Five Friends – A Marauder Story – Year 3
Chapter 1: The Summer
Disclaimer: none of the recognisable characters belong to me, they belong to J.K. Rowling, and I don't want to make any money off this.
Authors Note: this is the first chapter of year 3, in which things will start to 'get interesting'. Enjoy!
"Luke got Head Boy," Sirius announced at breakfast.
"Oh, lord, not again," Lily muttered. Had they not suffered enough with David? She had been staying at Sirius'
house for a week now, and had another week before they were to go back to school.
"Nice to see the Potters are keeping it in the family," Cerys remarked. "Maybe your James will be Head Boy too." They laughed. "Archie was Head Boy while he was there, wasn't he?"
"Yes," Sirius' father, Arcturus, answered shortly. Lily had discovered that although James and Sirius' fathers had been in the same year and house at Hogwarts, they had not got on. At all. Needless to say, Arcturus wasn't exactly ecstatic about Orion's friendship with Luke, and he was even less pleased at the fact that Sirius and James were almost like brothers. She didn't like to think what the atmosphere must have been like in the house when Esme had been dating David.
"I hope James isn't Head Boy, that would spoil everything," Lily now said fervently, earning herself a very disapproving look from Cerys, who it turned out liked her about as much as Esme did, which meant not at all. The feeling was mutual.
During the silence that followed Lily's last remark, the entire family, including Steve and Esme, could hear the sound of the front door being shut very, very quietly. In the continued silence, Lily shared an apprehensive glance with Sirius.
"OR ION!" Cerys yelled suddenly. Something smashed in the hall, as Orion jumped in shock. He came, rather reluctantly, into the room, knowing he was in trouble. He had not come home the night before, and had neglected to tell his parents where he was, or where he was staying.
"Where have you been all night? We've been so worried. You are in so much trouble, young man."
"Err…I was celebrating at Luke's house," Orion muttered.
"DO YOU THINK I'M A COMPLETE IDIOT?" his mother roared. "I know perfectly well that Luke's in Luxembourg! Neither is Lydia in the country, so don't tell me that either. Were you with Nick Douglas again?" Cerys did not like Nick Douglas, Orion's wild friend, and had banned Orion from seeing him.
"I…err…I-," Orion stuttered.
"Mum, I think you should know that Sirius and Lily broke your antique, 9th century Merlin clock yesterday," Esme interrupted smoothly, in the hope of saving her favourite brother.
It worked. "They what?" The Merlin Clock was a priceless family heirloom, and Sirius and Lily had bribed Esme with all their money not to say anything before they could get it fixed. "Did you?" Cerys asked Sirius in a low, dangerous voice. Orion, Esme, Steve and even Arcturus hurriedly backed out of the room.
"Well…yes, we did," Sirius said bravely. "But-,"
He was cut off before he could explain that they were going to get it fixed. "Do you know how much one of those is worth? Do you know how much it means to me? Do you ever stop to think, Sirius? Or you, Lily? You've caused nothing but trouble this whole summer, both of you…"
***************
When Cerys had finally stopped berating them, and had given them their punishments, Sirius and Lily raced outside, intent on finding Esme. Instead, they found both Orion and Steve waiting for them, to offer consolation.
"I can believe she did that!" Sirius exploded. "Where is she, 'Rion?"
"You must have known she would, Siri. She doesn't exactly like you, does she?" Orion said reasonably.
"That's why we bribed her. All our savings, almost 25 Galleons!" Lily said bitterly. "I want it back!"
"What!" Orion exclaimed. "And she still grassed on you? I'll help you get it back, Lils. Come on, we'll get it now, I think she went out."
"Thanks," Lily and Sirius both grinned at him. The four made their way up to the bedroom Lily was sharing with Esme, and pushed open the door, not expecting her to be there.
Esme was sat on the bed, counting her money. She looked up as they came in. "I thought I'd be seeing you," she said calmly.
"Give them back their money, Esmerelda," Orion said stiffly.
"I did what I did for you, 'Rion," she said.
"That just makes it worse. You snitched on your brother when you'd promised not to. I don't think I want to know you any more," Orion said coldly.
"Bur 'Rion,"
"Don't but me, Esme, I don't want to talk to you."
"Give me one good reason why I should give them back their money," Esme jeered.
