Authors Note: It is popular belief that JK Rowling has said that the
Marauders are in Gryffindor. Not so; prior to writing this chapter, I have
re-read book 3 and skimmed all the others as well as briefly looked over a
few interviews with JK. There is no reference to the house of the
Marauders. I have placed Peter in Hufflepuff - yes, I am aware that one of
the prime qualities of the Hufflepuffs is loyalty, but Peter may have been
more loyal as a child than as an adult. People change; the shorting hat
doesn't make allowances for this. Please enjoy! Even though Peter is now
entering the plot - I'm going to try and exclude him as much as possible -
sorry to everyone who likes Peter *shudders* I cannot imagine what kind of
people like Peter! Dedicated to: MOOSE BECAUSE I LOVE HER LOADS!
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James sat on a bench, absorbing the warmth of the sun in the cool December air. Sirius sat opposite him, brow furrowed in thought; he was puzzling over his potions homework - possibly the only piece of homework he'd done yet that year. Remus was ill and was in the hospital wing.
"Jamie?" Sirius asked lazily, "You going home for Christmas?"
"Yeah, if I didn't, mum would slaughter me."
Sirius grinned, "You're lucky. My parents decided to take off to Wales for the holidays. I'm stuck here with the bitch woman, aka Sarah."
"You could come home with me?" James offered.
"Seriously?" Sirius asked sceptically
"Yeah! My mum would be delighted if you came, she has this obsession with visitors. We'd love to have you, as long as you're prepared to have my mum test loads of new recipes on you. One of her many hobbies."
Their conversation was suddenly interrupted, a small boy ran screaming out of the castle doors and quickly hid behind James' bench.
"Please!" he panted, "Please, hide me!"
"What?" Sirius asked, laughing, "Why?"
"Malfoy_Snape_thier gonna curse me!"
"You hardly need to be frightened of Severus! His curses are pathetic." Sirius laughed even harder.
"Maybe to you." the boy whined, "But I'm the most pathetic at magic of anybody alive, I'll get killed!" "PETTIGREW!" they heard Snape's shrill voice call, "Come out you little weasel."
"Come here now, Peter." Lucius's icy voice drawled, "And we'll be gentle with you."
"Oi! Snape!" Sirius yelled, "Looking for him?" he pointed at Peter.
"Please." begged Pettigrew, "Please don't let him get me!"
Snape looked at Sirius, "Yes, as a matter of fact." he and Malfoy quickly made their way over to the bench, "Never thought, I'd say it, but: Thank you, Sirius."
Sirius grinned wickedly, "Always happy to oblige. What's he done to you then, Severus?"
Snape looked slightly embarrassed, he turned beat red, "Well.nothing. He's just.umm.pathetic.and a umm.bit weak. So we .erm.pick on him?"
"Oh you pick on him do you?" Sirius asked an he exchanged looks with James, "James, I think Severus and Lucius and are bit pathetic don't you?"
"Yes," agreed James, "And certainly a bit weak."
"My thought line exactly, my dear James. So how about, we pick on them?"
Sirius whipped out his wand and pointed it straight at Snape, James pointed his at Lucius. They advanced towards the Slytherins with slow menacing movements, soft smiles curling their lips. They looked like executioners.
"FUBBERGUSTRE!" Sirius shouted and Snape paled, a moment later, slugs were crawling up his legs they were coming from everywhere on the Hogwarts campus. Snape took off running, followed closely by Malfoy. They disappeared into the castle in flash running like the devil.
"Thank you!" Peter shouted and he hugged Sirius.
Sirius grimaced and begun untangling himself from Pettigrew's arms, "Don't mention it. Peter? is it?"
"Yes!" cried the boy happily, "And you're Sirius? And James?" they nodded and he rambled on, "Well, I have to go to class now! But I will see you! Later, guys!"
"I feel good." Sirius remarked as Pettigrew skipped happily off, "We did a good deed, James."
"Remus, would be so proud of us."
"I know, pity he isn't here. Not very healthy is he? He's always sick! Just last month, he missed two days!"
"I know," James said, "Maybe, we should go an visit him or something. I mean, I hate it when I'm sick and I get left alone."
"Let's go. Before Snape and Malfoy get back for some revenge."
They plodded off merrily to the hospital wing, trudging through the mud and slush of England's December. They arrived very muddy, very cheerful and very ready to see Remus.
A bony petite little woman greeted them at the entrance of the hospital wing, "Can I help you, boys?"
"Yes," James said earnestly, "We're here to visit Remus Lupin."
