"So Moony, Why didn't you just duck to miss that curse?" asked Sirius.
"If I would have seen it I would have ducked," said Remus, "Besides, don't be criticizing me. I'm sure you knew that arch was right behind you."
"Come on you guys," said Lily, "We have bigger problems than finding out why we're dead."
"Really, Like what?" asked James.
"Like figuring out how not to be dead," said Lily getting a little annoyed.
"Gee, you never seemed too worried about it before," James said.
"Well, that was because those two could take care of Harry, and I was with him," said Lily, "If you remember before Harry got me, I was a nervous wreck."
"Actually, I don't remember," said James, "You were in a cage at the store, and I was here."
Lily glared at her husband. "Any way," she continued, "Harry is now left alone."
"What do you mean alone," said Remus, "He has Dumbledore and the Weasleys"
"Yes, but he started thinking of Sirius as a parent and then he died. The next closest person was you, Remus," said Lily.
"So, what do you suggest we do?" asked James.
"Convince Harry that we are alive," said Lily.
"That's easier said than done," replied Sirius, "I've been trying ever since I arrived at the Dursley's. You remember how that cumpumedeator thing worked."
"It's a computer," said Lily, "and if you knew how to run one it would not have happened."
"Well there are two ways we can do this," said James, "We can either convince Harry that we are stuck in animal form, or we can save Snape's life."
"I'd rather stick to convincing him we're animals," said Sirius.
"It's probably easier to save Snape's life," Remus reminded him.
"Not if Snape's life isn't in danger," said James.
"Hmmm," said Sirius with a small smirk on his face.
"What are you thinking, Padfoot?" asked Remus suspiciously.
"What if we put his life in danger?" asked Sirius.
"Sirius," said Lily shocked, "You can't do that."
"Why not?" asked James.
"Because," said Lily.
"Is there anything to follow that because?" asked James.
He earned another glare from his wife. She had been beaten. "I'm going back to Harry," she said. The Mauraders watched as she flew off into the night sky.
"By the way," Remus said, "What exactly is Lily guilty of?"
"She became and illegal animangus too," said James.
"Oh," said Remus.
"I think we should try to convince Harry of who we are, while we are putting Snape's life in danger," said Sirius, "I'm sure he would like to help us."
"I'm sure he would," said James.
"I'm going to try that thingy again," said Sirius, "Then, I will head for the Headquarters."
"The two of us can go to Hogwarts and start attempting to save Snape's life," said James.
"Sounds like a good plan," said Remus.
"Alright," said Sirius, "I will see you when the term starts."
"The Marauders are returning to Hogwarts! Teachers beware!" said James.
The three of them had a laugh and then started their separate ways. Lucky for Sirius the Dursleys were already asleep. He typed the note and then snuck out the back door.
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*
Harry lay on his bed. Hedwig flew through the open window and landed softly on his pillow. She could see a tear rolling down his cheek. It hurt her to see her little boy so sad even if he was nearly sixteen years old.
"Harry," said Ron cautiously, "are you awake?"
"Yes," said Harry.
"Mom just wanted to know if you felt like eating anything."
"No," said Harry. He rolled over and went to sleep.
Two days later Harry was standing next to Ron and Hermoine. They had just lowered Remus Lupin into his grave. It set next to Lily and James Potter's graves. This was the first time Harry had been here. He did not know why he had not come here before, but he did not think it really mattered.
They turned to leave when a big black dog came up to them with a piece of paper in his mouth.
"That dog looks exactly like Sirius," said Hermione. The dog seemed to nod its head.
"It's Dudley's dog," said Harry in an emotionless voice. He took the piece of paper and read it:
"I'M SIRIUS BLACK. DEER IS JAMES. WOLF IS REMUS. HEDWIG IS LILY."
Harry's eyes darkened and tears started to form in the corners once again. He threw the paper onto the ground and walked off. Hermione, Ron, and the dog looked after him worried.
Hermione bent down and picked up the piece of paper and opened it. Ron read over her shoulder. Once they had read it Hermione dropped the paper. "Could it be true?" she asked Ron.
"Well he does look a lot like him," said Ron. They looked down at the dog. It was moving its head up and down and waging its tail.
"Bark once if you're Sirius," Ron commanded. The dog barked as it was told.
"Very professional," said Hermione.
"Well, it worked didn't it," said Ron.
"It either proves that he is Sirius, or he was trained to bark on command," said Hermione.
The dog growled at her. "True," said Ron, "but I'm willing to go with the first one. So, what should we do?"
"Well, it's obvious Harry doesn't want to believe it," Hermione said, "but I think we should tell Dumbledore."
"Good plan," said Ron.
They found Dumbledore and Tonks standing by the grave talking.
"Professor," said Hermione handing him the note, "This dog had this note."
Dumbledore read it over carefully. Then he looked at the dog. The dog seemed to be begging him to believe the note. "Sirius?" he said.
The dog barked and wagged its tail.
"What is this all about?" asked Tonks. Dumbledore handed the note to her. Her eyes widened in surprise. "Sirius!" she exclaimed.
The dog barked again and jumped on her.
"Well, it appears to be true," said Dumbledore.
"Harry won't believe it," said Ron.
"Well, it is probably best that we do not force it on him then," said Dumbledore.
"So all of them are alive?" asked Hermione.
"I guess," said Dumbledore, "So, we know where Sirius and Lily are, but do any of you know about James and Remus."
"No," said Ron.
"Wait," said Tonks, "There was a deer with this dog the night Remus was..."
"Killed," Dumbledore finished for her.
"Well, I guess that's what you'd call it," she said.
