Children of the Revolution:
La de da
La de da de da da da
Well you can bump and grind
If it's good for your mind
Well you can twist and shout
Let it all hang out
But you won't fool the
Children of the revolution
No you won't fool the
Children of the revolution
No no
Well you can tear a plane
In the falling rain
I drive a Rolls Royce
'Cause it's good for my voice
But you won't fool the
Children of the revolution
No you won't fool the
Children of the revolution
No no
The summer sunshine permeated the topsy turvy jumble of Diagon Alley, the heat wave had been long lasting and the midway point of the summer holidays had just passed. Sirius Black lit a cigarette, counted three up and two across, then tapped the brick three times with his wand. He swaggered through the revealed opening, it was early evening and families were leaving for home, younger members of the wizarding community were arriving for a night out and the shopping area was taking on a livelier, edgy vibe. The sun began to dip behind the shops and real fairy lights began to illuminate the tables and chairs set out on the pavement. The laughter and chatter of couples and gangs of friends rang around the street.
Sirius lazily walked down the thoroughfare aware that he caught the eye of both women and men alike, that could be due to his unmitigated good looks or the fact that he was dressed in muggle attire. Muggle fashion was so much better than what passed for clothing in the wizarding world, no wonder people were staring, he gave the on lookers a wink and his trademark lopsided grin then ducked around the corner into Knockturn Alley. He side stepped behind a shut up shop and took a swig of polyjuice person. He became a short, balding middle-aged ginger man, he took out clothes that had been left in a box there for him and dressed in tatty greying wizard robes. He carefully placed his own clothing in the box and carried on down the darker more higgledy-piggledy street containing the less savoury establishments of the wizarding community. He headed further in until he reached the White Wyvern. From the outside the windows were dulled with dirt allowing a dim glow of the light from within to seep out. He walked through the low door way he would have usually have had to duck through to enter and into on ancient pub whose sticky floor had probably never be mopped. It smelled of stale beer, tobacco and gunpowder, it was one of Black's favourite places. He spotted James disguised as a hag in the corner, and Pettigrew scurrying under a table unhampered by the patrons or workers of the establishment.
A flash of gold caught his eye as Marley bent down to retrieve a dirty glass from behind the bar. He winked at her as she righted herself. "Ooo ain't you a sight for sore eyes." He cooed in a gravelly voice. Marley gave him a look that suggested she might throw the glass at him if he came any closer. She had gotten a job there for the summer so that she could keep an ear out for hints and tip offs with regards to the wizarding under world. She was pretty much invisible to the customers being as she was regarded as mudblood. It was pretty much perfect even if she had to put up with some vicious verbal abuse from time to time. The other thing she did was pick up hair and nails etc for their polyjuice potions. Bilious Prewett was one of their most regular incarnations as he was a notorious drunk and if asked about any suspicious behaviour wouldn't have any recollection due to the amount of alcohol he imbibed on a daily basis.
"Put her down, Bil. She's muggleborn, you don't know where she's been." Said the one-eyed bar tender.
"What you doin' with the likes of 'er in the bar? Folk ain't gonna like it." Sirius leant against the bar as the eye-patched barman shouted at Marley to get Bil's usual. A double was placed in front of him with a bang, nearly sloshing the drink over the bar.
"Well, being muggleborn I pay her less than I would a pureblood." Said the old barman in a conspiratal tone.
"Makes business sense..." Murmured Black in response. He downed his drink and was topped up immediately. Black and the barman continued to converse as the pub filled up with its murkier clientele.
Sirius began circulating the bar talking to riff raff and having a laugh, he made sure he regularly swigged the polyjuice potion, telling those that questioned him that it was for his liver. He was beginning to doubt the arrival of his contact when Mundungus almost fell through the door at speed.
"Looks like you could use a drink, 'Dung." Called Black over the hubbub of collective inebriation.
"You fuckin' think?" Said the prematurely balding crook. Sirius bought him a Steaming Stout and handed it to him. They found a dark corner, which wasn't hard as the whole pub appeared to be made of dark corners. "Fuckin' aurors on me tail for selling muggle artefacts that could cause harm to the user. Lost 'em in Chiswick. " Grumbled Fletcher.
"What you got for me?" Muttered Sirius
"Heard that the Dark Lord is interviewing for new recruits to his personal army..."
"What's it gonna cost me 'Dung?"
"Five galleons."
"Fucking Hell! That's twenty-five quid* in muggle money. Three!"
"Four."
