Sirius took his usual seat beside James in Defence, albeit, they sat at a table on the left side of the room by Green and Paus that day, simply to stir the cauldron a bit. When Peter saw they were sitting somewhere different, he sat between Russell and Kingsley. Remus grabbed a seat on Evans' right, while Snivelly and Brown sat to her left.
Professor Windsor finished opening a new chalk packet, setting a few pieces in front of the blackboard, before dusting his hands, "Good morning! Has everyone read Chapter 5 in Know Thy Enemy?: Defence for Beginners? Splendid, go ahead and turn there now."
Sirius had not read the chapter.
Sirius had also accidentally left his bag in his room.
"Oi, mate, can I borrow off you?" Sirius asked James who blinked at him owlishly, "I was going to ask to share your book...Hey, Green!"
Professor Windsor began speaking, "What is the best way to win a fight?"
"Not get in one," a Slytherin girl piped up.
"Absolutely!" He clapped his hands together, pointing both index fingers, "However, this is a pipe-dream; never one hundred percent avoidable!" the teacher smiled broadly. "Anyone else?"
"Know what you're up against," Evans answered. Sirius noticed there was an enormous spider in the back corner dangling from a gossamer thread.
"More along the lines of what I was looking for. Which do you think happens more often? Crimes in the heat of passion or premeditated ones? Mr. Black?"
Sirius' focus snapped back, "Erm—the second?"
"Indeed. When you duel, is it easier to win against someone whose fighting is familiar or foreign to you? Miss McKinnon?"
"Familiar."
"Excellent. We see that one major key to success in defending ourselves is knowledge. Knowledge of who, what, why, when, where, and how. All of it can be important. You can use it to your advantage, which we've been learning about all year..."
Sirius watched James doodle a mountain range in the corner of his parchment.
"...On the flip side, what is one of our biggest weaknesses when it comes to avoiding danger?"
He waved his wand to write Predictability on the blackboard, "We are creatures of habit. And some of those habits can be easily observed and taken advantage of. If you have permission to leave the castle every morning at a particular time to run, for example," Sirius was sure Professor Windsor looked at Hampton, "It's important to take different routes. Start five minutes later, ten minutes earlier, finish and get breakfast in Hogsmeade. What times does one leave the castle for Quidditch practice? When is Gryffindor's Quidditch practice over?"
"Never," James smiled at Sirius. Crabtree often drilled into them that they were always in conditioning; sometimes they flew on a broom.
"The repeated schedules and behaviours of people can be all too easy to anticipate. Yet, as humans we thrive better with routine. What are some examples of how to make the job of a keen observer more difficult, while maintaining a sense of normalcy? I've given a few."
"Vary your routes." The Marauders always did that.
"Come and go at different times." That too.
"Disguise yourself." Check.
"Skip something scheduled all together for a nap." There were several laughs. Sirius also did that.
"Sit some place different." Peter looked over at James and Sirius' new spot.
"Use silencing spells." They had a brilliant one over their room now.
"Keep belongings somewhere safe."
"Carry a sneakoscope."
"All of these are good, if executed properly. Now, this month, we are going to have a second-year wide game." Sirius' ears were at full attention for the first time that day. "Houses are split into Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff and Slytherin. Two houses will be foxes and two will be rabbits. The job of the foxes will be to find out as much information about the rabbits as possible (e.g. where they go, who they correspond with, if there's one particular food they always eat, when it's their birthday, etc.) without being detected. The job of the rabbits are to evade the foxes and figure out who they are. Information which foxes collect will be considered moot if a rabbit correctly identifies them as one pursuing them."
James passed his doodle covered parchment to Sirius: We get to be SPIES! :)
"You will be paired in groups of four and asked to either collect information about or identify another group of four. Each group will have an enchanted piece of parchment with which to communicate to their teammates."
Murmurs of excitement passed through the room.
"However, this communication should not take place in my class or any other classes. This is also not permission to uncover skeletons in others' closets or treat them with disrespect. If any school rules are broken or there's infringement upon another's dignity, house points will be taken and detentions assigned accordingly."
"He just took the fun out of it," Sirius told James.
"I've already drawn names; my NEWT students will have them delivered to your rooms by this evening. Rabbits, you will only know your own identity and the identity of those on your team; Foxes, you will also be given your targets. Points will be assigned as follows: Rabbits earn a point if for each fox they correctly identify following them. Foxes earn points by collecting an adequate amount of information, let's say 20 useful facts, on each of their rabbits. One point for every rabbit they've collected information on and hasn't identified them. This means each team can earn up to four points in the house collective. The two houses which have the most points at the end will earn an additional 100 points for each of their houses and an ice cream party end of term. You have until we meet at lunch time on the 30th of March."
"Brill," Sirius breathed out.
"Ace! I hope we get to stalk Snivellus," James said.
"I hope we get each other on the same team," Sirius raised his eyebrows.
"Fair point."
The envelopes were waiting on their beds that night. James excitedly tore his open:
Foxes:
-Virginia Hampton
-Marlene McKinnon
-James Potter
-Cari Schmidt
Rabbits:
-Amelia Bones
-Alecto Carrow
-Riley Mint
-Judas Mulciber
No! "I got all girls! And Hampton!" he flailed back on his mattress at the misfortune. "We'll be rubbish spies."
Peter groaned, "At least they're Gryffindor. I got all Ravenclaws."
"Who'd you get to track?" James asked.
"Th-that's against the rules," Peter objected.
"Is it?" Remus raised an eyebrow.
"I don't remember Windsor saying anything about using others in your house to help succeed at spies," Sirius said peevishly.
"More we're being trained in how to succeed at Ministry espionage," Remus muttered. Sirius grabbed his parchment and read aloud:
"Foxes:
-Eddard Dobson
-Lily Evans
-Esther Irivani
-Remus Lupin
Rabbits:
-Alec Avery
-Edgar Bones
-Stefan Vicolić
-Severus Snape, Gross."
