AN:
I wouldn't get used to it, but here I am updating again!
It was originally intended to be a short chapter, but this story continues to run away from me.
Darkness is creeping in around them, but it is still safe at Hogwarts so it's not going to affect them so badly yet. That being said, they are the Marauders, and they're nto going to sit idly by.
Anyway, I still own nothing. Enjoy the chapter!
Two weeks into the start of the new year at Hogwarts, James, Sirius and Rose trooped tiredly in after a marathon quidditch practice. James was worried about the upcoming match and was pushing the whole team harder to make up for it. The Common Room was unusually subdued. There was no laughter, no merriment, not even the sound of squabbling over homework or fireside chairs. Remus beckoned them over to their usual corner of the room, a tight expression on his face. Poor little Peter was conspicuous by his absence, and as Rose looked at her best friend she had a horrible feeling settle into her chest. "What's happened, Moony?" James asked, keeping his voice pitched low.
"Belinda and Carly Prentice's mother was killed in an attack last night" Remus reported, voice barely above a whisper. "The Dark Mark was seen hovering over their house." They were all too horribly aware by now that the Dark Mark only ever meant death.
"She was a muggle-born" James recalled, fury tensing his jaw. Remus nodded slowly. There was nothing more they could really say to that. They had known for months that this was going to happen, they'd faced it down, but actually standing on the sidelines, experiencing the helplessness was more than they could stand. Sirius cracked his knuckles, fire burning in his grey eyes.
"So this is how it begins; with cowardly attacks on people who cannot defend themselves." James stared Sirius in the eyes, an odd intensity coming over him. This was the James Potter they'd followed into battle. This was the James Porter they'd follow anywhere.
"This might be how it begins, Pads, but it's not going to be how it ends. I promise you that." Hazel eyes snapped to Remus and Rose in turn. "Moony, grab Wormtail; Astra get changed quickly. It's time to do something about this." Remus opened his mouth to protest, but the stag animagus held up a hand. "Trust me." There was only ever one answer to that question. They were the Marauders; they'd been through hell and back together.
"Of course."
Rose hurried down the Girls Dorms stairs two at a time, dressed comfortably in jeans and a Gryffindor tee under a cream jumper. Her fellow Marauders were dressed similarly casually, ready for whatever James's idea would bring them. Out of all of them, Sirius seemed the most on edge, but then he had always been the least patient out of them. James hadn't noticed her yet, pacing as he was by the window, while a muscle was starting to twitch in Sirius' jaw. Rose wandered over to him, squeezing his hand gently. "You okay?" Sirius laughed bitterly, the sound uncomfortably loud in the silent common room.
"No" he said bluntly, his eyes alight with helpless rage. James caught her gaze and frantically shook his head, warning her not to press it. But doing that for a Marauder was nearly impossible, and her glare back at the stag conveyed that. Somehow, Rose managed not to say any of the words that longed to escape. She trusted that James knew what was bothering Sirius, and hoped that his head-shaking conveyed his intentions to deal with it himself. At least, he better be intending on dealing with it himself. Otherwise, Rose was going to kick his arse from here to Kings Cross. Still, she allowed Remus to tow her from the common room, the Fat Lady snoring in her portrait as it closed behind them.
James and Sirius carried on a viciously whispered conversation as they strolled (ambled really, but with purpose, as only Marauders could do) through the many corridors of Hogwarts castle. No prefect dared stop them (the knowledge of the merciless revenge pranks enacted throughout the years were legendary), so their progress through the castle was steady. Remus passed the journey in his typical fashion; walking with his head buried in a book and enjoying every minute of it. Rose chatted to the portraits as they passed, keeping one or two up-to-date with the muggle world as Arthur Weasley had asked them to do in passing (they liked Arthur, he was cheerful and kind, if a little obsessed with muggles). Peter looked rather alarmed by the black haired Marauders' argument, staying out of it by Rose's side. She, herself, was rather concerned by the uncustomary argument, even more so given Sirius' glower at anything that happened to look funny at him. Something had gotten to the most loyal of the Marauders, and Rose had the sinking suspicion that it had been there for a lot longer than any of them were willing to admit. Somehow, James managed to calm Sirius down enough that his temper was no longer threatening to erupt. The dog animagus even managed a half smile at Remus' walking straight into a wall that appeared out of nowhere. At times, Hogwarts was as mischievous as the Marauders it had nurtured. Apart from that minor snag, they reached their destination without accident, Remus rubbing his bright red nose gingerly. In front of them, the stone gargoyle guardian of the entrance to Dumbledore's office held its majestic wings open. James shrugged at Remus, hiding a smirk at the Rudolph-like shine to the werewolf's nose. "What's the password, Pads?"
