Chapter 19: Doubts
I woke up the next morning just before dawn. I was curled up in between James and Remus all of us still in animal form. Peter had a comfy perch on James's back. I stood up and stretched. James woke up when I got up. Remus woke up when James nudged him. We motioned that we were going back. He nodded. We walked through the passage and stepped out just as the sun rose over the horizon. We changed back in human, pulled the cloak over us again and walked slowly back to our rooms. I climbed into bed and fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.
I was awakened by James's stupid alarm clock. There was a grunt and a thump as James threw it against the wall. Every morning one of us did that. Then Remus fixed it. We begged him not to but he insisted that we would never get up if we didn't have it. So it would always be fixed.
Remus wasn't at breakfast but we were expecting that. We went to class and were uncharacteristically good all day. I think we worried the teachers a lot.
"Well?" I asked when he showed up in the common room after dinner.
" It worked." Remus had a huge smile on his face.
"Great. Now we know that and maybe next time we can even go out." James handed him his makeup homework.
"Great." He joined our table where we had our work spread out. I was supposed to be working on my transfiguration essay but Peter was having trouble with his defense against the dark arts paper. So I was helping him
"No Peter. It's Expecto Patronum. Not expectum patrono. God, we did this our second year."
"Sorry. I forgot."
"That's obvious." I was very irritated with him. I wanted to get my own homework done before James and I had to leave for practice.
"I'm just not as good as you Sirius."
"I know."
"Hey guys." The girls walked up. I saw my escape.
"Erin! Just who I wanted to see."
"No."
"Oh come on, you haven't even heard what I'm gonna ask you."
"I don't care. The answer's no."
Lily…"
"Oh no. I don't think so."
"What's wrong Sirius?" At least Remus had the decency to ask
"Moony, you're better at Defense against the dark arts. Peter needs some help. I have an essay I need to get done before I go to practice. Please?"
"Oh okay. No prob."
I made a break for it. Sometimes Peter just drove me crazy. He was so thick. And sometimes he just seemed in the way. And I couldn't stop thinking about what the woman had said. About choosing our friends carefully. And why Peter hadn't been asked to sacrifice a year? And in that feeling of betrayal I had felt, I heard a name. Wormtail. I was confused. I would die for James. Remus too. Lily and Erin? In a heartbeat. But Peter? Of course, I would. But then I got to thinking what about him? I knew the others would die for me. James and Remus were my "brothers." Lily was a great and loyal friend. Erin loved me. I loved her back. But what about Peter? Would Wormtail die for the other Marauders? That was the first time I doubted Peter's friendship to us. But it wouldn't be the last.
Chapter 20: The marauder's map
The rest of the year went by quickly. Every full moon we snuck out and stayed with Remus. Most of the time we were out on the school grounds or in Hogsmeade. We soon knew the grounds better than anyone did.
It was James's Idea for the Marauder's map.
"I'm bored." I said one rainy morning. There really was nothing to do. The full moon was two weeks away so there was no reason to plan for that. And anyway if it kept raining like it had been for the past week and it was supposed to for the next three weeks we would be inside anyway. Peter was the only one with work to do. Not even Remus had any makeup work not done. We couldn't explore the castle in broad daylight. Plus we had found all the secret passageways. Hogsmeade was out since it was raining. And it wasn't a weekend anyway. And we were kinda restricted to the castle for a week thanks to our last prank.
"Please don't say that." Remus moaned.
"Why not? I am."
"Because every time you say that, we end up with detention."
"So what? I'd take a detention to sitting around and doing nothing like we've been doing."
"So what do we do?" Peter asked. We all thought.
"How about looking for some more passage way?"
"We found them all, Moony."
"I know but maybe there are some we haven't found."
"Name a place we haven't looked." He couldn't
"See? I told you. We know this place better than anyone."
"I got it!" James yelled. No one paid any attention to us. They had learned that occasional shouts and yells would come from whatever corner we were in.
"What?
" You said it yourself. We know this place better that anyone. Lets make a map of it."
"There are maps of Hogwarts."
"No. A Marauder's map. It'll be secret. Only those who know the password can use it. We show all the passages."
"And all the people and where they are going!" Remus eyes lit up.
"And have it insult anyone who tries to use it without the password!" That was from me.
"This is great. We have to get started." We rushed up and out of the room. We passed Lily and Erin on the way.
"Hey, where are you going?" Erin asked as we almost ran them over
"To the library." I yelled over my shoulder. I saw her mouth drop open and grinned.