"I'll trade you Hampton for Dobson!" James offered.
"Now that's definitely not how it works," Peter said, snatching Sirius' parchment while he was preoccupied with Remus'.
"Foxes:
-Sirius Black
-Kathryn Brown
-Callum McPhaedair
-Kingsley Shacklebolt
Rabbits:
-Asher Badger
-Amycus Carrow
-Vivian Cunningham
-Felix Nott
At least we know our people are smart," Peter said.
"Book smart, Pete. That doesn't mean they're going to be good at knowing which secret passageways to take if they get to close or how to sweet talk. They're swots. Did you hear all the tactics people listed in class? That's marauding business, not swot business."
Many thoughts zoomed around James' brain. Exciting possibilities. He shoved his fingers under his glasses to rub his face. A few moments later, he was able to snap his fingers, "I've got it!" he declared, sitting up and rifling through his school supplies for many inches of parchment.
"First, we need to map out our teams—find out who others have as well. Then we we work together to know comings and goings of our rabbits."
A wry smile began to form on Remus' face, "We can partner with other people, so the rabbits can't pin us down."
That added even more thrill to James' original plot! The Marauders would still be able to band together!
The flaw in the plan came in the form of several goody-goodys who thought like rabbits, and weren't opportunistic like foxes. Well, they'd work with what they had, and still win, thank you very much.
A few days later James found himself sitting on the basalt floor of the Slytherin common room (Marlene told him how to get in, after Schmidt told her, who was told by Hampton, who was told by Evans last year. Getting the password was as easy as invisibly waiting outside.) watching Avery, Mulciber, and the Carrow twins, taking mental notes on them all and physical notes on parchment for Remus' birthday that Saturday. Merlin knew he needed something else to do while he was sitting. With the Rabbit Game occupying constant space in his mind and time from him, the party for Remus would be considerably different than last year's formal gathering. But it would involve grandiose food, music, presents, stories, a near proper campfire (they needed to use Bluebell flames lest someone see smoke), and butterbeer Sirius was bribing Artie MacMillan for (this, Remus didn't know about).
Frank and Prefect company weren't precisely aware about the celebration this year. The snow was letting up, and there's a place out by the Black Lake James would pass on his runs that's well hidden from any prying eyes. He debated whether to invite Evans, since she'd been such a wet blanket about butterbeer at the McKinnon's party. However, she hadn't told anyone, so it was probably fine. He invited Marlene and Irivani again too, so Remus couldn't be accused of the faux pas Evans herself committed of being the only one of her gender there.
The Snakes stood to leave. James gingerly folded his parchment and followed suit.
"That's all twenty facts now for Amycus Carrow!" Sirius declared excitedly from Kingsley's bed.
Remus finished writing notes on the information James spewed out at him and Sirius in one, long breath.
"That's unfair!" Kingsley said. All the second-year Gryffindor boys were convened in one room, discussing the Rabbit Game, Duelling, Death Eaters, Brown's latest attempt to seduce Dobson (who Remus had pointedly been avoiding since the shower incident, lest his presence somehow trigger any silver bullets. It was difficult being on the same team in the Rabbit Game, but he'd managed thus far. He hadn't even told his roommates about the boy seeing his scars and awkwardly still had the beater's towel), Green proudly snogging Mint from Hufflepuff, Norton's naff haircut, and Remus' birthday tomorrow all while noshing on a cess pool of muggle crisps from Green, chocolate fudge from Dobson, Ice Mice from Shafiq, and Fizzing Whizbees from Sirius.
"It's utilizing our resources to their highest potential!" Sirius argued. "You're just bitter you didn't figure it out yourself. Brown's made a dog's dinner of her work on Cunningham, who'll likely oust her come the end of the month. We do this our way now."
"How'd ya sneak in the common room, anyhow?" Dobson threw his bangs out of his face.
"Ask me no questions, and I'll tell you no lies," James smirked.
"Argh!" Kingsley was exasperated.
"So we'll convene tomorrow at 1600 hours by the gorse and heather covered cove on the eastern side of the Black Lake. Arriving in small numbers would be best," James ignored their previous roommate. "Night, comrades."
They all bade farewell and the Marauders traipsed back across the lavatory.
***waxing crescent***
Remus looked forward to celebrating with his friends. He would have preferred it just be their room together, but James insisted on having all the lads who cared about him. And Remus had insisted on Lily, to return the favour of awkwardly being the only male at her hen party. However, in turn, James, ever the poncey aristocrat, exhorted inviting other women.
Saturday morning Remus stayed cosied up in the library, focusing on studying for Transfiguration mid-terms which would be soon. Non-living → Living transfigurations would be on there, and turning pins into flobberworms was actually a more complicated equation than breast enhancement. Plus, both the Bones twins were studying in beanbags behind the stack he was chilling in. He could discern enough from their whispers their mother's name and that Edgar was trying out for Quidditch next term. He could discern from scent that Amelia was currently bleeding and damn, Remus hated being a werewolf even more now that he knew what that lingering smell on many of the birds was.
Quarter to four, Peter and Remus left the castle to mosey their way to the "Party Cove" as James was now dubbing it. Remus conspicuously carried a heavy pewter platter of raw meats and Peter, a chocolate cake crest, same as last year's. In spite of the full moon being a week away, Remus could feel his mouth salivating at the tray before him, glad Peter hadn't caught the drool he wiped away on the shoulder of his sleeve. The path carried them through some frosted trees and became more difficult to navigate as the overgrown gorse became more dense. The sludgy dirt beneath their feet gave way to black pebbles, tinted with a green sheen of algae that survived the winter. Everyone but James and Sirius were there.
