Hi again :) Uh, I know that the last chapter mainly featured Peter, but there's going to be much James goodness from now on 'cause he's my favorite. :) And yes, there will be eventual James and Lily romance—as much romance as you can initially get from a girl that really, really hates a guy and would chuck him off a cliff into a river of hungry crocodiles.
This chapter is brought to you by the friendly folks at Zonko's, who are horribly outclassed by Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes and are currently considering slashing their throats—or the Weasleys', whichever comes first. Probably the latter.
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Angry Bullocks: a kick in the stomach with every bite!
The House of Wolves
The next morning, Sunday, was nice and sunny to match Peters' mood. He didn't even feel guilty the night before heading back towards the dormitory to face the Marauders and make up an excuse for being absent Saturday afternoon; he was of a clear conscience and was sure that James would understand—he was the most popular guy in school, wouldn't he want his friend to be too?
Peter awoke Sunday morning and lazed in bed for twenty minutes, allowing the line of sunlight to inch along his sheets as the watchful eye slowly climbed up the sky. Beside him he heard the soft snores of Remus as he snoozed with his honker planted firmly in his pillow in a rare childish moment. Then—a resounding howl as James and Sirius double-teamed and bombed fluffy ammo right on his head.
The pillows hit with a thud and with lightning reflexes Remus snatched them and hurled them back, effectively catching Blotter full in their faces and throwing them back on the floor. James and Sirius roared with laughter and Remus, rubbing sleepily at his eyes, chuckled along and then promptly fell back into his sheets. James and Sirius looked at each other and nodded solemnly. They walked round to the side of Remus' bed and heaved the mattress up.
The boy tumbled ungracefully to the floor in a tangled heap of sheets and Blotter howled with laughter. Remus sighed and poked his head out from under a sheet.
"Something urgent that you fancy I should get up for?" he asked dryly, seeing that the pair was already fully dressed.
"The Quidditch game's right after breakfast," James said severely. "We must motor for some fuel and then take cheap shots at the Slytherin team—we find that they play so much worse when they're paranoid." He made a face, remembering last time he had offered words of wisdom. "Like I really would have rigged Bludgers to explode on impact—that's amateur."
"Completely," Sirius agreed. "Turning the team all into ladies was a much better idea, and it went over quite well with the rest of the school." He and James grinned. James looked at the mass of blankets under which Peter was curled up. James hefted a pillow up and lightly tossed it to where he figured Peter's head was, provoking a grunt. The pillow rolled off and onto the floor. James picked it up again and calmly proceeded to wallop Peter 'round the head.
"Come on, Wormtail. Good times a 'waiting."
Peter got up rubbing blearily at his eyes much like Remus had, and wondered briefly where the two got their energy from. James nodded when he was satisfied that Peter was getting dressed and strode over to the door to wait. The wonderful thing about weekends was that it wasn't necessary to wear the hot robes they donned during the school week, especially on a gorgeous autumn day, one of the last few warm days of the year.
Finally the boys were all ready. They strode down the hallways, and as James passed, several people called out to him, laughing and joking with him. First years looked up in open astonishment that they were really getting so close to the most popular boy in school. James walked confidently. Peter watched admiringly—James never ever tripped or made a fool of himself in front of others—if Peter could somehow be him, just for one day.
They walked into the Great Hall, where many students were already milling around, chattering excitedly about the match that afternoon. Several called to James, asking him what he thought Ravenclaw's chances were. Only one group was not joining in on the banter.
Darby Magar looked up as the Marauders passed, James ignoring him as usual and Remus throwing a cursory look. "Hello, Peter," said Magar, nodding. "We'll see you later?"
Magar's head bowed down as James whirled around. His eyes were wide as he stared at Peter. "How do you know him," he said. It wasn't a question.
Magar's head popped back up. "Is it so offensive that Peter have friends outside your little clique?" he asked pleasantly, and walked away.
