To Be Loyal

Chapter Seven

Disclaimer: HP is J.K.'s.

A/N: Hello, everyone! We're on Chapter Seven now. Please do let me know what you think of this story in a review. I will take your criticism into account. If you're invested in the story, why not help make it better? You could also Follow the story to receive alerts when new content comes out.

Here we get the first action sequence in this story (last scene of this chapter), though I expect there will be more action as we go on. When it comes down to it, this fic is about family and related hurt/comfort, but it's also something of a jack-of-all-trades. I also plan for romance to make an entrance eventually and tie on to the theme of family.

I hope you enjoy Chapter Seven! Also, the Dumbledore quote here is so fitting for Sirius, it's awesome.

"Have you any idea how much tyrants fear the people they oppress? All of them realize that, one day, amongst their many victims, there is sure to be one that rises against them and strikes back!" —Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

"You think I'll fall into line with my parents and your crowd of bigots because you might throw a few curses at me? The Blacks have already done much worse." —Sirius Black to Lucius Malfoy, spring of 1994, out on the grounds of Hogwarts

September 2, 1976

The first curse came from behind. "Engorgio Skullus!" a female voice hissed, and Sirius spun into a crouch to face his attacker even as he groaned with pain and pressed his left hand to his head, allowing his books to scatter across the floor. However, there was no sign of the caster of the hex amid the widespread gaggle of Gryffindor and Slytherin sixth-years making their way to Potions.

"Shite," Sirius swore, clutching his head as James picked up his books and handed them to him. Sirius tucked them under one arm but kept his wand out, scanning the corridor for any suspicious movement or facial expression that would give his attacker away. "Thanks, Prongs," he said as he narrowed his eyes at a group of three laughing Slytherins. Parkinson, Nott, Travers…

"You all right, Padfoot?" James asked anxiously. "Your head…"

Sirius winced. His throbbing skull felt like it had been inflated, and his head seemed… larger. What kind of hex is this?

"Come on, Moony will know how to fix it," James muttered, grabbing him by the arm and tugging him ahead toward the classroom. "Bloody Slytherins."

"Shite, this hurts," Sirius muttered as he stepped into the brightly lit Potions classroom. He threw himself into the seat next to Remus, his lab partner, who immediately burst out laughing at the sight of him, along with half of the class.

"Yeah, yeah," Sirius mumbled, "laugh it up."

"Sorry, Padfoot," Remus chortled, wiping a mirthful tear from his eye. "It's just… you've got a swelled head!" Even Professor Slughorn chuckled at that.

"Yeah, yeah, whichever one of you did this, you've got a real great sense of humor," Sirius drawled, rubbing his enlarged forehead and wincing. "I mean it."

Remus pointed his wand at Sirus's head and muttered "Redactum Skullus" between giggles.

Sirius sighed with relief as his head returned to its normal size. His eyes roved around the Slytherin side of the room. Parkinson is sneering, but it's not like that's unusual, Sirius observed. Nott's looking down at her Potions book… but was that a hint of a satisfied smile? Can't tell.

"All right, all right, class," Slughorn boomed. "Today I'll be introducing the Elixir to Induce Euphoria…"


September 4, 1976

"Hold still," Remus ordered Sirius.

For the fifth time, Peter nervously attempted the wand movement and said, "Episkey."

"Thank goodness," Sirius sighed with relief as he felt his broken nose finally repair itself and shift back into its proper position. On his third attempt, Peter had made the damage worse. Sirius allowed himself to fall back onto the couch and let out a yawn. The fire is so warm… I could just go right to sleep.

"Good work, Peter," Remus congratulated Peter, who looked just as relieved as Sirius. "You won't learn unless you practice, and this was the perfect opportunity."

"I'm glad Mulciber hitting me in the nose played right into your plans," Sirius said dryly, propping his feet up on the arm of the couch.

"Oi, stop complaining, Padfoot," James chided him, smirking. "You put him in the Hospital Wing, and I can tell you enjoyed it."

"Which is wrong," Remus put in, and James surprised Sirius by agreeing with Remus.

"Yeah, seriously, guys, we can't get carried away," James said, meeting each of the other Marauders' eyes in turn. "We'll do what we have to do to defend our own, but we can't sink to their-"

"Evans, on your six!" Peter hissed to James, who sat bolt upright before forcefully relaxing his posture. He turned casually in his seat, and Sirius could pinpoint the exact moment when James saw Lily. The red-haired, green-eyed Gryffindor was passing by the small circle of Marauders lounging on the furniture around the fireplace.

