Chapter 2

Title- 2: Settling into Chaos

Author- Ima Pseudonym

Rating- PG13

Genre- Sparrington in the HP universe

Disclaimer- HP details belong to Rowling. PotC names belong to Disney. All of the errors belong to me.

Notes- I didn't get to make up any spells for this one... pout Perhaps next time, eh?This has been recently revised (as of January 2007). But many of the format-related issues remain. I'd like to take a moment to apologize for taking this long to post chapter two on FFN. I've just found that this site is a pain in the arse, when it comes to posting stories. And makes things very difficult for editing. Also, I'd like to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart for your continued patience. And I'd just like to reassure ya'll that this project is 'NOT' dead. I would very much love to continue in this arc. And one day... out of the blue, chapter three will be here, full of PotC mentions and Halloween costumes. Maybe even a snog or two? ;)

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In the moments that followed, no one cheered… No one spoke. Dumbledore finally broke the unnerving quiet by suggesting softly that Jack join his new house. He had to say it twice, before Jack heard him, finally breaking shocked eye contact with James. Sheepishly he stood and handed the hat off to McGonagall (who looked surprised herself). All eyes were glued to the American, as he went and sat between James and Gryffindor chaser, Amy Golightly.

For another agonizing moment, there was total silence, and then everyone broke into loud conversations, uncaring if they were overheard. 'What's he playing at?' 'I don't trust that...' 'Did he bewitch the hat?' Jack's shoulders drooped visibly, and he stared miserably at the plate that had appeared before him. "Well..." Teddy started, the first of their group to speak. "Um... Welcome to Gryffindor!" Andrew regained his senses, too, offering Jack a smile. "Well done." Amy Golightly eyed Jack with interest for a moment, before patting him on the back. "Good! The less in Slytherin the better." She said brusquely, missing the look of anguish that overtook Jack's face at this, in favor of helping herself to some mashed potatoes as the food had just appeared.

The rest of the school tucked in, gossiping through half-full mouths. "James..." Jack began, timidly, a few minutes later. The Brit had been oddly silent throughout this. "Yeah?" "You're alright with me being in Gryffindor right?" "Er… yeah... I think so, at least." Was he? It was difficult to say at the moment. Jack took this badly however, and standing, left the hall. The talking tapered for a moment, before crescendoing with impossible fervor. Teddy glared, around his cob of corn. "Merlins' balls, James! What did you say now!?" Startled green eyes met Teddy's angry brown. "I… Don't know? I didn't say anything?"

' Okay... I just need some time to sort out my thoughts… It's a good thing, right? Jack being in Gryffindor... Amy was right. The less in Slytherin the better… Still, we were all so convinced he'd be placed there…' By the time these same thoughts had circulated in his mind close to a dozen times, his feet had led him to Gryffindor tower, and… Jack, sitting in front of the portrait, staring at the wall.

James had left the feast early, asking Andrew and Ted not to follow him. "Er… Hey." he said lamely, by way of greeting. "Yeah, hi… Listen, what's the password? McGonagall said I'd learn it after the feast, but I'd really rather not be gawked at by the entire class filing up here." James just nodded and turning to the fat lady recited, "Fortunam arbitratus vincit." Jack groaned. "I'm never going to remember that… Back in Salem the entrance recognized students and let them in…" The fat lady gave a sort of affronted squeak, and narrowed her eyes at the American. "Well I'm sorry, dear, but I've much more important things to do than memorize faces." Jack started to argue against that, when James shook his head, ushering him into the common room. "Best not to upset her. I did once in my third year and she wouldn't let me back in for four hours... Even after a crowd of students had gathered."

"Where do I sleep?" Jack asked, looking around as though he expected a cot to appear. James hesitated a moment before answering. "You stay with the other seventh year boys…" "How many are there?" "Just Teddy, Andrew, and me…" "Oh." When James made no move to show him, he cleared his throat. "I suppose now's as good a time as any… What do you really think of me being in Gryffindor?" "I couldn't rightly say… It's a bit of surprise, as you know. I mean... Why not Slytherin?" Jack made a face, something between a wince, and a glare. "I guess that damned thing preferred I join Gryffindor. Great call that, as I can see everyone in this house is so fond of me." James was taken aback by the sudden hostility. But rather than argue with the American he cleared his throat. "Um… The room's this way…" and he led Jack up the spiraling stone stairs. They reached the door that read '7th years' and entered. To James's mild surprise a fourth bed had already appeared.

