The Fifth Marauder:

Chapter Four

by

Tim Cline



(A/N: Ok, folks, i just read a essay on self-insertion fics and mary sue- ism so I'm going to be very careful from this point on. So in that spirit, i present to you, a completely "Tim-less" chapter! )



"Well, that was...interesting." Said Peter as he and his fellow marauder walked back to the Gryffindor common room from the library. "Wormtail, that is quite possibly the biggest understatement of the last century." Said Remus, with a rather pensive look on his face. "I have a feeling that the four of us could have handled that a lot better than we did." Said James with a slight frown. "How so?" Asked Sirius. "I think we did pretty good, considering the circumstances." "Maybe so, but I still think that he could have used more verbal reinforcement of the fact that we still support him." Said Remus, still looking rather pensive. "I mean, he basically poured out his heart and soul to us." "Admitting to us things that he probably had trouble admitting to himself." "I mean, I almost cried listening to him, I can't imagine what it must have been like to say that to people that you consider rather close friends." "Actually..." He said frowning. "...I can, considering that the same emotions that were probably running through his mind were running through mine when I finally admitted my "condition" to the three of you."



To the surprise of everyone, Peter took this opportunity to make his thoughts on the subject known. "Well, I'm sure that in his heart he knows that we support him and like him just as much as we always have." "But we all have experience with those little mocking voices that in Tim's case are probably saying something like: "Do you really think that they meant those things?" "Did you ever really believe that four of the most popular guys at Hogwarts could ever actually like you?" "Why, your nothing but a weak, pathetic little cripple who would love to have the famous marauders as his friends."

"Actually Peter, your pretty close there..." Said an oddly familiar voice behind the four friends. Their faces suddenly blanched as they turned around and found Tim Looking up at them with a rather odd grin plastered on his face. ((A/N: Ok, so I lied, he is in it a little bit...)) "Question..." Said Remus. "How long have you been listening to us?"



"Well..." Began Tim. "Soon after you guys left the library a group of Slytherins, lead by a certain mindlessly bigoted git by the name of Lucius Malfoy came in, and since I wasn't in the mood for a battle of wits with a "man" who has the intellectual capacity of a particularly small piece of chalk, I went up to madam Pince's desk, checked out the books that I was going to look at, and got out of there before the twit noticed me." "OK, I have a question now." said Sirius. "Why didn't we hear you following us?" "The only thing you wouldn't have heard..." Said Tim, his grin getting even bigger. "Was me muttering a certain incantation under my breath, which you didn't hear because you were too engrossed in your conversation." With these words, the quartet noticed that Tim's wheelchair was floating several inches off the ground. "And as for your suspicions about what was going through my brain, all I will say is that Remus was right in the respect that I was rather afraid to tell you." "But in the depths of my heart, I knew you four wouldn't run away from me just because I've always doubted myself." Which I thank you for from the bottom of my heart."

"Now, to get to happier matters, Sirius, did you find anything particularly interesting to use in our ongoing war against a certain hook-nosed-greasy-haired-Slytherin-slimeball-who-due-to-his-very-personality-deserves-to-be-pranked-to-within-a-few-inches-of-completely-losing-his-marbles?" "Oh did I ever!" Said Sirius, who, Tim noticed, was carrying an armload of parchment scrolls. "Well, shall we go review these plans for rationality and/or legality?" asked Tim, noting that they had reached the fat lady's portrait. The fat lady was reading a copy reading a copy of "Quiddich Through the Ages" but she looked up when the group approached. "What's the password you five?" She said, grinning happily. "Well Milady, I believe that it's "Vereor Leo" Said James, giving the fat lady one of his winning grins. "They'd better fear us!" She said, opening to allow the group into there common room "Go Gryffindor!" The fat lady shouted as she swung close. "I never knew that she was a quiddich fan." Said Peter, looking as if he was still trying to comprehend the idea. "I'm wondering where she got that book." Said Sirius. "Probably from the library painting in McGonagall's office. Remus said with a grin. At this they all grinned. They had all had ample opportunities to acquaint themselves with that painting. In fact, they had all spent so much time in the old witch's office that they could probably navigate it blindfolded and still not run into anything. Noting that only a few people were in the common room the marauders and there unsung partner in crime commandeered a table for themselves and got to work plotting newer and better ways to drive their Slythrein enemies out of there minds.