Authors Note:
Hi all! Another chapter finished!
This one's building up to some actual action! Unfortunately I am not sure what my posting schedule will be like as I'm now heading into my University exam season.
Good news is that I have another 13 or so chapters written, but posting it might be difficult. Just a heads up.
But, enjoy this chapter!
On the Wednesday following Halloween (which had been another rousing success, largely thanks to the skeleton band and their reenactment of the Rocky Horror Picture Show), the Marauders were nowhere to be found. Remus left behind a stack of books and half-finished essays (worrisome in and of itself - he never left unfinished essays), and the dorm was a cut above it's usual mess. They hadn't turned up for breakfast, and their absence was suspicious in the first class of the day, their favourite; Transfiguration. As the lesson reached midway through, the One-Eyed Witch's statue opened, the five Marauders slipping through. The voice of reason spoke up as they trudged through the tunnel. "This is a horrible idea. We're going to get caught and expelled."
"Don't ruin the day, Moony" James sang, giving him a significant look. Remus threw his hands in the air and looked like he was giving serious consideration to banging his head off the tunnel wall. Peter grinned widely at them all, looking the most excited out of the group - but he was always the most excitable, the aftermath of the Defense Against The Dark Arts OWL confirmed that much for them . Rose trailed after them in silence, busy watching Sirius - who today was happier and lighter than she had seen him in ages. He held himself taller, loped along with an easy grace in his stride, and smiled for no reason at all. James seemed to share his joy and ease, a twinkle taking up residence in his hazel eyes. The black haired Marauders started to sing the Puddlemere United quidditch team anthem; Beat Back Those Bludgers Boys, And Chuck That Quaffle Here.
"You'll have that racket heard in Honeydukes" Rose remarked playfully, after yelling Puddlemere United as loud as she could. Who said team pride was dead? Usually Peter after another spectacular loss.
"You're one to talk, Rosie" the resident rat animagus grinned, a bag of Fudge Flies open in his hand.
"You finally realised that she can talk?" Sirius wiped a tear from his eye. "I never thought this day would come. I'm so proud."
"Sod off, Padfoot" Peter scowled, Sirius tutting and shaking his head.
"Ah-ah-ah. You can't say that. You have to be nice. It's my day."
"And we're morally obligated to hex you into a Flobberworm if you do anything to ruin said day" James informed him seriously. Rose caught Remus' eye and shook her head, groaning at the morons they were friends with.
"I saw that, Astra."
"Very perceptive of you" Rose teased, laughing as Sirius made a playful attempt to swat at her.
"That's it" Sirius mock-growled, chasing them all down the tunnel towards the Honeydukes sweetshop.
Madame Rosmerta raised her eyebrows as the Marauders ran into her establishment, laughing and gasping for breath, having chased each other clear across Hogsmeade. "Beat you!" James crowed, his heavy breaths fogging his John Lennon glasses. Sirius glared and pushed him onto the floor, promptly crossing to the bar with a boyish grin. James dusted himself off and followed Sirius to the bar with dignity. "Four butterbeers and a cherry syrup please, Rosmerta my dearest."
"You're such a flirt, Sirius Black" Rosmerta told him, collecting the relevant bottles from under the bar. His grin rivaled the sun for brilliance.
"Ta."
"I'm not sure that was supposed to be a compliment, Pads" James grinned, consulting his list with a serious expression. "Wormtail, you and Moony go get the you-know-what's, Astra we need you to go and get the Dr Filibusters ."
"So I get shafted with the heavy lifting?" Rose playfully glared and shook her head. "I see how it is."
"Shame on you, Prongs" Sirius actually glared, just like James had counted on. "I'll come with you, Rosebud."
"Thank you, Siri" she smiled happily, sticking her tongue out at James. "At least one of you is a gentleman."
"You want me to be a Marauder and a gentleman?" James looked horrified at the prospect. Rose smiled angelically at him.
"Sirius is."
"She's got you there, Prongs" Remus remarked, swirling his butterbeer bottle absently.
"Ah, but only insofar as Padfoots behaviour can be classified as gentlemanly" Peter pointed out rationally. He then shuddered and drained his butterbeer. "Merlin, I'm turning into you, Moony."
"That's not a bad thing" Remus muttered, rolling his eyes. "You see what you two have done?" The werewolf pointed at James and Sirius. "You've made him see reasonableness as a cardinal sin." James widened his eyes in confusion.
"You mean it's not?" Sirius let out a bark of laughter, very much like his animagus form.
"Sod off, Prongs" Remus glared, a smile twitching at his lips. "And you, Padfoot" he pointed a finger at the grey eyed Marauder. "I'm only going to let that slide because this is your day." Sirius inclined his head.
"Thank you, oh merciful Moony" Sirius' voice was all sincerity - his eyes, on the other hand, were all mischief. James coughed suddenly, nodding towards Sirius in the middle of his coughing fit. Rose got the message; time for Operation Distraction (or, as James had dubbed it, Operation Get Padfoot the Salazar Away From The Broomsticks So He Doesn't Suss Out What We're Doing And Ruin The Surprise - and so help me, Wormtail if you've blabbed). Rose laughed quietly to herself, then got to her feet and held her hand out to Sirius.
"Mr Padfoot, will you accompany me on a desperate quest to Zonko's?"
