Before the Prophecy: The Life and Times of The Marauders
Disclaimer: I am not, nor ever will be J.K. Rowling. Everything in this story is from her own creations.
Authors Note: This is just an introduction. Please review if you wish for me to continue.
Chapter One: Introduction
Prologue: Lily Evans
August 31, 1977
Dear Diary,
Summer is finally drawing to a close. Even though I have been home for two and a half months, it feels more like two and a half years. Fortunaly, tomorrow I'll finally be boarding the Hogwarts Express…for the last time. I have no idea what I'm going to do with my life, but I am certain I won't follow Petunia's path and marry a man who resembles a beet. Petunia brought "Lovely Vernon" over during the summer. It was supposed to be for one weekend. The lazy slob ended up staying for almost three bloody weeks! He has the most ridiculous mustache and his complexion is that of a beets when he is either aggravated, frustrated, irritated…well really anything ending in -ated. My sister wasn't very happy when I compared her lover to a knobby produce. I tried to cheer her up. I even said that Vernon and she made a lovely couple, like apples and oranges. Only, Vernon was a beet and she was more of a celery stick. For some reason, although I can't imagine why, this seemed to aggravate her even more. She released her anger by grabbing mum's broom (household one of course) and chased me around the house, in hopes she could decapitate me. So, now, one half of a hour later, I have barricaded myself in my bedroom, in hopes that I will be able to depart tomorrow morning without seeing a glance of my sister or her beet's face.
Yours truly,
Lily Evans.
(P.S.: Potter sent me a birthday owl, not that I care or anything.)
Prologue: James Potter
"Prongs," A voice fluttered into the ear of a boy with rather unruly locks of jet-black hair.
"No more pudding please," The boy muttered, tossing onto his side.
"Oh, are you sure about that Prongs because I think there is enough left for thirds," The voice repeated.
"No thank you mum I—"The boy grumbled and fell back into a deep snooze.
"Oh for Merlin's sake James!" The owner of the voice yelled. "Get you overgrown head out of bed!" He stepped back as James hazel eyes snapped open and he hit his head on the bed post.
"Bloody Hell!" James yelped and rubbed the back of his head, which now had a well formed bump. Suddenly, James seemed to stop examining his bump and said fiercely, "Who's there?"
In a laughing manner, the young man known as Sirius Black chuckled "Put on your glasses Prongs."
James reached over to the bedside table and fumbled around for a pair of horn-rimmed glasses. Once they were on, the boy recognized the companion and gave him a well-known, lop-sided grin. "Padfoot,"
"The one and only," Sirius smiled. His handsome face soon turned grim though as he foreshadowed the question that had to arise; his reason for arriving in the middle of the night.
"I don't mind your midnight escapades in the slightest bit mate, but I am curious of your motives," James asked, oblivious to Sirius's grim features as he sat up in his four-poster bed.
"It's not important," Sirius muttered. "Listen, can I stay her for a night or two? It would just be until I got a place of my own to-"He was interrupted by James who blurted out,
"Place of your own?" He asked flabbergasted. "You're not even seventeen Padfoot! What the hell is going on?"
"I told you-"Sirius began to say, now frustrated.
"Yes, I know what you told me, "James interrupted yet again. "But there most certainly is a reason for this sudden impulse." James stood up, feeling the cold floorboards with his feet and shivered. For late summer, it was quite cool, as a cold front had come in. He strolled over to the nearest window and looked down, in hopes to see a mode of transportation. "How did you get here anyway?" James asked.
"As a dog," Sirius shrugged, as if people turned into dogs everyday.
"You mean you changed into amagius form and walked almost fifty miles to the middle of nowhere?" James asked amazed.
"Don't be a prat Prongs," Sirius sighed. "I hitched a ride on the back of some old muggle's kaar,"
James noticed Sirius's misunderstanding of the muggle vehicle known as car and ignored it. Instead, he chuckled to himself and said, "So, why are you here?"
Sirius gazed at his best friend of nearly seven years with intense grey eyes and said grimly, "I couldn't take it anymore. My parents felt ashamed that their eldest son wouldn't join them and they pretty much kicked me out," Sirius paused to look at James's expression, which portrayed disbelief because his friend finally went through with what he had said he would do for several years now. "Bloody pure-blood bastards," Sirius muttered and kicked James's trash bucket. It fell down and spilled its contents; a handful of crumpled up stationary letters.
