AN:
Hi all!
This one is going to be a long chapter. Sorry.
I still regrettably own nothing. That includes Dorian Gray and Morcambe and Wise (although if Ben Barnes turns up anywhere, dibs!)
"'The studio was filled with the rich odour of roses, and when the light summer wind stirred amidst the trees of the garden, there came through the open door the heavy scent of the lilac, or the more delicate perfume of the pink-flowering thorn.'" The sound of Sirius' voice was the only noise in the Hospital Wing, the grey eyed Marauder finally giving in to the nagging of one James Potter. James had spent the days since Rose woke up, pestering Sirius about the book. Rose smiled softly, busy writing a letter of explanation to her understandably worried parents about why she was going to be in hospital for the best part of a month. It was the twenty first of November, a sunny but cool Sunday, and Rose could never remember being so incandescently happy to be stuck in the Hospital Wing, writing a letter to her mum and dad. Through what Rose could only describe at the grace of Merlin (and the fact that they'd always been a little over-affectionate with one another), nobody had noticed the change in circumstances between Rose and Sirius. Remus hummed to himself, flipping through his Arithmancy textbook, making notes on a long scroll of parchment. Lily, by far the most able of them healing-wise, perched on the other side of his bed, pointing out passages to him that would be useful. Rose scrawled a signature on the bottom of her letter, then put it to the side, letting her thoughts wander while Sirius read aloud.
Aside from minor bruising from the wall collapsing on her, and a bandage covering her right forearm (which Lily told her not to worry about), Rose's injuries were entirely from multiple torture (as Madame Pomfrey tactfully described it). Every part of her body ached, she could barely hold her own weight, she tired easily, and the nightmares would always come at night. Lily had bruises and abrasions from the rubble of the explosion, and suffered the odd nightmare about the whole business. Peter had broken a leg and somehow mauled by a puma created by a Death Eater - injuries that had only presented themselves after the Full Moon. He stayed in bed, enjoying the fruits of being stuck in the Hospital Wing. Remus was suffering from a rough Full Moon, the injuries not mixing well with the ones already sustained from the duels. He never once complained, taking the time to recover before doing anything. James had a nasty slice over his right eye, a face like a paint by numbers, two broken ribs, and a broken collarbone courtesy of Moony. Every movement must have caused him pain, but not a word of serious complaint passed his lips. Even more remarkable was that he had yet to ask Lily out anywhere - in fact, they seemed to be maintaining a cordial politeness and distance. Sirius had a gash in his right thigh, three broken ribs, two fractured ribs, and - if he was to be believed - enough colour on his body to paint that Muggle Sissy Chapel. That comment had sparked a discussion about muggle versus wizarding art, Lily looking almost surprised that James and Sirius knew anything about muggle society. Rose had to quickly explain that they actually paid attention in Muggle Studies class, while Remus tilted his hand from side to side.
Madame Pomfrey made the rounds late that afternoon, passing out potions and stern reprimands not to move. Rose glared at the murky khaki potion (that smelled like feet) that the Matron forced into her hand. "Merlin's underwear!" Twin streams of the unappetising potion streamed from her nose, Rose coughing and gagging and trying desperately not to laugh at the same time. Peter looked horrified at the words that had just come from his mouth, a bright blush tinting his cheekbones. "Sorry."
"Timing, Wormtail" James sighed, pinching his nose to swallow a dull yellow potion. "Six years we've been telling you. It's all in the timing. You okay, Rosie?"
"Peachy" Rose snarked, still trying to get the potion taste out of her mouth. She drank an entire glass of water, eyes watering from the foul potion. Sirius rolled his eyes at the lot of them, grinning widely and unapologetically.
"What's with the swearing, Pete?"
"We're stuck here from now until Christmas, Prongs. Christmas" Peter announced, looking around at them all as if this was somehow a massive problem. James rolled his eyes, throwing a pillow at him.
"And that worries us why?" Remus asked, not sounding all that concerned.
"Because we won't be able to get any shopping done, Moony" Peter groaned, banging his head on the bedhead. "We will have no presents."
"Two words for you, Pete" James grinned brightly. "Owl order."
"Too cheap."
"Piss off, Sirius" Peter scowled, throwing James's pillow at the dog animagus.
"Are they really always like this?" Dorcas called, standing in the doorway with Marlene and Hestia.
