Chocolate Frog
Chapter One - Chocolate Frog
September 1st, 1978
A soft breeze fluttered the curtains above the kitchen sink that Thomas Winnick stood at. A mug of hot black coffee in one hand and the Daily Profit in the other. His brows were furrowed in a way of confusion. The moving pictures and oddly dressed wizards never failed to bewilder him.
His daughter, Josephine Sharpe, was moving around in the kitchen behind him. It was early, probably only around 9ish but that didn’t stop her from running up and down the stairs of their small cottage home. She had been preparing to go back to Hogwarts all summer yet she was somehow not ready now.
“James is picking you up?” Thomas asked.
“What- oh, yes..in 10 minutes or so I believe,” Josephine replied from her spot on the kitchen floor. She was neatly refolding a throw blanket and fitting it into her bag.
Her father sighed heavily. It was a sound that Josie had grown used to. His pure disappointment in her being a witch. Not that she could really blame him. He didn’t sign up for it. Thomas Winnick was a muggle. His parents were muggles. His grandparents were muggles. Every brother, sister, uncle, aunt, and cousin of his were muggles. He had no knowledge of the wizarding world even when he married a highly sophisticated pure-blood witch. Thomas assumed she was ordinary because why ever would he not. May Sharpe didn’t carry a wand or wear strange clothes. She baked and danced in the kitchen to soft rock. The only thing that might have been a clue was May Sharpe’s well dressed friend, her only friend, Euphemia Potter. Euphemia Potter who would show up at odd hours of the night whispering to May in the lamp light.
But other than that everything else with May and Thomas was perfect so he never asked. Everything had been so perfect for the young couple. They had saved up enough money to move out of their London flat and into a quaint cottage. It wasn’t until May found out she was pregnant that things took a turn for the worst. It was unexpected, the pregnancy, but Thomas hadn’t minded. He was excited about anything if it had something to do with May.
Euphemia came around more often during those months. Which Thomas could only think to be normal. Best friends helping one another during pregnancy. Euphemia had just had a son after all. She knew all about how “it” worked.
What really changed their relationship was how terribly sad May Sharpe was becoming. As the months crept by her depression only seemed to grow.
The night of July 17th was the worst night of Thomas Winnick’s life. May Sharpe died during labor. The doctors couldn’t figure out why. After many days and many sleepless nights Thomas Winnick decided to honor May by naming their daughter with her last name.
When he had told Euphemia he’d thought she would have been pleased with the name, Josephine May Sharpe. He hadn’t been prepared for her begging him not to. Saying that Sharpe wasn’t a good surname and other nonsense about how Winnick would be better suited for the young girl. Appalled, Thomas stopped talking to Euphemia for months.
It wasn’t until January of 1962 that they spoke again on the phone briefly. Thomas was in a panic, his 6 month old was making the children’s books float. It was that very day that Thomas found out about the wizarding world and that his daughter and late wife were witches. Euphemia had promised him that he would never have to do anything involving magic. The Potter’s would help Josephine to and from Hogwarts. He would never have to do anything at all.
So, that was it. The only discussion about the wizarding world with her father was a heavy sigh every now and again.
This year was different. They sat down and talked for a very long time about the wizarding war that is raging in unground wizard society. It took almost a week for Josephine to be able to convince him to allow her to put up protective charms around the property.
“You’ll be okay here?” Josephine finally said when she heard the crack of James’s apparition.
“Yes, I do know where we keep our knives,” said Thomas, a small smile spreading across his lips at his humor.
“I’m serious, Dad, if anybody comes to the house-”
“You’re not serious, I am!” the loud and obnoxious voice of Sirius Black filled the dining room.
Josephine turned to see Sirius Black and James Potter standing in the doorway. “If anybody comes to the house you call them,” Josie said looking back at her father but pointing in the direction of the boys.
“Fat chance I’d call either of them,” said Thomas rolling his eyes at the two trouble makers.
“I’m seri- I’m not joking, they both have muggle phones hooked up that they will answer, Remus too,” said Josephine frowning. “And Peter Pettigrew, Marlene Mckinnon, Lily Evans…well Lily lives with James-”
Sirius and James high-fived from behind her back.
“Their numbers are all printed under the phone,” said Josephine. “Oh, and you should probably memorize one incase you are ever out-”
“Josie, he’s fine. We got ‘em,” James said abruptly, “you’re going to miss the train if you keep talking.”
She glanced behind her, “Er- right, yeah, we should go.” Josie picked up her backpack and threw it over shoulder. Sirius grabbed her trunk with one hand and a pear from the dining room table with the other and carried/dragged her trunk out of the house.
“I’ll wait outside,” said James, hurrying after Sirius so that he didn’t have to witness their awkward goodbye.
“I’ll see you at Christmas,” said Thomas with a sad smile.
Josephine bit her lip. Every year it was like this…the guilt. “Yeah, I’ll see you at Christmas.”
They embraced each other in an awkward hug, like two puzzle pieces that didn’t fit together.
