chapter seventeen

Interlude-
Someone asked me to write what happened when this lot were in Hogwarts, and i'm at a dead end with the whole snape thing at the moment, so this little chapter will be an entire flashback, of little segments in various spaces in time during the seven years when the marauders were ickle people.


*one*


"Uhm.. 'Scuse me? Is this compartment taken?" A ginger haired girl poked her head round the door to a nearly empty compartment with just two occupants, a black haired blue eyed girl who was busy reading a spellbook and a brown haired boy, asleep on the other seats.

"No, please- dump you stuff and pull up a chair. Well... take a seat would be pmore appropriate." The girl smiled, pulling off her glasses. "Who're you?"

"Lily.. Lily Evans."

"Evans... not part of the Lewis Evans dynasty are you?"

"No, no." Lily looked confused, "My parents aren't magical."

"Oh, thats alright then." The girl grinned, "I'm Edea DuCruet, the guy over there is Remus, he doesn't like train journeys, hence the sleeping."

"He looks really ill." Lily agreed. "Has he talked to you at all?"

"yeah, before the train left. I got us some food from the trolley but he's not woken up since."

"Are you sure its okay if i sit in here?"

Edea laughed, "I wouldnt have let you in if i had thought differently. "Nasty people coming in this year, my dad was telling me about some people."

"People to look out for?" Lily asked, trying to get to learn some names for the unfriendly faces she'd met futher up the train.

"This slimy creature called Severus Snape apparently, his family arent nice people, swindlers."

"I'm really looing forward to this." Lily said, pulling a sandwich out of her bag, "My parents were really surprised to find out about this whole magical thing, but i'm not sure my sister..." Lily drifted off into her thoughts.

"Eds, you okay in here?" A voice called out from the doorway.

"Hey Donovan, yeah, i'm fine." Edea waved up to her brother. "These are my friends, Lily and Remus."

"That boy okay?" Donovan looked over at the sleeping Remus, "He looks ill."

"He doesnt like trains."

"Alright." Donovan nodded, "I'll be up in the prefects carriage if you need anything."

"Your brother's cute." Lily grinned when he'd left.

"Too late, he's got a girlfriend, and EW..." Edea spat out a bertie botts bean, "Brie flavour."
****




"BLACK, SIRIUS!" A young boy with mussy long black hair sat on the small stool... "GRYFFINDOR!"

"DUCRUET, EDEA!" Edea sat down on the stool, listening to the Hat's tirade... "GRYFFINDOR!"

"EVANS, LILY!" The ginger haired girl from the train looked apprehensive as she pulled the hat down over her eyes, "GRYFFINDOR!"

"FLETCHER, MUNDUNGUS!" Was sorted into Ravenclaw, as was Susan Flaherty and Germania Harris.

"LUPIN, REMUS!" caught the attention of both Lily and Edea, as he had woken up for the last half of the journey, and had proved a veritable encyclopaedia on magical creatures, even bringing out his small puffskein called Crescent. Lily and Edea both chered as he was sorted into "GRYFFINDOR!"

Malfoy, Lucius was sorted into Slytherin, and Fiona Matthews was Hufflepuff. Then came a boy with thick messy hair that stood up at all angles, they noticed that the Sirius Black boy had crossed his fingers as POTTER, JAMES was called, and greeted to the Gryffindor table.

"PETTIGREW, PETER" Was also a Gryffindor, and stumbled gratefully into his seat, blushing furiously.

Edea pointed out SNAPE, SEVERUS, to Lily, whoa greed, that he was one to avoid if possible.
****


Second year-

Edea slipped out of her bed, pulling her cloak over her nightie. Lily who had already dressed, was standing by the door, waiting for Edea.

"Ready?"

"Of course."

"Lets go."
**
The four marauders were sitting on James' bed, with the exception of Remus, who had had to go home as his grandmother was ill, again.

"Ready?" Sirius hissed at james and Peter, who was quivering in his fluffy slippers.

"Lets kick some er... butt." James grinned, pulling his invisibility cloak over himself. "I'll go out there first, check the place is clear, then i'll tap on the portrait, signalling you to follow."

