Chapter 1: Unwanted Visitors
"I'm telling you, Moony, it'll be fine."
"And I'm telling you, Padfoot, it will not be fine."
Remus Lupin stood in the Gryffindor Common Room, trying to convince his three best friends that their latest best-prank-idea-ever was actually a disaster that even they, the self-proclaimed Marauders, wouldn't be able to control.
All in all, it was a typical day for Remus.
"I don't care what that book you found says. Inviting our counterparts from an alternate universe to come 'stay a while' is a terrible idea." Remus grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Aww, Moony," James Potter whined. "Just think of all the possibilities. We'd only have to go to half our classes, do half the homework, we could drive the professors crazy, and we'd leave our fellow students so confused they'll fear they've gone mad."
Remus narrowed his eyes. "Absolutely not."
"Well," Sirius Black chirped happily. "We'll put it down to a vote. All in favor, raise your hand!" His and James' hands both shot into the air.
"Come on, Wormtail…" James grinned. "Think of all the fun we'll have."
Peter Pettigrew bit his lip. "It does sound fun… But isn't Moony usually right about this sort of thing? Like, always?"
"Yes." Remus grunted. "I am. Don't listen to them Peter."
"Well, if you're too scared…" sighed Sirius.
That did it. Peter was always trying to prove that he really did belong in Gryffindor. His hand joined James and Sirius'.
Remus sighed. "Outvoted…" he muttered bitterly. "Again."
"So, Moony, you in?" James asked, grinning the grin that made his professors feel wary.
"Well, someone has to make sure you lot don't kill yourselves. I'm in." he relented.
Sirius and James let out whoops of excitement. "Excellent!" shouted James. "Come on, let's do it!"
The book James and Sirius had found in a secluded corner of the Restricted Section on a late-night kitchen run (they had hid from Filch in the library) was tattered and old, and missing its front cover. It held dozens of spells Remus was sure were illegal, but, naturally, this did not deter James or Sirius in the slightest. Whenever he brought up that fact, they casually reminded him that they were already breaking the law by being unregistered Animagi, which they had done to help him with his transformations. Sometimes Remus felt as though their becoming Animagi was their way of forcing him into things he would otherwise avoid- Oh, but Remus, you have to... if we became Animagi for you, then you can help us with our latest prank... Moony, can I copy your homework? I forgot to do the essay, I was getting ready for the full moon… It felt as though they were holding it over him- a debt that was impossible to repay. He knew that they probably didn't mean it that way, but Remus still felt as though he were drowning, and no matter how hard he swam, the current kept pulling him under. He wasn't confident enough to confront them about it, and while he did stand up to his friends, he never did it enough. He never stopped them in time. He was too afraid of losing the only friends he had ever known. He was too much of a coward to tell them they were wrong, or treating Snape cruelly.
Some Gryffindor you are, Lupin.
The boys sat in a circle and James read an incantation aloud from the book. A pulsing blue light began to for in between them, and the four boys watched in fascination as it grew bigger and brighter... and then four shadowy figures emerged from the light.
And the Marauders were a foursome no more.
Four imposters stared at the four Marauders. All eight stared at each other in shock. After nearly five minutes of silence, Sirius turned to face Remus, grinning. "Told ya it would work, Moony."
Remus sighed. "I never said it wouldn't. I said we shouldn't."
Fake-Sirius raised an eyebrow. "You did what, exactly?"
James grinned. "Why, summoned our counterparts from another universe into ours, of course! Sorry to rip you so suddenly away from what you were doing, but, well, the Marauders never consider the consequences, except Moony here, but I'm sure you knew that…" James looked as though he were about to explode from excitement.
Fake-Remus frowned. "The Marauders? What's that? And what kind of stupid name is Moony?"
Sirius and Remus bristled. "Hey!" Sirius shouted. "I came up with that!"
"What do you mean?" Remus asked softly. "The Marauders are us. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs."
Fake-James grinned nervously. "Seriously? That's you guys? We don't call ourselves that."
Sirius huffed. "Well, I guess we know which universe is better."
Peter looked at his alternate self shyly. "What else is different in... your world?"
Fake-Peter shrugged. "I dunno, do I? I don't know what this one's like."
"Well," Remus said briskly. "That's that, then. We should send them back. Who knows how this could affect things? We should-"
"Look, Moony." Sirius interrupted. "Nothing exploded when we brought them here. We'll send them back in a week, alright? Just one week to know our alternate selves." He grinned mischievously. "I know that big brain of yours is just dying to seize this opportunity to learn about their universe."
Remus sighed. "Sometimes I wish you didn't know me so well. One week. Not a moment more."
"Nor," said James chirpily. "A moment less."
"So," Fake-Remus threw himself onto one of the armchairs. Remus' armchair. "Answer something for me, Mr. Brains-a-lot."
The Siriuses, Peters, and Jameses all laughed, but Remus stiffened indignantly. Something told him that his alternate didn't share his smarts, or his quiet attitude. In fact, something about him seemed positively sinister.
But he grit his teeth and ground out, "What?"
"What happened to your face?"
The Marauders stopped laughing and stared open mouthed in shock. Fake-Remus had been talking, of course, about the scars that were faintly visible from Remus' monthly transformations.
Remus' eyes narrowed, his nails biting into his palms. "That's none of your business." Apparently, this Remus wasn't a werewolf.
"Actually, I think it is, seeing as you're me." the other Remus grinned.
"I was attacked by a large animal." Remus told him stiffly.
Fake-Peter cleared his throat. "Obviously, there are differences in personality here. In our group, I'm the... er-"
"He's the diversion." Fake-James offered. "And he's darn good at it, too, seeing as all the professors adore him."
The Marauders looked dumbfounded. Peter squirmed. "I'm usually the lookout." he mumbled.
Fake-Remus laughed. "That's James' job."
Fake-James blushed in embarrassment, while James looked outraged. "You are wasting my potential." he informed them.
"No," Fake-James said softly. "They're really not. I've tried to do other things, but, well... they tend to go badly."
In an obvious effort to save his friend from embarrassment, Fake-Sirius spoke up. "James helps me mastermind them. I help him keep watch."
"Well…" Sirius said. "At least you all are pranksters. James and I execute the plans. Peter keeps lookout. Moony masterminds, researches... What's so funny?"
The four imposters were all laughing. "Nothing," gasped Fake-Peter. "It's just- if Remus is planning them-"
"They must be terrible!" chuckled Fake-Remus. "I haven't got enough of a brain to do anything like a good prank!"
Remus turned red. "Obviously you don't." he snarled. "But I do."
"Alright, alright," Fake-Remus looked at him. "You're smart. Big deal. Now, boys, I'm beat. Where do we sleep?"
Remus wasn't sure how it happened, but 10 minutes later, he found himself curled up in one of the armchairs in the Common Room while his counterpart slept in his bed. The worst part? Sirius and James had told him that one night in an armchair wouldn't kill him. Peter, at least, had looked sympathetic.
As Remus tried to get comfortable, he couldn't help but think that he wouldn't get to sleep in his bed for a long time.