"Done." Fletcher held his hand out and Sirius paid up. Fletcher tilted his head forwards and opened his many pocketed jacket so it looked like he was showing Bilious his wares. "There's a warehouse in Elephant and Castle where 'is stooges are meeting the new-uns. Dunno if they're staying there or whether they'll Port Key to a different destination." He handed Sirius a piece of parchment with the exact address on it. "It's in two days' time at eleven at night. Invite only."
Sirius nodded to show he understood and made a show of stumbling out of the pub in a manner he had seen Bilious do on many occasions before. He fell into the gutter, rolled around and staggered up the street towards his clothing behind the shut-up shop. The polyjuice potion began to wear off, he grew taller, slimmer, his black wavy hair sprouted from his head and fell from his shoulder. He removed the thread bare robes and tugged his black slim fitting jeans on, his boots and his Clash t-shirt. He returned to the White Wyvern and sat at the bar. He would often wait there for Marley to finish her shift, in case she got any trouble when leaving. Now was not the time for a muggleborn witch or wizard to be alone late at night. He looked around and saw that James in his hag disguise had left, though Pete was feigning sleep under a bar stool, he would leave when they did meeting them at the apparition point. Peter took the weekend shifts at the Wyvern, so that there was never a point in time that they didn't have an ear in the pub.
Marley's shift at the Wyvern finished at midnight, it was relatively quiet and she hadn't received any bother from customers. She usually didn't when Sirius decided to prop up the bar. Sid the one-eyed publican let her out to meet Sirius who was casually leaning by the door.
"You alright? No trouble tonight?" He asked playing with her hair as they walked towards Diagon Alley.
"Never is with you scowling at the customers every time they approach the bar." She laughed and slapped his arm, he chuckled and wrapped his arm round her shoulder pulling her close. They turned the corner into Diagon Alley proper and the up a small side street to meet up with Peter.
Peter was slouched, leaning against a wall smoking a cigarette. "Finally," He sighed "Do you have any idea how many people have stumbled down here hoping for a peaceful piss only to come face to face with me?"
"Nope." Shrugged Marley with a smile.
"Three. I feel like a right perv." He moaned.
"Did you manage to pull any of them?" Asked Sirius with a smirk.
"What do you think, you tosser?" Retorted Peter with a scowl.
"Let's get out of here." Said Marley wand in hand, she began to turn and disappeared with a soft crack. The boys followed suit.
They apparated in front of the Potter's Manor. Sirius took Marley's hand and lead her to the front door which he tapped with his wand. The door opened and he lead her and Peter through the darkened hallway. They were met by Tinsey one of the Potter's house-elves.
"Peter Pettigrew, Master James, has told Tinsey to set up a room for you, Tinsey is to lead you there and make sure you is comfortable, sir." Said the tiny creature with a deep curtsy.
"Oh um, thanks, Tinsey." Said Peter self-consciously. He walked towards the elf and followed her through the dimly lit house. Marley and Sirius headed for his room. They found the windows open and an evening breeze cooling the room. Tinsey must have thoughtfully opened them. Sirius stripped to his boxers and lay on the cool sheets with a sigh of contentment. Marley divested herself of her jeans, then did that girl thing of removing her bra through one sleeve of her top, before collapsing next to Sirius on his bed.
"I never cease to find that impressive." Commented Sirius.
"Well, when it's hot there's nothing like taking your bra off at the end of the day." Laughed Marley in the dark. Sirius turned towards her and placed a hand on her skinny hip.
"We still going to Alice and Frank's engagement party this weekend?" He asked.
"I don't see why not. Lily said she's still going even though her Dad is really poorly."
"Poor Lily, she must be finding it hard, especially as her sister can't stand to be in the same room as her."
"Their relationship has been getting worse over the past few years. Lily reckons as soon has her dad dies Petunia will bugger off to London with that twatty boyfriend of hers. Honestly, that bloke is just a muggle version of those Death Eater wankers." She placed her hand on his. She knew family arguments always made Sirius feel anxious. She had taken him to meet her muggle parents at the beginning of the summer, they had gotten on like a house on fire. Especially her dad and him, her dad had taken him outside for a toke and she had heard them giggling together. Her mum had thanked him for looking out for her after the incident with Mulciber at the beginning of the school year. Sirius had come over often after that, her parents making him feel welcome and engaging him in conversation about music and muggle films, involving him in family games night alongside Toby and any mates he brought into the house.