James waited until they were all seated at a sparsely occupied end of the Gryffindor table before snapping. "Don't tell me," he said dangerously. "Just don't tell me that you joined their damn cult." His hazel eyes were narrowed like an angry cat.
"It's—it's not a cult," Peter said timidly, shrinking. Was it okay to tell them? He figured it might be—Magar had openly addressed him in front of his friends. Why would he if he didn't want Peter to say?
"I told you," James snapped. "I said that they were a bunch of crackpots. Why'd you go and join them?"
Peter trembled. James had never really been angry with him, and now he knew that he didn't want James to ever be. The boy had a fierce glint in his eyes. "They're…not crackpots," he said. "Darby's really nice; he showed me what they did, it didn't look strange at all—"
"That's just a stupid ruse to rope you in!" James shouted. "Good Lord, Peter, how dense are you? I told you about them, I warned you! They're not the sort of people you should hang around!" Not that the Marauders were the best influences.
"What's so bad about them? They seemed really nice…"
James threw up his hands. "Didn't you hear what I just said?" he said in exasperation. "It's a front. They're just going to swallow you and spit you back out once they've stripped you of everything you're worth." From the angry tone, it was evident that James didn't think that Peter was worth all that much at the moment. He was clearly shocked and angry; an expression of struggling disbelief could be seen, shock that his own trusted friend would go behind his back.
Peter cowered. He practically worshipped James, and the last thing he wanted was for him to be upset with Peter. "How…how do you know?" Peter mumbled. "You're—you're not in the club…"
James paled a bit. "I just know, Peter. I know a lot more about them than you do, and I'm positive that you're getting in way over your head."
"What—you don't think I can handle them?" Peter retorted. James, Sirius and Remus were taken aback—Peter had never raised his voice to his idol.
James looked surprised for only a moment before his face slid back into the aggressive expression it had before. "You're an idiot," he said flatly. "You're a damn fool—I gave you more credit than that, Peter."
Peter said nothing. His momentary bravado faded quickly and left him weak and cowardly.
James was quiet for a moment. Then, "I advise you to get out of it." His voice was soft. "For your own sake. But if you dig yourself in deeper, I'm not pulling you out." He stood up, appetite forgotten, and started out for the door. Sirius shot Peter a swift glare as he went to follow, grabbing a biscuit on his way out. Remus also gave him an unreadable look and got up as well. Peter stared at their retreating backs. Unbeknownst to him, so was a certain redhead. When Peter averted his gaze, Lily Evans got up and left.
Peter mulled around in silent thought, suddenly feeling very alone at his end of the table. He felt the presence before he heard the voice.
"They are afraid, Peter," Magar said softly. "Remember, you are one of the elite. James is not. He is jealous, Peter…"
James stormed out onto the grounds. He had held his tongue well enough in the Great Hall, but had left early as he didn't think he could last another dim-witted remark from Pettigrew before he exploded. But now, with few students yet out on their way to the Quidditch pitch, he was free to yell.
"Just who the hell does he think he is?!" he snapped. "That bloody idiot. Another moment there and I was going to sock him."
Sirius and Remus struggled to keep pace with his furious stride. "Well, James—you didn't really explain yourself," Remus said reasonably.
"What the hell's that supposed to mean?"
"'I just know'? Come on, James. You told Sirius when it happened; you didn't have to tell me, I already figured as much—Peter didn't know—"
"He doesn't have to, Remus!" James raged. "He should have trusted my judgment! I wouldn't have said all that if it weren't true!"
"Peter, well—he doesn't exactly understand things, James…" Remus' tone was apologetic. "Not to his offense, but sometimes he's rather slow on the uptake. He can't know unless you tell him, James. He still has absolutely no idea how you know anything about the Lupi House. He hasn't even suspected."
James' anger subsided. "Yeah…" he mumbled. "That doesn't give him an excuse though."
"Well, it's not too late to get him out."
"Why would you?" demanded a voice from behind them. The trio turned around and came face-to-face with Lily Evans with a scowl vacuum-sealed to her face. "I don't believe you, James Pleiades Potter."
