ME: If you must know, all the characters in this story belong to JKR except Sara and Lucy. YAY! 19 reviews!! WOOT WOOT WOOT! Kay, I know I sound greedy, but my goal for this story is at least 50 (Do NOT think that that is my limit! I would very gladly accept much more than that J) and there are many , many more chapters to come. This chapter is dedicated to BettyCrocker and Dream Breath Love Twilight for the more amazing compliments (once again), and especially Lizzle09 and Ghostliyprincess for especially detailed reviews! You guys are helping me out with what I should add and etc. This one may be a LITTLE different (But long!), because a friend said add Severus (hint hint), so be prepared!
3 Months Later
Light steps echoed through the halls of Hogwarts, rattling in metal suites of armor and creating murmurs among restless portraits. Who were these steps coming from? Why were these mysterious figures out so late? The portrait's murmurings, however, were without reason, for as the two people rounded a turn into the light, they were revealed to be Peter Pettigrew and Remus Lupin. Remus was a prefect from the looks of the golden badge pinned to his cloak, so he was allowed to be out. But what about this small boy? He had no identifying badge, or any insignia, that permitted him to walk the halls after 9 o'clock. And it was far later than 9 o'clock. The portraits, although, were hardly bothered by Peter Pettigrew. They had seen him trailing along side with James Potter, Sirius Black, and Remus, and they were far too used to students about at night.
Peter trotted quickly in order to keep up with Remus's longer strides. "What if someone sees us?" He asked in his high, watery voice.
Remus hadn't been quite into the idea of tacking a hexed pin to Severus Snape's cloak. He been ever more against tacking a hexed pin that made enchanted water follow it to Snape's cloak. But he knew Sirius and James well enough not to argue. Besides, he was the only prefect in the marauders, so he was the only one allowed out at night.
"We'll be fine," he assured Peter, too accustomed to being in the halls late (on hall patrol) to worry to much. "Besides, if someone sees us, that's why you're here. You forgot a book" Remus gestured to the version of 'Hogwarts, a History' Peter was clutching, "that was due in the library today, and you needed a prefect to escort you there after dark."
Peter nodded, a quick, unsure bob of the head, and sped up his pace slightly.
Snape would be near the library, he was a prefect and his hall patrol was there. The plan (of Sirius and James's design) was perfect, there wasn't a flaw to it. Well, that was, if Severus didn't discover the pin soon to be attached to him. They had made sure Severus would wear the cloak with the pin the next day (Remus wasn't entirely sure how, just that James and Sirius had come back from lunch the other day wearing clever grins of their faces) so there was nothing to be concerned about.
The two friends found the place where Snape would soon be approaching, and settled down for the wait.
5 minutes past, only increasing Peter's anxiety.
"Are you sure….?" a sigh carried through the rock wall, interrupting him.
Remus held a finger to his mouth and whisked out James's invisibility cloak.
"Stay," he whispered, and pulled the cloak over himself.
Peter sat, crouched in the dark of a corner, his breath fast. To an outsider, each breath was so quick and fleeting it might sound to them like a very large rodent, and they would do their best to avoid that particular corner, unless the urging of curiosity struck them. Peter eyed the spot where Severus stood, seeing only his shadow. Suddenly, the shadow wavered, as though something was passing through, something invisible and completely unseen. As quickly as it appeared, it was gone.
With a quiet whoosh, Remus stood before Peter.
"Let's go."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
The Marauders, Lucy, Sara, and Lily approached the long wooden tables, settling into they're seats for lunch. James opened his mouth, addressing Lily.
"No." She said flatly, narrowing her eyes at him before turning to Lucy. James loved it when Lily was angry. He loved the way her green eyes sparkled dangerously, the way her slim arms folded over her chest, the way her voice rang in such a strong way. Of course, he did not love the way the word 'No' rolled off her tongue as easily as a sea serpent slid across the glassy surface of water. He would much prefer the opposite of the word, but now that he thought about it, he had never heard her agree to anything he said.
"You didn't even let me begin!" He protested, running a hand through his hair.
"Prongs! Snivellus has entered the room," He said, grinning widely as he pointed to a greasy haired, hooked nosed character walking through the large doors from the Great Hall.
James pulled out his wand, a wicked smile masking his face. "Excellent," he said, and aimed the wand at Severus. Lily grabbed the wand, yanking it out of his grip. She whipped out her own.
"What are you doing, Potter?" She snapped, pointing both wands at James.
"Oi! Just hang on, okay Evans?" Sirius laughed, and grabbed James's wand from her, handing it back to his partner in crime. "We're just playing a little… prank. Sorry if you have some weird 'protective' thing over Snivellus. It was my idea, okay? I thought it'd be funny." He lied, holding up his hands in submission.
James stared Sirius, gratefulness at his taking the blame radiating out of his every surface, but he quickly hid it in order not to get caught.
"Hey, um, Padfoot?" Peter began, tugging on Sirius's sleeve urgently.
"Yeah, Wormtail?" Sirius put his hands down.
He pointed over to the Slytherin table, which was now in pandemonium. "I think the enchanted water fell out," he finished, nodding at Snape.