"Cos we'll take it if you don't, you bitch," Lily said. Esme smiled smugly at her, a smile of superior knowledge, and Lily felt suddenly insecure. She looked around her, to check that nothing was wrong, and her bed was wrong. It looked oddly empty. What was missing? "Where's Kit Kat?" Lily demanded suddenly. "Where's my teddy?" Esme just smiled that smile again. "What have you done with him?"
"Well…" Esme said, achingly slow, "I did see a green teddy and a white teddy over in next door's yard."
"You fucking cow," Sirius cried, jumping at his sister with arms raised. Lily was already running down the stairs, followed by Orion. Next door had a rather large, vicious dog, which had a penchant for chewing things up.
Lily had raced across the garden and was trying to scramble across the fence when Orion caught up with her. He grabbed her arms to stop her. "Wait a sec," he said, and then lifted her right over the fence. Lily sat astride the top, and gave Orion a hand up, then jumped down. She raced across the garden, and the dog, hearing the intruder, raced towards her. Lily reached the two bears mere seconds before the dog did, and stood with them over her head, while the dog growled and backed her into a corner. "Orion, help!" she yelled. Orion dropped from the fence and whistled, making the dog go bounding over to him. Lily ran to the fence and threw the bears over, before climbing over herself. Orion joined her, and they went to find the others.
Sirius, meanwhile, was fighting with Esme. It had been years since they had fought physically, because Esme had always been bigger and able to hold him off, but Sirius had grown this summer, and suddenly it was Esme who was desperate to defend herself. As Orion and Lily burst in, Esme was cowering back against the wall, one cheek already bruised, seeking in vain to defend herself from her younger brother.
"Sirius, stop!" Orion commanded, but Sirius paid no attention. Lily whistled loudly, and when Sirius looked around, she put both arms around him, pinning his arms to his sides. "It's ok, you can stop now, we got them back," Lily said soothingly. Sirius stopped struggling, but glared at Esme.
"I just want you to know, Esme, that what you've done today is unforgivable," Orion stated solemnly. "As of today, I have no sister."
"I have no sister," Sirius growled.
From the corner where he had wisely taken refuge during the fight, Steve too piped up. "I have no sister."
"You took his side over mine, Orion? I wont forget that, either of you," Esme said, standing with her lip bleeding. Almost regally, she swept past them, out of her own room.
"I think you'd better sleep somewhere else tonight, Lils," Orion said, looking slightly shell-shocked.
********************
It was a week later, and the Black family, plus Lily and Luke Potter, had just returned from Diagon Alley. The atmosphere in the house over the past week had been icy, but Lily and Sirius had managed to enjoy themselves by escaping with picnics to the parks in London, or even once to the seaside, sometimes with Orion and Steve.
Steve had moved into Orion's room, and Lily was sleeping in Steve's bed in Sirius' room. It was not that Lily would have minded sleeping in Orion's room, for she thought of both him and Steve as brothers, but she knew Luke would be staying, and she did mind staying in a room with him. Cerys had been less than pleased with the arrangements, but faced with implacable silence from all her four children, she had had no choice but to let it lie.
Lily, Sirius and Steve were playing Exploding Snap when Cerys called for Sirius. He went downstairs into the living room, and was surprised to see both his parents sitting on the couch, looking very serious.
"Sit down," his mother said. "We want to have a talk with you about school." Sirius sat down warily, wondering what his parents could have to say.
"To be quite frank, Sirius, your behaviour worries us," his father began. "We've had more owls about you than all the others. A little bit of mischief is one thing, we expect that, but the trouble you seem to get into is unacceptable."
"What exactly are you talking about?" Sirius interrupted.
"Well, you were nearly expelled last year, you seem to be constantly fighting with Severus Snape, although both your mother and I expressly asked you not to. And as for your work…" Arcturus let his sentence drift; sure Sirius knew exactly what he meant.
"I wasn't nearly expelled!" Sirius exclaimed indignantly. "They attacked me! And if I fight with Snape it's because I have good reason. As for my work, what problem could you possibly find with exam results? I tied for first place!"
"But you don't uphold the family, Sirius! Where's your dedication to Astronomy and Divination? You're not even taking that next year!" his mother said, her voice rising.
Outside the door, Lily heard every word that had been said. She had come down to get a drink, and had not been able to help over hearing. But at this last comment, she felt her temper kick in, and was unable to stop herself pushing the door open.
