THE MARAUDERS AND THE BLOOD OF GODS
CHAPTER ONE
It was approaching dark before Danielle Corsin actually made it back to the Leaky Cauldron from Diagon Alley. She'd already purchased all her books and things the day before and had simply been searching the area for her friends. Of course she hadn't been successful as of yet but she would find them eventually; after six years of hanging out with them and sharing space she knew the group well enough to know where to look. Although she used the term 'friend' rather loosely; a friend should know every secret you possess but they didn't know the biggest one of hers. Sighing she snagged a table and ordered her dinner, eating quickly before she retired to her room. The next morning she'd be on her way back to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for her final year. After that there was no telling what was going to happen to her. Being a demi-god was not exactly a good way to stay alive for a long period of time. Then again, she supposed, being a witch wasn't going to help either.
Shaking those thoughts from her head, she reorganized her school trunk once she returned to her room. Most people thought it odd that she was in London alone; less so the past couple of years as she was deemed old enough to be on her own. Before that however, no one had really understood why her parents weren't with her. She'd never really thought much about the responsibility placed on her to make the trip from New York to London, get all her supplies and get to the train on time. Responsibility was something she'd grown up having to deal with. It was with those thoughts in her head that she fell asleep, thinking on the camp of demi-gods she'd grown up in and the twisted turn her life had taken when she'd turned eleven and found out she was a witch.
The next morning, Danielle drug her belongings down the stairs and out to the street, catching a normal cab to King's Cross Station. The driver gave her an odd look when she settled her barn owl, named after her father Hermes, next to her in the back seat in his cage but she merely returned it and he drove off. Now she headed through the usual crowds of the station, not even hesitating as she walked her trolley and herself through the barrier of Platform 9 ¾ as she had for the past seven years. It was still early enough that there weren't many other students there yet which meant her belongings were loaded quickly onto the train. She stood a moment, debating on where to wait; she could find a carriage and wait for Lily and some of their friends to find her or she could loiter on the platform.
It didn't take long before her choice was made for her, the voice of her best friend cutting across the slowly increasing noise of the platform, "Dani!"
Danielle turned in time to catch sight of the lovely red head striding towards her, grinning from ear to ear, "Hey, Lily!"
The two shared a hug before Lily immediately asked about Danielle's summer, "So? How was your summer? Busy?"
Danielle inwardly cringed but outwardly showed no signs of how much she hated what she had to say to protect what she was, "Not really. Pretty boring actually, just spent time at home. Kind of felt like I was just watching the grass grow most days."
Lily shook her head, not picking up on the lie that her friend was throwing her way, "Well that sucks. I thought you said the end of last year you were going to be different; get out and live and all that."
"Yeah, I'm still working on that. Besides I still have all this year to do that, right?"
"Does that mean you're going to get up the courage to actually tell a certain marauder that you like him?" Lily wiggled her eyebrows and smirked.
"Maybe but don't hold your breath on that."
"Well, if you don't do something about the way you feel by Christmas, I'm going to do you a favor and drop a few not-so-subtle hints his way," she winked and Danielle groaned.
"You really hate me don't you? You realize that gives him and his buddies four months to torment me about the whole thing right?"
"Oh come on. Just ask him to meet you at the Three Broomsticks for a drink during one of the Hogsmeade trips."
"Maybe..."
Danielle's voice trailed off as the very person they were discussing approached. Sirius Black was accompanied by his best friend James Potter and Danielle sighed knowing there was going to be some kind of incident between James and Lily. There always was but that was just something they'd come to expect every time the two met up. Sirius shot Danielle a grin that threatened to turn her legs to jelly and she managed a small, almost shy smile back to him. The two of them just standing back to let their friends deal with each other.
"So what do you say to heading to Hogsmeade with me the first trip this year?" James grinned running a hand through his wild hair and shooting Lily what was undoubtedly supposed to be a flirtatious smile.
"I'd rather kiss a Slytherin," Lily shot back without hesitation.
Danielle grinned to herself and shook her head at her friend until Sirius spotted a classmate, a Slytherin, heading towards them no doubt to board the train and an amused smirk crossed his face as he spoke, "Well, aren't you just in luck then, Evans? Here comes the perfect snake to pucker up to."
