Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. The wonderful JK Rowling does! I wish I did, then I'd be rich! Just kidding! Please don't sue me for writing a fan fic that I really hope you enjoy!
(A/N: Add on to my disclaimer, scenes you will later see in this chapter are from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Once again, some of it is not my writing, but the perfect JK Rowling's.)
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Slowly, but surely, Lily began to heal from the awful experience that happened with Claudia. She didn't cry so much for her friend, but began to focus on the good times they shared, and how bravely she died.
"Here's our Hogwarts letters," Sirius announced, throwing one to each designated person.
Lily ripped hers open. Please let it be there . . . she thought. Lily saw something shiny inside. "Yes! I got Head Girl!" she shouted.
There was a chorus of "good jobs" from everyone, except James. He was staring at his envelope, dumbfounded. "I don't believe it," he whispered.
"What? Did they expel you without me?" Sirius said, rushing over to read the letter. After he read a few lines, he gaped at the letter, wearing the same expression James had.
Finally James cleared his throat. "I got Head Boy," he said.
"That is so cool! We can be Head Boy and Girl together!" Lily said, squeezing him to death in a hug.
Remus looked shocked. "Head Boy? No way, no one in they're right mind would make you Head Boy!" He grabbed a badge out of the envelope. "Good job, mate, but wow. What was Dumbledore smoking when he did this?"
Lily's eyes narrowed. "Hey, I got Head Girl!"
Right then, Gail came in singing. "Good morning all! We should probably go to Diagon Alley today to get all of your school stuff," Gail said while heading over to the refrigerator.
"Mum, James got Head Boy," Sirius said while still staring at the badge.
Gail stopped dead and turned towards James, a smile broke out on her face. "Really James?" James nodded. "This isn't some daft joke, is it?" James shook his head. "That's wonderful news!" Gail said, picking up the badge and admiring it. She then engulfed him in a hug. "Your parents would be so proud of you," she whispered in his ear.
Tears stung James' eyes. Lily noticed and saved him from embarrassment. "We should get going to Diagon Alley now."
Gail nodded, and everyone gathered their cloaks and shoes to get ready for the trip.
They came back to The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black with full stomachs and tons of bags. When they arrived in the den, they saw Peter sitting there reading a book.
"Wormtail!" all three boys cried at once, tackling him.
"We haven't seen you all summer!" James exclaimed.
"Where've you been?" Remus asked.
"Is your Mumsie finally letting you out of the house?" Sirius said with a wink.
"Come on guys, back off. I want to hear about Peter's summer!" Lily said sitting down in an armchair facing him and clapped a hand on his knee with a warm smile.
They talked until it was time for dinner. Afterwards they were all exhausted so they all went to their own beds. Well, except for four people.
After they were sure everyone was asleep, Lily and Marissa snuck out of their guest bedroom and went down the hall to their boyfriends.
"Hey Mara!" Sirius said. He was sitting cross-legged in the middle of the bed, reading a Quidditch magazine.
Marissa put a finger to her lips and crept over to the bed, bouncing next to him. Sirius grinned and kissed her softly. "I love you Sirius," Marissa said, looking up into his eyes.
Sirius sat up and looked at Mara, his face drained of all color. "What did you say?" he asked timidly. Sirius was very afraid of commitment, and Marissa knew it.
"I love you. I want to see if this relationship is going anywhere or if I am just wasting my time," Marissa said simply.
Sirius took a few great gulps. "Well, uh, um…can I think about it?"
There was a small moment of silence. "You have to think about if you love me?" She whispered.
Sirius took another deep breath and got off the bed, pacing the room. "Well, I don't know if what I feel is love, because I'm not sure of what love is."
"What do you feel then?" Mara asked, slowly getting off the bed and walking towards him.
Sirius grinned. "Whenever I see you coming towards me, my heart beats faster. Every time I kiss you, I feel like the whole world around me has dissolved, and it's only you and me."
Marissa wrapped her arms around his neck, playing with the ends of his hair, giving Sirius chills. "What else?" she asked.
Sirius' breathing was heavy. "When I hold you like this," Sirius put his arms around her waist and pulled her closer, "I want to never leave the embrace."
"Mmm, what else do you feel?" Marissa said, leaning into kiss him.
Sirius could hardly breathe. "When you're about to kiss me, I feel like I . . ." Sirius trailed off.
