On Sunday morning, Remus woke early. Sirius and James are still snoring under the covers but Peter was nowhere to be seen . 'Strange,' he thought. Peter rarely wandered off on his own.
He dressed quickly, his stomach already growling for breakfast. His hand was on the dormitory doorknob when he noticed Peter gazing out of the window, his back to Remus.
"Peter," whispered Remus. "What are you doing?"
Peter jumped and lost his grip on the window sill. "Did you hear them too?"
"Hear who?" he asked, puzzled.
"The voices. I heard them last night. Couldn't get back to sleep," his pointy nose quivered.
"Peter," Remus began uncertainly. 'Let's go down for breakfast. You might feel better."
"I am not going crazy, Remus!" he said vehemently.
"I didn't say that. I thought you might be hungry, mate and would feel better after a meal."
Slowly, the resentment faded from Peter's eyes, leaving him looking downcast.
"Alright," he said. "I'll come down with you."
A plateful of sausages and eggs later, the colour came back to Peter's round face.
'So," Remus asked. "What did you hear last night?"
Peter shook his head as if ridding himself of unwanted thoughts. "I think it was just bad dreams. I have the same one night after night since seeing -..you know."
"What do you dream about?"
"The men in masks. Only –I am the one they are after. I try to run but I am never fast enough. An d someone with red slits for eyes and..and.. a voice, I can't describe it, always telling me ..there is nowhere to run," Peter shivered. "Maybe you think its silly and weak of me but that voice..." his own shook. "Do you wonder about that man, Moony? How it feels to be fighting for your life and suddenly – zap – no more life."
Remus fidgeted in his chair. " I don't think death is the end of life. That anything can wipe us out so completely. I mean, just look at the ghosts."
"Did someone mention me?" Sir Nicholas de Mimsy Porpington, the resident Gryffindor ghost popped up from under the table. He grinned his pearly white smile.
"No. Go away," Peter snapped. Offended, Nick whooshed off leaving a trail of cold wind. "Look at him. There is nothing worse than death."
" I think," Remus said slowly. "There are some things worth dying for."
Peter didn't answer, merely toying with his toast moodily.
Lily entered the Hall alone, walking as though she had as much sleep as Peter.
"Remus, Peter," she greeted them listlessly. She sat down next to them after casting a quick glance around. "Good morning."
"You look like you have been up all night," Peter remarked grumpily, resenting the intrusion.
"Oh, you know, N.E.W.T revision –ghastly stuff, " she replied. "Oh good, here's the Daily Prophet.." as a flock of owls flew in , one depositing two newspapers at the table. "Will you take James' paper, Remus?"
"He'll be down soon. Why don't you wait for him?" Remus asked.
"I have to be down in the library in a few minutes," she said, trying to be casual. Poking at her breakfast, she skimmed down the front page. Remus glanced over.
'MINISTRY CONFIRMS RUMOURS OF A SECRET ARMY
Ministry officials have finally admitted that rumours of a secret army controlled by 'He Who Must Not Be Named' have a basis in truth. Giants have been spotted in the vicinity of the aforementioned Dark Lord's suspected hideout. He is also believed to be harbouring werewolves, vampires and other monsters. Even more alarming is the alleged formation of an elite squad known as Death Eaters comprising of powerful wizards and younger allies seduced by the Dark Lord. This group is purportedly responsible for several recent deaths and disappearances of prominent wizards who were actively against 'He Who Must Not Be Named' and his ideas.
Amidst the growing fear among the wizarding community, Minister for Magic, Millicent Bagnold, appealed for calm.
"The Ministry has every confidence that our Aurors will be able to contain the threat of the Death Eaters. There is no reason for the public to be alarmed by this – Lord – or so he calls himself- as long as they follow the basic precautions set out by the Ministry." he said in a press statement yesterday.
For a complete list of disappearances and deaths in the past year, turn to page 9.'
"Well," Lily said as she finished reading, " Even the Minister doesn't want to use Voldemort's proper name. Doesn't exactly inspire confidence in the rest of us," she remarked. "Well, I'm off. " as she caught sight of James entering the Great Hall. "See you later."
Peter paid no attention to her. "Remus," he croaked. "Its him. I've been seeing him in my dreams."
"Seen who?" Sirius asked as he sat down. "The man of your dreams?" He chuckled at his own joke.
Peter leaped up. "I think I will get more tea," he mumbled.
"Was that Lily just now?" James asked, disappointed. "Where's she off to?"
"Library, she said," replied Remus, looking after Peter, concerned. "Peter's been having bad dreams."
