CHAPTER SIX
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-: sixth year :-

── IN WHICH THE WANDERER
RETURNS

. . .

Considering the shitty mood that James had been the entire previous day, so bad that it had been noticeable by his teachers, students and the inhabitants of Hogsmeade he had passed, it was rather surprising to see him smiling quite brightly the very next morning.

The Potter boy had left the upstairs flat to the Three Broomsticks with a nod and a rather cheeky grin to the owner, who was polishing rows of tankards. Rosmerta didn't say anything, just rose her hand in wave and promptly dropping the glass she was holding, and it would have smashed had her subconcious magic not gotten involved.

Clemence Flume, the wife of Ambrosius Flume who was the owner of Honeydukes, knew all about the passageway in the basement, having found James and Sirius poking their heads out of it after discovering it in their second year. She kept it a secret from her husband - although she was sure that he already knew - and luckily for James, kept her questions at a minimum. 

"I didn't see you come through last night." She commented absentmindedly, as James pushed the fern-green door open to her shop, the bell above ringing sweetly. Clemence didn't even have to look around; she had seen him approach the shop in the reflection of the jar muti-coloured bonbons that were apart of their Muggle sweets line. 

"I.. we came through another passage." James replied, coming to a stop in front of the counter, watching as Clemence filled up the jar of sweets. It was true, the third floor corridor on which the statue of the One-Eyed Witch was located was particularly busy that night and so instead they had used the tunnel under the Whomping Willow to get to Hogsmeade.

"I see, I see." Clemence's French accent shone through a little. "And where are your friends? I saw you all walk by.. but you are all alone now. And you're smiling, you looked... très misérable - ah, I'm so silly, it's the same word!" The woman laughed at her mistake and James smiled, nodding along. "You looked miserable last night." She finally finished her sentence. 

"I found something to cheer me up... Sirius, Rem and Peter went home last night at some point." James shifted awkwardly on his feet and glancing to the door that led down to the basement and wondering if he could make a run for it before anything too awkward was asked.

"Ah yes, Rosie is rather pretty, isn't she?" Clemence turned with a knowing smile on her, placing her palms against the wooden counter. 

James stared at her, eyes wide. 

"News spreads fast... joking. I might have been putting out the rubbish last night and spotted you outside of the Three Broomsticks." Clemence winked and mimicked zipping her mouth up. "My lips are sealed. Although, I'm sure you're rather looking forward to telling your friends so, off you go. And take a packet of Fudge Flies from the box on your right when you get there."

"Thank you!" James did as he was told, tucking the small bag of sweets into his pocket and ducking down into the passagway, beginning the rather long journey back to the school through the light of his wand. 

Eventually the passage came to earthy, low tunnel up to the area behind the statue, and ten minutes later he had hoisted himself out of the statue's hump and into the now empty corridor, digging his hands into his pockets and beginning to make his way up to the common room. 

"Mr Potter, I was wondering where you disappeared of to." The usual, somewhat hauty Scottish accented voice appeared behind him and the boy stopped in his tracks, turning around to see his head of house.

"Sorry Minerva." He grinned, as usual lacking the ability to address Professor McGonagall in the way he should. "I just.. didn't feel like going to breakfast this morning."

"How many times do I.. James, are you feeling alright?" It wasn't as if he looked strange, it was just that Minerva had seen him the previous afternoon, and the difference in his attitude was rather obvious, from the hint of smile constantly behind his lips and the complete lack of sadness in his expression.

Either he had been to see Madam Pomfrey, or this boy was just incredibly good at hiding his emotions. And considering she had known him for several years, McGonagall doubted either of the options. 

Having overseen several of James' attempts to flirt with Lily Evans, it was no secret that he was over the moon when they eventually started dating. And when they broke up, it was almost inevitable that the poor Potter boy would be devastated.

News travelled fast in such a confined space that the castle was, and McGonagall had heard about the break up not long after it happened. She expected him to upset, and knew to try not give him too many detentions for the next week to just go a little easy on him, but now here he was, his usual attitude replacing the one that had been apparent the day before.

"Me? Oh I'm just fine." James shrugged, pulling his hands out of his pockets and extracting a packet from his pocket. McGonagall watched, the smile still very much there. 

James held out the package. "Fudge fly?"

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