Chapter 8
The summer of 1977 has been busy for the Marauders though they have not been together for the most part.
Maggie has been in America studying with her mentor Newt Scamander.
Peter has been taking care of his mother and working in a muggle shop to help pay the bills.
Remus has been studying for the upcoming school year and closely watching the news. The danger seems to be picking up in the UK. This was brought even more to his attention when he saw the headline on today's Daily Prophet: Two Hogwarts Students vs Deatheaters.
The previous day
James and Sirius were wandering around muggle London. They had spent the morning at a muggle diner and had been shopping and muggle sight-seeing. They even found a muggle magic shop and bought them out of their funniest prank materials. The day was ending and they decided to head back to Diagon Alley so they could floo home.
"So how are things going with Lily? I noticed you have been owling her all summer." Sirius asks.
"Things are so much better. I am trying not to pressure her into anything and we are getting to know each other." James said with a smile.
"That's good. You've only been in love with her since first year." Sirius teases.
"Oh yeah, well what about you and Maggie? You seem to be writing her a lot even with the long-distance thing."
"I don't know wha-" Sirius cuts off when he spots someone up ahead in the crowd.
"What are y-"
Sirius drags James into an alley to avoid being spotted.
"Deatheaters." He hissed quietly to his confused friend.
James peeks out and ducks back quickly while Sirius is looking for an escape through the alley.
Sirius finds a tarp draped over something at the back of the alley. When he rips the tarp off both boys share an excited look.
One of the Deatheaters had spotted movement in one of the alleys when James had peeked out. He alerted the other 2 and they head over towards the alley with wands drawn. When they move to enter the alley, they are rapidly swiped by a fast-moving object that hurls loudly out of the alley.
The boys have found an unattended motorbike with a sidecar. Sirius quickly mounts the bike while James dives into the sidecar. Sirius speeds out of the alley barely swiping the deatheater trio that were quickly approaching. They are soon flying down the streets of London at unreasonable speeds. This of course brings attention from two muggle policemen that were drinking their coffee and talking about their weekend plans. The muggles quickly dive into their car and race after the teenagers lights flashing and sirens blaring. The daring duo driving dangerously dodge the muggles by ducking into a ditch and disappearing onto a deserted side street.
Sirius whips out his wand and starts casting charms on the bike while driving.
"What are you doing! Focus on driving!" James cries out distressed.
"Are they still after us?" Sirius asks between casting.
"We lost the muggles, but I can see the deatheaters."
They both look ahead when they hear the muggles rejoining the chase from in front of them.
"Levitate?" Sirius asks.
"Levitate." James agrees.
They both turn their wands on the muggle police car which is parked blocking the road.
With a swish and a flick, they have the car rising into the air and they quickly lob it at the black cloud of deatheaters that was following them. When it collides 3 bodies hit the ground with a car on top of them.
A pop is then heard followed by 6 more as aurors apparate onto the scene.
The boys quickly point at the deatheaters that had been following them.
The team of aurors split and detained both the deatheaters and the teenagers.
The muggles gave statements and were promptly obliviated.
Once the scene was secure everyone magical were moved to the Ministry of Magic to be processed.
Ministry of Magic
Sirius and James cooperated and asked to speak with James' parents. Once all of the questioning seemed to have passed the boys were moved into a room with a table and three chairs. They were in the room for over an hour before the door opened and a redheaded man walked in with two files.
"James Potter and Sirius Black, am I correct?" Arthur Weasley asks while walking into the room.
The boys sit up straighter when they realize this is likely Maggie's older brother.
"Yep, that's us. Are you Maggie's brother Arthur?" James asks to confirm.
Arthur looks up at the boys surprised. "Yes...oh no. You two are James and Sirius! The same two that cause so much trouble with her. Well, this will be a bit easier then. James your parents are on their way and Sirius I am having trouble getting through to your parents."
"I have been disowned. I live with the Potter family."
"Right, right. You will both be released to the Potters then. When they get here, we will go over -"
"Mr. Weasley! The Potters are-" a mousy woman is then roughly removed from the door to allow entrance of Euphemia and Fleamont.