To his amusement, but not surprise, Lily was the one bent over tending to the fire while the others watched. Her cat and Dobson's playfully brawled nearby. "It still feels unnatural," he heard her say, "I can't wait until I can do this on camping trips with my Dad. Now we've just gotta find y-split-branches to roast the..."
"There's the birthday boy!" Kingsley greeted when he spotted them.
Various choruses of "Happy Birthday," followed. Remus blushed his thanks.
"Have you given him thirteen spankings yet?" Green asked Peter.
James and Sirius crashed through the underbrush. The latter spoke, but was difficult to see, "Nah, that's after the party."
Remus made to throw them a glare but paused as he noticed they probably definitely were each holding something big under the invisibility cloak. An unspoken conversation passed between the four of them, Peter and Remus stepped closer together to conceal the two further behind the bush. There was a clanking sound. Moments passed and the two stepped onto the pebbly shore, each carrying two six-packs of...wait.
"Is that butterbeer?" Remus asked, knowing the answer. They answered at the same time: "Indeed."
"We got pop for squares," Sirius added.
"Bit naughty," Remus smirked.
"Bit gas," Peter answered. "Jane l-let me try hers l-last year, and Sirius and James had one at Christmas."
"Figured it's your turn," James lifted the packs.
"Today's never gonna come again," Sirius led them to Lily's fire.
True, Remus had never touched alcohol...on purpose (There were a few times he took his father's tea by mistake until he realised the difference in smell). Half of him wanted nothing to do with it, considering how sick it made his father. The other half of him thought Fuck it, these are your friends and today's never going to come again.
"Potter, no."
"Evans, yes," Sirius answered for James. "We brought the grapey muggle drink for you and Shacklebolt."
"I'll take one," Esther gestured to a Fanta. Sirius had a proper bottle opener this time which was engraved: A.M. Who'd Sirius nicked that from?
"How d'you know the house elves won't tell someone about all that meat they've given you?" Kingsley asked. "Someone could find us here."
"Dotty's discreet," Peter answered.
"And it would be best to get it roasting sooner rather than later if we want it cooked properly before it gets dark," Lily called. The boys speared sausages, legs of turkeys and lambs, steak cuts, and wrapped seasoned minced meat around sharp sticks, laying them over the fire. A cauldron was filled with water and several diced potatoes dropped in to boil.
Blankets and throws were laid out to sit and recline upon, although there wasn't room for everyone. Remus sat on the cool bank.
Bottles were passed around. Without thinking, Remus opened a butterbeer with his hands. Lily, Kingsley, and Shafiq all took Fantas.
"We can do a proper toast this year! None of that pumpkin juice and muggle drink poured in an orange cup!" Sirius waved dramatically.
"I get to make the first toast!" James argued.
"I paid for the drinks!" Sirius rebutted.
"I planned it!" James put his bottle down and attacked Sirius' knees. Sirius fell backwards, spilling his drink; shards of glass exploded.
"R-Remus is not only the ideal roommate, b-but the ideal mate," Peter skirted around the brawling wankers, blushing from nervousness. "H-He is one of the k-kindest souls I've ever met, bu-but doesn't tolerate unradness. His jokes will m-make you cry and his laugh lights up a room.
"Bugger, Peter!" Sirius yelled.
"I knew all this last year," Peter took a deep breath, "A-And this year, I learned a lot more about Remus Lupin...Remus Lupin is the bravest, most dedicated, and hard-working student at Hogwarts. I'm honoured to be your friend," Peter met Remus' eye and lifted his bottle, "To Remus!"
Remus couldn't keep a neutral face as he raised his bottle with others. Peter stepped forward and threw an arm around him as he tipped the bottle back for his first swallow. Cool carbonation saturated his tongue, throat, oesophagus...the syrupy amber liquid was mostly sweet, tasting like butterscotch, vanilla, and a hint of bitter burn which warmed him.
"So," Dobson smacked his lips, "This is alcohol."
"This is 2 percent alcohol," Marlene scoffed. "Mike says it doesn't count."
"It would to the authorities," Remus heard Evans whisper to her friends.
Sirius managed to put an outraged, hair a-frenzied, James in a body-bind before stealing his butterbeer, "I concur with Mssr. Pettigrew's sentiments but must add a few of my own: My dear Moony, we've been certainly been through some hairy situations together—some have left us in the doghouse and others howling with laughter (usually both), but they draw us closer together all the same.
Was he making werewolf jokes? In front of half their house's year?! Peter had made a few, but never in front of others!
"...so as we sink our teeth into this delicious and manly roast, remember we are celebrating the bloke responsible for the school not being in ruins as you wolf it all down! To Remus!"
Remus didn't drink, but rather scowled as Sirius revived James.
"You can't not say that wasn't gas, Remus," Peter whispered next to him, "Although he stole at least half of those puns from me." Ah, what the hell, Remus tossed back half his bottle.
Like Peter's, James' toast was heartfelt and vastly more appropriate for the audience. Remus accepted James' hug and opened a new bottle as Sirius declared, "Time for prezzies!"
Remus knew his friends' wrapping by now, and pointedly avoided theirs first to leave James and Sirius, in particular, stewing. He got several books and school supplies. Both as necessary as breathing. Lily gave him a new copy of Beowulf ("I figured out how to do mail order!" she explained). Esther gave him a scarf similar to the one she made Lily, sans flowers—plus vines and leaves. A pair of sunglasses from Dobson. James gave him some new daks and three button downs (and James' parents sent him biscuits, 'to share,' James emphasised, and a fine, canvas, double shoulder bag). Peter, a quarter stone of Honeyduke's chocolate caramel fudge and some biting tea cups...clearly reference to the joke he'd managed to pull over him last year. Sirius a posh, honey-coloured, rabbits' wool jumper, as he was outgrowing last year's, and several feet of fine vellum.
"For your writing!" he unnecessarily expounded.