"So far" Lily agreed grimly, Remus perking up at the new company. Or it could be the homework they brought with them; Moony had an odd fascination with learning, sometimes even Rose didn't understand it.
"And we'll only get worse until the very bitter end" Sirius announced grandly. His muggle motorcycle magazine slipped and revealed a punk wrock issue of Wrock Weekly.
"Really, Siri?" Rose raised an eyebrow playfully, James eyeing them curiously.
"I apologise if I've offended you, Rosebud."
"I've known you for over six years, Sirius, you're going to have to do better than that to offend me." A smirk drifted over his lips.
"Then I humbly vow to redouble my efforts." Rose laughingly shook her head, amused that he could always talk his way out of anything. James, on the other hand, appeared to choke on thin air, spluttering with his hazel eyes bugging out of his head. He waved his hands around, looking so mental that even Lily looked on in concern. Sirius just heaved a long-suffering sigh and turned to his best mate calmly. "Why in the name of Merlin's favourite pair of Long John's are you acting like a complete and utter berk?" Noise came out of James's mouth, but none of it made even the slightest bit of sense. "What is that? Gnomish?" James gave Sirius the finger, opening his mouth as if to speak. "Yes, Prongs?" Sirius prompted with his usual smooth tone, casual nonchalance in his eyes. "We're waiting."
"Merlin's beard!"
"Two actual words from the English language!" Peter clapped enthusiastically , getting a mouthful of jumper. He spluttered and glared at James. "Prongs!"
"What's going on out here?!" The Matron burst out of her office and glared around at them all. Marlene looked up from her place by Lily's bed.
"I really wish I knew, Matron."
"I think Prongs is having an episode" Sirius announced innocently, Rose bursting into peals of delighted laughter. James scowled, narrowing his eyes at his best friend.
"I think Rosie needs a brain scan." Rose raised an eyebrow, knowing from experience that it made her look like Lily.
"Oh yes?" Rose invited. "And why is that, pray tell?" The stag animagus quickly looked from Sirius to Rose, his expressive eyes telling them the gig was up.
"You took Padfoot's side!" Sirius breathed a sigh of relief, and Rose herself deflated some of the tension that strained her still-sore muscles. Remus froze for a beat, thoughtful, then rolled his eyes as he had always done.
"Nine times out of ten, Rosie will always side with Padfoot, Prongs, we know this."
Conversation continued, Hestia scoffing, hand drawing back from a bag of jelly slugs as seven pairs of eyes fixed on her. "Frank and Benjy were asking, when will this lot be released?"
"December first" Madame Pomfrey said, bustling about with potions again. Rose took one look at the sickly green potion and shook her head, vehemently refusing to let that anywhere near her lips.
"It tastes vile" Rose said, stubbornly keeping that thing away from her.
"Sugar renders most potions ineffective" Lily quoted, tied with Snivellus for being the best potioneer in their year. Sirius came a close second.
"Still not drinking it" Rose replied, showcasing why stubbornness really was a Marauder trait. The usually friendly Matron finished handing out the various potions (none looking as repulsive as the one Rose was stuck with - and wasn't that just bloody typical), gave the Marauders a significant look and then retreated to her office. If Rose didn't feel so irked, she might admit that it was a good ploy; get the Marauders to deal with another Marauder. As it was, she just felt a surge of annoyance. She'd been tortured, not turned into a glass sculpture!
"We're well aware of that, Rosie" James assured her, glancing cautiously at Sirius. She must've said that aloud. "But, we care about you. And, as such, we want to make sure you're going to be well."
"I know you all care, Jamie-"
"Some more than others" Marlene muttered, but Rose was content to ignore her.
"But I'm not going to break. I'm just the same as I ever was, and I'm getting to the point where I might just hex you for the fun of it."
"And there's our Lady Astra" James cheered, clapping proudly. Rose grinned at her friends, guilt stabbing her heart at the worried looks they still sported. If it really meant that much to them, maybe it would be best if she just sucked it up. She made a face and downed the foul-tasting potion, scrunching her nose up at the taste.
"How was that?" Remus teased, earning a glare for his troubles.
"Utterly repulsive" Rose informed him with dignity, glaring at the row of identical green, gold and murky khaki potions the Hogwarts Matron had set out for her 'treatment' - it was cruel and unusual punishment. Sirius smiled apologetically at her, his eyes twinkling with everything he couldn't say.
