Title: Whatever's Left
Chapter 1: Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs
Summary: Looking back now I realise I've never missed them more than I do right now. Thoughts of the last Marauder. Revamped.
DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Author Notes: Please oh pretty please review after you're done with this. Thank you. Love you all.
Present time.
I can hear the shouts, the final battle still rages even now. Voldemort's dead. Harry got him good, but the Death Eaters didn't take to kindly to their masters down fall. Lucius Malfoy was extremely pissed when he found out his son was a spy. Lucky Hermione's a bloody good Mediwitch; he left poor Draco in quite a state, Harry seemed very relived when Hermione announced that he was stable, but not even Hermione could have saved him. The curse cut through him like a knife. It was only being on the floor that was stopping him from ripping in two. But killing your best friend isn't easy. Not even when they would have died a much more painful death if you hadn't.
A part of me hopes our side finds me, another hopes a stray death eater does and sends me to join my lover, another hopes nobody does. That way I can stay here, in this bloodied room cradling his broken body against mine. Another final part doesn't want to be anywhere anymore. You see with Peter in Azkaban having been given the kiss, Lily and James in the ground and him about to join them. So I apologise if you think I'm selfish for wanting out. As far as I'm concerned there's nothing here for me anymore, even when Azkaban stood between us I never gave up hope, hope that one day we'd be together again.
The truth is looking back now I realise I've never missed them more than I do right now. I wish I could just be thrown back into my seventh and last year at Hogwarts. Everything was perfect that year despite the threat of Voldemort hanging over our heads…
"Padfoot!"
"PRONGS!"
James was suddenly knocked backwards as Sirius launched himself at his friend.
"How was your summer?" James asked as he picked himself up.
"Good, yours?" Sirius asked with a sheepish smile.
"Yeah, hey there's Moony! MOONY!" I smiled and pushed away from the wall I'd been leaning against watching the scene, waiting for them to notice me, I ambled over, a smaller boy with blonde hair close to my side, that was Peter. He was always following someone, James, Sirius, me, Voldemort.
"James, Sirius. Good summer?" I asked, my tone relaxed.
"Yeah, hey Wormtail, you alright?" Sirius said addressing the smaller boy. He nodded eagerly.
"Yep. You?" He asked, his chubby cheeks bouncing slightly.
"Come on, let's go get our compartment." James said with a quick smile at Peter.
"Come on now Prongs, it's not our compartment." I said with a smile.
"Fine the compartment we happen to frequent. Better?" James asked me with a small scowl.
"Much." I replied, a smile tugging at the corners of my mouth. And so the four of us wandered over to the scarlet steam train. You'd have never thought of us as the same boys who'd been terrified they wouldn't make friends with anyone six years ago. And so we prepared to start our seventh and last year at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
"Well hello Lily. I missed you on the train."
"That's because I avoided your compartment like the plague."
"Told you it was our compartment Moony."
"Shut up Prongs."
"Anyway, I was wondering if you'd finally come to your senses and I could persuade you to go out with me this year?" James asked the pretty red head, he ran a hand through his already messy hair, giving it a windswept look.
"I'll go out with you when Professor Birch does the can-can and gives Gryffindor a free Potions lesson." She spat with venom.
"I'll take that as a maybe then?" James asked hopefully.
"Sod off!" Lily spat before storming off up the stairs to the girl's dorm.
"James, I love you like a brother but I don't think she likes you." Sirius said with a pat on his friends back.
"Nah, she's just playing hard to get." James said with a smile. I shared a look with Sirius. James was forever brushing Lily's refusals off; it had been this way since fourth year.
"As long as you believe that." I said slinging an arm round James' shoulders.
"Remus?" He said suddenly.
"Yes?" I replied, with a confused expression.
"You're a prefect this year." James said with a mischievous smile.
"Yes. I was last year too, and the year before." I replied again, becoming more worried by the minuet.
"And so was Lily, and she's head girl this year, do you think-" James was cut off suddenly.
