February, 1977. Hogwarts, Forbidden Forest.
Alya's voice spread through the cold air that hovered in the Forbidden Forest, becoming part of the night itself.
James listened to her, enraptured by the words spoken by the young Black, which took him on an imaginary journey, to distant and mysterious places, lost in time.
Alya told James about Koboro and its origins. The onyx-coloured snake, which had been keeping the girl company for years on her secret outings in the Hogwarts woods, belonged to an ancient species of cobra, whose main characteristic was precisely the black colour which painted its thick scales.
This kind of cobra originated in Ancient Egypt and was the bearer of ancient and ancestral powers, passed down over the centuries from snake to snake. However, the reptiles which belonged to this species were unable to use their spells on their own, due to their animal nature, so they needed a 'channel' which would act as a conduit for their magic.
Cobras like Koboro, in their distant homeland, used to choose carefully the magician or sorcerer they would bind themselves to. These were, of course, people with important magical abilities, capable of wielding very powerful spells. A prerequisite was knowledge of Parseltongue. Without this language, it would have been impossible for the reptiles to pass on their ancient knowledge.
Alya explained to James that, even in recent times, in countries as distant as Egypt, having the opportunity to form such a strong bond with a black cobra was considered an honour, which placed the chosen magician in a position of prestige. The sorcerer in question thus became a powerful healer and a holder of wisdom, as serpents - with whom he shared arcane knowledge - were believed to be the guardians of wisdom and the mysteries of the world, given their habit of living both above and below the earth; they were also seen as symbols of light and darkness, as they were able to distribute healing, through their curative powers, or death, with their venomous and lethal bite. Sometimes they were even worshipped, on a par with deities.
"A completely different view from ours," Alya commented bitterly, at the end of her tale. "In our society, wizards tend to regard wise creatures like Koboro as evil beings. Without understanding them. But they're wrong. Snake magic is not evil. It's pure, untainted. It's the inclination of the sorcerer who uses it that influences it negatively, that makes it evil and devastating."
"Well, Black, it's nothing new that there're wrong and unfair prejudices around us," replied James, in a stern tone.
Alya fell silent, stiffening. Although Potter hadn't expressed it openly, the girl had felt the veiled rebuke towards her family's shared values and the views her noble relatives held towards those who weren't pureblood wizards. And, at the same time, young Black knew how the Gryffindor boy felt about the matter and, however much even she didn't fully share certain elitist ideologies, she wouldn't tolerate criticism towards members of her beloved family, despite their reprehensible behaviour. Not even from James.
Young Black's mind began to work fast, frantically searching for a less thorny and lighter topic. She had no desire to discuss the differences in values with which the Blacks and the Potters had raised their children.
"The Koboro species must be very rare. I don't think I have ever seen a snake of its kind in my entire life. Nor have I ever heard of one." commented James, sporting a relaxed expression. Apparently, he too had sensed the danger of the topic and had glided swiftly on to another subject.
Alya was silently grateful.
"The black cobra race cannot be found here, in Britain. It isn't their natural habitat. But it's still widespread in Egypt," the maiden explained.
"And, so, how did Koboro get here at Hogwarts?" asked Potter, curious.
"When he was still a pup, he was captured and kidnapped by a British tourist. A Muggle, I think. Otherwise, he'd have realised immediately what kind of creature he had on his hands. Once he had grown up and fully developed his powers, Koboro managed to escape. But he found himself in an entirely unknown place. He didn't belong in this part of the world and he felt a compelling urge to return to his home, to his land. However, he had no idea how to achieve this. He didn't know where he was or how far away Egypt was. Therefore, he began to wander around Britain."
"Surely for a snake, he's had some adventures!" commented James, wryly. Alya glowered at him, before resuming her tale.
"Every summer, my family travels to Cornwall, where my father inherited a luxurious mansion from my grandfather. It was there that I met Koboro, more or less seven years ago. He had got lost in a thicket near our estate, falling victim to a fox trap. He begged me to help him and I cured him through his magic. Since that day, he has felt indebted to me and that is why he followed me here, to Hogwarts. How he managed to sneak in remains a mystery to me. But I think it shows how strong his magical powers are," Alya concluded, her blank stare lost in the darkness of the forest.