"Prongs is a tosspot?" Sirius suggested, his usual mischief twinkling in his grey eyes. James gave him the finger, laughing sarcastically. "Jelly Slugs." With its usual rumble, the Gargoyle spun around, granting them access to Dumbledore's inner sanctum.
"I hope you know what you're doing, Prongs" Rose murmured, having a bad feeling about this.
"So do I" James agreed, smiling with less confidence than he probably would have wanted. Sirius rolled his eyes, impatient as ever. "Yes, Pads, we're getting a move on." Rose caught Sirius' arm as the others ascended the stairs. She tugged on the limb until his gorgeous grey eyes turned to her.
"What's wrong, Siri?"
"Nothing that you can help me with, Sweetheart" Sirius replied sadly, brushing a strand of her red hair behind her ear. His thumb stroked gently over her cheekbone, his eyes swimming with unidentifiable emotions. "I'm not good at waiting or feeling helpless. These last few months, Rosebud, I've had my fill of both."
"I can't even try to help if you won't bloody well tell me, Sirius Black" Rose glared, the expression for once holding some fire. Sirius ran a hand through his impeccable hair, frustrated and tired.
"I know that, Rosebud. I just-"
"Am not bloody Merlin and don't have to do things by yourself" Rose cut in sternly, hand on her hip, and head cocked to the side. That earned her a startled chuckle, light returning to his features. Rose appraised him and smiled. "That's better" she nodded. "You look much more handsome when you're not being all broody."
"Regulus is the broody one" Sirius protested, voice tripping with laughter. Rose gestured up and down at his torn black jeans, black B'Witched tee and form fitting black leather jacket. Mouthwatering definitely, but undoubtedly broody. Sirius pretended to growl, swatting at her with enough warning for her to dodge it. "Get up there" he ordered, unable to keep the mirth from his voice. "Before I'm forced to do horrible things to you."
"Hmm" Rose tilted her head cheekily. "Promises, promises." Sirius' mouth fell open.
"Cheeky woman. I like."
In all her life, Rose didn't think she would ever get over the shock of walking into Dumbledore's office and hearing the Raspberries' Go All The Way. James, Remus and Peter looked suitably gobsmacked, Sirius couldn't hold back his bark of laughter, and Rose just stood there and gaped in disbelief. There was something terribly wrong about their crackpot headmaster listening to modern music. Honestly, she was glad it wasn't Bowie. She would think even her devotion to him could handle that; but it definitely could. Fawkes crooned lowly in greeting to them, the Marauders an all too common sight in the Headmaster's office. "Hiya Fawkes" James grinned, stroking a finger down the Phoenix's back. Sirius rolled his eyes, reclining recklessly in one of Dumbledore's overstuffed armchairs. Remus made a noise of annoyance, shaking his head at the dog animagus.
"You're supposed to put your feet on the floor, not on the arm of the chair, Padfoot" Remus pointed out, trying not to sound like Sirius was getting on his last nerve.
