CHAPTER 2
— ᴛʜᴇ ᴏɴᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ɢᴏᴅꜱ —
James Mikaelson
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James Mikaelson couldn't deny that staying at Hogwarts wouldn't be interesting. From what he had experienced so far the only true downside he saw was the fact that they had to wear robes. What was up with that? Why would someone make kids look like monks and deny them the choice of showing skin? Scarlett had also mentioned something about blood prejudice but James figured he wouldn't have a problem with that. He was a demigod, after all, and if golden blood isn't pure enough for wizards he sure as hell doesn't know what is.
After talking in the really comfortable common room with his sister, brother, and cousin they all decided to retire and go to sleep. Well, in his and Silas's case spelling meant shitloads of alcohol and passing out from exhaustion.
That's exactly what they did. Once they got to the boys' dormitories they so cleverly figured they wouldn't be sharing a room with the self-entitled Marauders since there was a door with their names on it. James opened the door followed by Silas and inspected their room.
It wasn't his room. By far. But it was. . . . nice. There were two four-poster beds, in opposite walls, a wardrobe for each, a door he figured would lead to a bathroom, and a window. He quickly conjured up bags with his stuff and threw them in the closets — Silas did the sensible thing and just conjured up his things in the closet. Then both James and Silas went across the hall to the Marauders' room.
The moment James walked in after Silas, he saw each of them sitting on the ground, leaning against their beds as they laughed. The group of four grinned at the two of them and immediately started to pass around bottles of a substance that James thought looked a lot like bourbon but was in fact lavarum or firewhiskey. He reckoned his family had better stuff (not that he would know. . . .) but he definitely wasn't complaining.
The rest of the evening they mainly talked bullshit and James just thought of how cool these guys actually were and how different their lives were from his. They seemed like they didn't have a care in the world but he had a feeling that they all had their problems and monsters, and overall a lot more concerns than he had. He also noted that the marauders made a lot of puns. He thought they were rather funny if you asked him. Like, oh deer that's sirius business.
After a lot of drinks and an enthralling music performance by Silas and Sirius singing the Beatles' song Come Together off-key and with an improvised and uncoordinated choreography thrown in the middle of it, James MIkaelson was short of breath with how hard he was laughing. He and James (the other one) also had a serious discussion about how their name was a gift and people should appreciate them more —James reckoned he and the other James would get along just fine. Then after some cupcakes, he and Silas went to bed and both indeed passed out of exhaustion.
His predicament was that in the middle of his bliss and oh so comfortable sleep, he woke up rather startled in Frozen's fucking Ice Castle in the Underworld. Oh no. He turned around and grimaced as he saw who was waiting for him. His mother, grandfather, and grandmother were standing on the blue ice floor facing him and his sister. Did he forget to mention India Lyra was there too?
Well, she was. And promptly made her presence noted to him by hastily making her way to him and trying to hit behind his much taller frame. But the thing was that James also didn't want to be in the line of fire of three deity figures (even if they were his family) so he also decided to hide behind her.
"You're not in trouble, dumbasses, " Hades, their grandfather and God of the Underworld, as James so proudly loved to announce, snorted and both he and his sister sighed in relief stopping the awkward rushing around and hunching behind one another. "You traveled Universes," Hades continued after a brief pause and both twins gave him a deadpan look.
"No shit," they said at the same time which caused James to scowl at his already scowling sister. He hated their creepy twin talk, it was. . . . Creepy.
"And you brought along three of your friends, " he continued to state the obvious.
"Duh," the twins said again at the same time and turned to glare at each other.
"I'm so proud of you guys!" Their mom squealed (which was unnatural, and it only happened when she's really really excited). She grinned and ran to hug both her kids tightly making James and India gasp for air. "You, my children are a power to uphold." She said dramatically and they chuckled in amusement. James loved his mom, she was awesome in his opinion. His dad too. They were his heroes, though they weren't really heroes and more in the category of murderers and psychopaths but who cared really? James looked up to them. Everything he knew he had learned from them. And the rest of his family, of course. And even though James knows badasses don't say this. . . . he was a badass. Er, that was kind of un-badass of him. Uncle Damon was right after all.
"So no one's pissed?" James asked the three adult figures in front of him.
"We aren't," Persephone said and James and India looked at her skeptically. She was, after all, always the one to get mad for things like that.
There was this one time in which James had performed an act of tremendous magic by making fireworks appear in the sky. They were so bright you could see in them, two towns over. But they had to be, after all, it was a love declaration for his dear Atlas —who he now knows why won't bat an eye in his direction. In all honesty, James was having mixed feelings about that; he was sad, of course, because the love of his life, the apple of his eye doesn't feel attracted to him just because he has a penis; but glad because he knew the only reason she could resist his irresistible charms was because of the lesbian factor. Either way, after he made those wicked fireworks in the sky, his grandmother, Persephone, turned him into a cactus because he was being a "prick stalker with boundary issues", whatever that meant.