"I bet wherever you find him you will find Remus," said Hermione.
"If I would have seen it I would have ducked," said Remus, "Besides, don't be criticizing me. I'm sure you knew that arch was right behind you."
"Come on you guys," said Lily, "We have bigger problems than finding out why we're dead."
"Really, Like what?" asked James.
"Like figuring out how not to be dead," said Lily getting a little annoyed.
"Gee, you never seemed too worried about it before," James said.
"Well, that was because those two could take care of Harry, and I was with him," said Lily, "If you remember before Harry got me, I was a nervous wreck."
"Actually, I don't remember," said James, "You were in a cage at the store, and I was here."
Lily glared at her husband. "Any way," she continued, "Harry is now left alone."
"What do you mean alone," said Remus, "He has Dumbledore and the Weasleys"
"Yes, but he started thinking of Sirius as a parent and then he died. The next closest person was you, Remus," said Lily.
"So, what do you suggest we do?" asked James.
"Convince Harry that we are alive," said Lily.
"That's easier said than done," replied Sirius, "I've been trying ever since I arrived at the Dursley's. You remember how that cumpumedeator thing worked."
"It's a computer," said Lily, "and if you knew how to run one it would not have happened."
"Well there are two ways we can do this," said James, "We can either convince Harry that we are stuck in animal form, or we can save Snape's life."
"I'd rather stick to convincing him we're animals," said Sirius.
"It's probably easier to save Snape's life," Remus reminded him.
"Not if Snape's life isn't in danger," said James.
"Hmmm," said Sirius with a small smirk on his face.
"What are you thinking, Padfoot?" asked Remus suspiciously.
"What if we put his life in danger?" asked Sirius.
"Sirius," said Lily shocked, "You can't do that."
"Why not?" asked James.
"Because," said Lily.
"Is there anything to follow that because?" asked James.
He earned another glare from his wife. She had been beaten. "I'm going back to Harry," she said. The Mauraders watched as she flew off into the night sky.
"By the way," Remus said, "What exactly is Lily guilty of?"
"She became and illegal animangus too," said James.
"Oh," said Remus.
"I think we should try to convince Harry of who we are, while we are putting Snape's life in danger," said Sirius, "I'm sure he would like to help us."
"I'm sure he would," said James.
"I'm going to try that thingy again," said Sirius, "Then, I will head for the Headquarters."
"The two of us can go to Hogwarts and start attempting to save Snape's life," said James.
"Sounds like a good plan," said Remus.
"Alright," said Sirius, "I will see you when the term starts."
"The Marauders are returning to Hogwarts! Teachers beware!" said James.
The three of them had a laugh and then started their separate ways. Lucky for Sirius the Dursleys were already asleep. He typed the note and then snuck out the back door.
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*
Harry lay on his bed. Hedwig flew through the open window and landed softly on his pillow. She could see a tear rolling down his cheek. It hurt her to see her little boy so sad even if he was nearly sixteen years old.
"Harry," said Ron cautiously, "are you awake?"
"Yes," said Harry.
"Mom just wanted to know if you felt like eating anything."
"No," said Harry. He rolled over and went to sleep.
Two days later Harry was standing next to Ron and Hermoine. They had just lowered Remus Lupin into his grave. It set next to Lily and James Potter's graves. This was the first time Harry had been here. He did not know why he had not come here before, but he did not think it really mattered.
They turned to leave when a big black dog came up to them with a piece of paper in his mouth.
"That dog looks exactly like Sirius," said Hermione. The dog seemed to nod its head.
"It's Dudley's dog," said Harry in an emotionless voice. He took the piece of paper and read it:
"I'M SIRIUS BLACK. DEER IS JAMES. WOLF IS REMUS. HEDWIG IS LILY."
Harry's eyes darkened and tears started to form in the corners once again. He threw the paper onto the ground and walked off. Hermione, Ron, and the dog looked after him worried.
Hermione bent down and picked up the piece of paper and opened it. Ron read over her shoulder. Once they had read it Hermione dropped the paper. "Could it be true?" she asked Ron.
"Well he does look a lot like him," said Ron. They looked down at the dog. It was moving its head up and down and waging its tail.
"Bark once if you're Sirius," Ron commanded. The dog barked as it was told.
"Very professional," said Hermione.
"Well, it worked didn't it," said Ron.
"It either proves that he is Sirius, or he was trained to bark on command," said Hermione.
The dog growled at her. "True," said Ron, "but I'm willing to go with the first one. So, what should we do?"
"Well, it's obvious Harry doesn't want to believe it," Hermione said, "but I think we should tell Dumbledore."
"Good plan," said Ron.
They found Dumbledore and Tonks standing by the grave talking.
"Professor," said Hermione handing him the note, "This dog had this note."
Dumbledore read it over carefully. Then he looked at the dog. The dog seemed to be begging him to believe the note. "Sirius?" he said.
The dog barked and wagged its tail.
"What is this all about?" asked Tonks. Dumbledore handed the note to her. Her eyes widened in surprise. "Sirius!" she exclaimed.
The dog barked again and jumped on her.
"Well, it appears to be true," said Dumbledore.
"Harry won't believe it," said Ron.
"Well, it is probably best that we do not force it on him then," said Dumbledore.
"So all of them are alive?" asked Hermione.
"I guess," said Dumbledore, "So, we know where Sirius and Lily are, but do any of you know about James and Remus."
"No," said Ron.
"Wait," said Tonks, "There was a deer with this dog the night Remus was..."
"Killed," Dumbledore finished for her.
"Well, I guess that's what you'd call it," she said.
"I bet wherever you find him you will find Remus," said Hermione.