Disclaimer: Honestly, if I owned this, would I be here writing fanfiction?
Author's Note: this idea just popped up in the bathroom and I had to write it! It's my very first fanfiction so please be merciful! Reviews appreciated!
"Come on, James, let's go!" a young boy cried, no more than 7 years of age. His shoulder-length hair flew in the wind as he took off towards the treehouse he and his three best friends shared.
"Sirius, you cheated! That's not fair!" the "James" in question replied, giggling as he struggled to keep up with his friend far ahead of him.
"None of you will ever beat me!" sandy-haired Remus Lupin called from near the finishing mark — the big oak tree in his backyard. He was the fastest of them all due to an accident involving a werewolf, a full moon, and a deadly bite. He watched in amusement as Sirius Black and James Potter arrived, panting and slightly out of breath. Sirius's jet-black hair was no longer smooth and silky as it had been before the race. Twigs and leaves poked out in random places. James was faring much worse. His thin wire-rimmed glasses were askew. His black locks were naturally very messy, and the dust and dirt it had collected while the young boys raced through the "Forest" had not made it much better. The Forest was really just a bunch of trees in the back of Remus's backyard. The boys and their fathers had built a treehouse in the center tree and it was now the official Marauder meeting spot.
"Shut up, Remus. Just 'cuz you're crazy fast doesn't mean you get to rub it in our faces," Sirius grumbled good-naturedly. Remus grinned and put his arm around his friend's shoulders.
"Aww, don't be sad," he said in a baby voice. Sirius pushed him away, but the hidden smile at the corners of his lips and his sparkling gray eyes said otherwise.
James's hazel eyes brightened, "Race you to the top!" he exclaimed, already scrambling up the ladder. Remus and Sirius pouted at the realization of their friend's headstart but quickly joined him inside the treehouse.
Remus dropped onto one of the sofas. (Yes, there are sofas. Mr. Potter had enchanted it to make it suit all of the boys "needs" as they had claimed) "Where's Peter?"
Sirius and James shrugged. "Who knows?" James asked the same time Sirius asked, "Who cares?" Remus frowned. He was the closest out of the three to Peter Pettigrew, a short and abnormally round boy who never seemed to lack a handful of sweets. "Hey, it's not his fault he has overly overprotective parents!" The others sighed and flopped onto their designated beds.
A few minutes later, Peter arrived. His face was flushed and his chest was heaving. "I'm here!" he announced. "Finally," Sirius muttered under his breath.
Remus stood up."Well, I wanted to show you guys something." He pulled out a rectangular piece of paper. The three other Marauders huddled closer. All of them being from pureblood families, they had not been introduced to the Muggle currency.
"Who's that lady with the crown?" James asked. Remus shrugged.
"I don't know. Mum was using papers like this when she went shopping. It fell out of her purse and I thought it was cool so… I decided to show you guys!"
"Could I have it?" Sirius asked. Remus looked up, startled. "Umm… how about we share?"
Sirius nodded. "Okay, but James gets to have a piece too!" Remus agreed.
"I'll go ask Mum for scissors. Then we can divide it up," he said matter-of-factly and began to climb down the ladder.
"Mum?"
"Yes, Remus?"
He took a deep breath. "Could we… well… could we… borrow a scissor?" His voice had dropped considerably by the end of his question.
"No."
"Please? Mum, please? I promise we'll be good!" He looked up at his mother with large bright blue eyes.
"No, Remus."
"Mum, why? Please!"
"Remember the last time I allowed you guys to have scissors? You all had the worst hair for months! I can't trust you again with a pair and no supervision. Plus, Sirius is here."
"Mum, we won't cut our hair this time! And I liked my hairstyle."
"Why do you want it?"
"To cut up a piece of paper so all of us could have a piece."
"Why can't you guys just use different sheets of paper?"
"Because we only have one special paper and we have to share it!"
"Fine, Remus. But no haircuts or — oh, I don't know! Just don't do something crazy!"
"Promise, Mum," the little boy said gleefully as he skipped off with his new treasure to where his friends were waiting.
"And you have this piece, and I'll have this piece, and this one is for you, and this one is yours!" James said as he distributed the pieces to his friends.
"Let's show Mrs. Lupin our new treasure!" Sirius said excitedly.
The boys ran to the house. "Mrs. Lupin! Mum! Come see!"
Mrs. Lupin hurriedly came to the front door. "What is it boys?" she asked while wiping her hands on her apron.
"Look!" The four boys proudly displayed their "treasure."
"And look! It's like a puzzle!" Peter exclaimed breathlessly.
Mrs. Lupin's eyes widened. "Remus John Lupin," she said in a deathly voice, turning to her cowering son. "Where did you get that from?"
"Umm… you dropped it and I took it?" he asked meekly.
His mother gaped at him. "And why did you do it?"
Sirius took over. "Because, Mrs. Lpin, we thought it was a really cool piece of green paper with a random lady on it. We wanted to share it and so we did!"
She sighed. How could she resist those proud smiles? They genuinely thought they did something great by sharing.
"That's wonderful boys," she said tiredly. "Congratulations on sharing… the green paper with the lady."