Ficcy Fic
There were five dark rooms; empty except for two chairs and the people who sat in them. In each room, the same conversation was taking place.
“If you choose to be reborn, you will spend the first few years of your life unaware of your past life. You will be a normal child in every way. No memories of anything in your past. Then on your twelfth birthday you will remember everything. Who you were before, that is, who you are now, and this conversation and the choice you made to be reincarnated. If you agree, then you will close your eyes. And when you open them, you will be a twelve-year-old child…somewhere. Now, this is an important choice that cannot in any way be influenced by others. I cannot allow you to leave this room to confer with your friends, although I know they are being offered this same choice. If you accept, then you will go. If your friends have accepted, you’ll find them. If they have not, then when you die you know they will be here waiting…
What is your answer?” was asked five times.
And five answers followed…….
James Potter was not enjoying himself. In fact, he didn’t think the day could get any worse. They had been on the train for two hours and the boy next to him had only stopped speaking when the snack trolley went by. And that had been an hour ago.
“And are there really ghosts? Will we see them? Oh man, that sounds scary. They don’t haunt you or anything do they? Mum said the Slytherin ghost is the worst. I think I’d just die if I end up in Slytherin. I don’t want to! Dad says its okay, but really, I think that’d be awful, don’t you, James?” the boy wailed.
“Merlin’s nuts’ on a stick! Will you just shut up, Al?” James finally snapped.
His little brother’s mouth snapped shut and he looked at James in shock.
“You’re not supposed to take Merlin’s name in vain,” he whispered in horror.
“Why aren’t you with Rose?” James asked. “And isn’t Alice Longbottom starting this year too? I bet they’re together someplace.”
“I don’t know what compartment they went into.”
“Well go find them!”
“How?”
James sighed heavily. “Go out the door. Pick a direction and walk until the train ends. If they aren’t that way, then turn around and do it again.”
Albus considered this for a moment and then nodded. “Okay.”
James looked out of the window and sighed again. He’d assumed someone would come find him. Just over a month ago he’d woken up on his twelfth birthday to realize that he was no longer James Sirius Potter, but James Godric Potter reincarnated. After coming to terms with the fact his son was his father (which still disturbed him on a few levels) he had spent the summer eagerly waiting his return to Hogwarts. Armed with his newly remembered knowledge of the school he’d be able to once again raid the kitchens and sneak to Hogsmeade. Best of all, his friends would all have their memories back too and the Marauders would be together again, ready to enjoy Hogwarts without the terror of war. Thanks, he thought proudly, to his son.
But he had looked forward to this day because he assumed his friends would come find him on the train. But nobody had. He’d ended up alone in a compartment with his younger brother who absolutely drove him crazy. He’d spent twelve years looking down on the kid and being a bit mean to him. Now that he was an adult, mentally anyway, he was trying to be nicer, but Albus just made it so difficult. He was timid, and shy, and whiney, and James couldn’t understand how his genes had produced this kid.
James changed his position and a voice echoed in his head.
If your friends have accepted, you’ll find them. If they have not…
He forced the voice away. They had to have said yes. At least one of them must have accepted the offer too. Wasn’t the entire reason they had even discussed reincarnation because they wanted to grow up together and live the lives Voldemort had denied them? But where the hell were they?
The compartment door slide open and his fellow Gryffindor second year, Frank Longbottom stuck his head in.
“May I join you?” he asked.
James reminded himself that even if he was alone, he still had to live his life. He smiled at Frank and nodded.
“Your brother just showed up in my carriage, I told him I’d move, since my sister and Rose Weasley are in there.”
“Yeah, I told him to go find them.”
Frank nodded, settled down opposite James and opened a book.
James studied him. He could easily see his grandfather and namesake in Frank’s face. Funny, James thought, how they were both named after their grandfathers. And yet James technically was his own grandfather. Hogwarts was going to be a lot more interesting with his new outlook on life.
The minutes stretched on and James got a bit concerned. Frank was being oddly quiet, which wasn’t like him at all. And after being friends and sharing a dorm and classes for a year, James knew him pretty well.
“You okay?” James asked.
Frank looked surprised and nodded warily. “Fine. Why?”
“You’re just…quiet,” James said with a shrug.
Frank looked a bit concerned by that and then shrugged as well. “Just enjoying my book.”