After a profuse thanking of everyone, Remus allowed James to fuss over organising his gifts and the fire.
"If you don't use brine, it won't turn out right!" Lily argued with James.
"I've seen my mother cook and our house elves..."
"Have you actually ever cooked anything over an open flame outdoors?" Lily asked incredulously, hands on her hips.
"Well, not in the strictest sense of 'outdoors', but one of our country homes is open concept—"
"Then leave it to someone who has," she crossed her arms.
Remus grabbed James' wrist before he could fling a dungbomb in the flames, "I don't fancy my lamb tasting like horse shite."
"Everyone's taking over what I'd planned," he crossly complained.
"No need to be shirty. It's a blast. You've done a good job," Remus stroked his ego.
"Yeah?"
"You've thrown the best parties I've ever had."
Remus did wonder what were the odds he could convince Lily to go ahead and give him one of those legs. He'd never smelled anything more divine. In the end, his was taken from the end of a spit, far more rare than those in the centre. Potato chunks were poured onto a platter to grab with fingers.
"Dig in!"
Remus bit into his meat, chewy and practically bleeding, yet cooked because Lily wouldn't have served it otherwise. Sweet juices flooded his senses, far better than anything he'd ever tasted. He couldn't help the borderline provocative moan which escaped his throat, blushing when people laughed.
"Need a room, Lupin?"
Remus wondered if he could convince the house elves to give him rare meat more often.
As they ate, fireside stories were shared while James plucked mindlessly at his guitar. About a third were dark, a third comedy, and a third dark comedy. None possibly as horrific as Remus' reality, which he took pleasure in the escape from. Kingsley had one about a lethifold. Marlene shared one Cari had told about feeling another hand on a ghost limb. And on they went.
The sun slowly descended in a crescendo over the opposite shore.
"And that's when she realised, the tapping wasn't coming from the window—it was coming from the mirror!"
Remus added his own, "The laughter of a small child is something many enjoy. Unless it's the middle of the night and you're all alone..."
Esther finished, "And with his last wish, he told the djinn he wanted his family to be happy. Then he began to fade away." Remus watched Arcuri stare wide-eyed, Shafiq shiver, and Esther purse her dark lips around the last bottle of Fanta after a gap-toothed smile.
"He should trap the djinn right there!" James disturbed the mood, unable to keep quiet.
"It's already used it's magic," Kingsley argued.
James continued plucking chords while cake was passed around. They became slightly more off key. Remus opened his fourth beer, or was it his fifth? He was just beginning to feel a tingle in the front of his head. His hand resting behind him gripped the cold rocks as a light breeze rippled through the group's hair. If he tilted his head back, he could make out many stars, thanks to one and a half years of Astronomy. He felt a hand around his shoulder, "There's the one named after me!" Sirius over-exuberantly pointed to the binary star which surely bore it's name long before Sirius was born.
"You mean the Dog Star?" Remus asked and tilted the bottle back.
"The Rainbow Star?" Dobson added.
"Tishtrya?" Esther said.
"The Deer Hunter?"
"Loki's torch?"
"Svana, the dog of Prince Yudhistira?" James fell backwards in a fit of laughs.
"I hate to bring this up, but it's quarter 'til seven," Lily interrupted.
"All right! Leave in pairs; everyone help carry stuff!" James yelled.
"What about bottles?" Green asked.
"Leave 'em," Sirius waved his hand.
"Sirius Orion Black," James chastised, "This place has done nobly hiding us from Filch and professors, we aren't leaving it littered with rubbish!"
It would have sounded more dogmatic had James not hiccoughed at the end. The small boy had only had two butterbeers! Between the two of them, Sirius and James were able to make the glass "disappear" behind the bushes ("See you shortly, Moooooonyyy," James drew out) while Lily threw sticks back into the woods, Dobson folded throws, and Esther stacked plates and pans which Marlene carried. Peter and Green left next with James' guitar and leftover cake. Marlene and Kingsley left with Shafiq and Arcuri.
"I think that's everything," Esther surveyed the site after Lily threw damp dirt on the fire.
"You three go on then," Remus waved. He wanted a breath on the bank alone. There had been a lot of excitement for one birthday and he wanted to decompress before facing the others again.
"Don't be daft, you can't stay out here. Alone especially," Remus could hear the red-head roll her eyes.
"Just—just give me a few minutes then. Wait for me up by the road to school."
Warily, they left and Remus sat down again.
The dying blue embers ahead of him glowed like moonstones.
"Mmm," he lay backwards with a cushioning crunch, shivering against the pebbles, envisioning making angels in them as James did in the snow. But he didn't. He stared at the many stars and the waxing moon, full and content. Until he heard a branch snap and smelled him.
"The fuck? You're supposed to be waiting up the path!" he cursed at Dobson.
"Not when Dumbledore 'imself 'as told us to not be out alone. Irivani's with Evans. They told me to stay closer to ya."
Remus tried to block him out. Look at the sky again. Remember this feeling. Today won't come again.
"I'm not sorry for goin' to McGonagall," Dobson said. "I know we 'aven't talked about that but it's makin' bein' on the same team for the Rabbit Game difficult and—"
Remus hadn't expected that, "Piss off," he snarled.
"I just wanted to 'elp ya. I'm also not goin' to ask what 'appened, since that's between you, G-d, and our 'ead of 'ouse now..."
Dobson sat beside his head, "I went to muggle primary school for five years. But didn' exactly fit in, did I? I got walloped a few times by the bullies myself 'til I learned the last year I could 'it back. You could too. Or a mate. I am a reserve beater, ya know. And Sirius, unstable as he is, also packs a fair punch. We wouldn't let a couple thugs 'urt ya anymore if we could 'elp it, yeah?"
Remus nearly laughed. Oh sure, he felt something in his stomach constrict for the boy who'd taken a few blows before, but to think Remus' problems could be solved by hitting back...he had nearly no control, and had to be careful with what he did have.
