I am sorry for updating so late, but I had a lot of work to do. School has been torture! But exams are over now and I expect I'll be updating as usual. Please review!
It was a sunny Sunday morning - and it was a completely free day. No detentions, no homework ( at least for Remus ), no planning to be done, nothing to study...
The boys all slept in, and were rudely awoken by Sirius' owl - KnightHawk, who was delivering a Howler from Walburga Black.
Sirius was looking at the red, steaming envelope fearfully. It was bubbling and frothing in his hands, the effervescence pouring out of the envelope. Walburga's shrill, screaming voice was soon heard -
"You filthy mangy piece of SCUM! HOW DARE YOU GET SORTED INTO GRYFFINDOR! YOU COULD AT LEAST TRY TO BE LESS OF A DISAPPOINTMENT! At least for your brother, Regulus!"
Sirius shook his head. "Like that's going to work..."
His mother was still yelling her throat sore, "I HAVE ASKED DUMBLEDORE TO SWITCH YOU INTO SLYTHERIN, BUT THAT—!" Hear obscenities were shouted about Dumbledore, which caused James and Remus to wince delicately.
"SINCE YOU CANT BE IN SLYTHERIN, TRY NOT TO BE A DISGRACE TO YOUR FAMILY IN GRYFFINDOR! WE WILL TRY TO SHIFT YOU TO DURMSTRANG! DONT MAKE ANY FRIENDS IN GRYFFINDOR! BELLA WILL LOOK OUT FOR YOU.."
"Too late for that now isn't it.." James muttered.
"No offence Sirius, but are you sure that's your mom?" Remus questioned disbelievingly.
"Yeah mate," Peter said, "she kinda gives off creepy, scary vibes."
"That describes my home atmosphere perfectly." Sirius said mirthlessly.
There was silence. Nobody knew how yo react to that statement. James, Remus and Peter all came from loving homes, with family members who loved them no matter what.
Remus broke the silence, "You want to go have breakfast?"
There was a great scuffle as three of the four Marauders tried to push past each other to get out of the door. Remus rolled his eyes to heaven and yanked them back. "At least get ready first. You haven't even brushed your teeth,"
"But Remus," James whined. "Foooood. I'm a growing boy. I need food."
"You can have your food after brushing your teeth." Remus said firmly.
"There isn't much difference either way." Sirius shrugged.
James and Remus stared at him. Peter was scratching himself.
"What?" Sirius asked. "I'm serious."
"Of course you are." James said smiling. "You are Sirius, the seriously serious Sirius."
Remus and Sirius cracked up. Peter stared at them confused. "What happened?"
"Nothing Peter."
XXXXXXX
"So mate" James began speaking to the rest of the Marauders, "we never actually found the kitchens..."
"Then, what are we waiting for?" Sirius jumped up and ran to the portrait hole, when turning back, he saw that none of his fellows had followed him. They were just staring at him amusedly.
"What?"
"Nothing." The three of them said in unison.
"Then. Move."
"Will I get chocolate?" Remus asked mind, as always, on his one true love.
"Yes." Sirius hissed. "Anything to get you to move." He muttered under his breath.
"What was that mate?" Peter asked.
"Nothing."
"Can we go now?" James whined.
"Hungry are we, Potter?" Sirius grinned wolfishly.
"Yes. It's been one hour since I've eaten something."
Lily Evans who was passing by with her four friends, snorted. "Pig."
James glared at the red-head. "You got a problem?"
"Not at all." Lily laughed. "Go ahead and stuff yourself to death. Then we'll finally be rid of you."
"What is your problem Evans?" James growled.
"You Potter." Lily shot back annoyed.
"Why don't you come down from the utopia you have made in your head? This is real-life Evans, not your imaginary fairytale!"
"Why don't you stop being such a stuck-up prat Potter? And stop pranking the whole school for no reason!"