"Oh well erm-you want to talk about it?" James asked uneasily. When it came to matters of the heart, James felt quite awkward. Sirius knew this and said,
"No mate, just need a place to stay for the summer,"
"Yeah, sure no problem," James grinned, relieved. "The ol' Potter Manor might be able to squeeze you in." They both grinned at this point, for the Potter's lived in the families' home, which had been handed down from generation to generation. It was post-renaissance home with numerous gardens, one of which was turned into a quidditch pitch, James's idea of course.
"So," Sirius said. "What's all that scrunched up paper for anyway?" He reached for one but felt James grab his shirt collar.
"Erm-nothing, just a bit of parchment, "James muttered and his pale complexion soon turned slightly crimson.
"Nothing eh?" Sirius smiled as he opened one.
"Hey!" James whined as Sirius opened the letter.
Sirius grinned mischievously as he scanned the letter. "So tell me Prongs, how many of these pieces of parchment are addressed to Miss. Evans?" James mumbled something incoherent and inaudible.
"What was that?" Sirius asked, putting his hand to his ear. "Couldn't hear you there."
"All of them," James muttered hopelessly.
"Wow James," Sirius put on as serious an expression as he could. "I knew you were pathetic, but I didn't know you were THAT pathetic."
James responded by swiftly hitting Sirius in the head with his pillow. "Hey!"
"Just be glad I didn't hit you with something heavier...like a BLUDGER!" James said mocking Sirius.
"That wasn't my fault!" Sirius said defensively. "I was trying to hit Snape and you got in the way to show off to Evans-"
"JAMES POTTER!" A woman's voice erupted from outside the room.
"Er yes mum?" James asked, trying to avoid Sirius's comments and barking laughs.
"What are in the world are you doing at three in the morning?" A plump, middle aged woman with rosy cheeks opened James's charmed door and glanced around.
"Just having a tea party mum," James said, in a voice that most would presume one would use when they had full intentions of being serious and stiff.
"Very Amusing James," His mother sighed and noticed Sirius. She smiled warmly and said, "Oh Sirius! What a surprise! James seemed to have forgotten you were visiting. I'll fix you a room and then in the morning I can make those waffles you-"
"Mum!" James said exasperated. "Sirius is going to need a place for a bit. I'll explain later." He made a motion to his mother symbolizing it wasn't a frivolous manner.
"Oh," was all his mother seemed to say and turned to walk out. "I shall see you in the morning boys."
As she left Sirius said, "You think she will make those waffles?"
Prologue: Remus Lupin
A sickly pale boy sat in his bed, reading a magic book entitled, "Standard Book of Spells: Year Seven"
He turned the page with scratched hands and let out a sigh of frustration. Most adolescents his age were out with their friends, or working. Remus Lupin was confined to his bedchambers until he regained enough strength. As horrid as it sounds, He was actually quite used to it. Turning into a werewolf every full moon left any person rather weak. Remus usually rested up a day or two afterwards.
Remus closed the book and glanced over to the closed blinds. Putting one hand on the bedpost, he raised himself up out of bed slowly and cautiously. His knees were still a bit weak, but they didn't give in. He limped over and pulled the blinds open, revealing a perfect late-summer day. His normally warm brown eyes were left haunted and dull and his usually tanned face was pale. It had only been several hours since his last transformation had ended and he defiantly was still feeling the side affects.
He gazed into the horizon and noticed a winged creature flying towards him. As it got closer, Remus noticed the shape resembled James Potter's owl. Anxious, Remus let it fly into his room and quickly removed the parcel from its leg.
The parcel was wrapped untidy in paper; defiantly James's work. Remus smiled as he opened it. Inside were three chocolate frogs and the latest Quidditch Magazine. On a piece of weathered parchment, James had written:
Moony,
Hope you're doing all right, all cooped up and everything. I thought the chocolate might do you some good. As for the Quidditch magazine, well I couldn't help myself. Sirius is here at my house; his parent's kicked him out. Sirius can give you the details next week when we meet up for the new term. Until then, hang in there.
From THE sexiest marauder,
James Potter.
The text changed and someone else, most likely Sirius wrote,
Actually, the second sexiest. From THE sexiest;
Sirius sexgod Black.
Get a life Padfoot.
Already do mate.
Well get a better one then.
What like yours? You spend all summer writing letters of your deep feelings of adniration to Lily and then never even send them.
Shut Up.
Remus chuckled. His friends always were able to cheer him up. He glanced up at the part mentioning Sirius and his parents. He wondered what the details were and felt worried for Sirius, who was known for acting on impulese. After a while, He felt himself grow weak and returned to bed; anxious for the new term to begin.
Prologue Complete
Well the prologue is complete. Please PLEASE tell me if it is any good. I don't want to continue if the story is boring/stupid. Remember to Review! Suggestions and criticism taken.