James nodded, then frowned at the cover of his roommate’s book. “That’s the seventh year potions book.”
Frank nodded. “Fascinating.”
“You’re bollocks at potions.”
“I think I’ll do well this year.”
James laughed. “Well, we can hope.”
They sat in silence for a few moments and James continued. “If you do improve, I’ll be glad to start lending you supplies again. Although you do still owe me for that spoon.”
Frank was clearly too absorbed in his book to answer.
“Not exactly in your blood though is it? Har-my dad says your dad is notoriously bad at potions,” James added. He hoped he could get Frank talking again, he was still worried that something was bothering his friend.
“Longbottom wouldn’t know a pestle from a pig’s hoof,” Frank said dryly.
James’ jaw dropped and he stared at him. Frank suddenly flushed, as he realized what he had said.
“He’s great at Herbology though,” Frank continued, sounding almost frantic. “Brilliant professor.”
James continued to stare. Frank shifted uncomfortably.
“You just said…” James began.
“I’m just tired,” Frank said.
“You called your dad ‘Longbottom.’”
“It is his name.”
James frowned at him for a long moment and then suddenly gasped. “No fucking way!”
Frank raised an eyebrow. “What?”
“You can’t be!”
“What?”
“You’re my friend!” James cried, now sounding slightly horrified.
“Er…yes,” Frank said.
“But…but…we’re roommates! Partners in classes! You’re fun! You’re a Gryffindor! We were going to try out for Quidditch together this year!”
“You’re starting to scare me a bit, James. What are you on about?”
“I’m James!” James declared.
“And you thought there was a problem when I called my father by our last name? I know you’re James. We are, as you just pointed out, roommates.”
“No, I’m James! James Potter!” James insisted.
Frank fixed him with a concerned frown. “Ye-es,” he said, drawing out the word condescendingly. “You are.”
“No! That’s not what I mean!”
“Why don’t I just go back to my book and we can pretend this didn’t happen,” Frank suggested.
“Snape!” James squeaked.
Frank’s head shot up from his book and he stared at James in shock. He looked, James thought, a bit like a deer in wandlight. His eyes grew huge and his face went from red, to shockingly pale. He worked his mouth for a moment while James opened and closed his own.
“Oh…you’re that James Potter,” Frank said at last.
“If you choose to be reborn, you will spend the first few years of your life unaware of your past life. You will be a normal child in every way. No memories of anything in your past. Then on your twelfth birthday you will remember everything. Who you were before, that is, who you are now, and this conversation and the choice you made to be reincarnated. If you agree, then you will close your eyes. And when you open them, you will be a twelve-year-old child…somewhere. Now, this is an important choice that cannot in any way be influenced by others. I cannot allow you to leave this room to confer with your friends, although I know they are being offered this same choice. If you accept, then you will go. If your friends have accepted, you’ll find them. If they have not, then when you die you know they will be here waiting…
What is your answer?” was asked five times.
And five answers followed…….
James Potter was not enjoying himself. In fact, he didn’t think the day could get any worse. They had been on the train for two hours and the boy next to him had only stopped speaking when the snack trolley went by. And that had been an hour ago.
“And are there really ghosts? Will we see them? Oh man, that sounds scary. They don’t haunt you or anything do they? Mum said the Slytherin ghost is the worst. I think I’d just die if I end up in Slytherin. I don’t want to! Dad says its okay, but really, I think that’d be awful, don’t you, James?” the boy wailed.
“Merlin’s nuts’ on a stick! Will you just shut up, Al?” James finally snapped.
His little brother’s mouth snapped shut and he looked at James in shock.
“You’re not supposed to take Merlin’s name in vain,” he whispered in horror.
“Why aren’t you with Rose?” James asked. “And isn’t Alice Longbottom starting this year too? I bet they’re together someplace.”
“I don’t know what compartment they went into.”
“Well go find them!”
“How?”
James sighed heavily. “Go out the door. Pick a direction and walk until the train ends. If they aren’t that way, then turn around and do it again.”
Albus considered this for a moment and then nodded. “Okay.”
James looked out of the window and sighed again. He’d assumed someone would come find him. Just over a month ago he’d woken up on his twelfth birthday to realize that he was no longer James Sirius Potter, but James Godric Potter reincarnated. After coming to terms with the fact his son was his father (which still disturbed him on a few levels) he had spent the summer eagerly waiting his return to Hogwarts. Armed with his newly remembered knowledge of the school he’d be able to once again raid the kitchens and sneak to Hogsmeade. Best of all, his friends would all have their memories back too and the Marauders would be together again, ready to enjoy Hogwarts without the terror of war. Thanks, he thought proudly, to his son.