Danielle searched her memory for the girl that shot them a dark glare; Cairistonia if her memory served her right and she narrowed her eyes at Sirius. It was no secret that the Slytherin preferred the company of women over men. Then again, she didn't expect any less from the notorious prankster. Not only did he flirt with anything that moved, he never missed a chance to heckle, annoy or embarrass anyone in the Slytherin house; or any of the others for that matter but he tended to be crueler to Slytherin students. Danielle didn't hold any real love for the snake house either but there were times that he and his friends could take things just a little too far.
Lily huffed a breath at the two boys, glaring at them both now before turning back to Danielle, "Come on, Dani. Let's find a carriage for the trip."
With that, Lily linked her arm through Danielle's and headed for the train, leaving their fellow Gryffindor students standing on the platform watching them. For her part, Danielle just shrugged a shoulder at Sirius as she was led away by her friend, a slight smile playing on her lips. Lily didn't speak again until they were sitting in a carriage alone and sitting across from one another by the window.
"You can thank me for grabbing a compartment with a great view of Sirius later," Lily muttered still annoyed with both boys.
"What? I wasn't..." Danielle started trying to shake the blush that crept up her cheeks when it was clear Lily had caught her watching Sirius from the window.
Lily merely grinned, "Sure you weren't. Just like you haven't been doing so since about, what? Third year?"
"Oh...hush you," Danielle huffed crossing her arms over her chest and watching as the last two members of the marauders appeared; Remus Lupin looked tired and bedraggled as always and Peter Pettigrew was still the slightly portly, grinning tag along he'd always appeared.
Lily merely chuckled and settled back into her seat, watching as her friend forced herself to look anywhere but out the window, "Its fine. I know you have it bad for Black. Just...keep your eyes open if you go into anything with him."
Danielle slowly lifted an eyebrow over deep grey eyes, "I know his reputation as well as anyone at Hogwarts, Lily. Maybe I'm deluding myself but I think there's more to him than he shows the populace."
Now it was Lily's turn to arch a brow, "He can be when he wants to be but I didn't think you were close enough to him to know that."
"I'm not," Danielle shook her head slowly and glanced out the window to search out the object of their conversation only to realize all four boys were no longer standing where they had been, "I'm just more observant than most people give me credit for. I'm good at picking up on subtle body language and discerning when someone's wearing a mask."
She didn't add that she was so good at picking up on things like that because it was something she had to do every day of her life just to survive but Lily continued on, "Well then maybe you should show him that you know he's more than just a horse's ass."
"Yeah, just have to figure out how to do that without sounding completely pathetic and hopeless."
"Well it'd be better than the usual desperation that most of the girls employ when they throw themselves at his feet. Give him something new to deal with which wouldn't be a bad thing either," Lily chuckled as the door to their compartment slid open to reveal the very four people that had disappeared from sight on the platform.
"Potter, what do you want now?"
"Easy there, Legs. We're just looking for a place to sit for the ride," despite the fact that he was holding both his hands up in front of him as if to prove he was unarmed, his usual cocky grin was fixed on his face.
Lily smirked and shot Danielle a look to which her friend gulped and nervously pulled her braided, light brown hair over one shoulder to tug on the ends, "Alright but if you think for one second you're going to get away with anything you have another thing coming, Potter and I will be more than happy to remind you of the consequences."
James merely grinned happily and flung himself down beside Lily. Peter immediately took up the empty spot next to James then leaving Sirius and Remus to settle in on Danielle's side. Lily smirked at her friend when it was Sirius who sat right next to her. Danielle rolled her eyes at her friend and leaned back in her seat, casually turning her gaze out the window trying in vain to ignore the butterflies that suddenly appeared in her stomach.
Further down the train, Cairistonia was settled into her own compartment. Despite only being a half-blood, she'd managed to befriend a few of her Slytherin housemates like Bellatrix and Lucius. For the moment however, she had the compartment to herself and breathed a sigh of relief that she didn't have to deal with those bloody lions any longer than necessary. The only one that she wouldn't have minded having with her was Danielle but she'd managed to keep her crush on the other girl quiet even from her friends.
A while later the train jerked forward, heading out of the station and she sighed to herself; just one more year and she'd be free to live her life. Of course what that life would entail was still up in the air. It would depend entirely on what she managed to accomplish this year and not just academically. Still she pushed the thoughts from her mind; after all there was no chance that her plans would be derailed. She would succeed and earn her place; there was no one that could stop her at Hogwarts and no one that would ever suspect a student. Grinning to herself, she leaned back in her seat but only for another few seconds before there was a muffled miniature explosion from above her head on the luggage racks and the most horrible smelling smoke filled her compartment. Gagging and staggering back out, she slid the door shut with more force than was necessary as she coughed and choked.
