Chapter Text
James looked around the darkened room. He could hardly make out anything aside from the flickering light of the torches on the wall. A dark sense of foreboding washed over him. He stood up. Everything felt hazy. Blurry. My glasses. I need my glasses. He took a small step, and heard a small crunch beneath him. He crouched down, feeling for what he had just stepped on. A small shard of glass pierced his fingertip. There they are, he thought grimly. He put his injured finger to his mouth, tasting the metallic blood that oozed from the wound. He sighed, and put the remains into one of his pockets.
You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you?
James whipped around, trying to find the source of the voice now reverberating around the room. The torch lights flickered around more and more, as if a strange wind had picked up.
My my, I see you've put yourself into unnecessary danger. Whatever happened to your friends, Potter? Your allies? Your princess?
He lunged at the voice, coming up with nothing. It would have been impressive had he managed to come up with anything at all. Whoever this was, they needed to be dealt with immediately.
Is that the best you can do? Pity. I expected more of a fight from you, the fabled hero of legend. Yet where is your wand? Where is your sword. The wind came back, threateningly close to James. He flailed his arms around, trying to land any hit. Face it Potter. You are never going to defeat me. I will destroy you so I can take over this land and rule it how I chose to. My Dark Army will prevail over what that old man has coughed up.
The voice lifted James up by his neck. For a brief moment, he could make out a pair of fiercely red eyes. James let out a yell. A scream so loud and so painful that even the figure lifting him softened his grip, if only for a moment. Then the spindly fingers squeezed his neck once more.
And then, he was floating.
James opened his eyes once more. A ray of sunlight permeated his vision, causing him to screw his eyes shut once more. "Oi, he's awake," a voice called out. Footsteps rushed all around him. Voices mixed with each other, causing James' head to throb.
"Don't crowd him," another voice said. This one was a woman's voice, and a stern woman at that. He heard the shuffling of footsteps as the supposed crowd fell back. Everyone went quiet.
"Well, what are you waiting for?" the first voice said again. "I saw your eyes open."
James opened his eyes to a blurry figure standing over him. Long black hair fell down, framing his face. "Mr. Black, that is enough," the woman said. "My rules still apply to you, even though you are the one who found him."
"Aw, come on Minnie," the man said. "I just want-"
"Quiet, Mr. Black. Or else I will have you cleaning out bedpans for weeks, do I make myself clear?" That shut him up. He mouthed something, and left to rejoin the crowd. The woman stepped forward, and propped James up on a pillow. "If you want to make yourself useful, Mr. Black, then I suggest fetching our guest here some water. He must be parched after what he went through."
James squinted his eyes, trying to make out where exactly he was. Everything was so blurry. Glasses. He reached around the table next to him, trying to find his glasses. "I assume you're looking for your glasses," the woman said. James nodded. "I see. They were nearly damaged beyond repair. However, we have some wonderful people working here who fixed them up for you in a snap." She pressed the new pair of glasses into his hands. He put them on, watching as she went from nothing but a blur to a stern looking woman. Her mouth was tight, but her eyes showed concern for him. She had thin brown hair, tied up in a bun, with a few grey streaks throughout. "Better?"
James nodded.
"Very well then. My name is Minerva McGonagall. I used to teach at the school in his village, but things have been...well..."
"Difficult?" the man said, bounding back in with a glass of water. James could see him more clearly now. He had black hair down to his shoulders. It curled ever so slightly, making it look both wild and elegant at the same time. His skin was porcelain; pale, but not sallow. He wore a white button down, with an untied red tie hanging around his neck. "I'm Sirius, by the way," he said. He stuck out his hand and grinned. "Sirius Black."
James stared at Sirius, unsure of what to do. Sirius pushed his hand forward a bit, urging James to shake it. "Well, go on then," he said. James took his hand, giving it a weak shake.
"Right then," McGonagall said. "Now that Mr. Black has made his presence known, we can begin."
Sirius put his hand over his heart. "You wound me Minnie. Wound me. Mary, pull up a bed next to his, I need treatment for these wounds."
A girl, presumably Mary, stifled a laugh and made a move for the bed next to James."Miss MacDonald, it would be in your best interests not to give in to his ludicrous requests." She smiled, and returned to her place, her ringlets bouncing as she did so. McGonagall turned her attention back to James. "Now, I need your name, at the very least. That way, we can identify your parents and send word that you are safe, and so that we can get you back home to them."
James shook his head.
"No you don't have parents?" she asked.
Another head shake.
"Are you a runaway?" Sirius asked, sounding excited at the idea.
Another head shake. Sirius deflated a bit, causing James to smile just a bit. This reaction caused him to perk up again.
"Please, ignore Mr. Black. He's always like this, I'm afraid." she said, a bit miffed. "Can you at least give us your name?"