"Hate is taught, it's not innate. Hanging out with that walrus of man filled with it is breeding it in Petunia." Observed Sirius.
"Well, it's certainly not helping." Huffed Marley. "Lily's dad dying might bring them together if it weren't for that disgusting excuse for a human being. Speaking of which, did you get what you wanted from 'Dung?"
"I did. Just need to talk to the gang and find out what they want to do with the info we got."
"Will it be like last time? Tipping the Aurors off anonymously or are we going further?"
"I dunno. I'd rather go further, but I want us to have a name first, something to inspire those needing an impetus to fight back. I had thought of something the other day at your house, but I wanted to run it by you before suggesting it to the others..."
"Go on..." Encouraged Marley twirling a curl around her finger.
"The Children of the Revolution? It'll piss the muggle haters off with the music reference and we could also use one of the lyrics to tag places with graffiti to garner support: 'you won't fool the
Children of the revolution'."
"Sounds good by me. You probably won't have a problem with James and Lily, they're massive T-Rex fans anyway, you've just got to get it past Remus and Pete."
"Cool, I'll suggest it when we meet in the morning". Sirius sounded sleepy, Marley leaned forward and kissed his nose touching their foreheads together. They fell asleep facing each other, the cooling light breeze whispering over their slumbering forms.
-o0o-
The Marauder's, Lily, Hestia and Marley were looking down at a map showing an industrial estate in Elephant and Castle. They were in the Potter's extensive library discussing what Sirius had learnt the night before. They had so far taken part in minor civil disorder offences, mostly graffiti, in some prominent places in wizarding communities. Things along the lines of 'Voldemort is a wanker', along with Sirius' patronus joke had caused miniature stirs within the communities they had appeared in. From little information they had garnered from the pub they had attempted to tip off the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. The plan they had implemented from the Wyvern was the culmination of a few weeks work, gaining the trust of the wizarding criminal underworld, whilst not letting on who they were had taken longer than expected. This was now the fruits of their labour.
"This is where 'Dung said they were meeting," pointed Sirius. "At eleven at night."
"What are we going to do about the invite only?" Asked Lily.
"Are we informing the Aurors?" Asked Peter.
"First things first, I have a suggestion for a name for our group: 'The Children of the Revolution'…" Sirius suggested. Lily bounced up and down from her squashy arm chair, looking at James.
"I like it" grinned Hestia. Remus frowned considering the suggestion.
"Doesn't it make us sound young?" Queried Peter.
"We are young, Peter. Most of the wizarding community is old and set in their ways, they're reluctant to upset the applecart. We want to reach the youngsters, the ones most likely to want to take part in disturbing the status quo." Said James.
"Ok. I'm sold." Shrugged Peter.
"Me too," Said Remus. "What will we do with this information? We don't know if the Auror's acted on the last lot of information we left for them. What if what we sent them got intercepted? What if the Department of Magical Law Enforcement is corrupted?" He thought out loud.
"I say we do something about it ourselves and then inform the Prophet. The Auror's will have to do something about it after that." Offered Marley.
"Interesting thought." Said Hestia. " I like your thinking. In the mean time we could tag buildings with our name or slogan. Get people talking."
"Muggle style?" Asked Lily. "Spray paint?"
"With bells on." Grinned James. "Spray what we want to say then enchant it to change colour or flash."
"I volunteer for that" called out Hestia with gusto.
"I'll go with you. I'm thinking of the back of the Leaky Cauldron and then maybe the side street everyone is funnelled past to get to Gringotts. Do you know where to get spray paint from, Hestia?" Remus enthused.
"Sure, there's a shop in my town. We'll go there then and then head to Diagon Alley late at night?"
"Sounds like a plan."
"For the main event, I propose that we got to Elephant and Castle today and see this warehouse. Once there, I suggest apparating onto the roof to see if there's sky lights that look into the room below. If so, we can do something to the floor... Like making it become mud or a swamp so that they sink into it, before disarming them and hardening the mud so that they can't escape." James said with zeal.
"I like it. Simple but could easily be effective if they're completely unsuspecting." Grinned Lily. "To minimise the potential casualties to our team, there should only be three or four of us on the roof. Others should be prepared to inform the Prophet and take Polaroids for evidence. We could use Marley's camera?"
"I haven't got a problem with that. Who's going to be the team on the roof? They'll need to be good at duelling. Both Hestia and Lily are fast, but I have a tendency to chuck my wand and use my fists in a fight" Marley laughed.
