Finding Lupin
Cheezy ass title I know I know. But hey! It works for the story! So, since this is a drabble collection about the Marauders, what better story to start with than the one that led to them becoming the Marauders? This is based in their fifth year because 1 year so isn't long enough for them to explore Hogwarts and Hogsmead to the extent that they did and since I'm not entirely sure when Lily stopped hating James, I'm going with fifth year for that as well, okay? So don't bitch at me if you don't think it's right. And be warned! I don't like Snivilus. Period. Definate JamesXLily and possible SiriusXRemus. If no SiriusXRemus, RemusXHogwarts!Tonks and SiriusXOC. There will be another definate OC too (Rosemalia the one I always use) as a mutual friend of both Lily and the Marauders. You'll see other Marauders Era parent pairings as well (ex. Molly and Arthur). Situations from both books and movies!
Disclaimer: I don't own. If I did, the Marauders wouldn't have their nasty habit of dieing.
James peered around the corner of the green house. The sun was setting and he could see the Whomping Willow's silhouette from there with Remus and Professor Flitwick's outlines standing just out of the Whomping Willow's reach. He motioned to his friends and Sirius and Peter poked their heads around the green house as well. They watched intently as Flitwick and Remus spoke for a few minutes. Then, Flitwick turned and pointed his wand at the thrashing tree. The wand seemed to extend and weave around the tree's deadly branches and touch the tree. The branches immediately froze and Remus and Flitwick's shadows moved across the snow covered field towards the trunk. The black shapes seemed to disappear as they reached the base of the tree, but a few moments later, the Professor's outline reappeared and he started to head their way. "Quick, put the cloak on!" James hissed to his friends. He tossed Sirius the edge of his invisibility cloak and they pulled it over themselves and Peter. They knew how nervous their friend could get when they were using the cloak, so they both clapped a hand over Peter's mouth. They stood pressed against the warm wall of the green house as their charms teacher passed them on his way back to the school. They stood in silence, not daring to remove the cloak or even breath, until he'd closed the heavy door behind himself. They all breathed a sigh of relief and Sirius spoke up. "We should move to the other side of the green house. That way we'll be out of sight of the castle and we can see the Willow." The other two nodded and they moved, still under the cloak, around to the other side of the green house. "It's gonna get cold. Maybe we should light a fire?" James suggested. "What about Hagrid?" Sirius asked, pointing towards the hut, now almost invisible in the near nonexistent light. "He went down to the Three Broomsticks remember? He told us that this morning." Peter said. "Oh yeah..." James pulled out his wand and murmured "Incarnum Inflamare" and a bottle blue flame shot out of his wand and hovered an inch or two above the ground, giving off as much heat as any of the roaring fires in the Great Hall. It melted most of the snow around it and the three teens sat down. Peter pulled his knees up to his chest and stared at the fire. "Do you think this is a good idea? I mean, Remus would have told us if what you guys think is true, right? I mean, we're his friends." James and Sirius looked at each other. In truth, they'd though the same thing at first. "Peter," James began, looking at him. "Do you know how badly were-wolves are treated in main-stream society? I mean, most people are scared stiff of them. My dad says that most of them can't even get jobs." "Bu-but..." Peter began but faltered. "Maybe he was just scared of loosing us." Sirius murmured, looking deep into the blue center of the fire. "My uncle Alphard says that once you get used to people hating you, it gets hard to trust anyone, even the ones that love you the most." They all fell silent at that and stared into the fire.