"I'm fine like this, thanks mate" Sirius shrugged, his eyes twinkling with his typical shit-eating sparkle. This was the Sirius Black that did what he wanted and damn the consequences. Rose had learned to become slightly worried when this side of Sirius showed up so close on the heels of brooding/pissed off Sirius. She could have sworn she'd heard the name Snivelly mentioned towards the end of James and Sirius' argument. In fact, it sounded like they had been in agreement about something to do with the slimy wannabe-Death Eater Slytherin. "Don't look so worried, Rosebud" Sirius chided playfully. "It's just something that's been too long in coming. It'll be perfectly safe, I solemnly swear." To solemnly swear, a Marauders word of honour. Their unbreakable vow. Rose couldn't but believe him.
"I trust you" she smiled, taking her seat next to Remus on the couch. "But if you two are up to something, Merlin help you if you don't include the rest of us."
"Astra, I'm hurt that you think we'd make mischief without you" James blinked overly innocent hazel eyes at her. Remus scoffed disbelievingly.
"Pull the other one, Prongs - it's got bells on it." James slumped back into his chair, pouting like a five year old.
"Fine" he grumbled, messing up his hair. "But don't blow your top when you hear the plan. It's reckless, but it'll work, if you trust us."
"Hogsmeade, Prongs" was all Remus would say.
"Which is exactly why we're doing it" Sirius replied darkly, casting James a significant look.
"You are a disgrace to the name of Black" a nasally voice said from the wall. Rose would be lying if she said she didn't start - a little. The scorn and palpable disgust in the voice was astounding. "Consorting with blood traitors and mudbloods."
"Shut up you old git" Sirius glowered, fingers itching towards his wand. His eyes flashed dangerously. "And portrait or not, if you ever call her that name again, I'll curse you right off the fucking wall. Understand?" Rose resisted the temptation to go over to him and take away the barely hidden pain in his eyes.
"Siri, it's just some old dead bloke's opinion" she shrugged, playing at levity. That got a twitch of a smile in her direction. "Not even a really good opinion, at that."
"Six years and you've never been formally introduced, love" Sirius tried to keep his voice level. His struggle was audible. "Sweetheart, might I have the displeasure of introducing you to my however many times great uncle (try not to hold it against me), scumbag Slytherin headmaster Phineas Nigellus Black. Bigoted bastard, this is my girlfriend (though I do detest the term), Rose Evans. A muggle-born as you so aptly pointed out." He sneered at the portrait. "Do be sure and tell Walburga, I hope she has an aneurysm." Phineas Nigellus looked ready to burst a blood vessel - or paint splotch.
"Now listen here, you insolent-"
"That's enough, Phineas" Dumbledore's voice was stony. "We have discussed this. You do not call my students by that term." Electric blue eyes flashed onto Rose. "Please accept my apologies that you were addressed thus, Miss Evans."
"Nothing to apologise for, Headmaster" Rose smiled slightly. "It upsets them far more than it does me. Besides" she waved her hand carelessly. "Sirius handled it."
"Quite admirably by Marauder standards" James added, smirking at his best friend. Sirius flipped him the finger.
"Yeah, yeah, piss off Prongs."
Dumbledore regarded them with his amused gaze, fingers steepled under his chin.
"Now, what brings the Marauders to my office this late in the night?" Dumbledore asked curiously. "You haven't blown up the Slytherin dormitories again? Plugged all the toilets bar those in Gryffindor Tower for the seventh time this school year? Suspended the younger Slytherin students by their underwear from the quidditch hoops? Got the House Elves drunk on Butterbeer again? Cursed the entirety of Hufflepuff House to chitter like forest animals? Forced Ravenclaw House to perform another stirring rendition of Babbity Rabbity and the Cackling Stump?" The Marauders shared grins at the recitation of their more respectable greatest hits. Dumbledore wasn't even counting their truly devious pranks.
"I'd forgotten how horrible we were to the swots in second year" James reminisced, eyes nostalgic. "But no, Professor, I'm sorry but we haven't pranked anyone tonight. Yet."
"You're here of your own free will?" Dumbledore looked surprised. Sirius smirked pityingly.
"We're everywhere of our own free will" he announced swiftly. "Marauders never do what we're told, we do what we want."
