32 6.1.1. - The First Rising of Voldemort

James woke before the others the next morning, and as usual once he started moving around Remus started to stir.

"Jwms?" Remus murmured incoherently.

"Hey Remus," James replied with a yawn.

"Are you mumble mumble mumble," was all James got before Remus fell back asleep.

James stifled a snort. Maybe the sleep spell was a bit stronger than he thought.

After morning hygiene he trudged down the stairs, he took out the necklace Harry gave him with the lightning bolt design, pushing some magic and his desire into it.

James almost fell down the stairs struggling to hold the huge book that appeared in front of him.

"Bloody hell Hermione," James grumbled, stumbling down the last few steps.

"James?" a familiar voice called.

Looking up James saw a surprising amount of people awake. Then he noticed that most of them were third-years, worry and fear about Malcolm no doubt.

He also saw Marlene, Mary and Dorcas sitting around the fire, each with a tired look in their eyes.

James instantly became more alert.

"Where's Lily?"

He heard a snort from the side and saw Alice holding her hand over her mouth, Frank sat next to her with an arm around her shoulders and a wry grin on his face.

"Nice book Potter," Frank joked. "What's it about?"

"Flobberworms," James said, then turned back to the girls. "Well?"

"My apologies Lord Potter," Marlene said with annoyance. "Lily hasn't come back yet, neither has Malcolm."

James' mood darkened at the mention of Malcolm. Everytime he thought of that boy's family he saw the images of war play out in his mind. Giving the girls a nod he moved to a separate table and the book thudded loudly, earning him a few startled looks and glares from the others.

"Sorry," James mumbled while sitting down.

Opening the book James looked at the Table of Contents

The History of The First and Second Wizarding War

There was everything from the Gaunt and Riddle family history, to the way The-Boy-Who-Lived was treated in his home life.

James didn't know if the book was meant for anyone outside of a Potter to read, and felt that the last inclusion was a bit too personal.

Skimming down he found what he was looking for.

6.1.1. - The First Rising of Voldemort

Honestly Harry's second wife could drone on and on. Merlins beard. Regardless James could summerize the next twenty pages easily.

In 1964 a group of radical Dark Faction Purebloods came to be called The Knights of Walpurgis. It was unknown at the time who was a part of the group (Though the books says, Malfoy, Rookwood, Carrow, Nott, and Avery were the founding members) outside of Lord Voldemort who led them.

No one knew who Lord Voldemort who led the secretive group really was, but Hermione said that it was intentional for Voldemorts name to get out. The group gathered more and more Dark Faction Purebloods to the Knights, and soon Lord Voldemort was a house-hold name.

James remembered being seven years old and his father coming home from a Wizengamot meeting cursing the name.

Then in 1972 suddenly the entirety of the Dark Faction began to call him The Dark Lord instead. People were confused as to why, until the Undersecretary of the Minister said it in a meeting, and was never seen again.

People who said the name were never heard from, disappearing from homes, or the middle of the streets. In 1973 was the first reported Muggle Raid. Where the Dark Mark was seen overhead and the muggles inside dead.

James also remembered that day. They no longer reported that as much, but the first few times it happened James and Sirius went on a Hexing spree in revenge against the Slytherins.

It was then that Voldemort became You-Know-Who.

In 1975 the Muggleborn houses began to be attacked. James see's that Malcolm's name wasn't on the page, according to Hermione the Muggleborn deaths were quickly ignored by most. Still tragic in the moment and the days following, but that didn't garner as much Media as the future attacks. So much so that there were no records of names of attacks that weren't at least half-bloods.

According to the book the first pureblood was attacked on July 15th 1976, Edward Decker, a pureblood immigrant from the USA.

For the next few years it just continues to be the occasional attack, but more and more purebloods are found dead. Until in 1978 where the war really begins and the Ministry takes its head out of its ass and tries to do something about it. In the next three years almost half of the Wizarding population of Britain dies. Everyday someone dies, someone disappeared. And no one knows who is a Death Eater and who isn't, not to mention the mass Imperius that happened to help grow the confusion.

The Ministry was on the brink of collapse, then Voldemort died to a one year old child.

James felt the cold fear at the number of deaths. Wizards were never large in number like Muggles, but half! Practically genocide of a generation. And for staunch Purebloods it would only increase the inbreeding and squib rate.

Flipping back to the page about Muggleborn killings James conjured a quill and ink.

Malcolm Gears's family. Two parents and daughter September 29th 1975.

James closes the book, feeling the weight of the family more heavily now, as if recording their deaths was his promise of vengeance.

Remus stumbled down the stairs, clothes perfectly pressed but eyes still tired. Maybe James put a bit too much power into the sleeping spell.

Remus saw James and the girls on the couch. He put a hand on Marlene's shoulder, leaning forward to whisper to the three of them before straightening and coming to plop down next to James.

"What was that?" James asked.

"Asking them to keep me updated on Lily and Malcolm if they hear anything," Remus yawns while covering his mouth.

He never liked to show his teeth.

Finishing his yawn Remus peered at James.

"So?"

"So what?" James asked hesitantly.

Remus frowned.

"James, you've never freaked out like that before. Ever."

