A/N:

Hello everyone!

Just a quick chapter as I'm swamped with RL stuff and trying to write the next chapter.

So please enjoy and I'll try and update again next month (sorry).

If any of the castle's many inhabitants had been out of the library or the many study halls, they would have seen an unusual sight. All five Marauders striding through the Hogwarts corridors, Dorcas hurrying along behind them. The thing that puzzled Rose was that they seemed to be taking a rather scenic route to reach Dumbledore - who was presumably in his office awaiting their prompt arrival. Sirius, however, appeared to be determinedly marching them all towards the Gryffindor Tower instead. It was a very bizarre game of follow the leader. Rose shot a quizzical glance at James, the stag animagus shrugging and raising his eyebrows as if to say he had no idea what was going on either.

Remus drew her attention away from glaring pointedly at James (who else was really able to reach Sirius when he was in this mood?), reaching out to catch Sirius' arm.

"Where the bloody hell are you going, Padfoot?" Remus demanded, trying to step in front of Sirius to make him meet his gaze.

"Where does it bloody look like I'm going?" Sirius replied, tone implying that it was obvious and that Remus really ought not to have asked such a stupid question. The glare he followed it up with cast serious aspersions on Remus' vaunted position of the smartest Marauder. "I'm going back to the Tower." Grey eyes flickered over to where Peter was standing, all but minding his own business. "I can see the question forming on your lips, Wormtail, it's sodding obvious." Sirius smirked bitterly. "They're expecting the troublemakers of Hogwarts" he said, stepping around Remus on his way to the nearest staircase. "I think we ought to give them a little surprise."

Rose felt it was time to step in. "What kind of surprise?" she asked cautiously, not entirely sure that she wanted to know the answer.

Sirius favoured her with a slight smile tossed over his shoulder. "Nothing bad, love, just a friendly reminder of just who we are."

Rose opened her mouth again, but James cut her off, shaking his head to tell her not to push it any further.

Rose stood in the corridor outside the Fat Lady's Portrait, foot tapping in irritation. She had thought that it was supposed to be women who took the longest time getting ready for things - not men. Clearly whoever said that had never met Sirius Black or James Potter, or Remus Lupin for that matter. When they had arrived at the Tower about fifteen minutes ago, Sirius had told them to go upstairs and put on (to use a muggle term) their Marauder best. Rose didn't wait to be told twice. Now, here she was waiting for the rest of her friends, feeling confident and rather Marauderish in her leather jacket, Bowie shirt and favourite purple cords, topped off with her omnipresent red platform boots. After all, Sirius had wanted her Marauder best, and nothing made her feel quite so Marauderish as those.

Remus was the first to join her, handsome in his black trousers and pale blue jumper, complete with prefect badge pinned perfectly at his collar. Remus raised an eyebrow at her, smile playing at his lips, but he didn't say a word as he came to lean beside her on the wall. They waited another few minutes, the portrait hole swinging open as Peter stumbled out. As of yet, he was the most casual out of them, clad in a pair of worn jeans, combat boots and a denim jacket that covered his Rolling Stones t-shirt. To absolutely no surprise, James emerged in his suit (the man loved a suit, when he could pull off wearing one, which he had clearly decided he could now - poor bloke was under the illusion that Lily found him particularly fetching in one), ruffling his hair with a nervous rake of his hand. A quick jerk of his head - and the unusually solemn glint in his eyes - said that Sirius was close behind.

And Merlin was he.

Sirius stepped elegantly out of the portrait hole, dashing and defiant as ever, dressed from head to toe in what Rose had always called his heir to House Black attire. And she knew why. Oh Merlin did she know why. That brilliant man was going to walk in to a room presumably filled with Ministry officials (who undoubtedly disliked the thought of everything the Marauders stood for, nevermind the fact that the feeling was decidedly mutual), and remind them that they were dealing with not one but two of the heirs to some of the oldest families in the wizarding world - and the best students that Hogwarts could boast. He spread his arms with a cocky little smirk, grey eyes dancing with an amusement that was just a little too much to be natural.

"What are we all standing around here for?" Sirius asked, light-hearted teasing covering the wariness in his voice. "We have an appointment with the Ministry. Tardiness won't help out case any."

Remus rolled his eyes, muttering uncharitable things under his breath. Rose grinned, bumping her hip into him companionably. The bookish Marauder bit back a smile, shaking his head at her. "It's true" he muttered, ignoring her laugh. "Hauling our arses up here to change really was a brilliant shortcut."