"Koboro and I have one thing in common, then. We owe you our lives." observed James.
Alya gave him the hint of a smile, but it looked forced. A shadow had suddenly fallen over her face. Talking about how she had met Koboro had brought back another old, still painful memory.
James seemed to notice, for he looked at her with a more sympathetic air. She had guessed that something else had happened in that grove where she and Koboro had met.
"Could I ask you another question?" the Gryffindor ventured to ask.
"Sure." replied the Slytherin, in a flat voice.
"What were you doing in those woods?" the disheveled boy asked, knowing full well where this was going.
Alya sighed sadly.
"I had gone to look for Sirius. He had snuck out of the house without permission and I wanted to get him back before my mother noticed." the silvery ice that usually sparkled like hard diamond in Alya's eyes seemed about to melt, like snow in the sun, as the girl recalled the fateful moment when the brotherly bond between her and Sirius had been irretrievably destroyed. The girl was seized by a knot in her throat, preventing her from continuing. But there was no need. James already knew that part of the story. Sirius had told him about that grove and what he had discovered seven years earlier.
"It was there that Sirius heard you speak in Parseltongue. With Koboro, wasn't it?" asked James, already knowing the answer. It was in that lost wood in Cornwall that Sirius had stopped speaking to Alya and considering her his sister.
The girl barely nodded, before turning away, to hide from Potter the sadness that was about to spill from her eyes. She bit her lower lip, trying to push back the tears. That old wound had never healed.
James stood motionless beside her, uncertain how to act. On the one hand, he just wanted to pull Alya to him, hold her tight and reassure her, promising her that he would make that stubborn mule Sirius see reason, that he would make him realise that there was nothing evil in his sister's soul. On the other, James feared that even the slightest movement would make her run away. By now he was getting to know her and had realised that Alya was an extremely proud type - like her twin brother, after all - and that she'd never show her fragility so easily.
However, the girl instantly recoiled, returning to her usual cold and detached frown.
"I'd say we've talked enough about me and Koboro. Now it's my turn to ask you something!" she sentenced peremptorily.
"Alright, Black, shoot! I'm ready." joked the Gryffindor, a little relieved to see her less sombre.
"Just to stay on the subject of magically-powered animals... when did you become an Animagus?" asked Alya, defiantly. James grinned smugly. He had expected that question.
"Last year." he answered simply.
"And why did you decide to become one?" she continued, pressing on.
"I wanted to take a gallop through the forest." lied James, with a shrug.
The girl shoved him abruptly.
"Don't make fun of me, Potter! The ritual to become Animagus is one of the most difficult ever. And also one of the most dangerous, should anything go wrong during the preparation. There must be more to it than that, or you wouldn't have risked so much! Didn't you say we had to be honest?" Alya scolded him, haughtily.
The Gryffindor stared into the Slytherin's silver eyes and surrendered to the request he had posed earlier. The fact was, he wasn't sure he wanted to reveal something that didn't only concern him, but also the others in his group of friends. Remus, in particular.
But inside, James felt he could trust Alya. He let out a long, resigned sigh and stretched out on the ground, unrolling himself supine on the turf. He crossed his arms behind his neck as he gazed into the remote depths of the night sky.
"I did it for Remus. He has... how can I say it... He's got a furry little problem. A problem that makes him sick sometimes, very sick. You see, the thing is, he a -" James tergiversed, unable to find the courage to confess the secret of one of his closest friends.
It was Alya who got him off the hook.
"Lupin is a werewolf. I know," the girl concluded for him, with disarming simplicity. James squared her in astonishment.
"And how the hell do you know that?"
"I could tell from your injuries," Alya hastened to reply, lying. It wasn't appropriate to mention the strange dream she had had in Grimmauld Place, after receiving Potter's Christmas card. "They were certainly not bites from a common predator."
The explanation, however hasty and improvised, seemed to convince James, who insisted no further on investigating the matter. Deep down, he felt relieved: he hadn't been forced to completely betray his mate's trust. The boy went back to scanning the immensity of the black starry sky which opened above the treetops.