"Yes?" Mara prompted, looking deep into his eyes.
"I feel like I never want to leave you alone and always have you with me, until forever," Sirius said. He was scared he said that much.
Marissa's eyes filled with tears. "You mean it?" she asked.
Sirius grinned. "Of course," he kissed her briefly. "I love you Marissa." He said softly.
Marissa was crying. She pulled him closer, hugging him. "I love you too."
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"Get up! Get up!" Gail called throughout the house. "The train leaves in three hours! There are two showers and six people, do the math. And no Sirius, the Master Bathroom is off limits!" There was a magical speaker through out the house and grounds of the Black Manor.
Sirius groaned as he got up. "I hate when she does that," he said to Marissa, who was sleepily rubbing her eyes.
The next room over, James was waking up to the same thing. "Every year Gail and my mum took turns waking us all up. I always wanted to burn the loudspeaker." Lily sat up next to him, yawning.
"I'm going to dash to the bathroom first," Lily said, grabbing her wand.
"Same shower?" James asked, raising his eyebrows suggestively. Lily shot him a look that plainly said, 'In you're dreams, Potter.' With a small sigh, James muttered, "Fine."
Lily ran towards one shower, and then James to the other. They were pleased to see each got there first, and then they Summoned what they needed.
Marissa got to one bathroom just as James slammed the door. "He'll get payback on the train," she grumbled while Summoning her clothes.
The next three hours were a frenzy of last minute packing, getting ready, and eating. There were spells going all over the place, and people got used to ducking jets of light. The Marauders thought it would be fun to send hexes randomly over the place. Let's just say it got very icy when they "accidentally" hit Marissa with the Leg-Locker Curse.
They couldn't Apparate to the train station, with muggles everywhere, so they had to take the car. They got there very early, which was a nice change, and found a large compartment all to themselves.
As soon as they got their trunks stowed away, The Marauders got up. "Where are you going?" Marissa asked.
Peter grinned. "We want to find Snape to see how his summer has been going for him."
Lily rolled her eyes. "James, you're Head Boy. You should set an example for younger students."
"I can't give up being a Marauder for six years just because of a badge. Plus being Head Boy has its advantages. You can give out detentions to slimy haired gits." James said.
Lily sighed and waved them off; opening a book entitled Defensive Spells, Jinxes, and Hexes.
Marissa watched them leave and grinned. "Okay, get up!" she said, pulling up Lily and pushing her out of the compartment.
"Why?" Lily asked, throwing her book down.
"I'm going to booby trap the compartment so when they come racing back in, they get a nasty surprise," Mara smiled wickedly and stood outside of the compartment, casting spells under her breath. "Done! Let's go visit Dani and Bri!" Mara said bubbly, pulling Lily along.
A few moments later, the Marauders came racing in, breathing heavily. Sirius closed the door and locked it magically.
James smiled at everyone. Then a loud noise came from inside the compartment, sounding a lot like firecrackers. When it finally stopped, the boys looked around at each other and started cracking up.
Sirius had on pale lavender eye shadow and sparkles all over his face. He was also wearing mascara and purple lipstick with a "beauty" mole next to his nose.
James had on dark blue eye shadow, along with blue eyeliner, blue mascara, blue sparkles next to the corners of his eyes, and blue lipstick.
Remus had pink eye shadow with dark black eyeliner and pink mascara. He was wearing pink lipstick and had a cute little bow in his hair.
Peter was wearing red eye shadow. He had red and green mascara. One half of his lips was red, the other was green. His hair had also turned half red and half green.
All four heard clicking sounds and turned toward the compartment door. Lily was taking pictures of them and Marissa was gasping for breath. "Revenge is sweet ladies," Mara said when she finally gained control.
James frowned. "I thought you already paid us back with the bucket of ice water this morning?" He pointed to Sirius' face muttering, "Scourgify!" All of the make up disappeared.
Marissa shook her head. "Oh no, that was only part of it. James, blue is so your color."
Remus removed his own make-up, continuing to everyone else. "Well just wait until the feast tonight. This will be our biggest prank yet."
Lily cocked an eyebrow. "Really, that's a big step. There won't be enough time before the feast to do it."
"We know. We worked on it all last year. It's timed to start right before Dumbledore starts the feast. It will only last overnight though," Remus said.