"How'd she find out your middle name?" Sirius said in a loud stage whisper. Lily spared him a withering look and turned back to James.
"I don't see how you could be so jealous just because Peter's gotten into a club that hasn't invited you in," she said scathingly. "You could be happy for him, but no, you're not in it so no one else is allowed to be, is that right?"
"No," James shot back. "I'd be very happy if Snape joined them. And stop eavesdropping. This is none of your business."
"Potter, you're such a lousy git—"
"You have no idea what they do!" James snarled, a sudden fire lighting his eyes. Lily took an involuntary step back as did Sirius and Remus. James rarely got this angry. "You have no idea what the hell they're about! I'm being a good friend by pulling him out, Evans! This isn't about any damn ego trip!"
Lily was quiet a moment. Then, "What do you mean, 'what they're about'?"
James frowned, considering his words, and seemed to dart a glance around the grounds. "They're not exactly poster children for Mental Health week," he said darkly. "They've got this monster superiority complex." Before Lily could wryly interject about James' complex, he continued. "It's this whole campaign for them—they're wacko, Evans. Obsessed with Dark Arts stuff. They call themselves the 'elite'."
"Dark Arts?"
James nodded.
Lily gave him a strange, measuring look. "How do you know all this?" she said slowly.
James looked at her like she was daft. "They did ask me to join," he said cryptically. "Fourth year, two years ago. I refused; they won't stop badgering me." He said it unwillingly, like with every word he believed he was saying too much. "I tried to tell McGonagall. She believed me, but couldn't get proof—and I got Mackled Malaclaw slipped into my food." His face was gloomy.
Lily beetled her eyes. "You got what?"
"Mackled Malaclaw—sort of like lobster, but you don't want to eat it."
The redhead's eyes widened, lined with something akin to horror. "They poisoned you?"
James frowned. "Something like that," he said testily. "They weren't too happy that I'd tried to betray their little secret."
Lily tore her gaze from him to Sirius and Remus. "Did you know about this?" They nodded. Sirius didn't even make a smart crack. "Why not tell Peter?"
"Because he has the attention span of a gnat," Sirius said flatly. "Pretty words win him over too easily."
Lily showed no sign of having heard. Her gaze flickered unsteadily, and it slowly turned back to James, who was hovering apprehensively at Remus' shoulder. "You declined?" she asked, with no hint of emotion. "You refused to be an 'elite'?"
James nodded, unsure of where she was going. Evans gave him another one of her measuring looks like she wasn't sure what to think of him now. James squared his shoulders defensively—he had a pretty good idea of what was running through the girl's head.
So did Sirius, apparently. He managed a lopsided grin. "Don't you go thinking better of James, now," he said sardonically. "No matter what halfway humble thing he does, he's still an egotistical snot." James tossed him a glare, although there was a hint of a smile tugging at his lips. Lily was still watching thoughtfully.
Remus bowed his head. "Sirius, not to get off track, but everyone says that you two are exactly alike. If he's a snot—"
"Why'd you refuse?" Lily asked suddenly. Remus broke off and Blotter stared.
"What?"
"Why'd you refuse? Why didn't you join them?" James shifted uncomfortably. "Didn't they say the same things to you that they did Peter?"
James' voice was hard. "More or less."
"What gave you the impression that they weren't…good?"
"Well, let's see," James said dryly. "Their lair's in a dungeon below the school with giant banners of wolves, students looking lobotomized, and cobwebs in every corner." His face clouded. "Plus, I get the feeling that what's-his-name, Derby—"
"Darby."
"Whatever. I think he was more straightforward with me than Peter, or else he'd be wetting his pants. Kirby—"
"Darby."
"—pretty much told me exactly what they did. And let's just say," James added nastily, "it wasn't pleasant. If a single member does something that upsets the Guild—their stupid set of rules and laws—they get a little taste of Middle Age punishment. It's a cult; the members were all like zombies. I was walking around expecting them to start chanting. Stupidly enough, they did."