"Don't look at me like that. I'm not mad. I'm quite proud, " Persephone rolled her eyes at their skeptical faces.
"But Santa had a fit, " said his mom with a grimace and James flinched along with India. "But after some while, he calmed down and let Hope stay."
"We're staying? STOP THAT! STOP!" James and India said shouting as they continued to talk at the same time. It was creepy. As in twins from the Shinning creepy. James mentally shuddered, it was as if he and India had a connection (which they did not!).
"You're pretty much done in Hecate, anyway. There isn't anything new and I reckon you guys won't be Marine Biologists," Ellie said with a sympathetic smile and James mentally snorted. It's not like he had something against marine biologists, because respect, but he sure as hell didn't want to be one. Not now at least, he had all the time in the world to be anything he wanted and his first plan was to go work at a McDonald's with Silas and if they failed at that they would move on to plan B, as in Burger King.
"I swore to protect you kids and that means no more torture and useless classes, " continued Ellie and James smiled. Then she turned to India with a sympathetic smile. "I saw your essay, honey, one of your better worst, " she said and James snorted as India stifled a laugh.
"So we decided for you to finish your studies in the wizarding world," Persephone explained to her grandchildren.
"No more Origin of Vampires?" India asked hopefully.
"Nope. No more of that shit, " their mother said with a grin.
"You will have Goblin and Giant wars, " said Hades with a smirk and James saw India scowl as he started to think. Maybe he would bring a pillow to that class. After all, Black had said it was a good nap time and James was all for those. He could maybe stuff it in his bag. . . .
"But I don't need that for anything." India groaned.
"She's right. We're not even from this universe. We don't actually need this education." James agreed and though he grimaced slightly at having concurred with his sister he couldn't help to do it. And if he could admit she was right, then it was probably true.
"It'll be good for you, anyway. Besides, I already have ships ready to sail, " said Ellie with a cheeky grin and James mentally groaned. Oh no.
"Already, honey?" their grandmother asked her daughter and the latter nodded, "Can we talk afterward to see if mine are the same?"
"You guys are already sailing us off to random destinations?" James scoffed being internally proud of his pun. His puns were amazing and you could not tell him otherwise. Siriusly you'd be barking mad. . . . Though he knew subconsciously they were the worst, but no one could tell him that, otherwise there would be a wailing monster in the ocean ruining ships, cruises, rafts, boats. . .
"Not random, darling, " Ellie said with a shake of her head. "My ships are well designed and they will sail, or else I might just go into that universe and make it happen myself," she said threateningly, and James immediately shut his trap. He thought his mom was amazing but she was still a mom and that meant he was slightly terrified of her.
"Mom, you sound like your marrying us off, " India scoffed rolling her eyes.
"Oh, Gods. I wouldn't do that darling that's totally closed-minded, " Ellie told them. "But the ships will sail."
"Aye, aye Captain." James mock saluted and his mother smiled proudly at him. "Now can we go? I was having a good sleep and this place is freezing."
"Which is ironic because we are in the Underworld." India snorted and he laughed. He must've been pretty tired if he was actually laughing at his sister's jokes. She's not funny (well, sometimes she is but he would never say that out loud).
The next thing he knew James was seeing the adults waving at him as his vision started to blur and his world went black as sleep welcomed him back with open arms.
But his sleep, his dear sleep, his so hard to find sleep, was once more interrupted in the morning, but this time he didn't wake up because he traveled to an ice castle in the underworld, but rather because a shoe was being thrown in his face. Awesome. Just awesome.
"Wake up, JJ. It's already lunchtime and we totally missed morning classes, " he heard Silas say. Well, it wasn't the morning after all.
"Talk lower, berk. We missed morning classes they won't miss us for the other ones, " He groaned loudly shifting his pillow from under his head to the top of it to muffle the sounds and the light coming from the window.
"We both know you can't sleep anymore and that you're in real need of food. So just get your ass up and let's go to the real big room with four tables so we can eat." Silas said in exasperation and mild amusement. James was silent for a bit until he finally groaned and took the pillow off his face.
"Fine!" He huffed and then proceeded to let himself fall on the ground with a thud and crawl to the bathroom.
Like everyone in his family, well except Maia and his dad, James wasn't an early riser. At all. It just wasn't part of his genetic. But Silas was right, once he woke up or realized he was hungry he just couldn't get to sleep again. Which got really frustrating sometimes.