"Good grief," Remus muttered under his breath, and Sirius let out a bark of laughter.

"Lily!" James called. "You look pretty-" James faltered as Remus's rolled-up essay hit him in the back of head. "Pretty tired! You should get some good rest tonight."

Lily laughed and rolled her eyes without bothering to reply. Her eyes rested on Sirius for a moment, but she continued on toward the stairs that led up to the girls' dormitory.

Sirius joined the other Marauders in laughing at James while Lily disappeared up the stairs.

"James," Remus sighed, and James held up a hand to stop him.

"I remember what you told me: I wouldn't want my friends to value me based on what spells I can cast or tricks I can do with a broom, so why should Evans do the same," he recited, his tone melancholy.

"Sorry," Remus mumbled contritely.

"No, you're fine," James sighed.

After the incident by the lake in their fifth year, Remus had given James a long, heated lecture about everything he was doing wrong with Lily. James was often quite serious and level-headed when he was alone with his friends, but he had a tendency to become arrogant around girls. It had taken Remus an entire hour of ranting to get James to fully understand something Remus had been dropping hints about for years: good relationships aren't built on Quidditch prowess and strong magical ability.

It only took half an hour for it to sink in for me, Sirius thought with mock smugness, and giggled at his own wit. Remus cast him a concerned look.

Since then, James had been getting better, although he sometimes returned to his old cocky persona. Unfortunately, this happened most frequently around Lily Evans.

"Cheer up, Prongs," Sirius said encouragingly. "It's not all that bad. You're still a great bloke, and it's normal for girls to mess with your head. Just take a chill pill once in a while."

James rolled his eyes. "And what on earth is a chill pill? Some kind of medicine that lowers your body temperature?"

Sirius burst into hysterical laughter, almost rolling off the couch as he struggled to control himself. Peter chuckled, although he didn't appear to understand what Sirius thought was so funny. James shook his head fondly.

"By the way, Sirius," Remus said casually, "your love life is my next project, you know."

Sirius's laughter petered out. "Moony, you can be right scary when you want to be."


September 16, 1976

"This is getting ridiculous," Sirius growled angrily during dinner on the sixth day of school. The Marauders had arrived late to the meal due to a near-duel with three Slytherins that had been cut short by the arrival of a prefect. "Snape's little gang have been shooting hexes at me at least once a day in the hallways, and they hit me at least every third attempt. Their ambushes are getting progressively harder to avoid, and then there's the mystery attacker."

"Her first prank was pretty funny," Remus pointed out, and Sirius smiled grudgingly.

"Yes, it was, but she's gotten nastier since," he pointed out. "Flagrante Curses on doorhandles, Slug-Vomiting Charms in the hallways, and she somehow managed to fire a Conjunctivitis Curse at my face without revealing herself. I barely dodged it. Whoever she is, she's very good."

"That's true," Peter agreed readily. "I know the names of all the others who've attacked you, but not her. Snape, of course, and then Mulciber, Avery, Selwyn, Rabastan Lestrange, Rowle, and Rosier. Travers joined in this morning. Gits, all of them."

"They won't be the last to jump on this bandwagon," Sirius said darkly.

"The staff said they were going to crack down on dueling in the hallways, but I haven't seen it yet," Peter remarked.

"Professor McGonagall gave Avery three days of detention yesterday, and Slughorn did the same to Rosier," Remus pointed out. "I think it's the standard policy for small fights."

"They can't be everywhere, though," Sirius said. "Honestly, I'd like to knock these gits down a peg, but they always outnumber us." Remus cast him a reproving glance but said nothing.

James took another bite of chicken and chewed thoughtfully. "One of us has been with Sirius at all times since the first day of school, as we planned over the summer. I think it's time to up our game."

Padfoot groaned as Remus suppressed a grin. "I know where you're going with this, Mr. Prongs."

"But of course, Mr. Padfoot," James said pompously. "This calls for a Marauders' Cordon." This was a simple tactic they had used often when the Slytherins singled out a target for retaliation.

"You're going to be with us every minute of every day," Remus put in, chuckling, and Sirius couldn't help but grin.

"Thanks, guys," he said sincerely as he snagged a roll from an indignant James's plate.

