Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling. All characters, places, descriptions, etc. (unless original and created by me) belong to her.
Summary: It was a small pack, of course, just the five of them, but together they were something wild. Hermione finds herself in the Marauder's Era with four new best friends.
A/N: I'm on twitter now! Come find me - VforVulpeculum. As always, enjoy and let me know what you think!
Chapter 57: *Caro Sectatorum
14 July 1978
The Shrieking Shack
"I now call to order the tenth official Concord of the Marauders. When your name is called, please respond in the affirmative.
"Mister Prongs."
"Aye."
"Mister Padfoot."
"Aye."
"Mister Wormtail."
"Aye."
"Mistress Pup."
"Mistress? No. Nope. Absolutely not. Can't I just be Pup?"
"Let the record show Pup is asking for a name amendment. Rule number 52 clearly states a unanimous vote is required. All those in favor?"
"Aye."
"Aye."
"Nope."
"Sirius, really?"
"Fine, fine, aye."
"Aye. A unanimous decision has been reached. Motion accepted. Pup?"
"Aye."
"Let the record show all members are present." Remus banged the gavel on the decaying desk.
"Mister Prongs, as you called the Concord to order, you may now take the stand."
James raised himself from his position on the floor and traded places with Remus.
"My fellow Marauders, as you all know, tonight marks the long awaited end of my life as an unmarried man. By this time tomorrow, I will no longer be the Mister Prongs you once knew, but a new, changed man. A married man."
Sirius whistled.
"And because you all wouldn't let me just get on and get married—
"Mate, how could we not have a Stag Night for our resident stag?"
"—alright, alright. Then let's get on with it!"
The others cheered.
With the five of them together, it would always be more of the same. They drank and laughed and danced around the Shrieking Shack as if the world beyond the walls didn't exist. Time stopped for a moment, and they flitted between versions of themselves they had been before. Young children desperate for friendship and companionship. Students experiencing new wonders of magic. Teenagers clinging to and claiming a found family. Young adults secretly wishing things were as easy as they had been the year before.
"Oi, Prongs," Sirius shouted over the music. "What's next?"
"What do you mean, what's next?"
"C'mon mate," Sirius clapped a hand on James' shoulder and reached around to each of the otherss, pulling them in tight for a huddle. "Tonight's special. We've got to mark it, make it into something we'll always remember."
Sirius' grin spread to James' face.
"Let's go out."
They ended up in a bar in Muggle London, Hermione belatedly realizing she hadn't experienced this side of London in the 1970s yet. They were drawn into the bar by the crowd of young people and blaring music. It was electric and they felt invincible.
"So what's with the whole Concord thing anyway?" Hermione shouted over the noise after they managed to wrangle a pitcher of stale beer and a table in the back.
"Started first year," James shouted back. "When we first became friends. Had to do something special to 'member the founding of the Marauders."
"Now we only do them for special occasions," Remus joined in.
"Right, you mentioned this was the tenth? What were the others for?"
"First was for the founding," James started to tick off his fingers. "Second was for a truce because we kept pranking each other and things were getting out of hand."
"Marauder Rule number two," Sirius interrupted. "Pranks are for other people."
"Right, so then third was—"
"That was the Remus-We-Know-You're-A-Werewolf Concord."
"Right, right. Okay then, there was the one in third year when we came up with the idea for the Map." James ticked off another finger. "The fifth was when… when we decided on our names. Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs."
"Yeah," Sirius barked out a laugh. "Then we had to meet two weeks later 'cause Pete wanted to change his name."
"Ah, so Marauder Rule—"
"Rule 52, yeah," Peter chuckled.
"Wormy's favorite rule."
"Then the next one was—hang on, I remember, I swear—"
"The next one, Pup," Sirius smirked wickedly. "Was when we had to hold an intervention for James."
"An intervention? What for?"
The other three Marauders laughed before speaking in unison as they turned on James.
"Just because it's a lucky quidditch jersey doesn't mean you can't wash it!"
"Oi!"
"Oh James, really?"