In the library we found lots of books on it and we set to work. We drew the castle and grounds. Then we cast a spell so all the people were labeled with little dots that moved when the person moved. We could see where everyone was. This would come in very handy. Then we cast another spell so it would look like a blank piece of paper unless you said the password. The password took a very short time to come up with.
"Well, what should it be?" Remus asked
"The marauders?" Peter suggested
"No, remember we are making this for future troublemakers. It has to be something they could figure out." James leaned back in his chair
"Like what?" I sighed
"I don't know."
"Hello boys." Professor McGonagall came up to us.
"Hello professor."
" Doing you school work?" We looked at the papers and books scattered on the table. The titles were very visible and not the kind of books we would be using for homework. She picked one up a raised an eyebrow.
"You boys aren't planning anything that might make me have to take any points away, are you?"
"Professor McGonagall, I solemnly swear, I am up to no good." I put my hand over my heart. She laughed.
"If I didn't know you boys, I'd think you were joking. Just try and stay out of trouble for the day." Then she left
"That's it."
"What's it?" I asked
"The password. I solemnly swear I am up to no good." Remus looked very proud of himself.
And the phrase to erase the map we agreed on "Mischief managed."
And we signed it Messers Moony, Wormatil, Padfoot, and Prongs
Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief- Makers
Are proud to present
THE MARAUDER'S MAP
We were very proud of our map, but we didn't know if it would work yet. So the next time at lunch we held it out in plain view. We talked in low voices as if it was our latest scheme. Sure enough, Snape walked by and when he saw us planning something he couldn't resist.
"Well, What's this? A new trick?" He grabbed the map. It was blank of course.
"Give it back, Snape." Remus made a grab for it, but Snape held it out of his reach.
"Come and get it, wimp."
"Leave him alone, Snape." I stood up.
"Tell me something Black. What is so important about this paper? Could it be some secret you've been working on?" He grinned " Well, I'm gonna find out." He tapped the paper with his wand. Nothing. " I, Severus Snape, command you to show yourself."
There was a pause, then words began to appear on the page.
Mr. Moony would like to say hello to Severus Snape, and begs him to keep his huge nose out of other people's business.
Snape turned red. More writing appeared.
Mr. Wormtail agrees with Mr. Moony and would like to ask where Severus Snape learned to be such an annoying git.
It was my turn now.
Mr. Padfoot would like to ask why Severus Snape can't do the rest of the world a favor and shut his huge mouth about things he doesn't understand.
James had an evil grin on his face. Snape looked about ready to burst. But we had the last word
Mr. Prongs agrees with Mr. Padfoot and would like to register his amazement that someone like Severus Snape will ever have a life because if he doesn't was his hair soon, no girl will ever touch him, even with a ten foot pole.
Snape sputtered and threw the paper down. He then ran out of the hall, his face beet red. Our faces were soon red too, due to lack of air caused by laughing so hard.
Needless to say, we were very proud. So proud in fact that we set up four hidden volumes of mischief making secrets about all four houses and one for the whole school. We used the same spells as the marauder map. We spent months trying to find out all we could about the houses. We took the passages ways we already knew about and we even found some we didn't. The reason we knew where everything was was because the marauders map showed all passageways. And it updated it's self if a passage got blocked or a new one was built. See we didn't draw the map. It appeared. It was a very advanced spell we found that shows all the rooms and secrets of a building. We also made it so we could talk to each other through our creations. We left a little part of us inside each book and the map of course. We left each book in a hiding place with a clue on how to find the next one. We started in Gryffindor. And we swore never to reveal the locations to anyone except another magical mischief-maker. So I can't write down their locations, even here. But we left a great treasure for future mischief-makers of Hogwarts, though I don't think there will ever be a greater group of pranksters than the marauders.
Chapter 21: The truth
That night we had a small party in our dorm room to celebrate. We invited the girls.
"So are you going to tell us now?"
"Yeah, any reason for the Potter gang to be in the library has to be important."
We showed them the map. And we laughed when they tried to open it. I must admit the insulting charm worked great. They were very mad.
"So that's your big idea? A map that insults people?" Lily was very mad over some things the map had said. I'm not going to repeat them.
"No, Try this." I whispered the password to Erin. She frowned but pick up the map
"I solemnly swear I am up to no good?" Their frowns vanished as a detailed map of Hogwarts spread over the page.
"Wow." Lily gasped. We grinned.
"So that's what you've been working on?"
"Today, yes." We were all silent for awhile. I could see James was dying to tell Lily everything. So was I. It was hard to keep secrets from Erin. It's not that I didn't trust her. I just didn't want her to worry. And there was always the chance we could get caught. If that happened they might get in trouble too for not telling. I didn't know what Remus was thinking. He was watching us with a hard to read expression on his face. Then he sighed and motioned for us to come over. We followed him confused down the stairs.