Jack's trunk lay at the foot of the four-poster nearest the window. When the silence ensued for another minute, James felt obligated to speak. "I was thinking, and... I'm glad you were sorted into Gryffindor…" Jack didn't respond, at first. For a long, uncomfortable stretch, he simply wandered the room, looking about without seeing. What he eventually said, though, was unexpected. "You know what the hat told me?" "…Uh... What?" James vividly recalled his 'conversation' with the sorting hat. It hadn't been a pleasant ordeal… to suddenly find a voice inside his mind that wasn't his own. "It said that while it was inclined to put me in Slytherin, it couldn't because my parents are Muggles…" James simply stared. He'd forgotten that.

"So it thought Gryffindor was better?" "No." "No?" "It really wanted me in Hufflepuff, I think… It suggested it, but... I didn't want to be in Hufflepuff. The kids in it are nice enough. It's just…" "So why did it choose Gryffindor?" "I don't know. I was looking down the Hufflepuff table, thinking it over, and then… I saw you." Even in the dark room, James could see that Jack must be blushing. "Oh…" He wasn't quite sure how to reply to that, but it made him highly agitated. Rather than say anything, he began to dress for bed. Jack followed suit, and soon he was on his back, staring at a section of ceiling framed by the familiar and comforting bed curtains.

Down below them the two could hear the sounds of students milling about in the common room. Judging by the volume of their voices, which drifted upwards, but couldn't quite be deciphered, they were all discussing the newest member of the house. Jack shifted uneasily in his bed, and James felt oddly compelled to comfort him. "They'll get used to you…" there was a long silence following that but he knew the other wasn't asleep. Perhaps that hadn't been the best choice of words. "W-" Jack had finally begun to reply when the door was thrown open, and Teddy and Andrew came in, carrying an armful of butterbeer bottles each. Looking over, James saw Jack sitting up, smiling gratefully and a pang of… Jealousy? passed through him. An annoyed little voice in his head said he should've been the one to do something like that.

Teddy, apparently, didn't notice James's bitter look, however, as he simply beamed and tossed the American one of the bottles, and another to James. "Well done, Jack. Welcome to Gryffindor." Andrew said, opening one of the bottles and taking a swig. Teddy sat at the foot of Jack's bed, and propped his feet up, leaning against one of the heavy posts. James crawled out from under his covers, and went to sit on the side of the bed, a foot or so nearer to Jack than Teddy was… but still nearer, all the while cursing himself for acting petulant. Andrew joined them too, first setting the extra bottles on the floor. "You don't mind, right? I mean, us having a bit of a celebration…" Teddy started, and Jack shook his head vehemently. "Not in the slightest. I'm actually relieved. I was afraid I'd be ignored…" At that, Teddy shot a withering look at James. "Okay! I know. I've been a heel. I am sorry for acting like that, Jack." "Don't worry about it." Jack mumbled, although he appeared to be pleased.

For an hour or so, enjoyably spent, they drilled Jack about Salem, and his friends/girlfriends/teachers/family etc. As they continuously interrupted Jack with jokes, and comments, and new 'more important' questions, it took quite a while for him to finish. Finally, when Andrew was dozing off, Teddy reminded James that the next morning they had Quidditch tryouts, and they said their goodnights.

