James Potter and the Radical Revivalists

Chapter Four

In the school year so far, James had entered the hospital wing twice. Both were related to Quidditch, ironically, and Madam Pomfrey was on a tirade on how foul and dangerous the sport really was. James had countered her complaining by saying that the danger was the thrill of it, that without the risk of being hit by a Bludger or falling of one’s broomstick, there would be, in fact, no point at all. Madam Pomfrey merely shoved another flask of medicine into James’s hands, and told him to drink it all and prepare for another dose around dinnertime. 

Fred, Katie, Liam, and Avery had left the hospital wing two days before James’s arm began bleeding again. The blood had first appeared while James was choking on his next dose of that disgusting medicine Madam Pomfrey had given him. She said that it must’ve been a rather nasty curse that hit his arm; usually, no normal injury would keep hurting and bleeding like this one. So, in conclusion, James asked for a few more bandages, much to the dislike of the hospital wing nurse. 

There had been no news of Alex, or for that matter, Molly, Lucy, and the other two missing students. Rumors were spreading that the four original kidnapped children were now dead, killed in an unknown location by the Unforgivable Killing Curse. McGonagall had hushed these rumors immediately, of course, and, the same day James’s arm was once again bleeding, McGonagall gave a speech. Her voice had echoed through Hogwarts, proclaiming the news and state of the school.

“I am assuming all of you witnessed the disagreement between two of our Houses at the last Quidditch match,” she had began. “For those students who were involved in this dueling, I must say I am thoroughly disappointed in all of you. Most of you will be receiving detentions, may I add, and you will be punished more severely if anything more occurs.

“I am not sure if all of you know this, but another student has been taken, like the other four. There a certain students,” McGonagall cleared her throat, “who, if told the name of the student taken, will spread it to the entire school body. That is not what the family of the student would like.

“There has also been some talk about the fate of the Quidditch match and the Quidditch Cup for Hogwarts. Gryffindor and Slytherin will not play each other again. Instead, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw will play both Slytherin and Gryffindor. The winners of those two matches will play each other, and hopefully, the two final teams shall not be either Gryffindor or Slytherin. Whoever started the dueling at the last match, and I know who those few students are, will be more severely punished than the others. I hope that those not wishing for a dreadful jurisdiction will step forward and tell their Heads of House.

“My best to those students in the hospital wing, and the friends of the students missing. Thank you.” McGonagall had officially signed off. Most of the Slytherins were still in the hospital wing along with the few remaining Gryffindors. Lyra had woken up at least twice in her stay at the hospital wing, and Skander’s forehead was healing quickly. James seemed to be the only Gryffindor who was not healing well. Finally, when he did leave the hospital wing for good, it was a Saturday. He still had a long, thin scar on his arm, though. The common room was as sleepy as it always was on the weekend. A few students were sleeping near the fire, and on the furniture by the glowing hearth. 

“Sorry about that whole…fight last match, Katie,” James said, sitting down on one of the leatherback chairs next to Katie, who was looking very gloomy.

“Oh, it’s fine, James.” 

“So…you’re mad at me, right?”

“About what?” Katie asked, staring out the raindrop-covered windowpane.

“About the Quidditch match,” James sighed uneasily.

“No, no, blimey, no. It’s nothing.”