But he had looked forward to this day because he assumed his friends would come find him on the train. But nobody had. He’d ended up alone in a compartment with his younger brother who absolutely drove him crazy. He’d spent twelve years looking down on the kid and being a bit mean to him. Now that he was an adult, mentally anyway, he was trying to be nicer, but Albus just made it so difficult. He was timid, and shy, and whiney, and James couldn’t understand how his genes had produced this kid.
James changed his position and a voice echoed in his head.
If your friends have accepted, you’ll find them. If they have not…
He forced the voice away. They had to have said yes. At least one of them must have accepted the offer too. Wasn’t the entire reason they had even discussed reincarnation because they wanted to grow up together and live the lives Voldemort had denied them? But where the hell were they?
The compartment door slide open and his fellow Gryffindor second year, Frank Longbottom stuck his head in.
“May I join you?” he asked.
James reminded himself that even if he was alone, he still had to live his life. He smiled at Frank and nodded.
“Your brother just showed up in my carriage, I told him I’d move, since my sister and Rose Weasley are in there.”
“Yeah, I told him to go find them.”
Frank nodded, settled down opposite James and opened a book.
James studied him. He could easily see his grandfather and namesake in Frank’s face. Funny, James thought, how they were both named after their grandfathers. And yet James technically was his own grandfather. Hogwarts was going to be a lot more interesting with his new outlook on life.
The minutes stretched on and James got a bit concerned. Frank was being oddly quiet, which wasn’t like him at all. And after being friends and sharing a dorm and classes for a year, James knew him pretty well.
“You okay?” James asked.
Frank looked surprised and nodded warily. “Fine. Why?”
“You’re just…quiet,” James said with a shrug.
Frank looked a bit concerned by that and then shrugged as well. “Just enjoying my book.”
James nodded, then frowned at the cover of his roommate’s book. “That’s the seventh year potions book.”
Frank nodded. “Fascinating.”
“You’re bollocks at potions.”
“I think I’ll do well this year.”
James laughed. “Well, we can hope.”
They sat in silence for a few moments and James continued. “If you do improve, I’ll be glad to start lending you supplies again. Although you do still owe me for that spoon.”
Frank was clearly too absorbed in his book to answer.
“Not exactly in your blood though is it? Har-my dad says your dad is notoriously bad at potions,” James added. He hoped he could get Frank talking again, he was still worried that something was bothering his friend.
“Longbottom wouldn’t know a pestle from a pig’s hoof,” Frank said dryly.
James’ jaw dropped and he stared at him. Frank suddenly flushed, as he realized what he had said.
“He’s great at Herbology though,” Frank continued, sounding almost frantic. “Brilliant professor.”
James continued to stare. Frank shifted uncomfortably.
“You just said…” James began.
“I’m just tired,” Frank said.
“You called your dad ‘Longbottom.’”
“It is his name.”
James frowned at him for a long moment and then suddenly gasped. “No fucking way!”
Frank raised an eyebrow. “What?”
“You can’t be!”
“What?”
“You’re my friend!” James cried, now sounding slightly horrified.
“Er…yes,” Frank said.
“But…but…we’re roommates! Partners in classes! You’re fun! You’re a Gryffindor! We were going to try out for Quidditch together this year!”
“You’re starting to scare me a bit, James. What are you on about?”
“I’m James!” James declared.
“And you thought there was a problem when I called my father by our last name? I know you’re James. We are, as you just pointed out, roommates.”
“No, I’m James! James Potter!” James insisted.
Frank fixed him with a concerned frown. “Ye-es,” he said, drawing out the word condescendingly. “You are.”
“No! That’s not what I mean!”
“Why don’t I just go back to my book and we can pretend this didn’t happen,” Frank suggested.
“Snape!” James squeaked.
Frank’s head shot up from his book and he stared at James in shock. He looked, James thought, a bit like a deer in wandlight. His eyes grew huge and his face went from red, to shockingly pale. He worked his mouth for a moment while James opened and closed his own.
“Oh…you’re that James Potter,” Frank said at last.