James had the oddest dream. He dreamt that he was talking to Elizabeth when all of the sudden she walked away down the corridor. For a long while he chased her, until she walked through a wall at a dead end. When he turned around to check the astronomy tower, Jack was blocking his way. Only... It didn't look too much like the American. This Jack was older, with a goatee and mustache. And... James couldn't be sure but he looked like he was dressed up for Halloween. An eye patch or a wooden leg, and he could've been a pirate. This Jack approached him, and mumbled something to him about wigs. He brought his hand up to his head, pulling away a powdered wig. When he dropped it, it dissolved through the floor to reveal a scene of ocean below them, complete with a large black ship. Then Jack made a few unintelligible hand gestures, accompanied with words he didn't catch because of the attention he was focusing on the mouth saying them… looming closer…

James sat bolt upright as there was a loud crash, and an even louder French curse. "Ya alright Andrew?" he mumbled, the dream beginning to fade away. "Yeah... I was just heading for the bathroom, and I tripped over one of the damn bottles." James grinned as he heard Andrew make his way out the door. Teddy was snoring lightly from his bed, and he could hear deep even breathing from Jack's direction. He was a bit eager to go back to sleep, as the dream he'd had, while un-remembered had been quite pleasant. Maybe too pleasant, he frowned, noting the slight tent in the covers. It was a rather delicate situation, taking care of 'that' problem, in a place where privacy was next to impossible. Even when you thought you were alone. Now that he was awake, it proved to be quite distracting, but also seemed disinclined to go down by itself, even though he couldn't remember what'd caused it.

James waited five minutes after Andrew had come back before he got out of bed. The watch on his nightstand said it was 5:03 AM… so he decided to simply get an early start that day, making a beeline for the bathroom. The Prefect bathroom, unfortunately, seemed to be occupied at the moment so he made his way to the general student one. Turning on one of the water heads, he checked to make sure the showers were deserted before removing his clothes.

James sighed in bliss as the heated water ran over him. Taking hand to his hard-on, completely undiminished by the chill of the hallways, he set to work, ridding himself of it. He closed his eyes tight, one hand braced against the wall. Try though he might, the Brit couldn't keep his thoughts on Elizabeth. That wasn't where they belonged, apparently. Although in some small way it appalled him, images of Jack were going through his mind. Images of Jack doing things he was quite sure the American had never done in his presence. He was slightly ashamed of himself, for lusting after the other, but he wasn't entirely surprised. He'd already faced this, questioning himself over the past few days just what it was about this kid that affected him so much. The answer was accepted, if not totally wanted. Also, it wasn't the first time he'd lusted over a bloke, so that made it a bit easier.

With a gasp and a keening sound, James came in his own hand. The water continued to run over him, washing away the evidence, and he placed his other hand on the wall, steadying himself, and trying to catch his breath. "Wow... I've never been so glad to be a morning person…" Cold panic gripped James at the voice. Jack was leaning against a wall, with his arms crossed, watching James. "What the hell are you doing here!?" he spluttered (literally, as the stream of water hit his face, when he turned). "I came to shower… Isn't that what you generally do in a room full of showers?" James turned off his facet and grabbed his towel wrapping it around himself. "How m-" "I saw it all… or... I think that was all. I woke up when you closed the door, and decided I'd get an early day…" James was speechless. Mortified beyond reason.

When Jack took a step towards him, he took a step away. "Oh for cry'n out loud. I'm not about to jump you." Jack said crossly, but it was to the Brit's back as he made his way back towards his pile of clothes. Jack followed at a safe distance. "It's nothing to be ashamed of… people have wake-up calls like that all the time. M'self included."

Whether or not Jack had a 'wake up call' at the moment, though, he couldn't stand to look. "Well, I don't! Alright?" "Ye just did…" "It's none of your concern..." he snapped, pulling his pajama pants over wet skin. "Is it not?" James spun around to look at Jack. His voice had been deeper just then. Low and husky sounding. "Gods…" James muttered under his breath, and scooping up most of his clothing, fled. He didn't stop until he was inside the Gryffindor common room, clutching a stitch in his side.

After he'd caught his breath, he stormed up the spiral staircase to the seventh year room, and… Discovered it was locked… Locked? The damned door didn't even have a lock! In a blind rage, James began pounding on it. One or two sleepy sixth years poked their heads out of their rooms, and lit him up for waking them. Finally, the door was thrown open, nearly smacking him in the face. Teddy stared at him, wide-eyed, and tousled. "James? What in the bloody hell are you doing?" "Why would you charm the door shut!?" A noncommittal shrug was his only answer, and he pushed his way into the room, to throw on some fresh clothes, before storming out.