" Probably exam stress," James said dismissively. "She doesn't even want to see me now," he remarked, glaring at his coffee cup.
" Can we shelve Lily for that moment, Prongs?" Sirius said briskly. "Wormtail's looks like he ...."
"D'you think Voldemort can penetrate dreams?" Remus asked. "He's convinced that Voldemort was in his dreams." Peter came back, teacup in hand.
"Anything is possible with those who practise the Dark Arts," James scowled. " But Dumbledore is right; I don't know much about him."
" S'alright," Peter started to say. "Don't .."
"Hey, Wormtail," Sirius said affectionately. "Forget the 'don't bother about me' speech, mate. I, for one, vote, we go to the library after this and find out more about Voldemort."
James pretended to look shocked. "Padfoot suggesting a date with the library? The world is going crazy."
"Shut it, Prongs. At least I'm not revising for N.E.W.Ts."
Peter looked much happier, Remus noted, as if James and Sirius taking a trip to the library would solve all his problems. The dependence on the two troubled him.
"Now, that's that," Sirius said, attacking his porridge. "Let's get back to Lily. A word from the wise, Prongs?"
"Come off it, Padfoot, you've never even had one steady girlfriend," James countered.
Sirius waved his remark away with a careless sweep of his hand. "That doesn't mean I know nothing about girls. In fact, I probably know more than any of you because I have never been blinded by excessive emotion."
Remus raised his eyebrows. "What about Alyssa?"
"What about her?" Sirius said, looking puzzled. " We are just having a bit of a laugh together. Anyway, they way I see it, Lily wants you to go after her, shake her, pick a fight and clear the air. You are acting just as much as a mule as she is."
"Padfoot, you have as much tact as a Blast-Ended Skrewt," James said.
"But I am right," Sirius insisted. "Aren't I, Moony?"
Remus reluctantly agreed. " He does have a point."
Savagely spearing his toast, James growled, " I hate it when you make sense."
Three of Lily's friends were already sitting at a table strewn with books when she arrived. Aldara Fitzherbert, Alice Cooper and Morgan Alexander had been her roommates since first year and fast friends soon after that. What surprised her was the fourth girl sitting with them, casually flipping through the Daily Prophet.
" That's a long breakfast," Morgan remarked, barely looking up from her Transfiguration notes.
"I went for a walk as well," Lily yawned. " Hello, Rosie," she said politely at the blond, green-eyed Slytherin girl, too courteous to ask what she was doing there since she was never particularly friendly. Normally, she spent most of her time with her gang of Slytherins. She telegraphed the question to Alice who raised her eyebrows slightly to indicate that they couldn't get rid of her.
"Morning, Lily," Rosie Wilkes glanced up. "What d'you think about the Death Eaters in our midst?"
"Nothing to do with us, surely," Dara piped up, hand raised over a piece of parchment. " As long as we stay out of Voldemort's way."
" I don't think it works that way," Alice remarked. "Voldemort hates Muggle-borns and those he thinks are impure. Frank says he'll after them next not just his opponents."
Lily didn't respond, her mind caught by another part of Rosie's question. "What do you mean, 'in our midst'?"
"I think there are already Death Eaters in Hogwarts," Rosie said, offhandedly.
"No way," Morgan said instantly.
"Think about it. Who are Voldemort's younger allies? I think its underage wizards, which means Hogwarts or other wizarding schools. Now, who could they possibly be?"
You. And Bellatrix.. Lily didn't say what she was sure was on her friends' mind as well, half-ashamed that her mind had immediately leapt to the Slytherins. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted the Marauders entering the library and she hurriedly rearranged a few books to so that they towered over her.
Alice looked exasperated. "I don't care if you think they are under this table," she said, finally throwing her quill down. "I am trying to study here."
"I bet they are in," Rosie said, ignoring Alice. She jabbed her thumb towards the Marauders, now selecting books.
"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard," Lily said immediately. "James hates the Dark Arts. And Remus couldn't hurt anyone if he tried."
" Of course, they would seem so," Rosie said darkly. " But they are powerful – that twat Peter excepted- and I imagine the Dark Lord would be after the brightest."
"That leaves you out, then" Dara said sweetly. Rosie glared at her but continued.
" How much do you know? Bet you don't even know your friend's boyfriend's been disappearing mysteriously at night?"
"Not every night," Lily said automatically. "And how did you know about that?
She couldn't be right, could she? James, a murderer?
Rosie sent her a smug look. " See? He doesn't tell her. What other dirty secrets does he hide?"
"Stop, it Rose," Morgan snapped.
