How we Became the Marauders

by Mistystream Sootfur's Loyalty

As James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter enter their second year, several changes emerge. From Quidditch teams, to werewolf transformations, they realize that their lives are no longer easy. Rated for later Chapters.

10. Detained in the Dark

Part Two: Are We the Waiting?

Forget me nots and second thoughts live in isolation
Heads or tails and fairytales in my mind
Are we we are, are we we are the waiting unknown
The rage and love, the story of my life
The Jesus of suburbia is a lie

-Are We the Waiting

Green Day

Chapter Ten: Detained in the Dark

Disclaimer: I dont own Harry Potter.

It seemed that the days since that had discovered Remus' secret were going by extra fast, now that James did not have to worry that his friend was in trouble. Before he knew it, they were back in McGonagall's room, and she was handing out exam results.

"These results will include your Transfiguration exam scores, as well as your homework and effot scores. Also, on the upper left hand corner, you will find you class ranking, to show where you stand in this class." Professor McGonagall declared, passing out leafs of parchment to everyone. Peter groaned at once when he recieved his and sank down into his chair.

"Very good, Mr. Potter." McGonagall said as she passed James his results, giving him a rare smile and moving on to the next students.

"I'm ranked second, is that good?" Sirius was saying next to him "Neat, I got 97 percent of my exams! How about you James?"

James was staring, open mouthed at his results, hardly daring to believe it. He had scored full marks! And right under neath his name, there was a little black figure spelling out Overall Rank: 1. How had he suddently become first in the class?

"First?" Sirius read out loud. "Since when did you get smart?"

"I dunno." James admitted, now checking the name to make sure it read 'James Potter.' It did. There was no mistake.

"A copy of these results were mailed to your families last night." McGonagall continued. "For those of you who did poorly, I trust that you will hear about it during breakfeast tomorrow." she cleared her throat. "Also, all those who scored over 85 percent on their exams will recieve a five point bonus to their House."

James and Sirius exchanged excited glances.

"So, that will be.." McGonagall glanced at the clipboard on her desk. "25 points to Gryffindor, for Mr. Lupin, Miss Cossglove, Miss. Evans, Mr. Black, and Mr. Potter."

"Potter?" Lily said loudly, echoing McGonagall and staring at her, as though waiting for her to shout 'April Fool!'

McGonagall gave Lily a reproving stare from behind her spectacles. "Yes Miss. Evans." she said cooly, before returning to her results. "As I was saying, an additional 10 points to Hufflepuff, for Mr. Foutly and Miss Moiers."

"Professor." Sirius said loudly.

"Yes Mr. Black." McGonagall said, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"Well, seeing as our ranks are scored along with all the other second year students, isn't it only fair that we hear the points given to Ravenclaw and Slytherin?" he said, flashing a smile and leaning back leisurely in his chair.

McGonagall gave him a curious look, as though seeing if his intentions were sacred enough for her classroom, but at last she gave in.

"Very well Mr. Black." she cleared her throat again. "30 points were given to Ravenclaw, for Mr. Stulms, Mr. Yaw, Mr. Ule, and Miss. Toghl." she gave the clipboard one last look, crinkled her eyebrow in what looked like disapointment, and turned to the blackboard. "Now, we are going to begin-"

"What about Slytherin?" James said, a grin forming on his face, nearly indenticle to the one on Sirius' in the next seat over.

"Mr. Potter, may I remind you to raise your hand before you speak in my classroom." McGonagall said sternly. James inclined his head, but his grin only widened. "Points were only given to students who scored over 85 percent. Those from Slytherin..." she trailed off, her nostrils flaring.

"What? What's with the Slytherin's?" Peter asked.

"It means they all failed, Pete." Sirius whispered behind him. Peter gave a look of sudden comrpehension, which was rare for him, and returned to staring glumly at his results. Sirius noticed. "Now come on! You couldn't possibley have done that- " he hung back, after having looked at Peter's results. "Bad." he finished, handing the results to James without another word.

As it turned out, Peter had done that bad.

He had scored 47 percent. James felt himself growing dumber just staring at the paper. Granted, Peter was not worst in the class, but it was surely a close call.

"How are we going to become Animagi with him?" Sirius whispered in an undertone. James shook his head, wondering the same exact thing. Horrible images of Peter turning permanantly into a spider and then getting stepped on by Sirius flashed through his eyes. I wonder if Peter's mum likes him... he thought idly.