James' face cleared. "Now, does that sound like the sort of thing you'd see in the Transfiguration club?" he said pleasantly.
"No," Lily mused. She didn't even pause to consider the fact that she and James Potter were having a civil conversation, albeit one about an evil cult. "How often have you tried to tell somebody?"
"Well, I told Sirius, and Remus figured it out before I got a chance. They tried to help me get proof to McGonagall. They've got the scars to prove it." The last part was added with a scowl. Sirius held up an arm. A thin white scar ran down from the elbow. Remus sported another one on his hand—Lily had never paid much attention, Remus had always had scars. But now…
She looked at him pityingly. "Were all your scars caused by the…cult thing?"
Remus blinked. "Er—yes." James and Sirius exchanged nervous looks.
Lily didn't notice—she was horrified and clapped a hand to her mouth. "I can't believe they'd do something like that," she breathed. "Have you talked to Dumbledore?"
Sirius shrugged, trying to pull her attention away from Remus, who was fidgeting uncomfortably. "No use 'till we get proof."
"But he's intelligent—he could figure a way to help."
"Professor McGonagall will have already told him," Remus said reasonably. "She believed us. Trust me—he's on it, he's even hinted to us. But the groups are covering their tracks; it's going to be hard to find anything incriminating."
"Could you lead him down to the dungeon where you said you were?"
"Tried," James said. He shook his head in frustration. "I was at the exact spot where the door had been. I don't think it opens for anyone who's not a member…" He trailed off. His head snapped up. "Anyone who's not a member," he said, a grin forming.
Remus got it first. "Peter."
He sat in the library, for lack of a better place to go. He didn't want to face James quite yet, not after making him so angry at lunch. Peter's lip trembled. He never liked to make James upset, he admired him more than anybody in the whole world, why couldn't he just see…
So absorbed in his worries, Peter didn't notice Darby Magar sliding easily into the seat next to him. When he did, he jumped, startled, knocking over his ink. Magar waved his wand lazily and the ink mopped itself up. Peter watched in fascination.
"They're going to try to convince you to help them," Magar said as though he was commenting on the weather. "They'll try to get you to lead them to the dungeon. But you won't do that, will you, Peter? Not after we trusted you, invited you into our brotherhood?"
"Of course not."
"Good," smiled Magar. "They will use strong words. Potter is gifted with wiling and manipulating; you will be tempted to follow him again. But he is not your better. You are his."
"Yes," said Peter, entranced.
"Good," the other said again. "In the meantime, I suggest you find a way to get to the meetings. You remember when they are, right?"
"Fridays at midnight," Peter said promptly.
"Yes. Any way you can get there without anyone noticing—I suggest you tell your friends that you are no longer in the club, Peter, so they are not tempted to lay awake and follow you."
Peter nodded, his mind already racing as Magar got up and left. He remembered something. The thought made him tremble in anxiety and fear—what would James say if he found out? He'd be furious, especially if he made the discovery after Peter had already lied to him about emancipating himself from Lupi.
But what were his priorities?
James was one of his best friends; he was rough on the edges, but sturdy, confident and dependable—the person Peter most wanted to be like; most admired. But Lupi was an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. This could shape his future. It could bring him power and status that he had never dreamed of; that he had never thought a lowlife like himself could grab. An elite, a leader. He had always dreamt of being as great as James, dare he think of being greater? Even stronger, even braver?
Loyalty. Greed. Ambition…
Peter made up his mind. Midnight meetings, going undetected? He knew how to do that.
He thought of what was buried at the bottom of James Potter's trunk.
So now we're moving along further into the actual plot of the story. I didn't get to the L/J romance in this chapter, but there will be some in the next, I think.
Anyway, please, please tell me what you think so far! Your comment and criticism make a load of difference.
In the next chapter, Lily has a private conversation with James, and there are some light-hearted moments.
