{Disclaimer: The Harry Potter World was created by J.K. Rowling. I don't own Sirius. I don't own Hermione, Harry, Ron, or Draco. I don't, unfortunately, own Professor Snape, either. I do, however, own Esperenza Lynx (A.K.A. Peri, Pit bull, and Andromeda Josephine McGee), Wyvern, and a rather nice multicolored pair of tie-dyed socks.}
{This entire chapter is flash backs of Peri's life, just to warn you.}
Chapter 11
Memories
**Memory/ All alone in the moonlight/ I can smile at the new day/ I was beautiful then/ I remember a time I knew what happiness was/ Look a new day has begun/ Burnt out ends of smoky days/ The stale, cold smell of morning/ A streetlamp dies/ Another night is over/ Another day is dawning. "Memory" from Cats**
**FLASH**
"Andromeda Josephine McGee, you are not going to this devil school!"
"Mother, it doesn't matter much. It still says that I'm a witch."
"It says that you are spawn of the devil, that's what it damn well says! No one is my household will be conned into that rubbish! We're God fearing people here!"
"It doesn't change who I am."
"Then out with you, beast! I don't want to see your cursed face in this house ever again!"
"Mother?"
"You heard me! Out with you, before I call the coppers on you, spawn of Satan!"
Andy raced up the stairs to her room, throwing a quick change of clothes, her toothbrush, what money she had, and her favorite pocket knife into a small duffle bag. She pulled on an over-sized sweatshirt and rushed outside, slamming the door loudly behind her.
Her brother had caught up with her when she had gotten halfway down the block. "Andy, you can't just leave."
"You want to see try? What does it look like I'm doing?"
"You're eleven."
"So? What difference does it make, Ben? Mom and Dad aren't going to take me back. They've already proclaimed me to be works of the devil," Andy chuckled grimly. "I can survive. Let me go to this Hogwarts place. I can make my own life."
"That's what I'm afraid of."
"I'll come back, Ben. Don't worry about me."
"Do you need a ride anywhere?"
Andy looked down at the envelope that was clenched tightly in her fist. "King's Cross Station. I can walk."
"I have my bike parked right on the corner. Let me take you."
"Fine."
Ben had driven her on his flame colored motorcycle to King's Cross. Andy had wandered through the crowds, wondering what she was going to do. The letter said something about Platform 9 ¾ but she had never heard of such a thing.
"Don't worry about it, dear, just walk right through the barrier between Platforms 9 and 10. Your father and I did the same thing when we were your age. How I miss Hogwarts." A frumpy middle aged woman was speaking quietly to a short, mousy haired boy. "Go ahead, Peter, it will be fine." The boy walked right through the barrier.
Andy gasped. She couldn't believe what she had just seen. Then it occurred to her that the woman had spoken about Hogwarts. That was where she was headed. Right through the barrier she ran. It was like running through thin mud. The other side revealed a train. "The Hogwarts Express," she read quietly to herself, staring wide eyed. She was in the right place.
Someone came up behind her. "Are you Andromeda J. McGee?"
Andy turned toward the young man behind her. "Who wants to know?"
The man took it as a yes. "The Head Master instructed me to tell you that your supplies and robes are already for you in the train. Your grandfather was nice enough to donate supplies for you."
"Oh. Thank you." The train whistle blew, signaling that departure was eminent. Andy boarded the train alone. She found herself in an empty compartment. The trees outside the window sped by like painted streaks of green. A single tear trickled down her cheek.
"Hey you! Get out of our compartment!" a mean looking boy, older than herself screamed at the eleven year old.
"I don't see your name anywhere on it."
"I said get out and when I say get out, you better be leaving as fast as you can."
Andy had enough happen to her in the past day. She was in no mood to move. "What if I don't want to?"
"I don't care if you want to or not, you're leaving!" The boy picked her up by the ragged collar of her sweatshirt and threw her out the door. "That'll teach you, you little punk." His sleeves were pushed back, hairy forearms showing. Andy stood up, brushing off her tattered jeans.
"No."
"You don't learn easily, do you?" He held up his fist in front of her face. "I'll give you a good reason to leave."
She pushed it away like one removing an irksome fly. "That's not a good reason. I could think of better."
"So could I!" the Slytherin hit her hard in the midsection. Andy grunted and somehow kept herself standing. He hit again on the side of her head. "Take that, bitch! I'll teach you to mess with me!"
"You really ought to learn how to teach people better," Andy quickly raised both fists, hitting him with one in the nose and the other in his left eye like a flash of lightning.
The tall Slytherin grimaced. "Come on. This midget isn't worth our time."
Andy watched them walk away and slumped down to the floor. Her temper would eventually get the best of her. It had hurt, but she had survived. She was a survivor after all.
"Are you all right?" a tall raven haired boy asked her cautiously, stepping over to where she sat on the floor. Being the person he was, he had heard the shouting and came to investigate.
"I'm perfectly fine," Andy snapped, obviously in some pain. "Now, go away, unless you want me to take you out as well."
"I was only trying to help," the boy held both his hands out in front of him as if to ward off her wrath.
"I don't need anyone's help. Who are you any ways?"
"I'm Sirius, Sirius Black."
Andy pushed herself off the floor. "Andromeda McGee, you can call me Andy." They shook hands, not knowing it was the first meeting of many.
**FLASH**
"McGee, Andromeda."