Breakfast that morning was not a pleasant affair. The entire school, it seemed, had deigned to wake up early, for the sole purpose of gawking at Jack in the grey morning light. Jack sat between Teddy and Andrew, while James sat opposite. Uncomfortable would not be the appropriate word for the moment. Apocalyptic embarrassment, however, might just scratch the surface of what James was feeling. To make matters worse, Jack kept grinning at him. Taunting, it seemed, with his secret knowledge. A few polite students from Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw meandered over to welcome Jack to the school. One of these students was Elizabeth Swann. With a smile that always dazzled James, she congratulated Jack for making Gryffindor, even if some of the house consisted of 'egotistical cretins'.

James took the hint well enough. She was willing to forgive him for his blunder, but it would cost dearly in pride. He stole a look to Jack, who was watching with undisguised interest. "Beth… Listen, I didn't mean to offend you. I'm sorry for acting like such a jerk." He couldn't help but frown at how much he was being forced to say that, lately. "It was entirely uncalled for..." he finished. Of course it didn't sound sincere. But what apology (real or fake) does sound completely and totally honest? Plus, people were watching, conversations suddenly lowered, suspiciously. "I probably just caught you at a bad moment." She admitted, offering a pretty smile, and James was truly taken aback. After all, how many girls would take a lame apology, and turn everything around so that 'they' shouldered the blame? Jack was frowning now, just slightly.

"I would still really like to spend time with you." Tilt face towards table... Cut eyes up, through wayward bangs... Cue the pout, and… "I'd like that, too. Maybe I'll stop by, and watch your tryouts today." Works every time. Elizabeth returned to her group of mindlessly giggling friends, who moved to let her sit. The Slytherin table remained blessedly silent, no doubt still nursing their wounds, for having lost Jack to their arch nemeses.

At 10 AM, half of Gryffindor stepped outside, into the downpour, and trudged towards the Quidditch field. James was grumbling so fiercely under his breath that he was still heard over the rain, and thunder. "Jim?" That would be Shigimi Yamoto, the only person in the world he allowed to call him 'Jim'. It had started back in their fourth year, when they'd spent an awkward week dating. "David just resigned from the team. He said his parents are punishing him for letting his grades slip." She blinked, slowly. "So…?" "So we don't have a keeper, now!" "Good thing we're having tryouts then, eh?" Teddy grinned, looking as though he'd just swum across the lake. "This is not going to be a good day." James groaned.

Soon, the incomplete team sat in the stands, surrounded by spectators, watching the hopefuls. Not a one of the first dozen students could even find the golf balls Amy Golightly bewitched to fly around. One student, a boisterous fifth year girl, did manage to crash into the stands, though, and was carried to the infirmary. The three last students trying out for seeker caught the snitch, but only because Amy was getting aggravated, and had slowed it down considerably. The Keeper tryouts were even worse. The same soggy students, who couldn't catch the golf ball, were now trying their luck at besting Teddy. If he so much as looked to the right, they'd shoot to the hoop he glanced at, leaving the other two wide open. It was disgraceful. Only one boy stood out from the rest. A third year named Oliver Wood, with an accent so thick, it was difficult to understand him when he got excited... And boy was he excited. Teddy didn't get a single shot passed him.

"And you were worried." Julie Winters (the final chaser for Gryffindor) said, cheerfully, behind him. "What do you mean, were? A keeper is one thing… But a seeker is sort of important in Quidditch. Unless you plan on making more than 15 goals a game." "Of course I do." She shot back, mildly. Around that time, Elizabeth showed up, plaid umbrella useless to keep her from being as soaked as everyone else. "How's it coming?" she asked, sweetly, sitting beside James. "Fine." He said, for the first time since being outside, sounding amiable. "But I'm afraid you've missed the action." The last student had failed abysmally to stop the final throw by Teddy, and they were both headed towards the stands.