"Sirius and I found out that Remus is a werewolf about three years ago, in our second year. I still remember his face when we told him! Poor Remus... he was terribly afraid we would shun him, leave him alone, afraid of his true nature. But friends never abandon each other. Especially in times of need," said James proudly.
"So Sirius and I, along with Peter of course..." Alya had a quiver of anger when she heard Potter mention Pettigrew, but she bit her tongue, determined to hear the Gryffindor's tale to the end. "We immediately set to work to find a way to be near him, without risking our own safety. Becoming Animagi seemed the best solution to us: werewolves are only dangerous to humans. They do not attack other animals. If we had changed our appearance, we could have helped our friend without risking our own skin."
"We immediately started working hard, searching for any information we could find useful and studying every single step of the ritual in depth. As you said, it's an extremely complex process and the slightest mistake can lead to atrocious results. But, in the end, after a good three years, we did it. Sirius and I completed the transformation early last year, while Peter took longer. That chucklehead - he was on the verge of giving up. But Sirius and I helped him, and in the end he succeeded, too," James concluded, as he nostalgically recalled the evening getaways he and his friends had made, to sneak off to train for the ritual to become Animagi.
"So Sirius is also an Animagus." observed Alya, thoughtfully, shaking Potter out of his memories.
"Yes. And very skilled, too. He likes to turn himself into a dog. Into a big black dog." revealed James.
"That's to be expected! Even in his human form, all Sirius does at home is barking at people." snorted Alya, caustically.
"You should give him a good scratch behind his left ear. He immediately becomes more tame." suggested the other ironically. A laugh escaped Alya and James lit up as he saw the cold Slytherin laugh with genuine gusto for the first time. He pulled himself up in his seat again, as if to observe her better.
"I know that the Ministry of Magic keeps a register where all Animagi are required to register," Alya observed, shooting an allusive glance at the Gryffindor.
"Yes, I must have heard of it..." he replied, evasively, not holding back a grin.
"And you signed up?" asked the Slytherin, already guessing the answer.
"No." replied James, simply.
"What a gang of criminals!" commented Alya, shaking her head. But there was no shadow of reproach in her voice. In fact, Potter's tendency to place himself above the rules of the school - and also of the Ministry - fascinated her a lot.
"In my humble opinion, the ends justifies the means. Nobody knows that Remus is a werewolf here at school, so the fact that the rest of us are Animagi must also be a secret," James explained, with practicality. "So, I'd appreciate it if you would keep what I have revealed to you this evening to yourself, Black." he added, then, looking at her sternly.
There was no threat in his eyes, but Alya sensed all the same that he would not forgive her the betrayal of the trust he had just placed in her.
Alya nodded gravely.
"You have nothing to fear, Potter. I'll keep my mouth shut. As long as you don't leak anything about Koboro. No one knows of his presence here at Hogwarts, and I'd like to keep it that way." she reassured him seriously, setting her own terms.
James held out his hand for her to shake.
"Deal, Black!"
The two exchanged a look of intense complicity, both aware that they could trust each other.
"I have one more question for you, Black."
"Let's hear it."
"How did you know that stag was me?" asked James, filled with curiosity.
"I didn't know at first. I only found out later..." replied Alya, in a vague tone.
"Yes, but how? How did you find out that I am an Animagus?" he pressed her again, impatient to know the answer.
Alya stiffened.
"I can't tell you," she said, inflexible.
"Oh come on!" he blurted, brusquely.
"It was a hunch, let's put it that way," she replied, laconic.
James scrutinised her with a scowl. He was about to counter, but the girl interrupted him peremptorily:
"Look, even I can't quite explain how I did it and I'm trying to come to terms with it. But it's... complicated. Please don't push it any further, Potter! But I'll keep it a secret about you and your friend, I promise you that."
James stared at her in silence for a few moments, assessing how useful it would be to keep pushing. With a resigned sigh, he relented, conceding Alya the point.
"You're a girl of mysteries, you know that?"