He got ready throwing on his uniform. That was something Hecate had better, or better yet didn't have. His mom had abolished uniforms in their school, that was the first thing she had said the school had to not include. Everyone could wear what they wanted so if they wanted to go in uniform they could, there just wasn't one.
In this school however it was mandatory and James hated it. He refused to tuck in his shirt, letting it out of his pants, his sleeves rolled up and the first couple of buttons open. He also refused to tie the tie, just putting it around his neck. And of course, no robes because in his opinion they were lame.
He conjured up a backpack with his own and a spare notebook that he threw into it and he was ready for school. Silas was wearing the same as him, but that was normal because apparently, that's how uniforms work. Though Silas loosely tied his tie and was wearing a vest on top of the shirt. He also grabbed a conjured-up backpack and they lazily strolled to the huge room or as the wizards called it the Great Hall.
When they got there James was suddenly aware of his hangover as the noise of clatter and laughs banged against his head as if someone was throwing a brick around in his brain. He and Silas groaned in synch. Couldn't they all just drop dead? James thought they could just go to the Underworld. . . . That was a joke obviously. Ish.
They immediately spotted Hope Andrea and India Lyra, how James liked to call them he wanted to get under their skin, talking to the guys they drank with the night before. Potter his name-brother, Black, Lupin, and Pettigrew who Scarlett had explained was a traitor later on but that right now was cool. James thought he would decide for himself but he didn't have any reason not to like the guy so it was whatever.
"You skipped morning classes," Lupin said as they did. James couldn't help but to frown mentally and think. What was wrong with people and stating the obvious, lately?"
"We were sleeping, Lupus," Silas replied casually with a shrug, as he filled his plate with a steak and mashed potatoes.
"Well, Minnie's pissed," Potter told them and Jame's eyebrows drew together and his nose scrunched up. Who was this Minnie they were talking ago and why would she care if a couple of fellow colleagues (new ones at that) didn't go to morning classes?
"You're fucked." Black agrees.
"Okay. One, who's Minnie? Two, why won't anyone respect sleep?" asked James his eyebrows raised.
"That's so true. Hope dragged me out of bed this morning and Lily threatened to hex me, " India agreed looking truly devasted at the lack of sleep and James didn't even bother to comment on their agreement. He felt for her, poor India. Having to rise early and go to classes must not be easy. He couldn't blame her.
"Minnie is Professor McGonagall. The one who called your names last night, " Peter explained and James choked on his water as he grimaced.
"Ew. Don't say that again. It did not sound good, " he said and the boy went red but started laughing along with his friends as James's family facepalmed.
"Anyway, she's the head of the Gryffindor house," Lupin said and James made a sound of comprehension.
"And she would like an explanation for two new students missing on the first day of class." a stern voice, which somewhat reminded James of his Grandma if it weren't for the strong accent, said behind him and Silas and they turned around to see the woman that was reading their names last night.
"We would also like that. I mean, how dare they skip class?" James gasped dramatically and the Professor was visibly not amused which cause him to wince slightly. The others around him, however, were snickering at his expense.
"We're really sorry. New school. New rules. Jet lag," Silas started saying with his best smile listing off reasons why they would be late to see if any of them would work. At the last one, James saw Minnie's face soften a tad (almost not noticeable) and he assumed that was the one that worked better.
"I will let this pass this time, " she said with pursed lips, "But let it be the last. I will not be as tolerant next time." James and Silas nodded flashing her their innocent cheeky smiles and James could swear he heard the teacher groan slightly with the Vampire senses he inherited from his dad.
Then Minnie turned to Lupin and Potter. "Mr. Lupin, I trust that as a prefect you will not let this happen again. And as Head Boy, Mr. Potter, you too should see that this does not happen again," She said and turned around back to where she came from as Potter and Lupin nodded with grins, though they looked like James's I'm about to bring a cow home from the farm grin.
"Here, your schedules," Hope said making his attention turn to her as she handed two pieces of parchment to him and Silas. Parchment? Seriousily? He just couldn't understand what was wrong with wizards. What's wrong with good ol'paper? "You have Defense Against the Dark Arts in the afternoon, Jamie," Hope told him and then turned to Silas, "You're in Ancient Runes with me."
"What's Divination? And why are they separating Silas and me?" James gasped slightly much to the other amusement.
"It's an easy class," Black answered him, "It's about predicting the future or something; you can literally pass with your eyes closed."
"And you're not with Silas, cause we all know Silas doesn't believe in fate," Hope said though James could swear he heard her say "and also because he's smarter" but he decided to ignore it.
"Yeah, that caused a lot of trouble with the fates. . . ." James muttered and the Marauders frowned as India, Hope, and Silas facepalmed.
