Yes, I Love A Marauder. Chapter 10: Holiday

It was a Saturday - frosted, bitter and wet. The majority of the students were still sleeping - although a few were already packing for the holiday break.

James still hadn't recovered from the previous day. Although neither said a word, Lily and James acted as if nothing had happened. They were invisible to one another - it was as though a veil had been drawn between them, separating them - translucent and gossamer.

Sirius was also having a difficult time in accepting the past. The fact that himself and Zoe were no longer dating had been harsh on him. For the remainder of the Marauders, life was serene; Peter's eyes still roved across James, and Remus was happily settled in his relationship with Grace.

Violet's enigmatic relationship with Regulus was pleasant to such an extent that they craved to see one another as often as possible. Even at seven o'clock in the morning.

There were a few Gryffindor's scattered here and there, either assembled in the dormitories or lingering in the Common Room. However, as Violet made her way toward the Room of Requirement, she realised that she must be the sole Gryffindor actually outside the Tower.

"Where are you?" she whispered to herself, tapping her fingers repeatedly on the janitor closet's wall.

At that precise moment, Violet heard the door ahead of her slam. "Where were you? We're all leaving in a couple of hours!"

Regulus, who was carrying his navy blue backpack, sat down on the bucket, combing his hair with his fingers roughly, looking agitated.

"What's wrong?" Violet asked with strong concern - she had never seen him in such a state. After a few minutes of silence, Regulus spoke with depression tainting his voice.

"It's Ernie. He used the Cruciatus curse on me."

"What?" Violet was enraged. She was going to kill that abominable Ernie, even if it was the last thing she mustered.

"Look, it's nothing, okay? I'm fine. I'll go to the Hospital Wing before I leave." Regulus assured her, in a much calmer voice than before.

Violet looked as if she wanted to protest, but seemed to think better of it at Regulus' serious expression. "Fine, if you're sure." She managed a feeble smile. "I love you."

Regulus smiled in return. "I love you, too."

They shared a compassionate kiss, one that was filled with the warmth that could only be accumulated with care.

Back in Gryffindor Tower, the Marauders and Girls were panicking.

"Where the hell did she go?" Lily said, striding across the Common Room and looking ready to rip chunks from her hair. She didn't have the slightest inkling as to what Violet could be doing at seven o'clock in the morning.

James was playing with the stolen Snitch, barely listening to the other's frantic conversation. Grace sat in an armchair, considering the situation.

"If you think about it, she always disappears around this time. Perhaps earlier. I'm sure she'll be here in around five minutes or so."

"How do you know all this?" Zoe asked, looking confused.

Grace glanced at Remus. "I - er, well - we kind of, erm -"

"Grace and I have been doing something, alright?" Remus intervened, looking ready to implode at the tide of stupid questions.

Doing what? The others wondered, but never asked.

They all sighed, pondering in silence. James' Snitch was creating a faint buzzing sound.

A few minutes later (six to be precise), Violet and Regulus climbed through the Portrait Hole. Regulus' arm folded around Violet's waist as they all stood up, horror-struck.

"Where were you? I swear! And you!" Lily pointed an accusing finger at Regulus. "If you did anything to her, I-I'm not afraid to use an Unforgiveable Curse!"

"Lily, relax. He hasn't done anything." Violet said calmly, smiling at Regulus.

James opened his mouth to say something but thought better of it.

Lily raised a cool eyebrow at James and shot Regulus an apprehensive look. "Fine. Let's just pack, alright? We don't want to waste any more time."

Once they were packed and ready to leave, they met once again in the Common Room, which was slightly more crowded due to the mass of students preparing to leave, also.

"You'll have to come and visit." Grace suggested, eyeing them all. "You girls can come and stay, and I'm sure we can meet you boys in the Neighbourhood or somewhere."

"That sounds good." Lily replied, nodding. "Where do you live, though? You still haven't given me that new address of yours."

"Oh yeah!" Grace produced a slip of parchment from her pocket, scribbled something down, and handed it to Lily. "It's 23 Gaunt Street, Godric's Hollow."

James looked up at her. "Godric's Hollow? I live there; I think your street is about a two minute walk from my house."

"Seriously? Well, you have no excuse not to meet up with me."

Lily sighed in a disgruntled way. Now there was definitely no way to avoid James over the summer break.

They all dragged their hand luggage to the carriages that would take them to the Hogwarts Express. They chattered quietly as the Thestrals pulled them past the lake and the vast Forrest before eventually rolling to a stop at the train station.