"My mother always says a woman should never reveal her secrets," Alya said, shrugging. "Tonight I told you even too much!" she added, a little displeased.
James chuckled smugly. Young Black, for her part, took on a serious expression, looking up at the starry sky again.
They both remained silent, enveloped in the peace that the Forbidden Forest was giving them.
"What you have done is truly admirable," Alya exclaimed, out of the blue, without taking her eyes off the twinkling stars.
James' stomach did a funny somersault. He hadn't expected that cold Slytherin to praise him so sincerely. Embarrassed, he quickly ran a hand through his unruly hair, tousling it even more.
"Well you're an exceptional witch yourself. I'm sure you'd have no difficulty becoming an Animagus." he mumbled, trying to show modesty.
But the icy glance from the charming Black let him know that he had misunderstood.
"I wasn't referring to the fact that you're an Animagus, Potter. I was talking about what you did that night."
The Gryffindor looked at her confused. Alya sighed.
"As I said earlier, I can't tell you how I know about certain things. But I do know them. I know what happened in early December, that night of the full moon. Between Sirius, Snape and you. I know what it really happened. And I also know what you were willing to sacrifice yoursekf just to keep my stupid brother out of trouble. Seriously, Potter, your loyalty is - "
"Please stop!" hissed James, preventing the girl from finishing her sentence. Embarrassment and false modesty were suddenly gone from the boy's voice, the whisper sliced through the air like a sharp blade.
Alya instantly fell silent and stared at him, dumbfounded. James clenched his fists tightly, his expression, usually warm with undertones of lively cunning, had suddenly become granitic. He looked angry, but also disappointed.
"Stop talking about me like that!" he repeated, in a tone that sounded like a plea. "There's nothing admirable about what I have done, you must believe me! And don't think of me as some kind of hero, because I'm not. I'm not a hero at all. In fact, all these years, I've done nothing but behave despicably and meanly... with Snape and everyone else... What happened in December was simply the result of my actions, a reckoning of sorts. And it's my responsibility. I wasn't acting heroically or gratuitously. I was just trying to save what could be saved." James's harsh words gushed out of his mouth like a raging river, confessing to Alya and the night the latent sense of guilt and self-loathing that had been eating at him for months. A heavy, invisible burden that he had not been able to confess to anyone. Until that moment.
Slightly relieved, he gave Alya a bitter smile, devoid of mirth, ready to object to any comforting phrases the girl might have addressed to him to console him.
But Alya was certainly not the type for such flippancy. She returned him with a stern, uncompromising gaze.
"Self-pity doesn't suit you at all, you know that Potter?" she scolded him, impassive in the face of the boy's remorse. Deep down, Alya didn't care about either Snape or the bullying she had had to endure from the arrogant, dishevelled Gryffindor during those years at Hogwarts. Alya was grateful to James for protecting Sirius. To her, that was all that mattered.
"You were loyal to Sirius to the end. You took him into your home when he ran away from Grimmauld Place. He's safe with you. And I'll be forever grateful to you for that. The rest doesn't matter," said the girl like a verdict.
James merely nodded, saying nothing, enjoying the vague sense of absolution Alya had just granted him.
He approached her and drew her to him, kissing her impulsively. Alya responded ready to the kiss, surrendering herself in his vigorous grasp, his hands sliding down her back, giving her a thrill she never wanted to end. Alya played with his lips, torturing them with sensual movements, which the boy reciprocated with the same ardour. Meanwhile, James intoxicated himself with the fragrance of lavender, which seemed to be part of Alya's hair and skin. Of that scent, James knew he would never tire.
Suddenly, as if bothered by a sudden thought, James broke away from Alya, who frowned at him. But the boy paid no heed to young Black's silent protests and stared at her intently.
"There's one last thing," he whispered, extremely serious.
Alya rolled her eyes, contrite.
"What?" she blurted acidly.
James' hand crept into Alya's raven hair, at the nape of her neck, forcing her to look into his eyes. Their faces were so close that she could see herself reflected in his round glasses, as always a little askew.
James spoke and his tone became adamant.
"Get rid of Maynard Nott as soon as possible."