"I don't think I even want to know," Lily said, scooting next to James and picking up her book.
When they finally got to Hogwarts, the Marauders sat down anxiously and waited for the first years to arrive. They entered eventually ("FINALLY!" yelled Sirius, turning a few heads), looking around at the Great Hall with apprehensive looks on their face. After the sorting ceremony, Dumbledore stood up. "I have a few start of the term notices for everyone. But before I begin, I would like to say Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"
The golden plates suddenly filled with food, which amazed all the first years. But before anyone could begin eating, there was a loud bang that echoed through the room. Smoke filled the entire Great Hall.
Once everything cleared, a large gasp echoed through out the room. Everyone was underwater! Lily looked down and saw a large fin. I'm a mermaid! She looked around and saw everyone else was too. Except the teachers, who looked like they had a giant bubble surrounding each of them.
The Marauders stood, or should I say swam, up. They looked very strange with green fins and no shirts. A lot of the girls were gawking (and shooting evil glares at Marissa and Lily, being the lucky ladies to capture the two bachelors) at Sirius and James, who both work out each morning and night.
"Ladies, Gentleman, and Teachers! We have been planning this awesome prank since last year. We barely finished it before school let out," said Remus.
"If you still haven't guessed, you all are Mermaids and Mermen, except for the teachers, because I don't think anyone would want to see that," Sirius said politely smiling at the teachers. Dumbledore chuckled appreciatively, and gave the Marauders a small wink.
"Being underwater will not affect anything. You can still eat, sleep, and walk. Well, not exactly walk, but you will be able to float!" James said.
"The charm will only last until tomorrow. The water will be gone by the time you wake up! Enjoy the feast!" Peter squeaked nervously.
As they were floating back down, James shot up again. "Also, Marauders Remus and Peter are still single. So if anyone would like to go on a date with either, please contact Sirius or myself. We are their personal agents. Thank you!"
The Great Hall broke out in applause or whistles. The first years were still looking around confused and many older students had to explain about the Marauders.
McGonagall stood, looking very angry. "Messers Lupin, Pettigrew, Black, and Potter, you will come to my office as soon as you wake up. I will then hand out your punishments and I will write letters to your families."
Sirius grinned and yelled, "It's a date Minnie!"
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James was in a familiar place. He looked around closer and saw it was the Shrieking Shack. There were people in the room, but their faces were fuzzy.
"You're going to hear me out, Ron," a man said quietly. Then all of sudden, James could see the faces. Remus was pointing a wand at a red haired boy. But Remus didn't look like Remus. He had wrinkles all over his face and heavy bags under his eyes. He was wearing shabby clothes and his hair was turning gray. The red haired boy, supposedly named Ron, was lying on a bed, next to a bushy brown haired girl and-
James gasped. It was himself! But it looked like himself when he was back in third year. Only there was one difference. He had startling green eyes. It was the eyes James loved so much, Lily's eyes. James also saw a lightening bolt-shaped scar on his head. He saw some one else in the room and gasped again.
It was Sirius, but not the young, fun loving, full of life Sirius he knew. He had a mass of filthy matted hair. His eyes were cold and full of sorrow and hate. His skin was stretched tightly around his bones. He had yellow teeth that looked like they hadn't been brushed in years.
Remus spoke again. "Just keep a tight hold on Peter while you listen." James looked at Ron and saw he was holding a rat that looked just like Peter's Animagus form, only there was a large bald spot on his back.
"HE'S NOT PETER, HE'S SCABBERS!" Ron yelled, trying to force Peter in his front pocket, but Peter was fighting to get away from his grip; Ron swayed and overbalanced, and the boy who looked like James caught him and pushed him back on the bed.
"There were witnesses who saw Pettigrew die," the raven-haired boy said. "A whole street full of them..."
"They didn't see what they think they saw!" said Sirius. James cringed. Sirius' voice was raspy, not at all like the smooth talker James knew.
"Everyone thought Sirius killed Peter," said Remus, nodding. James couldn't believe his ears. Why would Sirius kill Peter? "I believed it myself — until I saw the map tonight. Because the Marauder's Map never lies . . . Peter is alive. Ron's holding him, Harry." So the boy's name is Harry, James thought. But Peter is alive; I don't understand any of this. What's the Marauder's Map got to do with it? He wanted to ask all these questions, but when he tried, it felt like he had no voice.