"Really? I'm pretty sure I'm not the most pleasant after losing a Quidditch game."

"James, you're a dick after losing a Quidditch game," Remus said bluntly. "This was a panic attack. Like when- like when you guys told me you knew," he finished quietly. "Or when Peter thought he was going to fail Transfiguration. Or when Sirius heard about a possible engagement. To put your own words back in your mouth, "A Potter never panics."

James had said that before his first Quidditch game, and he had definitely been panicking then.

"Thats not all…" Remus looks around. "We all know you've changed over the summer. Merlin, Sirius is about to blow his top, he's never gone so long without hexing someone."

"He is?"

Remus nodded.

"He said some stuff last week. In the typical Sirius way, but I got the message. He's scared that if he hexes someone you'll cut him off."

"What!" James exclaimed, he got a few tired glares and quieted down. "I don't want him messing with random people, but that would hardly make me cut him off. Nothing will."

"I know that, and he thinks he knows that, but you know Sirius."

James nodded reluctantly.

"And then…" Remus got uncomfortably close to James, voice barely a murmur. "James, why were you thinking of letting Peter die yesterday, and why have you been mad at him this past month?"

James felt his heart stutter in his chest. Remus' eyes were hard, staring at James like a wolf stares at prey. He never liked how Sirius and James treated Peter. But oftentimes let it go due to Peter's enthusiasm in being included.

Remus had a soft spot for Peter, and if Remus thought James wanted him dead then it could rip their group apart.

James takes a moment to compose himself and looks at Remus eyes.

"I dont want him dead. If anything I want to help him."

Remus frowns. Was that his hightened senses? James new they were way above a normal humans, especially near a Full Moon, but if he was able to tell… what? Bloodthirst? Then it probably had a magical component to it too.

"Then what was with you and him yesterday?"

"Its complicated, and I do want to tell you guys. And I will tell you guys, just not all at once. Ill talk about my reaction and the room today after class."

"You have Quidditch practice today."

"Damn… Hey Frank!"

"Bloody hell Potter, its too early for you to be this loud," Frank groaned in annoyance. "What do you want?"

"Cancel Quidditch practice today alright?"

"WHAT!" a familiar disbelieving voice yells.

Sirius and Peter were taking the last few steps when they heard James speak.

"Remus tie him up. Peter stun him. We need to get him to Madam Pomfrey now," Sirius said, running to James to put a hand on his forhead.

James smacked his hand away.

"What Siri-"

"Merlins dead fossilized balls he's combative. Perfectus Totalus! Wingardium Leviosa! Lets go!"

If James could, he would have sighed. Actually that wasn't true, if he could move He would have been turning the hair on Sirius's balls into tiny angry snakes. Yes he knew how to do that, probably.

"Sirius-" Remus began, but Sirius was already leaping through the portrait hole, Peter hot on his tail rubbing his head as if it hurt him. Oh yeah, it probably did, deep Legilimency could do that.

"Ah!" Sirius yelled, stopping abruptly.

James being Petfectus Totalused didnt know what happened, his eyes just stairing up at the many paintings looking down on them.

"Evans!" Sirius. "Uh, well, honestly you look like shite."

"Thanks… can you not do that where there is a fifty foot drop?" Lily's tired voice asked.

James had begun floating away as Sirius lost concentration of the spell,apparently he was floating over the railing.

Sirius set James down on the ground, but didn't un pretify him. Lily rolled her eyes and flicked her wand at James.

"Damn, silent spellcasting-" Sirius began, but was cut off by James jumping to his feet.

"Lily! Is Malcolm okay?"

"No, obviously not," she growled, rubbing her face.

James would never say it out-

"Morgana's high heels, you do look like shite."

Nevermind he would.

To be fair, Lily's already wiry red hair was in complete disarraydisarray. Deep bags pulled at her eyes and they, along with her nose, was red and puffy.

"Thanks," Lily repeated blandly.

"No- wait- I-"

"Lily! You look like sh-"

"Lupin if you finish that I'll throw you over the railing."

Remus grinned at Lily, throwing arm over Sirius.

"Thought it was a part of the joke. Peter was ready to go next."

Peter shook his head.

"Hmm?" he said, only now getting into the conversation.

James, Sirius and Remus chuckled, but then James turned back to Lily.

He felt more than saw his three friends stiffen, as if ready to either defend him from an attack or run away.

"You should go get some rest."

Lily raised a tired eyebrow.

"That was the plan."

James nodded seriously. "Not too many in there right now, but the girls are, same with Alice and Frank. Don't let them keep you up too long with questions."

Lily looked surprised at that, but nodded before heading in.

"That was new," Peter murmured.

"I think we got a skinwalker here," Sirius accused. "First you say to cancel Quidditch then you don't have Evans screaming at you."

Sirius poked James in the cheek with his wand.

"Finite."

James put his own wand in front of Sirius's open mouth.

"Obscuro."

Sirius gagged, a blindfold stuffed in his mouth, he spit it out coughing.

"James!" he seethed, wiping his mouth.

"Sorry breakfast is coughing, ah sorry, breakfast is calling. That's what I meant to say," James said, running down the stairs, making sure to jump over the trick one.

Sirius ran after him, almost a mirror of the previous morning with Peter.

-

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