"I have found that those who try to shield us from the truth, regardless of the reason, end up doing the greatest harm. Truth alone sets you free, not lies and omissions." – Jessica Dotta
The boys had changed by the time I'd returned, and I slid into the seat next to James, who, as was happening more likely than never, decided to sling an arm around my shoulder and pull me close, sending a smug look at Sirius. I rolled my eyes, and pulled the nearest book from the pile between Sirius and James.
Remus was still staring at me as I disappeared behind the pages of yet another, transfiguration book.
"Guys! This is going to be the best year ever! I can feel it!" James crowed excitedly, his hazel eyes flashing. I rolled my eyes as Peter agreed vocally and Sirius nodded, his eyes fixed on James' arm around my shoulders. I smirked and turned to James, I sighed softly and placed my hand on the page I was reading, looking like I was nodding off, but pointing out a certain passage to James. He moved his head up slowly, and then down again, before standing abruptly.
"Damn it A.J! if you want to cuddle, cuddle your man-boy!" he cried loudly. I snickered and slid across the empty space into Sirius' embrace. It was scaring me how easy this was – for me to make it believable. Because I already believed in it.
Fourth year was started with a bang. Literally. As Dumbledore wished us a good evening, the first years stood to approach the prefects, and BANG! The Slytherins all had red and gold hair. I chortled as I linked arms with Sirius and we sidled past them, and had just made it to the entrance hall when a searing pain hit me in the base of the skull, and I was knocked to the ground roughly – with less than ladylike vocabulary, I can assure you.
"A.J!" That'll be Sirius, I thought, as my right side was jostled. I scrunched my face, keeping my eyes shut as I tried to dim out the noise of the populous of Hogwarts and groaned. "Turn the bloody racket off." I could hear Pete's high-pitched giggle, Remus' scoff and James chortle over the din, but Sirius was growling.
"It's not funny A.J." he ground out. "Where hurts?" he asked. All of this had happened within seconds, and the crowd soon dispersed to let an irritated McGonagall in. "Minnie!" James crowed, earning a smirk from me as I cracked my eyes open a smidge. "He's going to get points docked before we've even started the term." I commented, wryly.
"What happened?" she barked.
Sirius turned to her. "Please, Professor. Someone hexed A.J." he said gesturing to me. He helped raise me to sit-up and then gasped. "You're bleeding!" he half-shouted. I cringed and touched my hand to the back of my head, where it came back bloody.
"Three guesses who." I stated numbly. "I don't feel well." I whined and Sirius lifted me and carried me from the entrance hall.
I woke up two days later. Crotchety, hungry, and no doubt looking a mess. Pomfrey spit me out for fighting in the hallways again, and wouldn't listen when I told her it was genuinely unprovoked, and I grumbled all the way back to the portrait and sat outside the common room portrait, realising I didn't have the password.
Welcome back to Hogwarts, Fletcher.
Two. Hours.
That's how long it took. Hah, I bet you're thinking "That's not long at all, really." Just wait. It took me two hours to wake the Fat Lady up, to holler for someone inside to let me in. Impressed? The woman could sleep through a war-zone.
Marlene answered, letting me in, and moved from my path, along with all the children 'death-by-rampage' aged. The path between me and my dorm soon opened up, and I smiled, detouring up the boys staircase. No sooner had I entered, than I was crushed into a tight hug.
"You are not fragile, but you need to stop this, A.J." Remus smiled. I looked up at his honey eyes and saw genuine kindness. I smiled and nodded. "Of course." I agreed. I was handed to a rotund hug from Peter before wrapping my arms around James. "You get 'em?" I asked him softly. His laughter rumbled in his chest.
"Absolutely." Sirius replied from the bathroom doorway. I turned around and smiled at him, rubbing the soft, tender flesh at the base of my skull where the cut was gone but Madam Pomfrey stubbornly refused to ease the pain, in the hopes of putting me off fighting in school again. Hah.
Sirius approached me and moved my hand from my head, gently tracing his fingers there. My eyes fluttered shut slowly, and I wrapped my arms around him. He pressed several sweet kisses along my hairline, before planting a smacker on my lips. Not really how I wanted my first kiss to go, but beggers can't be choosers.
"Bellatrix." He explained and I nodded. I was lead back to Sirius' bed, and unceremoniously dumped there, with him sitting himself behind me and pulling me into his arms. I sighed and leaned back. This was getting ridiculous. I wasn't even near pretending anymore. This could not end well. "Can I talk to you?" he breathed softly in my ear. I saw James nod at me slowly, before I agreed. Sirius reached up and shut the curtains around us, casting a silencing charm before I turned my deep green eyes at him.
"What is it?" I asked him. He smiled at me, a good, huge smile. "It's you!" he said excitedly. I raised an eyebrow, regarding him. I dared not get my hopes up. "I'm me. Yay?" I asked him, hoping he would elaborate, before my imagination ran wild.
"Can you complete your transformation?" he asked me.
My heart sank.
Of course. Stupid girl, snarked the vicious voice in my head, maliciously.
"Yes." I admitted softly, fighting the lump swelling in my throat. "Well, can we tell him now? Apparently, James has been teaching Peter over the summer!" he squealed. Squealed.
"Fine." I said, shrugging from his grasp and sliding out from the enchanted space. "Sorry guys, I'm so tired from this, I think I need to go to bed." I stated, slipping from the room before the protests could be voiced and burrowing myself safely in my own quilt upon reaching my dorm.