"Pup, I'll have you know we were undefeated that year until I washed my kit." He shrugged but smiled. "I still stand by it."
"So then the eighth," Remus continued. "That was Sirius' formal invitation to live with James."
"You'd only been there all summer, I needed to make it official." James winked at Sirius who blew him a kiss in return.
"And the ninth?"
"Er," Remus looked at Sirius. "Well—"
"That one was about you, Pup." Sirius looked to Hermione. Remus grunted as Sirius' foot kicked out at his shin.
"Me?" Hermione laughed. "Why would you have a Concord about me? When was this?"
"A while ago," Sirius looked at the others. "They were giving me shit about not accepting you into the pack."
The Marauders shared a glance, a silent conversation, and an agreement.
"Right," Remus agreed, but narrowed his eyes at Sirius. "That was it."
"Oh, well, I for one am thankful for the Ninth Concord of the Marauders," Hermione smiled brightly, swaying slightly in her seat. "And for the Tenth Concord, to celebrate our brave leader!"
"Oi," Sirius nudged Hermione. "I thought I was the leader."
"You?"
"Mate, no."
"Nope." Hermione looked with shining eyes at James. "It's him."
"Wouldn't it make more sense for me to be the alpha of our pack?" Remus asked. He was always more open with his lycanthropy after a couple of drinks.
"You may be my Alpha, Professor, but for our pack, it's James." Hermione kept her eyes on James, missing the rush of warmth that spread across Remus at her words.
"Okay fine, but I'm his Beta then." Sirius smirked at Hermione. "And you, Pup, you're the runt."
Hermione rolled her eyes but laughed along with the group. The band behind them struck up a new song and James pulled them all out to the dance floor. Hermione held on tight to Remus as they spun around, pushed close together amongst the crowd. She jumped and shouted nonsense lyrics with James and Peter, shaking her wild hair out with the rhythm of the bass guitar. She let Sirius pull her in close as the guitar overshadowed the drumbeat that just happened to align with the racing of her heart.
Hermione put her palms on either side of Sirius' face, looking into his eyes before holding her forehead to his for just a moment before pulling back.
Sirius' eyes dipped to her mouth. His left hand spread out across the small of her back and he pushed her hair off her shoulder with his right. He leaned in close, his breath hot steam against her ear.
"Will you dance with me tomorrow, Pup?"
Hermione shivered.
"Yes."
"Promise?"
"Of course."
The music seemed a little quieter now as all of Hermione's senses were focused on Sirius' body against hers. They'd been out for hours now, but she wasn't close to being drunk. Tipsy, sure, but she knew what she was doing. The moon was still about a week away and Pup wasn't lingering at the edges of Hermione's mind. It was just her.
Hermione turned her head, silently nudging at Sirius. She tracked his eyes from her peripheral vision, but she was focused on his mouth and the tongue that darted out to lick his lips.
What was she doing? Was she really about to kiss Sirius Black right now?
Their breaths clouded between hastily wettened lips.
"Prongs, Pup! We're moving on!"
Hermione could feel Sirius' groan reverberate across her chest as he dropped his head.
"Fucking Moony," he whispered.
"Oi, let's go."
Hermione turned, not quite able to escape Sirius' hands, looking for the others. James and Peter were halfway out the door as Remus looked over the crowd at them. For a moment, she thought of pulling Sirius deeper into the crowd. Remus must have seen her thoughts on her face for the next moment she felt the pull of her Alpha leading her to the door.
"Was that really necessary?" Hermione rolled her eyes as she and Sirius passed by Remus out into the street.
"Apparently yes," Remus looked at Sirius and raised an eyebrow.
"Ok, pack's all here," James bounced on his toes. "Next stop, Marauders. Quickly now."
He took off down the sidewalk, Peter close on his heels. Remus took another look between Hermione and Sirius.
"C'mon, 'Mione. I'll carry you." Remus turned around and let Hermione hop onto his back before following after James.
"Let's go make some bad decisions!" James' shout echoed across the street.
"Thought that's what I was doing," Sirius mumbled and trudged on after his friends.
The tattoo parlor was cold and brought with it a certain heavy solemnity. Hermione shivered.
