James Potter and the Hall of Elders' Crossing [1]

by G. Norman Lippert

  Harry didn’t stop moving until he stood on the spot they’d seen the man standing. He turned slowly, taking in the sights from what would have been the man’s perspective. “There,” he pointed. James looked and saw that his dad was pointing at the base of one of the grandstands, at the doorway leading into the Ravenclaws’ holding pen. “Or there. Or there,” Harry said, talking partly to James and partly to himself, indicating first the path that ran between the Hufflepuff and Slytherin grandstands and then pointing at the equipment shed. “He probably wouldn’t choose the shed, since he’d know there was no back way out. At best, it’s a hiding place, and he’d be looking to get away, not hide. The grandstand exit would just take him farther in. No, he’d choose the path, then. It’s only been two minutes. James?”

  James looked up at his dad, eyes wide. “Yeah?” “Tell the Headmistress what we saw and have Titus meet me at the entrance to that path in five minutes. Don’t run. We don’t know what this is about and we don’t need to cause any concern yet. Just walk fast and tell them what I said. OK?”

  James nodded briskly, and then turned back the way he and his dad had come, reminding himself not to run. As he climbed the steps, pressing through the departing crowd, not even knowing yet who’d won the match, he realized how utterly gratified he was that his dad had believed him. In some small part of his mind, James had been worried that his dad would doubt him, perhaps even dismiss his concerns. But James had counted on the hope that his dad knew him better than that, that his dad would trust him. Harry had done just that, descending to the field to investigate the strange man without any question or hesitation. Of course, that was how Aurors worked. Investigate first, then ask questions if any are required. Still, James was extremely glad that his dad had trusted him enough to go after the man based solely on James’ word.

  Despite his relief at his dad’s response, however, James was sorely disappointed that the man had gotten away so easily. Somehow, he knew that Harry and Titus would not find any sign of the man or any clue of where he’d gone. Then, James would be right back where he’d started, with nothing but the glimpse of an unknown person on the Quidditch pitch to back up his story.

  Thinking that, he finally caught up to Titus Hardcastle and the rest of the group. When he gave them his messages from Harry, Titus excused himself with a word and headed briskly down the stairs, his hand in the pocket he kept his wand in. McGonagall and the Ministry officials listened to James’ explanation of the man he and Harry had seen on the field, the Headmistress with a look of stern attentiveness, Ms. Sacarhina and Mr. Recreant with looks of mild puzzlement.

  “You say he had some sort of camera, dear boy?” Sacarhina asked mildly.

  “Yeah, I’ve seen them before. It makes movies. He was filming the match.” Sacarhina looked at Recreant with a strange expression that James took for disbelief. He wasn’t surprised, and he didn’t really care. He was more concerned that McGonagall believe him. He was about to tell her the man was the same man that he’d accidently kicked through the window, but something about the expression on Sacarhina’s face made him decide to wait until they were in private.

  On the way down the steps again, flanked by McGonagall, the Ministry officials, and the Alma Alerons, James finally heard the score. It turned out that Ravenclaw had won the game. James felt annoyed and deflated, but he took some comfort in knowing that at least Zane was probably having a good evening.

  When they reached the path leading back to the castle, Headmistress McGonagall sidestepped out of the line. “Professors and guests, please feel free to return to the castle on your own. I prefer to attend to this situation in person,” she said briskly and turned to cross the field. James darted to follow her. When he caught up with her, she glanced down at him.

  “I suppose it would be pointless for me to tell you this is no business of a first-year student,” she said, apparently choosing, against her better judgment, not to send James up to the castle. “The Auror in charge being your father, he’d probably ask for you to be there, no less. One wonders how he is able to keep his head on straight without Miss Granger to reel him in.”

  It took James a moment to realize ‘Miss Granger’ was Aunt Hermione, whose last name was now Weasley. He couldn’t help smiling at the thought that the Headmistress still tended to think of his dad and aunt and uncle as troublesome, if generally likeable, little kids.