"Am I the only one getting a bit bored here?" James Potter's loud announcement signalled the beginning of their third week of confinement (as the Marauders had taken to calling it) with aplomb. Sirius looked at him with the flawless sarcasm of a man who had reached that point and sailed past it. The guilt they were all feeling had eased somewhat with long (and oftentimes joke filled) conversations about that hellish afternoon, but Rose just felt guiltier by the day, seeing her friends and sister grow ever more mind numbingly bored with each passing moment. They were not made for inactivity. It just didn't sit well with them. Lily had filled her days by helping Madame Pomfrey, finding a passion for healing that she didn't know she had. Remus hummed slightly, marking a note in his Spellman's Syballry, suddenly looking up at the other Marauders.
"Prongs, are you Great HW Breakout of 1975 bored?"
"Beyond that" James groaned, muffling his head in a quaffle pillow salvaged from his dormitory.
"Cheer up" Rose grinned. "Pommers did say that we're getting out on the first."
"Which is still too far from now, Astra" James pointed out unhappily, pouting at the epic unconcern from his friends.
"Why must men always complain about getting better?" Lily asked the room rhetorically, James scowling at her; enforced confinement always turned him grumpy.
"I am better" the stag snapped, Lily practically spitting fire at him.
"There's no need to get ratty, James" Rose huffed, hoping to diffuse the tension.
"Oi!" Peter yelled, glowering at Rose.
"Sorry Pete" Rose said automatically - he was so touchy about his animagus form.
"You always say that" he grumbled, looking all of five years old. Sirius stood quietly by the window, smoking his third cigarette of the day. He looked troubled, but didn't comment on the sudden hostility in the room.
"I think we're suffering from cabin fever" Rose whispered to Lily, her sister nodding worriedly. Peter, now in a fine snit, heard and clapped sarcastically.
"Well knowing what we're suffering from makes it all better" he said in a falsely cheerful voice. Rose took a deep breath, trying to calm the spark of irritation Peter's tone had caused. Sometimes she hated sarcasm.
"Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, Wormy" she sang; Godric, what she wouldn't do to see any other room in the entire castle.
"Oh, shut up, Astra" Peter snapped, getting awkwardly to his feet - his cast hampering his efforts somewhat. His blue eyes seemed to shimmer like ice, unpleasantly and briefly reminding Rose of Bellatrix's. "We wouldn't be in this mess if you'd learned to block a simple curse."
"Simple curse?!" Rose didn't recognise the dangerous edge in her voice. "There's nothing simple about the cruciatus curse, Peter. You've never felt every inch of your body burning like it's in acid; you've never felt millions of knives slicing into your skin. You've never screamed for the pain to stop, grasped for a good memory and known neither wish could ever come true." She was on her feet, and didn't remember doing so. "You have never felt your sanity stretch and stretch and come so close to breaking. All of you can sit there and judge me for what happened - and I know it's my fault Bellatrix exploded that building on you, and Godric, if anything had happened to you - and I love you all and know you have that right to judge, but you will never understand what it feels like, what that curse does to you" Rose broke off, her whole body shaking.
It was James whose hazel eyes shone with sad understanding, who took charge just as he always would. "Peter, sit down and cool off" the stag ordered, every inch as authoritative as he had been in Hogsmeade. "Rose is right; we have no right to claim understanding about what she's been through. Lily please go and ask Madame Pomfrey to send for Professor McGonagall; I think it's time we had that chat about our confinement. Moony, find that plan we drew up, I think we're going to need it now." James approached cautiously, Rose flinching back without realising it. A flicker of pain crossed the familiar face. "Rosie, none of us blame you for us being stuck in here - we chose it."
"Maybe if I'd just tried a bit harder to duck, if I'd just-"
"No, Rosie" James said firmly, she didn't hear him. The what-ifs were out and running in circles around her head.
"If I hadn't- you wouldn't all be stuck in here, missing weeks of school, hurt because of me. Me, James! Me!" James groaned in exasperation, throwing his arms up into the air. She thought James might tear his hair out.