“Bye, Dad. I love you!” she said, already turning to walk down the hallway to the front door.
“Bye, love you,” Thomas replied, his voice already feeling distant.
Drizzling now, only slightly yet Sirius made it seem like it was pouring. “Finally!” he said as soon as Joise stepped through the dwelling.
“Sorry, thanks for waiting,” said Josephine.
“Oi fuck off, mate,” said James, pushing Sirius’s shoulder.
With James’s back to her Josie smirked over his shoulder, winking at the wide eyed boy. James’s posture was slightly taunt. Things had been tough since the Marauders had graduated. “We should go,” he said, fixing his crooked glasses before taking Josie's hand. The three aparated just down the block from King’s Crossing and then walked, with Sirius whistling the entire way, to Platform 9 ¾.
“Is it just me or does the platform smell like rotting cheese?” asked James the minute they stepped through the wall.
“It always smells like this,” said Josie. “You’re just noticing it because you aren't going back this year.”
“That’s cruel,” said Sirius. “You won’t know what to do without us.”
“I think I’ll be alright. It’ll be quieter that’s for sure.”
“You’re not going to carry on the pranks?”
“I have to study for my NEWTS, remember? They’re making us do them as partners this year.”
“Whose your’s?” asked James.
“Don’t know until we get there,” Josephine hummed, “probably trying to minimize the amount of parents that complain.”
“Imagine you get Lockhart!” roared Sirius over the noise on the platform. The train had arrived and many students had already begun to clamor aboard.
“Don’t put that into the universe, please,” said Josie. She was already worried enough about her partner. “I forgot to ask, how is everyone?”
“Busy,” said James. He looked older than he had the last time she saw him, his hair hanging longer. Sirius and James were training to be Aurors and from the few letters she had received from Lily over the summer it was incredibly hard on them. James lowered his voice, “y’know Peter is almost always away now and Remus hardly ever leaves his studio.”
“What about Lily?” asked Josie her volume matching his.
James’s eyes lit up in the boyish way they always did when Lily was mentioned. “She’s good, yeah. Training to be a potioneer.”
Joise grinned, “Well tell everyone I say hello, I should probably get going. I’m a Prefect this year.”
“Oh yeah, who got Head Boy and Head Girl?” asked Sirius.
Josie’s eyes widened. “Shit!” she yelped, bringing her hands to the sides of her face in horror. “It’s the Carrow twins! They’re gonna skin me alive!”
“You’ll be fine, Jo,” said James, smiling a bit. “They’re all bark no bite.”
“Yeah last year they were! This year they will-”
“Hate to do this to you, Josie, but James and I have to go,” said Sirius patting James on the shoulder.
“Urgh- you arseholes-”
James and Sirius were already jumping away laughing, “Bye Jo-Jo!” yelled Sirius obnoxiously from down the platform. “WE LOVE YOU JOEY!”
Horrified Josie watched the two boys disappear around the corner disturbing everyone they walked by. With her cheeks flushed crimson, Jo turned and quickly climbed aboard the train. She had just under a half an hour before having to go to the Prefect meeting. So, she slipped into one of the small bathrooms to change into her robes.
Of course the Prefect meeting would be held in the very back of the train where all of the Slytherins commemorated. Josie stuck out like a sore thumb among the sea of Slytherin students. It smelled strongly of hair gel and high end over sprayed perfume when she entered the compartment. The younger Slytherins had a tendency for those things. As she pushed her way through to the back of the train the smell grew softer and the noise died down.
“Anything off the trolley, dear?” asked the incredibly old woman from behind the gold cart.
“Oh um-” Josie dug into her pocket and pulled out her small bundle of coins looking at how much she could spare. “Just a chocolate frog, please.”
“3 sickles,” said the woman reaching and grabbing a frog from under the cart.
Josephine paid the woman silently before tapping on the window of the compartment she knew belonged to the Carrow twins. It seemed as though the meeting had not started yet, which she was grateful for. Amycus Carrow opened the door, nodding her into the compartment.
It was eerily silent. The room consisted of Josie, both of the Carrow twins, Rookwood, Meadowes, Black, the Rosier twins (Pandora and Evan), Crouch, Parkinson, Bagman, and Prewett. There wasn’t anywhere to sit so Josie stood awkwardly against the wall.
She noticed that the room was heavily dominated by Slytherins, the Carrows, Rookwood, Meadowes, Black, Evan Rosier, Crouch, and Parkinson. That was eight. Pandora was the only Ravenclaw, Bagman the only Hufflepuff, and Gideon and herself the only Gryffindors. Twelve of them were in the compartment yet only ten of them were Prefects. Josie couldn’t figure out who wasn’t supposed to be there.
“Sit, Sharpe,” said Alecto Carrow, standing up and pointing to where she had been sitting.
“Thanks,” Josie whispered gently before sliding into the bench seat. Parkinson glared at her as she sat down.
“Now that everyone is here,” said Alecto, shooting Josephine a look of disapproval, “we can begin.”
Josie tucked the chocolate frog that she forgot she was holding into her pocket before turning back to the twins.