"Mark my words, James Potter and Sirius Black, at least, and –.."
Alice grabbed the paper from Rosie's hand. "If all you are going to do is spout crazy ideas, then I'm taking my paper back."
"Alright," Rosie said coolly. "I can see I am not wanted."
"Took you long enough," Morgan muttered as Rosie shoved her chair back and left. Lily stared after her. "Lils, don't worry about what she said. She is just..."
"I don't want to believe her," Lily said slowly. "But it would explain......where does he go?" Her three friends looked at her sympathetically.
"Thanks, Lily. That vote of confidence makes me feel very good."
James was standing right behind her.
The four Marauders spread out the material they found on Voldemort at a table in the corner. There wasn't much.
"It almost as if people are afraid to write about him," said Remus, sifting through some old newspaper articles and magazine cuttings.
"Ok, here's what we know so far," James said as his eyes restlessly scanned the library for Lily. "Voldemort" Peter shuddered at the name "Oh, don't be silly Wormtail, fine, how about this : Tom Marvolo Riddle came to the scene when he was elected to be in the Wizengamot 8 years ago. Youngest wizard ever elected. Tries to rise up even faster by pushing popular proposals for affirmative action for pure bloods. Opponents who spoke up against him mysteriously began dying and he was finally booted out of the council after 2 years..." His voice trailed off as he spotted familiar dark red hair.
Sirius shot him an exasperated look and continued reading. "After that old Tommy here went off to Romania, dabbled in the Dark Arts. Came back here and proclaimed himself Lord Voldemort. Opponents died again and this time Muggles became targets too. Hmm.. no one here seems to care about them. Went into hiding after being placed on a wanted list by hitwizards in the Ministry ..and here we are now. Death Eaters and secret army. If you ask me, the Ministry more scared that he will attack them and their base of power than of any harm he can cause the wizard on the street."
"That's a very cynical point of view," Remus pointed out.
Sirius laughed mirthlessly. "When you see your family get awards for rendering gold to the Ministry, you would get cynical too. Nothing about whether he can penetrate minds though, Wormtail, so maybe your dreams are just indigestion and..."
"Wait," Remus interrupted as he looked up from The Rise and Fall of Dark Wizards. "Here's something interesting ; Dark wizards tend to be interested in controlling the mind, inventing curses such the Imperius which has since become a mainstream, though Unforgivable curse. Furthermore, it would be very rare to find a Dark wizard with no knowledge of Occlumency and Legilimency.'
"Why would he want to bother with Wormtail, of all people?" James wondered aloud. "No offense, Wormtail but you are not.."
"I know," Peter said. "Not anything special. D'you think he knows what we saw the other night?"
Sirius shrugged. "How could he? Anyway, why would he care even if he knew? He is not hiding anything – everyone knows he is an out and out Dark wizard."
"Maybe a dreamless sleep potion might help. And I'll get my sister to teach you how to clear your mind every night," Remus offered. Peter smiled shakily. "Thanks, Moony."
"I'll look for the potion recipe," James jumped moving quickly towards the shelves. Sirius shook his head as he noted the section James was heading towards.
"Wrong shelves," he said. "He's just after Lily. I'll get it."
He picked up the cuttings and walked towards the Potions sections, glancing at James who was now standing over an oblivious Lily. And stumbled over another library user leafing through books.
"Sorry," he said. Wide gray eyes, so like his own, looked up at him. Sirius hadn't run across him in weeks. "Well, hey, Reggie."
"What are you doing in a library?" Regulus Black said suspiciously. "Are you going to let off Dungbombs again?"
Sirius bent to pick up the materials he dropped. "No. Something even worse." He sometimes enjoyed poking fun at his younger brother who took himself and others too seriously. And was too pompous by half. "Run while you can, little brother."
Regulus backed away from him, looking around for Madam Pince, the librarian.
"Don't be thick, Reggie," Sirius said. "I was just joking." Regulus didn't look convinced. "Here, put this back for me, will you?" he said handing the library items he had picked out to his brother.
"You are reading up on the Dark Lord? His ideas are most convincing, I must say. I think there is definitely need for a stronger leader than the Ministry can provide, someone who would look after the interests of pure-blood families like ours..."
"Oh, climb off your soapbox, Reggie," Sirius said crossly. A few other students turned to look at them. His brother, he reflected, always spoke like he was on a podium addressing an audience. It never failed to irritate him "Voldemort," Regulus winced at the name, "is just looking after his own interests. If he has followers to use, so much the better."
Regulus shook his head. "I disagree. There are some ..."
A explosion from a table at the far end broke off his words.