"And Merlin help anyone who tries to tell us otherwise" James added cheerfully. His grin quickly diminished however. "We heard about the latest muggle-born killings." Dumbledore nodded tiredly, looking as though he had expected that much. Nothing was kept from the Marauders for too long. They were the eyes and ears of the castle. Often they tended to know things even before the Headmaster did - the ghosts, portraits and house elves knew everything, and so the Marauders did too. Plus, they were nosy bastards who liked eavesdropping.
"That doesn't explain why you came to see me this late at night, Mr Potter." James fixed their headmaster with a level look.
"Doesn't it?"
"You want to help" Dumbledore sighed regretfully. "But there is nothing that you can do right now."
"We fought in Hogsmeade and more than held our own" James replied, keeping his voice level by sheer force of will. He, like Sirius and Remus, looked furious.
"You are not of age" Dumbledore reminded them, Sirius scoffing loudly.
"I am" the disowned Black smirked, a dangerous edge to it. "And it didn't stop them in Hogsmeade." Dumbledore regarded them with his piercing gaze, as unreadable as a Sphinx.
"No one is doubting your bravery, your loyalty, or your abilities, Mr Black" he said eventually. "Your Marauder antics have proven that time and again. However" Dumbledore held up a hand to forestall the retort James had upon his lips. "I do not enjoy seeing my students confined to the Hospital Wing. For all your skills and all your achievements, you are still only sixth years. Sixth years have no place in war."
"Tell that to Mulciber and-" James broke off, fire burning in his eyes. He glanced at Sirius, the two having one of their regular wordless conversations. "Okay, Professor" James grinned wickedly. "With your permission then, we will return to Marauder activity as usual." Dumbledore looked simultaneously worried and relieved. And that was why he was the one of the smartest wizards of their age.
"That is all I ask." This time, surprisingly, it was Remus who laughed bitterly. Rose internally winced at the anger in his eyes. That didn't bode well for anyone, especially not with his parting words.
"Be careful what you wish for."
Hogwarts was in chaos. Students couldn't leave their common rooms without speaking in rhyme, sprouting some new body part or colour, or spontaneously bursting into song. The Professors couldn't start their classes until they had spent a good fifteen minutes clearing the room of pixies, fairies, doxys or random nifflers - and that wasn't even mentioning the toilet paper. Suits of armour yelled profanities to the students as they passed, Peeves took it upon himself to make Filch's life a living hell (unsurprisingly he had volunteered for the duty), and the portraits flatly refused to cooperate unless they were spoken to very, very nicely. The kitchens served all day breakfast followed by all day lunch, and then all day dinner, the toilets expelled the waste instead of flushing it away. Some corridors refused to lead where they were supposed to, all the castle passwords changed overnight every night, the Shifting Staircase misbehaved more than it ever had, and the entirety of Slytherin House returned from dinner one night to find their common room under water. Everyone in the castle knew who was responsible for the sudden outbreak of chaos in Hogwarts, just as they could tell the culprits were taking this seriously. The record-breaking detention setting didn't even so much as make them blink. This wasn't a temper tantrum nor was it proving a point, it was retribution pure and simple. It had been a week since Dumbledore had insulted the Marauders, and they were only just getting started.
Sirius threw his newspaper to the side in disgust. "This is bullshit" he announced, loud in the uncommonly silent Marauders Den. Gryffindor Tower had become slightly hostile to the Marauders since the outbreak of their indiscriminate pranking, and they had far more peace to plan mayhem in their private living room. Remus looked up from his reading, face a mask of boredom . In truth, his notoriously even temper was burning at a high simmer.
"Dumbledore or the Ministry?"
"Either, both" Sirius shrugged angrily, shooting James an irritated look. "We can't fight Voldemort, so we're being forced to prank the entire castle-"
"And Dumbledore's letting us" James added significantly . Rose turned away from the window seat.
"The question is why?" she remarked, catching James's meaning. "Why would he let us make Hogwarts virtually unlivable?"