Snape was drenched from head to toe, weaving through tables, trying to escape a large glob of water that was inches away from soaking him even more. He skidded in front of the teacher's table, sliding around a corner.
Professor Slughorn stood up, barking a spell. The sparkling water dropped from the air, landing with a 'splat,' on the floor and showering the students around it.
"James, Sirius, Peter, Remus, come here immediately!!" Professor McGonagall yelled, staring at the marauders. The four boys stood up, Sirius and James grinning, Peter looking worried, and Remus looking at the ground, very disappointed of himself. Lily, Lucy, and Sara watched them go, each wondering and guessing at what the punishment was this time.
Professor McGonagall scolded each boy in turn, lightening up considerably when she reached Remus and Peter. She knew Peter was part of the group, but only did as he was told, and Remus was obviously very against the pranks played. Before Remus left, she handed him an apple biscuit, just to let him know she trusted him. He would scold himself enough.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Lily pushed a strand of red hair behind her ear, leaving lunch for history, the one class she didn't have with James… or Lucy, or Sara. Sirius was in it, but that wasn't exactly a good thing. She began to ascend the stairs when a hand tapped her shoulder.
"Lily?" A voice said. Lily whirled around.
"Severus???" She gasped, backing up the stairs quickly, forgetting about the trick stairs in her hurry to escape her ex-friend. She slipped through one, landing on her back.
He held a pale hand out to her, hesitated, and drew it back. "I-I'm.. sorry." He blushed.
She shook her head, trying to scramble back to her feet. "I can't- I can't do this, Severus. Not after…" A glistening tear slid down slowly on her cheek, and she finally managed to stand, collecting her scattered books in a frenzy.
His greasy black hair shadowed his face. "I'm sorry, okay Lily!" He flared. Severus had taken too much abuse from James about the incident, and now he his temper sparked up easily. "The words just slipped out! It's not my fault you're friends with him!"
Lily's tears began to multiply. "What, so I'm a mudblood for having friends!?! Friends that you can't be friends with or get along with for some, strange reason!!?" She shouted back, wiping her eyes, trying to stop her crying.
"Ask him that, then! I'm sure Potter would LOVE to be friends with me! He's just trying to steal you Lily! Don't you see that!?!" Snape retaliated.
"Steal me!?!?!" Lily said, grabbing the banister of the stairs when they began to move.
Severus nodded furiously. "He wants you because he hates me!" His words were like the striking of a snake, hitting Lily hard.
She flinched visibly and internally, hard, racking sobs in her chest. She turned and began to run, entering the Prefects bathroom and sliding to the floor, covering her face miserably.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Sirius entered History, groaning as Professor Binns floated through a wall at the same time. Binns automatically began drone out words as Sirius took his seat in the back, looking expectantly and out of habit at the seat next to him for Lily (and her notes). He stared, surprised, when he realized she wasn't there. Immediately he thought of James, who would be worried sick. James was in charms, not a class you could easily get out of. History, on the other hand…
He raised a hand, startling the students around him. Sirius never raised his hand, especially in History. Actually, no one did in History. Binns rarely noticed.
"Er, Professor, I really have to go to the bathroom," he shouted when the professor didn't react.
"Oh, go on then." he said, and waved Sirius out.
Sirius began jogging down the halls, looking and listening for anything strange. He pulled out his wand.
"Expecto Patronum!" He said, thinking about the times when him and the other marauders first became animagus's. A shining, huge, shaggy dog appeared out of white mist. "Go find Lily Potter, for James." He told it, chasing after when it took off. When he reached the Prefect room, the dog vanished.
"Ugh," he groaned, staring at the door. He knew James should go in, and it was an excellent opportunity for him and Lily. Sirius stood, thinking. This was perfect for James, and James would be worried. Lily never skipped class. But how to contact him…? Then it hit Sirius. Feeling rushed, he yanked out the mirror he and James had made to contact each other from long distances. It wasn't much of a distance, but now was just one of those times.
"James!" He shouted at it, and the reflection swirled, revealing the inside of James's pocket.
"Jamessss, or Prongsy boyyy, come out, come out, wherever you are!!!" He said, and grinned when James's face peaked in.
"Padfoot, what are you doing? Now's not exactly the time," James whispered.
"Not the time, eh? Well, your dearest Lily didn't show up for class today, and she's in the prefects bathroom sobbing her eyes out," Sirius said, facing the mirror to the door. Truthfully, he had no idea if Lily was sobbing or not, but Lily didn't just skip class randomly, so it had to be important. He turned James's reflection back to himself. James looked extremely worried, in fact…
"James, are you already out of Charms!?!" Sirius gasped, then burst out laughing. "What did you do?!"
James's face broke into a grin. "I hexed the birds so they started multiplying by the dozens, so we got a break. Hang on, I see you," the view revealed the blackness of a pocket again, and Sirius looked up. James was jogging towards him.
"Where is she?" He asked, looking worried again.
Sirius pointed to the bathroom. "Good luck, mate." He said, patting James on the back.
James nodded, looking nervous, and pulled the door open. Under Sirius's gaze, he disappeared inside.