Andy approached the stool warily. The worn Sorting Hat was placed on her head. It had obviously seen better days, or maybe better years. "Ah, what have we here? A McGee? How interesting. I haven't seen one of you since your grandfather was here. You are much like him, the same stubbornness, headstrong, intelligent, yes, I know just where to place you. GRYFFINDOR!"
Andy walked up to the Gryffindor table and sat down next to Sirius. He grinned lopsidedly. They had talked a good amount on the train ride. In the end, there were six new Gryffindors: Sirius Black, Lily Evans, Remus Lupin, Andromeda McGee, Peter Pettigrew, and James Potter.
**FLASH**
It was years later, graduation night. James and Sirius had raided the kitchens for a midnight celebration. Butterbeer, éclairs, and other tasty treats were piled in the common room.
"To the best graduation class in all of Hogwarts' history," James raised his mug high. Five others came up to clink it.
"Here, here!" Peter was already quite toasty.
"Except for Snape," Sirius added jovially.
"I stand corrected. For the best graduating class in Hogwarts' history except for Severus Snape," James corrected.
"May we always stick together in whatever the future holds for us," Lily added.
"Where ever we may be, let us always remember each other," Remus put in.
"And never forget the legacy that we leave here tonight," Andy finished.
"To the Marauders!" James lifted up his mug again.
"To the Marauders!" Everyone else shouted.
**FLASH**
The room was well lit by a row of lights strung across the ceiling. Andy stood near a great cauldron, stirring carefully her mixture. She added a pinch of wormwood and watched the color swirl to a brilliant green. A gasp escaped her lips. That was what was supposed to happen! Of all the times that she had tried before, this had never happened. The potion had worked perfectly. She scratched out what she had used on a piece of worn parchment that had seen better times. A simple spell was cast to keep it hidden from the watchful eyes. It was dangerous times and what she had found made it all more dangerous for her.
**FLASH**
The door bell rang persistently. "I'm coming!" shouted a rather perturbed Andy as she tried to put an earring in. She opened the door. Sirius stood on the step, dressed in black leather. He held out a bouquet of flowers to her as she ushered him inside.
"Thanks, Sirius," she grinned mischievously, kissing him deeply. The flowers were forgotten on the front table as the two left the flat on Sirius's motorcycle.
They arrived at the Muggle bar-restaurant. James's car was already parked in front. That meant that he and Lily were definitely here. Remus had probably hitched with them and Peter would show up eventually. Andy and Sirius walked inside hand in hand. The other four Gryffindors were already seated around a large table.
"Oy, what took you so long?" James cracked merrily.
"You know, the usually," Sirius answered slyly, sliding into a seat. Andy sat by his side.
"Right," James nodded. "We already ordered for you all of us."
"Six without for the lot of us?"
"Yep."
The Muggle bar was famous for their fresh roast beef sandwiches, with or without onions. It also had a large selection of (quote, unquote) adult beverages. A waitress brought the order to the table, placing a sandwich in front of each one. "Enjoy!" she perkily told them, winking at the men folk.
Lily scowled back. Andy laughed at her. "Calm down, Lily, she wouldn't take James away from you though as much as he would have enjoyed it…"
James shot her a dark look, though he laughed along with it. Sirius, Peter, and Remus were discussing the current Quidditch statistics. James turned away from his female counterparts to the sports. The girls shook their heads at each other. Men were all alike.
They talked the rest of the night, laughing, drinking, joking around like old times. It was a perfect scene. Everyone was happy. No one was missing. It was just like old times at Hogwarts. The bartended finally had to force them out given the early hour of the morning.
The six Gryffindors staggered outside. Lily, who had managed to keep a level head through the entire ordeal, cast a quick charm to take away the alcoholic influence. "You never learn, do you?"
"No, we don't." Remus answered. "Or at least they don't. Lycanthropy gives me higher tolerance to that kind of stuff. Them on the other hand…" He nodded over to where Sirius, James, and Andy were still chatting merrily. Peter hung off to the side like he always did, hands is pocket, watching.
A police car pulled up into the parking lot and a cop climbed out. "You kids should be leaving. The bar is closed."
"Aw, come on, ossifer, just one more?" Andy's voice cracked, merrily sounding drunker than she was though she was completely sober.
"Andy, shut your trap," Sirius spoke admonishingly.
She looked pleadingly at him with large puppy eyes. "Fine."
"What can we do for you, sir?" Remus asked politely, taking control of the situation.
"Completely nothing," he gestured into the car. Another officer stepped out, grabbing Andy by the shoulders.
"You are under arrest."
"Why?"
"You have plotted with the Dark Lord."
"I did nothing of the sort!"
"It doesn't matter."
They had placed her in handcuffs, walking her to the car. James and Remus held Sirius back. Without them he would have run after her. He would have tried to save her. In his heart, he knew she did nothing, but there was nothing he could do about it. "Andy!" he screamed. She was innocent.
The first police officer pulled a wand out from his belt. He obviously wasn't a Muggle like he seemed. "STUPEFY!"
The remaining Marauders froze, falling to the ground in crumpled heaps. Sirius whispered one word as he fell into the depths of unconsciousness. "Andy…"
{Author's Note: Okay, that clears up a few things. I still don't see why you people aren't reading this. Oh, well. That's your problem. As for the restaurant, it was modeled after a place called Clark's Ale House, which serves fresh carved roast beef sandwiches on toasted onion rolls that taste awesome with a bit of horseradish. I'm salivating now. I'm going to crave one for the next week.
Josie: Is that all you have to say? gasp!
Peace, Love, and Duct Tape, Nataly Ravenlock}
