The Gryffindor common room was a jumble of activity. The tables in
the corner were occupied by students doing homework and cramming for tests,
all complaining about the amount of work they had been given only a week
and a half into the term. Two sixth years were playing wizard chess, a
curious chess game in which the pieces smashed each other when they
eliminated them. About a dozen first and second year girls stood, gossiping
and talking.
Completely ignored by everyone, four first year boys sat in the corner of the common room, whispering and laughing to themselves. On one end sat Remus. His brown chin-length hair shook every time he laughed, though he was laughing least of the four. Next to him was Peter Pettigrew, his small dark eyes constantly darting about the room. On the other end was black-haired Sirius Black, constantly sniggering. Between Peter and Sirius was James Potter. Any observing the four would think James was the leader, for he seemed to be talking the most, and the other boys clearly respected him.
The door to the girls' dormitory burst open, and Lily, Arabella, and Hazel came running down the stairs, laughing gaily. Lily's red curls bounced as she giggled her way down the steps, almost skipping over to the boys. "So, what are you four doing?"
"Aw, go away, Lily!" grumbled Peter.
"And why should she?" rejoined Arabella with a glint in her eye.
"This is boy stuff! No girls allowed!" Sirius said angrily.
"That's mature," said Hazel quietly.
Sirius opened his mouth to respond, and not in a friendly manner. "Hush!" James hissed to them. "Maybe you girls can come back later, WHEN WE'RE DONE," he finished, in response to the three dirty looks he was getting.
"Alright, James Potter. Have it your way," Lily said coolly, only a hint of arrogance in her voice as the three girls left in a huff.
Only after they had left the room, Remus opened his mouth, his grey eyes thoughtful. "That was rather rude. I'm sure they didn't appreciate that."
"Aw, they're just girls! What do they know about this stuff?" asked Peter.
"Much more than you think," replied James, his eyes trailing the door they had gone through.
"Back to business!" exclaimed Sirius. "We have to get this done. Now, if we wanna have a club, we need a name!"
Remus added, "The name should have something to do with what our club is about."
"What IS our club about?" asked Peter.
Sirius smiled. "We should be an assassins' club."
"Nah, too violent," replied James, silencing Sirius's argument with just a look. "Let's be something we really are in our club."
Remus just looked at him. "Well, what are we?"
"Well," thought James aloud, "we're funny, and smart, and good wizards, and," he added, struck with sudden inspiration, "we play jokes on everyone!"
"Yeah! We can be a pranksters' club!" said Sirius with glee. "I like that!"
"Well?" said Remus.
The other boys looked at him. "Well what?"
"Well, what's our name?"
"How about 'The Assassins'?" suggested Sirius. The others just shook their heads.
"What about something with our names? If we put the letters together and pull a word out of it?" James wondered.
"Yeah!" said Peter. I like that."
"Well, what can we spell?" thought Remus.
"A lot of things, probably. We should pick a name that's dangerous- sounding, though." Sirius said.
"We need middle initials too!" someone suggested. James had an F, Sirius a T, Remus a D, and Peter an S.
The boys sat down and brainstormed for over an hour. "What about 'Spinach'? No, no 'H'." "Hmm, 'Puke' works. One letter from each of us." The ideas kept coming, but none were especially appealing, until:
"I've got it! I've got it!" Remus practically shouted. "Marauders! We can spell 'Marauders' with the letters in our name!"
"Marauders?" Peter asked. "What are they?"
"It's people who invade, make all sorts of trouble."
"Ooh, I like it!" laughed Sirius.
"Any disagreements?" asked James. No one spoke. "Then I hereby dub this club 'The Marauders'!"
Completely ignored by everyone, four first year boys sat in the corner of the common room, whispering and laughing to themselves. On one end sat Remus. His brown chin-length hair shook every time he laughed, though he was laughing least of the four. Next to him was Peter Pettigrew, his small dark eyes constantly darting about the room. On the other end was black-haired Sirius Black, constantly sniggering. Between Peter and Sirius was James Potter. Any observing the four would think James was the leader, for he seemed to be talking the most, and the other boys clearly respected him.
The door to the girls' dormitory burst open, and Lily, Arabella, and Hazel came running down the stairs, laughing gaily. Lily's red curls bounced as she giggled her way down the steps, almost skipping over to the boys. "So, what are you four doing?"
"Aw, go away, Lily!" grumbled Peter.
"And why should she?" rejoined Arabella with a glint in her eye.
"This is boy stuff! No girls allowed!" Sirius said angrily.
"That's mature," said Hazel quietly.
Sirius opened his mouth to respond, and not in a friendly manner. "Hush!" James hissed to them. "Maybe you girls can come back later, WHEN WE'RE DONE," he finished, in response to the three dirty looks he was getting.
"Alright, James Potter. Have it your way," Lily said coolly, only a hint of arrogance in her voice as the three girls left in a huff.
Only after they had left the room, Remus opened his mouth, his grey eyes thoughtful. "That was rather rude. I'm sure they didn't appreciate that."
"Aw, they're just girls! What do they know about this stuff?" asked Peter.
"Much more than you think," replied James, his eyes trailing the door they had gone through.
"Back to business!" exclaimed Sirius. "We have to get this done. Now, if we wanna have a club, we need a name!"
Remus added, "The name should have something to do with what our club is about."
"What IS our club about?" asked Peter.
Sirius smiled. "We should be an assassins' club."
"Nah, too violent," replied James, silencing Sirius's argument with just a look. "Let's be something we really are in our club."
Remus just looked at him. "Well, what are we?"
"Well," thought James aloud, "we're funny, and smart, and good wizards, and," he added, struck with sudden inspiration, "we play jokes on everyone!"
"Yeah! We can be a pranksters' club!" said Sirius with glee. "I like that!"
"Well?" said Remus.
The other boys looked at him. "Well what?"
"Well, what's our name?"
"How about 'The Assassins'?" suggested Sirius. The others just shook their heads.
"What about something with our names? If we put the letters together and pull a word out of it?" James wondered.
"Yeah!" said Peter. I like that."
"Well, what can we spell?" thought Remus.
"A lot of things, probably. We should pick a name that's dangerous- sounding, though." Sirius said.
"We need middle initials too!" someone suggested. James had an F, Sirius a T, Remus a D, and Peter an S.
The boys sat down and brainstormed for over an hour. "What about 'Spinach'? No, no 'H'." "Hmm, 'Puke' works. One letter from each of us." The ideas kept coming, but none were especially appealing, until:
"I've got it! I've got it!" Remus practically shouted. "Marauders! We can spell 'Marauders' with the letters in our name!"
"Marauders?" Peter asked. "What are they?"
"It's people who invade, make all sorts of trouble."
"Ooh, I like it!" laughed Sirius.
"Any disagreements?" asked James. No one spoke. "Then I hereby dub this club 'The Marauders'!"