Summary: Extremes can be frighteningly similar. Hotheaded adolescent wizards fight on both side of the line, but how far will the Marauders go in their fight against the Dark Lord? How far to go before the atrocities committed on both sides reflect each other exactly? And when will common sense win through?

A/N: This is probably going to be a long one. Inspired by a conversation between some fellow history geeks about the similarities between communism and fascism; details worked out with the help of [Sophia. Thanks for reading, reviews highly appreciated.

"Bollocks," James Potter proclaimed with profound irritation, jumping backwards as the Exploding Snap cards burst into flame. Across the table, Sirius Black was laughing heartily, sprawled against one of the many armchairs in the Gryffindor Common Room. In said armchair was one moderately amused, moderately annoyed Remus Lupin. He had obviously been jerked out of a studious trance, judging from the close proximity of his left hand to his mouth. Remus always chewed his nails while studying, a habit he hadn't broken even by their collective sixth year.

"Tough luck, James," Peter Pettigrew said, his voice cracking mid-sentence, enough to make him blush furiously as he patted his friend's shoulder in what was obviously meant to be a smoothly conciliatory manner. Being Peter and having contracted a chronic case of 'wannabe' early on in his life, it was ineffective in all but displaying his pathetically obsequious manner. James shrugged him off and ran a hand through his black hair. His moods had been extreme lately, not assisted by the pointed comments that Lily Evans made involving the phrases 'James Potter' and 'PMSing' in a very close vicinity to one another. If anyone but Lily had dared tempt James's quick and egotistical temper it would have been widespread consensus that the Marauder was, indeed, doing so.

"Don't sweat it Prongs," Sirius drawled lazily, collecting the now extinguished cards into a messy pile before Peter scurried over to neaten it up. He wore his hair longer than any of the others in a purposeful imitation of the Muggle band. Yes, Sirius, of the Noble House of Black, was intentionally trying to get on his parents' nerves by reflecting the Muggle 'Beatlemania'. Whatever could be said about the style and intentions behind it, there was one thing certain: his popularity with the female contingent of the school had not waned. Unlike James, Sirius usually used his popularity to plan and pull pranks rather than for dating purposes. After all, the last thing Sirius wanted was to do something his parents would approve of, particularly if it was going to get back to them. Which it would, courtesy of Regulus, pureblooded git that he was.

"Remus, did you finish that essay for Professor Binns?" Peter asked nervously, rearranging the cards with tattered fingers. Not only did he chew his nails, but he chewed the skin around them too. Although technically a Marauder, he almost never used the nicknames they had given each other. It was almost if he knew instinctively that he could not pull off the flippant broadcast of their actions blatantly flouting magical law the way Sirius and James could. Nor could he use them in the familial manner that Remus did. This was the one area in his life where Peter Pettigrew showed recognition of his inability to achieve the status of the other three.

" 'Course he did, it's Moony," James again, still mussing his hair every five seconds, now looking around the commons for his current girlfriend, Enna MacDougall. Honestly nothing more to him than a snog in the corner and that furtive potential of maybe, just maybe, the jealousy of Lily Evans.

"Actually, no." Remus looked up from his book again. His face was paler than usual and a bright red scratch ran under his left eye. Usually, the werewolf didn't look this exhausted until after the full moon. "I was going to do that tonight."

Peter gaped, uncapable of hiding his shock. Sirius gave a barking laugh of surprise. James gave up his visual search for Enna to peer at his friend in an equal display of astonishment.

"One for the history books." James declared finally. "R. Lupin, werewolf extraordinaire, not only fails to do his homework a week before it is assigned, but also procrastinates an entire day to do said assignment a mere fourteen hours before it is due." His eyes resumed the wandering over the Common Room as Remus flinched at the mention of his problem. Peter's watery blue eyes flicked from James to Remus, obviously wondering if he should say something. Sirius solved his dilemma.

"Lay off it, James." he ordered. "Leave Moony's furry little problem to him. It's probably just girlfriend trouble, yeah?"

The tinge of faint colour that came to Remus's face was enough to verify the truth of Sirius's statement.

"Oh, that sort," James shrugged, still in a nasty temper. "So dump her."

The argument that would have come was forestalled by the sudden and dramatic arrival of one Minerva McGonagall, newly Head of Gryffindor House after the retirement of old Professor Amortina. She was young(in her late twenties), vaguely handsome, and easily exciteable. Unfortunately, she also had a nose for troublemakers. Even more unfortunately, she was wielding a scroll that had the nasty look of a school-wide announcement. With a pointed clearing of her throat, she began to read. As she read, smiles slowly grew on the faces of Sirius and James; by the end of the announcement, they were positively brimming with excitement at the potential this brought to their lives, arguments and bad tempers set aside for a time. After all, Marauders they were and Marauders they would remain.