www.memory

by Nox

Chapter 2: The Licking of the Spoon

www.memory

I'll be waiting for you patiently

If you ever feel the need just click on me

At www.memory

-Alan Jackson

The Sorting had ended and the students and faculty of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry were digging into the vast amount of edibles that had suddenly appeared before them. If there was any desire to make an additional announcement the commotion of people getting back together with friends to catch up on their summers would override it; therefore, it was lucky that no one had that desire.

Remus seemed to have somewhat gotten over his initial shyness with the help of his new found friend, Sirius. They were now eating all the food in sight. Everyone seemed a bit surprised with the amount of food that a small boy like Remus could consume. However, the two first years ignored the stares because they were too preoccupied helping another first year Gryffindor, named James, get it into his friend's head that the food was not going to run out.

"No, Peter. You can eat as much as you want! People won't get mad at you for eating the food. See," the first boy, who had untidy jet black hair, then proceeded to empty the entire contents of a bowl of mashed potatoes onto Peter's plate. "Now watch." James then put the bowl back in the middle of the table. No one made any objection to the lack of mashed potatoes, and soon the bowl had refilled itself with fresh mashed potatoes. "Do you get it? The food doesn't just go away."

Peter seemed to understand now, and with a comical "Oh!" of realization, he continued to empty every bowl that would fit on his plate.

"Whoa, there, boy," Sirius laughed. "You can always get seconds. Don't take what you can't eat!"

"Oh," Remus interjected, taking a short swig of pumpkin juice, "I'm sure he can handle it."

Remus turned out to be right, for soon after that, Peter had indeed gone for seconds.

"So James," Sirius said brightly, "do you plan to do anything… er… inappropriate this year?"

"Are you kidding me?" James looked truly offended. "I'm going to cause so much trouble that they won't know how to punish me! Do you have any plans?"

"Well," Sirius whispered, winking at Remus, "maybe just a couple. Did you see that Snape kid?"

Remus almost snorted into his mashed potatoes. However, he ended up snorting on an empty plate because all the food on his plate vanished as dessert appeared in the center of the table. "And what would I have to do in this little scheme, may I ask?"

"Oh," Sirius drawled casually, "just maybe a little snooping for the… ahem… password to the Slytherin common room."

Peter looked up from his heaping plate of fudge and ice cream, "Ooooh! I wanna help!"

Sirius and James chuckled. "Alright," Sirius smiled, "if you want to be a part of this trouble-making group say 'Aye!'" Four 'Ayes' promptly followed this statement.

Sirius looked around and then picked up a spoon and scooped out a spoonful of the worst ice cream he could find: Cockroach Chip Pie Crust Dough. The only reason it was being served was because Dumbledore had made it clear that it was a personal favorite of his.

"Alright, the spoon will be passed around and once you lick the ice cream, you will become part of the trouble-making brotherhood known as the Marauders."

"Catchy, Sirius," James said. "You came up with that all by yourself?"

Sirius just grinned, and continued. "Becoming a Marauder is a demanding burden. You will be loyal to your fellow Marauders and will always help if a prank is in danger. Also, this is a lifetime thing…"

He was promptly cut off by the sensible Remus Lupin. "Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute. I say that it shouldn't be a lifetime oath. I say that it should be a pact that is renewed at the start of each year and possibly be made permanent at the closing of our last year here. Because there is always the possibility that we may want to back out later and we would be unable to do that with a lifetime oath."

"I agree with Remus," Peter piped in. James and Sirius nodded in approval.

"Good thinking, Remus. Anyway," Sirius continued, "The 'Licking of the Spoon' ritual shall be done at the welcoming feast at the beginning of each school year to renew our pact. That will be the time when anyone may back out if they feel they should. It is also the time when people may return to the Marauders. Therefore, that leaves at least a full year in which the person in question has time to think about making his decision permanent or returning to us. I, Sirius Orion Black of Gryffindor, hereby lick this spoon and become a Marauder." Sirius licked the spoon and passed it to Remus.

Remus didn't hesitate. "I, Remus Johnathan Lupin of Gryffindor, hereby lick this spoon and become a Marauder." He licked the spoon ("Mmm… tasty") and passed it to James.

James looked at both of them oddly then said, "I, James Frederick Potter of Gryffindor, hereby lick this spoon and become a Marauder." He licked the spoon and nearly gagged on the essence of cockroach bits. He then passed it to Peter.

Peter looked extremely nervous and faint, but he managed to stay on his stool long enough to say what he was supposed to. "I, P-Peter Paul P-P-Pettigrew of Gryffindor, hereby l-lick this sp-p-poon and become a M-Marauder." He licked the spoon and nearly passed out in disgust.

The four of them had each made the pact and there was still some ice cream left on the spoon, so Remus ate it.

"I actually quite like it," he started.

"You and your tastes…" James rolled his eyes at Remus remembering what Remus had done earlier on at dinner: putting a bit of everything from his plate onto his fork and then eating it.

Remus just grinned devilishly. "Pass the ice cream, please."

A/N: Yay! Chapter 2! OK, the "memory" hasn't started yet, but it will start soon. I will start getting into the actual plot next chapter. Yay!

Now… press the go button and review! Yay! I would love you forever or even give you tasty muffins! Who could resist that!