Witches and Wizards, Goblins and Elves, I am proud to present another chapter of Completely Loopy! I'm stillnot JK Rowling, as you can probably guess. Hope you enjoy the chapter, please R&R etc. etc.
"Terrible business, just terrible, more attacks on muggles and muggle borns by the day, and to make it worse most people at the Ministry don't even see the connection between the attacks on muggles and these ruddy Death Eaters."
"Charlus," said Mrs Potter in a warning tone.
"What Dorea?"
"I have told you before about discussing work at the dinner table, and besides, James has guests round, I'm sure, Sirius, Remus and Peter don't want to listen to this."
"Yes we do!" said Sirius, "I do anyway, I've been trapped at home for three whole weeks with my only channel to the outside world being either my lying blood purist relatives or my disowned cousin who can't write to me while I'm at home due to the risk of being hunted down and killed by her own parents and sisters."
"It is important that they know what is going on in the world Dorea."
"And it is not our responsibility to tell them Charlus, tell James if you must I am fed up with arguing with you over that point, but as for Remus, Peter and Sirius it is up to their parents..."
"With all due respect Mrs Potter," said Sirius, "My parents agree with these people who go around attacking people just because they're not pure bloods, I don't think they really count as responsible parents."
"Maybe not, but I just don't feel comfortable with it. And what about you Peter? Remus? Have your parents discussed any of these matters with you."
"No," said Peter, James made a small exasperated gesture across the table, "I mean... maybe a little."
"Hmm, well what about you Remus?"
"My parents have discussed it with me," said Remus quietly, "they wouldn't be annoyed if your husband tells us about his work, my dad always says that people have to know what's going on."
"See Dorea, other parents tell their children what they need to know, I don't see why we should keep our own in the dark, I expect they get the Daily Prophet at school anyway."
"Erm, no actually dad," said James, "but Remus does, and he tells us what's going on."
"Well I'm glad at least one of your four has your head screwed on, though I'm disappointed in you James, I'd have thought you might take more of an interest in what could possibly turn into the biggest war the Wizarding World has ever seen."
"Well I'm not, I tell you Charlus all this is just scaremongering, the Daily Prophet is notorious for it."
"Would you rather our son go out into the world completely ignorant?"
"They are still children Charlus."
"Not for much longer Dorea, Remus's parents seem to understand that, I know John Lupin from the ministry and..."
"You... you know my dad?" asked Remus, "sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt."
"That's fine, oh yes I know your father, not well mind you, but I know pretty much anyone who is anyone in the Ministry."
Remus frowned, he wasn't aware that his father was 'anyone' surely is he was they wouldn't have to buy second hand books and they would be living in a big house like James's family.
"Oh," he said eventually, at a loss for what else to say.
"Yes, well I suppose he's not such a prominent figure anymore," sighed Mr Potter, reading Remus's confused face, "But back in the day he was very important in the Department for Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. He's a brave man your dad, principled too, it doesn't surprise me that he can see through the lies of the likes of old Abraxas Malfoy, men like your dad are the pillars the Ministry stands on. It was despicable what they did to him after the whole Greyback affair, a scandal!"
Remus, who had been listening with a mixture of interest and scepticism suddenly felt the blood drain from his face and experience a horrible sick feeling like a clammy hand was squeezing his stomach... what if Mr Potter remembered? What if he knew?"
"Are you alright Remus?" asked Ms Potter, "Charlus! Look what you've done know, why did you have to go and mention Greyback in front of Remus, surely even you would know better than that!"
"I'm sorry Remus, I didn't mean to upset you, are you alright?"
"Yes... fine... I... I'm sorry."
"Whatever for?" asked Mrs Potter.
"He's just like that mum, Remus always apologises when he doesn't need to. It's um... I think it's actually who should be apologising, I didn't think to tell Remus you knew he was a werewolf."
"James! You're as bad as your father! What have I always told you about making sure your guests fell comfortable in our house?"
"Sorry mum, it just slipped my mind."
"You let me into your house," mumbled Remus.
"Sorry Remus, I didn't quiet catch that," said Mrs Potter, turning away from her son.
"Nothing, I just... I'm sorry I tried to lie to you, you let me into your house and everything."
"Well of course dear, all of James's friend are welcome here, we don't buy into all this ridiculous prejudice most witches and wizards seem to have against... people with your condition."
Remus just stared up at the aging woman sitting across the table, he knew the polite thing to do would be to say something, to thank them somehow, but he couldn't find the words to do it.
"You know I wondered," said Mr Potter, "as soon as James wrote home in first year and told us about his friends, whether you were John Lupin's son. I dismissed the idea as mad at first, in my time a werewolf would never have got into Hogwarts, there was one factor I forgot to take into account I suppose, Albus Dumbledore. You know the proudest I have ever been of James was when he told me about you, and about how he was still going be friends with you despite your condition."
"What? Not when I scored twelve goals in the Quidditch final last year and we won 310 to 40."
