Halloween was coming up, and the Marauders were in the library doing research on animagi. Well, actually, they did the REAL research at night when they snuck into the restricted section to find books about animagi. Currently, they were deciphering the strange words that they copied down in order for them to understand it better.
"Ok, so it says here that you become the animal that lives within your soul. The animal that you become will most likely match your personality as well as your way of life. Hmm… that's funny.. a werewolf doesn't match Remus' way of life." said Sirius as he was reading.
Remus chuckled. "Well, I didn't choose to be a werewolf, did I?"
"Well, it says here that we don't get to choose either. Remus… I think if you weren't already a werewolf, you'd be something peaceful and reasonable like an owl or something."
"Or a duck?" piped in Peter.
"A duck?!?! Peter are you nuts? Why would Remus be a duck?"
"Because ducks are calm and cool, but they are also pretty tough. I got attacked by a flock of em once. Wasn't one of my best days."
"Hmm… a duck huh? I still don't believe it. Ducks look like complete wusses."
"Oh, no, Siri my boy… ducks are tough cookies to deal with." said James. "Ducks fly together, that's why. You mess with one, you mess with the whole flock."
"Ducks fly together?" said Sirius still with a bewildered look on his face. "Sounds like something coming out of a moo… a moovvv.. a whatever those muggles watch on the big screens."
"A movie?" said Remus while snickering.
"Yes, that's right. A movie."
Remus was now in thought. "Hmm.. so if ducks fly together.. .does that mean we're kinda like ducks??"
The other three looked at him stupidly.
"I mean… you mess with one of us, you mess with all of us, right?"
"I see what you mean Remus." said James. "So that means that we are the Marauding… the Marauding…"
"The Marauding ducks??!?!?!" finished Peter.
The boys looked at each other with confused and amused looks on their faces.
"NAH!!!!!!!!" they chorused and they went back to work on their animagi research.
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Lily and her friends decided to go for a stroll on the outside grounds of Hogwarts. Everyone had been so busy with homework lately that they rarely had these occasions where they could just hang out. Jade decided that they should go over to the Lion's Heart… the place where all the Gryffindor first years (well they were first years before, anyway) decided to name it when they hung out. As the girls sat down, they joked around and laughed and even managed to find the carved versions of their names on the tree.
"Ha.. I remember this day… it was when Lily declared her undying love for……"
"Don't even say sister.." warned Lily. Jade then knew it was about time to stop talking about that.
"I say… those boys… we haven't seen them around in a while." said Carly. " You don't think they're up to something, do you?"
"We have known the Marauders for about a year now… and I am sure when I say…. yes.. they ARE up to something." said Penny.
Lily scowled. "Well, it better not be anything against us, because they know that we'll just get them back the same way we did before. I think they've learned their lesson."
"I don't…"
"Me neither."
"Yup, I agree with Carly and Penny." said Jade.
"Well… oh I hope they are not plotting anything against us…" said Lily with a worried look.
"Hey, no sweat it… if anything it's probably against Slytherins or something. You know how much James and Sirius despise the Slytherins."
"Well… not ALL Slytherins can be THAT bad." said Lily remembering her time with Snape in the library.
"Oh, I think they are…." spat Jade. "They mind as well spell EVIL right on their very foreheads… those lot."
There was silence for a bit… talking about Slytherins wasn't really a good topic, so Carly broke it and said, "I wonder what it would feel like to be a boy."
Everyone looked at her… "You can't be serious…." said Jade.
"No.. well I'm not serious about it, but I'm just saying…. wouldn't it be cool to like… be in the shoes of a Marauder?? Think of how much fun you'll have and whatnot…"
"But we have fun ourselves!!!"
" I know… but don't you think it'd be exciting?!?! Those four boys probably know as much as about the castle as Dumbledore himself."
"Well, I guess it wouldn't be such a bad thing… " said Jade.
"Yeah.. me neither… but I don't want to be Potter." spat Lily. "It's enough that I can stand being around him… but actually BEING him?!?!" Lily shuddered at this thought while the other girls giggled.
"Aww come on, Lils… you can't even admit that James is actually pretty cool once you get to know him?"
Lily thought about Penny's question. Yes, James was pretty cool indeed. He helped her understand what Dumbledore said last year, and well… he's pretty much the only person that can match up to her in grades… and get on her nerves as well.
"I don't really want to get to know about him, really." was the thing Lily could only manage to come up with.