"No, I'm not going to try and convince her to go out with you." I said, rolling my eyes as I headed for the stairs to the boys dorm. Sirius and Peter sniggered.
"Oh shut up." James said as he followed me. The other two followed, still sniggering.
One of the things that's clear in my memory is that day when Sirius pushed Lily into the lake as Padfoot. James, trying to seem brave and noble, dived in after her, only to find he couldn't swim and Lily could.
Then again maybe it did some good, she warmed to him afterwards…
"PRONGS!"
James awoke with a start. He turned and glared at Sirius. He glanced at the clock on his bedside table. 8:45 a.m. Ahhhh, breakfast was almost over. Wait…
"Shit!" James exclaimed as he sprang up out of bed. He dashed around throwing clothes and robes on.
"Kitchen first?" James asked quickly.
"Of course." I said. James glared at Sirius and myself. Later he would say it was because we looked far to calm. Peter handed him his school bag as he snatched his wand up from his bedside table. He shot Peter a thank you smile and dashed out the door. He ran back in and grabbed his glasses from my outstretched hand.
"Come on!" James said as he once again ran out the door, Peter followed quickly. Sirius and I shared a smirk before following at a much more laid-back pace.
"You let me think we had classes." James said as he stabbed viciously at a piece of bacon.
"Oh James, lighten up! You know we'd never allow you to sleep that late on a school day." I gave Sirius a look as he snorted into his apple juice and glared then at Peter who had started to study the butter intently.
"Well, I wouldn't let you sleep that late." I said giving the other two disapproving looks.
James let out a 'Pift'. I rolled my eyes again.
"Come on, lets go out to the lake." Sirius said. Peter nodded enthusiastically.
"Yeah, ok." James muttered darkly. I smiled and shook my head; I think I was the only one who knew we'd pay for our fun later.
I remember it clear as if it was yesterday, I was laying under the Birch tree next to the lake in the late autumn sunshine, and Peter was nattering on about how worried he was about DADA this year and James was throwing sticks for Padfoot. Padfoot would just sit there and give him a doggy sort of glare, occasionally giving James a rather loud bark…
"Go on! Fetch boy!" James said enthusiastically, normally Sirius would have complied but not today. Not after James had got his own back for our little stunt this morning. As soon as we'd gotten out the school doors he'd shot the Jelly-Legs Jinx at us. We struggled to stand for about five minutes before James took it off, laughing all the while.
"I suggest you give up James. You dog seems to be as stupid as you." Lily said with a glare as she passed. Sirius gave James a doggy smirk this time as he turned and bound towards Lily. He jumped placing his paws square on her chest and caused them both to fall into the lake. Sirius got out quickly as James ran and dived in.
"James, what on earth are you doing?" Sirius asked, now transformed. "You can't swim you prat!"
Lily turned towards James who was now really struggling to keep his head above water.
"Oh gosh!" She exclaimed and quickly swam to his aid. When she got him to the bank he pretended to be unconscious, well slightly dead or whatever you had to be to receive muggle CPR. Which upon instinct she gave no questions asked. But as she closed her mouth over his he sat up quickly and pulled her into a kiss.
"James!" She yelled as she pulled away and hit him firmly across the back of the head. He gave her a sheepish smile, to which she rolled her eyes cast a quick drying charm on them both and then proceeded to spend the rest of the day with us.
Her excuse was to make sure James didn't catch a chill, or suffer any other side affects from nearly drowning. Nobody bothered to mention that the pair had only just been out of their depth and with one or two strokes would have had their feet firmly on the lakebed. Sirius on the other hand had been left sopping wet and had come begging me to cast a drying charm, because he'd stupidly left his wand on his bedside cabinet. I did cast it of course but only after he'd threatened to sit on me, sopping clothes and all. I remember trying not to think how much I wouldn't mind. So in truth I only cast it to save my own arse, so to speak.
AN: Okay, there ya go! Chapter 1 revamped. Yey! Now because you love me oh so very much, toddle off and review. Please. Please. Just do it damn it. I mean damn it please?