James stood, addressing the crowd, in general. "Alright! We've seen all we need, and we'll be posting the results-" "-Hold on!" Everyone turned, to see- 'oh... please… no.' Jack stood, dripping, and holding what appeared to be a broom. It was difficult to tell, what with the rain having reached it's climax. James let out a long suffering sigh. "Keeper or Seeker, Sparrow?" "Thought I'd give seeker a shot, if you don't mind." Well, 'yes', he bloody minded! And so did the other Gryffindors. Though, most likely, for different reasons. Irate, untrusting mumbles sounded from nearly every mouth. "Not a popular guy… I don't think we should let him try out, Jim." Shigimi muttered. "We can't 'not' let him try…" He thought a moment, Jack now standing close enough to make out his face. 'Oh god? Is that a leer?' "Alright Sparrow. Get out there." Jack smiled so brightly, that a few of the mutterings behind him quieted. Girls... pfft.

"James? What are you doing?" Teddy frowned at his friend. "Taking out the snitch." "But you used a golf ball for everyone else." He didn't respond. What could he really say? 'Yeah, well, I don't think I'll ever be able to handle the phrase 'hit the showers' around him.' On a team, that was bound to come up. The price of a lost snitch would be worth the protection of his sanity. "Ready?" he shouted, and a faint "Yeah." Came back. He let go of the struggling ball, which shot off into the rain, disappearing. Most of the students had started to leave. It wasn't a nice thing... Making the new kid fly around for an hour, looking for the impossible, but what did they know about him, besides his recent companionship with Slytherin? Only a few eccentrics, the Gryffindor team, Andrew and Elizabeth remained, ten minutes later. "Call him back, James." Andrew said, annoyed on Jack's behalf. There was no need. Jack appeared through the sheet of water, and landed with a squelch of wet sneakers. They stared at him, and he stared back.

"Where'd everyone go?" he asked, at length. "In." Shigimi said. "So, who'm I going to brag to?" Their jaws dropped open when he lifted his arm, the snitch fluttering frantically, in his fist. "Gods!" Elizabeth jumped to her feet, admiration clear in her eyes. "How on earth did you get that!?" He waited a moment, thinking carefully of a response, before he handed the snitch to a shell-shocked James, and walked off. "I have an affinity for finding gold."

So that was it. News had spread to every house in less than an hour. Oh, sure, it had been done before. Rain happened, after all. But coupled with the distrust surrounding him, and the fact that it was his first 'real' day as a member of the school, it was a pretty spectacular bit of gossip. Yes, there were rumors that he'd cheated, somehow... But overall, the opinion of the American went up. If only, just slightly. By lunch, everyone was much more friendly, complimenting him on the show of sportsmanship they hadn't seen. Jack took it well enough. Uh... By his standards.

"Not exactly modest, is he?" James remarked to Andrew and Teddy, trying his hardest to keep the amusement out of his voice, and failing terribly. It was checked, however, when the sordid shower scene came back to him. They watched him, mesmerizing a group of second year Hufflepuffs with the story of how he'd found the snitch. Of the scant few words they caught, some were 'ecumenically, superfluous' and... 'dragon'. Andrew snorted, in entertained disbelief. "Oh, I don't know... At least he hasn't claimed any godlike abilities-" "-I stopped the rain-" "Spoke too soon."

By the end of the weekend, the only perceived dislike for Jack came, unsurprisingly, from the Slytherin table. "Changed their tune, eh?" he muttered, sitting for dinner on Sunday night. "Not hardly." Amy Golightly said, absently staring at the clear night ceiling. "They've always been a nasty lot." Barbossa, in particular, looked like he'd been cheated out of the Quidditch World Cup. Whether or not his animosity was focused on Jack, though, was anyone's guess.

"First Hogsmeade trip is on October eighth." Elizabeth said, inviting herself to sit at the Gryffindor table. "Why, Miss Swann. Are you asking our James on a date?" Andrew questioned, trying, inelegantly, to snatch a chip from Teddy's plate. "Bugger off, Andrew." James muttered, embarrassed. "Would you like to… get a cup of tea... or something?" he asked, with no small amount of awkwardness. Somehow, admiring her from afar these past six years seemed so much easier than actually... 'dating' her. If it could be considered that, with them never having gone anywhere. "Oh, you sweet-talked me into it. Just don't forget that you're paying for it." And she turned, and left him to his confusion. "Nicely done, James." "Very smooth." "Both of you, sod off."