Harry and Ron looked at each other. Then the bushy haired girl spoke in a trembling voice that sounded like she was trying to stay calm. "But Professor Lupin...Scabbers can't be Pettigrew...it just can't be true, you know it can't..."
Professor Lupin? James thought. What is going on? Then Remus spoke. "Why can't it be true?" Remus said calmly.
"Because . . . because people would know if Peter Pettigrew had been an Animagus. We did Animagi in class with Professor McGonagall. And I looked them up when I did my homework – the Ministry of Magic keeps tabs on witches and wizards who can become animals; there's a register showing what animal they can become, and their markings and things...and I went and looked Professor McGonagall up on the register, and there have only been seven Animagi in this century, and Pettigrew's name wasn't on the list –"
Remus started to laugh. "Right again, Hermione!" he said. "But the Ministry never knew that there used to be three unregistered Anamagi running around at Hogwarts." James wanted to laugh too. This must be after Hogwarts! He thought to himself, looking at the door and waiting for himself to come in and tell stories of their adventures.
"If you're going to tell them the story, get a move on, Remus," snarled Sirius, who was watching Peter closely. "I've waited twelve years, I'm not going to much longer."
Waiting twelve years? For what? James thought. He knew Sirius is very impatient, and was wondering what he would've waited twelve years for.
"All right . . . but you'll need to help me, Sirius," said Remus. "I only know how to begin . . ."
Remus broke off. There had been a loud creak behind them from the bedroom door opening. Remus walked towards it and looked out into the landing.
"No one there . . ."
"This place is haunted!" said Ron.
"It's not," said Remus, still looking at the door in a puzzled way. "The Shrieking Shack was never haunted...The screams the villagers heard were made by me.
"That's where all of this starts – with my becoming a werewolf. None of this could have happened if I hadn't been bitten . . . and if I hadn't been so foolhardy . . ."
He looked sober and tired. Ron started to interrupt, but Hermione said, "Shh!" She was watching Remus intently.
"I was a very small boy when I received the bite. My parents tried everything, but in those days there was no cure. The potion that Professor Snape had been making for me is a very recent discovery. It makes me safe, you see. As long as I take it in the week proceeding the full moon, I keep my mind when I transform . . . I am able to curl up in my office, a harmless wolf, and wait for the moon to wane again."
James knew the whole story of how he got bit. But what potion had saved Remus from hurting himself every full moon? And why was Snape helping him?
Remus told how he became a werewolf before the potion, how Dumbledore became headmaster and let him come to Hogwarts, how the Whomping Willow was planted for Remus, how Dumbledore built the house for Remus to transform, how his transformations were so terrible and how the villagers feared the house.
"But apart from my transformations, I was happier than I had ever been in my life. For the first time ever, I had friends, three great friends. Sirius Black...Peter Pettigrew...and of course, your father, Harry – James Potter."
James was stunned. I am this boy's father? He thought to himself. Wait, his eyes are Lily's. It dawned on him. I marry Lily! James felt a rush of happiness spread through him at the thought of Lily and him having a child. But where am I? Why am I not with them, telling the story? Why isn't Harry asking where I am?
"Now, my three friends could hardly fail to notice that I disappeared once a month. I made up all sorts of stories. I told them my mother was ill, and that I had to go home to see her . . . I was terrified they would desert me the moment they found out what I was. But of course, they, like you, Hermione, worked out the truth . . .
"And they didn't desert me at all. Instead they did something that would make my transformations not only bearable, but the best times of my life. They became Anamagi."
"My dad too?" asked Harry, astounded. Of course! I would've told you that as soon as you learned to speak! James thought angrily. Why doesn't he know anything about me?
"Yes indeed," Remus said. "It took them the best part of three years to work out how to do it. Your father and Sirius here were the cleverest students in the school, and lucky they were, because the Animagus transformations can go horribly wrong – one reason the Ministry keeps a close watch on those attempting to do it. Peter needed all the help he could get from James and Sirius. Finally, in our fifth year, they managed it. They could each turn into a different animal at will."
"But how did that help you?" said Hermione.
Remus told them the story of how they got into the Willow and how it helped him make transformations bearable.
"Hurry up Remus," snarled Sirius, who was still watching Peter with a horrible sort of hunger on his face.