"It had to have been that damn Potter and his friends. They know we take this compartment every year," the smooth voice of an irate Lucius Malfoy entered her ears, her eyes still burning from the smoke that was already clearing in the compartment.
"One of these days they're going to get what's coming to them," Cair spat out between coughs and Lucius laid a hand on her shoulder lightly.
"That they will."
The commotion of the stink bomb filtered down through the train until it reached the four people responsible for its placement. Immediately James and Sirius burst into laughter while Remus merely grinned and shook his head. Peter joined in the laughter a second after the first two started while Lily glared at them all. Danielle smirked to herself, turning to watch out the window at the scenery passing them by to hide her own amusement. Sirius however, caught it before she could hide it.
"Aw, come on, Evans. Even Dani thinks its funny and it was only a Slytherin car that we targeted. Its not like we went after a group of Hufflepuff," he was still laughing as he spoke, half leaning against Remus on his right.
"That's not the point, Sirius!" Lily snapped only to turn and catch sight of Danielle's smirk even as she tried to hide it at Sirius' comment. "Danielle! Don't encourage them!"
"Sorry but it is kind of funny and when you think about it; at least there's not much chance of anyone getting hurt by this particular prank," she pointed out her eyes begging Lily to let her off the hook on this one and not make her choose between who to back up.
"Maybe but its still uncalled for. We haven't even made it back to the school and they're already starting this crap up again," Lily sighed.
"Come on, Lily. Live a little, have a laugh," James prodded and Danielle cringed knowing that was not going to get Lily to leave it alone.
"Maybe you need to be on the receiving end of your pranks, Potter," Lily shot back at him with a glare.
"Come on, guys. Lets just try to enjoy the rest of the trip as friends who don't need to fight every thirty seconds?" Remus cut in as Danielle dropped her face into her hands.
"Fine..." Lily sulked and crossed her arms over her chest turning her attention away from James and out the window instead.
Danielle caught Lily's gaze in the reflection of the window and the two shared a look of mutual understanding. Lily would let the issue of this prank drop for the sake of her friend's sanity when it came to Sirius Black and Danielle would take the first opportunity to out-fly Potter when Quidditch practise started up again. Nodding to one another they both relaxed back into their seats. Lily twitched an eyebrow up and looked pointedly from Danielle to Sirius who was joking with Remus and the others, his usual smile on his face.
Danielle shook her head and Lily grinned a little evilly to her friend before she spoke again, "Hey, Sirius," when he looked over at her that grin widened. "Has anyone offered to meet up with you in Hogsmeade first trip this year yet?"
Inwardly Danielle groaned, normally Sirius had a few standing invites before he boarded the train but this time he shook his head, "No, not yet. Why? You offering, Evans?" he smirked briefly before catching the dark glare James sent his way at his flirting with Lily.
"No, but I know someone who wants to ask you but doesn't have the guts to," Lily chuckled at Sirius' confused and intrigued look.
"Oh? Do I know this person?"
"Yep, you do. I think you might actually enjoy the change of pace this person could offer too."
Sirius quirked a brow at his friend and shook his head. There was no way the person he thought Lily was referring to would have any interest in him. She was too good and sweet and innocent to ever be with him in any way. Aside from Lily there was exactly one other girl that he actually might like beyond just a little fun for a night of two. He carefully kept his gaze averted from his friends; only Lily and James knew this particular secret of his. They'd got it out of him a couple years ago during one of his darker days before Christmas.
Lily sighed knowing these two were going to be ridiculously hard to get together; they were both so bloody stubborn about things. Still she wouldn't quit until she had no other choice or she succeeded. She had a whole year to work on the two of them and already a plan was forming in her head. Every year the Marauders would hold a party in the Room of Requirement and she was going to use that opportunity this year.
"What are you planning, Lily?" Danielle's voice broke through her thoughts. "I know that grin."
"Oh relax. It's nothing," Lily continued to grin and Danielle shifted a little uncomfortably at it as did Sirius and the others; they all knew the look Lily got when she planned something.
The later it got in the day, the group took turns stepping out to change into school uniforms, ensuring at least two people remained in the compartment at any given time. It was easy to lose your spot if the compartment was left empty and other than the brief argument about the prank, the six Gryffindors were enjoying the time spent together. Danielle had been the first to step out to change, coming back only a few moments after laden down with snacks from the trolley. Sirius and Remus had followed her soon after though only Sirius returned moments before Danielle did; Remus having run into another friend on their way back, sending Sirius on ahead of him.