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
The next month blew by, and soon, the next full moon arrived. We sent Remus off before lunch, to see Madam Pomfrey, before we four sat for food. James was twitching with excitement. "We need new nicknames!" he whisper-yelled. Rolling my eyes, I turned to see the exact same excited expression on Sirius' face. Peter wiggled with glee, his watery eyes looking from Sirius and James, barely glancing over my unamused form in the middle. James lifted a fork to his mouth and tore the bit of meat from it so ferociously that you'd swear he hadn't fed in a week.
"Gosh, Prongs!" I warned, pointing at the elongated spikes of the utensil he was adamant on shoving so far into his throat. Sirius snorted, and a fountain of pumpkin juice burst from his nostrils. Aghast, I leapt from my seat into James' lap to avoid being drenched in that.
"That's it A.J!" he cried, before pointing an index-finger into James' face and grinning widely. "Prongs!" he called before guffawing. A swift silent charm and James was placing me back in my (newly dried) seat, and shaking his head.
"Oh dear, I'm sorry Ja-" I began, only to be cut off rudely, by Sirius turning my face to his, by the chin. "It's Prongs now, love. Not James." I sighed and nodded. Whoops.
"I'm sorry, Prongs, it seems this is your new name."
He shrugged, good-naturedly, before turning a sly smile to Peter. "Wormtail," he began, hiding his snicker. "Can you pass the salt?" he asked. Peter blinked owlishly and handed the salt to him, not understanding. "B-but I-I'm a rat…" he said sadly. I shook my head and turned to Sirius as James exasperatedly explained to Peter why he was Wormtail. "Now for you," I smiled devilishly. He shook his head and took my hand in his, while James was pondering a name for Sirius so seriously that I could almost hear his thoughts.
I traced my fingers along his palm and tilted my head to regard the lines of his skin carefully. James watched my actions, eyes narrowed before snapping his fingers. "Got it!" he smiled. I turned to him expectantly, as Sirius rolled his eyes.
"Padfoot!" I snorted at that. "Awesome." I sneered. "I perish the thought of what you'll name poor Remus. Moony, perhaps?" I grimaced, and then began to shake my head vehemently at the look James gave me.
"Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, Prongs….and now for you, Lass! We have to think of something for you!" he smiled. My eyes must have trebled in size, because he then laughed. "How's the relationship going anyway?" he asked, leaning towards me.
I leaned back into Sirius, cocking my head. "Just fine, why do you ask?" I asked him, as he peered over to look at Lily wistfully. He sighed and shook his head, grasping my hand gently and giving it a squeeze. My stomach lurched uncomfortably. Maybe he's guessed. I wondered.
"It's not unlike Sirius to be the tease, but you should be the downright Vixen!" he crowed, and then that did it. Oh no, he didn't! My eyes widened, my mouth hung agape, in absolute shock. The bastard!
Sirius choked on his drink again, while Peter nodded. "The Marauders, Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, Prongs and Vixen!" he nodded once, as if to seal the deal.
Well, bollocks.
We all met that night. The moon was already slowly making it's silvery way across the darkened sky, while I hung impishly from James' back, while Sirius and Peter crowded under James' invisibility cloak. "I don't see why she gets the lift." Peter pouted jealously. I grinned, and nodded to him. "Because I am the lightest." I answered smugly. He smarmed for a while, before Sirius hushed us, his head tilted as he listened. Soon enough, we had slinked, slid and sneaked our way through the various short-cuts and passages we'd learned of, and quietly pressed through the door. We approached the Whomping Willow with care, all of us finally realising what it was we were doing. A lone howl of anguish in the distance solidified our resolve.
"Right, how in the name of all that's magical do we get into that thing?" Sirius asked. I slid from James' back, slowly and surveyed the area. "It's a Whomping Willow. The only way Dumbledore would allow a magical plant of this size and danger on the school ground would be if there was a safety charm or 'weakness'." I explained softly, chewing on my lip. I carefully scanned the grounds, my green-grey eyes alighting on each knot of the trunk, and each protruding root. "There!" I pointed excitedly, as a large limb swished past us, far too closely.
We took a step back.
"Well, then Wormtail, time to test your mettle?!" Sirius smiled, before slinking into the cover of the forest, re-emerging on four long, black, furry legs, his pink tongue lolling out as he tilted his head at us. I smiled and scratched behind his ear, before doing the same, the ground rising up to meet me, as I felt my body shrink, and fur overcome me. Within moments, the scenery became clearer, my sense of smell more distinct and my eyesight became sharper. With a swish of my white-tipped tail, I twirled and flounced back to Sirius' side.
He gave a canine chuckle, as James and Peter stood in their forms ready. James was enormous. I hadn't actually realised how large Stags were in reality, adding that to the fact that I was smaller than average now.
Well, shit.
I tapped my paw on Peter's tail, who squeaked before darting forward and tapping both of his front paws on the knot. The flailing limbs of the dangerous tree froze in motion, and the four of us moved to enter the opening in the base. With a clang, we realised James was too large, and he switched back and slid into the space in his human form. My eyes widened and I placed two paws on him.
Do you not realise the danger you are putting yourself in?! I growled at him, a small yip giving note to my concern and irritation. He grinned and scooped me up, Sirius' growl echoing mine, as he carried me along the passage. When we finally reached the end, James pushed the trapdoor open, and pushed me through, the loud four patters announcing Sirius' form behind me, and the skittering announcing Peter. We moved forward enough that James could crouch on the floor and transform immediately and then – we were there. We made it. We were in the Shrieking Shack.