Sirius tossed a smirk over his shoulder. "Shut up, Moony. There's a good chap."

James's breath caught as they emerged into the corridor leading to Dumbledore's office. He seemed to nearly trip over his feet, somehow managed to flail himself into stability, and went hurtling towards the stone Griffin. The rest of the Marauders shared a look, shrugged and hurried off after their compatriot. Rose reached the gargoyle in time to see James step away from a very familiar figure. He was about James's height, dressed in the typical black robes of the law enforcement wizards. His hair was salt and pepper curls, tea coloured eyes smiling warmly at them all. "I'd say you lot were a sight for sore eyes, but every time I see you, I end up with a headache."

Sirius clapped the wizard on the back, grinning heartily. "Don't be like that, Charlus" he smirked, suddenly much more relaxed. "It's not like we intend to cause you problems. It's just a happy coincidence."

"Serendipitous" Remus added, happily ignoring Charlus' groan.

Rose smiled, enjoying the sight of the other Marauders relaxing. It was astonishing what having someone official in your corner would do for people. "What brings you here, Charlus?"

Charlus puffed himself up in a mockery of the officious behaviour common to the bureaucratic wizards. "Official business, m'dear" he replied importantly, breaking character moments later to laugh merrily. He threw his arm around James's shoulder (ignoring James's mutterings not to crease his suit) and ruffled his nephew's hair. "I wasn't just going to let the vultures have you, now was I?" Charlus grinned, darting his tea-coloured gaze towards the stone gargoyle. "The fact that my position helps me be here for you all is a rather wonderful little perk."

"They're really throwing us to the wolves, huh?" Sirius asked, voice bitter like burnt coffee.

Charlus frowned, momentarily uncomfortable. "At the moment, it's Bellatrix's word versus your own that she was even there. And, well" Charlus pointedly avoided looking at Rose. "It's not even that. If you officially state that she was there, well, nothing good will come of it. And even if you stick with your statement that Dumbledore released" Charlus shook his head sadly. "It's not going to be smooth sailing, since you lot weren't supposed to be in Hogsmeade anyway."

Rose bit her lip, heat beginning to creep up her cheeks. This wasn't good. It wasn't good at all. Then again, this is exactly why they hadn't planned on getting the Ministry involved. Black family connections, old money and pure blood, had more sway than the word of five students. Especially when the five students happened to be the Marauders.

"This is bullshit" Peter snapped, outraged before the interviews had even started. Rose wholeheartedly agreed. "The incident was sodding months ago. Why has it taken them this bloody long to pull their fingers out and come over here?"

"You know how the Ministry works, nothing was going to happen until Bellatrix started making a fuss" Charlus admitted, the corner of his mouth turned down. "Word that she was apparently there reached her." He shuddered lightly. "It wasn't fun at the Ministry last week. Just be yourselves, but don't be too much of yourselves."

James staggered back, hand clutching at his chest. "Uncle!" he cried, aghast. "You cut us to the quick!"

Sirius rolled his eyes, delivering a swift slap to the back of James's head. To Charlus, he nodded solemnly. "Don't worry about it" Sirius reassured him, no trace of mischief in his face. "We'll keep our guard up."

Remus caught Rose's elbow, moving them away from the others a few paces. "I have no idea what is going on, Astra" he said quickly, as if worried he would get interrupted. "But when we find out..."

Rose shook her head swiftly. "No, no" she smiled gently, hoping to put her friend at ease. "My dad was a lawyer once upon a time, I know what the muggle bureaucratic system is like. There's really no difference with bureaucracy, no matter what world you live in. Overworked, underfunded and overly officious." She caught and squeezed his hand. "It'll probably be nothing. So let's get it over with before we piss them off too much for delaying."

James stopped them just before they entered. "Remember what we agreed months ago. Stick with our plan, yeah?"

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Yes, Prongs, we get it. We all remember the sodding plan." He scoffed under his breath. "It was all of our work, after all."