"Hehehehee." Sirius let out a laugh. "This is gonna rule."
**
"What do we have to do?" Edea asked as Lily examined the picture of a fruitbowl.

"I heard James whisper something about tickling a pear."

"You sure thats not just his about sexual nature?" Edea grinned.

"Eds!" Lily looked scandalised, "Just let me do this."

"Alright, i'm standing on as a spectator." Edea stepped back as Lily reached up and tickled the pear, which giggled as the portrait swung open, revealing the humungous kitchens.

"WOOOOW!" Edea grinned, climbing in after Lily, shutting the portrait behind her. "Food!"

They were delving through the chocolate supplies when they heard shouts of glee from the main kitchens. Lily looked around to see Sirius heading towards their cupboard....

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!" Sirius screeched as he opened the cupboard doors to reveal Edea and lily hiding on an empty shelf. "JAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMES!"
****


Third year-

"Black, what do you get if you switch nightshade with weasel liver?" Professor Snidget, their Potions master snapped at Sirius.

"Er... a mess?" Sirius replied,

"Five points from Gryffindor for your humour, Black, Potter, i told you two to stop talking!"

"Professor," Snape drawled, "You'd get an illusion paste with nightshade, but with weasel liver it becomes dream solution."

"Correct Snape." Snidge smiled, "You may take five points for Slytherin."

James rolled his eyes, and started scribbling on a piece of parchment to Sirius- "Sirius, did Remus disappear again? You see, i've thought of something odd, he's always gone at a full moon, isnt that a bit weird? You saw how fidgety he was when Professor Lawla was teaching us about werewolves in DADA.... What thinks you?"

Sirius read the note and raised his eyebrows, "You think that Remus is a werewolf?"

Lily, who was sitting on the other side of James, glanced over and gasped as she read the note. James quickly scrumpled it up, but not before Lily had readthe entirity. When the bell rang, James and Sirius had disappeared, and neither Lily nor Edea could see where they'd gone.

"A werewolf?" Edea looked confused, "He's not got the nature, they're supposed to be ferocious, evil things, but it explains why he'd have to leave every full moon. Lily, you sure that's right?"
**
"Remus!" Sirius caught up with his friend as he was leaving the common room to goto the dorms, "Rem, James peter and i... we want to talk to you about something.."

"Oh?" Remus turned round, smiling slightly, "I'm not getting involved with another escapade into the Slytherin commonroom after last time."

Sirius looked serious, "No, its... about somthing else.

The common room was deserted except for the marauders, Lily and Edea were hiding behind a sofa.

"Rem, where do you really go every month?" James asked his friend as they sat down infront of te fires.

"My grandma, shes not well..." Remus said quietly, not looking directly at them. "I dont have a choice."

"Every full moon?" Sirius asked, "IS it some sort of moon related illness?"

"Kind of." Remus mumbled.

"Remus," JAmes said to his friend, "Are you... do you... are you a werewolf?"

Remus turned to look at his friends, after what seemed like an eternity, Remus slowly nodded. "I was worried..."

Sirius cut in.. "That is SOOO cool!"

Peter, who hadn't said anything for the entire duration, nodded in agreement.

Remus hardly dared to believe it, he smiled as James grinned at him. "The beginning of a lot of fun..." James leaned back, "So where DO you go?"

"You know the willow?" Remus said quietly looking round.

"Yes."

"Its a secret passage, to the shrieking shack." Remus said quickly, still afraid someone else would hear. "Thats where Madam Pomfrey takes me, its where i transform..."

"Amazing." Sirius whispered to himself, "A werewolf... a real werewolf... i would have never guessed, you're just..."

"Not the type?" Remus offered. "look, can i ask you something?"

"Sure" James sat up, listening.

"Can you not tell anybody please... its its..not something many people like."

Sirius heard a small gasp from behind the sofa and turned over looking over the edge... "LILY!" He froze... "EDEA!"

