Today is this stories' one year anniversary; just in case you were wondering. I'm sorry about slow updating, I'm busy and it's just not flowing like it used to.
Third Person PoV
So life has continued for the Marauders. Remus has been learning the art of teaching as well as defense. Sirius has also been learning this art and the two of them are teaching their new skills to the others. Tension in the wizarding world is mounting with the rising of Voldemort. The Daily Prophet tells of more attacks everyday, but this hasn't affected the lives of our characters yet. They are aware of it, but it has not hit home and their daily lives have not changed.
Four months have passed since we last saw them. They are, for the most part, happy. They have their disagreements, but nothing drastic has happened. They're also finding that pulling together rent every month is harder than they thought it would be, but they always squeak by. The absence of house elves has been lamented at least twice a week if not more, but they divide the work and most of the time it gets done (although everything could use a good dusting). And so the scene opens…
Sirius' PoV
"Sirius," Remus calls from the kitchen, "could you come here for a second?" I sigh and get up from my position on the couch.
"You rang?" I say as I enter the room.
"Yeah," he says, "could you run to the store and fetch me a bag of flour? Lily's coming over to make Christmas cookies with me and we haven't got any."
"Why is Lily coming to make cookies here and why are you helping her?" I ask.
Remus blushes and mutters something about embarrassing photos, not wanting to go caroling, and blackmail. I nod and say, "So why do I have to go get it?"
"Because I asked you to," he replies, "and because she'll be here any minute and I guessed you'd rather get the flour than entertain Lily when she's in baking mode." When he puts it like that there's really no debating, so I kiss him and get my coat. "Thanks Padfoot," he says as I walk out the door.
A burst of cold air hits me as I exit the building. I reach into my pocket for my wand to cast a warming spell on myself, but my wand is missing. I turn to go back for it, but I'm only going down the street so I don't bother.
I make it to the store without a problem and start the walk back. I'm almost to the flat when three teenaged boys step into my path.
"Well look what we have here boys," the one who appears to be the leader says, "It's one of the fairies."
"Running errands for your boy toy?" Another one sneers. While that's exactly what I'm doing I'm not about to admit it to them; especially without my wand. How do they know anyway?
Suddenly they grab me and two of them are holding my arms tightly behind my back. The flour falls to the ground and bursts open. The one who appears to be the leader brings his face close to mine and says, "We don't like your kind, pouf. We'd also like to suggest you close your curtains." Then, "what do you say we teach it a lesson boys?" They laugh somewhere near my ears.
I try to fight them, but they've got me held too tightly. I'm not that experienced in fighting anyway. The few fights I've been in, either my opponent or I have remembered that we have wands and employed their use. "Get off me," I yell, "what have I ever done to you?"
"Well you were born for starters," the leader sneers as he deals a hard punch to my stomach. "We don't like sodomites in this neighborhood, freak," he spits as he punches me in the face.
"At least I have someone," I manage to gasp before he strikes me again. My comment seems to have enraged him, because he hits me harder and faster.
Finally they finish and I slump to the ground. "That's your warning," the leader says as I start to lose consciousness, "stop your disgusting behavior or you child molesters will be sorry." I groan and they laugh and walk away. The world goes black.
Remus' PoV
"I don't know what could be taking Sirius so long," I say as Lily and I sit at the kitchen table, "I just sent him to get flour." The fact that his wand is on the table worries me, but I don't voice those fears. With the number of attacks increasing each day I suppose I have the right to worry. But the attacks are normally on Muggle-borns, or Muggles themselves. Sirius is a pure blood I tell myself sternly.
Suddenly the door opens and James staggers in with Sirius leaning heavily on his shoulder. "What happened," I exclaim as I rush over to them. Sirius puts some of his weight on me and together with James we make it to the couch.
"I found him outside the building on the ground," says James, "whoever beat him up was long gone."
I sit on the floor next to the couch and say quietly, "who did this to you Padfoot?"
I carefully brush his hair out of his eyes as he says, "some Muggles. They said it was a warning to you and me; don't want us together."
"How did they find out?" I ask.
"Apparently we don't close our curtains," he says with a ghost of a smile.
"I think I can get rid of some of the pain if you want," says Lily as she walks around to stand behind me. "I can't get rid of the marks yet, but I can start the healing process and, like I said, get rid of most of the pain."
"That would be great Lily," says Sirius.
"This might sting a bit," she says as she gets out her wand. I take his hand and as Lily starts healing him he squeezes it, hard.
She's just finishing up, when Peter and Jen come in the door. "We've got something to tell every… what happened?" says Peter as they come into the room.
"Some Muggles beat him up," says James.
"I didn't have my wand," says Sirius, "and they surprised me."
"What's your news Peter?" I ask, hoping to change the subject. It works.
"Well," says Peter, "what do you all think of a February wedding?" Jen holds out her hand to show off the slim gold band with a small diamond on it. Lily squeals and hurries over to them to look at it.
"Congratulations Wormtail," exclaims James, patting Peter on the shoulder. Sirius and I offer similar sentiments.
"Let's go in the kitchen and leave them alone," says Lily to Jen, "I suppose you're off cookie duty Remus," she says before pulling Jen into the kitchen.
"We've got some planning to do boys," says James with a slightly evil glint in his eye. "Looks like the Marauders are back in business." We all nod in agreement. No one hurts a Marauder and gets away with it.
One Week Later
Sirius is healing nicely and our plan is set to be put into action. We've figured out where Sirius' attackers live and their basic daily schedule. We've also started to look into a new place to live.
We don't want it to seem like we're running away, but the city isn't the best place for us anyway. With Peter and Jen getting married so soon and with James and Lily getting married shortly, they want their own places too. So far, Peter and Jen want to stay in London, James and Lily want to move out of the city, but still want to be in a large town, and Sirius and I want to go to the country; preferably somewhere with woods and no close neighbors.
The plan doesn't so much involve pain and humiliation as it does fear. Since Sirius' assailants are Muggles, we're going to scare them a bit, then erase their memories of everything about us including the fact that Sirius and I are together. The only thing we'll leave with them is the fear of us. The idea is that they'll not want to come near us again and that we'll have some fun.
They're coming around the corner. James mutters the spell for the snow balls to start attacking. After a few minutes of confusion, Sirius says the spell for the leader of the gang to start rising into the air. Peter makes one of the other's clothes disappear, and I turn the last one into a pig. At a signal from James we all stop or reverse our spells.
"That's your warning," says Sirius, "come near me, my boyfriend, or any of my other friends again and I'll show what I can really do with this." He says this as he walks towards them, holding his wand in a defensive position in front of him. "I'm going to erase your memories now," he continues, "it's been fun, but I think it's time this whole thing stopped don't you?" Before they have time to do anything he says the spell and hurries away. James turns each of the boy's hair a nice shade of neon pink before we run for the flat.
"I think that takes care of them," says James when we are back in the flat.
"It better," mutters Sirius as he pulls me into his lap.
I let him hold me for a minute before saying, "Lily and Jen left a plate of cookies in the kitchen. They brought them over this morning. Anyone want one?" I ask.
"Is there stuff to decorate them with?" asks Sirius hopefully.
"Yes," I say.
"Well then what are we waiting for?" he exclaims, "Let's go!" He stands, I fall to the floor, and we laugh our way into the kitchen.
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