Fanfic
The Marauders – Book One
Disclaimer: All main characters and settings belong to J K Rowling
N/A: This is my first ever fanfic. It is set when the Marauders were at school. Voldemort has left school and is currently nowhere to be seen. Nobody knows that he is an evil wizard…yet. I hope you enjoy the story. If you have any queries, then ask either by reviewing or by emailing me.
Chapter One – LettersA brown tawny owl beat its wings hard as it fought against the wind and driving rain. A heavy parchment letter, charmed to repel the rain, weighed down on its leg. The lights of a small village came into view far below it, and the owl veered down towards a house on the outskirts. It headed for a downstairs room with a light showing from the window. The sodden bird landed with a thump on the windowsill and started rapping the glass, trying to get the attention of those inside.
An eleven-year-old boy was leaning back on two legs of his chair. He pushed a hand through his mop of unruly black hair, trying to push it out of his sleepy hazel eyes. His mother was busy cooking sausages and bacon for breakfast. She turned around from the stove and glanced at him.
'James, don't lean back on the chair, you'll break it.' She remonstrated the boy.
James scowled and let the chair rock back onto all four legs with a thump. His mother smiled and turned back to the cooking. As soon as her back was turned James leaned back on his chair again. Suddenly there was a thump at the window, making James jump. His chair, off balance on only two legs, fell over backwards, taking James with it. The boy's mother turned round quickly at the crashing sound, then laughed to see James flailing around on the floor. She helped him up, checking that he was all right but still laughing.
'That'll teach you to lean back on your chair.' She said, but not unkindly.
James looked up, red-faced, as he heard a tapping on the window. Remembering what had made him jump in the first place he hurried over to the glass. A very wet and annoyed looking owl was peering in out of the pelting rain. James fumbled the window open to let the bird in. It hopped through the opening as soon as it could, dripping cold water over the kitchen floor as it flapped to the table. It shook excess water off its wings, and then held out its leg expectantly.
James untied the surprisingly dry parchment letter as his mother fetched an owl treat and some water for the bird. It took both gratefully, then flew off, looking forwards to a nice dry sleep on its perch.
Meanwhile James was inspecting the letter. On the front of the heavy parchment was his address in green ink:
Mr J Potter
The Attic Bedroom 1 The Close
Tiptoe
Hampshire
With growing excitement he turned the letter over to inspect the coat of arms on the red sealing wax. His eyes lit up and he looked in wonder as his curious mother.
'Mum, I've got a letter from Hogwarts.'
Lily woke up to the sound of rain trying to hammer its way into their sturdy house. She lay on her side for a moment, eyes closed, trying to hang onto the vivid colours of her dream even as it trickled from her mind. With a sigh, Lily pushed back the covers and sat up with a yawn. She stood and started getting dressed into trousers and a warm top. After raking a brush through her vivid red hair the girl pulled at the covers on her bed, trying to quickly force them into some form of neatness. Then she opened her curtains. No extra light entered the room, although the sun should be well up by now. Dark rain pelted the glass from the black clouds.
Bleary eyed she headed downstairs and into the kitchen. Petunia, her sister, was already at the table eating toast. She was taller then Lily, with blond hair and blue eyes. Lily sat down, glancing at the clock on the wall. It was quarter past nine.
'Where's mum?' She asked Petunia.
'She's gone shopping. Did you hear the storm last night?' Petunia asked.
'Yes, it kept on waking me up. It came right above our house at one point.'
Petunia nodded agreement. 'There's a strange letter for you, by the way.' She pointed to the work surface.
'Strange?' Lily enquired, pushing back her chair and standing up.
Petunia nodded. 'It's not a normal envelope. Looks like that hand-made stuff.'
Lily picked up the heavy parchment and read the green-ink address on the front. She laughed and then read it out loud for the benefit of her older sister.
'Miss L Evans
The Second Bedroom on the Left
4 Bluebell Chase
Little Whinging
Surrey.'
There was a pause as their eyes met. Petunia sniffed. 'Obviously someone's idea of a joke. I wouldn't even bother opening it if I were you.'
