A/N: Hi guys! So this Untold story is based off a headcanon that I have that the marauders were a lot closer to Madam Rosmerta than she may have lead others to believe. Especially to James and Sirius! Hope you enjoy this, I'm new to this whole thing so let me know if my writing is shite. But not too harshly because I can't take criticism too well... I have also uploaded this on my tumblr: stagdoewolfdog Xx
Rosmerta pushed through her bedroom door, threw off her turquoise high heels and fell into her bed. She was tired, she usually was at the end of a Hogwarts visit. Mind you, she was grateful for the extra business, but the Hogwarts crowd were a hungry lot and her bones always ached by the end of the day. Today however, she was glad for the never-ending list of orders, it meant she was too busy to think and thinking about what she had heard would have left her numb. Alone in her dark room, she let out a great shaky breath and set her mind free.
Up until today, she had managed to keep away from the subject of conversation on everyone's tongue; she had made excuses, changed the subject, changed the wireless station, left the Daily Prophet pages unread and wondered a million times if there was anyone else out there, who, like her, found it difficult… almost impossible… to believe that Sirius Black had done what they say he did. There must be, she thought, Sirius had friends, so many of them, if I found it so hard to believe…why wouldn't they?
Today however, she had been forced to face it. She had been relieved when the Minister had invited her to sit with them, her already tired feet rejoicing over the promise of a short break. She hesitated a little, while setting down the tray at the bar, knowing what the Minister's visit might be about. Nudged along by her feet however, she had gone back to the table and sat down.
'So, what brings you to this neck of the woods, Minister? She had asked, hoping her apprehension was not pronounced.
She had regretted it almost immediately.
'You say you remember him at Hogwarts, Rosmerta,' Professor McGonagall had murmured. 'Do you remember who his best friend was?'
Her eyes found the picture, illuminated by moonlight, which hung above her bedroom desk. The aging picture showed the Three Broomsticks wrapped in thick garlands of Sunflowers, she stood in front of the wooden doors, her face much younger and happier than she ever remembered. Eight teenagers stood around her, laughing and hugging her, their faces shining, their eyes dusted with starlight.
Of course she remembered. She remembered Sirius Black, she remembered James Potter, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, Lily Evans, Mary McDonald, Marlene McKinnon and Dorcas Meadowes. She remembered as though it was just yesterday that they had all sat at the booth by the fireplace chattering loudly. She would never forget them.
She had met James and Sirius first, they had been 11 and she had known it too. She couldn't guess how they had sneaked out of the castle but they sat at the bar fresh-faced and grinning, whispering excitedly to each other every time one of her more eccentric customers entered through the wooden doors.
'Aren't you boys a little too young to be here?' She had asked
'Madam!' James had gasped, mock offense clouding his face, 'Mom said we're just late bloomers, and we'll soon tower over everyone! She says we mustn't worry… or listen to the taunts of others either' he said grinning at her mischievously.
'Is that so? Well how about a nice pumpkin juice to help those bones grow then?'
'We are men, Madam.' Sirius had said, his head held high. 'We will take two Firewhiskeys, please'
She had laughed and ruffled his hair, 'how about I give you two Butterbeers and not tell on you?'
She had received two toothy grins in reply.
They would visit her every other weekend after that, sitting in front of her bar sipping Butterbeer and spinning grand tales of how they sneaked out of the castle and faced unspeakable horrors all in the name of seeing her. How they had made her laugh! In their third year, when they could officially visit Hogsmeade, they had introduced her to their other two friends, or 'brothers' as James had proudly declared. She had baked the boys' favorite, her special honey glazed chocolate cake, to celebrate finally meeting the friends they spoke so often about.
