Indestructible
There were four of them, but sometimes you swore they were the same person. Quite the mismatched group they were, when you really considered it—the cocky athlete, the entertaining charmer, the studious sweetheart, the quiet observer—but you found that they seemed to make their differences work.
"No, Padfoot. I'm putting my foot down, I refuse."
"Aww Moony, how come?"
"I don't need to explain myself to you."
"Yes, actually, you do. It says right here, Rule 132: 'Every Marauder must provide a legitimate and—'"
"Prongs, please do not tell me you still carry around that notebook. It's from Third Year!"
"Maybe for you, but the two of them still write in it all the—"
"Stuff it, Wormtail. Now c'mon, Moony, why not?"
"That is not a logical question. Why would I want to serenade Professor McGonagall in front of the whole school?"
"Because exams are next week, and we've been on her bad side for a month?"
"…What song?"
They balanced each other and they complemented each other, while simultaneously bringing out what a professor would deem the worst qualities in each other. Together, they were unmanageable, they were troublesome, they were brilliant in all the wrong ways.
"Why ever would you think it was us, Professor?"
"Benches do not move on their own, Mr. Potter, I'd hope that after seven years of schooling you had at least absorbed that much."
"Ah. So you think we did something to make the benches pull back and dump all those poor students onto the floor?"
"Yes, Mr. Pettigrew, that is exactly what I think."
"I'm sorry, Professor, but have you got any proof it was us?"
"No, Mr. Lupin, but that does not mean I don't know it."
"Ah. And when did it happen exactly, Minnie?"
"Seven this morning, and it is Professor to you, Mr. Potter."
"Ah, it was only seven in the morning!"
"Yeah, Mum, it was only seven in the morning, we were still asleep then, of course!"
"Professor or ma'am, Mr. Black, that is the last time I will correct you!"
"Yes ma'am, Mum."
They brought more chaos to their school than had ever been seen before, and arguably more than ever would be in the future. Their pranks and jokes left nothing to be desired, and those boys took their role seriously. They had a Code of Conduct, they had a pact, they had a marvelously messy dorm room
"Honestly Wormtail, when's the last time you cleaned under there?"
"Where, the bed? Ah, roughly…December, I'd say."
"Peter…that was six months ago."
"Thought you'd leave a nice graduation present for yourself, did you?"
"Aw shove it, Black."
"No thanks, I think I'll just go lie on my nice, clean bed, above my nice, spotless floor, and think about—ufgh, hey!"
"Deserved, Padfoot. Deserved."
James and Sirius were the unofficial leaders of the group; it never needed to be established, it was just known. Remus took care of logistics, Peter watched for small details that would cause a snag in the plans. James liked to play Commander, and Sirius loved the aftermath.
"Ah. Those fireworks were surprisingly affective."
"Who would have thought soup could fly quite that high?"
"Ah, not I, my friend. Not even I."
Not many people could understand the bond between them. The teenage years are meant to be filled with drama and tension between even the best of friends, and it seemed impossible that they were always so stable. Whatever else those boys were, you couldn't deny them their loyalty, their reliability, their consistency in each other's lives.
"…Sirius?"
"Hey, James."
"Whassamatter?"
"Can I stay the night? I know it's the holidays, and I know it's the middle of the night, but it'd only be for a few days, until I could find my own place—"
"Padfoot. Just c'mon in."
Now, everyone says it was bound to happen; there's no way that friendship could have lasted, it was only natural that someone snapped—they were just so different. But back then, back in those magical years that left an entire school captivated by their bond, everyone said they were indestructible.
"Have you seen Potter and Black?"
"No, but Lupin and Pettigrew're missing too, no doubt they're all together. Honestly, makes you question what they're always doing together, doesn't it?"
And then, one fall night, everything changed. One friend betrayed another, and for all intents and purposes all four died that night. Only one was buried; one was honored a false hero and the third wrongly convicted a heartless murderer. And the fourth; he lived on, physically untouched by that night, waking up every morning to a world he no longer wanted a part of.
Everyone said they were indestructible, but sometimes even the strongest break.
A/N: If you recognize this, it's because it's reposted…
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