Three stern-faced wizards waited for them inside Dumbledore's office. Their robes were almost identical to the ones Charlus was wearing except crisper, darker, newer. Rose could feel the judgement coming from them like a wave. Their eyes glittered with a mixture of boredom and impatience, darting to the clock on the wall. One wizard (brown eyes, Roman nose, no chin to speak of) half-rose from his chair as they entered, sinking back down at a pointed cough from their Headmaster. One by one the Marauders filed in, briefly glanced at the wizards, then promptly ignored them in favour of staring at Dumbledore with identical half-smirks on their faces. James, as ever the spokeswizard of the group, stood a little ahead of the others, gaining most of the attention with a single step. "Professor" he greeted easily, injecting a tiny hint of confusion in his voice to suggest that they didn't entirely know what was going on here. He deserved a BAFTA sometimes, he really did.

"Mr Potter" Dumbledore greeted formally, electric eyes twinkling. His gaze darted over the rest of the Marauders in turn. "Mr Black, Mr Lupin, Miss Evans, Mr Pettigrew."

"Professor" Rose intoned in unison with her brilliant friends.

Dumbledore smiled, beard rippling as he inclined his head towards them. "I'm sorry to drag you away from the delightful sunshine and your free time."

"It's no imposition, we'll catch it up later" James assured him cheerfully, glancing minutely towards the waiting wizards. "I apologise for the impertinence, Professor, but why are three important Ministry officials here?"

Dumbledore peered at him over the top of his spectacles. Electric blue eyes gleamed with the implicit knowledge that they knew very well why the Ministry officials were there. And probably what James and the rest of the Marauders were going to do about it. Rose herself knew, even though none of them had explicitly stated it. Being uncooperative just wasn't as fun when they gave heads-up about it.

Rose followed one of the pretentious Ministry wizards out of Dumbledore's office, humming some Bowie (Cracked Actor to be specific) insolently under her breath. James and Sirius (who flatly and loudly refused to be separated for their interrogation - as they had labeled it) led the way towards one of the unused rooms, marching as if in some weird parody of the muggle military. The wizard following them already looked as if he had a headache, something which would only be worse after dealing with the legendarily obstinate Marauders. Peter and Remus took the other wizard in the opposite direction, heading for another of the unused rooms off Dumbledore's office. Rose shot him a grin, Remus shrugging a shoulder at her in a 'what can you do' motion. They had all been offered the option of having one of the professors (even McGonagall or Dumbledore, should they have wished it) to sit in with them. The Marauders had universally, but respectfully, declined. It was equal parts the Marauders' inherent independence and their belief that they'd got themselves into this mess, so they could get themselves out of it. Rose was willing to concede that, at least in James and Sirius' case, there was the belief in no higher authority than themselves; so why would they need a Professor to essentially hold their hands now of all times?

Charlus Potter eased into the room just before the door closed, leaning on the wall opposite Rose. His Ministry colleague (Rose definitely wasn't sensing anything nearly so charitable as to call the buffoon Charlus' friend), never glanced away from Rose. Mirroring Sirius' habitual easy grace, she perched on the free chair, resisting the temptation to kick her feet up onto the table conveniently separating her chair from the Ministry Moron's. He looked down his Roman nose at her, lip twitching with barely-veiled irritation. "Name?" he asked, the word bitten off in a harsh contrast to his accent (something southern and soft voweled).

"I have one" Rose smirked, unable to stop the automatic response and not caring that she couldn't. "Do you?"

"August Tolland" he growled, glaring at Charlus as if Rose's recalcitrance was somehow his fault. "And this will go much quicker for us both if you become more cooperative."

Rose masked the childish face she longed to make with an expression of vague boredom, crossing her legs at the knee. "Rose Marianne Evans."

Tolland inclined his head in a patronising sort of thanks. "Now, Miss Evans, I have some questions about the events of November 3, last year."

Rose raised a brow, feigning disinterest. "Lots of people have lots of questions about what we do on many days. How can I reasonably be expected to remember everything, or anything for that matter?"

She never said she didn't know, she just wasn't going to make it that easy for them to railroad her and her friends.

Tolland's jaw worked for a moment before his expression cleared to the typical bad-smell expression most adults got around uncooperative Marauders. "You were in Hogsmeade that day, were you not?"

Rose hummed thoughtfully, gaze falling somewhere over the right of the room. "Why yes, I do believe I was."

"Without permission?" Tolland checked, reproval lining his voice. Rose nodded cheerfully. "Why?"

