So, this is my first HP fanfic. I don't own Harry Potter.
The brave may not live forever, but the cautious do not live at all. Once upon a time, they used to think they would live forever. Thought they were untouchable. They wanted to be heroes, legends. Remembered. OAll through out school, they would lay awake, talking, making plans. Plans to rock the world. Dangerous, crazy, absurd plans. Plans that would never come to pass. But some of their best memories of Hogwarts were those nights without sleep, planning the future. Together.
At 15, the four of them would sit on the top of the astronomy tower, daring to see how far they could get to the edge. James and Sirius made it game. Who could get out the farthest. Sirius fell once, saved only by Remus casting a spell before he hit the ground. They laughed about it, not fearing death.
At graduation, they swore to stay best friends. Loyal to each other. Always. Forever. Sirius thinks they are going to make history, all of them. For what, he didn't know. But at 17, it seemed they had all the time in the world to figure it out.
When they were 19, they had seen death. Enough that they stopped making plans. They started living every day as though they might not make it till sundown. Because honestly? They might not.
21. 21 is different for all of them.
For one, it is the year he proved that he really had grown up. He wasn't the stubborn, cocky little prick he used to be. He. stood up to the most powerful dark wizard, buying his wife and son a little more time. At 21,he died a man. A brave, brave man.
Another, it is the year he is wrongfully accused. Wrongfully accused of brutal crimes, that even in his craziest, wildest imagination, he never would have dreamed of. At 21, he goes a little mad, but somewhere down inside, he has hope, that all is not lost.
Still another, 21 is the year he goes into hiding. It is the year his real self comes out. A coward. A coward who betrayed the very people who would have died for him. It is the year he became a mass murderer, and someone else-his friend- took the fall. 21 is the year his true colors come out, but no one knows.
For the last, 21 is the year that he lost everything. Everything. He believed two of his best friends- his only true friends- are gone. And the third, the third is the one who killed them, more or less. He doesn't see how he can ever be happy again, even though the rest of the world is celebrating. At 21, he lost all hope. All hope of ever being normal, if that was even possible in the first place.
34. Everything changes at 34. It is the year everything that happened at 21 came to light. Mistakes that were made are forgiven. In just one sentence, a questioning look, and a nod, all is understood. Two best friends are reunited, and fight together against the third who betrayed them all, who sold out their friend. They only let him live, because Harry talks some sense into them. Both are ashamed. He is so much like James, it hurts. However, nothing is perfect at 34. Nothing. Things don't go according to plan, and the whole world still believes Sirius is a murderer, but it doesn't bother him anymore. Because the people who matter to him know the truth, and at 34, that is enough. Remus has a friend back, and while it will never be the same that it once was, the world seems a little bit brighter than it has for 12 years.
At 36, the world goes dark again, and it isn't fair. The Order was going strong, but then the battle in the Ministry happened, and it wasn't fair. He had just gotten his best friend back, only to have him ripped away again. When Sirius first came back, it was as though no timed had passed. Yes, he was older, more mature, a little more somber, but he found his sense of humor right away. Back to making jokes about Remus' time-of-month, teasing him about Tonks(who he doesn't like like that, Padfoot, thank-you-very-much)(Yeah, Moony, whatever you say), and causing mischief. It was comforting in the dark times. And then he was gone. Just like that. In the blink of an eye. At 36, he died protecting his Godson. And Remus was so, so proud of his best friend, of the man he had become. But it hurt like mad to let go, and he felt colder and more distraught than if dementors were attacking. 36 was a dark time.
At 37, something the last of the loyal Marauders had thought was impossible happened. Someone completely wonderful fell in love him. And it was amazing and terrifying at the same time. He pushed her away, at first. In his experience, when you let you people in, you get hurt. But, she pushed. And pushed. And pushed. And at 37, his walls crumbled. At 37, he fell in love. At 37, he let himself be loved.
38. At 38, he had a son. And he was horrified. Horrified that he could pass his demons down. Horrified at the world in which his son would grow up in, unless they won. He was horrified- until he held his little Teddy in his arms the first time. He didn't know it was possible to love someone that fast. Didn't know it was possible for a monster like him to be that happy. And he knew then that he would fight forever for his little son. He didn't expect his wife would be there by his side, during the Battle of Hogwarts. Didn't want her to be there, but he knew. He knew she felt exactly the same as him. They were fighting for their child's future. If they died, they died for him. And at 38, he died most honorably.
Sirius once said they would go down in history. He just didn't know how. He didn't know that stories of their bravery would be passed down, generation to generation. Didn't know that they really would become legends.
James, father of the Chose One. Stood up to Voldemort, when he had no chance, to give those he loved a chance.
Sirius, the first person to escape Azkaban. He was also the first person pardoned of his crimes posthumously. People knew of his innocence, and his loyalties to Light side.
Remus was remembered as the first "tame" werewolf. One that loved, and had a family, and fought on the side of the Light during both Wizarding Wars.
All three were awarded Order of Merlin, First Class, posthumously.
Peter is not remembered in such pleasant ways. He is remembered as the betrayer of Gryffindor. Being called a "Pettigrew", slang for traitor, eventually became worse than being called mudblood.
It's been said that you die twice. Once when you take your last breath, and the second when someone says your name for the last time. If that's the case, then The Marauders got their dream. They will live on forever.
Because after all, heroes get remembered and legends never die.