  By the time they reached the head of the path that cut between the Slytherin and Hufflepuff grandstands, Harry and Titus Hardcastle were coming back from their cursory examination of the area.

  McGonagall spoke first, “Any sign of the intruder?”

  “Nothing so far,” Hardcastle said gruffly. “Too dry for footprints and too dark to pick up his trail without a team or a dog.” “Madam Headmistress,” Harry said, and James could tell his dad was still in Auror mode, “may we have your permission to conduct a broader search of the area? We’d require the help of a small crew of our choosing.”

  “You believe that this individual is a threat?” the Headmistress asked Harry before answering. Harry spread his hands and shrugged. “There’s no way of knowing without more information. But I do know that the man I saw was too old to be a student, nor did I recognize him as any of the faculty or staff. He was wearing a cloak from one of the ground crew as an attempt at disguise, so he was certainly hiding from someone, if not everyone. And James tells me he’s seen this person on the grounds before.”

  Everyone looked at James. “He’s the one I told you about the other morning, ma’am,” James explained, addressing the Headmistress. “I’m sure of it. He had bandages on his arm and face. I think he got hurt when I knocked him through the window.”

  “I knew that would be an interesting story,” Harry muttered, suppressing a smile. “But certainly, Mr. Potter, Mr. Hardcastle,” McGonagall said, looking at the adults, “you realize there is no conceivable way that anyone could overcome the protective perimeter of the school. Anyone you saw simply must have been permitted to be on the grounds, otherwise…”

  “You’re right, Minerva,” Harry said. “But the individual I saw didn’t act as if he believed he was permitted to be here. So the question is, if he’s been allowed in, who gave the permission, and how? These are questions I’d very much like to ask, but our only hope of doing so rest on our beginning a search of the grounds immediately.”

  McGonagall met Harry’s eyes, nodded reluctantly, then more certainly. “Of course. Who do you require?” “I’d like Hagrid, for starters. No one knows these grounds like him, and of course, we’ll want Trife. We’d like to split into three teams: Hagrid with Trife, myself leading a team into the Forbidden Forest, and Titus heading the other team around the perimeter of the lake. We’ll need more sets of eyes to watch for sign. Too bad Neville is away tonight.”

  “We could summon him back,” Hardcastle commented. Harry shook his head. “I don’t think that’s necessary. We’re looking for a single individual, possibly a Muggle. All we really need are a couple people who know how to spot a trail. How about Teddy Lupin and you, James?”

  James tried not to look too pleased, but a thrill of pride went through him. He nodded at his dad with what he hoped looked like duty and confidence, instead of giddy excitement.

  “Does the school keep any hippogriffs at the moment, Madam?” Titus rumbled. “A view from above is what’s called for here. If the man’s been on the grounds before, he must be camped out nearby.”

  “No, none at the moment, Mr. Hardcastle. We have Thestrals, of course.”

  Harry shook his head. “Too light. Thestrals can only carry one person, and none as heavy as Titus or myself. Hagrid would break one right in half.”

  James was thinking hard. “How high do you have to be?” Hardcastle looked sideways at James. “Higher than man-height’s really all that matters. High enough to get a bird’s-eye view of the ground, but slow enough to be able to study it. You’ve an idea? Spill it, son.”

  “What about gia
nts?” James said after a pause. He was worried it was a stupid idea. Mostly, he was afraid of losing the respect his dad had shown him by inviting him along on the search. “There’s Grawp, who’s tall as some trees, and his new lady friend. Hagrid says she’s even bigger than your regular giant.”

  Hardcastle glanced at Harry, his expression unreadable. Harry looked considering. “How fast do you think Hagrid can get them here?” he asked, addressing the question to the Headmistress. “That’s certainly a question worth asking,” she said, a little archly, “seeing as I had no idea we now had two giants living among us. I’ll go and request their services from Hagrid personally.” She turned to James. “Go and fetch Mr. Lupin, and tell no one what you are up to. Both of you meet your father at Hagrid’s cottage with cloak and wand within fifteen minutes. I’ll need to return to the castle to see to our guests.”