Remus explained them roaming around the grounds and Hogsmeade. He told when they made the Marauder's Map and their nicknames for each other. James smiled, thinking about the good times they shared.
"What sort of animal --?" Harry began, but Hermione cut in. He doesn't know I am a stag? James felt hurt.
"That was still really dangerous! Running around in the dark with a werewolf! What if you'd given the others the slip, and bitten somebody?" James wanted to laugh. She sounded so much like Lily.
"A thought that still haunts me," said Remus heavily. Why? We were there to make sure he didn't do that! James thought. "And there were near missed, many of them. We laughed about them afterwards. We were young, thoughtless – carried away with our own cleverness." We weren't thoughtless, Moony! James wanted to scream.
Remus continued saying he felt guilty about betraying Dumbledore's trust. "All this year, I have been battling with myself, wondering if I should tell Dumbledore that Sirius was an Animagus. But I didn't do it. Why? Because I was too cowardly. It would have meant admitting that I betrayed his trust while I was at school, admitting that I'd led others along with me . . . and Dumbledore's trust has meant everything to me. He let me into Hogwarts as a boy, and gave me a job when I have been shunned all my adult life, unable to find paid work because of what I am. And so I convinced myself that Sirius was getting into the school using dark arts that he learned from Voldemort, that being an Animagus had nothing to do with it . . . so, in a way, Snape's been right about me all along."
"Snape?" Sirius said harshly, taking his eyes off Peter and looking up at Remus. "What's Snape got to do with it?"
"He's here, Sirius," said Remus heavily. "He's teaching here as well. Professor Snape was at school with us. He fought very hard against my appointment to the Defense Against the Dark Arts job. He has been telling Dumbledore all year that I am no to be trusted. He has his reasons...you see, Sirius here played a trick on him which nearly killed him, a trick which involved me –" James remembered that day.
"It served him right," Sirius sneered. "Sneaking around, trying to find out what we were up to . . . hoping he could get us expelled . . ."
Remus told the story of how he almost killed Snape and how James saved his life.
"So that's why Snape doesn't like you," said Harry slowly, "because he thought you were in on the joke?"
"That's right," sneered a cold voice from the wall beside Lupin. James looked over and saw Snape pulling off the Invisibility Cloak, his wand pointing at Remus. James' hate bubbled inside him. He wanted to punch Snape for even thinking about using his Cloak.
James let out a scream of anger, not understanding the dream, and found himself sitting up in bed.
"What the bloody hell?" Sirius said in a tired voice. Sirius, still in a merman, came floating beside James, Remus and Peter behind him. "You alright mate?" he asked.
James tried to think about the dream, but he couldn't see anything but Peter in his Animagus form. "Yeah, I'm fine, just a bad dream. Sorry for waking you guys," he said in a shaky voice.
"No problem. Just warn us before you make us have a heart attack in the middle of the night, okay?" Peter said.
James grinned and nodded. "They all floated back to their beds. After a while, James heard snoring. As he drifted off to sleep, he heard Sirius' raspy voice, something he hadn't heard in his dream. "Peter Pettigrew sold Lily and James to Voldemort."
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Author Notes: And the plot thickens. I have a question to pose to readers; was it too soon for Sirius to say I love you to Marissa? They have only been going out like two and half months…but I don't know…my story has been messed up thus far, why not make things a little more crazy?
CASOCCERCHIC02: lol I'll be your diary! That sounds weird…dude if you had my World History class you would come out of it depressed every day. Have you seen the Anne Frank movie, the newer one in color? If you haven't, I recommend you check it out. Some of the information doesn't match the diary and they sorta make it out like ALL Germans are bad, not just the Nazis, but its still sad.
Demi: After I'm done with the new later chapter I'm seriously reconsidering just rereading all my chapters one at a time and rewriting the whole thing from memory so it will be like I'm writing from my experience. Yes, with my history project I got 300/300, on my test 170/180, and I re-made color guard lol. Hopefully it will stop by my party Friday but who knows. Awww…you had it on trips? ( I had it when I went to NYC last fall and once when we went camping in Colorado (yuck). I've always wanted to go to Hershey Park, is it cool? I've heard the air smells like chocolate. Whoa…that much chocolate on your period? Wowwwww…
Aly: Yeah the panty thing with many others I need to fix, thanks for your input!
R/R!