Rose shrugged. "For this and that. I was out of chocolate and didn't want to put in an owl order. Pete wanted to post a letter. James wanted some quidditch robes. Remus wanted a new quill. Sirius wanted a drink to celebrate his birthday." She shrugged again, resolutely not thinking about the hell that day turned out to be. "Lots of little reasons. To be honest, it doesn't matter why, and you don't really care."

Tolland puffed himself up like an outraged bird. "I can assure you, Miss Evans, that the Ministry is highly interested in why five students were somewhere they had no place being and were subsequently involved in a tragic event."

Charlus stepped forward. "August, I hardly think that is appropriate."

"Their reputation, Charlus, speaks for itself" Tolland sneered, as if Rose wasn't even in the room.

"Listen" Rose sat forward, trying to get ahead of the inevitable blaming interrogation. Her time was short, and valuable. "I am a Marauder. So are James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew. We misbehave, we break rules, we prank people. We are generally up to no good. But we are clever, very clever, and loyal to each other to a fault. Ask McGonagall, ask Dumbledore, ask the whole bloody school for Merlin's sake!" She coughed to clear her throat, shaking her head sadly. "You want to know what happened? I was tortured, and it was excruciating - which I suppose is in the name of the curse - and there is no way, in any possible permeation of any scenario of us in Hogsmeade where any of my friends would ever have put me in that position if we had no other choice."

"You went to-"

"Yes!" Rose cut him off with an explosive huff of breath. "We were in Hogsmeade. We shouldn't have been. Big deal!" She carded a hand through her hair, unable to believe what she was hearing. "The Death Eaters were there too, in case you had conveniently forgotten. They would have attacked an innocent village no matter if we were there or not. Well, we were. What were we supposed to have done? Nothing?" She lifted her voice into a mockery of childishness. "Or were we supposed to sit down and wait for the adults to come and rescue us?"

Tolland sat back, gaze flickering guiltily from his hands to Charlus and back to Rose. "Can you identify any of the people who attacked you?"

Rose raised an eyebrow in challenge. "The Death Eaters?" She chuckled bitterly. "No." Charlus nodded slightly, Tolland seeming almost disappointed by her answer. "It was impossible to identify any of them, what with the big black robes and white skull masks and all. You know, usual Death Eater costume." Another bitter laugh left her. "Besides, it's my word against theirs, after all. And I am just a muggle-born student."

Tolland leaned forward, something almost like triumph in his eyes. "If you know anything, it is your duty to inform the Ministry-"

"I know my duties" Rose interrupted softly. It was but the work of a second to transform her standoffish Marauder insolence into something horrifyingly like vulnerability. Her eyes widened, the scorn dropped from her face - she looked terribly young and innocent. She hated it. "I don't honestly remember much after the attack started and I don't want to." Her voice tremored just a little, Charlus stepping forward infinitesimally. "I just want to put it behind me and move on with the important things in my life. My friends, making mischief, and passing my exams so I can sit the NEWTs next year."

"Miss Evans" Tolland said, tone uncomfortably gentle. Rose suppressed a shudder, hating every second of playing the victim card. "The Ministry needs to hold someone accountable. Children were involved in an attack. All five of you - and your sister - required hospitalisation. Surely you understand the need for accountability."

Rose smiled sadly. "I understand too well" she agreed, rubbing a thumb over the scars hidden by the sleeve of her jacket. "But I was there. Many people could be said to hold the blame. My friends and I for going - which I think you'll agree we have been more than acceptably punished for, what with the hospitalisation and having to live with what happened. The Death Eaters for another, but since we can't identify them, that idea is a bust. The Minister and your own department in particular for not stopping the Death Eaters before they could decide to attack Hogsmeade." Charlus grinned at her, looking fleetingly proud. "Pick who you like, punish who you like, you will anyway. Just stop making us relive it." She nodded to herself, then crossed her arms stubbornly. "I've said all I have to. I'll answer no more questions. I'm done." Rose got to her feet and strode to the door, pausing only once to throw brightly over her shoulder "Don't be a stranger, Charlus. I can't wait to hear what you all decide."

Then she opened the door and was gone, letting go of worrying about what the Ministry would have to say about any of it. She had better things to do: exams not to study for, pranks to execute, and a quidditch final to win. Moving on from Hogsmeade was a much sweeter revenge - especially when they pulverised Slytherin in the final. And thwarted all the future Death Eaters' plans just for kicks.

Thank you for reading!

I'd love to hear what you thought of the chapter.