"...Yeah. Sorry for being such a pillock. I still have your towel, you know."
Dobson shrugged, "No rush, I 'ave another. So—we alrigh' now? We can beat those badgers and serpents and all that?"
"We do have a cracking team," Remus agreed with a half-smile before sitting up, shaking rocks off, and starting back to the castle.
"Lucky Evans is friends with Snape, eh?"
Back in their room, James gave Remus another present which had to be "bequeathed unto him in upmost security." James had drawn a small, rudimentary map over a few feet of parchment of the school, plus the best passageways and hidden rooms (sans passwords, if needed) to make trailing the "rabbit," Vikolic, easier. The gift was incredibly touching, considering how many passageways they'd found and how long it must have taken to sketch them all out in such a short amount of time.
***waxing gibbous***
As Lily's nails finished drying with a fresh coat of lacquer, she grabbed her books, preparing for a pleasant Saturday in the library writing Tuesday's History of Magic assignment: Queen Maeve's contributions to magical education of Irish children before Hogwarts was founded. It was a Hogsmeade weekend, which meant upperclassmen would be gone celebrating St. Patrick's Day at the pubs. She could also draw out more information on Avery (for herself), and Mulciber (for her other roommates). It felt dirty having so much information already on her best friend, but she really wanted to not only win, but have the pride of contributing to Gryffindor and Ravenclaw getting closer to the House Cup. And an ice cream party. Hogwarts never served ice cream. To lessen her shame, Lily only wrote down ten facts she previously knew about Sev, and quickly acquired ten more from newer conversations.
Plans were swiftly dashed as soon as she learned Severus and several of his friends were currently residing in the hospital wing. One of the Marauders' "pranks" gone "wrong." Apparently, on the "spur of the moment", they came into contact with a recently deceased banshee (therefore screams wouldn't yet be fatal, but still deafening) and decided to release it in the Slytherin common room. Lily knew it had to be Potter, right away, because she overheard he'd collected information for Lily's group of foxes by sneaking in there. After heckling down her roommates, she figured out Potter must've figured out a way in from Marlene. The rest she heard from Remus, who was ill in the hospital wing for other, undisclosed reasons. It was an accident she saw him, thinking Madame Pomfrey's office was behind a curtain which always seemed drawn.
"It's not the food I cooked, is it?" she asked.
"That was a week ago, Lily." Of course it was, she was being silly.
"I bet you would have stopped them from ever releasing a dark spirit on people," Lily wished Remus had been there.
He gave a tired smile, "Under these circumstances, yes. But ever, I can't say..." She rolled her eyes, "They could have had permanent hearing damage!"
"And if a horde of terrorists is chasing me, it may be an advantage for me to lead them to haunted grounds and give them irreversible hearing damage."
"It'd probably be a grown one on known haunted grounds," she thought about the essay she'd written for Professor Windsor, "Then you'd be too close and die too," she said.
"Leave a beautiful corpse," he smiled quietly before changing the subject. "Do refrain from picking up any galleons you may find today though. They're dungbombs transfigured into leprechaun gold."
"Duly noted." Fed up with their antics, she left him to rest.
"This doesn't feel right without Remus," James said.
"No one said it did," Peter replied.
"It's St. Patrick's night and we're going to Hogsmeade without him!" James stated pointlessly, in Sirius' most humble opinion.
"The full moon's tomorrow," Sirius reminded him, "He's too tired to put his shoes on the correct feet, much less sneak into the Three Broomsticks."
"I've got my shoes on just fine, thank you," Remus said from the door.
"Moony!" James said, "Aren't you supposed to be resting?"
"I did all day," he shrugged. "And I'll go back tomorrow. You three have seen the Three Broomsticks, I haven't. No one's hiding any new banshees under their cloaks are they? All right, let's go."
Sirius wondered why Remus was so persistent on going, especially when the werewolf got so sick he threw up on Peter...
Remus ended up regretting the trip out on St. Patrick's Day; he'd thrown up all over poor Peter's shoes. The sounds and smells overwhelmed him. They'd never even made it to the Three Broomsticks. However, he'd procured a necessary component of James' birthday present, which he had less than ten days to finish.
After resting most of the day under Madame Pomfrey's nosey care, Professor McGonagall collected him for the transformation. As part of the new normal, Professor Windsor joined disillusioned, remaining on guard at the base of the tree.
Truly, Remus attempted to keep his thoughts positive—really he did. He thought about running around playing foxes, his first beers, birthday stories and cake, Lily's roast...yes, yes, that had been the best thing he'd ever tasted. But he couldn't help think it could've been more raw, more fresh, and spiralled into thinking about the attacks the last two months, and that his nature was sick. James. Think of James. His birthday. How excited he'll be about his present—and distracted from what a sick puppy you are.
Curling onto his side, Remus convulsed as the shift began.
Sirius forgot his bag for Defence again. Actually, not forgot, so much as it would have been dead weight when they visited Remus early in the hospital wing under the invisibility cloak. He'd been unconscious the whole time, wrapped like a pale moth in cocoon, waiting to emerge fully Remus-y once more.
Peter, James, and he sat next to Cari, whom he asked to borrow off of.
"All none of ya brought bags?" she asked, disbelievingly, but passed her book to the centre of the table. "Parchment's gonna cost ya."
"How much?" James asked, "I can replace it."
"Nah, I was thinkin' more along the lines of drink. 'eard there was booze at Remus' party. I'd like a six pack 'andy so my room can still celebrate when we beat the Badgers next month."
Sirius wasn't about to confess he didn't pinch it this time, however, Cari already seemed to know.
"I know ya got it from MacMillan, but I'm skint. It'll be a surprise for Mar and Gin."
A wordless conversation passed between the three boys, "Deal," they spoke at the same time. Parchment was passed down the table.