"I'd suggest Hestia, Sirius, Myself and Lily." Said James. "We're all good at duelling, but Sirius, you need to keep a level head. If we need to get out, that's what we do." He stared at Sirius to make sure he got the point. Sirius put both hands up to placate him.
"Don't worry. I don't have a death wish, this isn't some school kid spark exchange. I won't get carried away if they start." Promised Black, James nodded his approval.
"Marley, you're on shift at the pub that night, if you hear about anything unusual get word to us. You're also ideally placed to inform the Diagon Alley arm of the Prophet of what's happened, if all goes to plan. Take some polyjuice potion with you." James looked to Marley who nodded once to show she understood. "I want you with her, Pete, in case trouble starts with some of the more fanatical regulars."
"Sure thing, James."
"The four of us who are going to the warehouse will take a gander after lunch. Any questions so far?" Asked James. The others shook their heads.
-o0o-
Thursday night rolled around quickly. The low-level insurrection of the Hestia and Remus' graffiti had caught the inner pages of the Daily Prophet who were scandalised that someone would dare desecrate the walls of Gringotts with something as lowly as muggle spray paint, they had used coloured photos to show the full gaudy display of the flashing words of T-Rex. Marely reported that it had stirred the imagination of the regulars of the Wyvern as to what it meant and who could have done it, though they had mostly been indignant rather than impassioned. The Children of the Revolution were sure that if their plan went well tonight they would put a minor dent in Voldemort's scheme's and also give much needed hope to those who were feeling marginalised. Luck had been with them when they had scouted the warehouse, there were indeed sky lights on the roof looking into the warehouse below. They had practised the nonverbal use of the swamp producing charm in the days prior and could make a swamp half the size of a football pitch. They had also practiced disapparating whilst having hexes fired at them, just in case.
On the roof James, Lily, Hestia and Sirius were disillusioned and under the invisibility cloak. It was a dark but clear night as it was a new moon and only the stars were visible in the night sky. Not that it mattered in central London where there was enough light pollution to blot out the stars. They had arrived early enough in the day that the area was busy with the end of the day commute, their arrival didn't look odd as they blended in with the comings and goings of others. This meant they were thoroughly bored when they heard the first soft cracking sound heralding an pparating wizard or witch. They drew a collective intake of breath and stiffened in anticipation before standing as one. Soon the small industrial estate was home to a number of cracking sounds below them, to muggles they would sound like far off fireworks going off.
They heard the door below unlock with a soft click and footsteps gathering then entering the building. Looking through the open sky light Sirius saw that all concerned were wearing black cloaks with their hoods pulled up to cover their faces. All accept two who looked to be a couple of years older than themselves, one was tall and slim with a hooked nose, standing near door checking something that the others held out on their way in. The other shorter and broader with dull blonde hair stood in the middle of the ware house as the cloaked company moved towards him. Once the last person was checked and through the door, the tall man shut it and locked it with a wordless click.
James gave a quiet cough, just loud enough for his friends to hear. The signal to start the plan.
The commotion below was almost immediate as the cloaked figures lost their footing and sank knee deep, then waist deep into the swamp, sparks and curses flew as suspicions mounted at who was responsible and they attempted to turn on each other. Above the struggling figures, now up to their elbows, the teens shouted "Expeliarmus Maxima" as one, disarming the flailing people below them. They then set the swamp around their targets, leaving them stuck up to elbows and shoulders in rock hard, stinking mud.
"Accio wands" called Sirius. Cries and threats followed the wands as they reached the teens out stretched hands. Lily leaned further in using Marley's Polaroid camera to take photos of the now unhooded people below them. They ranged in age from older teens to mid-fifties and appeared to be from all walks of the wizarding world. The photos would be sent to Marley to take to the Prophet.
"You wait until the Dark Lord notices our absence!" Screeched the stocky fair wizard.
"He has a point." Murmured Lily standing from her photo taking, "They'll be rescued before we can get the evidence to the Prophet"
"Do any of you have any polyjuice potion on you?" Asked Sirius, quietly. There was a collective response of 'no' from the others. "I'll apparate to Diagon Alley and use the stash behind that shop. I'll take it directly to the Prophet then come back ASAP."
"We'll keep a watch on the wankers below." Said Hestia shaking a can of spray paint in readiness of spraying their slogan on the front of the warehouse.
"Go." Said James urgently. Sirius disapparated that instant into the alley behind the shop. He swigged the polyjuice potion this time turning into a plump young witch with wispy light blonde hair. He pulled on robes and ran to the offices of the Daily Prophet Polaroids held high.