Despite meeting all four of 'The Marauders' as they had begun calling themselves, James and Sirius visited her the most, never forgetting to drop in every other weekend. They'd bring her flowers and help her around the bar all the while chatting happily about their numerous adventures up at Hogwarts. They would tell her about their lessons, about their pranks, about their friends, about Quidditch and about their many troubles with girls, in James' case, and boys, in Sirius' case. And on quiet days, when the bar was slow and the rain fell heavy outside, they'd sit at the table with a steaming mug of Hot Chocolate and tell each other ghost stories. She couldn't remember a time she had been happier. Those two boys had filled her days and her heart, lifting away the pressing loneliness – they and their friends had turned her polite smiles into genuine laughter, one visit was enough to keep her smiling, truly smiling, for days.
As the years passed, their little group grew in number. Peter and Remus began to visit more often too; Remus' guilt for breaking rules soon forgotten as Sirius twirled him around the tabletops. Peter would help her bake delicious little cakes and pastries for her customers, and James would constantly follow her around, begging her for advice on impressing Lily Evans – the boy was absolutely hopeless.
'Come on Rosy! Don't laugh! Now you said flowers would work! All it did was make her roll her eyes and walk away!'
'You should have seen his face when she walked away Rosy!' 'Remind me to carry a camera around next time Moony, so I can capture his expression for Rosy to see'
'Shut it, Padfoot. Or I'm not naming you our child's Godfather!'
'Oi! We agreed that no matter what, you will never threaten that! You can't make someone else your child's Godfather! It's insanity!'
Soon, Hogwarts visits had her working two jobs, barmaid and James' secret wingwoman. Under guidance from the four boys, she would 'accidentally on-purpose' mix up orders and apologetically send a politely smiling Lily Evans to James's booth to retrieve her correct one, or vice versa. She would strategically place reserved signs or direct customers so the two groups would sit next to each other, and at one point even knocked a poor, unsuspecting Lily Evans right onto a delighted James Potter's lap - accidentally of course. James had hugged her tight that day, given her a sloppy kiss on the cheek, and then sent her a dozen red roses by owl the next day.
While these little antics hadn't been entirely successful in achieving its intended target, they had, in her opinion, done something even better – brought both groups together. Soon her bar was fuller and louder, every weekend brought with it at least 3 or more of the group. They'd come down, she still wasn't sure how – 'plausible deniability, Rosy' Mary would say – packed with homework and sweets. Provided with a constant supply of Butterbeer and coffee by her, they'd sit in the booth by the fireplace, which she always made sure was free for them on weekends, and do their work together. She'd come by when she can to help them out, and they'd come help her around the bar whenever they needed a break or when the bar was too busy.
The weekends before the Holidays were her favorite, when all 8 of them would sneak their way to the bar and help her decorate. They would sing Christmas carols, loudly and unapologetically, her beloved bar turning into a burst of bright lights and color, a kaleidoscope combination of 9 different personalities and tastes – their laughter and joy imprinted on every bauble, wreath and sparkler. Hallowe'en brought with it pumpkin carving competitions - very dirty pumpkin carving competitions, filled with sabotage, betrayal and a lot of accusatory yelling at each other. Her most memorable Hallowe'en happened in their 6th year, when Dorcas accused James of sabotaging her Pumpkin which had started out as an impressive carving of the castle, but now looked like an elephant bum. She had promptly smashed the pumpkin over James' head, who had been profusely denying the allegations and was 'frankly appalled, that you would accuse me of such a thing Meadowes! Do you even know me? An Elephant bum? That's just too clean for me!'. Lily, Marlene and Sirius nearly soiled themselves laughing. The real culprit, it had turned out, was Remus, who had continued to innocently carve his own pumpkin throughout the whole ordeal.
They would come by on their own too sometimes, sit with her by the bar and tell her about their troubles… and inevitably, their fears. Talk of the war began to surface more often, and it broke her heart. It broke her heart to see them discuss such terrible darkness. Hers kids… they were her kids and they were so very young; it wasn't allowed, it can't be allowed. She hated it. She hated seeing their faces clouded and she hated seeing the fires of war burn in their eyes. She did all she could to divert them, to change their conversations and minds to something else; to happier, more innocent times. 17 was too young, much too young for such darkness.
