Fred
We walked down the corridor. This was so boring. I thought Hogwarts would be fun. I thought we'd be playing Quidditch and causing trouble but all we have done so far is go to classes and do homework.
The girls, Louis and even Parker are the biggest buzz kills. They are always trying to get us to study and do our homework. Come on, live a little.
"Teddy." James yelled before running off on me.
"James." I yelled after him.
The two of us ran down the corridor bumping into almost everyone as we ran. James was chasing after a head of blue hair while I followed his messy hair.
"I should give you two detention for running through the halls." Teddy said as we collapsed on one another as we reached him. "But you're family so I won't. This time."
"Teddy school is so boring." James whined to the older boy.
"It's supposed to be." Teddy told us. "It is school after all."
"Will you tell us one of dad's stories?" James asked Teddy.
I nodded along with him. Maybe one of the stories would tell us something that could make this boring school just a little bit better. I know my dad was nothing but trouble while he was here but I also know that he still doesn't like to talk about it considering it was all with Uncle Fred.
"Fine, but only one." Teddy said having looked down at us two first years. "I do have stuff to do."
Both James and I had identical smirks as we followed Teddy. He was taking us out to the grounds so we could sit by the lake while he talked. It was a decent enough day so I could see why he chose that.
"You don't need to know any more about your dad's time at Hogwarts." Teddy told James. "Wait until you're older and he'll tell you more."
We were both disappointed. We like hearing about Uncle Harry's time at Hogwarts. It seemed so interesting. He did all sorts of cool stuff. Like fighting a troll. And a three headed dog. Or Uncle Ron's giant chess game. Or when they flew to school in Grandpa's flying car. Or when they…
"I'll tell you about when my dad was at Hogwarts." Teddy explained.
"But I thought you never knew your dad." I asked forgetting for a moment that it wasn't polite to ask about that sort of thing.
"Yes, thank you for that Fred." Teddy said through gritted teeth. "I'd forgotten that I was merely a baby when my parents died."
"Sorry Teddy." I said as I looked down at the ground in front of me.
Suddenly the grass seemed like something that could keep me entertained for hours.
"I heard all this from Harry." Teddy explained. "Dad and Sirius told him so that he could hear about his father."
James and I just watched Teddy. We didn't want to say anything and interrupt what he was about to tell us. I also didn't want to make any more of a fool of myself.
"As I'm sure you already know, when my dad was at Hogwarts he was best friends with your grandfather, the original James Potter, and Sirius Black." Teddy said looking at James. "They were also friends with Peter Pettigrew, the little rat who later betrayed your grandparents."
"Teddy we all know this already." James whined.
James could be rather impatient at times. Although I'm sure I was the same. The two of us were always seen as the same person to those on the outside.
"I'm just setting the scene." Teddy explained rolling his eyes at James' antics. "Well I suppose you also know about their nicknames and how they came to be."
James nodded very quickly while I just looked at Teddy. I'd heard a little bit about the Marauders but probably not nearly as much as James had.
"After James, Sirius and Peter found out that my dad was a werewolf they started learning how to become Animagi." Teddy explained to me. "By the time they reached their fifth year they had mastered it. James was a stag and was called Prongs. Sirius was a Dog and was called Padfoot. Peter was a rat was called Wormtail. Because my dad was a werewolf they called him Moony."
I smiled at Teddy. He seemed to really like talking about his dad.
"They had created a map that shows everything at Hogwarts." Teddy told us. "Harry showed me the map once. It shows all the people moving around the school so you can see where everyone is at any time."
That map could be useful. We could pull pranks without getting caught. No one would know we did it. Hogwarts would definitely be more fun if we did that.
"From what I've heard Sirius and James were the troublemakers of the group with Dad trying to keep them in line." Teddy continued. "Peter just worshipped them while following behind them."
It was only then that I realised Teddy wasn't actually telling us a story. He just wanted to talk about his dad. Which was understandable.
"The best thing I've heard about the Marauders has got to be what James did." Teddy told us looking over at James once again. "From what I heard your grandfather spent most of his time at Hogwarts chasing after your grandmother. She never liked him at first but he was persistent."
Oh no. This wasn't going to be good.
"Really?" James asked.
Oh no. Now that James has found out about this he's never going to leave Gwen alone. If it worked for his grandfather he's going to think it's the universe making them some strange reincarnation of his grandparents.