"The fates?" Pettigrew asked and James looked sheepishly.
"We're greek. Religiously I mean," James said, and though they continued to frown the Marauders nodded. "And who put me in divination again?" he asked changing the topic.
"Me," said India, "It was either that or Ancient Runes with the nerds and we all know how crap you are at runes."
"Just because I couldn't read dad's name that one time. . . ." James mumbled under his breath and India snorted.
After a certified meal that was the perfect cure for a hangover, and a boring DADA class — in which James took to doodling on his notebook (he did notice some stuck up kids glaring at it so he figured they were the inbred ones); and fun fact he can actually draw, he must be gotten it from his uncle Santa or Remy but he definitely knew how (hence why Atlas must have thrown out hundreds of sketches he made for her along the years) —, James along with India and Scarlett — who had Divination with them — followed Black, Potter, and Pettigrew to the classroom.
James knew where it was though. He knew the castle pretty well in fact, though, probably if you asked him to go to the DADA classroom he would ask you which as he doesn't know the specifics of the place — the Divination class was another subject as it was extraordinary — meaning out of the ordinary and not awesome. But even though he knew where the freaky room with a ladder was, he wasn't supposed to, so they followed the three Marauders.
Now, that was one fun class for him. Even more so because all of them had mentally agreed to mess with the marauders. Well, Scar didn't exactly agree, she said she thought it was cruel but she laughed at the idea so James assumed it wasn't that bad.
The marauders, like the good guys they are, offered to introduce the new kids to the subject so they discreetly (though the tables screeching against the floor wasn't that subtle) joined two tables together so they could all sit.
James wasn't paying much attention while the teacher was talking — mainly because he didn't care and because he really didn't care — but at some point, he told them to gaze into the glass balls which had this whitish fog inside. In all honesty, James couldn't see shit and he knew none of them could (not at that table at least), but they could pretend to and a childhood with their family made them all really good at being over dramatic little shits.
"Gasp. I can see something, " said India and James gasped loudly, he and Hope turning to her wide-eyed. The marauders looked curious (but genuinely) and Scarlett just rolled her eyes.
"What do you see oh mighty India Lyra Mikaelson?" James asked over dramatically which almost made Hope laugh. Almost.
"I don't know, it's hard to say. . . . Oh! A black dog," India said in dark voice and James and Hope took to gasping again, trying to control themselves as they saw the three marauders stiffen. "A stag."
"Oh deer," James said dramatically with a sigh and by then the marausers were starting to get fidgety which was just so amusing to James.
"A wolf."
"Is it Lockwood?" Scarlett said trying to steer the conversation away and James glared at her.
"Ty or Asher?" Hope asked and India and James pulled a similar expression.
"None, Hopie. It's a new wolf, " India said her voice strained. "Oh My!"
"What?" the people in the table asked not so synchronized.
"A rat. It gave the stag away. The dog is trying to kill the rat but the rat escapes and the dog is locked up in the dog house." India said dramatically in a project ish type of dark; using bits of the story she must be remembered from Scarlett's telling of the Marauders. She was talking like the fates in James's opinion — though he reckons his impression would be way better (if only he had been the first one to "see" something. . . .).
"What about the wolf?" Scarlett asked.
"The wolf is alone forever, " India sighed and James had to bite the inside of his cheek not to laugh at the Marauder's face.
"Thank God these are only animals," James said, after controlling himself, he too sighing dramatically though still having a hard time trying to control his laughter (even more so because Hope and India were getting slightly red in the face and Scarlett was trying to hide her amusement).
"Animals are important. Animals are not just animals!" Potter stated in disbelief trying to hide the deeper meaning that everyone knew was there, though not everyone knew that everyone knew was there.
"Then what are they? Because I love animals and whatnot but unless you tell me these animals are also people, they're just animals." Hope said with an amused smile and they blanched. "It's awful what happened but they aren't more than animals."
"For fucks sake. It's just Divination don't fret, you berks." Scarlett snapped at all of them with a sharp voice James reckoned sounded too much like Aunt Bekah's voice (which was slightly frightening if she was in a bad mood).
"I thought you were a badger," Potter said with a frown, not having expected Scarlett to cuss and snap at them, James assumed.
"That does not mean I'm a pushover who lets people fuck with her," Scarlett scoffed and India and Hope grinned at hed, "When I get angry I go all ripper."
"Ripper?" Potter, Pettigre and Black said amused as James, Hope and India paled and their eyes went slightly wide.
"Ripper," she stated with a smirk and they gulped. She indeed did do that. But Scarlett wasn't funnier like Uncle Stefanie. She was just scary... James shuddered mentally at the thought.
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