Unrelenting Fate: A Marauders Era AU

Chapter 13

October 1977

"Can you believe this guy?" Royan laughed as he held up the front page of the Daily Prophet for the others to read.

Adelaide and Alexander peered at it from across the table.

"Oh, brilliant!" The latter scoffed, rolling his eyes at the moving picture on the paper.

A tall Wizard dressed in black robes could be seen glaring at the camera, a deep look of hatred captured in his snarling face.

Adelaide read the headline above the picture -

"Minister of Magic Candidate Riddle Delivers Speech To Wizengamot Members!"

"What's he saying now? Muggle-Borns and Half-Bloods should be banned from Wizarding society? Or just that we can only be allowed to do the dirty work?" Alexander asked angrily.

Royan sighed and began reading from the Prophet's leading story.

"Candidate Riddle addressed the Wizengamot earlier today on matters he finds crucial, such as banning Muggle-Born Witches and Wizards from holding positions of power in the Ministery. And on only allowing Half-Bloods with relations to acceptable Pure-Blood families to hold such standings." He narrated to them before dropping the paper and shaking his head.

"What a ridiculous man! If he gets elected instead of Minchum, I'm moving to the States!" The older Ravenclaw said.

"I'll move with you!" Alexander agreed.

"What, and leave me here to deal with Della and Peter being love-struck puppy dogs by myself?" Adelaide asked with a false pout.

"Absolutely, darling! You can surely manage by yourself!" Alexander teased her, Royan chuckled along with him.

"You both are just awful!" The girl laughed.

"I know, dearest, but you love me anyway!" The blonde boy sighed dramatically before leaning over to give her a quick kiss on the cheek.

All three Ravenclaws turned when a sudden clatter of silverware sounded from near the Gryffindor table.

They watched in confusion as James Potter stormed out of the Great Hall with a look of rage on his face.

"What do you suppose has his panties in a knot this morning?" Alexander questioned the others.

They both shrugged helplessly.

**************

It was just his lucky day! There wasn't any other way to put it.

James had been trying his hardest for nearly two weeks to figure out some way of getting Harthwood to forgive him.

Sure she had spoken to him a few times, but it was really just civil 'hellos' and 'how are you's?' that showed she had been raised to have manners.

And right when he thought the easiest thing to do was to go over to her and basically force her to speak to him, he glances up towards the Ravenclaw table and watches with horror-stricken eyes as Lark leans over and kisses her.

White-hot rage burned through him at the sight.

Before he could even think about what was happening, he had thrown down his fork and abandon his half-eaten breakfast, quickly making his way out of the Great Hall.

He could hear Sirius calling after him, but for once in their long friendship, James didn't want to be around his best mate.

He wanted to be alone.

No .... what he wanted to do ...

No, he couldn't think about that sort of thing.

But ... he really wanted to.

"Damn it!" James groaned, rubbing his hands over his face in irritation.

"Potter? Are you alright?" Someone asked him.

James looked up and saw Lily Evans and Harriette Brighter watching him with concerned eyes.

"Oh, hello Evans, Brighter," He nodded to the Head Girl before fixing his hazel gaze on the red-head girl he should be thinking of.

This was his chance; Lily was willingly speaking to him, so why wasn't he feeling excited at all?

The girls shared a curious look before turning back to the Gryffindor.

"Is everything ok, James? You don't seem well," Lily said gently.

"Is it something to do with Adelaide?" Harriette asked, taking a wild guess.

James frowned. "Why would you think that?"

"Royan told me about what happened the other night while we had Head business to attend to, so I figure it has something to do with that."

"Oh," James sighed, his shoulders sagging.

"What's wrong? You can talk to us James," Lily said, putting a hand on his shoulder in a friendly gesture.

Pushing his glasses back to their spot on his nose, the boy thought over his answer.

"Do you know if Lark and Harthwood are close?" He finally asked.

"Of course they are, Alexander and Adelaide have been friends since their first year, just as you and Sirius, Remus, and Peter have been," Lily said as though she thought he was asking the easiest question in the world.

"No," James said, shaking his head quickly, "No, I mean are they dating?"

Harriette arched one of her dark brows at him, and Lily seemed confused.

"What?" He insisted.

"Oh, Potter," The redhead sighed.

"If you want to ask her out, you had better just ask," Harriette instructed sternly.

"Huh?" James had no idea what was happening. Why did they think he wanted to ask Harthwood out?

Weren't she and Lark dating?

"You'll figure it out, Potter," Lily said, patting his shoulder again before walking towards the Great Hall.

Harriette nodded at him and followed after her.

"What the bloody hell?" James whispered to himself, scratching his head in confusion.

Then a thought struck him.

What if she and Lark were not dating?

What would Harthwood do if he asked her to the Halloween Ball?

"Damn it! Why do women have to be so stressful?" He muttered to himself.