He barged through the unlocked door, waking the dozing young male receptionist and up into the Prophet proper. The staff getting ready to put the paper to bed ready for printing looked up.
"Boy, have I got a scoop for you!" He squeaked breathlessly, waving the photos. The editor, a stern slender woman with straight short ginger hair cut sharply at her chin strode through open the door to her office.
"What is the meaning of this?" She said taking in the plump panting witch before her.
"I want to be journalist and I found out that, that group, um you know? The Children of the Revolution? Planned to take on some Death Eaters. I used a muggle camera to take photos. They're there now apprehending them as we speak!" Said Sirius in a high-pitched breathy voice. The editor stormed over and snatched the photos from Sirius' out stretched hand. She looked at them then at Sirius.
"Where's this?" She asked appraising the young witch.
"Elephant and Castle. I can take you now. Side-a-long apparition."
"Parmar, Lowe. Go with her." An Indian woman with long black hair, stood and walked over to Sirius and older man with greying stubble joined her. They linked arms with Sirius and turned with him as he apparated outside of the disused warehouse., baring the saying "You won't fool the Children of the Revolution." In large flashing graffiti. He used his wand to open the door revealing the helpless would-be death eaters.
"Shit! She wasn't lying." Exclaimed Parmar. "Get Barbout, he's the best photographer we've got." Lowe disapparated with a soft crack. "Right, missy, how the fuck to do you know this gang?" Parmar shot a look at Sirius.
"I can't give you my sources" Sirius crossed his arms. "You wouldn't either." He scowled at the woman through his disguise's blonde eyebrows. There were two soft cracks and Lowe reappeared with a mixed-race man, with large afro and an expensive looking camera round his neck. He walked forward barging past Sirius and begun taking photos of the angry, stuck fast Death Eaters. Lowe and Parmar began writing notes observing the scene in front of them Sirius chanced a look up to the roof. He saw Hestia looking down on him and she nodded once. Then turned and disappeared, Sirius took the opportunity to leave the journalists to their work.
Crack. He apparated into the alley in time for his legs to begin to lengthen from under the rich plumb coloured robe he was wearing. He quickly dressed in his usual clothes and went to meet Marley in the Wyvern. He ducked through the pubs low door and walked to the bar, winking away Marley's look of surprise as she collected glasses.
"A berry beer please, Sid." He asked as he got to the bar. The one-eyed publican dropped a bottle of pink ale in front of him and carried on wiping the bar with a dirty cloth, before ringing the bell for last orders. Sirius and the other regulars drank up. He dropped a kiss on top of Marley's curls and waited for her in the sticky night air. He looked up and noticed that it had clouded over, the night had begun to feel oppressive, like a storm would be coming soon. He smoked a cigarette as he waited for Marley to leave the pub, he noticed Peter scurrying up the street to the meeting point.
The White Wyvern's door opened and Marley came out. She quietly linked arms with Sirius and they began walking through Knockturn Alley, on reaching Diagon Alley they noticed Peter standing on his hind legs watching the busy comings and goings on of the Daily Prophet. There was a sharp crack and a woman in Auror robes appeared and bustled through the doors. Marley and Sirius kept on moving in silence. At least the Aurors are taking it seriously Sirius thought as they reached the apparation point. He turned to Marley and cupped her face, leaning in to kiss her passionately. She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Fuck sake you two, pack it." Grumbled Peter barging into them. "What the fuck happened?" Sirius and Marley broke apart.
"Well, it went to plan but..." Sirius explained what happened to the other two. Once he had finished telling the other two they went back to Potter Manor in their usual fashion.
Marley and Sirius were awoken the next morning by the sound of Sirius' bedroom door slamming open, as Remus and Hestia burst into the room.
"Fucking knock next time! We could have been doing anything." Grouched Sirius, not a morning person. Remus brandished the Prophet in front of their faces: FREEDOM FIGHTERS TAKE DOWN DEATH EATERS read the headline. Sirius took the paper from Lupin, the photo showed the stricken Death Eaters. He opened the paper to the page it continued on where there was a full spread of photos surrounding their flashing slogan told the story of how the sorry bunch had been found.
"Now that's more like it." Marley grinned.
*This is the equivalent of £108 in modern pound sterling
A/N: If you are enjoying this story please let me know by leaving a review. Thank you for continuing to read my story. it means a lot. ;-)