Lily ignored this comment and turned the parchment over. She paused for a second to inspect the red seal, then broke it and opened the envelope. Inside were two pieces of parchment, both written on in green. Lily opened the first one and started to read out loud, eyebrows rising the whole time.
'HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. Of Wizards)
Thursday 29th July
Dear Miss Evans,
We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins of 1st September. We await your owl by no later than 31st July.
Yours Sincerely
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
In the pause that followed this reading, Lily picked up the other piece of parchment. She scanned through it, fighting back a smile. When she looked up at Petunia, who was now reading the letter for herself, she had to laugh. Petunia looked up in surprise.
'What are you laughing at?' Petunia demanded. 'All this nonsense about spell books and wands and broomsticks.'
'It's a joke.' Said Lily, fighting to get her giggles under control. She picked up the parchment and shoved them back in their envelope, which she then shoved in her jumper pocket.
'It's a waste of our time.' Petunia replied. 'And what are you keeping it for? Throw it in the bin.'
Lily just smiled at her sister. 'It hasn't hurt anyone. I want to show Becky; she'll find it funny.'
Petunia shrugged and carried on eating her breakfast.
The next morning Lily woke early. She had slept badly and was finally woken up at five o'clock by her father getting ready for work. Deciding that she wasn't going to fall asleep again, Lily got out of bed. She went to the bathroom to splash her face with water and then went downstairs in her pyjamas.
'You're up early.' Her father commented as she entered the kitchen. Lily walked over and gave him a hug.
'I was awake and heard you were up so I thought I'd come down and say hi.'
He turned around and checked on the toast in the grill. Pulling out the two slices of toast he buttered them.
'I have to shoot off Lily, I'm going to be late.' He said, kissing her on the forehead. Then he hurried out of the kitchen, eating the toast as he went. Lily's father was a postman, which meant he always had to start early in the morning, and the family didn't normally see him until the evening.
The door slammed. There was silence in the kitchen except for the tick of the clock and the hiss of the gas oven that her father had left on. Lily turned it off and opened the curtains. The sun hadn't risen yet, but there was a pink glow in the east where it would be rising in an hour of so. The rain had stopped yesterday at around noon and now the sky was clear.
Lily walked out of the back door. It was cool outside in her pyjamas, but she didn't mind. Walking over the dewy grass Lily headed to one of the wooden chairs. She sat down and stayed there, staring into the east. She let her imagination silently wish that the letter yesterday had been true.
Petunia walked into the kitchen at eight o'clock. Sunlight streamed in through the windows. There was a slight draught around her feet. Looking up she saw that the back door was open. Suddenly nervous of burglars she crept over to look out into the garden. Instead of robbers there was her sister, fast asleep in a chair in her pyjamas.
Petunia smiled and just stood there watching her little sister sleep for a while. Then she heard her mother stir upstairs and decided to wake Lily before she got into trouble for falling asleep in the cold.
Lily woke to the sound of her sister's voice calling her name. 'Lily. Lily, wake up. Mum's just woken up and she'll shove cod-liver oil down your throat if she finds that you fell asleep out here.'
That woke Lily with a start and by the time her mother entered the kitchen five minutes later she was sitting at the table drinking water and waiting for her toast to cook. As they were saying hello the post box flapped. The post had already been this morning, and Lily curiously went to see what they had received. She was shocked to see a heavy parchment envelope with her name and address written in the same green ink as yesterday.
With trepidation Lily picked up the letter. She split the red sealing wax at the back and pulled out a folded sheet of parchment.
'HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. Of Wizards)
Friday 30th July
Dear Miss Evans,
We have recently been informed that, although you received your letter of acceptance yesterday, you still doubt the existence of magic altogether. We understand that students coming from non-magical families often have initial difficulty in accepting their skills. However we assure you that this is not a joke.
If we receive no indication that you accept your position at Hogwarts a representative will visit your house at ten o'clock am on Saturday 1st August.
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress'
Lily looked up at her Petunia who had just entered the hall. She held out the letter wordlessly and her sister grabbed it. After reading it through once their eyes met. They were coming to their house.
End Chapter One
A/N: Please Review! I have never written a fanfic before, and would really like to know what people think. I don't mind people saying bad things, as long as it is constructive so that I can try to improve my story.
Thank You
Reth