Hi! Another chapter up. This will feature some Lily/James interaction and some ill-mannered jokes at the expense of Snape, who is horribly (and wonderfully) easy to poke fun at. Really, he just gives you so much ammo for creativity… :D
Oh, and Pyro? Good point—you would think that the names of the 'bad guys' would be more sinister, but I purposely made them normal. After all, the 'bad guys' aren't 'bad guys', really; not in the open—after all, it's a secret society; anybody walking around Hogwarts is suspect—a classmate, dorm mate, anybody. Not just those with evil names. :)
This chapter is humbly brought to you by Comic Relief, guaranteed to make you laugh until your sides split and blow raspberries at you as you're carted to the hospital. But no, really, they're great people.
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The Warlocks' Club: Generally, a place where old farts get together and tell glory stories that never really happened.
The House of Wolves
Peter had told them that'd he'd gotten out. He'd said that Magar wasn't too happy. He'd beamed, and then wilted as his friends sagged. They asked him if he was an actual member before he dropped out, and he'd said no—wasn't that what they wanted? They didn't say anything more, but their momentary optimism had deflated—no leading to the passage now.
Still, James and Sirius were hard-pressed to be put down easily. Within an hour they'd come up with a brilliantly clever and brilliantly dangerous idea—well, the cult problem wasn't going to go away, so they might as well fling poo at it. The solution was this—they were going to make the cult members' lives living hell.
While James and Sirius thought it was swell, Remus had his doubts—after all, they had a full prank schedule planned for that year, mostly nasty things to hex Snape with when he wasn't looking. Sirius cheerfully explained that they were going to simply transfer the jobs to new targets and let Snape have a free year and build his ammo back up—he was always so much more interesting was he was prepared, and even more so when he was positively spitting with rage after being foiled again.
Remus had other doubts as well. He was rather good at having doubts; they came naturally to him. This worry was slightly more pressing—after all, the Lupi members were not ones you wanted to moon on the good chance of having your buttocks blown off.
But in the long run, he'd had to go along with it; and didn't really mind all that much. He'd been itching to give Magar a taste of his Pucker Fish Powder—a clever little concoction that was so sour, that for an entire day one would go around with a squinched up, pained expression on their face. Of course, Remus had wisely broken this news to Blotter very carefully, calmly explaining to them that if they ever used the Powder on him, they would never have children.
Needless to say, they had taken the threat very seriously, and had also taken up the wise habit of wearing enforced jock straps, magically rendered to repel most threatening charms. Just in case.
Peter wanted nothing to do with their tricks. James, Sirius and Remus understood—in fact, they encouraged his emancipation from the prank pulling. Frankly, they were afraid that if Peter got involved, he would again be drawn in by Magar's pretty words and disarming smile.
While the three conspired in their corner, their heads bowed low over parchment, Peter sank into a chair on the other side of the room, listening in on a conversation of some seventh-years. His particular chair, while not carnivorous as the one near the Marauders was, had an odd habit of tickling his bum. Peter squirmed uncomfortably and at the same time fought to keep his face straight.
Terry Gallows was immersed in an animated conversation with Largo Ingles on the possibility of Severus Snape being a cross-dresser. While Terry had his doubts and stubbornly maintained that Snape was simply…feminine, Largo was rattling off instances where he'd seen Snape traipsing around in a dress when he thought nobody else was around. Though Terry was highly suspicious, Largo had been known to have actually seen bizarre things—McGonagall reading a dirty romance novel, Professor Parka giving one of the older male students a private lesson in belly dancing; he even saw Peeves the Poltergeist attempting to earnestly woo the Fat Lady.
"I don't know," Terry mused thoughtfully. "Whether he likes getting up as a girl or not, you'd think he'd have the brains to make sure no one's around…"
"You could say the same thing for McGonagall," Largo said, waving a hand around, "she borders on paranoid. But I didn't make up the slut book thing, did I?"
"No," Terry admitted reluctantly. "But Snape—I'm not defending him, mind, I'd be tickled if you got proof—he's got the nerves of a cockroach. A quick look 'round wouldn't satisfy him, and he'd never wear a dress when he wasn't positive that nobody was watching. I mean, why wouldn't he just grab a private bathroom stall, chuff on the dress and jiggle around for a few minutes?"
"'Cause then he'd be in the wrong bathroom," Largo insisted.
The students around him laughed, Peter included, thinking that James and Sirius would love the conversation.
Speaking of the twins, they ambled over with Remus in tow, stowing away their various assorted parchments. Peter caught a quick look at one before it was stuffed into a bag—it had a complicated-looking potions recipe on it.
Blotter sat down on the carpeted floor. Largo grinned down at them from where he sat cross-legged in the chair. "What do you say, boys? Think Snape gets his high from dressing like Professor Parka?"
They didn't miss a beat. "Absolutely," said Sirius. "Without a doubt."