"Thank you for joining us, Mr. and Mrs. Potter. I guess we are ready to start. Please have a seat." Arthur waves his wand and two more chairs appear.
"Hello you must be Arthur Weasley. Your sister is a sweetheart. She is always keeping our boys in line." Euphemia smiles while shaking his hand.
"Yes, it is a pleasure to finally meet you both." Arthur says while shaking Fleamont's hand.
Once they are all seated Arthur turns back to the boys. "Now as we are all aware you boys performed underage magic outside of Hogwarts. This is illegal according to the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery. Under normal circumstances this would mean expulsion from school. In your case this punishment has been ruled out. You were in a dangerous situation and your lives along with the lives of the two muggle policemen were potentially in jeopardy. You are both going to need to sign forms stating you both understand the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery and your motorbike will be released to an adult at your earliest convenience."
Everyone in the room looks relieved and the boys share incredulous looks.
Potter Manor the next day
The entire group of marauders are gathered in the backyard. They are staring at the motorbike.
"So, you get to keep it? Just like that?" Remus asks without taking his eyes off the bike.
"Well, they didn't ask if it was ours..." James starts.
"Yep." Sirius confirms with a huge smile.
"Dibs! I get the first ride!" Peter pipes up.
Maggie shifts to look at James and Sirius. "You are both okay, right?" She looks them both over concerned.
James rolls his eyes as Sirius drapes an arm over her shoulders. "We are fine. You can ride on the bike while Pete takes the sidecar." He suggests.
Maggie smiles and agrees.
After spending hours driving around on the motorbike they group up at the Potters for dinner before they will start separating.
"How did everyone do on their OWLs?" Euphemia asks.
"I got all O's as did Remy." Maggie says while grabbing more food.
"I got A's which is better than I thought I would do." Peter says around the food in his mouth.
"That's great kids! James and Sirius got mostly O's as well." Fleamont said with a smile.
They all then ate their food before Remus, Peter, and Maggie floo home.
Euphemia owled Molly and Arthur asking if they wanted to join up the following weekend in Diagon Alley to get the supplies for the new year.
The Weasleys agree and soon they all meet up in front of Flourish and Blott's. Molly is holding Percy while Bill and Charlie are holding Maggie's hands.
"Hey Maggs!" Sirius says while running up to the redheaded group. He freezes when he sees the two little boys holding her hands.
"Mags, I don't know if you have been told, but you have a little something right..." He then ducks down and whips Charlie into his arms while tickling him. James swooped in and grabbed Bill doing the same. The boys scream with laughter and the adults smile at the scene.
Once the tickles are out of the way the kids separate from the adults to head to the quidditch store and Madame Malkin's. Bill and Charlie are more than happy to tag along with their aunt and her friends. Once they were all in Quality Quidditch Supplies James pulled both of the boys over to look at the new brooms giving Sirius an opening to talk to Maggie.
"Hey Mags. You never told me how America was. Did you see anything cool?"
Maggie smiled while looking over some leather gloves.
"Yeah, I got to work with Jackalopes. They were ridiculously cute and super-fast."
Sirius smiled and opened his mouth to respond when Charlie burst into tears. Maggie whipped around and went to him quickly. She got down to his level and grabbed him in a hug. "What's wrong my bonny prince?"
He sniffles and buries his head into her hair.
"Billy said he won't share his broom with me when we are bigger."
"Of course not! You will both have your own brooms if I have anything to say about it." Maggie says while tickling his stomach. He squeals and squirms back. She holds him steady and says " feel better now?"
He nods and runs back to James and Bill.
Maggie straightens out. Sirius reaches out and tucks a loose strand of hair out of her face.
"You are really good with them." he says while smiling as she tries to hide her blush.
"Thanks."
They rejoin the rest and move on to Madame Malkin's. Once their orders are in, they decide to check in with the adults.
They had already purchased their books and potions supplies. They decided to leave the teenagers to get their orders from Madame Malkin's then head over to the Burrow for dinner. While they wait for their order the three head into Gambol and Japes in hopes of finding useful additions to their prank stockpile.