"She hated him at first." Teddy told James. "From what I heard anyway."
At those words James jumped up and ran back to the castle.
"Anything else, Teddy." I said to Teddy as I stood up to follow after James once again. "You could have told him anything else."
"What did I do?" Teddy asked.
It was clear Teddy had no idea what he'd just done. He just stared at me as I turned around to chase after James. Hopefully I could stop him before he goes too crazy. Before I got too far away I looked over my shoulder to see Teddy still staring after me. I yelled back to him.
"You've just cost Gwendolen Smythe her privacy for the next seven years."
"Please just think about it Fred." James said to me as we attempted to sneak into Uncle Harry's office. "It would be perfect."
It was the middle of the night and James had convinced me to stay with his family for a few night so we could steal the map from his dad's office. Somehow my presence was supposed to help him not get killed by Aunt Ginny when she found out he'd broken into his father's office.
"I really don't see why you think we have to do this." I told my cousin.
"They were legends." He tries to explain.
"They also all died before any of them could reach forty." I countered.
James just stared at me. We had reached the door to Uncle Harry's office. James as quickly and quietly as he could unlocked the door with the keys he had stolen the previous night.
"Besides it's only the two of us James." I told him once we inside the office.
"Well I was thinking." James began to explain as he started to look across the desk.
"That's always dangerous." I joked looking at the shelves.
"Really funny Fred." He said stopping what he was doing to glare at me. "So, as I was saying, I was thinking that maybe Louis and Parker can join our new Marauders group."
"As if either of them would agree to that." I said rolling my eyes at him. "But again, we wouldn't be like the original ones anyway. None of us are a werewolf."
"That's a minor difference." James explained as he began opening draws and searching through them. "It would only make things complicated. Without a werewolf we'll just be four guys having fun."
"That just sounds bad." I laughed stopping my searching to look at him.
"Who cares." James said before pulling an old piece of parchment out of the drawer. "Found it."
I ran over to join him.
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." James said pointing his wand at the map.
We watched as inky lines began to appear all over the parchment. Words began to appear on the front along with an image of Hogwarts
"Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs, Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers, are proud to present, The Marauder's Map." I read out.
"Cool." We both said at the same time.
We opened the map and began to look across it. There were small dots all over the map with names next to each of them.
"We really should get out of here." I told James. "We can look at the map in your room."
James sighed before folding the map and saying, "Mischief managed," causing all the ink to fade away. We quickly ducked out of Uncle Harry's study and made our way quietly back to James' room.
When I got on the train at the end of the Christmas break I found Parker waiting in the compartment that we had sat in to go home. We had agreed at the start of the break to meet in the same compartment that we had sat in when going back home at the end of the term so that was exactly where I had gone. Who knew where both James and Louis were but they were not here.
"Hey Fred." Parker said with a smile.
"Hey Parker." I responded as I began to haul my trunk onto the overhead storage space.
As I finally got my trunk into its place I heard the compartment door slide open as Louis joined us in the compartment.
"Hi Fred, Parker." Louis greeted when he opened the door.
"Hey Louis." I said as he sat down beside Parker. "Be careful." I told them both as I looked across the compartment at them. I knew it was probably a good idea to warn them about James. "James has gone a little crazy."
"Oh no." Parker muttered so softly that I could barely hear him.
"How crazy does he have to go for you to think he's crazy?" Louis asked his eyes widening.
I didn't get a chance to answer before the door flew open to reveal James.
"Oh no." Louis said copying Parker's statement from before.
There was a glint in James' eyes that meant no good. James may be my best friend. And I may be trouble. But there was no way I was about to get in the way of this crazy James.
"Louis, you know about my Grandpa James right?" James asked his mouth moving so quickly I struggled to make out what he was saying.
"Yeah." Louis responded slowly, looking between me and James hoping I would be able to help him.
"So you know about the Marauders?" James asked.
"James our whole family knows about the Marauders." Louis said rolling his eyes.
"I don't know about the Marauders." Parker piped up.
I looked over at him. James was on his crazy streak and I was too scared to interrupt crazy James.
"Well, I bet you didn't know that we are forming our own version of the Marauders." James said.
The idiot still hadn't sat down. He was standing in the door bouncing like a moron.
