Disclaimer: See Chapter One.
A/N: All right, I am so sorry for the lack of updates but a lot has been happening in my life that has diverted my attention away from my writing. I am starting to get back in the flow of it but that could be disrupted at any moment due to my grandmother's death just yesterday. Writing does help me deal but it's hard right now. Don't worry though, I will update, just not as frequently as we would all wish. Anyway, thank you all so much for your reviews and for giving this story a chance. I know that it is very AU, particulary with the release of HBP. Speaking of, raise your hands if you're as shocked as I am! OMG! I could not bloody believe it! A huge thank you to my ever patient and kind beta enb2004 who has two fantastic HP stories! So, go and read them! Anyway, as promised, here is Chapter 13. Enjoy!
The next few days were incredibly awkward not only for Harry and Professor Snape alone, but for nearly everyone who was not used to seeing the softer side of their snarky potions Professor.
The tension was eased however by the fact that despite the sudden change (in the eyes of the students that was) in Snape's personality, he still retained his caustic and sarcastic demeanor. It was agreed upon by all that Snape just simply wouldn't be Snape if he didn't have a sarcastic or witty reply to even the most trivial of statements.
"Mr. Weasley and Mr. Weasley," Snape practically growled, but with an amused undertone, the next morning at the breakfast table. "As amusing as your antics are, I would appreciate being able to have breakfast without the eggs dancing all around my plate."
Fred and George looked at one another and laughed. "Don't look at us Professor, we didn't do it," Fred said.
"Look, our eggs are doing it as well," George added pointing his fork in the direction of his scrambled eggs which were doing a remarkable impression of an Irish jig.
In fact, everyone's eggs were dancing save for Remus and Sirius's, both of whom were grinning and watching everyone with smug expressions, which was highly suspicious in everyone else's opinion.
"Sirius," Harry groaned mockingly. He truly loved it when his godfather joked around. It showed that Sirius was truly recovering from his time in Azkaban.
"What?" Sirius said batting his eyes innocently and not fooling a single person at the table. This was the first meal Harry had been able to take with them in the Great Hall and he wanted it to be memorable.
"Sirius, Remus, you two are quite obviously responsible," Hermione said adapting what Harry and Ron privately called her Professor mode. Neither would be surprised if Hermione was to take a teaching position at Hogwarts one day in the far off future.
"Oh, and I suppose that you believe that because our eggs are the only ones that aren't doing some form of a dance, hmmm?" Remus said, eye brow raised in amusement.
"Exactly," Hermione said grinning. It would seem now that Harry was getting better that the Marauders were back in action.
"All right Hermione, we bow to your superior genius and admit that we are responsible for the highly amusing breakfast antics," Sirius said laughing.
"You two are pranksters?" Fred and George said together in awe. "Why didn't you say anything!" George said accusingly.
"Well my dear twins, that would be because your mother would have our heads if we were to influence you any more than we already have," Remus said grinning. He knew that the twins had no idea who they were and planned to take full advantage of the fact.
Sirius, Harry, Hermione, and Ron caught on right away and started to howl with laughter knowing that the twins would become even more curious until their curiosity was satisfied. The rest of breakfast was bound to become very interesting to say.
"Fred, George! Don't you listen to those two. Remus is quite right, they've already been enough of an influence on you and Merlin knows you get into enough trouble as it is!" Molly said glaring at the two Marauders.
"I don't understand though," Fred said puzzled.
"Yeah, me either Remus. The only time that you've been an influence on us was when you taught us in our fifth year when we all thought that Sirius was a raving, murderous lunatic," George said.
"No offense," Fred said.
Sirius just grinned though. "None taken. I've been called worse, believe me."
Molly shook her finger at Sirius and Remus though while glaring at the twins. "Oh no you don't! I have enough trouble controlling them as it is! If you tell them, Merlin only knows what ideas they'll get into their thick heads!"
"Molly," Remus said soothingly. "It's going to come out eventually," he said.
"He's right Molly, after all, Harry is the heir and is bound to say something eventually that will give them the right idea, if he doesn't tell them straight out. Isn't that right, oh godson of mine?" Sirius said teasingly.
Harry didn't answer though as he was laughing too hard to. It was one of the best sights that Sirius had even seen. Anything, well, nearly anything, that made Harry happy was all right with him.
"Molly dear, you can't win against them," Arthur said patting her on the back reassuringly.
"Oh very well, tell them," she said, giving up.
Fred and George grinned and leaned forward eagerly. If their mother didn't want them to know whatever it was that Sirius and Remus wanted to tell them, it was bound to be good.
"As you two more than likely recall, you could never prank me during your fifth year and I bet you've always wondered why," Remus said, a glint of mischief in his eyes.
Fred and George nodded and motioned for them to continue and to hurry it up, not being the most patient of people. Then again, Weasley's as a rule were rather impatient and prone to quick tempers. It was a red head trait after all.
"Why Padfoot, I do think that the twins are becoming a bit impatient, wouldn't you say?" Remus said teasingly.
"I quite agree Moony, what do you think Prongs Jr.?" Sirius said.
Fred and George gaped and looked back and forth between Remus and Moony. "You're... you're..." they stuttered.
"Yes, we the Marauders are proud to be at your full service should you need any advice our young protégées," Remus and Sirius said together in scary unison.