Remus looked like his world had just ended as Lily and Edea stood up and walked out sheepishly from behind the sofa, "Hey." he mumbled, looking at the fire. He wasn't prepared for the huge hug he received from both girls who were mumbling stuff into his ear.

Sirius looked scandalised, as did James. "Hey!" He called out... "At the weekends im an octopus?"

"Ew." Lily looked at him. "Thanks for that."

"Failed." James muttered. "Octopus isnt as good as werewolf."
****


Fourth year-

"So.. who DO you fancy then?" Sirius asked James as they walked towards their Charms class.

"You'll laugh." James grinned, poking his friend in the ribs, "And then you'll announce it to the world."

"Oooh, so there is someone." Sirius let out a laugh, "Tell me"

"No." James shook his head.

"I'll hazard a guess." Sirius looked thoughtful as they streamed into the classroom, taking their seats, "It'll be a gryffindor, not necessarily our year, but by your standards not below...."

"Sirius." Remus rolled his eyes, "It could be anybody."

"You know!" Sirius said, mock aghast, "He told you, but not me!" He pulled out his quill. "Alright, we'll start with our class, there are only five of them. Anna?"

James didnt move or say anything,

"Edea?"

Again nothing

"Simeone?"

"No movement, but Remus looked away at this point, distracted by Anna on the row below, who was charming her quill to squirt ink at the Slytherins.

"Laura."

Nothing.

"Lily." Sirius said, watching James closely as a slight blush crept up on his face. "AAAAA!" Sirus whooped in delight, "Lily Evans!"

At this point, Lily who heard her name turned round, and looked up at Sirius, "What?"

"Nothing." James said quickly, "He was seeing if he could recite the names of the girls in the entire year... who he hasn't taken up to the astronomy tower yet."

Sirius grinned, "Oh James..." He was interrupted by Flitwick writing down a charm on the board. "You're in for it...."
****


Fifth year-

"I er..." James looked down at his shoes, nervously twiddling his wand... "I... would you go out with me?"

Lily, had not been expecting James of all people to ask her that, not with his little fan club always at his heels. "I... i'd love to."

James grinned as he saw Sirius get thrown into the lake by Remus and Edea. Then he turned back to Lily, "I have something special for you.. meet me by the one eyed witch at midnight tonight."

Lily didnt have time to ask why as James had joined Remus in throwing Edea in the lake also. She crept up behind James who was laughing at Edea and Sirius' misfortune, and shoved him, he fell into the water beside Sirius, who was now choking with laughter.

"Nice one." Sirius gave her the thumbs up.
**
"James? is that you?" Lily looked round, seeing nobody, she almost screamed as james head appeared from nowhere. "How?"

"invisibility cloak... Dissendium." The one eyes witch moved aside. James motioned for Lily to go into the passage, "I'll be right behind you, just keep on walking...."

"Where are we going?"

"Hogsmeade."

"Whats that in your hand?"

"Map, me and the others have just created." James handed it to her, watching with a satisfied smirk as she watched the little people wander round... "Oh my god, WHAT is Sirius doing in our girls dormitory?... And Edea... oooooh my god."

"No look, they're on separate floors, Sirius is directly below on floor two."

"How can you tell?"

"His dot is a different colour, the levels are colour coded to fit on a 2D piece of paper."

"Oh."

"Clever aren't I?"

"yes, James Potter, you are definitely clever."
****



Sixth year-

"How bad was it?" Edea asked as Sirius and James came out of Dumbledore's office.

"Not so bad." Sirius wrapped his arm round her shoulder, "detention for the next week, letter home to parents, probably a howler in the next mail.. but they're funny."

"You know." Lily said, "I dont think it was very fair what you did to Snape, even if he is an ugly slimy git."

"How so?" James asked, kissing her ear, "I thought it was perfectly fair, he called you mudblood, we retaliated."

"The teachers couldnt see it, only the students. it would have been funnier had they seen it." Sirius mumbled. "However, it was a job well done."

"Only you, Sirius, only you."
**

"Okay, Remus we need a diversion, you dont think you could flood the great hall and add a few grindylows do you?" Sirius pulled out a sheet of parchment, covered in his scribblings.