"Hogwarts is safe" James said, that look back in his eyes. The look that spoke of the man that he would/had become. He'd been wearing that look a lot in the last seven days, they all had.
"Of bloody course Hogwarts is safe, Prongs" Sirius growled, eyes appearing almost brown from how dark they were. "Your point?" James tilted his head and raised an eyebrow.
"It's obvious, Pads " James replied smugly. "What better place is there for the students to learn to watch their backs?" Remus snapped his book shut, eyes burning.
"Dumbledore insulted us deliberately? He wanted this chaos?"
"Godric, probably not" James shook his head. "Dumbledore isn't balmy enough to use Fiendfyre to light his pipe." His head inclined thoughtfully. "I just mean that he's smart enough to use this situation to his advantage."
"Well, we're not bloody stopping" Sirius decided, crossing his arms in challenge. James silently questioned his sanity.
"Of course not, mate. If we're not going to be allowed to help fight this bloody war, we can at least make sure we ready the students for it."
"But that's not why we're doing it, though is it?" Peter asked timidly.
"No" Remus replied immediately, that simmering anger in his voice. "We're doing this because Dumbledore should know better than to try and protect us. We're doing this because we're sick and tired of being underestimated. We're doing this because Hogsmeade will happen again, soon, and we want to help."
"In short" Sirius summarised sharply. "We are mad as hell and have no more patience to pretend that we aren't perfectly capable of destroying anything that stands in our way." James pointed at Sirius, grinning widely.
"Precisely. Now, about Snivellus." Remus groaned, face losing some of its colour.
"I've agreed to your lunatic plan, can we not talk about it right now?"
"I agree with Rem" Rose spoke up, smiling supportively at her best friend. "We're courting enough trouble as it is without getting caught discussing something as dangerous as this."
"Thank you" Remus smiled, preventing Sirius' inevitable reassurances. "Now, what I do want to talk about is the Slytherins. I know we already flooded their common room, and put an extra-strength sticking charm to their toilets, but it feels like we can still do more."
"More?" James's eyes bugged out. "You, Mr moderation in all things Moony want us to do more?" Remus tried and failed to look innocent - his eyes sparkled with mischief.
"All I'm saying is that it feels like we would be missing a golden opportunity."
"The wolf has a point" Sirius conceded, mischief overtaking the anger for the first time in days. "It would be remiss of us to waste such a chance." James inclined his head, grinning wider than ever.
"What do you have in mind, Moony?"
"Just a simple feat of magic" Remus shrugged, eyes dancing. "Piece of cake, really."
The piece of cake, as Remus casually dubbed it, was a master class in revenge pranking. That evening, at dinner, the Marauders shocked the school by actually turning up, one by one sarcastically saluting Dumbledore and then the Slytherin table with raised goblets. Rose nonchalantly reached for a plate of chips, pouring salt and liberal amounts of cheese over the fried potatoes. Up and down the table, hastily muttered revealing spells paused, jaws going slack as the Marauders acted like they hadn't spiked every meal for the last week. Lily's eyes snapped fire as a Hufflepuff first year ignored common sense and took a huge bite of shepherds pie, growing feathers with a poof. Sirius, the only Marauder currently willing to risk Lily's wrath, gave her a shit-eating grin, inclining his head at her fury. James slapped his head and nicked one of his chicken drumsticks, smirking at the familiar irritated glare that his best friend bestowed upon him. Remus rolled his eyes and returned his attention to his meal, supplementing his forkful of omelette with a mint humbug. Strange man, he was. Peter quickly dispatched a plateful of bangers and mash drowning in gravy, keeping his head down and snickering at the antics of the ringleading Marauders. For the time being, the Marauders were acting as if nothing was wrong in their world, and it was business as usual. Slowly, the Great Hall relaxed around them, the normal chatter springing up to restore the mealtime ambiance. Rose focused on her meal, blocking out the guilt of being forced to disturb Hogwarts' peace, and the unusual argument that the other Marauders were having. "No, no, no" Sirius shook his head. "There's no way you survive a stunning spell from that high in the air. Pancake City." James rolled his eyes in disgust.
