The Curse of the GateKeeper (James Potter #2) by G. Norman Lippert Page A
Authors: G. Norman Lippert
Tags: series
Ads: Link
even if it did get me into trouble."
"You need to learn some self-control, Albus," Rose said, finally putting her book aside. "He may be hard to like, but you are at Hogwarts now. You can't go around tackling everyone who says something you don't like."
"Something I don't like?" Albus said, glaring at Rose. "Did you miss the part where he insulted our dead granddad? There's such a thing as honor, you know! I'll do it again if he so much as looks at me sideways."
"I didn't say you shouldn't retaliate, Albus," Rose said meaningfully. "I just said we're at Hogwarts now. You retaliate with magic."
"Yikes," James said, laughing a little nervously. "The apple really fell far from the tree with you, Rosie."
Rose looked hurt. "I may be my mum's daughter, but I'll have you remember that I'm a Weasley, too."
Albus grimaced. "Well, I can't do any real magic yet. Besides, it felt so good to knock him down."
Rose shot James a serious look. "Then I hope you're getting your bum in gear. Looks like you'll be spending a lot of the year sitting on your little brother."
"He's his own problem from now on," James said. "Besides, Scorpius deserved it. That stupid twit was trying to Stun Albus. His parents have been teaching him curses already. It's a good thing Albus has a good reach."
"Well, all I can say is I'm going to be doing some research on this Borley creature," Rose said as the train slowed, entering Hogsmeade station.
Albus raised his eyebrows in mock surprise. "You mean there's a magical creature you haven't learned about already?"
"Sounds like trouble to me," Ralph admitted. "If Merlin said the thing had turned dangerous, I'd guess it's definitely something to look out for."
James zipped his satchel and slipped it over his shoulders. "I just want to know why it's been following me around. Why'd it pick me?"
"Obviously, it thought it could trick you into using magic on it," Rose reasoned. "It almost worked too."
"That's why it ran away when you threatened it at the doctor's office," Ralph added, raising his eyebrows. "You said you told it you were a wizard, but that you didn't have your wand with you. It realized there was no point in making a mess if you weren't going to zap it, so it covered its tracks by jumping back a few minutes and undoing everything."
"Yeah, well, aren't you all brilliant?" James grumbled. "I'd like to see how you lot would've handled it if you'd been there. Besides, it was Scorpius and Albus that finally allowed the thing to get a little magical snack and turn all scary."
"Don't blame me," Albus said, still trying to press the wrinkles out of his robes with his hands. "If you'd have attacked Scorpius with me, you could've disarmed him before anything happened. I bet old Merlin would've approved of that."
A few minutes later, the train shuddered to a stop. All around there came the sound of opening doors, footsteps, and chattering, excited voices as the train's occupants filled the corridors, streaming toward the exits. James, Albus, Rose, and Ralph gathered their things and joined the throng.
As they climbed out onto the wet platform of Hogsmeade station, James caught sight of Hagrid standing under a nearby lamppost, barely fitting under it.
"First-years," he called in his great, gruff voice. "First-years, this way! The rest of yeh go an' find the carriages out front. If yeh don' know where to go, follow the ones that do. Step lively now."
James grabbed Albus' robe, stopping him.
"Hey," he said, quietly, "I mean it. Don't worry about the Sorting, little brother."
"I'm not, actually," Albus replied, shrugging. "I remembered something Dad told me back at platform nine and three-quarters."
James blinked. "Well, good. What'd he say?"
"He said that the Sorting Hat will take my wishes into account. He said that if I really don't want to, the Hat won't make me be a Slytherin."
"You, a Slytherin?" Scorpius' voice sneered behind them. James rolled his eyes. He should've known the little squid was
"You need to learn some self-control, Albus," Rose said, finally putting her book aside. "He may be hard to like, but you are at Hogwarts now. You can't go around tackling everyone who says something you don't like."
"Something I don't like?" Albus said, glaring at Rose. "Did you miss the part where he insulted our dead granddad? There's such a thing as honor, you know! I'll do it again if he so much as looks at me sideways."
"I didn't say you shouldn't retaliate, Albus," Rose said meaningfully. "I just said we're at Hogwarts now. You retaliate with magic."
"Yikes," James said, laughing a little nervously. "The apple really fell far from the tree with you, Rosie."
Rose looked hurt. "I may be my mum's daughter, but I'll have you remember that I'm a Weasley, too."
Albus grimaced. "Well, I can't do any real magic yet. Besides, it felt so good to knock him down."
Rose shot James a serious look. "Then I hope you're getting your bum in gear. Looks like you'll be spending a lot of the year sitting on your little brother."
"He's his own problem from now on," James said. "Besides, Scorpius deserved it. That stupid twit was trying to Stun Albus. His parents have been teaching him curses already. It's a good thing Albus has a good reach."
"Well, all I can say is I'm going to be doing some research on this Borley creature," Rose said as the train slowed, entering Hogsmeade station.
Albus raised his eyebrows in mock surprise. "You mean there's a magical creature you haven't learned about already?"
"Sounds like trouble to me," Ralph admitted. "If Merlin said the thing had turned dangerous, I'd guess it's definitely something to look out for."
James zipped his satchel and slipped it over his shoulders. "I just want to know why it's been following me around. Why'd it pick me?"
"Obviously, it thought it could trick you into using magic on it," Rose reasoned. "It almost worked too."
"That's why it ran away when you threatened it at the doctor's office," Ralph added, raising his eyebrows. "You said you told it you were a wizard, but that you didn't have your wand with you. It realized there was no point in making a mess if you weren't going to zap it, so it covered its tracks by jumping back a few minutes and undoing everything."
"Yeah, well, aren't you all brilliant?" James grumbled. "I'd like to see how you lot would've handled it if you'd been there. Besides, it was Scorpius and Albus that finally allowed the thing to get a little magical snack and turn all scary."
"Don't blame me," Albus said, still trying to press the wrinkles out of his robes with his hands. "If you'd have attacked Scorpius with me, you could've disarmed him before anything happened. I bet old Merlin would've approved of that."
A few minutes later, the train shuddered to a stop. All around there came the sound of opening doors, footsteps, and chattering, excited voices as the train's occupants filled the corridors, streaming toward the exits. James, Albus, Rose, and Ralph gathered their things and joined the throng.
As they climbed out onto the wet platform of Hogsmeade station, James caught sight of Hagrid standing under a nearby lamppost, barely fitting under it.
"First-years," he called in his great, gruff voice. "First-years, this way! The rest of yeh go an' find the carriages out front. If yeh don' know where to go, follow the ones that do. Step lively now."
James grabbed Albus' robe, stopping him.
"Hey," he said, quietly, "I mean it. Don't worry about the Sorting, little brother."
"I'm not, actually," Albus replied, shrugging. "I remembered something Dad told me back at platform nine and three-quarters."
James blinked. "Well, good. What'd he say?"
"He said that the Sorting Hat will take my wishes into account. He said that if I really don't want to, the Hat won't make me be a Slytherin."
"You, a Slytherin?" Scorpius' voice sneered behind them. James rolled his eyes. He should've known the little squid was
Similar Books