"I thought you were a prefect?"

"I am." Sirius said grinning

"So where's this responsible nature all prefects are supposed to have?" Remus questioned, laughing.

"I dunno, it went on an extended holiday." Sirius shrugged, catching up with James who had just come out of Divination. "Oi, reindeer guy."

James laughed. "Oi, poodle. Its a Stag, not a reindeer."

"Wait til christmas." Remus said with the air of someone who was hiding something.

James grinned, "Indeed. So, Paddy, can we shear your fur and give you little ringlet ears and bobbled feet?"

"Nuh uh." Sirus reached up protectively to his shoulder length mop of black hair. "It'd ruin what's left of my street cred. Girls wouldn't like it."

"Don't be so sure." Lily grinned along with Remus and James, "It could be the source of amusement for us girls, we could let you in on our hair care evenings."

"You have evenings devoted to your hair?" James asked, disgusted, "What a waste."

"She's joking." Edea raised an eyebrow, "However... now you mention it Lils, it COULD be a new enterprise for us girls. A sirius hair care evening... how intriguing."

"I am leaving... NOW." Sirius said, turning round and running up to the gryffindor portrait.
****


Seventh Year-

"Head boy... i could have guessed." Sirius rolled his eyes, "Did you SEE Snapes face on the train when you told him to move aside, cuz he was sitting in the head prefects compartments?"

"It was... amusing." Remus said, not really paying attention, he was busy watching the trees and fields fly past them outside the train's windows.

"Earth to Remus, do you receive me?" Sirius waved his hand past his face. "Totally lost."

"Check this out." Lily passed Sirius a box that was on the floor, "There a new record me and Edea bought when we went shopping."

"Whats this?" Sirius asked excitedly opening the box. "You remembered by birthday!"

"Its a record player. A muggle thing. Look, you put the disc on the turntable like this, take the neddle and palce it in the grooves nearest the edge, turn the handle on the side and let it play." Lily showed, giving Sirius instructions.

"Whats the song like?"

"Like i said, its a new single out last week, its called Bohemian Rhapsody, by Queen."

"The muggle queen sings?"

Edea snorted, "No, its a group of four guys, Sirius this is 1977, the queen isnt gonna be singing is she? Not with all the punks and people running round."

"You seem to know alot about this whole Muggle thing." Sirius exclaimed.

"Spent the summer with Lily," Edea shrugged, "Twas fun learning the stuff."

By the end of the train journey Sirius had belted out the entire chorus and was proceeding to make up a little dance routine to match, much to the amusement of James and Remus.
**

"In hindsight..." James grinned, standing up on the podium to address the school on the last day of term. "I have only one regret. That is that i can't stay, i have to move on apparently, or that is what i am told. In the event that i forget this very important fact, and you see me on the hogwarts express next september, could you possibly do me the favour of telling me before the train leaves the station that i'm no longer part of the student body of this school."

He stopped to let the laughter die down. "I must admit that the past seven years has been the best of times and the worst of times, there are moregood and bad times to follow, of this i am certain. But as a word of advice to all of you, that i can actually be sane at times and a responsible member of the Hogswarts community, unlikely to some of you as that may seem... as a word of advice- in the bad times, try to remember the good, your first day, your first quidditch game, first look at your commonroom, remember that things can always get worse, and you are all the luckiest witches and wizarding students in the world to have attended the best school in the world. As far as i know, times are descending into a madness, a magical civil war is upon us, and i want it known, if i dont live to see you all when you're older and wiser (hopefully) i want it known that this place, Hogwarts school was the epitome of happines for me, and that for those wishing to remember me, when i'm old and decrepid, come here, come to see the place that i came willingly to every september, and left with a heavy heart every July."

He sat own, grinning at the shocked faces of Remus Sirius Edea and Peter, who were sitting in the prefects front row. He'd spent ages on that speech, trying to get it right, he was surprised at his own writings as they were. Yes, it was true indeed, the Marauders had grown up, but would always be Marauders.


TBC

a/n okay thats the episode long flashback, now we'll go back to where i left off before.