James considered this for a moment and didn’t find it particularly surprising. “Well, I did tell him about the Marauder’s Map.
Blokes like Merlin are keen on keeping an eye on everyone else, but not so keen on having any eyes kept on him. But it’s not exactly safe to let Peeves run around with the beacon stone, is it?”
Scorpius shrugged dismissively. “It’s probably the safest place of all. Merlin’s about the only person Peeves is afraid of. Also, the little imp’s too stupid and petty to understand the ring’s significance, and too fanatically jealous of his ‘sworn duty’ to let anyone else so much as look twice at it.”
Even Rose couldn’t argue with this logic.
Later that evening, James found Ralph in the library and attempted to explain Odin-Vann’s “detentions”, and the events that had followed. Ralph’s face was stoic as he listened, his arms folded across his big chest and his eyes glaring pointedly at nothing in particular.
“So, Odin-Vann invites you, Zane, and Rose on some secret, dangerous mission,” he finally said, still avoiding James’ eyes. “But leaves me out of it completely. And you believe him when he says it has nothing to do with the fact that I don’t trust him.”
James shrugged a little. “He said Rose and I were enough. And he was right, more or less,” he admitted reluctantly. “Zane only came because he was the one that emptied out Apollo Mansion. Other than that, we were just there to protect Petra. Turns out we were about as helpful as a pair of Flobberworms.”
“My wand’s a part of Merlin’s staff, if you remember,” Ralph said, raising his chin and finally turning his gaze on James. “If I’d been there, I might have been able to get Merlin’s attention with it, at least.
Did you think of that?”
James hadn’t. Before he could think of any response, however, Ralph went on.
“You lot are keeping Merlin out of this, but I think that’s a huge mistake. Everyone else might be mad with paranoia about Petra.
Maybe even your dad and the Auror department. But Merlin’s better than that. It’s a mistake to keep him out. I think that’s why Odin-Vann didn’t include me.”
James shook his head. “I really don’t think so, Ralph,” he said, dropping his voice to a whisper. “I trust Merlin just as much as you do.
But he’s the head of the school, and that makes him part of the machine that wants to catch and stop Petra. He may be Merlinus Ambrosius, but even he has to obey the laws of the land now. Just like my dad. And besides,” he added, trying not to be stung by Ralph’s words. “Odin-Vann wanted us to tell you about it. He said it was best to keep you in the loop, just in case Petra needed us again.”
This was a slight exaggeration of Odin-Vann’s words, James knew, but he thought he could be forgiven for it. Ralph sighed and returned his gaze to the far wall.
“I don’t trust him,” he muttered. “And more importantly, I don’t like him. I don’t know what it is. But he’s wrong for you lot, and he’s wrong for Petra.”
James leaned forward on the table dejectedly. “It won’t matter much longer, it looks like,” he murmured glumly. “They’ll be returning the crimson thread to the Loom soon. Petra will be gone from our world forever. Odin-Vann may be dodgy and unpredictable, but when that happens, he’ll just be a dodgy and unpredictable Charms teacher.
Nothing more.”
Ralph softened slightly. “So when’s that going to happen?”
James shook his head. “Dunno. Zane has to get them into the Archive to do it, though. He’ll tell us via the Shard just as soon as Odin-Vann gets everything ready and sets the date.”
“Will we see Petra again before it happens?”
James considered this, and then shook his head again, slowly.
“She wanted me to tell you she missed seeing you, and Rose, too. I think that was her way of saying goodbye. Probably to all of us.”
Ralph nodded sadly. There didn’t seem to be anything left to say on the subject.
At another table across the library, Millie Vandergriff sat with a group of other Hufflepuffs, their heads together and whispering animatedly. Her profile was to him, and James considered it as he watched her. She was pretty, he realized. More, he wanted to go to her.
He wanted to sit down with her and her friends, to lose himself in their conversation, and forget the sad worries that hung over his head like storm clouds. Millie didn’t command his heart like Petra did—he had no illusions about that—but neither did she promise the inevitable heartbreak and regret that his love for Petra demanded.
He wished Millie would look over at him, perhaps wave him over. He would hold her hand under the table if she allowed him.
Maybe later, he would walk her to the Hufflepuff common room door, and she would kiss him again.
Or maybe he would kiss her. And this time, he allowed himself to muse, it would be full on the lips.
She did not look around at him, however. She was too engaged with her friends, covering her laughter with one hand, pushing her blonde hair back behind one ear, completely oblivious of James’ pensive, considering gaze.
Soon enough, he got up, gathered his things, said goodnight to Ralph, and left.
Graham was just posting the Quidditch roster on the notice board near the portrait of the Fat Lady, surrounded by a group of curious onlookers, when James approached. He almost asked Graham directly if he’d made the team, but realized he didn’t want everyone to hear the response, just in case the answer was no.
He shouldered toward the notice board and scanned the names, his pulse suddenly thudding in his chest. When he reached the bottom of the list, his heart plunged. His name wasn’t there.
But then he realized that he had skimmed the list too fast, scanning it almost without reading, searching only for his own name.
It was there after all, but reversed, last name first, so that his eye had initially skipped right over it.
POTTER, JAMES: SEEKER
James’ heart leapt upwards again, now trip-hammering. He felt such a deep, sudden sense of elation that he swayed on his feet, nearly faint with relief and surprise.
He had been waiting for this moment ever since his first year, and had begun to suspect, deep down, that it would never— could never—happen.
Only now did he realize just how much he needed this good news.
“Congratulations, James!” Lilly said, joining him and nearly hopping with excitement. “Mum and Dad will be so proud! Both of us playing for Gryffindor, me as Keeper and you as Seeker! We’re destined to take home the trophy this year!”
James’ face split into a helpless grin. He nodded, then shook his head in wonder, and then nodded again. Lily laughed and pulled him toward the portrait hole.
“Come on!” she enthused. “Let’s get the whole team together and start planning formations! Oh, this is going to be simply excellent!”