"Here." Sirius shouldered off his leather jacket and placed it around Hermione's shoulders.
"Thanks, Sirius." Hermione pulled the sleeves on and shoved her hands into the pockets, going still as her fingers found small box. A small, worn cardboard box with a flip-top slightly torn on one side.
Peter was already in the chair, a tattoo encircling his right wrist in progress. James stood beside him giving a running commentary. Remus flipped idly through a book of designs. Hermione's eyes darted to each of them before she pulled Sirius toward the front of the shop. She pulled the cardboard box from the pocket and held it out to him.
"What is this?" She spoke calmly as she shook her head, looking from the cigarette box to Sirius' face. "Why do you have this?"
"Pup, I—"
"I thought you said you were done. For her."
"I am, Pup." Sirius gingerly took the box from her hands and opened it. A single cigarette sat nestled inside.
"There's one left."
"And there'll always be one left." Sirius closed the box and tucked it back into the pocket it came from.
"I don't understand," Hermione looked at him with her wide eyes. "Are you smoking again or not?"
"I'm not. I solemnly swear. Marauder's vow." Sirius ran his hand through his hair. He pulled Hermione into a hug. "I just keep it to remember. Her. Myself. I dunno."
"I'm sorry, Sirius."
"S'okay, Pup." He pulled back from the hug. "I know you worry, but I'm okay."
"Okay."
"Now let's get you tatted up, huh?" His smile came back as Hermione chuckled.
"Okay, alright." She followed him as they rejoined the group, only pausing to grasp his arm for a moment. "Sirius. If there's anything you need…"
"I know, Pup."
He patted her on the back and walked over to inspect Peter's progress. The boys had decided to get a series of footprints to commemorate the Map. Peter's steps circled his right wrist; James' would walk along two bands around his bicep. Sirius' would meander around his ribs, and Remus would have footsteps over his heart.
"Fidelitas Supra Omnia," James said as he'd inspected the final product on Peter's wrist.
Hermione declined to get the footsteps as she never had a hand in creating the Map—and was actually instrumental in losing it—but James refused to leave until she got a tattoo as well. He and Hermione bickered back and forth, until she reluctantly gave in. She glared daggers at James as she stepped around the corner to remove her shirt.
When she laid down for the tattoo artist to begin her work, Peter held her hand while Remus sent over the occasional cooling charm to ease her pain.
Hermione Granger got her first tattoo with her pack. A permanent remembrance of a night of youth and celebration. Simple purity in the midst of a dangerous world. A thin sprig of lavender intertwined with her spinal lupine scar.
The Shelter
Early into the next morning, Remus, Sirius, and Hermione stumbled through the floo into their home. Despite the hour and the fatigue settling over, their moods were buoyant and effervescent. It had taken over an hour to drop James off at Potter Manor, the trio having to listen through James professing his undying love to Lily and his disbelief that she was actually going through with marrying him. They'd had to force him to bed and keep watch for a while after stopping several attempts to floo his bride-to-be.
Hermione climbed the stairs with thoughts sweetly focused on the love between Harry's parents. Moments like these were painful and wracked her with guilt, but they left her with a sour taste of hope. If she was here for a reason, witness to these events, surely that reason would include carrying them for Harry.
Climbing the stairs behind her, Sirius' mind turned back further into the night, to the dark and sweaty heat of the muggle club. He stood for a moment on the landing, watching Hermione disappear into her room, the door left ajar. He ran a hand through his hair and took a step toward her.
A rough hand grabbed the back of his shirt, wrenching him back with a supernatural strength.
"It's late, Pads." Remus pushed Sirius lightly toward his own room. "Big day tomorrow. Get some sleep."
Sirius nodded, giving Hermione's room a final glance before disappearing into his own. Remus stood and waited in his sentry post outside his room between them. He scrubbed his hands over his face and turned in for the night. He was tired, but there was an eerie calmness to his body. This, this was something he and Moony agreed upon, and Remus had never felt closer to his inner wolf. He hated it.
A/N: *Flesh of the Followers