"James, sit." I told him. "And maybe you should explain who the Marauders are for Parker."
My overly excited cousin stopped bouncing and sat down beside me.
"What exactly is the purpose of that?" Louis asked.
Louis, Louis, Louis. Always trying to be reasonable. Did he not realise there was no point in that? This was James he was talking to. There is never any purpose in his thoughts.
"Just for fun." James said. "I'm like Prongs, my grandfather, the original James Potter. And Gwendolen will be my Lily."
"What happened?" Louis asked staring at me.
"Teddy told us more about the Marauders." I explained to him. "It seems that James here thinks that himself and Gwen are the reincarnation of his grandparents and they are going to live out that exact love story."
"I do not." James protested.
We both glared at him.
"Okay fine, maybe a little." He admitted.
"Someone explain." Parker yelled at us.
"James grandfather and his friends had this group when they were at Hogwarts called the Marauders." I said quickly before James could say anything more idiotic. "They caused trouble all through the school. James is named after two of them, James Potter, his grandfather, and his father's godfather, Sirius Black. That's part of why Professor McGonagall looked like she was going to fall out of her seat during the sorting in our first year."
"What's the other reason?" Parker asked catching the way I'd talked about McGonagall.
"Oh, I'm named after my uncle Fred." I explained. "Him and my dad use to cause all sorts of trouble when they were at Hogwarts."
"Okay." Parker finally said after processing everything I'd explained.
We sat in silence for a moment. It wasn't long as James took the opportunity as one to keep going.
"So, as I was saying." James jumped in. "I'm like my grandfather. Fred, you're like Sirius. Louis, you're like Remus. And Parker, sorry, but you're like Peter."
"What?" Louis asked.
I wasn't even trying to understand James' antics at this point. Yet, for some reason, Louis still was. Parker was just staring in confusion still not completely understanding what was going on. Fair enough. James was impossible to understand sometimes.
"You're going to keep us out of trouble." James told Louis.
At this I laughed. We didn't have to be next generation marauders for that. Louis was going to be forced into that job regardless of whether or not James' hairbrained idea works.
"Yeah, okay, whatever." Louis agreed.
We had met up with the girls after we got off the train. The six of us sat in one carriage. It was nice to be back with the girls again. It meant that James calmed down for a start which was definitely what we needed.
"Doll, have you heard about my grandparents?" James asked Gwen.
Oh no. There was no good ending for this. James you are an idiot.
"Why would I want to know about your grandparents Potter?" Gwen asked him in response.
Quit while you're ahead James.
"My grandfather, James Potter, was in love with this pretty girl from the first time he met her." James explained to Gwen.
Please stop this James.
"He spent years asking her out and getting rejected." James continued. "Then after many years of rejection she finally agreed to go out with him. Then they got married and had my dad."
"Then died at twenty-one." Molly said as deadpan as she could manage.
Oh how grateful I am for you right now dear cousin.
"How about no." Gwen said. "Besides we're only twelve, well, I am anyway. Aren't you still eleven?"
"Yes, he is." I told her. "Now please ignore him."
"He was hit over the head during the break and I think his mental state is a little, let's just say, rocky right now." Louis explained.
Louis, Parker and I sent James equally threatening glares. None of us wanted to deal with James' stupid antics right now. I for one was starving and couldn't wait to sit down and eat at the feast that I knew was going to be there for us.
Once we were out of the carriages and walking up to the castle I looked over at Louis. The two of us made eye contact before each grabbing one of James' arms and holding him back. We had to keep him away from Gwen. For now anyway. There was something with this boy that was making him go crazy.
"We will agree to be a part of your next generation Marauders on one condition." Louis explained to James.
James just looked between us. I don't think he realised Louis and I could be on the same side of any argument. He didn't realise that Parker was finally realising how much trouble James could actually be.
"What is it?" James asked clearly irritated by our questioning.
"Leave Gwen alone." I told him. "At least for a couple of years. Then you can come back with your whole grandparents reincarnated thing."
He just stared at us. It's clear he was contemplating following our advice.
"Fine, I'll leave her alone." James said and he turned around to begin to walk off however before he had started moving he said, "until we can go to Hogsmeade" and then bolted to castle.
"James." Both we all screamed as we chased after him.
James Sirius Potter was going to be the death of us all.