Once seated inside a carriage, they chatted idly as the Thestrals pulled them past the Lake and vast Forest before eventually rolling to a halt at the Hogwarts Express.

It never failed to amaze Lily when she caught sight of the stretching Scarlet beauty belching clouds of steam on the train tracks, waiting for the students. They quickly found themselves a Compartment before they all became occupied.

"I'm going to miss Hogwarts while we're away." Grace sighed, looking out of the window. "We have no magical photos in our house, as we're muggles and everything."

They continued their various conversations until the Train arrived at Platform 9 ¾

"Oh dear god," Lily muttered, looking out the window to see Petunia waiting on Platform 9 ¾ with her parents. "Why does she look so happy?"

The others followed her gaze and Zoe smirked when she saw Lily's sister.

"Would you like us to say goodbye in front of her; to drive her mad?" Zoe asked.

"I'd love to!" Lily giggled. They stepped off the train and followed Lily to where her parents stood, beaming.

"Mum, Dad," Lily greeted them with hug and a smile. "Petunia," she said, nodding stonily in her sister's general direction.

"Who's he?" Petunia asked, ignoring Lily's aloofness, and watching Sirius with ravenous eyes.

"He," Lily huffed "is a wizard."

Petunia's face dropped and she immediately stepped back.

Petunia tutted and immediately turned away. Her Mother, as though trying to break the frozen silence that now churned between them, coughed.

"Petunia's getting married, Lily." She said quietly. "Vernon Dursley proposed."

Lily blinked, startled at this scrap of news, but quickly recovered. "Congratulations, Tuney!" She exclaimed, feigning enthusiasm. "You should get married on a farm, it'd be perfect!"

Petunia glared at Lily. "Grow up." She snapped.

"Well, you're a complete cow and Vernon strongly resembles a pig." Lily said lightly and, before waiting for Petunia's response, flounced toward her parents.

"I don't think you've ever met my friends. This is Violet, Grace and Zoe" She said, pointing to each in turn. "They're the girls who share my dormitory in Gryffindor Tower. And this is Remus, Peter, Sirius - and James."

As she mentioned James' name, she shot him a look that clearly stated: Don't you dare flirt with me in front of my parents. He smirked at her.

"Lovely to meet you all." Mrs Evans smiled. "I'm guessing you can all do Magic?"

"Yes Mum, that's why they go to Hogwarts." Lily said, irritated by her Mother's ineptitude.

"Oh yes, of course. Sorry dear." Mrs Evans said. At that precise moment, Mr Evans addressed the Marauders.

"Right then. Do you four have ladies?" He asked, scrutinising them carefully. Lily turned red; she realised, now, that her Father was planning an interrogation. She could guess the subject of that research without too much difficulty.

Both Sirius and Remus nodded. "Yes, Sir." However, James and Peter shook their heads sadly.

"Oh, and you don't have your - ah, eye on anyone in particular, do you?"

"No, Sir." James replied, refraining from glancing at Lily as he said this. Peter shook his head frantically.

"Excellent." Mr Evans said cheerfully, clapping a hand on one of Peter's squat shoulders.

Mr Evans had, and always would be, been protective over Lily. She had never made any male friends other than Severus before her years at Hogwarts, mostly because her Father had always been quite harrowing toward any that dared try.

"You should get back to your families; they may wonder where you've got to." Lily said, still grimacing.

"Lily, we'll stay in touch. I'll send you a letter soon." Zoe replied, embracing her friend. Lily proceeded with her farewells to the others. While she hugged Violet and Grace tightly, she merely patted the boys' arms awkwardly, all too aware of her Father's hawk-like glare.

Everyone's summer holidays began with a memorable event, but none was as horrible as Sirius'.

He sat alone in his bedroom, flipping through a book with only the mildest interest. Around him, the abhorrent wallpaper was concealed through a thick layer of Gryffindor Banners, a few photographs of himself, the Marauders and a few artificial girls. There were also a few posters of Muggle girls clad in revealing bikinis. He'd only put up these embellishments to aggravate his parents. Naturally, he'd succeeded.

He turned the page of his book idly, which was none the more interesting than the last. He could hear the voices of his cousins Bellatrix, Narcissa and Andromeda echoing up the staircase.

"Get out of my house," He mumbled, before laying the book aside and leaving his bedroom.

"Sirius, come down here!" Walburga Black, Sirius's mother, snapped.

"I'm coming!"

He rounded the corner and headed into the kitchen, spotting the three unwelcome house guests assembled there.