Once the Marauders finished their lunch, they got to their feet and headed toward the exit, chatting and laughing. Several other students were exiting the Hall, but only one-Severus Snape-was entering it. Sirius narrowed his eyes at the frowning, greasy-haired Slytherin, who didn't even glance at the Marauders. Odd, he thought, and his usual paranoia ratcheted up a notch.

As Remus, Peter, Sirius, and James spilled out into the hallway outside the Great Hall, Sirius's eyes were drawn to flashes of movement behind the short ornamental pedestals that held torches and lined the corridor outside the Hall. Fire reflected off polished wand wood and-

"Down!" Sirius bellowed, grabbing Peter by the neck as he threw himself down on the stone-tiled floor. Remus and James followed suit, and a split second later, four unfamiliar, fiery purple curses crossed paths in the space the Marauders had just vacated with an audible crackle. The few students who were nearby quickly ran for safety at the sight. A prefect bellowed at the Slytherins to stop, and one of the Slytherins Stunned him. This effectively discouraged any more attempts to intervene.

Years of dueling Slytherins together had taught Remus, Peter, James, and Sirius to fight as a unit. Without a word passed between them, Remus and James knelt and cast Shield Charms while Peter scurried back toward the grand doors of the Hall on his hands and knees. In a fair fight, the Marauders might have sought to continue the altercation, but they were pinned down and unsure of their enemy's plans. If there aren't more of them who haven't cast yet, I'm Morgana, Sirius thought, his wand beginning the motions of a protective charm as more purple fire blazed forth from the Slytherins' wands. Violet light momentarily illuminated the faces of Rosier, Avery, and Mulciber. A moment later, the three Slytherins had to hastily raise Shield Charms to block Remus and James's Stunners.

"Protego Aqueous!" Sirius shouted, and water flowed from his wand into the air and formed a shimmering shield that collided with the incoming curses. A cloud of steam rose up between the battling groups and was dispersed by a timely Ventus from Remus. Remus and James kept up a steady barrage of Stunners, Body-Binds, and mild hexes, but it was Sirius who disarmed and bound Avery in conjured ropes before diving behind James's Shield Charm. A second later, a volley of low-powered cutting and blasting curses flew over the Marauders' heads.

"Doors, Wormtail?" James called impatiently.

"They're stuck!" Peter called. Sirius could hear him struggling with the large handles. "Sealed, maybe? Alohomora won't work!"

"Snape," Sirius growled, and James cursed.

"Well," Remus said philosophically, "it seems that all we can do is fight back until the professors get here." He smiled at James and Sirius's surprised grins and shouted, "Flagrate!"

Rosier yelped in pain and leapt away from the pedestal he had been huddling behind, exposing him to James's Disarming Charm. "Excellent, Moony!" James praised as he tucked Rosier's wand into his pocket. He and Peter, who had rejoined them, kept Mulciber pinned behind cover with carefully aimed Stunners. Remus and Sirius gave the fourth Slytherin the same treatment.

Just as the Marauders got the upper hand, Selwyn, Rowle, and Travers stepped out of cover for the first time on the Gryffindors' side of the hallway. The Marauders quickly backed themselves as far as they could into the alcove where the Great Hall's doors were situated. Two bright blue Expulso curses crossed paths in front of James and Remus and detonated against the floor.

"Tardus!" Sirius incanted, and the spray of stone shrapnel produced by the small explosions slowed dramatically in speed. A nonverbal charm and a flick of his wand sent the shrapnel flying at Selwyn like a fleet of tiny daggers. The Slytherin howled in pain from a dozen small wounds. They had to have planned for these two to catch us unawares if their initial attack was unsuccessful, Sirius thought as he raised his wand high.

"Stupefy!" Peter cried, his voice cracking, and Selwyn went down hard.

"Excellent, Mr. Wormtail!" Sirius and James chorused, and Peter beamed. The previously unidentified Slytherin had, rather unfortunately, turned out to be Rabastan Lestrange, who was rumored to have already become a Death Eater. He and Mulciber reinforced Rowle and Travers as the Slytherins attempted to box the Marauders in against the doors.

Lestrange gave a quiet order to the others, and Rowle, Travers, and Mulciber concentrated their fire on Remus's shield. A few Blasting Curses tore the ethereal white surface apart before the Marauders could react, leaving Remus exposed. A final Blasting Curse shot through the space the shield had just occupied and exploded in a burst of light at Remus's feet, sending Remus flying back through the air.