The faces of the three people on the other side registered complete shock as Lily walked in, her green eyes blazing. "Excuse me," she said coldly, "but I couldn't help over hearing what you just said."
"And?" Cerys didn't like Lily, and she was even more annoyed that the girl was now intruding on family matters.
"I think what you just said to Sirius is terrible. You just want him to become an exact carbon copy of yourselves, and you're annoyed that he's showing a personality of his own!"
"Excuse me?" Cerys asked, disbelief etched on her face.
"You heard," Lily said shortly. "You should think about it."
Cerys felt a red-hot flare of anger explode inside her. "And what right do you have to speak to me like that? You intrude on a private family meeting, and then have to cheek to talk to me like that? I've had-,"
"I'm saying it 'cos I'm Sirius' friend," Lily loudly over rode her. "I've been here too weeks and I've seen you treat Sirius terribly. You take Esme's part over his, even when she's behaved abominably. You obviously prefer Orion and Steve to him, and I cant count how many times you've got at him for not being good at Astronomy."
Feeling strengthened by Lily's support, Sirius began to defend himself. "I hate it, I really do! It's been that way always! You just have to face it that I'm no good at Astronomy. I can't make myself be good; God knows I've tried. But I'm not. And don't think I haven't heard you insult the Potters when you think I'm not around. James is not his dad, and I'm most definitely not YOU!" Sirius finally exploded.
The room went quiet. Finally Cerys said, "I think you should both go now." Sirius looked her straight in the eye, and knew, in that moment, that there would never be any real understanding between himself and his parents. They would never understand him, never approve of him, and, Sirius thought morosely, would now probably never try. He stopped in the hall, and said despairingly, "Oh Lils, thank you so much."
"It just made me so mad, Siri. I had to, it wasn't like I had a choice." But Sirius was hugging her tightly, desperately needing comfort, and Lily stopped talking and hugged him back. "Come on," she said eventually, "Steve'll be wondering where the hell we've got to."
*****************
James' fears about his holidays had come to pass. Only two nights after he had returned from Hogwarts, he had been told that the family was going on holiday the next day. The only silver lining was that this time, David was not going. His job as a librarian for Flourish and Blotts would not allow it. This time, the Potters were not going to Poland. Nor were they going to an exotic, sunny paradise. They were going to Luxembourg. 'Luxembourg!' James had thought with disgust. 'Why can't my father want to improve relations with somewhere like Barbados?' Things had only got worse, as the weather had been horrible, wet and cold for two weeks without cessation, and this had caused James to get on the wrong side of the head waiter on only their third day.
"Does it ever stop raining here? I hate it," James had asked his father at the breakfast table. As James' father was a top Ministry official, the head waiter, who over heard James' comment, was serving him.
"People who live in Britain should not criticise weather in Luxembourg," the man had snapped, before favouring James with something that looked uncannily like a Slytherin death-glare. Luke had burst into hysterics, and this had not improved relations between the two brothers.
Although James had made some friends with the other children at the hotel, none stayed very long, and for a boy who could go through a day or more only talking to his four best friends, it was no substitute for having them there with him. When he had received his first joint letter from Sirius and Lily, he had been depressed for days.
He was back in England now, and furious that Luke had been allowed to go to Diagon Alley to meet Orion while he had not been allowed to go to see his friends. He had stayed in his room all day, something utterly unlike him, and was planning a prank on Snape when his Gran called up the stairs, "James, I've got a surprise for you!"
With reluctance, James went downstairs into the kitchen. What he saw sent him flying across the room, straight into-
"Remus!" James yelled, catching the other boy up into a bear hug.
"Hey, Jamie!" Remus said, trying to fend off his friend. "Get away from me, I don't like you like that." James stepped back hurriedly, and his Gran laughed.
"I made some cookies for you two," she said, still grinning. "Take them out and leave me alone!" The boys grabbed up the huge box of biscuits and ran outside.
*******************
The Muggle part of Kings Cross Station was startled to hear a series of loud yells and shouts at only 10.30 the next morning. Several customers were even more shocked to be knocked out of the way as the people responsible for the noise rushed towards each other.
"James! Remus!" one set of people yelled.
"Sirius! Lily!" shouted the other.