"For Merlin's sake, Rose-"
"Let me." Sirius stepped away from the window, grey eyes almost black with some unidentifiable emotion. He didn't bother approaching cautiously, standing less than a inch from her. The expression on his face was one of fond exasperation; like a man who'd grown tired of explaining the same thing to a loved one. He even sighed in that manner. "For the last time, my darling Rosebud, none of us bear the blame for what happened. It was my psychotic cousin and the racist, blood puritan pricks that follow Voldemort. Much as we might carry the guilt, the blame is not on our shoulders." Rose desperately wanted to believe him, but the guilt still lodged hard in her chest. Sirius had the audacity to laugh. "Stubborn, aren't we?" Lily gasped at the undisguised tenderness in Sirius' smooth voice. "Fine, I'll just have to try another way." Rose leaned slightly to the right, feeling the warmth of Sirius' hand on her waist. His thumb moved in gentle strokes as he talked. Godric, that felt good. "Do you blame Peter for being sent to get help, Moony for leaving you behind?" Rose could only shake her head wordlessly, torn between the burn of the guilt and the overwhelming sensation of Sirius so close. The handsomest Marauder smiled slightly at her nod. "Well then, do you blame Lily for not coming to help sooner? Or James for the plan that separated us all?" This time Sirius looked appraisingly, waiting for a verbal answer. His thumb paused in it's calming motion, Rose forcing out a murmured dissent. "Good" Sirius praised, drawing her closer now with both hands on her waist. There was nothing Rose wanted more than to fall into him, but there was an almost warning about him not to do so. "If you don't blame Wormtail or Moony, or Evans or Prongs" he continued, his voice a calm but low note. "Then perhaps you blame me. After all, I agreed with Prongs' plan, and it was my psychotic cousin that used the second Unforgivable on you. My birthday, my family, my blood. It would be understandable to lay the blame on me, yes?"
"No!" Rose shook her head violently, amusement briefly sparkling in Sirius' eyes. "It wasn't any of your fault. It was Bellatrix and the Death Eaters, and-"
"Not yours" Sirius prompted, fire in his eyes warning her not to push this any further.
"Not mine" Rose repeated dutifully. Sirius looked wholely unimpressed.
"More conviction." A seductive note entered his voice, his clever eyes noticing what his proximity was doing to her, what it always did. Rose wanted to hate him for what he was doing to her, but she remained powerless under his gaze. As she always had.
"Not mine" she said again, almost believing it herself.
"You don't quite sound like you believe it, Rosebud" Sirius purred, his voice crossing from merely slightly seductive to liquid seduction. "Again." A need she couldn't name burned hot within her, sweeping away the guilt like it was nothing; Rose bit back a sob at the feel of it all.
"It's not my fault" she cried, the sound an unimpressive breath of air. When Sirius' talented lips closed over her own, it felt like the reward it was. She didn't hear nor care that Lily made a noise like someone trodding on a hamster, nor did she notice Peter tossing a galleon at Remus and James. All that mattered were the arms that encircled her waist, the heart beating against her palm, the lips over hers, and the tongue gently exploring her mouth. And if her legs no longer wanted to hold all her weight, then only Sirius noticed and nobody really cared.
Something like ten minutes later, Rose leant back gently against Sirius' still-healing chest, and resisted the urge to giggle. Lily was sitting on the edge of her own hospital bed, looking remarkably like she'd just been clubbed over the head by a troll. They were waiting for McGonagall to finish her lesson (third years, so animagus lessons - some of the Marauders' fondest third year memories), but not a word had been spoken since the metaphorical bludger had been let out of the box. After a few moments of silent mouth-moving, Lily remembered the English language. "When?"
"As a question, more original than why" Rose muttered, feeling Sirius laugh behind her.
"The why is obvious" Lily returned evenly. "He has taste and you have no standards."
"That hurt, Evans" Sirius gasped dramatically, his eyes rolling the next second.
"Truth hurts, Black" Lily said easily. "Now how long have you been lying to us?"
"I never lied, Lils" Rose sighed sadly. "You just never asked in the roughly three weeks it's been going on. Since the night Sirius opened his birthday presents."
"Ten galleons to me" Remus crowed jubilantly, James sending a mild glare at his best friend.
"You couldn't have made a move on your actual birthday, Pads?" he complained, pouting spectacularly. "Would it have killed you?"
"Probably" Sirius shrugged, supremely unconcerned. "It's your fault for betting on me. Never bet about me."
"You insist that we bet on Gryffindor in quidditch" Remus reminded him cheerfully, counting all his eleven new galleons.
"That's different" Sirius said flatly. "It's quidditch, not my personal life. You're supposed to bet on quidditch."
"I just can't believe you were wagering on us and didn't think to tell" Rose grumbled, hoping to Godric that her smile didn't show. "I could've used five galleons."