Sirius saw red as Remus's head connected with the hard oak of the Great Hall's doors and his friend-brother-crumpled to the ground, unmoving. "Bastards!" he screamed at the five Slytherins, curse after curse springing forth from his wand. Sirius's body was shaking with fury, throwing off his aim, but he managed to catch Mulciber in the face with a Conjunctivitis Curse. He blocked a Body-Bind aimed at James, then flicked his wrist deftly, unleashing a Knockback Jinx that slammed Travers against the far wall. Peter tentatively sidled forward and cast a Shield Charm next to James's, taking Remus's place.

Rowle faltered momentarily at Sirius's demand, but Rabastan Lestrange advanced with frightening calmness, deftly dodging or blocking any of Sirius's curses that came near him. Before long, the likely Death Eater took Peter down with a swift Stunner that passed just over Peter's small shield.

Despite his eyelids being swollen shut, Mulciber began firing random Cutting Curses in the Marauders' direction. A lucky shot ripped open an angry gash in James's shoulder, and Sirius's fury rose to new heights. To make matters worse, Lestrange summoned Remus's wand and tossed it to a previously wandless Rosier, who had been sheltering behind Mulciber's hulking form.

"Back up, Sirius!" James shouted over the clamor as he barely deflected another of Lestrange's Stunners. "Cover me while I grab Peter!"

"Protego Duo!" Sirius shouted as he retreated, and a nearly solid, silvery shield appeared in front of him. Several of the Slytherins's curses bounced back at their casters after striking the reflective surface. "Oppugno!" Sirius cried, waving his wand at the suits of armor that guarded the Great Hall and pointing at the Slytherins, and the two guardians of Hogwarts leapt from their positions like charging knights. One of them successfully tackled Mulciber, but Lestrange leapt out of its counterpart's path with an easy grace.

Sirius glanced over his shoulder to find that James had dragged the unconscious Peter over to Remus and was now checking them over. He returned his attention to the Slytherins in time to see a Reductor Curse from Lestrange tear through his shield. Sirius heard it slam into his chest. Then he felt his ribs crack. As the blue jet of light picked him up and sent him flying into James, he felt an overwhelming sense of failure.

"Oof, Sirius, what-" James started to complain, but Sirius heard his voice trail off as James rolled out from under Sirius and saw his face. "Padfoot, you okay?"

Dagger-like jolts of pain assailed Sirius every time he took a breath, but he managed a nod. His eyes focused on the dark-haired form of Lestrange, who was bearing down on the two Marauders from behind. "James," Sirius croaked warningly. Sirius raised his wand slowly only for it to dart away into Lestrange's hand.

James rolled away from Rowle's Body-Bind, but when he got to his feet he was staring down the shafts of four enemy wands. "Drop it, Potter," Rabastan snapped, and James reluctantly laid down his weapon.

Sirius might have managed to get to his feet if Lestrange hadn't placed his boot on his chest and pressed, exacerbating Sirius's injury and sending a shockwave of pain through his chest. "You deserve this, filthy blood-traitor," the pureblood spat. His dark eyes, so alight with malice, reminded Sirius of his father.

As he gasped with pain, Sirius's attention was fixed on James's furious, horrified hazel eyes, and Padfoot saw the exact moment when James's gaze hardened.

As James took two long steps forward and leapt at the distracted Lestrange, the other Slytherin's curses singing his robes, Sirius heard a female voice shout "Incarcerous!"

A/N: Yeah, it's a cliffhanger, but this chapter was getting real long. Hope you enjoyed the action.

I don't know if it's in the books, but I found Engorgio Skullus and its countercurse Redactum Skullus on the Harry Potter wiki. I'll tell you that there's a reason for the contrast in tone and severity between the scene where the mystery girl uses Engorgio Skullus on Sirius and the scene where the Marauders are ambushed.

Some of the spells used here are canon; others are not. The fiery purple curse used by the Slytherins is the same one used in OoTP by Dolohov on Hermione; I'm assuming that Dolohov taught it to the Slytherins or they learned it elsewhere. The Slytherins' curses, of course, would not be as powerful as Dolohov's. Also, Sirius didn't activate Hogwarts' defenses like McGonagall; he just animated the statues for a moment.

Also, Sirius's reference to Morgana is using an expression I made up that's nearly identical to the expression "If that's true, then I'm the Queen of England."

Please review!