  “And James,” Harry said, smiling that crooked smile, “now, you can run.”

  James was out of breath by the time he reached the common room. He found Ted still in his Quidditch jersey, moping with several other players in a corner alcove.

  “Ted, come here!” James called, catching his breath. “We don’t have much time.”

  “That’s no way to enter a room,” Sabrina said, turning to look at James over the back of the couch. “One might get the rather inescapable impression that you were up to something.” “I am. We are,” James said, leaning forward, his hands on his knees. “But I can’t tell you right now. Not allowed to. Afterwards. But they want you, Ted. We’re supposed to be at Hagrid’s cabin in five minutes. Wand and cloak.”

  Ted jumped up, apparently happy to forget the first loss of the season and always ready to tag along for an adventure. “Well, we all knew this day would come. Finally, my unique skills and insight are being recognized. We’ll regale you with the story of our adventure, assuming we live to tell the tale. Lead on, James.”

  Ted stuffed his wand into his pocket and slung his cloak over his shoulder. As both boys strode through the portrait hole, James still panting, Ted strutting and rock-jawed, Sabrina called after them, “Bring more Butterbeers when you get back, oh mighty ones.”

  On the way around the balcony, James was dismayed to see Zane wave at him from across the stairwell. He detoured to meet them at the landing.

  “Hey, Ted, great game!”

  Ted growled, annoyed to be reminded of it.

  “Where you going?” Zane asked, trotting to keep up with James and Ted.

  “Adventure and mortal peril, I’m thinking,” Ted replied. “You want to come?”

  “Yeah! What’s the plan?”

  “No!” James exclaimed. “Sorry. I’m not supposed to tell anyone about it but Ted. My dad said--”

  Zane’s eyebrows shot up. “Your dad? Cool! Serious Auror stuff! Come on, you can’t run off to have Harry Potter-style adventures without your buddy Zane, can you?”

  James stopped in the main hall, exasperated. “All right! You can follow us out, but if Dad says you have to come back in and be quiet about it, you have to. All right?”

  “Woohoo!” Zane called, running ahead of them down the steps into the courtyard. “Come on, you guys. Adventure and really wild stuff awaits!”

  Harry and Titus Hardcastle were standing outside Hagrid’s cabin with their wands lit by the time the three boys arrived.

  “Thanks for coming, Ted,” Harry said, his face stoic. “And Zane, as well, who I hadn’t exactly expected.” “I asked him to come, Harry,” Ted said, effecting a grave expression. “He’s new, but he’s sharp. I thought he might be of service, depending on what you’re planning.” Ted studied Zane critically. Zane wiped the grin off his face and attempted to look serious, without much success. Harry studied them both.

  “Mainly, we just need eyes. Since Zane has as many of those as the rest of us, I guess he’s qualified. Let’s just hope Minerva doesn’t find out I took another first year into the forest or she’ll bloody well figure out a way to give us all detention. James hasn’t told you what we’re doing here tonight?”

  Ted shook his head. “Nary a word. Just said it was top-secret, hush-hush stuff.”

  Harry slid an eye toward James. “The Headmistress told you not to say anything, my boy.”

  “I didn’t!” James protested, shooting a look at Ted. “I just said I wasn’t allowed to tell anyone what we were doing!” “Best way to get people suspicious, James, is to tell them not to ask.” But Harry didn’t seem angry. In fact, he seemed a little amused. “No matter, though. We’ll be done and back to the castle before your Gremlin friends mount any kind of reconnaissance. Right, Ted?”

  “They’re probably tucked into their beds even as we speak, Godfather,” Ted said primly. Harry rolled his eyes. James became aware of a dull rumbling underfoot. Moments later, he heard the distant barking of Trife, Hagrid’s bullmastiff, who had long since succeeded his beloved boarhound, Fang. Everyone present turned toward the woods as the rumbling underfoot became a rhythmic pounding. After a minute, huge shapes loomed in the darkness, lumbering between the trees, their footfalls shaking the ground. Trife bounded in and out of the giants’ legs, apparently unfazed by the fact that he’d be squashed to putty if one of them accidentally stepped on him. He barked up at them excitedly, his normally substantial frame dwarfed by the plodding figures. Hagrid followed, occasionally calling at Trife to quiet down, but with no real conviction.