But how do you stop warriors from answering the call for War? She had watched them grow, more beautiful, more noble and more radiant every day. She could see their hearts aching to join the war that raged outside, their fingers gripping their wands ever tighter.
She had cried during one of their last weekend's together. The last customer had left and she had shut the door against the warm May air and turned around to see them all bustling around cleaning up. And she had cried. 8 pairs of arms had come rushing to embrace her and she had cried and cried and cried. She had asked them not to go.
'Don't fight, please don't fight him.' She had sobbed, 'everyone is dying out there, more and more names in the papers every day… p-people I've k-k-known…murdered! You are t-too young, y-you have so much to live for!'
'But that's why we have to fight, Rosy, don't you see?' Lily had whispered, 'We can't let them… let Him, take it all away from us.'
'We have to fight Rosy. For us, for each other, for our future, for our families… for you.' Sirius had said, his nose buried in her shoulder.
For us, for each other, for our future, for our families… for you. For us, for each other, for our future, for our families… for you. For us, for each other, for our future, for our families… for you. She had repeated those words over and over in her head for years to come. A prayer. A reason…some sort of anchor in all the chaos. But still it had made no sense… they shouldn't have had to fight at all.
Two days before their last day at Hogwarts and a day before they were all supposed to meet at the Three Broomsticks, James had arrived in a rush with Sirius in tow.
'Rosy, I want Sunflowers EVERYWHERE.' James had announced as he burst through the doors.
'My boy here has decided to abandon our 'when we are 40 and unmarried' pact, he's marrying Evans instead, Rosy.' Sirius had said, mock betrayal etched across his handsome face.
'We said if Padfoot, not When'
'You're asking Lily!' She had said, her heart bursting with excitement and joy, rushing to hug James, 'let me see it, let me see the ring!'
'Rosy, can we close the bar for just a couple of hours tomorrow? Book the place just for the 9 of us? James had asked quietly as she examined the massive diamond ring, 'it's ok if it's too much trouble!' he added quickly.
She had grinned and kissed his head, 'My boy, you can have it for the whole week if you like!'
'Ugh, don't say that, the two of them will never surface and you'll have to strip the place down after they leave.' Sirius had muttered, receiving a laugh from her and a kick from James.
A bewildered Lily had followed the sunflower path to the bar door the next morning and looked at them curiously as they stood guard by the door. They had all just grinned back and, eyes shining with tears, nodded towards the wooden doors where James stood waiting for her inside.
She had received an Owl from Sirius two days later – a copy of the picture they had all taken outside the Three Broomsticks.
'For us, for each other, for our future, for our families…for you. – With all my Love, Sirius' read the message at the back.
…James told Dumbledore that Black would die rather than tell where they were…
…Dumbledore remained worried…
…Barely a week after the fidelius charm had been performed…
…filthy, stinkin', turncoat!'…
The voices of the Minister, Professor McGonagall and Hagrid whirled in her mind like a hurricane. For us, for each other, for our future, for our families…for you. No. No, she didn't believe it. She couldn't believe it. She could barely believe when they said he had turned to the dark side, but this. She knew…she knew what she had seen. The love with which Sirius looked at James. That kind of love, that kind of devotion cannot be faked, changed, forgotten or broken. She would know… it was the same way her husband had looked at her.
A year and a little later…
'Mommy, look! Can I pet him Mommy?' She turned towards the voice of the little girl, her eyes finding the shaggy, black, dog that stood with his front paws against the window, peeking through at her.
Shaking her head and smiling a little, she moved out from behind the bar carrying the day's Prophet in her hand and stepped outside the door.
'You have got to act more like a dog, mate' she said as she ruffled the top of his head and handed him the paper. 'Now there's some chicken in there, some bread, a couple bottles of Butterbeer and a slice of Honey-glazed chocolate cake. She said with wink, 'Don't eat it all in one, Sirius.'
Sirius wagged his tail, barked in thanks, picked up the transfigured food in his mouth and ran back down the street.