Life went on at Hogwarts, fairly uneventful, all things considered. Everything fell back into the routine it had a habit to do, at school. Jack spent half of his time complaining about the school uniform, and the other half trying to confront James about what had happened in the shower. In a truly bizarre fashion, he only attempted to trap the Brit, when it made the least sense. He never said a word about it, at night, despite the fact that they slept in the same room, or at meal times, which were odd from the start. More than any other person, he jumped tables, sometimes sitting with Elizabeth and her group, at Ravenclaw (which upset James much less than he knew it ought to) ,or with Will Turner at Hufflepuff. This increased his popularity with the other two houses. Mistrust, had virtually stopped. Mostly, though, he sat by James... Far too close for comfort… And if James even suggested he go sit by Amy instead (she 'obviously fancied' him.. and would castrate James if she heard him peddling that) Jack would say something that sounded like a bad attempt at humor, which James knew to be an even worse attempt at flirting. Something along the lines of, "And cheat on my Jamie? Inconceivable!" Then again... Perhaps it was intentionally revolting, for the benefit of James's nerves. It certainly succeeded in terrifying him. Only one person needed to overhear, and take it seriously.

When Jack chose to bring the horrible subject of James's showering habits up, it was at inconvenient moments the likes of when James was on his way to the restroom, for the purpose of showering, or worse… Infinitely worse, when he was trying to have a private conversation with Elizabeth. He could almost swear it was intentional. Of course, now that he'd become friendly with her, she invited him into the conversations… to add to his mortification, of course. It was a conspiracy, after all. Elizabeth was in on it. And Teddy and Andrew, every time they told him to go bug Jack for an hour, and quit nagging them about every minute thing going wrong with his life. Yes… They were out to get him.

At the beginning of October a notice went up announcing that in lieu of a Halloween feast, this year they would be having a dance. Perhaps, because it was what they expected American schools might do. Costumes were optional, which was like saying 'you may want to step out of the path of a charging bull'. Because, if you hoped to entertain any thoughts of social standing, wearing a costume (and preferably a decent one) was 'not' an option. It was tantamount to one of the ten commandments. Even James felt the strain, and sent home to his family, right away, for a costume. There was not a house that wasn't in complete mayhem.

So now there were costumes to worry about, on top of extra Quidditch sessions, obscene amounts of homework, and a growing phobia of public showers. Could life get any worse?

"Are you ready?" James dropped the package he'd just received from home. "Beth. Please don't sneak up on me. I thought you were-… Ready for what?" "Today's the eighth, yeah?" "Yeah..?" "And you said you'd take me to Hogsmeade." He groaned inwardly, but forced a pleasant enough smile. "Right. Sorry. Just... let me go grab my coat."

Just as James was about to leave the common room, Jack was suddenly stricken with one of his odd-moment confrontations. "Hey James, could I-" "I can't talk now, Jack." "But it will-" "Don't have a minute." "A few-" "Not even a second." "Dammit, James! It's not about the shower!" One or two students looked up from their homework, curiously, and he drew the American aside. "What!? Beth's waiting." For a moment, it seemed like Jack had lost his train of thought, entirely. "For what?" "I'm buying her a cup of coffee, or something, in Hogsmeade. What. Do. You. Want?" "Polite as ever… I was going to ask where Andrew and Teddy went. They said they were going to show me around Ho- ..that town… But I haven't seen them, since before breakfast." That was odd that they'd take off without him, but it was more than likely that they simply forgot. "I don't know Jack. Try the great hall. Maybe they just got a late start." He said, pushing the portrait open.

"I already did. They're not there- Oh, hi Beth." Elizabeth smiled at Jack, as he and James emerged from the common room. "Hullo Jack." "Well, let's go." James said, eager to get away from the American. "I'll be here, then... Didn't really want to go, anyway." James scowled, and kept staring ahead, but Elizabeth, predictably, turned around. "Beg pardon?" "Oh, well. Andrew and Ted were going to show me around the wizard village… but they stood me up, so I'll just stay here… alone… by myself... completely and totally-" "You could join us, I suppose, if you'd li-" "I'd love to!" he exclaimed, and faster than you could say 'hex me' he had an arm draped over each of their shoulders, leading them down the hallway. Oh... Andrew and Teddy were going to pay for this.

TBC… (one day)

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