"Guys, I can see you're dying to tell them." Remus gave us his " You can't fool me" face.
"Well, I'd like too. But I'll never tell them if you don't want to." I said.
"Same for me." James added.
"You two are suffering, I can see it. Tell them."
"What?" We both asked together.
"Tell them. James, you love Lily. And Sirius, you love Erin. Don't deny it. I have eyes." He smiled at our red faces. "You shouldn't keep secrets from the people you love."
"But aren't you worried about what they might say?"
"Lily and Erin? Heck no. I can trust them."
"It's not that I don't trust them. I just don't want them worrying." I said
"And the chance that they might get in trouble if we get caught."
"Really? I have two friends who taught me in life you have to take chances. Otherwise you never have fun." That cracked smiles on our faces. We had told him that in our first year the first time we had pulled a prank. He was worried about the chance we might get caught.
"Okay, Tomorrow we tell them." James looked from face to face. Remus took a deep breath. I met his gaze without fear. Peter looked at the ground and only shrugged
"Agreed." We shook on it.
WE climbed back up the stairs. The girls were waiting for us.
"Lily, Erin. We have something we want to tell you."
"Really? What?" Erin looked up for the book she was reading.
"I, we can't tell you tonight." I said.
"Why not?" Lily sat up.
"We just can't."
"Please, we need you to understand."
"Alright. When then?" Lily got up off the bed.
"Tomorrow night. Meet us in the Three broomsticks."
"Okay." Then the girls left. James flopped down on his bed. Remus went to bed and Peter followed. But James held me back. The other boys pulled their curtains closed and soon we heard Peter snoring.
"Sirius, I need to ask you something."
"What?" We kept our voices down in case Remus was still awake.
"That lady, what she said. Do you think he'll really try to do anything?"
"I don't know, James. What's bugging me is Peter."
"what about him?"
"Well, lots of things."
"Like?"
"Well, why didn't he come? And why didn't they ask him about the year thing and …" The other thing I didn't want to tell him.
"What? What's wrong?"
"I can't, I don't want to tell you."
"why not?"
"When we agreed and she showed us, ya know."
" I wish I didn't."
"That really doesn't give me a good feeling."
"It was your Death! It's not supposed to give you a good feeling."
"You actually saw me die?"
"Yes! Didn't you?"
"Not really. I saw a house and I heard things and I knew what was going on. I felt things. I think it was right after"
"Like what did you hear?"
"A baby crying. Fire crackling. Some one sobbing although I think that was me."
"What did you feel?"
"Umm, sorrow, pain like I was hurt, shock, and betrayal."
"Betrayal."
"Yeah, and I thought a name. I don't know what it has to do with anything. I don't know if he was dead too or what."
"What name?"
" Wormtail."
"Peter?"
"Yeah." We thought.
"I don't know."
"Are we going to tell the girls this?"
"I don't' know. I don't what to tell Peter or Remus. He'll only worry. Plus if we tell him about the year he'll flip."
"I know. I mean, if he knew about what we did, I don't know."
"He'll say ' you've already done so much for me. And the girls would, well I don't know what they would do."
And I just don't want him to know. He doesn't deserve this. It's not fair."
"Tell me about it." The I asked a question he had been avoiding.
"James, you really saw me die?"
"Yes."
"Can you tell me?" He sighed
"No, Sirius. I'm not going to tell you."
"That bad ,huh?" He smiled.
"I just can't stand the thought of you dying."
"Okay, We should probably get some sleep now or we'll sleep through classes and Beaker will kill us."
He laughed and we changed and climbed into bed.
Okay sorry it's so long. I'm trying to get it all out asap. So I'm kinda throwing a lot of parts out at the same time. To answer some of your questions, no we aren't going to find out how Sirius dies. I figured James wouldn't want to tell him. Then if he ever did want to it would be too late. Plus my Sirius can't die. He's immortal. Trust me. I know. I tried to get him out of my head by watching Barney. But he just hid and now I'm having nightmares.( I swear that thing is brainwashing small children. Come on people, a big purple dinosaur that tells you to go up to anyone and give them a hug? " hello Mr. Saddam Hussein. I love you." Please.) Sorry about my little Barney rant. I just spent six hours babysitting a hypnotized four year old and if I hear that song one more time….
Sirius: Relax, just sing the I hate you version.
Me nothing helps.
Sirius: Can I go blow something up then?
Me: Can I quote James? " What you won't do to blow something up."
Disclaimer. ( I hate these!) I own Addi, Mari( who you haven't meet yet.) and Peter jumped off a cliff day.