"Surprisingly enough James that moment probably comes third, after when you were Sorted into Gryffindor. But you see Remus, not everyone is like the people at the Ministry who drop your father like a hot cauldron after you were bitten, some of us still understand what to be in Gryffinor really means."
"And Slytherins aren't always bad either," said Dorea.
"Oh yeah, I always forget we're kind if related aren't we?" said Sirius, "I guess it's because I always picture James as being red and gold through and through. I guess you're a bit like my cousin Andromeda."
"Ah, I think Andromeda is probably considered a bit more of a blood traitor than me, all I did was marry a Gryffindor, she went the whole hog and married a muggle born, I didn't get disowned at least."
"I never see you and any of those stupid functions though," said Sirius.
"Yes well, I think you can understand better than anyone why I would want to avoid such things, I doubt you'd be attending them if you had a choice."
"Too right, as soon as I'm seventeen I'm getting out of there!"
"I don't blame you at all Sirius, though it'll be hard. In a way girls have it easier in a family like that, we at least can marry out of it. But if you ever need a place to stay if it all gets too much for you, you know you are welcome here."
"Wow, thanks Mrs Potter," said Sirius.
"Think nothing of it Sirius, I hate to think of anyone being trapped in that family against their will, and you Remus, and Peter, you will always be welcome in our house you understand?"
"Thank you Mrs Potter," chorused the two boys.
After dinner the four Marauders traipsed up to James room, whose walls were plastered with Quidditch posters as well as a photo of the Gryffindor Quidditch team with and banner that read "Go Lions" in the background.
"Nice room mate," said Sirius, "I've been jazzing mine up a bit too, but I needed to use a permanent sticking charm to stop the ruddy house elf taking it all down."
"Well you can have the Gryffindor banner if you like," said James.
"Really?"
"Of course, anything to piss of your parents mate, that's what friends are for after all," laughed James.
"I can't believe I forgot your mum was a Black you know," said Sirius, "you just wait 'til I tell everyone in school, you won't be Mr Perfect Gryffindor Potter anymore."
"See if I care, she'd hardly a proper Slytherin is she, if she was she wouldn't like Remus so much would she?"
"I still can't quite believe it," said Remus.
"What's so hard to believe, I've always told you my parents are dead against pure blood supremacy?"
"Yeah well being against pure blood supremacy is one thing, be proud that your son's friends with a werewolf is another thing altogether."
"Oh he just thinks that it shows I'm a true Gryffindor," said James, "mum was a bit... unsure at first, but dad won her round. And I you did I suppose when she saw how mature and responsible you are, I reckon she thinks you'll be a good influence on me."
"I'd like to see him try," laughed Sirius.
"That's what my dad said, he thinks a lot of your dad doesn't he?"
"Yeah, I can't think why though."
"Dad always thinks highly of people who stick to their principles," said James.
"Hmm, yeah well there's sticking to your principles and then there's just being down right idiotic, it's people like my dad who give Gryffindors their reputation for being reckless eegits who think with their wands."
"Gryffindors don't have a bad reputation," said James defensively.
"They kind of do, not as bad as Slytherin by any means but there are a lot of people who think Gryffindors are all a bunch of idiots, I used to."
"But your own dad was in Gryffindor."
"Exactly, and my dad's Gryffindor boldness got me bitten so you can kind of see why I'd think that."
"You don't still think that do you?"
"No."
"Hah, we've convinced him!" said Sirius.
"No, Lily's convinced me, you three are as idiotic and reckless as they come."
"You'd really have preferred to be in Hufflepuff like your mum than Gryffindor?" asked James, still trying to fathom the idea in his mind.
"Yeah, well I actually wanted to be in Ravenclaw, but Hufflepuff would have been my second choice, they only one I would have wanted less than Gryffindor was Slytherin."
"You're mad," said Peter, "I literally begged the Hat to let me be in Gryffindor."
"Yeah but your parents were pushing you to get in, mine were just thrilled I was even allowed to go to Hogwarts remember."
"True," said Peter.
"Anyway enough of this serious stuff," said James, "it's the holidays guys, let's play Exploding Snap."
"Yeah because holidays are the only time we sit around playing games instead of being productive," laughed Remus.
"Oh come on, are you saying you'd rather do homework?"
"I've done all mine, so I'm free for the rest of the holidays, whereas you three will no doubt being doing yours on the train again."
"You know us so well Moony, hey Prongs, bet you five galleons Moony gets made Prefect."
"Sure I'll take that bet."
"Really? That's just gambling suicide mate, you might as well just pay up now."
"Hey I never back down from a challenge."
Remus coughed loudly and said something that sounded remarkably like "idiotic reckless Gryffindor", James shot him a look.
"Oh come on, who else would it be?" asked Sirius.
"Me?" said James.
"You?!" scoffed Sirius, "as if, me and you probably hold the record for the most detentions in Hogwarts history."
"Yeah but everyone knows I'm just plain awesome, even the teachers can't argue with that."
"He's probably Sirius," said Remus, "no one in their right mind would make me a Prefect."
"Yeah well Dumbledore isn't in his right mind is he? So I think my five galleons are pretty safe."
