something?” Sirius scoffed. “Apart from the henpecked variety of Marauder, who can’t set foot outside the door without permission from the little woman.” He grinned to take the edge off his words.
James watched Sirius gently wipe imaginary smears of dirt from the metal. “You really need to get yourself a girl,” he teased.
“What for?” Sirius retorted. “You’re henpecked enough for the both of us.”
“Lily and me…” James hesitated a moment; he’d been trying to bring the subject up ever since Sirius had arrived, but had been unable to find the words.
“What about you two?” Sirius replied distractedly.
“We’ve set a date,” James blurted, his words stumbling over each other in their eagerness to leave his mouth. “For the wedding, I mean. And we’d like … I’d … would you…”
“Would I what?” Sirius interrupted.
“Would you be best man?” James finally asked. He didn’t know why he was nervous. He and Sirius had been best friends since their first day at Hogwarts. He knew nothing should change that, but for some unknown reason, James could feel their friendship changing into something different to how it had been.
He felt Sirius pull him into a fierce hug, as he told him that he’d be delighted to be best man, and would set about organising the Stag Night right away.
As he listened to Sirius discuss plans for the Stag Night, James felt an inexplicable desire to embark on another adventure…before the time for mischief and mayhem had passed them by completely.
“Let’s go for a ride,” he suggested, interrupting Sirius’s contemplation about which of their school friends should be invited to the Stag Night.
“Really?” Sirius asked, clearly wondering James’ rapid change of heart. “If you’re really up for it, how about this weekend?”
“Now,” James argued. “Before I change my mind.”
“But she doesn’t fly yet.”
“Perfect!”
“Afraid?” Sirius teased.
“I’ve seen you handle a broom,” James pointed out with a smirk. “You fly like a madman, and I’ll give it a month before you crash this contraption.”
“Tsk, tsk.” Sirius shook his head in mock disappointment. “Oh ye of little faith.”
“You want to show off your skills with this muggle monstrosity?” James asked, taking a hesitant step towards the bike.
Sirius grinned widely and swung himself onto the bike. “Climb aboard, Mr Prongs, your chariot awaits.”
James waited only a moment before joining him.
“Ready?” Sirius asked. He didn’t wait for James’ reply and took off down the lane at a speed James wouldn’t have thought possible without magic.
It was exhilarating, and James soon relaxed into the movements of the bike. They practically flew down the lane, villages passing them in a blur.
-o-xXx-o-
“Do you have any idea how fast you were going?” the muggle police officer asked.
“Think I got it up to sixty,” Sirius gloated.
“Licence, please?”
“Licence?”
“You do have a licence to drive this bike?”
“Er…”
“Name?”
Sirius looked at the bike. “I’m thinking of Mary Sue.”
“Your name!”
“Sirius Black.”
“Sirius Black, I am placing you under arrest for driving without a licence…”
James sighed and pulled out his wand. The sooner Sirius had the bike in the air, the better.
The Bike
“So, what do you think?” asked Sirius Black, his grey eyes bright with anticipation.
James Potter looked at his friend, glanced at the dangerous looking contraption he’d apparently just purchased, and wondered what an appropriate response might be. He was amazed the machine had actually made it all the way from the shop, but somehow he didn’t think Sirius would appreciate that particular insight.
Sirius gave a fond sigh, running his hand along the surface of the motorbike. “She’s a beauty, isn’t she?”
“She?”
“She.” Sirius nodded firmly. “I’ve been trying to think of a name for her. What do you think of Mary Sue?”
“I think you’ve lost it completely,” James muttered under his breath.
Sirius turned to protectively shield the bike from James. “Don’t you listen to him, darling. He’s just jealous.”
“You’re not really going to ride it, are you?” James asked, doubting his friend’s sanity more with every minute.
“Of course, I can’t leave her to go rusty from lack of use,” Sirius replied.
“Go rusty?” queried James, his tone more than slightly sarcastic. He pointed at a rather worn patch of rust to emphasise his point.
Sirius pulled out his wand and pointed it at the spot. “Nothing a little magic can’t fix,” he said, and James watched as the metal repaired itself.
“Did you apply to the Ministry for permission to make it fly?” James asked, knowing the answer even before he’d finished the question.
“Not exactly.”
“You’re not going to apply, are you?”
“Since when do Marauders ask for permission to do something?” Sirius scoffed. “Apart from the henpecked variety of Marauder, who can’t set foot outside the door without permission from the little woman.” He grinned to take the edge off his words.
James watched Sirius gently wipe imaginary smears of dirt from the metal. “You really need to get yourself a girl,” he teased.
“What for?” Sirius retorted. “You’re henpecked enough for the both of us.”
“Lily and me…” James hesitated a moment; he’d been trying to bring the subject up ever since Sirius had arrived, but had been unable to find the words.
“What about you two?” Sirius replied distractedly.
“We’ve set a date,” James blurted, his words stumbling over each other in their eagerness to leave his mouth. “For the wedding, I mean. And we’d like … I’d … would you…”
“Would I what?” Sirius interrupted.
“Would you be best man?” James finally asked. He didn’t know why he was nervous. He and Sirius had been best friends since their first day at Hogwarts. He knew nothing should change that, but for some unknown reason, James could feel their friendship changing into something different to how it had been.
He felt Sirius pull him into a fierce hug, as he told him that he’d be delighted to be best man, and would set about organising the Stag Night right away.
As he listened to Sirius discuss plans for the Stag Night, James felt an inexplicable desire to embark on another adventure…before the time for mischief and mayhem had passed them by completely.
“Let’s go for a ride,” he suggested, interrupting Sirius’s contemplation about which of their school friends should be invited to the Stag Night.
“Really?” Sirius asked, clearly wondering James’ rapid change of heart. “If you’re really up for it, how about this weekend?”
“Now,” James argued. “Before I change my mind.”
“But she doesn’t fly yet.”
“Perfect!”
“Afraid?” Sirius teased.
“I’ve seen you handle a broom,” James pointed out with a smirk. “You fly like a madman, and I’ll give it a month before you crash this contraption.”
“Tsk, tsk.” Sirius shook his head in mock disappointment. “Oh ye of little faith.”
“You want to show off your skills with this muggle monstrosity?” James asked, taking a hesitant step towards the bike.
Sirius grinned widely and swung himself onto the bike. “Climb aboard, Mr Prongs, your chariot awaits.”
James waited only a moment before joining him.
“Ready?” Sirius asked. He didn’t wait for James’ reply and took off down the lane at a speed James wouldn’t have thought possible without magic.
It was exhilarating, and James soon relaxed into the movements of the bike. They practically flew down the lane, villages passing them in a blur.
-o-xXx-o-
“Do you have any idea how fast you were going?” the muggle police officer asked.
“Think I got it up to sixty,” Sirius gloated.
“Licence, please?”
“Licence?”
“You do have a licence to drive this bike?”
“Er…”
“Name?”
Sirius looked at the bike. “I’m thinking of Mary Sue.”
“Your name!”
“Sirius Black.”
“Sirius Black, I am placing you under arrest for driving without a licence…”
James sighed and pulled out his wand. The sooner Sirius had the bike in the air, the better.