A shocked expression crossed Madame Pomphrey's face, "I'm.I'm sorry boys." she stammered, "But that won't be possible.Remus.is umm.sleeping."
"Oh right." they commented together. James couldn't help feeling a bit disappointed.
"Well," he said to Sirius, "I'll write my mum this evening, I'm sure it will be all right if you come for Christmas. I'm sure your sister will be most cut up that you're leaving her."
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James sat on a bench, absorbing the warmth of the sun in the cool December air. Sirius sat opposite him, brow furrowed in thought; he was puzzling over his potions homework - possibly the only piece of homework he'd done yet that year. Remus was ill and was in the hospital wing.
"Jamie?" Sirius asked lazily, "You going home for Christmas?"
"Yeah, if I didn't, mum would slaughter me."
Sirius grinned, "You're lucky. My parents decided to take off to Wales for the holidays. I'm stuck here with the bitch woman, aka Sarah."
"You could come home with me?" James offered.
"Seriously?" Sirius asked sceptically
"Yeah! My mum would be delighted if you came, she has this obsession with visitors. We'd love to have you, as long as you're prepared to have my mum test loads of new recipes on you. One of her many hobbies."
Their conversation was suddenly interrupted, a small boy ran screaming out of the castle doors and quickly hid behind James' bench.
"Please!" he panted, "Please, hide me!"
"What?" Sirius asked, laughing, "Why?"
"Malfoy_Snape_thier gonna curse me!"
"You hardly need to be frightened of Severus! His curses are pathetic." Sirius laughed even harder.
"Maybe to you." the boy whined, "But I'm the most pathetic at magic of anybody alive, I'll get killed!" "PETTIGREW!" they heard Snape's shrill voice call, "Come out you little weasel."
"Come here now, Peter." Lucius's icy voice drawled, "And we'll be gentle with you."
"Oi! Snape!" Sirius yelled, "Looking for him?" he pointed at Peter.
"Please." begged Pettigrew, "Please don't let him get me!"
Snape looked at Sirius, "Yes, as a matter of fact." he and Malfoy quickly made their way over to the bench, "Never thought, I'd say it, but: Thank you, Sirius."
Sirius grinned wickedly, "Always happy to oblige. What's he done to you then, Severus?"
Snape looked slightly embarrassed, he turned beat red, "Well.nothing. He's just.umm.pathetic.and a umm.bit weak. So we .erm.pick on him?"
"Oh you pick on him do you?" Sirius asked an he exchanged looks with James, "James, I think Severus and Lucius and are bit pathetic don't you?"
"Yes," agreed James, "And certainly a bit weak."
"My thought line exactly, my dear James. So how about, we pick on them?"
Sirius whipped out his wand and pointed it straight at Snape, James pointed his at Lucius. They advanced towards the Slytherins with slow menacing movements, soft smiles curling their lips. They looked like executioners.
"FUBBERGUSTRE!" Sirius shouted and Snape paled, a moment later, slugs were crawling up his legs they were coming from everywhere on the Hogwarts campus. Snape took off running, followed closely by Malfoy. They disappeared into the castle in flash running like the devil.
"Thank you!" Peter shouted and he hugged Sirius.
Sirius grimaced and begun untangling himself from Pettigrew's arms, "Don't mention it. Peter? is it?"
"Yes!" cried the boy happily, "And you're Sirius? And James?" they nodded and he rambled on, "Well, I have to go to class now! But I will see you! Later, guys!"
"I feel good." Sirius remarked as Pettigrew skipped happily off, "We did a good deed, James."
"Remus, would be so proud of us."
"I know, pity he isn't here. Not very healthy is he? He's always sick! Just last month, he missed two days!"
"I know," James said, "Maybe, we should go an visit him or something. I mean, I hate it when I'm sick and I get left alone."
"Let's go. Before Snape and Malfoy get back for some revenge."
They plodded off merrily to the hospital wing, trudging through the mud and slush of England's December. They arrived very muddy, very cheerful and very ready to see Remus.
A bony petite little woman greeted them at the entrance of the hospital wing, "Can I help you, boys?"
"Yes," James said earnestly, "We're here to visit Remus Lupin."
A shocked expression crossed Madame Pomphrey's face, "I'm.I'm sorry boys." she stammered, "But that won't be possible.Remus.is umm.sleeping."
"Oh right." they commented together. James couldn't help feeling a bit disappointed.
"Well," he said to Sirius, "I'll write my mum this evening, I'm sure it will be all right if you come for Christmas. I'm sure your sister will be most cut up that you're leaving her."