"Those of you who failed their exams are required to take on a tutor. If you can not find one for yourself, I will assign you one." McGonagall said.

"Oi Petey!" Sirius hissed back at his friend. "Me and Jamesie will tutor you if you like."

Peter agreed, and at the end of Transfiguration, they told Professor McGonagall, who agreed as well.

""

The days swept past extra fast, and soon December was upon the castle. Their was a hint of Christmas in the air, and it was in the greates ambition of James and Sirius to plan new pranks and look forward to the holidays.

But they couldn't.

It was the full moon again, and, now that Remus' secret was out in the open, James wanted to find somehow to alieviate his friend on the full moon.

"Here." James said before dinner, when Remus was preparing to head to Madam Pomphrey.

"Whats this?" Remus asked in confusion, setting down the quill he was using on a potions essay and gazing at the parchment leafs James handed him. "Is this... this is all tonights homework!"

"Good spotting!" Sirius said from behind. Remus rolled his eyes.

"You have enough on your plate tonight." James said, pushing the quill and parchment away from Remus. "Its the least we could do."

"But don't count on that Potions essay getting an 'Outstanding.'" Sirius piped in. James glared at him, but it was probably true, seeing as James and Sirius were revulting in Potions.

"Thanks guys, really." Remus said, giving them a weary smile. His eyes clouded, and he nodded to them each in turn before exiting the Common Room. James watched him go.

"Come on." James said, darting up the stairs. He reached their dorm and reached under the bed for his broom stick, then heaved the lock of the window and forced it open once more.

"James are you mad?" hissed Sirius. "We nearly got chased by Remus-the-wolf last time!" Sirius had gone to saying 'Remus-thewolf, and Remus-the-human. James preferred to call 'wolf Remus' the 'furry little problem.' Stulms heard James talking about it so much that he asked Remus if he needed help training a rabbit. Remus was immensely amused by this.

"Fine, then I'll go alone." James snapped. He whirled his head around and flew out into the blessed night without a backwards glance, though the sound of identicle movements behind him told him that Sirius had manned up an followed him into the darkness.

It was much brighter then the night last month when James and Sirius had encountered Remus-the-wolf for the first time. the full moon shone huge and orange in the cloudless sky, its identicle copy reflected in the icy lake below. The stars gleamed like sapphires, and the entire snow-covered grounds shone with a brilliant blue-white glow, making the white stripes on Sirius' trainers gleam like sparks.

James didn't really know where he was going; all he knew was that, for the first time, he was fully aware of what Remus was going through, and , especially, that he was going through it alone. James wanted to do something, even if it was only lingering a few feet above the Shrieking Shack on his broomstick, Sirius at his side.

He would have liked to done that.

And if Minerva McGonagall hadn't have been glancing out of her window before retiring for the night, he may have succeeded.

"""

"Never heard of anything so outrageous in years... could've fallen to your deaths... absoluteley outrageous..."

Those were the most audible of the things McGonagall said as she marched the two boys back up to the castle, a robe tied hap-hassardley over her nightgown. James and Sirius exchanged fearful glances, their broomsticks resting over their shoulders.

"Well." McGonagall said, as they reached her office, pointing her wand at the lamps, which ignited at once. She rounded and stared furiously at James and Sirius. "Explain why I was to find two twelve year old boys flying out on broomsticks well past curfew!"

Sirius blinked at James.

"It was my idea Professor." James said at once. "I was... disapointed that Quidditch caught cancelled today from the snow, and I dragged Sirius out with me."

"He hardly dragged." Sirius piped in. James stared at him in confusion but Sirius ignored him. "He asked me to go with him and I did. Infact," he grinned at James. "James wanted to turn back but I told him to stop being a pansy and keep going."

"Watch your language, Mr. Black." McGonagall said cooly. "Well, if that is all the explanation I am going to get out of you, it is time we talk about your punishement." When neither boy controdicted her, she continued. "Mr. Potter, you are going to assist me while I grade papers tomorrow night. Mr. Black, I daresay Mr. Filch will need some help polishing the trophy room."