"Y-you're the best," Peter said.
"A regular saint," Sirius said sarcastically, holding his heart.
"Where is your fourth member? It's like yer missin' a limb," she asked wryly.
"Visiting his mum," Peter replied as Sirius said, "Feels like it."
Professor Windsor calmed the class down before asking everyone if they did the reading. Sirius had not. None of the Marauders had. There had been a holiday and James decreed no homework.
Honestly, skimming for chapter reviews was easier than reading twice.
"Thank you all. Please go ahead and open to page three hundred and ninety four."
Sirius flipped lazily for their group as Peter and Cari marked the date on their parchments while James bounced his right leg so fast it vibrated Sirius' left. When a familiar page stared up at him, Sirius blanched. The motion against his left thigh ceased. Colour drained from Peter's face.
Werewolves
Class: XXXXX
"Today we will begin discussing lycanthropy and its effects."
"Awooooo," Nott howled.
"That's enough, Mr. Nott," Windsor brushed off, "Let us begin by discussing etymology of the word werewolf..."
Sirius kept his fists clenched and eyes fixed on the page in front of him. Peter's terrified gaze was on him.
"When the werewolf's saliva mixes with the victim's blood, infection from lycanthropy begins. As you should've learned last year, a combination of silver and dittany can be used to treat the bite, albeit at the cost of excruciating pain, but by then contamination will have occurred."
"Why bother treating it then?" Avery spoke uncalled on.
"To prevent the death of a person, Mr. Avery."
"But they're beasts, not beings! Even the Ministry says so!"
Sirius' blood heated up.
"Mr. Avery, as someone who actually works in this Department," Windsor spoke authoritatively, "I can say the British Ministry of Magic has offices for those who suffer from lycanthropy in both Being and Beast divisions. The Registry is in one and the Capture Unit in another. Research and important decision making takes place within the Department as a whole...As I was saying, only the full moon will trigger a transformation. So those in Japan will transform at a different time than those in Siberia. There's evidence that packs of werewolves prefer to live as far north as possible in the summer, to keep change at bay as long as possible. In Great Britain, many live in the Hebrides, Orkney, and Shetland Islands to be far away from human contact in the winter months...The process of full moon transformations is said to be akin to the feeling of the Cruciatus Curse, only the body is actually shifting; it is not a manipulation of the neurological system."
Cari's quill snapped in Sirius' fist. Ink bled out over an unblemished parchment, "Black!" she hissed.
But he wasn't paying attention to her. The transformations were that painful? He thought about the haunted screaming and howling people heard coming from the Shrieking Shack.
"When transformed, they lose all knowledge of who they are as the lycanthropy changes their body."
"That's why Greyback needs to be killed!" Alecto Carrow said.
"It is true, there is immediate danger if in the presence of another human or even finding the scent of a human. The loss of moral sense means the wolf may attack those closest to them, even spouses and children. But a few werwolves, like Greyback, can remember a person's odour so strongly that it is used to stalk victims. However, werewolf packs typically hunted only what's necessary for food, and not sport. As part of the Werewolf Code of Conduct, werewolves promise to be contained on the nights of full moons. The Ministry, St. Mungo's, and private places approved by the Department are required as part of the law. If not transforming with pack members, because the isolation measures are so tight, they'll often turn on themselves in self-inflicted injury."
An awful mosaic of red, purple, and silver scars flashed through Sirius' mind.
"Now, here's what's most important to understand: Underneath the skin, there is still a human being. There is a time of month for the beast, and the majority is reserved for the man."
With this assertion, all hell broke loose.
"So what about Manchester then? Those untransformed monsters knew what they were doing!"
"But one pack is not all packs," Dobson said. "That's like when people said all Squibs were thieves."
"Or all Death Eaters are terrorists," Amycus said.
"No, that's completely different!"
"They're all out of control and need to be contained permanently."
Sirius rocketed out of his seat, "A DAMNDABLE LIE!"
"They have to be controlled, and that takes a lot of power," Brown said.
"Packs should be hunted again!"
"What are their weaknesses?" Evans asked.
"Yeah, how do you defend yourself against them? Can they be easily killed?" Marlene spoke next to her.
"No!" James yelled, "They can't help it!"
Sparks began shooting out of Windsor's wand, similar to how Xing got attention, but the arguments didn't simmer down.
"Is it true there's a pack of werewolves loose in the Forbidden Forest?"
"The Ministry doesn't have nearly enough handle over the pests."
"But they don't know what they're doing!"
"The half-breeds shouldn't be allowed near St. Mungo's."
Angrier than he'd ever been in his life, Sirius climbed on top of their desk, spilling the rest of an ink bottle over, and shouted, "FUUUUUUCCCCCKKKKKK!"
Over thirty pairs of eyes turned to look at him.
"Have you gone mad?" Peter whispered.
After that, all Sirius could hear was his own heavy breathing, "Just shut up," he said, quieter.
"Mr. Black, stay after class. All of you, if another student speaks without permission, they will be hideously sorry!"
A light sensation pulled Sirius back to himself—James tugging on his black sock.
"A foot of parchment Chapter summary and a foot of parchment personal research on lycanthropy. Due this time next week." Later, Windsor didn't dismiss the class with his usual demeanour.
Sirius remained; Peter and James stayed with him. After Cari left, Windsor closed the door, locked it, and put up a silencing spell, which made Sirius unintentionally clench.
"I'm not sorry," Sirius crossed his arms defiantly.
"Sirius," Peter whimpered.
"I would imagine not. That was terribly disruptive, yet effective, while causing no damage," Windsor pressed his hands down and loomed forward over their table. "But it is my understanding you three have already gotten yourselves into a peck of trouble this year pertaining to an outburst over lycanthropy."
"NOT JUST LYCANTHROPY—REMUS! OUR FRIEND!" Sirius yelled.