"I somehow think that telling you would have ruined the point of having the wager, Miss Evans" McGonagall's crisp voice announced, the Marauders' favourite professor standing in the doorway. Her usual emerald robes looked a little worn, like she hadn't been bothering to change for a while.
"Professor!" James cheered, brightening at the sight of her.
"Minnie!" Sirius was nearly as effusive.
"Mr Potter, Mr Black" McGonagall acknowledged, dipping her head. "Madame Pomfrey said you wished to meet with me?"
"Only you, Professor" Sirius charmed, McGonagall biting back a smile. She'd obviously missed them.
"You can flirt with Professor McGonagall later, Siri" Rose smiled. McGonagall had somehow returned the good spirits to the Marauders.
"It's no fun if I have permission, Rosebud" Sirius complained, but his arm around her waist tightened minutely.
"I do not have all day, Potter, perhaps you might get to the point sometime this year?"
"I wouldn't hold my breath" Lily muttered, promptly looking mortified for back chatting a teacher. Rose laughed in pure surprise, grinning widely at her sister.
"Three weeks and my sister's sounding like a Marauder."
"You make that sound like a good thing, Rosie" Peter smirked, eyes offering a silent apology for his earlier behaviour.
"Miss Rule Abiding sounding like a Marauder" Sirius mused thoughtfully. "The world's definitely gone to pot."
"Can we get to the point, please?" Remus pleaded, turning green eyes onto James and Sirius. The black haired Marauders sighed but nodded, James fixing a look on their favourite teacher.
"Professor, please forgive us for our tone, but you need to get us the Salazar out of here. We're going to go insane. We're healed as much as we can. Please, we need to be normal now. And if that means pranking the living daylights out of some Slytherin students, know that it's just us blowing off some steam and getting back to normal."
"Otherwise I am going to break out and kill my brother in his sleep" Sirius growled, anger seeping into his voice.
"You're not going to kill your brother, Padfoot" Remus sighed, once again every inch the responsible Marauder.
"But it's fun to fantasise about while I'm stuck in here" the dog animagus replied smoothly, McGonagall pursing her lips in disapproval. Fortunately, she knew the Marauders well enough to know that they would follow through with their promises.
"If, and only if, Professor Dumbledore decides that it is appropriate for you to rejoin the rest of the castle, then you may be released. Otherwise you will remain in the Hospital Wing until such a time as Madame Pomfrey decides to release you." The stern witch gave them an unusually stern glare. "Am I understood?"
"Yes, Professor" Lily chirped like the good student she was. Sirius made a face, Rose catching the reflection in the window. McGonagall turned her piercing gaze onto the Marauders.
"Understood, Professor" James agreed eventually, his tone just this side of mulish.
"As you wish, Professor" Sirius acknowledged, inclining his head just so.
"Got it, Prof" Peter drawled, his brand new cheering charm (courtesy of James) making him a little loopy.
"Forgive him, he's a moron" Remus pinched the bridge of his nose tiredly. "I do completely understand, however, Professor McGonagall."
"I just follow what these guys tell me" Rose shrugged, trying (and failing) to look innocent. Sirius barked out a laugh behind her, the sound turning into a coughing fit a few seconds later.
"I'm fine" he quickly assured, waving James off. "Laughing when you've got nearly healed ribs isn't the best thing to do, apparently."
"So naturally, you'll be doing more of it" Lily muttered, Remus smirking at her delivery.
"And this is precisely why we have to get out of here" Sirius announced grandly, pointing directly at Remus and Lily.
"It's rude to point" Remus said maddeningly.
"It's also rude to eat every single bar of Honeydukes Best in the cold-charmed box behind the fake panel behind your bed, Moony" Sirius told him calmly. "But that might not stop me. In fact, it might just encourage me." Horror spread across the resident werewolf's face, blood draining from the already pale visage.
"You wouldn't dare."
"Oh, but I would" Sirius assured him coolly, managing to look completely serious without moving a muscle.
"You're a sadist."
"Sadism is in the eye of the beholder, my dear Moony" Sirius smirked, Remus narrowing his eyes at him.
"Then you would leave me with no other recourse but to curse your hair bright pink and force you to cut it very short again."
"No you won't." Rose didn't even realise she'd spoken until James's laughter reverberated around the room.
"Remember, nine times out of ten, Moony, she'll always take Padfoot's side."
"Yes that's very funny, Prongs" Remus scowled, an almost betrayed look in his eyes. He hated it when they used his logic against him.