“Being a Prefect is a big responsibility. You will be in charge of helping the first years that have been sorted into your house along with anyone else that needs your assistance,” said Amycus.
The Carrow twins were most definitely attention whores. They both talked with hands and maintained strong eye contact with everyone in the room at all times. Josie wondered if they had practiced this speech.
“You will also be in charge of maintaining curfew. Each of you have rounds twice a week. You may not switch rounds with anyone or skip rounds unless it is communicated through one of us,” said Alecto.
“Alecto and I have rounds on Mondays and Thursdays, Rookwood and-” Amycus glanced down at his sheet of paper. “Wait no…Alecto and I have rounds on-”
Alecto snatched the paper out of her brother's hands, her face warm with embarrassment. It was funny but no one in the compartment dared laughing. “Amycus and I have rounds on Mondays and Wednesdays with Parkinson and Bagman. Tuesdays and Thursdays it’s Rookwood, Meadowes, Pandora, and Prewett. And Fridays it’s Black and Sharpe- wait no that's wrong?”
Amycus took the paper back from his sister. “Okay, okay, sorry everyone Alecto made this a little confusing.”
“I did not!” Alecto retorted rather loudly.
Josie’s head started to hurt.
“Parkinson, Bagman, Meadowes, and Pandora will take the Monday and Wednesday shifts. Rookwood, Black, Prewett, and Sharpe will take the Tuesday and Thursday shifts. Alecto and I will take Friday and we will rotate people in to help us if needed, okay?” said Amycus.
“That doesn’t seem fair. Why do you only have to do one day while the rest of them have two?” aske Evan Rosier who leaned lazily against the window of the train.
“You aren’t even a Prefect, Evan, why do you care?” Amycus asked, clearly annoyed.
“Well I’m just saying, doesn’t seem fair does it?” said Rosier. “What do you think, Meadows?”
Dorcas Meadowes, clearly unhappy that she was being thrown into the mix, scoffed. “I don’t care.”
“Thank you, Meadowes,” said Amycus. “Now you will all get Prefect badges-”
“Y’know I think that Prewett has a problem with this situation,” said Crouch. He was smirking widely at Amycus, amused that he looked as though he wanted to rip his head off.
Gideon’s face melted into a slight grin and Josie already didn’t like where this was going.
“Shut it, would you, Crouch?” said Alecto with a glare.
“No, see I don’t think I will,” Crouch replied, his smirk growing. “How did the two of you become Head Boy and Girl anyways? They really do just pick anyone.”
Josie leaned back in her seat pursing her lips. She knew that the Slytherins had a tendency to constantly be getting into massive arguments but never had she wanted to witness one.
“Better the two of them than you, Crouch! You’d lose your dick if it wasn’t attached!” said Rookwood angrily.
“Oh come off it, Rookwood,” said Rosier. “Is she really that good of a shag?”
“Don’t talk about my sister like that!” roared Amycus and if it wasn’t for the table in the center of the compartment Josie thought he might have lunged at him.
Out of the corner of her eye Josephine saw Meadows whisper a silencing charm on the compartment.
“Really I think that we ought to get back to the meeting,” said Otto Bagman. He was sitting up very straight in his seat between Parkinson and Meadows. It seemed as though he was doing his best not to touch either of them.
“Yes, Bagman is right. We should, as my brother was saying, you will all receive Prefect Badges that must be worn at almost all times-” said Alecto before she was rudely cut off by Gideon.
“What about during quidditch?” Gideon asked.
“You do not have to wear them during quidditch. I assume Potter made you captain for Gryffindor?” Amycus asked Gideon. “Mulciber appointed me to be captain but Slughorn gave it to Regulus.”
Josie had almost forgotten about Regulus Black being in the compartment. She turned to where he was sitting leaning against the window across from Evan Rosier. He made brief eye contact with her before turning his attention to Amycus.
“I wish!” said Gideon. “No, James made Josie the captain.”
“Sharpe?” said Amycus with a laugh. “To think I was worried about losing the house cup this year.”
Josie’s eyes narrowed at the boy but she didn’t say anything.
“And are you Hufflepuffs?” Amycus asked Otto Bagman.
“Er- yeah,” said Bagman, his face flushing at the sudden attention.
Amycus laughed again, “this will be too easy! Who is Ravenclaw’s?”
“Lockhart,” answered Pandora Rosier. She was sitting in between Black and Gideon embroidering a pair of socks.
Amycus howled with laughter.
His sister smacked his arm aggressively. “Here are your badges, you are free to go. Rounds start Monday so you are free to get settled in this weekend.”
Josephine took her badge quickly and fastened it to her robes before standing. She heard Gideon follow suit behind her. The two of them slipped out of the Slytherin compartment without a good-bye. They were followed quickly by Bagman.
“I think that went very well,” said Otto with a smile.
Josie raised her eyebrows in bemusement. A small smile quirking upon her lips. “Yes, what a lovely meeting.”
“And to many more!” said Gideon, imitating raising a glass for a toast.