"Mr. Lupin is not here right now! And if he could see you he'd be shocked and appalled! The more attention you draw to yourselves over lycanthropy, the more you draw to your friend. You've paid lip service to me that you'd never tell a single soul about his condition, but you do just as much damage by your reactions."
"You're doing it too by teaching about it! Especially while Remus isn't here; what if someone catches on?!"
"It's mandatory," he said simply, "And I'd rather teach facts than know all these students hear is hearsay or anti-Being propaganda when there's already nearly weekly riots in the Wizengamot over it. This week it's centaurs..." Windsor grimaced, "But I guarantee you I will not be the one driving them to discover Mr. Lupin's condition. He will have a hard enough time with it after graduation." Sirius hadn't really thought about what life was like for Remus outside of Hogwarts.
"Today is the only class I believe second years need to understand the basics of lycanthropy, albeit Robert Cross left behind plans for three lessons and two assignments."
"But," Sirius butted in. However, much like with McGonagall, he wasn't given a chance to speak.
"Only fifth years and seventh years will get more in depth for OWLs and NEWTs; they're far more removed from Mr. Lupin to put pieces together. And, it seems, more capable of having rational debates and classroom discussion."
"That's not—" James was cut off.
"This class took place while Remus wasn't here precisely because of the issues you all have keeping pubescent emotions in check and processing thoughts logically. Now, I am taking ten points from Gryffindor, not just for language and actions unbecoming of a gentleman, but for endangerment to discovery of Mr. Lupin's personal affairs. Now, if you're interested, you're welcome to pop by my office any time to discuss how to make rational, level-headed, debate with peers."
Consequences be damned, the boys skived off their next class, returning to the hospital wing. Remus was slightly more lucid, this time, so James read him a discarded weekend paper he'd found in the corridors.
That evening Lily pulled on a night gown before lying down. Ginny was boasting about the information she'd found on Riley Mint after several days Quidditch practice stalking: Mint always takes milk with tea.
"That's useful for a baddie to know for poisoning someone," Cari said.
"How's your team doing, Lils?" Marlene asked.
"Well, decent. But I'm having to pull most of the weight. It's no one's fault though. Esther's house doesn't have as much cross-fox solidarity as Gryffindor does, Dobson's like you guys and always seems to be at Quidditch practice, and Remus is ill in the hospital wing..."
"Thought he was visiting home," Cari said.
"Who told you that? I saw him there this weekend and he still hasn't been released," Lily asked skeptically.
"Marauders."
That explained it, "Clearly they were lying to you."
"But why?"
"That's the kind of people they are. Anything to make a joke."
"It didn't sound like a joke."
"Maybe he was sick and went home for a bit," Marlene said.
Perhaps Marlene's right, Lily thought as she pulled the covers up.
***last quarter***
At precisely 3:49 in the morning, not too long after the witching hour, James woke up from a smashing, albeit confusing, dream. He'd saved the world from the nefarious Potioneer's plot, slain the dragon tormenting villagers, and won the European Cup all in one day. Yet, there had been sporadic flashes of peaty hills, sea breeze, and stones thrice as tall as him. A fire-haired girl raced around, playing hide-and-go-seek behind stones in a circle. James instinctively knew she wasn't an actual princess, but pretended she was one. Maybe a princess of Faerie. As the Cup was being handed to him, the sky suddenly darkened and he was back on an island in the North Sea. The princess ran barefoot in slow motion following a long line of rocks to the monument's centre. James followed, equally slow. The wind blew feathered hair back like licks of flame lighting the darkness. When they reached the middle she whirled around.
James blinked at the large, green eyes glinting in the gloomy shadows: Evans.
She spoke in a voice which echoed around them, "We're not safe while the gateway's open. They're stronger."
James was about to ask what and who she was talking about so he could save the day but, unfortunately, the clock struck 3:49, and an alarm blared. James was a teenager.
At breakfast, Sirius stood on the bench next to him, a la Defence outburst last week, and loudly cleared his throat, "ATTENTION STUDENTS OF HOGWARTS! As you should definitely know, today is a highly distinguished holiday!"
Several students exchanged nervous looks, expecting a prank to befall them any moment. James grinned.
"'Tis the day we celebrate the birth of the one and only James Potter! Our boy, ahem, sorry, young man, will accept all tribute and offerings via skilled raptors, house elves, and/or delivery wenches throughout this most sacred of days. Make sure everything's addressed to Sirius Black, mind. Thank you and carry on," there was a scattering of applause and laughter as Sirius sat back down.
"You're incorrigible, attempting to steal my birthday tribute!" James reprimanded, cuffing his roommate on the shoulder.
"W-What's a raptor?" Peter asked, causing Remus to launch into scientific classifications of various birds of prey.
When the tall boy stood with many other students, James asked, "You're not seriously going to class, are you? It's a day for no classes!"
"Until Professor McGonagall gets that memo, I'm afraid I must go."
"You best not be late for my party tonight, Remus John Lupin, lest all your pants get hoisted up the turrets!" James called after him. Remus flipped him a subtle V. He'd blocked off time in the common room after Quidditch practice. The lads and McKinnons were invited for an evening of wholesome debauchery indulging in the pleasures of cake, curry, music, and games. His parents had even got permission to come visit him (they were displeased when McGonagall wrote them about fighting, but forgave him quickly)! Windsor had politely declined his invitation, citing he had work at the Ministry, while McGonagall never did give him an answer. Sirius was not so illicitly smuggling Regulus in under highest confidence he wouldn't betray any Gryffindor secrets (plus the common room password was poised to change at midnight anyways).
After practice, James didn't bother to change out of his Quidditch robes or fix his hair since spring rains were bucketing down in force and, as per usual, no one was around or willing to cast those nifty Impervius Charms. The crackling fire of the common room was a welcome relief as he, Sirius, Regulus (who'd joined them on the ground floor), and Dobson climbed through the portrait hole.
