Friday
January 2, 1978
The Great Hall
Despite all of the celebrations that came with Christmas and the New Year, the week following has been far more subdued due to an article that came out in the Prophet yesterday morning.
In an unforeseen event on the first day of the New Year, an unforgivable attack was made on the Beckham family, an outstanding pureblood family in the Wizarding community, by who is assumed to be the man called Lord Voldemort and his followers. The bodies of Francis and Amilla Beckham, along with their two daughters Hollissa and Berenice were found early this morning amongst the wreckage of their once austere countryside Mansion. A spokesperson from the Ministry has stated that "The horrific skull floating above the ruins is the only clue as to the perpetrators of this terrible crime, but every effort is being made to apprehend these people before any more damage is done to the Wizarding community".
James thinks it's a load of bollocks.
The efforts made by the Ministry that is. Not the devastating murder.
What isn't a load of bollocks is that Hollie Beckham, Slytherin prefect and a genuinely good person was murdered by Voldemort yesterday for reasons beyond my comprehension.
It really puts things in perspective.
It'll sure make Joan Fletcher regret calling her a Voldemort supporter, that's for certain.
Due to these events, the general vibe of Hogwarts has been rather sombre, and the house banners in the Great Hall have all been changed to black.
What isn't sombre, however, is James Potter's renewed crusade against the forces of evil both within and outside of Hogwarts. On a side note, is without truly the opposite of within, because can you use it in the context of someone being within and without Hogwarts? Just a thought.
As I write, James is discussing different techniques of how to keep up with suspicious activity inside the castle, and whether or not anyone has any idea of how best to do so.
"We could, I dunno, do a stakeout?" Black suggested, looking rather too eager for comfort.
"Brilliant, Pad!" James replied, jumping in his seat.
I was half afraid he was going to jump on the table again (as he so often does) and incur the wrath of McGonagall.
"Thank you," Black tossed his hair, "I know you are but what am I."
"Pad! Ahh, you melt my heart you handsome vixen you," James said, raising his hand to his brow. "It's a wonder there isn't some lovely lady who hasn't swept you up yet. One day, one day."
It's probably because Black is too busy snogging everyone left, right and centre to form a committed relationship with anyone. Actually, now that I think about it, I haven't seen or heard about him snogging anyone for a while. Intriguing. Not that I care, of course. He's probably just really bad at snogging.
Anyway, Peter doesn't seem too keen on the idea. "I mean sure," he says, looking doubtful, "but Isn't there a better way? A stakeout could be risky."
"Darling Peter Petering Peterson Petersong," Black responds, "that is precisely why a stakeout is imperative! Picture the scene: you, me, the invisibility cloak-"
"The invisa-what?" Marley interrupts.
Black continues as if Marlene didn't just question the fact he knows where to access an assumingly legitimate cloak of invisibility. "-and a musty, mouldy, dank, dark dungeon corridor. Ooh, I've got shivers of anticipation already!"
YOU ARE READING
Black
Fanfiction[WARNING: Book is not suitable for reading in quiet areas, as the emotions resulted from reading usually end in squealing and/or excessive giggling.] Eva Bishop is just trying to live her life as best as she can in her seventh year at Hogwarts Scho...
