JAMES POTTER and the heir of the defeated

SLUGHORN'S FEAR

Aditya looked at James horrified. James had just told his dream to him. The Herbology class was going on slowly without any activity, with the Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs taking down how to tackle the Venomous Tentacula. Prof. Longbottom was waving his wand at the board whenever he had to make changes in the notes. James tried to tell Aditya about his dream at breakfast, but Veronica was at his side. He couldn't get her worried by telling her all these things. And it's highly impossible for them to move their heads, much less talk in Transfiguration. Professor Luna Longbottom had made sure of that.

James had hardly written anything. Aditya was squinting through his specs to follow whatever Longbottom has written.

"But that's just a dream right?" he asked getting worried by each passing moment. "And, what the hell is a Horcrux anyway?" he asked. James shook his head. He had never even heard of this word before.

"I don't know, maybe my dad does. He's an auror anyway." said James rolling his parchment as the bell rang. Aditya nodded and packed his bag.

"Ten points from Gryffindor Potter and Vungarala, for talking in my class." exclaimed Longbottom as they stepped out of the Green house.

James and Aditya skipped lunch and went into the owlery. James's owl Dobby flew onto his arm and nibbled James's ear affectionately. Aditya stroked it's head and handed James a fresh roll of parchment and his quill. James used his bag as a base and started writing a letter to his father.

Dad,

How are you. Albus and Lily are good here. I and Aditya didn't manage to get into another detention this whole week. But there is one thing that's bothering me, my last trip to kitchen didn't get on well as we saw the map showing the name of Severus Snape going into the forest with Araxas, you know the cousin of Mr. Malfoy's son Scorpius. And dad, Araxas seems to be vanishing off the map a few times. We couldn't locate him anywhere. Could the map possibly be outdated and possibly wrong? Dad, you may think I'm going crazy but I had a dream last night. I dreamed of Severus Snape trying to tell me something. Then Araxas came, and then he turned into Voldemort, dad. I was helpless as he put the Cruciatus curse on me and then ordering his snake, Nagini to kill Snape. He then vanished. I went to Snape's side as he was dying, he told me to find and destroy something that sounded like 'Horcrux'. What does that mean dad? Is it something to worry about? Voldemort spoke in Parseltongue dad! And I was able to understand it. Dad, what's wrong with me? Don't tell mum OK! She'll freak out.

Love, James

He finished writing the letter and handed it to Aditya who read it himself and handed it back to James. He tied the letter carefully to Dobby's leg and left her out of the window. The both boys watched as Dobby flew with a visible grace, to her destination.

*

They moved into the Potions class after a hurried lunch and sat at the last bench as usual. Slughorn moved into the class as all the Slytherin and Gryffindor fifth years wished him.

"Good afternoon, students!" he said and moved near the black board. The students took out their copies of Advanced Potions Making, Grade five, by Libatius Borage.

"Today, we'll be brewing the potion which mostly appears in your OWLs." said Professor Slughorn. James and Aditya ruffled through the pages aimlessly. "Does any of you know about the properties of the Draught of Peace?" asked Slughorn. Someone answered from the Slytherins earning their house ten points.

"Yes! Just like Ms. Blaise mentioned, the Draught of Peace provides personal comfort, calms anxiety and soothes agitation. And that will be what you will all be brewing for me today. The ingredients required are in the store cupboard. Now, then! start brewing all of you!" he said and started moving around the class room. James, having no intention of doing the potion started badly enough, but managed to correct his potions after a few attempts. Aditya was working with such a concentration that James could almost feel the vibrations hitting him. He looked over the class room at the other students, and was surprised to find one boy who had not even started working on his potion.

Araxas hadn't even opened his potions kit, but was frantically reading a book which looked too thick to be their text book. Slughorn didn't notice this as he was busily conversing with one of the Slytherins about how well he knew his father.

How could Araxas do such a thing, since Potions was his favorite subject. Araxas then suddenly sighed without any relief and closed the book he's reading and started working on his potion. James was confused and was pulled into a train of thought until his gut gave a horrible lurch as his potion smelled worse than rotten eggs and burning tar. Aditya's potion emitted a silvery vapour exactly as the book mentioned. He looked into James's cauldron and backed out instantly.

"What have you been doing mate?" he questioned him by burying his nose in his hand kerchief. James told Aditya what had happened as they both flasked their potions and marking them. Just as they were about to hand over their potions, Araxas called Slughorn. He moved to his table with a smile on his face and started talking to him. James and Aditya deliberately stayed behind as the whole class filed out of the classroom.

James fished out his extandable ears and handed one to Aditya. They both hid under the table and the ears rolled in the direction of Slughorn and Araxas.

"...tell me about a topic which I picked up some where in the library?" asked Araxas. Slughorn chuckled. "Ask away, my boy, ask away!"

James and Aditya held their breaths. It was not every day they hear Araxas speaking so obediently to a teacher. His need must've been really important. Slughorn urged him to go on. Araxas clutched his bag tightly, as if drawing strength from it.

"Sir, could you please tell me what exactly is a Horcrux is?" Slughorn's face went slack. James and Aditya exchanged horrified glances at each other. So there was a thing called a Horcrux.

"Wh-what do you m-mean?" asked Slughorn sweating profusely in the cold classroom. James and Aditya's arms were aching from crouching low for such a long time.

"A Horcrux, Sir, I was wondering if there was anyway of making it without actually murdering any person?" he asked, who, his voice clear and confident rather than shaking like Slughorn's had been.

Slughorn suddenly banged the table sending Araxas's cauldron flying. "I don't know anything about such a thing. Never ask me about it again." he screamed. James could tell that Slughorn was more afraid that angry, at Araxas's doubt. Slughorn stormed out of the class wiping his sweat fearfully without a second glance.

Araxas simply repaired his broken cauldron and moved out of the class simply as if nothing had happened. James and Aditya got up and brushed of the dust on their robes and looked at each other. They both knew what was running in each other's minds. They both could never rest until they find out what what Araxas is up to, and what the hell does a Horcrux mean...

***