Dark rumours abound in the wizarding world; rumours of a power-hungry dark wizard, who is gathering supporters and preparing to launch an attack on all who oppose him. Sirius Black, James Potter, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew are four eager young wizards, unsure as to what to do with their lives now they have completed their education at Hogwarts. This tells the story of Voldemort's rise to power, and what the four friends did in those years that Joanne Rowling has never told us about!

'Auror!'

'Nah.'

'Security for Gringotts?'

'Haven't you got to be a goblin to do that?'

'Yeah? What's your point? It'd be perfect for you, your ugly mug'd fit right in!'

Sirius threw a cushion at James, who grinned cheekily before continuing to flick through the Daily Prophet's employment section.

'Quidditch referee?' Remus suggested, reading the paper over James' shoulder.

'Why be a referee when you could actually be out there playing?' James dismissed this job with some scorn.

'There's a sales assistant job in Quality Quidditch Supplies', Remus remarked, pointing to the advert.

'I doubt it pays well', Sirius yawned, sitting up straight. 'Why don't we pack in the jobhunt? Do something different!'

'Like what?' James asked, throwing the paper down, a spark of adventure in his eyes.

Sirius shrugged. 'How about we travel? Or set up a business? Or if you still want to do conventional jobs, go forHit Wizard or something exciting- all aurors do nowadays is sit in their cubicles and do paperwork!'

'I'm not sure', Remus began doubtfully, 'I need some money, renting that old kip costs more than you'd think. Hit Wizards work for pennies when they start off.'

'I like the idea of Hit Wizard, I must say', James replied thoughtfully, 'Remus, you can crash here and dump that old flat-our garden's big enough for you to stay in when you're a wolf.'

'Really?' Remus brightened up at once, 'won't your parents mind?'

'They've let Sirius stay here all these years', James responded with a grin, 'and he's far more trouble than you are! At least you don't look disreputable!'

'Is this 'Pick on Sirius Day?'' Sirius complained, rolling his eyes, 'just shut up, James-yell at Wormtail to go to the Ministry and get us some application forms.'

'He's not your serv-' Remus began reprovingly-but he got no further.

'WOOOORMTAIL!!!' James bellowed. Within seconds, Peter Pettigrew appeared at the door.

'Go to the Ministry, Wormtail', James ordered, 'ask for information on becoming a Hit Wizard.'

'Yes James', Peter replied meekly, disappearing once more.

'So, just like that?' Remus said, raising an eyebrow, 'just like that, we're becoming Hit Wizards?'

'Why not!' Sirius said cheerfully, 'we've got all the time in the world to choose what to do with our lives. May as well start with something exciting!'

'Being a Hit Wizard is not something to be taken lightly', Alastor Moody growled at his new recruits, 'when I was younger, Hit Wizards didn't exist. An auror did all the work-tracked the vermin down, jinxed 'em to hell, dragged 'em to Azkaban, and testified at the trial. Now, the aurors do the tracking and the spying and the Hit Wizards move in for the kill. There are twenty of you here. I guarantee you that by the time your year's learning is up, at least ten of you will be gone.'

'Gone as in dead, sir?' Sirius piped up cheekily. Moody fixed his beady eyes on Sirius, and limped towards him.

'Black's your name, isn't it?' He said in an accusing tone.

'Yessir', Sirius' heart sank. He could tell where this was heading. Why hadn't he kept his mouth shut?'

'I arrested a Black five years ago, for torturing one of his servants', Moody's eyes narrowed, 'your family are on the blacklist. I'm assuming you're the black sheep of the Black family, if you want to be part of the law enforcement?'

Sirius nodded slowly. Moody's mouth twisted into something that was either a smile or a grimace. 'You can't be all bad then', he grumbled, his expression softening, 'but I won't take any cheek from you. Or anyone else here for that matter!'

He limped back to his podium and faced them all once more. 'I could probably weed out the failures here and now', he declared, 'but I'll let you see your incapability for yourselves. You're all becoming Hit Wizards at a time when our world is seriously threatened. There's a storm brewing, and you'll probably be qualified just in time to be out in the front line.'

James, Sirius, Remus and Peter exchanged a glance. The trouble with this Moody was that it was difficult to tell whether he was serious, or exaggerating.

'Tomorrow', Moody continued, 'we shall embark on the Hit Wizard training course. I'll want to assess your Transfiguration and Charms skills. See just how much you can do with your wand. We'll do some physical training aswell-sprints, assault courses, duelling, climbing...ah, the list goes on and on', he concluded with a slightly sadistic air, 'if I've frightened you out of it already, don't put your name down on the enrollment sheet. Dismissed.' And having waved his wand at a blank sheet of parchment on the wall so that it said 'Hit Wizards Sing Up Here!', he hobbled out of the room, muttering to himself.

'Sirius Black!'

Sirius turned around to see who had called him. 'Frank!' He cried, delighted to see Frank Longbottom, who had been two years ahead of them in Hogwarts, standing behind him, 'are you becoming a Hit Wizard too?'

'I think I'll go for Auror instead', Frank replied cheerfully, 'that's what Alice wants to do, and I wasn't quite sure which to choose, but I think I'd rather do the spying and that sort of thing.'

'We'll be working together in the future, then', James answered, 'aurors and Hit Wizards work as a team, y'know! How is Alice anyway?'

Frank turned a deep crimson. He beckoned to Sirius and James to come closer, and whispered 'I've asked her to marry me-and she said yes!'

'That's fantastic!' James cried, clapping Frank on the back, while Sirius pumped his hand happily, 'when's the big day?'

'Oh, well, we haven't set a date yet-we're a bit too young to marry just yet, we thought, but we wanted to get engaged', Frank replied bashfully, going even more scarlet than he already was.

'That's great news, Frank, congratulations!' Remus had overheard the last part of the conversation and joined in the congratulating.

'Thanks Remus', Frank was beaming now, 'well, I'd best be off-tell Alice we'll be working together! Cheerio!'

'Aaaah, young love', Sirius sighed exaggeratedly, with a grin, 'speaking of which, how's Lily getting on, Prongs?'

'She's fine. Called me an arrogant git when we met up last week, then stormed off. She's desperately in love with me, I can tell.'

Remus tut-tutted, but Sirius gave James a high-five. 'C'mon, let's sign up!'Sirius hurried over to join the queue of people signing up. James and Remus fell into line behind him, but Peter, who had remained silent throughout, hung back.

'What's the matter Peter?' Sirius asked impatiently, 'are you chickenining out already?'

Peter shot Sirius a nasty look. 'I-I d-don't think I'll be good enough t-to pass Moody's tests', he stammered, glancing pleadingly at James.

'He's probably right', Remus murmured to Sirius, who supressed a laugh.

'So what are you going to do then, Peter?' James asked questioningly.

'I-I'll p-probably t-try and get a j-job in a shop, for the m-moment at least', Peter said with a sigh, 'i-it'd be better than putting myself through this torture. I'm going to h-head off, and c-contact Quality Quidditch Supplies, see if the sales assistant post is still open.'

'Right then', James replied briskly, 'send me an owl, Peter, to let me know when the four Marauders can meet up again. 'Til then, we'll be three.'

Peter nodded unhappily, and sloped out of the room. 'Take care Peter!' Remus called after him, before turning to the other two, 'can't you be nice to him for a change? James, you know he wants to be like you, but he just can't, and you keep putting him down!'

James sighed. 'I s'pose. I send him a 'Good Luck' owl later, how's that?' Remus shook his head in despair as James stepped up to the parchment and signed his name.

'I can't wait for this', Sirius said, hopping up and down on the spot in excitement.

'How very juvenile!'

Sirius, James and Remus gave a collective groan, and turned to face Sirius' cousin, Bellatrix. She was tall and skinny, with long dark hair and hooded eyes. She had been three years ahead of them in Hogwarts-Sirius still recalled the feeling of relief when she had finally finished her schooling. She had recently taken a job in the Ministry of Magic as an Apparation examiner, but Sirius had forgotten this until now.

'What d'you want, Bellatrix?' He asked coldly.

'I heard on the grapevine that you lot were down here', she sneered, 'hoping to play at catching baddies, I suppose.'

'Got it in one, Trixie', James replied cheerfully. Bellatrix turned pink in her anger. She stepped forwards, so that she stood only inches away from Sirius.

'I always knew you were the odd one out', she hissed, glaring at him, 'but I don't understand-by joining the Hit Wizards squad, you are going to be betraying your own kin.'

'What part don't you understand, Bellatrix?' Sirius asked through gritted teeth, 'were my feelings about my family not clear enough when I went to stay with James? Or when I got my own place and never came to visit? Or when I publicly denounced and disowned you all when reporters landed on my doorstep to ask me about that incident where your dear sister Narcissa threw the house elf out the window? I would've thought my becoming a Hit Wizard would be just what you'd expect.'

'You disgust me', spat his cousin furiously, 'anyway, I didn't come here for a chat. Your mother told me she wants to see you this Saturday for lunch. All the family will be together.'

'Are you deaf, or just completely stupid!' Sirius cried in disbelief, 'I never want to see any of you ever again, least of all that horrible old hag!'

Bellatrix slapped him across the face. James' hand shot to his wand, but Remus restrained him.

'Deny it all you want', Bellatrix said angrily, 'you're a Black, and always will be, by blood. Your family want to speak to you. Your mother has a proposal for you. Be there, Sirius. We're offering you a chance here. Don't turn it down.'

And with that, she stormed out of the room, leaving everyone present open- mouthed.

'What's she on about, offering you a chance?' James asked curiously, 'I reckon you should go, just to see what they're plotting now.'

Sirius grunted. His good mood had completely faded and all he wanted to do now was go back to his own house and think. Remus understood this at once, and nudging James, clapped Sirius on the back, said 'we'll see you tomorrow Padfoot, all right?' and left the room quickly.

Sirius nodded, and ignoring the curious glances of the other would-be Hit Wizards, stuck his hands in his pockets and began to wander towards the main hall, and the Floo Network fireplaces.

Back in his dingy little house, Sirius sat in his dark living room for several hours without moving. The only times he stayed in this house were when he needed to think, or when James was away playing quidditch-the rest of his time was split between Remus' flat and James' parents' house. Thinking was not often a favourite pastime of Sirius Black's. He despised his family, and what they had tried to make him. They had battered his confidence and self-esteem relentlessly for years. They had excluded him, bullied him, ridiculed him and shouted at him, until he finally ran away. Now, they wanted to talk to him. Why? He had long since abandoned all contact with them-even Regulus, his brother, whom he had written to once or twice, in the hopes of encouraging him to escape too. But Regulus, just like the rest of the Blacks, had descended into their world of dark magic and shady dealings. Why did they want to see Sirius now? He could think of no reason. Unfortunately, his curiosity was now aroused

After a long time, Sirius switched on the light and picked up the Daily Prophet. The headline was similar to what had covered most of the papers for weeks now: 'SIX WIZARDS AND THREE WITCHES DISAPPEAR WITHOUT A TRACE.' He wondered where they were all going. Every time one disappeared, they took all their clothes and personal items with them, so they clearly weren't being abducted or murdered. Sirius didn't even bother to read the article. Glancing at the clock, he saw that it was past midnight. In two days, he was expected at his mother's house for lunch. He would be there, if only to tell her one last time what he thought of her.

Too lazy to get up from his over-stuffed armchair, Sirius slumped back and fell into an uneasy sleep, full of dreams where his friends shunned him for being a Black, and James disappeared, never to be seen again.