"Get to know, who, Evans." said a voice from behind them.
The girls jumped back and saw the Marauders walking towards them.
"Fancy meeting you here, Evans."
"Likewise… shouldn't you be out terrorizing some poor innocent soul?"
"Nah, why do that when I could do it right here…." James winked.
"Shut up, Potter."
"Lighten up, Lily" said Sirius smiling. We just wanted to hang out, is all.
"Sure, Sirius. Knowing you, you always have something up your sleeve." said Jade.
"Hmm…" Sirius then looked under his arm, causing everyone to laugh a little because it looked like he was infatuated with his armpits.
"I didn't mean for you to take it literally, Sirius." said Jade in between giggles.
"I know, just trying to lighten up the mood a little." he smiled.
"Well, anyway… I remember hearing words such as 'Marauder' and 'prat' so I assume you were talking about us?" said Remus.
"Yes… but the 'prat' part.. it was just Lily talking about James." said Carly.
"Evans… I'm deeply hurt by such a comment."
"I highly doubt that, Potter."
"Well, I guess it gives me all more the reason to do this."
James then pulled his wand and made Lily's robe turn pink.
"I…… HATE….. PINK…." said Lily as her anger boiled inside her.
"Really? Hmm…." James then turned her hair.. and her eyebrows… you guessed it….
pink.
"James Potter you jerk! Change me back! I'll kill you!!" shouted Lily and began to chase after James who ran away quickly. His look turned from amused to fearful when he saw the look on Lily's face.
"There they go again….." said Peter leaning back on the tree.
"You know she will you know…" said Jade.
"Will what?" asked Peter.
"Kill him. I wouldn't doubt if she actually did."
"Well, that's interesting news." said Sirius. "Anyway, on to another subject… Peter my man, it seems as if your name is not on here?"
"It's not??"
"Nope… so I, Sirius Black, take it as a great duty to present you with the carving stick for you to engrave your name on this here tree."
Peter then put his name on the tree… and copied down the three characters that were after James, Sirius, and Remus's names --- 'MST'
"What is that supposed to mean, anyway?" asked Jade.
"Marauders Stick Together" answered Remus. "It's out little motto this year… which our pal Pete made up one fine afternoon."
"Aww.. it was nothing." said Peter with a little flush. He never had attention to him before and wasn't used to all the praise.
"Hmm.. you know what's interesting? How ironic is for our motto… to be written on a tree with an actual stick. You know… stick… Marauders STICK Together… ah nevermind."
Remus chuckled. "Only you.. Sirius.. .only you."
The others just shook their heads as they saw a very pink Lily with clown shoes chase a very feathery James who actually began to sprout wings
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"This is all your fault you know."
Lily and James were now currently in the hospital wing. Apparently neither of them knew the counter curses to the hexes they were pulling on each other. So Madame Pomfey was tending to James' feathers… or arms.. and was giving Lily a potion that would make her pinkness go away.
"How is it my fault." spat James.
"You started this whole mess."
"Oh yeah."
"Stupid prat."
"Hey, I'm not stupid."
"Yes you are."
"Who was the one that beat you in that Transfiguration exam, huh?"
Lily scowled at this. He was right. James was not stupid at all. In fact, James was always right behind Lily when it came down to studies.
"That's only because Transfiguration happens to be my worst subject, and your best." said Lily.
James just smiled and picked up the Daily Prophet. "At least I don't' look like used bubble gum."
"Well I'm not the one that looks that looks like a stupid duck."
"Ducks are tough.:"
"Huh?"
"Never mind." said James and he began to read the front page of the Daily Prophet and his face began to turn pale. Lily turned to face him for another remark but noticed the pale look on his face and remained silent. 'I wonder what's on that paper' she thought, and she saw another copy and read the front page.
DARK FORCES RISING RAPIDLYA sorcerer that goes by the name of Voldemort has currently been wreaking havoc in the Middle East. It is said that he has killed more than ten wizards, and perhaps doubled the amount of muggles that he has murdered as well. Top Aurors will be called forth to investigate this process. Among these aurors include Harold Potter, the famous auror who singlehandedly warded off five dark wizards in order to save a muggle family's home from being destroyed. Sources tell me he is expected to lead the elite team in finding this Voldemort and getting rid of him. For more in-depth sights.. turn to page 4B.
James threw the paper down and stared into space as Lily looked at him in concern.
"James… are they talking about…"
"My dad… " was he could say and he remained silent the rest of the night.