Sirius let out a grim smile. "Can't we both do the trophy room?" he said. Many students would have asked if they could both help McGonagall; Filch was no walk in the park with them. But James and Sirius saw it differently. Filch hadted them just as much as he hated the mud on their shoes (which was saying something.). But the pair loved to see the tortured look on Flich's face when he was in the company of the pair.

"Mr. Black, what would you say if I let my students choose their own detentions?" McGonagall asked wearily, adjusting her eye glasses as she spoke and fixing him yet another hard stare.

Sirius looked uncomfortable and made a big deal of picking at the collar strings of his sweat shirt.

"I'd- err, I'd say that you were executing a fine center of indepence and education." he said studderingly.

"I'm afraid you can't talk yourself out of this one." McGonagall continued. "I would write to your families, but your outstanding Transfiguration scores seemed to have redeemed you from that."

"Thank you Professor!" James said at once, wondering what his parents would say if they knew what he had done. Sirius looked indifferent, and almost disappointed. If there was one thing that was sure aboust him, it was that he loved pissing his parents off.

"Twenty points will be taken from Gryffindor House." she finished. James and Sirius both gasped in earnest. "No excuses-! You should have thought of losing points when you were sneaking out. I daresay you will win us back the points at the next Quidditch match, Mr. Potter."

"Yes Professor." James said glumly.

"Good. Now get to be before the entire castle wakes up."

""

"Twenty Points!" Sirius hissed angirly as he and James climbed the stairs to Gryffindor tower. "Alls we were doing was trying to find a way to help Remus, yet I still don't get how broomsticks were going to help him."

James let Sirius' second comment slide. "Next time we'll just have to be more - inconspicuous."

"Inconspicuous?" Sirius said in mock admiration. "We'll only pull that off if we were invisible."

At once the two stopped dead, and Sirius grinned hugely at James.

"No- I know what you're thinking!" James, said, grinning in spite of himself. "Oh come on, you remember what happened last time we asked Jasper to borrow it! I'm surprised he didnt chuck my broom out into the lake!"

"But it'll be different this time!" Sirius urged. "I promise I won't let the Slytherin's steal it- and if they do, we can always steal it back again!"

"Steal it back?" James mocked. "The only reason we got it back the first time was become Jasper's friend's cousin was dating that Slytherin bloke-"

"I know, don't remind me." Sirius said with a wince. "I still don't get what she saw in him, he looked a troll!"

"So do you!" James teased.

Sirius grinned deviously at him. "Lets settle this the mature way." he said deeply, drawing himself up to full height. James loosened his tie and nodded. Then Sirius bolted. "Last one to Gryffindor tower's a rotten egg!" he roared as he ran.

"Sirius- no!" James yelled exasperately, tearing up the stairs after his friend. How many detentions could they get in one night? Despite the fact the fact that it was childish, James still wanted to beat Sirius. He tore throw the tapestry and fired a well aimed jink at the floor infront of him, which quickly turned to ice. There was a loud thump and a groan that showed that Sirius had slipped.

"Ice in the corridors!" James said in shock as he passes Sirius, who was moaning on the floor. "I hate it when that happens!" Then he sprinted like a maniac out of the reach of Sirius' wand and flew down the hallway.

He stopped at once when he heard footsteps in the hallway infront of him. Was it Filch, coming to get them in even more trouble? Was it McGonagall, hearing their race and coming to reprimand them again? Or was it something else?

It turned out to be the latter.

It was a group of people, all moving stealithly down the hallway, covered in dark cloaks. The only reason James saw them was because he happened to be standing in the middle of the hallway they were walking towards, and he saw the swish of their cloaks and heard their whispered breaths.

Terror washed over him at once, soon to be added with curiousity. Who were these people? Students, ovbiously, otherwise they wouldn't be sneaking. But then why were they meeting the middle of the night, and where were they going.

James quietly back behind a suit of armor and hoped that the students who pass him without noticing his presence. He breath held in his throat and his heart skipped a beat as they passed him. The sound of hurried footsteps back from the way James had come startled him. He remembered all too late that Sirius was coming, unsuspected, right towards the mysterious group.

A tall member of the group pulled out his wand and lit it. The ligh illuminated his sleek blonde and cold eyes. It was Lucius Malfoy, probably with his gang of Slytherins.

"Well if it isn't our favorite Gryffindor- Sirius Black!" Malfoy declared. James slowly pulled out his wand, ready to jump to Sirius' defense when the situation present itself.