"There is something in this universe called Fun. I don't think you would have heard about it Evans, but pranks come under it! Don't even pretend you didn't enjoy it!"
"I don't need to pretend Potter! I don't like it! Stop loafing around acting like you own the place, and actually try being normal for once!"
They were nose to nose know, and were glaring ferociously at each other. They were almost the same hight, so one couldn't look down on the other.
"Normal Evans? Do you even know what that means? Even with all that time you spend with your nose stuck inside a book!"
"At least I can read Potter! Something you cannot boast of!"
"How mature Evans. Tell a eleven year old boy he can't read."
"Arrogant toe rag!"
"Prissy prig!"
"Boastful Ape!"
"Stuck up perfectionist!"
"Enough! Shut up!" Jacqueline stepped in pushing high of them away from each other her.
"Now, you stop arguing this minute, or the you'll wish you had, once I'm done with you!" There was something intimidating about this girl, and both mortal enemies stepped down.
Alice, Marlene and Mary were standing next to each other and had been following the battle of words which was taking place in front of them.
Remus was munching on some chocolate which he had found on a couch, Peter had been yawning the whole time and Sirius had been shouting encouragement a to a flushed James.
Lily's friends dragged her away and the Marauders saw the portrait hole closing softly behind them.
"That was brilliant!" Sirius exclaimed. "I thought you liked Evans?" Sirius nodded his head.
"Nah, she's just way too stuck-up and annoying. And she told me to be normal! Ha!" James shrugged.
"I'm proud of you James!" Sirius said happily, "you finally got over your crush on that frizzle frattle frump!"
"She's not a frump." Remus frowned.
"Whatever Remus." Sirius waved his head about. "I need a word that began with f. So frump it was!"
"All right! Now are we going or not?" James asked exasperatedly.
"Where?" Sirius asked innocently.
"To the kitchens!"
"With chocolate?" Remus asked hopefully.
"Yes! Now move! I'm starving!"
XXXXXXX
An hour later they are still searching for the 'pear' which will apparently lead them to the kitchens.
"Thank your dad from me, James." Sirius grumbled.
They had done nothing else and were beginning to get annoyed. After all, James was hungry, Sirius was being a prat, Remus was thirsting for chocolate and Peter was too fat for so much exercise.
Roughly they had climbed at least 19 swivelling staircases, 4 staircases with with missing steps and 21 normal staircases. It was exhausting, even for the fitter ones like James and Sirius.
"Why," puff, "do we.." puff, "have to climb," puff, "so many," puff, "staircases?!" Peter groaned, panting like a dog.
"It's good exercise Pete." James encouraged.
"Shut up."
"Guys..." Sirius trailed off expectantly, "do you think that is it?"
They were near the Hufflepuff common room now and a portrait could be seen with a fruit basket painted on it. A very large and striking pear stood out.
"Yes."
"Finally."
"Food."
XXXXXXX
They entered to find a horde of house elves crowded around one of their comrades - a sickly looking old hobbled one who was lying face down on the floor.
They all scattered when they saw the Marauders entering the kitchens with looks of awe on their faces.
"What can Hooky get for you masters?" One elf scurried over to them, bowed low and questioned.
"Uh.. Chocolate?" Remus stuttered out, looking at the vast cavern that was the Hogwarts Kitchens.
"Right away master." Hooky scurried to get the chocolate.
The other elves were crowded around the feeble old one again and one was holding his hand and sobbing, tears trickling down her cheeks.
The Marauders didn't try to interfere. Even again their young age, they could differentiate between the time to prank, the time to butt in and the time to let lie.
They took their chocolate, thanked Hooky and left the kitchens.
...
"What do you reckon is happening there?" James jerked his thumb at the Portrait of the Pear, which was slowly shutting after them.
"I dunno..." Peter muttered.
"That house-ef looked pretty ill mate." Sirius said worriedly glancing over his shoulder.
"He looked close to dying." