A/N: Hilo! Y'all like it so far? Hope so!
Chapter 2
"Well what in the world would you think he meant by that?" growled Hermione in anger. "I think he's just upset. He probably really needs us right now," she sighed.
"Oh, no. Lupin said it'd be best to leave him be for a while," Luna advised. "He wasn't exactly in a good mood when I left..."
Hermione frowned deeply. "Well, fine." She crossed her arms and plopped into a chair near a window in the common room. "If he wants to be by himself, I'm fine with that, but honestly! I still think he'd rather we tried to..."
"He did try to take my head off earlier, Hermione," Ron remembered.
"See! He's upset. We just need to let him deal with it, is all." Luna nodded.
Hermione groaned. "You say that as if it is going to be easy or something!"
"It won't be, but we still can't deny him his personal space..." Luna frowned.
"I don't want personal space," Harry whispered, coming in through the portrait hole to sit among his friends. "I'm fine. I've talked to Lupin. I think I'm done crying now," he was very honest, although he wasn't looking them in the eyes as he said this.
"You sure?" Luna smiled. "Cause I'll happily go away if you need me too!" It was amazing how Luna could seem so upbeat, even if all the happiness seemed to be sucked out of a room. This was one of those occasions.
"No, Luna. That's all right." Harry promised. "But I'll let you know, okay?" he whispered.
"Well, come Hermione! I believe we've got a date with some chocolate frogs and some Potions homework waiting for us in the library," smiled Ron, holding out his arm.
Harry looked puzzled. "Huh?"
Hermione blushed a dark crimson. "It's not a date, really. I promised him I'd help him with his Potions assignment. Do you need help?" Hermione looked anxious.
Harry glanced from Ron to Hermione and back again. Ron looked excited, considering this was Potions homework. Hermione looked embarrassed for some reason. Suddenly, Harry understood why. "No," he shrugged. "I'll just ask Luna or Lupin for help later. You two have fun, okay?" he smiled.
Luna and Harry found themselves under Harry's father's old invisibility cloak, and on their way to see Lupin in his office. He opened the door just as they got there.
"Harry, I've been under that very cloak at least a million times. It doesn't work on me. Come on in," he grinned.
"Hello, Professor." Luna waved.
"What? No Hermione or Ron tonight?" Lupin laughed.
"No. Hermione and Ron are on a date at the library." Luna shrugged.
"A date?" Lupin raised an eyebrow.
"Well..." But Harry could only laugh.
"What did you want to talk about?" asked Lupin.
"I don't know. I just came along with Harry," Luna admitted.
"The Marauders." Harry spat. "I want to toss an idea your way."
"Well, what is it?" Lupin had a curious glint in his eye.
"I want to...well...reform the Marauders. You, Sirius, and my parents were the first, right? Well, what if I started...like...a new generation of Marauders. I've already got a couple people in mind, even." Harry explained.
"Sounds like a brilliant idea!" Remus nearly jumped. He was bursting with pride. "...but just in case anyone asks, you never told me about it, all right? Technically, I'm a teacher again, so, you know..."
"We totally understand." Luna smiled.
Harry stifled a laugh. "All right. We never had this conversation, okay?" he joked.
"Never." Lupin agreed. "You'll have to let me know who gets in, though. Oh, I don't think I've been this excited since James started the Marauders back when I went to school here..." he gasped.
Ron and Hermione didn't return from the library until late that night. Ron boasted a perfect potions paper ("For the first time ever!" he had yelled happily), and Hermione was unnaturally quiet. The two were very confused to find Harry and Luna bending over several sheets of paper when they returned.
"Whatcha doin'?" asked Ron.
Luna scribbled something down on one of the sheets of paper. "Reforming the Marauders." She answered simply.
"What are the..." Hermione began.
"Marauders. It's the group my dad formed when he was at school here. Lupin, Sirius, my parents, and Peter were some of the members." Harry explained.
"That's right!" A sudden realization had hit Hermione like a ton of bricks. "Lupin, Sirius, Peter, and your dad made the Marauders Map, didn't they?"
"Yeah," Harry shrugged.
"So? Explain!" demanded Ron, pointing to the various papers strung about the table. "What is all this?"
"Just some stuff. You can see it by tapping it and saying..." Harry leaned in as if he were about to whisper. "'Marauders for life...'" he whispered.
Ron and Hermione blinked in unison. "Where'd you come up with that?"
"It was something Lupin said to me earlier," Harry sighed. "He had such a look in his eyes..."
"So who's in it?" asked Ron.
"Well, me, you, Hermione and Luna of course, Neville, and Ginny." Harry read from a list.
"Sounds like fun," clapped Hermione.
"We actually need your help, Herm," Harry looked up at her.
Hermione took a step back. "With what?" she asked.
Harry pointed to the various papers around the table. "I need your most brilliant curses...on those pieces of paper. We can't have just anyone reading it, now, can we?"
"Harry! That sounds almost evil!" Luna giggled with delight.
That night, Harry's nightmares strayed away from the subject of Sirius. He was no longer reliving the last summer in his head. This time, it was worse.
He and the rest of the new Marauders were sitting out near the lake on the Hogwarts grounds. Luna was laughing, hard, and Harry was watching her. Odd as it was, Hermione was sitting on Ron's lap. The group was having a rather entertaining discussion.
Then...the sky grew dark. Harry heard a scream. He thought it was his mother's, until he realized what Luna was looking at. Voldemort stood before them. Everywhere around them was engulfed in black. Voldemort laughed, a high, cackling laugh. A green light shot from his wand. Neville was the first to die. Then Ron, followed by his sister, Ginny. Hermione died next, throwing her own curse at Voldemort even as she fell. Luna's wand was raised. She yelled a curse, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her curse missed, and Voldemort threw his own. Luna didn't have a chance against Adavara Kadavara. She fell to her knees. Voldemort glared at Harry. "No!!!" he screamed.
Harry woke up in a cold sweat. He was still in the dormitories, safe inside his large four- poster bed. He sighed deeply, and then began to scan the room. To his right, Ron was kicking in his sleep ("Huge... spiders!"). To his left, Neville was curled into a tight ball, and sleeping soundly. Harry breathed another sigh of relief before finally slipping back into an uncomfortable sleep.
Harry woke with a start again the next morning. Luna was peering down at him. "First Quiddich game of the season, Harry! Against Slytherin! I'm rooting for Gryffindor!"
"If you didn't, not only would you be disappointed, but you'd be a disappointed traitor," Harry smiled. He looked over to find Ron already in his Quiddich Robes. "All right, Ron?" he smiled.
For the match, Professor Lupin decided to sit with Harry and Ron's cheering section in Gryffindor. He smiled. A certain group of four people were sporting not only every piece of Gryffindor merchandise available, but were also using red wand flares to write the words 'Slytherin are Losers'. He didn't need to guess why. He already knew. These kids were the few, the proud...Hogwarts' newest Marauders.
Gryffindor won the match 170 to 30. Professor Lupin was the first of a rather large group of people to offer their congratulations. Harry raised an eyebrow at Lupin, pulling him aside once the crowd had cleared.
"Professor Lupin, sir...I didn't want to tell Dumbledore this until I had talked to you," Harry whispered, "but, you see, I've stopped having nightmares about Sirius now, and..."
"But Harry! That's great news!" Lupin smiled, patting him on the back.
"But Professor..." Harry interrupted him and began to explain his newest nightmare. He told Lupin every detail without interruption. Lupin only nodded occasionally to show that he was indeed paying attention.
"Harry, you know what it sounds like to me?" Lupin smiled.
Harry was aghast. "Well, whatever it is, I certainly didn't find it very funny!"
"No, not like that. I think you like Luna. Really. Think about it for a second." He paused, giving his advice time enough to sink in. "Honestly! I mean, Hermione on Ron's lap...what does that remind you of? I really do think so, Harry. You have been spending a large amount of time with her lately, haven't you?" He waited, and Harry reluctantly nodded. "Maybe Voldemort came up simply because he's always been a source of your problems, and you're worried that something bad might happen to ruin everything...I could see where that would come from..."
"But what if something bad does happen?" Harry whined.
"It won't. Not as long as you're at this school. Besides, I think we humiliated Voldemort enough last year, didn't we? He won't be back for a while. He has to take time off to nurse his enormous ego, you know..."
"Professor Lupin, I don't think you'll ever really know how much you just confused me..." Harry frowned, scratching his head.
"Want to know a secret?" he whispered, and Harry leaned in to hear. "I gave your father the same advice. He was having the same fears about Lily...even back when they supposedly hated each other. It's actually kind of funny, once I think about it. A little bit weird, really..."
"Sure, Professor." Harry nodded, now feeling more confused than ever.
Harry sat in a large red velvet chair in the common room. He was thinking so hard that his brow was furrowed. Did he like Luna as Lupin had suggested? And what the hell really was going on with Ron and Hermione? He was so confused. He didn't know anything anymore. He guessed he liked Luna. She was pretty, smart...a little weird, but definitely smart, and she had even been there when Sirius...His brow furrowed further. Sirius. Luna had believed he was innocent. Luna stood by him with Ron and Hermione when no one else would. And she was really sweet, on top of that....damn, was he confused. He took off his glasses, resting them on the armchair, and began to rub his temples. Lupin was right. For crying out loud! And his father? Well, that wasn't exactly a simple story either...
"Boo!" shrieked Luna, jumping out from behind the chair. Harry nearly jumped three feet in the air. "You think too much. You're going to hurt yourself." She smiled.
"Sorry. What's up, Luna?" asked Harry.
"You want to go for some ice cream? It is a Hogsmeade weekend, you know. And we are sixth years..." Luna sat on his lap and put on her best puppy-dog face. "Come on...you know you want to..."
"Where are Ron and Hermione and the rest of the Marauders?" Harry asked instead of answering right away. Luna stayed where she sat, but he didn't seem to mind.
"Ron and Hermione left already. They said they were going for lunch. Neville and Ginny went to Honeydukes about an hour ago. Didn't you see them leave?"
"No..." Harry frowned.
"So, you want to go for ice cream?" Luna asked again.
"Why not?" Harry smiled, glad for something to distract him from his own tangled thoughts. "It's a date."
Luna laughed. "A date? Honestly, Potter. Wouldn't that put the school in an uproar!"
"So?" Harry smiled, a mischievous look playing in his eyes. "Come on Luna, you know you want to..." he mimicked her.
"Oh all right, Harry!" she smiled, punching him lightly in the shoulder.
Luna and Harry made their way to the ice cream parlor. They sat there for hours. Harry found Luna very easy to talk to. Luna liked to laugh...a lot. Her laugh was nice, though...or at least he had thought so.
"Harry, I'm glad I begged you to come out here. It's nice," Luna commented, taking a sip from her milkshake.
"Don't worry about it Luna. I like you, so I don't mind at all." He admitted.
"Really?" She was taking it literally, as he'd been partly hoping she would.
"Yeah." He nodded.
"Harry...what do you want to do when you get out of Hogwarts?" she whispered, as if his plans for the future were to be a big secret.
"I want to be an Auror." Harry said this almost automatically. "And I want to be the one to get Voldemort..." he smirked, a note of venom in his voice.
"And? Come on! That can't be it!" Luna grinned.
"...I want to have a family. I can't believe I'm saying that. And I want to name my kids after my parents. You know...so I won't forget. So they'll know about their grandma and grandpa, and how brave they were..."
Luna couldn't suppress her grin. She wiped a tear from her eye. "Harry, that's beautiful..." she whispered. She scooted closer to him. "I have the same ideas when it comes to my mom...I don't ever want to forget..." Luna shivered.
Harry leaned in, and kissed her. It was short, but sweet. Luna blinked. Then she blinked again. "Harry..." she began.
"I know." He smiled.
"No, not anything like that. A Daily Prophet reporter just took our picture..." she pulled away, and pointed.
Again, Harry Potter had made the front page.
Chapter 2
"Well what in the world would you think he meant by that?" growled Hermione in anger. "I think he's just upset. He probably really needs us right now," she sighed.
"Oh, no. Lupin said it'd be best to leave him be for a while," Luna advised. "He wasn't exactly in a good mood when I left..."
Hermione frowned deeply. "Well, fine." She crossed her arms and plopped into a chair near a window in the common room. "If he wants to be by himself, I'm fine with that, but honestly! I still think he'd rather we tried to..."
"He did try to take my head off earlier, Hermione," Ron remembered.
"See! He's upset. We just need to let him deal with it, is all." Luna nodded.
Hermione groaned. "You say that as if it is going to be easy or something!"
"It won't be, but we still can't deny him his personal space..." Luna frowned.
"I don't want personal space," Harry whispered, coming in through the portrait hole to sit among his friends. "I'm fine. I've talked to Lupin. I think I'm done crying now," he was very honest, although he wasn't looking them in the eyes as he said this.
"You sure?" Luna smiled. "Cause I'll happily go away if you need me too!" It was amazing how Luna could seem so upbeat, even if all the happiness seemed to be sucked out of a room. This was one of those occasions.
"No, Luna. That's all right." Harry promised. "But I'll let you know, okay?" he whispered.
"Well, come Hermione! I believe we've got a date with some chocolate frogs and some Potions homework waiting for us in the library," smiled Ron, holding out his arm.
Harry looked puzzled. "Huh?"
Hermione blushed a dark crimson. "It's not a date, really. I promised him I'd help him with his Potions assignment. Do you need help?" Hermione looked anxious.
Harry glanced from Ron to Hermione and back again. Ron looked excited, considering this was Potions homework. Hermione looked embarrassed for some reason. Suddenly, Harry understood why. "No," he shrugged. "I'll just ask Luna or Lupin for help later. You two have fun, okay?" he smiled.
Luna and Harry found themselves under Harry's father's old invisibility cloak, and on their way to see Lupin in his office. He opened the door just as they got there.
"Harry, I've been under that very cloak at least a million times. It doesn't work on me. Come on in," he grinned.
"Hello, Professor." Luna waved.
"What? No Hermione or Ron tonight?" Lupin laughed.
"No. Hermione and Ron are on a date at the library." Luna shrugged.
"A date?" Lupin raised an eyebrow.
"Well..." But Harry could only laugh.
"What did you want to talk about?" asked Lupin.
"I don't know. I just came along with Harry," Luna admitted.
"The Marauders." Harry spat. "I want to toss an idea your way."
"Well, what is it?" Lupin had a curious glint in his eye.
"I want to...well...reform the Marauders. You, Sirius, and my parents were the first, right? Well, what if I started...like...a new generation of Marauders. I've already got a couple people in mind, even." Harry explained.
"Sounds like a brilliant idea!" Remus nearly jumped. He was bursting with pride. "...but just in case anyone asks, you never told me about it, all right? Technically, I'm a teacher again, so, you know..."
"We totally understand." Luna smiled.
Harry stifled a laugh. "All right. We never had this conversation, okay?" he joked.
"Never." Lupin agreed. "You'll have to let me know who gets in, though. Oh, I don't think I've been this excited since James started the Marauders back when I went to school here..." he gasped.
Ron and Hermione didn't return from the library until late that night. Ron boasted a perfect potions paper ("For the first time ever!" he had yelled happily), and Hermione was unnaturally quiet. The two were very confused to find Harry and Luna bending over several sheets of paper when they returned.
"Whatcha doin'?" asked Ron.
Luna scribbled something down on one of the sheets of paper. "Reforming the Marauders." She answered simply.
"What are the..." Hermione began.
"Marauders. It's the group my dad formed when he was at school here. Lupin, Sirius, my parents, and Peter were some of the members." Harry explained.
"That's right!" A sudden realization had hit Hermione like a ton of bricks. "Lupin, Sirius, Peter, and your dad made the Marauders Map, didn't they?"
"Yeah," Harry shrugged.
"So? Explain!" demanded Ron, pointing to the various papers strung about the table. "What is all this?"
"Just some stuff. You can see it by tapping it and saying..." Harry leaned in as if he were about to whisper. "'Marauders for life...'" he whispered.
Ron and Hermione blinked in unison. "Where'd you come up with that?"
"It was something Lupin said to me earlier," Harry sighed. "He had such a look in his eyes..."
"So who's in it?" asked Ron.
"Well, me, you, Hermione and Luna of course, Neville, and Ginny." Harry read from a list.
"Sounds like fun," clapped Hermione.
"We actually need your help, Herm," Harry looked up at her.
Hermione took a step back. "With what?" she asked.
Harry pointed to the various papers around the table. "I need your most brilliant curses...on those pieces of paper. We can't have just anyone reading it, now, can we?"
"Harry! That sounds almost evil!" Luna giggled with delight.
That night, Harry's nightmares strayed away from the subject of Sirius. He was no longer reliving the last summer in his head. This time, it was worse.
He and the rest of the new Marauders were sitting out near the lake on the Hogwarts grounds. Luna was laughing, hard, and Harry was watching her. Odd as it was, Hermione was sitting on Ron's lap. The group was having a rather entertaining discussion.
Then...the sky grew dark. Harry heard a scream. He thought it was his mother's, until he realized what Luna was looking at. Voldemort stood before them. Everywhere around them was engulfed in black. Voldemort laughed, a high, cackling laugh. A green light shot from his wand. Neville was the first to die. Then Ron, followed by his sister, Ginny. Hermione died next, throwing her own curse at Voldemort even as she fell. Luna's wand was raised. She yelled a curse, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her curse missed, and Voldemort threw his own. Luna didn't have a chance against Adavara Kadavara. She fell to her knees. Voldemort glared at Harry. "No!!!" he screamed.
Harry woke up in a cold sweat. He was still in the dormitories, safe inside his large four- poster bed. He sighed deeply, and then began to scan the room. To his right, Ron was kicking in his sleep ("Huge... spiders!"). To his left, Neville was curled into a tight ball, and sleeping soundly. Harry breathed another sigh of relief before finally slipping back into an uncomfortable sleep.
Harry woke with a start again the next morning. Luna was peering down at him. "First Quiddich game of the season, Harry! Against Slytherin! I'm rooting for Gryffindor!"
"If you didn't, not only would you be disappointed, but you'd be a disappointed traitor," Harry smiled. He looked over to find Ron already in his Quiddich Robes. "All right, Ron?" he smiled.
For the match, Professor Lupin decided to sit with Harry and Ron's cheering section in Gryffindor. He smiled. A certain group of four people were sporting not only every piece of Gryffindor merchandise available, but were also using red wand flares to write the words 'Slytherin are Losers'. He didn't need to guess why. He already knew. These kids were the few, the proud...Hogwarts' newest Marauders.
Gryffindor won the match 170 to 30. Professor Lupin was the first of a rather large group of people to offer their congratulations. Harry raised an eyebrow at Lupin, pulling him aside once the crowd had cleared.
"Professor Lupin, sir...I didn't want to tell Dumbledore this until I had talked to you," Harry whispered, "but, you see, I've stopped having nightmares about Sirius now, and..."
"But Harry! That's great news!" Lupin smiled, patting him on the back.
"But Professor..." Harry interrupted him and began to explain his newest nightmare. He told Lupin every detail without interruption. Lupin only nodded occasionally to show that he was indeed paying attention.
"Harry, you know what it sounds like to me?" Lupin smiled.
Harry was aghast. "Well, whatever it is, I certainly didn't find it very funny!"
"No, not like that. I think you like Luna. Really. Think about it for a second." He paused, giving his advice time enough to sink in. "Honestly! I mean, Hermione on Ron's lap...what does that remind you of? I really do think so, Harry. You have been spending a large amount of time with her lately, haven't you?" He waited, and Harry reluctantly nodded. "Maybe Voldemort came up simply because he's always been a source of your problems, and you're worried that something bad might happen to ruin everything...I could see where that would come from..."