"It's also very true" James grinned, McGonagall taking her chance to leave gracefully and not get dragged into the Marauders' argument.
"So" Sirius said, as the door closed on McGonagall. "Do we actually think Dumbles is going to let us out?"
"Not a hope in Slytherin" James replied regretfully. "But, at least we tried, and if we fail, we do so nobly."
"There's nothing noble about failure, Prongs" Peter mumbled, ignoring the dubious looks he got from his fellow mischief makers.
"Then we must endeavour not to cock it up" James announced grandly, promptly getting pelted with stray Bertie Botts beans.
"Ah, the Marauders motto" Remus said nostalgically. "If you cannot be assured of victory, at least try not to royally cock it up."
"Moony, shut up" James requested, although it wasn't really much of a request - more of an order really.
Smoke rose in gentle spirals from Sirius' hospital bed, the Marauder busy reading the latest news in the Evening Prophet. He was sprawled casually on top of the sheets, looking for all the world as if he were merely enjoying a night in at the Gryffindor Tower. In stubborn contradiction of the cold late November weather, he had rolled up the sleeves of his white shirt, his hair cut more towards James's length than his usual shoulder-length style. It made him look even more boyishly handsome than usual. Rose found herself tuning out the evening show on the WWN, staring instead at the casual elegance of her boyfriend (if that was really the right term for what they were). Absently, she toyed with the fraying white bandage on her right forearm, the curiosity finally getting to her; Madame Pomfrey hadn't changed it, so why was it there in the first place? Lily was absorbed in a thick tome on healing (leant to her by Madame Pomfrey), while Remus stared pensively out of the window nearest his bed, thoughts clearly a million miles away. James had his eyes closed, the cherry of his own cigarette briefly brightening as he took a long drag through the energetic chorus of a new Hobgoblins song - it was as awful as the rest of the dross they put out. Peter, on the other hand, was already fast asleep, his loud snoring masked by the wireless. With the mischievous rush common to a Marauder doing something they knew they probably shouldn't (almost anything they had ever enjoyed doing), Rose darted another quick glance around at her companions, and slowly began to unwind the threadbare gauze. She ignored the little prickle of guilt at breaking her promise to Lily, and quickly threw the bandage into the bin beside her bed. The movement caught both Sirius and Lily's gaze, their eyes widening in realisation. Lily made an aborted move, to reach out maybe stop her, but Sirius looked torn between guilt, pride and sadness. Rose frowned in confusion; her upper forearm was just as it had always been, but her inner forearm throbbed with a remembered pain. Rose saw her twin twitch in distress, a sad smile spreading across her own face. "Well that's inconvenient" she remarked, her eyes flickering away from her arm. "Bella's calling card?" Neat, tall scars wrote out the word Sirius hated above all others; MUDBLOOD.
"Yes" Sirius let out the agreement on a quiet exhale of cigarette smoke and guilt.
"Thoughtful of her" Rose commented sarcastically, a wry smirk twitching the lips she loved having upon her own. Lily choked on thin air, a scandalised expression taking up residence on the face so like Rose's.
"How can you take this so calmly?" Lily demanded, protective anger lending a dark note to her words. "That deranged bitch carved that into your arm!"
"Yes, I can see that, Lil" Rose replied, running her fingers over the now unfamiliar lines in her arm. "But, letting this affect us will give Bellatrix what she wants. And I don't want to give her the satisfaction. Do you?"
"The only thing I want to give her is a one-way ticket to Azkaban" Lily informed her primly.
"For once, you and I are in complete agreement, Evans" Sirius announced, his intense gaze scanning Rose intently.
"Don't find common ground, it freaks me out" Rose said in mock horror, needing to put this all behind her.
"Imagine what it's doing to them, Rosie" James offered, his eyes still closed. "Your sister, agreeing with a Marauder. The horror."
"You're not funny" Lily glared, returning to her book with a Madame Pince worthy huff. James's eyes snapped open in alarm, indignation rolling off of him like an offended cloud.
"I am tremendously funny" he protested loudly. "I make Morecambe and Wise look unfunny."
"I quite like those two" Sirius shrugged, his gaze back on his newspaper. An undignified spluttering came from behind Lily's book, the elder redhead emerging with wide, disbelieving eyes.
"How in Merlin's name do you know about Morecambe and Wise?"
"Television and Christmas specials" Remus answered absently, still looking outside. "It looks beautiful out there. Do you remember the sky, or the smell of the trees?"