The smile on his face expanded at the sight of his parents finishing the lighting of floating oil candles. Remus had Peter sitting on his shoulders hanging scarlet and gold bunting. Curls of burning incense wafted into his nose and a stack of presents (tended by Mary McKinnon) lay on one of the taller tables in the room. A coffee table had been transfigured into a dinner and dessert buffet.
At the sight of her son, his mum wrapped James in a damp hug. She turned to Sirius as well. His roommate noticeably stiffened as he was enveloped, but after a moment jerkily lifted his arms around her sides. Mum kissed the top of Sirius' head and patted Regulus before drying everyone's robes, including the four girls who just entered the portrait hold.
"Oh!" Schmidt said, surprised, "Thank ya!" she expressed her gratitude before climbing the cursed staircase with Hampton, who also gave a, "Thanks."
Dad conjured a princely crown which landed gently on his head.
"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Potter," Kingsley descended the boys' stairs with the rest of Dobson's roommates.
"Everyone's here! Excellent!" James said.
"I'm gonna go change first; be back momentarily," Dobson spoke quietly.
"Nearly everyone's here!" he corrected, "May I begin by extending my appreciation towards everyone here to celebrate with me, especially Frank who's taking time away from snogging Alice to 'supervise' us!" Shortly after, they dove into dinner and word games which were led by James' dad. Sirius and Remus were left to duke out who the real winner was. But clearly, James was, since it was his party.
A pair entered the common room from the girls' side. Brown and Evans seemed to be going to the library, stack of books tucked near each. Remembering his dream, James felt his eyes drawn to the red-head. She had a latticed cut on the back of her left hand from where she hadn't moved her hand fast enough away from a plant in Herbology yesterday. Her right hand brushed her fringe out of the way.
Had she dreamt the same? What had she meant by her words, which he could barely remember now?
"Oh, that smells heavenly," Brown remarked to Evans.
"There's plenty, deary. Fix yourselves a plate," Mum offered. James threw a look at her, not unnoticed by Evans.
"That would be lovely, unfortunately, I have Potions to do," Evans glared at James, far less friendly than dream Evans had been.
Brown tried to talk Evans out of it, grating James' crown covered brain.
Yes, it was polite to extend the invitation but it was also supposed to be a gathering of his closest Gryffindor friends.
"Kathryn Brown," she extended her hand to his Mum, "Are you Mrs. Potter?"
"Euphemia, but you can call me Effie, dear. And you are?" she addressed Evans, but Dad answered, "That's one of Slughorn's top students! Budding Potion's Master!"
Evans blushed, "Thanks, Mr. Potter. Lily Evans, ma'am."
Much to James' relief, they didn't stay for that plate, leaving him to continue onto presents.
"Ooh, let me get my camera first!" Mum summoned her camera. An immediate flash went off, nearly blinding James. "Mum!"
"Dear me, still learning all the bells and whistles. Mostly practicing in the garden and on your father..."
For reasons unbeknownst to James, Remus smirked at him behind her.
"All right. Let's open that first one!" she allowed when ready. Mary McKinnon also had a camera poised. He got Quidditch books, a quaffle, sports spectacles for flying, peppermint toads among other assortments of sweets, ascots, more disappearing ink, dungbombs, fire crackers, snitch cuff links, books on magical duels and advanced transfiguration, Regulus got him a mirror like his and Sirius' (which confused most of the room, but James thanked him with a wink), Sirius purchased him a broom cleaning kit with top of the line polish, Peter gave him some comic books and two vinyl records, and Remus wryly told him his presence was James' present.
As they lounged around with music and dessert, James' Dad spoke, "So charmed you could join this evening, Marlene."
James watched Marlene, dressed casually in her Quidditch practice gear, plaits half undone, laughing uproariously at jokes—every bit not the lady her parents were expecting her to be. Yet that didn't seem to matter to his father. How would he react when they both came of age and he refused to marry her? He thought about the games they'd played when he turned twelve. How plans for futures changed.
"The pleasure was mine," Marlene replied.
Later that evening, Remus reached into his side table, pulling out the Map of Espionage James had gifted him with. He handed it back to James who wondered, why? What's wrong with it?
Remus must have sensed his questions, "This is your real present. Open it."
James did.
There were nearly a hundred new ink blots; some were even moving.
"I've been doing some research, and finally found a good opportunity to use it!" Remus' typically blasé demeanour had changed to the sort of giddiness he expressed over a teacher verbally complimenting him, a new(ish) book he would literally stick his nose into and sniff, or finding a previously uncollected chocolate frog card. "Unfortunately it's only useful for a few more days, but I've been using it myself after I finished the spells..." the werewolf was nearly bouncing on the balls of his feet. What was this?
"It's a combination of a tracking charm and tracing charm embedded into the parchment with a
strand of each of their hair, which I summoned—Oh yeah, I finally got the summoning charm down for short distances!"
"You mean to tell me," James was becoming more excited, if not more so, than his roommate. "That my map now shows us where the people we're gathering information on are?"
"All around the castle!" Remus nodded. "Our teammates too!"
"THIS IS BLOODY BRILLIANT!" James jumped as Peter fawned over the work. However, James didn't let him hold it though.
"Honestly, the Homonculous Charm would work better and make everyone, even professors show up, but I couldn't get it figured out and just mashed all these together," Remus rubbed the back of his neck humbly.
James leapt on Remus with a hug, "This is, mind you I do not say this lightly, next to the cloak, the best possible bit of magic we can use for marauding adventures! Forget the Rabbit Game!"
"Really?" Remus continued holding James above ground.
"Most splendid use of cartography!" James affirmed. He leapt off Remus and yelled into the showers, "SIRIUS! COME SEE WHAT MOONY GAVE ME!"