"We've missed you!" they all chorused, before bursting into laughter. They had missed each other so very much. As a much smaller, chubbier boy joined the group, who laughed even more, the previously indignant Muggles couldn't help but smile at the happiness of the group.
"Have you finished calling attention to yourselves now?" Angela Lupin asked as she finally reached them. "We've still got to get onto the platform, which is going to be virtually impossible with all these Muggles watching us." Rather guiltily, the five looked around at all the curious faces that were indeed watching them. "Now," Angela said briskly, "I would suggest that you all go and retrieve your trolleys from wherever you left them."
"Oops," Sirius laughed, as he and Lily ran off. They discovered that their trolleys had already been taken onto the platform, but Remus, James and Peter had to find theirs and slowly push them to the entrance.
Their usual compartment had already been taken, by some sixth years they could hardly kick out, so James, Remus and Peter had to look in every single compartment in search of their missing friends. They accidentally walked in on a pair Ravenclaw seventh years, who looked very busy and not at all pleased to see them. "I'm glad Sirius wasn't here to see that," James said as they hurriedly left that carriage behind. "He'd never have left without getting us into trouble."
They were still pulling their trunks along, looking for the others, when the train began to move. "That's it," Remus snapped. "I'm staying in the next empty compartment. They can bloody well find us." He pushed open the door of the next compartment, and was confronted with a group of fourth year Slytherins, including Lucius Malfoy, the most evil boy in the school.
"Nope, they're not in there," Remus said, attempting to back out quickly.
"Scared, Lupin," Malfoy mocked. Crabbe and Goyle, his thick-as-ten-broomsticks cronies, chuckled oafishly.
Reluctantly, Remus turned around. He did not want a fight, but his pride would not let him walk away. "Of what?" he asked scornfully. "I don't see any fearsome monsters, or even any competent wizards." From behind, here could hear James laughing.
"So you're not scared of me, Lupin?" Malfoy asked in a low voice.
"Not in the slightest."
"And you're not scared of my monsters?" Malfoy grinned, indicating not only Crabbe and Goyle, but also the two other Slytherin fourth years.
"Is there a reason why is should be? I seem to remember in the only fight we've ever had, us Gryffindors came off best."
Malfoy sucked in a breath, for that was not a favourite memory of his. "But we're all three years older now. And you're outnumbered. Where's the idiot and the Mudblood?" James stepped right up to Remus at this, standing so close their shoulders were touching. Peter had already gone rocketing down the corridor in search of Lily and Sirius.
"You know what, Malfoy? I reckon the only reason you don't like us is because you're jealous," Remus countered coolly. "We're better wizards, we're better looking, we have real friends…"
The fight was suddenly started as Malfoy stepped forward rapidly and punched Remus. Things were looking bad for Remus and James, and within minutes, they were getting the worst of the fight. Then, with a loud crash and an overly dramatic battle cry, Sirius and Lily burst in, taking the Slytherins completely by surprise.
They fight was now more even, and very noisy. People from nearby carriages gathered to watch, making loud bets on the outcome, but disappeared just as quickly as the Head Boy strode in.
"STOP!" Luke yelled. The combatants looked around, and seeing Luke, let go of each other. "I don't know what you thin you're doing, or why you're fighting, but it will stop now," he said sternly. "I'll let it go this time, but one more peep out of any of you on this journey and you will be severely punished. Now James, all of you, get out." The Gryffindors left, followed by Luke, but they al heard the soft comment Malfoy made. "Favouritism," he said clearly.
Luke spun back around. "That's 10 points from Slytherin, Malfoy, and if you knew anything about my family, you'd know that I'd be more likely to show you favouritism than my brother," he said, before slamming the door.
"Are you complete idiots?" he asked his little brother and his friends as they walked down the train. "Fighting before schools even started! I mean it, James, anything more like that and you'll be in trouble." He shoved them into an empty compartment, before saying, "Remus, I'd get that eye seen too," and leaving.
"David, David, David," James taunted, knowing Luke could still hear him, but to his disappointment, his brother didn't retaliate. James looked at Remus' eye dubiously, knowing it would be completely healed by the next day, before turning to the really important matter: Sirius and Lily.
"So where were you two?" he demanded.
"Behind you all the time," Lily grinned.
That's it folks: the first chapter of year three. Please, leave a review and let me know how you feel. It'll make my day!