The Marauders Year Five Part 2 #Wattys2017

Rewriting The Past

Rewriting The Past

James listened as Rudolphus went downstairs and he crept closer to the rungs of the stairs to watch his progress so he would know when he would need to go down to save Maryrose. Rudolphus was nearly to the library door when the bedroom door marked R.A.B. opened again and Walburga came out. From inside the door, he could hear the screaming anger coming from within as Voldemort threw an absolute temper tantrum. James froze, his eyes wide, as Walburga pulled the door closed behind her, sighed heavily - as though very tired, and turned to come up the stairs, a determined grit to her teeth.

James had no where to hide. He panicked - he couldn't be seen, couldn't let her catch him -- and he quickly reached in his pockets, found a thick gold galleon, and chucked it through the rails. The coin fell heavily through the dark - straight down. Hit something, hit something - make a sound, he begged it silently as Walburga began climbing the stairs... She was nearly to the landing, from which she would be able to see him.

Cling!

The coin had hit a large troll's foot umbrella stand at the base of the stairs and the sound echoed up the stairs - loud because of the silence that filled the house.

Walburga turned and looked over the rungs, down into the dark far below.

"I finks I've found her," came an evil cackle from below and Walburga turned and walked down the stairs hurriedly, headed to help Rudolphus as he laughed and bent at the door of the library, pressing his ear to the door.

James heard the library door creak open, and Rudolphus's voice was low, "She was here... tried to use the Floo network. Look at that..."

"I had that disconnected after the incident last year..." Walburga said imperially, her voice fading as she walked into the room.

This was it. James's opportunity had come. He got up and, still hearing the curses and explosions from within Regulus's room, he started down the stairs - but they were creaking terribly and he stopped after just a couple steps. He was sure to be heard - even over the racket the Dark Lord was making. He drew his wand, "Glisseo," he whispered.

It was a spell that he and Sirius had used loads of times as pranks on unsuspecting school mates on the moving staircase for a chuckle. The staircase went smooth, like a slide, and James fell onto his bum and slid down, catching the rungs when he got close to the library door. "Finite incantantum!" he said and the stairs jutted back to their regular shape. He stood up and slid across the step and pressed his back to the wall closest to the library door.

"Got'cha! You bleedin' little blighter! Dark Lord's lookin' fer you!" Rudolphus's voice came through into the hallway as Walburga opened the door, and came out, heading immediately up the stairs, not even seeing James standing there.

His fingers tightened 'round his wand.

"Putmedown! Putmedown! Putmedown! Putmedown!" Maryrose's voice echoed through the stairwell, her feet striking Rudolphus's shins loudly, and he roared in frustration and aggrevation.

"Best shut yer damned mouth, you little brat, or I'll twist yer bleedin' little neck so hard yer head'll pop off yer shoulders!" Rudolphus growled.

Rudolphus dragged Maryrose - who now looked like Lucy Minchum in the baggy school clothes - through the door and several things happened all at once.

First, Walburga turned around to reprimand Regulus for scaring the child - and saw James.

Second, Rudolphus made to shake Maryrose-Lucy - and saw James.