"You said Prongs too," Fred said finally getting his voice back, although it was somewhat higher in pitch than normal.
"Which one of you is Prongs and Wormtail too come to think of it," George echoed.
"Ah, I didn't say Prongs my fellow miscreants, I said Prong's Junior," Sirius said.
"The one and only heir to the Marauders, as of yet," Remus said proudly.
"And the holder of our legend. The Marauders map," Sirius said equally as proud.
"HARRY!" the twins exclaimed together. "You're, you're the son of a Marauder!"
"Umm, yeah, guilty as charged I suppose," Harry said finally recovering from his laughing fit. The faces the twins had though was threatening to make him burst out into laughter again though and he wasn't the only one.
Fred and George gaped at him and then at Sirius and Remus, and then again at Harry. "Harry! How could you not have told us," Fred said in a mock hurt voice.
"What, and have him rob everyone of this glorious moment? I don't think so," Ron laughed.
The twins turned and stared at Ron this time. "Hold it one minute," Fred said dangerously.
"You knew about this and didn't tell us either!" George exclaimed.
"Yep!" Ron said grinning. He knew the twins were going to kill him but it didn't matter, their reactions were more than worth the price.
"Ron, we can forgive Harry for not telling us because he is the heir to the Marauders and one doesn't go around broadcasting that type of information. But you! You, have no excuse," Fred said drawing his wand.
"He's right little brother and you are about to get a little lesson on why you should tell your brothers anything and everything that involves the said Marauders," George said drawing his wand as well.
"Boys! This is Harry's first breakfast out of the hospital wing," Mrs. Weasley said in exasperation. "If you must get revenge on Ron, then do it after breakfast and far away from your father and I!" she exclaimed.
"Dost my ears deceive me, or did mother just actually give the twins permission to take revenge upon Ron?" Percy questioned.
"You're not imagining things Percy because we all heard the same thing," Bill said unbelievingly.
"You heard me all right," Mrs. Weasley said. "For now though, let's just enjoy breakfast please?"
"Okay mum," Fred and George said as they reluctantly put their wands away. "Anyway, Sirius, or should I say Padfoot, who is Wormtail?" Fred asked.
Sirius and Remus scowled, their faces darkening with rage at the thought of the traitorous little rat.
"We don't really speak of him," Harry said sensing that Remus and Sirius didn't want to have to explain.
"Why not?" George asked noticing that Ron and Hermione looked almost as furious as Remus and Sirius at the mention of Wormtail.
Harry sighed but resolved himself to telling the twins. They had the right to know, especially now that they were family. "Wormtail betrayed my parents to Voldemort and joined with him and helped to resurrect Voldemort," he said shuddering at the last part.
"No," Fred and George whispered as it dawned on them just who Wormtail was.
"Unfortunately, yes," Sirius said bitterly.
"Wormtail was none other than one of our supposed best friends, Peter Pettigrew," Remus said scowling.
"No! A Marauder, betray one of their own!" Fred and George said in shock.
"We never thought that something like that would happen either," Sirius said grimly. "Goes to show you how wrong we were and how stupid I was," he said bitterly.
"Sirius, we've been through this before," Remus said patting Sirius on the shoulder reassuringly. "None of us had any inkling that Peter was working for Voldemort. You are not to blame."
"If you say so," Sirius grumbled.
"He does and so do I," Harry said. "Now, I don't know about the rest of you, but I haven't had a decent game of Quidditch since last summer and I for one need to get in shape again. What do you say?"
"Yeah!" Ron exclaimed while Hermione snorted in disgust. "I need to get some practice in if I'm to get Wood's spot as Keeper!"
"Harry! You've only just gotten out of the hospital wing," Mrs. Weasley moaned. "If Madame Pomfrey were to see you..."
"Well, we'll just have to make sure she doesn't," Bill said grinning.
"Mm hmm," Charlie said. "Besides, I've been aching to go against you as seeker Harry. Ron, the twins, Ginny, and even Percy have been tormenting me constantly with declarations of how good you are and how your better than me!" he exclaimed.
Harry's eyes lit up with excitement at the prospect of going against Charlie who was legendary for his seeker skills. "Finally! Some decent competition!" he exclaimed happily.
Everyone laughed at that and nodded their heads knowingly. "Malfoy doesn't hold a candle to you Harry. All he does is mark you and try to reach the snitch before you do when you find it! Ha! As if," Ron said happily.
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Ginny said.
The teens and the young adults in the room nodded excitedly and headed out for the pitch before anyone could protest.
"Well, do you think we should go and watch?" Molly asked.
"I know I want to," Sirius said getting up. "It's not every day that I get to watch Harry fly," he said wistfully.
"Soon Padfoot, soon," Remus said soothingly knowing exactly what was going through Sirius' mind.
"I'll just run ahead and get Minerva. She would never forgive me for not telling her about a match between Harry and Charlie, her two star seekers," Albus said.
"We'll meet you on the pitch then Albus," Remus said.
Everyone around the table nodded and headed for the pitch to tell the teens to wait for Albus and Minerva before they started playing. After all, they were all smart enough to know that if they didn't let McGonagall watch the game of the century, she would have their hides, quite literally. And who were they to deny Minerva the pleasure of watching the game of the century? The fact that she could transfigure them all into newts was also a very good incentive.
TBC