James watches Sirius interacting with Maggie. They are gathering a few different boxes of fireworks, charmed candies, and dung bombs. Something seems different between them. James smirks. He is going to win the bet this year.
School starts with the regular fanfare. The beginning of year prank was a hit when they charmed the sorting hat to be silent and a color-blind spell was cast on everyone. It was a very confusing sorting since no one knew where the first years were supposed to go until their uniforms changed and the crests were checked.
Dumbledore sent them on to their dorms with a congratulations to the pranksters that decided to remind everyone that there is little difference between students sorted into each house.
Classes begin and the sixth years realized that this year is going to be as busy if not busier than the last. The classes are amping up to prepare them for their NEWTs and future careers.
Maggie is often seen studying with Lily, and the Marauders in the Library or the Common Room. James and Sirius have been working closely with their respective redheads.
This is helping James and Lily get along. They are partners in Transfiguration and Potions. This partnership along with their study habits has given them opportunities to work together and get to know each other more.
Sirius and Maggie have also been partnered in Transfiguration, though Maggie is not taking NEWT level potions. Maggie is often studying magical creatures during that free period. Still Sirius is going to her for all his homework questions especially since he has started to realize his feelings might be a bit more than friendship though he is not interested in risking their friendship.
The male marauders are up in their dormitory preparing for bed.
"Wouldn't it be crazy if I married Lily and you married Maggie. We could start our own redheaded quidditch teams!" James says while looking at Sirius.
Sirius blanches. "Why would I be with Maggie? We are just friends."
Remus rolls his eyes while James sputters.
Peter looks confused. "I thought you guys were already together."
Sirius looks startled.
"You really don't have feelings for her?" Remus asks sounding doubtful.
"Of course not. We have been friends forever. Why would I jeopardize that?"
"Because you could have something more. Friends make great partners." Remus says.
"Yeah, my parents were friends before they got together. Mum says it was easier since they didn't need to learn a lot about each other. They already knew a lot of the big stuff." James adds.
"Yeah, but she isn't really my type. Not to mention she isn't really interested in dating."
"What do you mean, she goes out all the time." James says confused and a bit frustrated.
"Sure, she goes to Hogsmeade all the time, but she turns all of her dates into friend outings. All of them. She even did that with that guy on the Ravenclaw quidditch team. You know Brady something."
"That could be because she's only interested in you." Remus says.
"Whatever, I'm going to bed." and Sirius does though he doesn't find sleep since he has much to think about.
Lily and Maggie were sitting by the lake inside of a warm bubble that Lily cast.
"So, you and James seem to be getting on." Maggie says while braiding Lilies hair by hand.
"Yeah, he's different this year. You know he hasn't asked me to Hogsmeade yet. He may have finally grown up."
"Would it really be so bad if he did ask you to go?"
"I don't know. After everything we have been through, I just don't want to risk our new friendship, you know. What about you and Sirius?"
"What about us?"
"You are spending more time together than usual. He is always looking at you like you are a glass of water and he is severely dehydrated." Lily laughs.
"He is not!" Maggie laughs. "We are just spending more time together since we are partners in Transfiguration. He wouldn't be interested in me anyway."
"Obviously he's interested. You are gorgeous and you already know so much about each other. You would make a really good couple if you would try."
Maggie sighs and switches places with Lily.
The rest of the Marauders find them a few minutes later.
"Ladies, how are we this lovely afternoon?" James asks while plopping down next to Lily.
"We are well, how are you Gentlemen?" Maggie asks while making room for Sirius to sit next to her on the blanket she is sitting on.
"We are perfect now that we are within your company." Remus plays along while laying back in the dying grass.
Lily laughs.
The rest of the afternoon they relax and banter back and forth.
In the boy's dormitory later that night
"Are you going to ask Lily?" Sirius asked James.
"Are you going to ask Maggie?" James shot back.
"I will if you do." Sirius suggests.
"Fine."
"Fine."
AN: EARLY CHAPTER! This chapter and the next were originally one chapter, but it was getting out of hand, so we are splitting it up. Please favorite, follow, and review. Thank you to everyone that already has. See you next time. -A.