Chapter 2 – Possibilities

By midnight they were still no nearer a solution to the problem but most of the group were disinclined to worry too much about it.

"We've got two whole days before the rest of the school gets back," James pointed out. "Our Remus and your Sirius will have a solution long before then."

"We'd probably find one a lot faster if the rest of you tried to help," Remus commented with a pointed glance at the piles of books from the library that they still had to look through.

"You'll manage," James replied. "In the meantime Remus here has some great prank ideas."

"Glad to see you have your priorities sorted out," the other Sirius muttered.

"What if we can't find a solution before the rest of the school comes back?" Remus asked casually. "We'll have to tell Professor McGonagall."

"I don't see why," Sirius said with a look of surprise. "They can stay in here. We have the dorm to ourselves. No one will ever know they're here."

"I don't like the idea of being trapped in here all the time," the other Remus said with a frown.

"And I want to get back before classes start again," the other Sirius added. "And James will want to get back in time to see Lily."

Remus rolled his eyes as their own James launched into a long speech about the perfection that was Lily Evans. Although he didn't say anything specifically, Remus had already formed the distinct impression that the other James had made far more progress with the girl than his own friend had.

"I don't think we've really thought about all the advantages of what we have here," Sirius suddenly said.

"What do you mean Padfoot?" asked Peter.

"Well with two of each of us we can cause twice as much mischief and get away with it. We can be our own alibis."

"I like that idea," the other Remus said, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

"We can use the map to make sure that none of us are seen with our doubles at any time," Sirius continued. "Peter might be a problem though. Of all of us you two look more different from each other. The rest of us can have a lot of fun with this though."

"I'd really like to get back before classes start," the other Sirius repeated.

"You can go to my classes for me, if you're that desperate," Sirius replied with a laugh.

"Really?" the other Sirius said with an expression of absolute delight on his face.

"Is anyone else kind of freaked out by seeing Padfoot eager for lessons?" James asked with a laugh.

"Here's my timetable," Sirius said after a few moments rummaging around in his trunk.

He passed the worn piece of paper to his counterpart. "Is this all you do?" the other Sirius asked. "Don't you take Ancient Runes, Arithmancy or Potions?"

"What for?" Sirius asked.

"And Muggles Studies?" his counterpart continued. "The soft option. Why does this not surprise me?"

"Oh, I only took that to piss off my mother," Sirius explained. "Plus for NEWT level sixty five percent of your grade is determined by a class project instead of the exam."

"Sirius is building a muggle motorbike for his project," Remus explained while Sirius turned to rummage through his trunk once more.

"It'll be great," Sirius said as he placed various muggle photographs onto the table to show what it was he was constructing.

"He may actually manage it as well," Peter commented. "It's the only class he actually bothers to work properly in."

"Why would this annoy mother?" the other Sirius asked.

"Have you met my mother?" asked Sirius with rare bitterness.

"Apparently not," the other Sirius replied. "My mum isn't that bothered about what subjects I do as long as I get enough NEWTs to get a position in the Ministry."

"We really are from different worlds," Sirius said with a trace of sadness and lingering bitterness.

Suddenly no one could meet anyone else's eyes and the tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife.

Finally the other Remus broke the silence. "So what's this about a map?"

The tension passed and James and Sirius launched into an explanation of the Marauders' Map whilst Peter searched the room to see where they had last left it.

Remus shared an amused smile with the other Sirius and they turned back to their research.


"Nothing?" Sirius asked in disbelief as he picked through the latest pilfered foods from the kitchens.

"Nothing wrong with your hearing Padfoot," Remus replied sarcastically. "We've been through every book we can find that might help, including the restricted section, and have found…nothing."

It was the last day of the holidays, the day when the rest of the school was due to return, and they were no nearer to finding a solution to their problem than they had been when the portal had first closed.

"In that case, we need a strategy before the rest of the Gryffindors return," James said. "The map can only help us so far. We have to make sure that none of us are spotted with our doubles or the game will be up."

"This isn't a game," the other Sirius pointed out. "This is a screwed up spell and…"

"Yeah, yeah," Sirius waved his hand airily. "We know. But we'll sort it out eventually."

"Maybe we should tell Professor McGonagall, or Dumbledore," Remus suggested, for the fifth time that morning. He and the other Sirius were immediately outvoted and the suggestion was once again filed away under 'Only If We Absolutely Have To'.


"So we all know what we're going to do for classes?" James asked. "Me and the other James are going to share our lessons since we're doing the same NEWTs. I'll do the first day then he'll do the next and so on. Sirius?"

"I'll carry on with Muggle Studies," Sirius confirmed. "The other Sirius will do the rest but I'll do the homework assignments so I don't fall too far behind."

"You mean so that the Professors don't wonder how come your handwriting is suddenly legible?" Remus questioned. He ducked the pillow that flew in his direction and continued. "The other Sirius will join me in Arithmancy and Ancient Runes under the invisibility cloak and he'll join James in Potions the same way. That way he won't fall behind in his own studies.

As for me, I'll just carry on with my lessons and Remus," he nodded to his counterpart, "can read my notes if he wants to keep up."

"Not flaming likely," the other Remus said with a snort.

"And Peter will have to go to his own classes," Remus continued. He turned to Peter's double. "You'll have to use his notes to keep up as well."

"It's a good job the content of our lessons are the same," the other Sirius commented.

"So we're all sorted?" James asked.

"What about Quidditch?" the other Peter questioned. "Me and Remus are on the Gryffindor team."

"Really?" Peter asked. "James and Sirius are chasers for our team, what do you play?"

"I'm a chaser and Peter's our seeker," Remus replied. "We've got the strongest team in fifty years."

"Well you can't practice with our team as our Remus and Peter aren't on it," James said. "Though all us players could go out and practice together as long as the rest of you aren't around."

"Peter and Remus on the Quidditch pitch," Sirius laughed. "This I've got to see."

"I could say the same thing about you," the other Remus said with a laugh of his own.