"Personally, I think he goes a bit farther than dressing. I'm positive he shaves his legs," added James. "He and Parka probably share beauty tips."
"Speaking of Parka," said Sirius, with a sudden gleam in his eyes, "didn't she come up to you yesterday?" Remus glared. "She said something about that hula dance you did for a distraction that one time—said you had the talent, but you needed to learn proper technique. Said she'd give you private tutoring, didn't she?" Remus frowned.
"She wouldn't be the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher if she was unprofessional like that," he said defensively.
"I'm not accusing her of being unprofessional or otherwise," Sirius said airily. "Certainly not otherwise. I just asked if she came up."
"Perhaps…"
Sirius and James grinned wickedly. "I think you should take her up on that private tutoring," James said. "Might be interesting. Make sure you get photos. Big, color ones that have her moving around a lot."
"Bouncing, if you can wrangle it," added Sirius.
Remus turned a beet red and another round of laughter rang out through the room. The portrait door opened just then and Lily Evans stepped through with some of her friends. She tossed a cursory look at the group lounging by the fire and turned away—but not before making eye contact with James. Lily looked pointedly at him and then to Peter, and James got it. He gave the slightest of nods and turned to laugh at a joke Largo had made at Snape's expense.
"Maybe we should get him fishnets for Christmas…" came James' voice drifting back to her. Lily forced down a grin and quickly turned it into a typical exasperated expression.
"I hate him," she added for good effect. Her friends looked satisfied.
Later, Lily was waiting outside the portrait door, just around a corner so the Fat Lady couldn't see. She was briskly examining her nails, one of which was chipped nearly halfway off as the result of a Potions class gone wrong. There were still some purple spots on her hand.
James came nonchalantly walking down the hallway, looking for all the world like he was off to tip the first domino of another series of events that would have Severus Snape cut himself shaving. He saw Lily and discreetly began walking toward her. Anyone watching would have expected a large slap to resound within the next five seconds, but no sound came and soon the two weren't there anymore. This would have certainly raised an eyebrow had anyone actually been watching—but Mrs. Norris didn't know how to gossip, so she slunk away.
James ambled down a deserted corridor, hands jammed into his pockets. Lily had her arms crossed with hands tucked in her side. They walked in silence for a while until James finally broke the silence.
"Well, what's this about? I'm assuming that you didn't call me here to say what dashing good looks I've got," said James.
Lily had a ghost of a smile. "I don't lie."
James threw back his head and laughed. That was one of the things Lily never understood about him—he never seemed to mind when jokes were made at his own expense, as long as they were funny.
"No, seriously—why am I here?"
"Have you talked to Peter?" It was abrupt, and James blinked before replying.
"Yeah. It's no good," he shrugged. "It's nice that he got out and all, but it's a shame we can't get him to lead us to their common room now."
Lily was surprised. "He got out? When did he tell you?"
"Last week."
Lily's expression of surprise slowly darkened. "You sure?"
"Yeah…" James caught her look. "Why?"
She hesitated before answering, gauging James as if to anticipate his next words. "I saw him talking to Darby Magar yesterday in the library."
James stiffened. "You're sure it was him?"
"Positive."
James thought for a moment, grasping at straws. "Maybe…maybe Barbie—"
"Darby."
"—maybe he was trying to convince Peter to come back." James' voice was hopeful. Lily stopped for a moment and looked at him pityingly, wondering if he really believed that. Seeing his eyes, she shook her head.
"I've never questioned your attitude, Potter," she said, "but don't make me doubt your intelligence. How can you really say that? They were talking, James, not arguing; they were holding a civilized conversation. Peter didn't even look angry; he was just nodding at everything Magar was saying." Lily stopped to suppress a shudder. "Like a puppet or something."
James sagged. His eyes lost some of the sparkle that they usually always held. Lily found herself growing angry—he was just like all the other popular goons, thinking that every friend would stick by them even when something better came along. Every one of them never even considered the fact that their popularity was the only thing that tethered their friends to them—so naïve and stupid.
Her anger deflated at the lost expression on James' face.
He had trusted Peter with everything, everything about the Marauders. Suppose the little bastard told? Suppose he'd let slip about Remus being a werewolf, about the rest being Animagi?
He felt his face heating up with anger. "You're absolutely positive?" he asked one last time.
Lily was startled from watching the sudden change of mood. "Yes…" Seeing James turn, she grabbed his arm, dropping it quickly when he turned around. "You can't just go barging in on him," she said. "You have to have finesse handling this."
James laughed hollowly. "Finesse? I don't do finesse. You know I don't do finesse."
"Well, you're going to have to learn," Lily said firmly. "It's about time you shoveled some social skills into that hothead of yours. This isn't the sort of thing that can be remedied by immediate confrontation—you have to get proof. Peter might quail if you corner him, but what good's that going to do in the long run?"