  “Grawp was easy to bring along,” Hagrid called, stepping out of the forest. “He always wants to help. Got himself a great big heart o’ gold, he does. Gettin’ better and better with his words, too. His lady friend, though…” He dropped his voice as he approached Harry, affecting a secretive pose that James thought was about as subtle as a banshee in a matchbox. “She’s not quite so used to being around folks as Grawp is. Didn’t take too well to being woken up, either. Barely understands a word we say, but it seems best just to keep on talkin’ to her as if she does. She’ll come along all right, so long as we take it slow with her.”

  James reminded himself that this was the same Hagrid who had raised Blast-Ended Skrewts for fun, and persisted in thinking that the primary characteristic of dragons was their cuteness. Any warning from Hagrid about a creature’s temperament, therefore, was definitely worth hearing. Everyone turned to greet the giants as they emerged from the trees. Grawp came first, blinking and smiling in the wand-light. He waved a piano-sized hand at Harry.

  “Hullo, Harry,” Grawp’s voice was deep and slow. James had the impression that making words wasn’t quite what it had been designed for. “How Herm-ay-nown… Her-mime-nin…”

  Harry tried to save Grawp the effort. “Hermione is fine, Grawp. She would say hello if she had known I’d be seeing you.” This seemed to be more than Grawp could quite wrap his mind around. “Hullo, Hermenimminie…” He continued working through Hermione’s name as the she-giant emerged tentatively from the forest behind him. James craned his neck, feeling an involuntary thrill of fear course down his spine. The she-giant was so tall that she had to push the canopy of the trees apart as she stepped out of the forest, cracking and snapping branches. The wand-light only reached her chest, which was roughly about the same height as Grawp’s head. Her head was merely a shadowed shape moving above the treetops, outlined against the starry sky. She moved slower than Grawp, ponderously, her great feet coming down to the ground like falling millstones, shaking leaves from the nearby trees with each step.

  “So much for stealth,” Hardcastle commented, staring up at the monstrous figure. “Harry, Titus, James, Zane, and Ted,” Hagrid called out very slowly, “meet Prechka. Prechka, these are friends.” Prechka bent down slightly so that her head hovered over Grawp’s shoulder. She made a low, interrogative grunt that James thought actually rattled the windows in Hagrid’s cottage. Harry raised his lit wand over his head and smiled. “Prechka, Grawp, thank you both for coming and helping us. We won’t keep you long, I hope. Hagrid has explained what we are asking you to do tonight, h
as he?”

  Grawp gathered himself to speak. “Harry look for sneaking man. Grawp and Prechka help.” “Excellent,” Harry said, turning to address the group. “Hagrid, you take Trife and get him on the scent from the path. See if he can pick up anything leading off the trail into the forest or around the lake. If so, send up a red signal. Ted, you’ll be with me and Prechka in the forest. Zane, James, you’ll both join Titus and Grawp searching the perimeter of the lake. We’re searching for a back trail as much as we’re looking for the intruder himself, so watch for broken branches, disturbed undergrowth and ground leaves, and anything human-related, such as bits of cloth, trash, papers, or anything of that nature. Everyone clear?”

  “Who’re we looking for, Harry?” Ted asked. Harry was already approaching Prechka slowly. “We’ll know that when we find him, won’t we?”

  8.the Grotto Keep

  Zane, James, and Hardcastle climbed onto Grawp’s back as the giant squatted down. James and Zane both clambered onto a shoulder, gripping Grawp’s ragged shirt for support. Hardcastle, apparently oblivious to how ridiculous it might look, straddled the back of Grawp’s neck like a kid being carried by his dad. He held his lit wand up and out, spreading a halo of light onto the ground around them, and then directed Grawp toward the lake. As they left, Harry and Ted were still working out the best method to get onto Prechka’s shoulders.