"Chocolate frogs?" James questioned as Danielle resumed her spot by the window and she narrowed her eyes at the boy.
"Mine, go buy your own; you're the reason I bought them before the trolley got here or I wouldn't have got a single one," Danielle quipped tearing into said treat as James launched to his feet, grabbed Peter by the arm and the two disappeared to the laughter of the two girls.
Lily smirked at her friend as Sirius returned, "Where's Remus?"
"Oh, talking to someone else. He said he'd be back here in a bit," Sirius replied plopping himself next to Danielle again knowing James would resume his spot by Lily and in all honesty he didn't mind sitting next to the other girl.
"Well, if you two are going to be here, I'm going to go change as well," she smirked at Danielle who tried not to look as panicked as she felt at that. "Don't steal my spot, Sirius. I expect my window seat when I get back."
"Sure, sure, Evans; I'll be good and sit here next to Dani," he flung an arm around the girl and smirked at Lily who managed to hold back her insane laughter at the look Danielle threw her way.
Lily disappeared out the door leaving Sirius and Danielle alone. He debated on whether he should pull his arm back or not. Left alone the two fell into silence despite being friends. Of course they usually had someone else around to help keep conversation flowing. Finally he pulled his arm away from around her shoulders and could have sworn there was a look of disappointment in her winter grey eyes.
"Chocolate Frog?" she offered after a few seconds of silence and Sirius grinned.
"Absolutely. James never shares," he accepted the offered treat and leaned back.
"Yeah, I've noticed. He does like to hog all the chocolate," she smiled in reply before turning to look out the window again.
Sirius followed her line of vision and shook his head as storm clouds closed in overhead and the rain started, "I am so glad we don't have to cross the lake in this mess."
Danielle nodded, "I know. I almost feel bad for the first years...almost."
Sirius chuckled at that and shook his head, dropping his arm back around her shoulders, "They'll survive to tell the tale."
He wouldn't admit it but when she leaned back and dropped her head against his shoulder his mouth went dry and he had to finish off his chocolate frog just to keep from saying or doing something completely idiotic. It had taken Danielle the entire time since Lily had left them alone to get up the courage just to lean back against his arm if he put it back there and she was damned if she was going to back out when he granted her silent wish. Without really thinking about it, she found herself playing with the pendant that hung from a leather cord around her neck and that caught Sirius' attention.
"What is that, anyway?" he questioned trying to twist his neck so that he could get a better look at the design.
"Hmm?" she'd been letting her mind drift wishing she could be like this with Sirius all the time but knew eventually reality would crash back down and remind her why getting close to anyone was a very bad idea. "Oh its a Caduceus; a winged staff with two snakes wrapped around it."
"A Gryffindor wearing something with snakes; what is the world coming to?" Sirius teased but she stiffened.
"It's the symbol of the Greek god Hermes," she muttered quietly and sounding almost defensive.
"I didn't know that," he wasn't really sure what to make of the defensiveness and so he decided to swallow his own pride and apologize for his teasing. "Sorry."
Danielle shrugged and mentally berated herself for her defensiveness, "Don't worry about it; my dad gave it to me is all."
It was the truth as close as she could tell him anyway. It had been a gift from her father a long time ago; long before she'd ever heard of Hogwarts or believed magic and the world of it existed. It was one of the few things that she felt really tied her to that side of her family and most especially to her father.
"You never mention your family much," Sirius' voice had deepened, turning serious as the conversation switched.
She shrugged, "I don't know much about them really. I've only ever met my dad once and I barely remember my mother. But whatever; everyone has a sob story right?"
"Yeah..." he muttered quietly knowing he sure did but he didn't mention it.
A few minutes later and their friends started to filter back into the compartment; James and Peter first causing Sirius and Danielle to separate slightly though she continued to play with that pendant and he remained more serious than he had been previously even as he joked with his friends. Soon the six were reunited for the rest of the trip and even grabbed a horseless carriage together for the ride up to the castle. Well, it was horseless to most of them, but Danielle saw the creatures that pulled it. She'd seen them from their second year; death was no stranger to the demi-god.
A/N: This has been stuck in my head for a while now. Please read and review. Let me know what you all think! My muse uses reviews for treats! Until next time...adios!