"My dear Lady Astra" Sirius replied dramatically. "There are few so brave, daring and chivalrous as I." Remus snorted butterbeer through his nose, spluttering despite Sirius' unimpressed glare. "I will face Snakes, vanquish mighty foes-"
"Sweet Merlin" James muttered, rolling his eyes. The effect was actually quite psychedelic through his glasses.
"- lie to the fearsome McGonagall, and furthermore yes I will accompany you in your daring quest into the far off land of Zonko's."
"You're a kook" Rose giggled, reveling in the smile that lit up Sirius' handsome face.
"Yes, but my dear Rosebud, you stay with us, so you've got to be pretty kooky too."
"You quoted Bowie at me" Rose smiled, absurdly pleased. Sirius shrugged like it wasn't a big thing.
"For you, Rosebud, I'd quote Girl Wrock." James shot Sirius a look, but Rose didn't notice, she was too busy ignoring the stupid fluttering in her chest at the honesty in his voice.
"Zonko's" Peter interrupted, wilting back into his seat at the glare Sirius gave him. Rose pulled her cloak back on, grinning at Sirius as he held the door for her. James gave her a pointed look, likely to remind her of her part in all of this, and Sirius gleefully closed the door on his face.
"So" Sirius began slowly as they walked along the oddly quiet street. "Are we to Zonko's?"
"Are we in a hurry?" Rose asked, slowing to a more languid pace.
"Not that I'm aware of" Sirius replied, rolling his left shoulder as if it were causing him pain. Rose quickly turned to him, concern bright in her eyes.
"Siri?"
"McKinnon packs a punch" he laughed depreciatingly. "I, uh, had a talk with James and ended up breaking off the, er-" Sirius seemed to cast around for words.
"Mutual arrangement?" Rose suggested helpfully .
"Exactly" her companion agreed carefully. "That we had together. I don't think she took too kindly to the one or two truths I might have shared."
"If you mentioned Benjy Fenwick, then you're a braver Gryffindor than I." Sirius threw back his head and laughed.
"Which was when she dislocated my shoulder" he confided, rolling the affected appendage again. "Never get involved casually Rosebud, it's just too much trouble."
"You know what they say, Siri" Rose smiled, slipping her hand into his. "To err is human, to be a Marauder Divine."
"Moony would say that you got the quote wrong" Sirius chuckled, the sparkle back in his eyes.
"Moony isn't here" Rose reminded him gently. "And I don't know why you always bring him up." She darted ahead, making a beeline for Honeydukes before Sirius caught up and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her against his chest.
"More Chocoballs?" Rose pouted at him, knowing he was going to laugh at her, and it wasn't fair.
"I put them away for safekeeping, and then can never find them again." Sirius did laugh, but he stopped quickly the moment she looked upset.
"Oh Rosebud." There was an odd intensity in his eyes, he opened his mouth, and James, Peter and Remus came barrelling around the corner.
Fear made James's eyes pop wildly, his hair even messier than usual. "Pads, Death Eaters. Here." A string of curses fell from Sirius' lips, anger burning in his eyes. They'd barely begun their duelling practice, they were good, but were they good enough to face Death Eaters? Rose didn't know. She just didn't know. Sirius crooked a finger under her chin.
"We've got this, Rosebud. We can handle it." Grey eyes focused over her shoulder. "Right, Prongs?"
"No doubt about it" James confirmed easily, all Marauder confidence. "We saw them coming in from the Shack, they're about to get past the wards, then we're up." It wasn't something they'd planned for, but the leader in James came out just when they needed him to. "Wormtail, go to the castle, tell them we need reinforcements. Tell McGonagall or Dumbledore that we know we're in trouble, but we'll hold them off until help can arrive. After all, everyone knows you come to Hogsmeade for safety, not because you can handle yourself in a duel." James clapped him on the shoulder. "We're relying on you, Pete ." Peter nodded and ran back towards the forest, where the dead tree end of the Fourth Corridor Mirror Passage came out. James took an unsteady breath, preparing as they all were for what was to come; battle. "We'll go with strengths. Pads, you're with me. We'll be able to work fast and hopefully we'll be targeted more because we're us." Hazel eyes fixed on Remus and Rose. "You two stay on the outskirts initially, then do your stuff. We know what we're doing. There's no need for heroics; just hold them off long enough for reinforcements to arrive. Message patronus if you need help." He clapped his hands. "Marauders out!"
Rose forced down the bile from her throat as Sirius and James ran off, Remus quickly squeezing her hand in reassurance. There wasn't time for goodbyes or good-lucks, but Rose still longed to have been even briefly safe in Sirius' arms. She shook herself, there was no time for regrets or sentimentality, not now that war had finally reached their Haven. They set off in the opposite direction from the black haired duo, wands out and at the ready. Remus seemed to know where he was going, a determined stance to his stride and power in his eyes. This was his werewolf's territory; this was where their pack roamed, and Rose recognised the determination to protect it in his eyes. "So, how expelled are we, do you think?" Rose asked, trying to diffuse her own tension.
"Our trunks are packing as we speak" Remus quipped, his tone slightly too full of bravado. "But, rather dismissed than dead." Rose nodded shakily, she was sixteen for Merlin's sake, and yet somehow she still felt safe in the knowledge that they were all still together and would be till the end. A glorious silver stag materialised in front of them, James's voice coming through.
"They're here, be ready." And so it began.
Next Chapter... Death Eaters in Hogsmeade.
Thanks for reading!