James remained silent. The pressure of everyone staring at him, especially in his weakened state made him want to curl up under the bed sheets and hide. The problem was that he hardly remembered anything before these past few moments. Whatever had happened before he woke up in this strange room was gone, lost to time and space. One of those stars in space, however, must contain his name.
"James Potter," Sirius read from something in his jacket. It had been hung up on the bed frame this entire time. James' smile grew a bit. It appears that a star did contain his name. A star called Sirius.
McGonagall nodded her head, taking the jacket from Sirius. "Thank you, Mr. Black." She picked up the card, and read it to herself, her eyes growing wider with each passing second. "Very well then." She turned to face everyone. "I must ask you all to leave. This is now a private conversation between me and Mr. Potter here."
The room erupted in conversations. What had she read that would make her kick everyone out? "What do you think it is?" someone asked Mary.
"None of our business, obviously," she answered back as she left the room. "If it's that serious, I'm sure we will hear of it eventually."
These conversations continued as everyone left the room. Once the door swung shut, the only people that remained were James, McGonagall, and Sirius. "Mr. Black, I must ask you to leave as well," she said wearily. "This is a private matter between me and Mr. Potter here."
"What, that he's to be the Princess's appointed knight?" he said. "That's not that serious. And I should know, I am very-"
"Yes, we are all quite aware," she said, pinching the bridge of her nose with her thumb and forefinger. "You know why this is a big issue, I assume. After all, your parents-" She stopped herself. "Well, you are aware of what is happening, I presume."
Sirius nodded stiffly. "Very much aware, Professor," he said. He turned away from her, and found an empty chair to sit in. He crossed his arms, still refusing to look at her.
James looked between the two of them. There was a definite shift in Sirius's energy. Whatever she had been about to say had affected him quite a bit. "Fine then, Mr. Black. You may stay, as long as Mr. Potter is alright with it."
They both looked at him. He shrugged, then nodded. Sirius pumped his fist weakly, then folded his hands together in his lap.
"Well then. I am sure that you both are aware of the troubles going on right about now, yes?" They both nodded. "Right. Allow me then to spare the details on Tom Riddle and his plans. Mr. Potter, as Princess Lily's knight, you must know some things that even we do not, am I correct in my assumption?"
James hesitated, before nodding weakly. So Riddle must have had something to do with why I am here.
"There are three artifacts in our world that stabilize the balance of good and evil. The Wand of Power, the Stone of Courage, and the Cloak of Wisdom. All three combined would give the wielder power beyond measure. Riddle, in his attempts to overthrow that balance, has begun seeking out these artifacts. We have reason to believe that he already possesses the Wand of Power, and that he is seeking the Stone next."
"Hold up, why haven't I heard any of this before?" Sirius asked.
"Because you are underage," she replied sternly. "Unfortunately, we no longer have the time to worry about age limits. We need any help we can get now."
"Why?" Sirius asked. James cocked his head to the side, asking the same thing.
McGonagall sighed. "Well, the castle has been captured."
James's eyes widened. Princess. Castle. Knight. This must be important.
"That's not possible," Sirius said weakly. His already pale skin had turned white. "That's the most protected place there is."
She looked to James. "Not without protection, it's not." Her gaze softened a bit to one of concern. "I hate to ask you to do this, but I need you to help restore the castle and to stop Riddle," she said. "Without our King or our Princess, things are looking bleak."
"But isn't he supposed to be the strongest?" Sirius asked. "King Dumbledore. There isn't anyone better, that's why he's the King."
McGonagall shook her head. "Not anymore, he isn't. That is why we suspect that Riddle has the Wand." She turned to look at James. "Will you do it?" she asked. "For the sake of our world as we know it?"
James nodded his head gravely. He had no memory of who he was or how he got here, but the values he had grown up with burned inside him as if he was whole again. He turned his body, and put his feet on the ground. With no shoes on, the cold tile made him shiver. He stood up, and shakily walked over to her. James knelt down, the same way he had before the King years ago, and remained there.
"I guess that settles it," she said. "Sirius, are you able to take him in at your flat?" she asked. "No sense keeping him here tonight, he needs a proper bed."
"Yes ma'am," he said with a salute. "I always keep a bed available in case..." his smile faltered for a second as he trailed off. "...well, just in case."
James stood back up, and walked over to Sirius. He looked at Sirius, and jerked his head towards the door. Sirius understood, and opened the door. "Well, I suppose this is goodbye, Minnie. Parting with you wounds me more than anything you have ever said to me."
"Farewell, Mr. Black. Keep him safe. Goddess knows he needs the extra protection."
Sirius nodded, before running out the door to catch up with James. "You don't talk much, do you," was the last thing she heard before the door swung shut.