"A lot," said James seriously. "Peter knows things you don't, Evans. I won't tell you, but I'll say this: if he lets a word out, several unnamed persons are completely screwed. We trusted him with things, we trusted that son of a—"
"James…"
"I'm not kidding. Why do you think they asked him to join?"
Lily stopped and slowly paled. "I don't want to know."
"Well, I know. They asked me two years ago and I said no; now they're going after my friend." He spat out the last word. "Coincidence, Evans? I don't think so."
Lily took a deep breath. "They're not targeting you," she began placidly. "Why wouldn't they go after Sirius? He's your best friend."
"Which is exactly why they wouldn't try for him—he's loyal. So is Remus. Peter's apparently a different story," he added bitterly.
As Lily looked at him, she wondered what James could have possibly told Peter—the truth about some bloated prank, the secret key element that made it impossible for the boys to ever get caught when they were pulling something off? Something deeper, even? Somehow she didn't think James had confided just any secret in Peter—it had too be something huge, or else he wouldn't be so upset.
She felt a sudden stab of pity for him. For so long she had only seen his friends as admirers, and never as trusted companions. She supposed she should have realized—James spent more time with Sirius, Remus and Peter than with anybody else. They were always people that James could rely on; no matter how invincible he pretended to be, Lily should have realized that he couldn't depend on just himself.
"Well, let's just play this by ear," she said uncomfortably. "Don't tell Peter you know—after all, I guess I could be mistaken; he could really have been fighting Magar, maybe I was just reading it all wrong—"
"You weren't." The statement was flat.
"Even so," Lily sighed, "don't let it get to you—keep your head straight and maybe you'll land the Lupi goons in expulsion."
James suddenly looked at her with bright, appraisingly hazel eyes, as though he was looking into her head and analyzing what he saw. "Why do you suddenly care?" he asked, his voiced tinged with suspicion.
"I don't!" Lily said indignantly. "Just because I'm trying to do the right thing doesn't mean I'm going to turn into any of your giggling floozies anytime soon." Her fiery tone made James grin lopsidedly despite himself.
"'Giggling floozies'?" he repeated, trying out the words. He laughed. "You could say they are—but they're funny to watch. You know what happens when you eat a strawberry in front of them?" He was really laughing now. "The looks on their faces! You say my mind's in the gutter, and their minds have never been out. That's grasping at straws, there!" He was gasping for breath. Lily was amazed at how his moods could change so fast. "Then they try to go for the same effect by eating a banana!"
Lily laughed before she could stop herself, and quite as suddenly as she started, shocked at herself. James didn't notice; he was cackling like Peeves dropping Dungbombs on first-years.
"Er—I'd better go," she said hesitantly. Strange—part of her wanted to stay and laugh some more. James swiped a hand at his eyes and looked at her. "Don't do anything stupid, alright?" she continued.
James sobered a bit but still waved merrily at her as she hastened away.
What a strange boy…Lily wrapped her arms securely around herself once again. She never imagined that she would ever have an actual civilized conversation with the boy she'd tried to hex so many times, much less feel pity for.
She turned a bend and wondered—all right, so she helped out a little bit. And even though the news hadn't been warmly welcomed by James, she felt like she'd helped some. It was a dangerous thing, this society. It needed to be put away. James wasn't the only one at stake—there were countless others who Lily bet would suffer duly if ever they interfered or got in the way of the House of Wolves.
It was a chilling thought. Would they, people that she had seen and passed on her way to classes; that shared her table at lunch and laughed in her classes, really be ruthless as wolves, willing to seriously harm anybody that stumbled into their path? She could see now that James had instantly seen them for what they were—could a popular, spoiled boy really see that but not the weakness in his own friend?
Well, people see what they want to, she guessed. It can come up and bite you in the ass and you wouldn't even feel it if you so chose not to. Even James, whose intelligence potentially rivaled some of the professors' (especially Parka), and who had seen the faults in those he didn't know, but was blind to those that had already wormed their way into his trust.
Lily sighed. She didn't like the way this was going.
Sorry for the short chapter—I threw this one in for the heck of it; didn't really plan it. I just sorta stuck it in there. So, there's Lily/James interaction all right, so that's okay. Yes, there will be some more later on. And there will certainly be drama, occasional light touches of humor and budding romance. Later on, there will be some violence—not guts dripping from gaping wounds; that's gross XD But some slightly disturbing stuff—not bad at first, but it won't be pretty a few chapters from now.
Remus will come into play in the last few chapters, so Remus fans rejoice :)
Oh, and you might be thinking—if James suspected him now of being untrustworthy, how did Peter end up being James' Secret Keeper? That will be explained, trust me. More about Peter's character will be revealed, both the good and ugly.
Next chapter—lots of suspicion, going 'round and 'round.
Please read and review, and let me know what you think!