"Bella, Ciss, Andy," He said dully, with a respective nod in each direction. As a Black, this behaviour was to be expected.

They returned his greetings with as much enthusiasm as he'd used.

"Go into the Lounging Area. Disappear, now." Walburga Black said, shooing them into sitting room and closing the door with a snap.

"How is Hogwarts?" Bella asked, in a bored tone that implied she didn't care either way.

"Dandy," Sirius snorted.

"It was fine." Regulus said.

Bella's head snapped up to look at him. "What are you not telling me?" she asked, her eyes narrowing coldly.

"Excuse me?"

"What is little Regulus hiding?" she cooed in her mockful baby voice. And, before any of them could try to prevent her, she raised her wand. "Legilimens!"

Images whirred before her mind. Watching a few older students studying for O.W.L's, a flash of Ernie attacking Muggle-Borns. However, the worst was yet to come; a vision of Regulus ordering Ernie not to attack a certain Muggle-Born, and a passionate kiss shared in the Room of Requirement.

The spell broke once Regulus closed down his mind forcefully. Bellatrix gasped at the last image, her face full of venom as she surveyed Regulus. "You kissed a Mudblood? Have you no shame? You'll pay!"

Regulus glanced over his shoulder at Sirius, looking terrified.

Bellatrix rushed to the door, her intention obviously to alert Aunt Walburga and Uncle Orion of the vile news she had just discovered. Before considering any other option, Sirius ran and tackled Bellatrix to the floor. He grabbed her wrist and pointed his wand into her face.

"What did you see?" He growled. As Bellatrix smirked slightly, he shook her vigorously. "What did you see?"

"He was kissing a Filthy Mudblood!" Bellatrix spat, clutching her eye when Sirius poked it with his wand. He considered her for a moment, disgusted.

"Obliviate!"

As he said the spell his parents walked in, horrified at the scene before them.

Regulus wasn't sure whether to marvel over the extremities his Brother was going to, or to faint over the scene Bellatrix saw, and how quickly she would obviously betray him.

"Sirius Orion Black! What on earth are you doing?" His Father roared, striding into the room and towering over the tangled bodies.

Sirius emitted a calming breath. "Erasing her memory," He replied knowledgeably.

"And why would you do such a thing?"

"Because," Sirius sighed, obviously concentrating hard. "Regulus saw me doing something at Hogwarts, and Bellatrix invaded his mind and saw it too."

Regulus stared at his brother; he couldn't believe he was doing this. Orion's eyes narrowed.

"And what ,may I ask, did she see you doing?"

Sirius closed his eyes for the explosion. "I - I was kissing a Mudblood."

Orion looked as though he had been slapped. His face blanched and he sunk into a seat.

"How dare you dishonour the Black Family in this way? We raised you like a true Wizard, and how do you repay us?" He said quietly.

"My own son! Our flesh and blood!" Walburga wailed. "The filth! The infection!"

"What do you say to your Mother, boy?" Orion yelled, finally regaining his threatening demeanour.

"What do I have to say?" Sirius stood, his breath raged. His voice rose to a shout. "The Bitch is keeping herself alive by spite! I have nothing to say to her, nothing at all! And you -" He turned suddenly to his Father. "Do us all a favour and rot in hell."

"Don't talk to your parents like that!" Bellatrix hissed.

"You can't talk! I know you're a Death Eater, Bella. We know they only keep you around because your Voldemort's personal whore!"

"Where do you think you're going?" Walburga screeched as Sirius ran from the room.

"Where do you think you're going? Come back in here!" Walburga screeched, her face blotched with anger, as Sirius hauled himself from the room.

"I'm getting out of here!"

There was a sort of strangled silence in the Lounging Room as Sirius disappeared. He emerged moments later, dragging his trunk down the staircase.

"You are no son of mine." Orion regarded Sirius with venom.

"That's a relief," Sirius said bitterly.

Everyone was silent and the rush of adrenaline bubbled inside Sirius.

"Regulus," He saluted, which his brother returned, before disappearing out the front door of Number 12, Grimmauld Place.

So, not sure what exactly happened with this chapter a few hours ago. Apparently, some paragraphs are doubling; ignore it! I honestly don't know what the hell is going on. My apologies!

Anywho, thanks Lauren, who I know will leave a review, and say, 'Honestly, Aleynah! You speak to highly of me!'. But, Lauren, you made this chapter uhmazing.

Thanks for reading! There's FAR MORE to come. - Aleynah