Title: Hidden
Author: Jillian Ryn
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or the universe. They belong to the lovely and creative J.K. Rowling.
Summary: (AU) Hogwarts hasn't been able to discover the true identify of "The Marauders". No one suspects the boys in the fifth year Gryffindor dorm. Everyone knows they hate each other... Don't they? The secret would have been taken to the grave if it weren't for a beautiful girl with emerald eyes.
Rating: PG-13
Distribution: Ask and you shall receive.
... ...
The Gryffindor common room was filled with laughter. The infamous Marauders had pulled another flawless prank and Hogwarts was alight with theories and guesses on who the pranksters could be.
Some believed it to be the sixth year Gryffindor boys, a group who was carefree and wild and who proudly broke the rules and openly ignored the professors. The boys had often said that they would like to take credit for the creative and daring pranks, but that they couldn't steal the glory away form the true rule breakers.
Others believed the fifth year boys in Ravenclaws were the culprits. The fact that the pranks began the year the Ravenclaws arrived caused many to people suspect them. They were, said those who believed them responsible, no doubt, smart enough to pull it off.
Still others thought it was the fifth year girls from Hufflepuff. A few even believed that the pranksters belonged to Slytherin and that the many pranks pulled on Malfoy, Snape, and the house in general were used to shy the hounds of their trail.
However, no one in the school suspected the fifth year Gryffindor boys. The notion never passed through any of the students heads. And if, for some reason, it did, the idea was quickly pushed away. It was a well known fact that the four boys who occupied the fifth year dormitory despised each other. So much so, that they could barley stand living in the same dormitory and had actually gone as far as to ask Dumbledore to move them. A request he had strongly refused.
Sirius Black was one of these boys. He was, as Lily had once described him, the poster child for popularity. He was the clean cut, preppy athlete ever parent wanted their child to turn out to be. His dark brown, almost black hair was cut short and stylish in the newest fashion. His dark chocolate eyes were as soulful and innocent as his smile was sweet and charming. His body, which was a side effect of long practices and hard games as a beater on their house Quidditch team, was always a popular subject with the female population of Hogwarts. He was easily the most popular guy in fifth year. He fulfilled his self assigned duties of popularity happily, dating all the right girls and picking on all the right "losers."
James Potter was Sirius' room mate and was, not only, one of the so called loser but also Sirius' favorite target. It was easy to see why James Potter, the nerdy book worm, and Sirius Black, Quidditch god, didn't get along. James was the exact opposite of Sirius in every way. Where Sirius' almost black hair didn't have a strand out of place, James' brown strands were out of control. His hair seemed to get messier and messier the more he brushed or charmed it. He had long ago given up trying to control it. Now his hair constantly had the I-just-rolled-out-of-bed look that on someone with more confidence would have been attractive. Girls often swore they could drown in Sirius' deep chocolate eyes, there were no such comments about James'. His hazel eyes were hidden by wire rimed glasses Sirius had once described as the "most pathetic ever made." James had a goofy smile that most found oddly endearing. He was tall and skinny and always seemed to be uncomfortable in his own body. He had the top marks in all of his classes and was often found in the library trying to escape the wrath of his popular room mate, who if given the chance would mercilessly make fun of him. Many wondered why he was placed in Gryffindor, as Ravenclaw would have obviously suited him better seeing how smart he was and how afraid of Sirius he always appeared to be.
Remus Lupin, the third room mate, also had a personality that clashed with the others. He was the stereotypical bad boy. Many referred to him as the lone wolf, a term he had always found amusing. Remus skipped countless classes and would disappear entirely for a few days each month. No one knew where he went but rumors flew around the school each time he disappeared. He had a fang earring and it was rumored that he also had a tattoo on his back, of what was unclear. Some believed it was a lion, others a wolf, one girl even swore it was a rose. Remus, like Sirius, had a way with women. Many had admitted it was the mystery that drew them to him, although his looks hadn't hurt matters. Remus had wavy sandy blonde hair that girls died to run their fingers through. His eyes were a cloudy gray that clearly showed a hidden pain. He was usually quiet, but when he did speak everyone listened. Remus and Sirius hated each other with a passion. It was a well known fact that Remus believed Sirius to be a "pathetic poser" that "was nothing but a sheep" while Sirius often referred to him mockingly as "the lone ranger." Remus couldn't stand James who in his words was a goody-two- shoes, always waiting to rat him out. Everyone assumed that James was terrified of Remus.
Peter Pettigrew was the final occupant of their dormitory. Peter could only be described as the nice guy. Girls often referred to him as a cute teddy bear. Peter had curly blonde hair and striking blue eyes. His round, rosy cheeks and rich laugh made everyone trust him immanently. He was slightly chubby and he used this to his advantage, often making jokes about him self. Peter was friends with everybody but not really close to anyone. It was hard for everyone to see why the other boys in his room didn't get along with the blonde, but each boy had their excuse.
At least, that's how they presented themselves.
It was easy to see why no one would ever suspect those four boys to be the infamous Marauders. The idea in itself was ludicrous.
They couldn't even stand to be in the same part of the common room.
Remus sat by the fire, silently staring into the flames. Even though his eyes reflected the light from the flames, they were dark and no one dared to bother or approach him. He was brooding, something he could often be found doing. Remus hadn't been seen for two days before this and he looked unusually tired. The few people that dared to get close enough noticed a new scare on hi arm. It was small, but jagged and still pink.
Sirius sat in the middle of the room surrounded by people, discussing the newest prank. Sirius believed it was the sixth year Gryffindors. He had to stick by his house after all. He had is arm slung around Lily Evens, a beautiful red head with eyes so green they hurt to look at. She was easily the most popular girl in their year. Lily also had top grades and many considered her a shoe in for perfect and eventually Head Girl. Lily and Sirius had been close since the welcoming feast their first year, when they wound up sitting next to each other. The pair was constantly flirting and with Sirius' track record nobody understood why he and the most beautiful redhead weren't together. The truth was that Sirius never tied for anything more than friendship, a fact that Lily was constantly grateful for.
James sat by an open window that over looked the lake and forbidden forest. He was studding for a test in potions, his worst subject. Books were stacked all around him, taking up all the room. His glasses had slid all the way to the tip of his nose and were threatening to fall off. He paid no attention to them as he chewed on the bottom of his lip and scribbled down a few notes. Like Remus, no one dared to bother him.
Peter sat on the bottom steps of the boy's dormitory, along with a couple other Gryffindor. The group was laughing loudly at a joke Peter had said. When the subject turned to the Marauders no one noticed that Peter became uncharacteristically quiet and that he blinked more times than normal.
No one, not even the teachers, not even Dumbledore, would ever suspect four boys who couldn't stand the sight of each other to be able to pull off the most daring and complex pranks ever seen in Hogwarts.
Which was just how the boys liked it.