After about 20 minutes, Peter looked up. "How long do you think we'll have to wait?" He asked. "Well, according to the book I found in the Restricted Section," James began as he pulled a thick leather bound book out of his winter cloak and opening it to a marked page, "'A Were's cycle can last anywhere between an hour to three days at a time. The average Bitten Were's cycle usually lasts for duration of the celestial event that their transformation aligns with. For example, a werewolf's cycle can either last for the entire period that the moon is at its fullest—usually three days at the maximum—or for the first day that the moon is full. The time that the Were is in their animal form usually varies as well. For a werewolf, they either un-turn as soon as the moon sets, or when the sun rises. The opposite occurs for the initial transformation. A werewolf either turns as soon as the moon rises, or once dark has fallen.' So our best bet, since Remus usually leaves at the end of the day, then isn't in class for the next day, and comes back by the end of the third day, his cycle is probably only a day long." He closed the book with a thud and stuffed it back in his cloak. "But what if Flitwick comes back to get him? We can't approach him if that happens." Sirius rolled his eyes. "Ugh Peter, you're such a worrywart. Haven't you ever noticed that Remus leaves with a teacher, but never comes back with one? I think they trust him enough to come back by himself." Sirius explained. "I guess so... So we just have to wait till sunrise?" James nodded. "Or sooner if Remus comes out before then. Now, we should probably try and get some sleep. Its gonna be a long night." The other two nodded and tried to get comfortable on the cold ground under their cloaks.
James shivered. 'Damn its cold!' He pushed at the cloth covering his face, shivering more violently as the cold air hit him. He was confused for a moment as to why he was staring at the sky instead of the deep burgundy canopy of his bed. Then he remembered. He sat up straight and stared at the snoring forms of his companions. He looked at the small fire he'd summoned last night. It was now down to a small flame. He pointed his wand and summoned more of the cobalt coloured flames before shaking his friends. Sirius woke with a start and looked around quickly. Peter mumbled something about "no more cake thank you, I've had enough." and rolled over, but a sharp poke to the back of his head with James's wand got him up. The sun hadn't risen yet, but the sky to the northeast was tinged with pink. "C'mon lads, wake-up!" He hissed. "Look!" Sirius yelped, pointing to the Whomping Willow. The usually thrashing branches had stilled and as they watched, a black form stumbled out from between two roots and fell into the snow. The figure attempted to stand again, but only made it a few steps before falling again.
"I think it's Remus." Peter said, squinting. James was about to say something, but he noticed one of the branches of the tree twitching. "Oh hell! We'd better go get him before the tree comes back to life!" And James started running towards where his friend had fallen, followed closely by Sirius and Peter. Peter ran towards the tree to start hunting for the knot that would make the tree freeze again while James and Sirius rushed towards their fallen friend. Remus gawked at them for a second, but didn't have time to pass comment as they both hitched him under the arms and pulled him farther away from the slowly unfreezing tree. Once they were out of the tree's range, James turned to call back to Peter. "He's safe, get out of there before the tree starts back up again!" Peter turned to do just that but the tree began swinging its branches. One swung Peter's way, but he jumped over. Peter's small figure wove in and out of the branches back towards the other three. "Guys..." Remus began, only to be shushed by the other three. He looked like he was about to collapse, and there were several new bite marks and scratches all over him. One of the ones on his chest was bleeding and it looked like a few of them had been reopened. Peter shed his winter cloak and Gryffindor scarf and helped Remus into it. He wrapped the cloak around Remus like a robe and tied the scarf around his waist. Sirius slipped his cloak off as well and draped it over Remus's shoulders.
"What are you guys doing here?" Remus asked as James scanned the horizon to make sure no one had seen their little adventure. The others didn't answer but once James was sure they hadn't been seen, he turned to Remus. "Rem, Siri and I are two of the smartest guys in our year. Did you really think we wouldn't work out that you were always gone during the full moon?" Remus looked down, deflated. "Oh. Well then I guess-"
"But really man, you didn't have to hide it from us." Sirius said, laying a hand on his friends shoulder.
"Yeah, its not like we were gonna go abandoning you or anything! You're our friend!" Peter piped up.
"But guys, I'm a freak. A dangerous freak at that." Remus said, looking disbelievingly at his friends. "So? Friendship comes before Freakiness. Sides, its not like you've hurt anyone right?"
"Well no but-"
"Then what's the problem man?"
Remus hesitated then began to laugh weakly. "Nothing I guess. Now, can we go inside? I'm losing blood here." Sirius, James, and Peter laughed as well and helped their friend inside.
And that was the beginning of The Marauders Era.
Whelp, there ya guys go, the beginning of my Marauders story. I need to housesit for my grandparents more often. This is the most productive weekend I've had in a long time! R&R please people!