The Marauders' Years: Year One
Chapter Sixteen

The Beginning of the End


All of the first year Gryffindors looked up expectantly when Remus slid into his seat near the end of dinner. They had already discussed his suddenly disappearing to the library and were now ready to prove or disprove their hypotheses.

"Um, guys?"

When he realized everyone was already paying him the utmost attention, Remus lowered his voice and continues. "We need to talk after dinner."

Sirius frowned at this, having been ready to find out now. "But why not-"

"After dinner." Remus repeated firmly, and then started retrieving a small portion of food to place on his plate.

The other Marauders plus Frank and the girls didn't attempt to make Remus reveal more, he obviously had made up his mind to wait. Though, they couldn't quite figure out why.

-

The Marauders lost the girls by going up to their dormitory. Frank had been talked into keeping them occupied, which they all found slightly odd. They still had no idea why Frank had been snapping at them after Christmas break.

Dismissing all thoughts that would have caused him to sit and think all night, Sirius cornered Remus immediately. "Tellllllll meeeeeeeeeeeeee."

Remus, James, and Peter stared at Sirius oddly when they heard the whining tone in his voice but, nevertheless, Remus began telling them what he knew.

According to Remus, the creature that roamed the halls of the school was a shape shifter. He had checked up on the different kinds of shape shifters, but hadn't been able to pinpoint exactly what kind it was.

"I think we should go to Professor Dumbledore with the information I've found out." Remus stated matter-of-factly.

James and Sirius rolled their eyes in unison at this. They both had high hopes for the end of the year. James was planning on their being the heroes that won the House Cup for Gryffindor, but Sirius's mind was traveling on more diabolical paths that had yet to be revealed

-

Peter's face was morbid as the group snuck past Frank, the girls, and the prefects. Sirius and James had announced in a more-or-less joyful manner that they would be testing Remus's theory tonight.

"Why do I have to come?" He hissed as soon as the portrait was quietly shut.

"You don't have to." Sirius returned in a whisper. "You want to."

Peter remained sullenly quiet for a few minutes after this statement.

"And why, pray tell, are we not going to the headmaster?" Remus questioned in an agitated whisper as the group made their way down the grand staircase.

"That would take away all of the adventure, we wouldn't want it to be too easy."

This remark earned James a dubious glare from Remus.

The four boys shuffled along for a while in a slightly animus silence due to conflicts of opinion. But they all still continued on, each of them wished to win a few house points to make up for their year of fun.

-

"Maybe it left?" Peter suggested with a tinge of hopefulness in his voice.

"Maybe it heard us coming, but couldn't see us, and it left." Remus didn't sound very hopeful for this outcome though.

"Maybe we should have brought bait?" Sirius mused. "Maybe it eats Slytherins...?"

"And maybe it eats peanut butter sandwiches." Remus countered in annoyance.

Sirius simply shrugged, unfazed.

"Today is April thirtieth." Peter commented thoughtfully.

James managed to turn his head enough to give Peter a quizzical look. "...So?"

"It just feels like it should be more like Friday the thirteenth." Peter replied sorrowfully.

"Shhh!" Remus hissed, putting an end to the banter.

They all stood as quietly as they could, none quite sure what hallway that had wandered into whilst they talked. The sounds of slow echoing footsteps rewarded their diligent listening.

"Who?" Remus whispered in a worried tone. He trusted James and Sirius to be able to identify most of the teachers by the sound of their footsteps. Many midnight raids of the kitchens were the reason for this uncanny ability.

"Dunno." Sirius finally replied.

The four boys stood silently as the footsteps approached, always slow, always echoing. It was a rather frightening combination when you were unsure of your whereabouts and shadows rose up all about you.

The footsteps slowed, then stopped. The four held their breath as they waited to discover what would happen next. The footsteps did not continue, but instead they heard the soft footfalls of some sort of animal.

"Wands out." James instructed as he quickly pulled the invisibility cloak from them.

"Ready." Came three replies, though they varied in degree at sounding particularly confident in their statement.

"Expeliarmus!" James yelled, pointing his wand at a shadow that had just detached itself from the surrounding darkness to leap at them.

The creature broke off from its attack mid-leap and disappeared back into the shadows.

"Tarrentangela!" Sirius had turned around so that he was back to back with James in the small circle of torchlight and had managed to predict where the creature would attack from next.

Once again the monster was forced to break off its attack prematurely. The next instant the shadows to their left warped, and the sound of claws became more prominent as the creature walked.

Peter had backed against the wall, his wand held more like a club or a stick than the spell-casting device it was meant to be. Ollivander would have been shamed.

"Reductor!" Remus yelled as the creature, now sporting claws nearly five-inched in lenth, leapt at them from the side. The creature was immediately hurled backwards by the force of the spell, its attack once again stopped.

The four boys cast nervous glances at one another; this was starting to look like an extremely bad idea.

The monster took advantage of their momentary lack of concentration. James's quick reflexes, which might someday earn him a place on the Quidditch team, spared him an untimely demise at the creature's claws, but he didn't manage to avoid being hit at all. The force of the blow knocked him into the wall, where he slid down remaining quite still.

The creature melted back into the shadows, though they were sure it would attack again at any moment. Remus and Sirius cast nervous glances at James, Peter was fumbling through a reviving spell trying to bring him back to consciousness, but so far James made no movements.

"What is that thing?" Sirius asked in disbelief as he listened to the creature pace back and forth, apparently trying to decide who was next. "It almost looked like a werewolf."

Remus started slightly at this assumption, but his mind began churning as remembered words assaulted him.

"You haven't been up against one yet, Remus. What will it turn into for you?"

"A boggart is a creature that can take the form of your worst fear..." Remus answered timidly, he wasn't exactly thrilled with speaking in public. "They're usually found hiding in dark protected areas. Like drawers, closets, and-"

...and the boggart changed quick as lightning into a vicious-looking snake. Alice gave a startled shriek and darted back over to Lily-

"It's a boggart...." Remus said in disbelief.


- Jade-chan