But James was shocked out how Sirius greeted them.

"Hey- Lucius." Sirius said nervously, his pale face swimming into the wandlight. His right hand was casually in his pocket, yet James knew it was also clasping his wand. "Haven't seen you guys in a while."

"Oh, I can't wait till Christmas." Malfoy said. "My father is throwing another big party- probably plenty of booze and rules to break."he face showed the delightment these things brought him.

"Oh can't wait." Sirius mumbled.

James knew that Sirius' family was friendly with families like the Malfoys, yet he still couldn't see how Sirius could have a pleasant conversation with people like Lucius Malfoy.

"We're just about to go have a little fun in the trophy room- Filch deserves a mess to clean up. You should come." Malfoy went on.

"Sorry. Already got detention for being out. McGonagall's probably waiting for us up by the dorm." Sirius rambled.

"Us? Someone else with you?"

James pushed himself off the wall and slung his broom back on his shoulder.

"There you are Sirius." he said, acting as though he had just come down the hall. "Malfoy." he said in awknowlegment.

"Potter." Malfoy said, and his face turned twisted into a sneer. "You were out after hours with him?"

"Leave him alone." Sirius said tiredly.

Malfoy took a step closer to Sirius. "Gryffindor hasn't turned you into a softy, has it Black?"

"The two of them are softies." said a farmiliar voice. One of the cloaked students took of their hood and revealed themselves to be none other than Snape.

"Why don't you say that to my face!" Sirius snapped, as the other students laughed.

"Alright Black, prove you're not a softy." Malfoy said as he chuckled. "Let's see you take a swing at Potter here."

James was begining to wish he hadn't tripped Sirius in the hallway. He gripped his wand tighter and tried not to look scared.

"He's my friend." Sirius repeated, stepping away from Malfoy and closer to James. He adjusted the grip on his broom. "We'd better be off anyway-" he turned to leave, but Malfoy turned him back around.

"Either you take a swing at him," Malfoy said menacingly. "Or we will all take a swing at the both of you."

James stepped up to meet Malfoy eye for eye. "I'm not afraid of you." he said hatingly, feeling a whole lot braver than eny twelve year old would have when he was faced agaisnt several fifteen year olds.

"Ah- Mr. Malfoy."

Professor McGonagall was moving swiftly down the hall, he stride confident and her eyes blazing. "I see you were just sheperding some stray students back to bed. How thoughtful of you."

"Any time, Professor." Malfoy said, looked at once calm and 'Prefect' again.

"I didn't know it was your night to patrol the halls." McGonagall said suspiciously.

"Ohh, well I try to help out whenever I can." Malfoy said calmly.

"Its looks like you've caught quite a few Slytherins." McGongall said, taking in the Snape and the four other cloaked students. "That'll be sixty points from Slytherin. And detention for all of you."

The Slytherins all exchanged cold looks at James and Sirius.

"Now escort these students back to your Common Room." McGonagall said sternly.

"I could take these young Gryffindor's as well?" Malfoy suggested, and James knew that it would not end well for he or Sirius if Malfoy got his way.

"Don't be ridiuculous, Mr. Malfoy." McGonagall said, and James at once relaxed. "Gryffindor Tower is much to far out of the way. I will take care of them. Come Potter, Black." With a nod to Malfoy she set off down the hall. James and Sirius exchanged last, defiant looks with the Slytherins before following McGonagall down the end of the hall.

James surveyed McGonagall. He could tell that she had guessed what was really going on. Her lips were white and she muttered incoherently to herself. He knew at once that the situation with Malfoy was not over. He also knew that if McGongall had not shown up at that exact moment, it was likely that they would have gotten beat up by Malfoy and his gang. He had a nasty suspicioun that McGonagall had been watching the entire scene.

They reached the portrait of the Fat Lady at last and McGonagall swept around a gave Sirius an odd, serious look.

"Mr. Black." she said, in a softer voice than she had used all night, "I am glad that you are in Gryffindor." she said. She looked at him for one sweeping moment, gave him a curt nod, and then set off down the hall.

James dared to sneak a look at Sirius, who seemed to be staring straight ahead at something James couldn't see. James gave him half a smile before announcing the password and climbing back into the safety of the Common Room.