James Potter's Only Regret

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James Potter's Only Regret



It was Rubeus Hagrid who had the idea.

"T'was back a few months ago," he said suddenly, "But Professor Veigler came ter my cabin, middle'er the night, says he needs to know a bit about the lay o' the land about Hogwarts... Says he needs ter see all'er the places a man could go to hide 'round 'bout Hogsmeade 'n the castle. Walkin' distance, he said, an it's got ter be a secret. Says Dumbledore knows 'bout it and that he needs ter know as quickly as possible, as he's workin' on sommat for Dumbledore..." Hagrid looked apologetic to the Headmaster, "Should've checked with yeh first, made sure he was tellin' the truth."

"You had no reason to doubt a Professor, Hagrid," Dumbledore said, "And Professor Veigler was telling the truth. He'd asked me about the location of a place to hide for his full moon transformations and I -- I asked him to speak to you about a secure place in the area. The only one that I knew of was... previously engaged."

The members of the resistance gave Dumbledore a funny look.

"Go on, Hagrid," Dumbledore requested.

Hagrid nodded, "So yeh see I got me crossbow and I brought Ned all about Hogsmeade an' the forest, showed him a good deal 'er places an' he made a big production out 'er settin' protective charms over 'em. But was this one cave in the mountains o'er lookin' the village, he seemed 'specially int'rested in."

Dumbledore rubbed his chin. "Hagrid, do you know where this cave is?"

"O'course," Hagrid replied, nodding.

"Can you take us there?"

"Yes, o'course, anythin' yeh think would help, I'll do!" Hagrid thumbed to the door, "Lemme git me crossbow and I'll meet yeh at the gates."

"Yes, thank you Hagrid," Dumbledore nodded. He looked at the others in the room. "I'm going to need to beg you leave," he said, "At least for the moment. There is something extremely important that I have just thought of, which I need to check upon myself. I have an idea of where this cave is that Hagrid speaks of - if you'd go with him and see if you can't find the Potter boy, and I will join you as soon as I have completed what I need to."

"In the midst of all this, you're going to abandon us? For some other cause? What could possibly be greater than saving a boy --" demanded McGonagall hotly, eyes flashing.

"Saving four," Dumbledore replied.

McGonagall quieted and she set her jaw and turned to the others, "Let's go," she said.

They hurried from the room and Dumbledore turned, grabbing his wand from the desk and he looked at Fawkes. "Go wherever you are needed tonight, Fawkes," he said thickly. "You know better than I do." Dumbledore turned and hurried from the room.



The moon's light pooled through the mouth of the cave slowly, Fenrir standing as far back from it as he could, trying to prolong the time before his transformation. He glared at James, frustrated. "You haven't got much longer, kid."

James stared straight ahead, struggling to keep an expression of indifference upon his face. He was unable to see more than vague, blurry shapes before him anyway without his glasses, and too afraid to allow his emotions to show. Greyback must not know how frightened he was. Rudolphus laughed lowly.

"I truly thought your father was a more loyal man than to let you die like this, but it seems all he is is a coward," mocked Greyback. He grinned, teeth bared. "But it's alright, I reckon... I'm so hungry, I may not even make you suffer... much."

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