"Merlin's Y-Fronts" James shuddered. "He's turning maudlin, someone give him some chocolate quick." Rose was only to happy to oblige, tossing a bar of Honeydukes Best at her furry best friend, his arm causing the wireless to topple in his haste to grab the confectionary.
"Reparo" Sirius said, waving his wand lazily, Lily still looking at the male Marauders like they had grown another head or yelled out rude words in potions class (which they only did the once).
"I refuse to believe that you two have ever seen Morecambe and Wise" she announced suddenly, Rose feeling the sudden urge to groan. But then a surge of Marauderishness came upon her and she smirked.
"A galleon says they can sing the theme song." Lily glanced at her and nodded in challenge.
"You're on."
"Rosebud" Sirius threw his paper to the side, amusement warring with mild annoyance.
"Marauder" she grinned, rewarded with the most brilliant of Sirius' smirks. James groaned but nodded a reluctant agreement, Remus looking privately entertained by them all. Sirius looked at James, something passing between them before he glanced at Remus. "Moony, if you will."
"One, two, three" the responsible Marauder counted them in.
"Bring me sunshine in your smile. Bring me laughter all the while. In this world where we live there should be more happiness. So much joy you can give to each brand new bright tomorrow" James sang, the sound oddly John Lennon-esque. He nodded at Sirius who gladly picked up the thread.
"Make me happy through the years. Never bring me any tears. Let your arms be as warm as the sun from up above. Bring me fun bring me sunshine, bring me love." They grinned at each other, eyes sparkling at the gobsmacked expression Lily sported, and continued on together.
"Bring me sunshine in your smile. Bring me laughter all the while. In this world where we live there should be more happiness. So much joy you can give to each brand new bright tomorrow. Make me happy through the years. Never bring me any tears. Let your arms be as warm as the sun from up above. Bring me fun bring me sunshine, bring me love. Bring me sunshine in your smile. Bring me laughter all the while. Let your arms be as warm as the sun from up above. Bring me fun bring me sunshine, bring me love."
"How?" Lily asked, still stunned.
"Never bet against a Marauder" Remus told her wisely. "We never make bets we can't win." Lily raised an eyebrow in the perfect image of 'oh really' scepticism.
"Then what do you call going to McGonagall this afternoon?" she challenged coolly.
"That wasn't a bet, Evans" James told her quietly, retuning the wireless. "That was an act of sheer desperation. Marauders are not made for inactivity. We rebel at stagnation."
"It's pathetic, really it is" Rose added, intentionally unhelpful. Remus snorted water out of his nose, chuckling at the scowl James directed Rose's way.
"Rosie!"
"Yes, Prongs?" Rose blinked innocently at the unofficial leader of the Marauders. He let out a wordless growl, exaggerated in both its exasperation and annoyance.
"Don't break Prongs, Rosebud" Sirius requested, as if he were merely discussing the weather. "He'd be no fun all un-Prongsified."
"That's not even a real word" James protested, throwing his quaffle pillow at Sirius.
"Semantics."
"That's a big word" Lily snarked, still put out. "Do you know how to spell it?"
"By the Four Founders, would you lot stop bickering?" Rose snapped, staring both her sister and her surrogate brother down. "Merlin, we need to get out of here. It's destroying all unit cohesion."
"I want to prank something" James pouted, very much his usual self.
"If you promise not to prank anyone tomorrow, Mr Potter, I think we can arrange for your release tomorrow morning."
"Dumbles, you know that's a promise a Marauder can never make" Sirius smirked, but there was an undercurrent in his voice that confused Rose. He looked almost worried.
"Sirius, you have all fulfilled the promises you made to me three weeks ago" Dumbledore said proudly. "I think it hardly matters if you act upon your natures upon your release." He pierced them all with his electric gaze. "Life rarely deals us challenges we cannot overcome. You five faced Death Eaters before your time, but you did so bravely and knowing exactly what you were getting yourselves into. Furthermore, you showed remarkable bravery, loyalty and love for each other. There can be no guilt or shame in your actions. Hogwarts will not allow this sacrifice to be for nothing. When you leave, you will find yourselves the same as you were in the eyes of your peers." The headmaster looked at each of them in turn. "Do not dwell on the past and forget to live. This challenge is in your past, live for your future."
Thank you for reading!
Next Chapter... Back into the every day Hogwarts life