"But what if something bad does happen?" Harry whined.
"It won't. Not as long as you're at this school. Besides, I think we humiliated Voldemort enough last year, didn't we? He won't be back for a while. He has to take time off to nurse his enormous ego, you know..."
"Professor Lupin, I don't think you'll ever really know how much you just confused me..." Harry frowned, scratching his head.
"Want to know a secret?" he whispered, and Harry leaned in to hear. "I gave your father the same advice. He was having the same fears about Lily...even back when they supposedly hated each other. It's actually kind of funny, once I think about it. A little bit weird, really..."
"Sure, Professor." Harry nodded, now feeling more confused than ever.
Harry sat in a large red velvet chair in the common room. He was thinking so hard that his brow was furrowed. Did he like Luna as Lupin had suggested? And what the hell really was going on with Ron and Hermione? He was so confused. He didn't know anything anymore. He guessed he liked Luna. She was pretty, smart...a little weird, but definitely smart, and she had even been there when Sirius...His brow furrowed further. Sirius. Luna had believed he was innocent. Luna stood by him with Ron and Hermione when no one else would. And she was really sweet, on top of that....damn, was he confused. He took off his glasses, resting them on the armchair, and began to rub his temples. Lupin was right. For crying out loud! And his father? Well, that wasn't exactly a simple story either...
"Boo!" shrieked Luna, jumping out from behind the chair. Harry nearly jumped three feet in the air. "You think too much. You're going to hurt yourself." She smiled.
"Sorry. What's up, Luna?" asked Harry.
"You want to go for some ice cream? It is a Hogsmeade weekend, you know. And we are sixth years..." Luna sat on his lap and put on her best puppy-dog face. "Come on...you know you want to..."
"Where are Ron and Hermione and the rest of the Marauders?" Harry asked instead of answering right away. Luna stayed where she sat, but he didn't seem to mind.
"Ron and Hermione left already. They said they were going for lunch. Neville and Ginny went to Honeydukes about an hour ago. Didn't you see them leave?"
"No..." Harry frowned.
"So, you want to go for ice cream?" Luna asked again.
"Why not?" Harry smiled, glad for something to distract him from his own tangled thoughts. "It's a date."
Luna laughed. "A date? Honestly, Potter. Wouldn't that put the school in an uproar!"
"So?" Harry smiled, a mischievous look playing in his eyes. "Come on Luna, you know you want to..." he mimicked her.
"Oh all right, Harry!" she smiled, punching him lightly in the shoulder.
Luna and Harry made their way to the ice cream parlor. They sat there for hours. Harry found Luna very easy to talk to. Luna liked to laugh...a lot. Her laugh was nice, though...or at least he had thought so.
"Harry, I'm glad I begged you to come out here. It's nice," Luna commented, taking a sip from her milkshake.
"Don't worry about it Luna. I like you, so I don't mind at all." He admitted.
"Really?" She was taking it literally, as he'd been partly hoping she would.
"Yeah." He nodded.
"Harry...what do you want to do when you get out of Hogwarts?" she whispered, as if his plans for the future were to be a big secret.
"I want to be an Auror." Harry said this almost automatically. "And I want to be the one to get Voldemort..." he smirked, a note of venom in his voice.
"And? Come on! That can't be it!" Luna grinned.
"...I want to have a family. I can't believe I'm saying that. And I want to name my kids after my parents. You know...so I won't forget. So they'll know about their grandma and grandpa, and how brave they were..."
Luna couldn't suppress her grin. She wiped a tear from her eye. "Harry, that's beautiful..." she whispered. She scooted closer to him. "I have the same ideas when it comes to my mom...I don't ever want to forget..." Luna shivered.
Harry leaned in, and kissed her. It was short, but sweet. Luna blinked. Then she blinked again. "Harry..." she began.
"I know." He smiled.
"No, not anything like that. A Daily Prophet reporter just took our picture..." she pulled away, and pointed.
Again, Harry Potter had made the front page.