"That's assuming that none of his mates are around to catch him-"
"Which will only invite two pancakes instead of one" Remus pointed out reasonably. "Much as I hate to say it, Padfoot's right."
"Of course I am" Sirius smirked. Smugness was thick in the air around them. "I'm always right, I'm Sirius Black."
"You're right by fluke" Remus retorted cheerfully. "The fact that you're Sirius Black usually confirms that you'll be wrong. Right, Rosie?"
"Keep me out of your arguments" Rose replied automatically; getting in between those two was more than she was worth most of the time. Rose could feel Sirius' heavy gaze before she'd even finished speaking.
"That doesn't mean that she's on your side, Pads" James insisted, Sirius giving him the finger as easy as breathing.
"Are we going to do this prank or do you want to have dessert and bicker first?" Rose asked sweetly, the Gryffindor's around them slowly freezing as the words sunk in.
"Is it really fair?" Remus sighed, slipping back into his public role as the reasonable Marauder. "Our charms will keep the pranks going for another week. Should we really push it?"
"Don't be a pillock, Moony" James smirked, hazel eyes dancing. He was enjoying the tension. They hadn't actually planned this, but it was turning out better than what they had. "We've already set it up. You hate wasting effort."
"Think of it this way" Remus offered, eyes twinkling in the way they only did around the Marauders. "If we stop it all now, maybe we can arrange not to be up to our eyeballs in detention on Rosie's birthday - wouldn't that be good, Padfoot?" Sirius held his hand up thoughtfully. Without warning, he stood up and smirked winningly at the High Table.
"You good with that, Minnie? We stop our spells, you give us a lenient sentence?" Frankly, McGonagall looked like she would rather have sucked a whole orchard full of lemons while listening to the Sex Pistols than agree to their proposal. However, Dumbledore said something quietly to the Head of Gryffindor, his electric eyes twinkling. Rose couldn't believe it; after all that, he was proud of them.
"How much leniency?" James took his place next to Sirius.
"The question is, how much leniency is peace in the castle worth to you, Professor?" McGonagall glanced at the Headmaster, lips thinning dangerously; she did not approve. Funny, that.
"One months detention, reinstated quidditch privileges, and no detention on Miss Evans' birthday" McGonagall offered, James glancing quickly around at the others. A wordless discussion was held, and he nodded slightly.
"Agreed, on the proviso that our detentions are served together and under Hagrid's supervision." The lemon sucking expression returned, but another word from the Headmaster had McGonagall reluctantly nodding her acquiescence. "Excellent" James clapped his hands happily. "Let this past week serve as a lesson to you all; don't mess with the Marauders." Hazel eyes turned from glaring seriously at the Headmaster to gleefully grinning at Peter. Wormtail raised his stubby wand and grinned.
"Wensleydale" Peter uttered clearly, a rush of magic flickering all the candles in the Hall.
"Moony?" Remus finished off his slice of triple chocolate mud cake and stood.
"Ridiculous Honeydukes Best" he intoned gravely, the candles flickering again. Sirius gave the resident werewolf a look that clearly despaired of his sanity, to which Remus shrugged nonchalantly and helped himself to a bowl of chocolate mousse. He had never pretended that he wasn't a chocoholic. Rose beamed at seeing the happiness back in the other Marauders' eyes, and stood with her wand raised.
"It's a godawful small affair to the girl with the mousey hair, but there is life on Mars."
"To which I have to add" Sirius smirked, igniting the few candles that had gone out. "That we solemnly swear that we are, have been, and will continue to be, up to no good." James grinned brilliantly, his wand reappearing in his hand.
"As a Marauder, there's only one thing I can say to that, Messr Padfoot." His wand moved with a overly dramatic flourish. "Mischief managed."
Thoughts?
Next up... Rose's seventeenth birthday. Let's all hope it goes better than Sirius'.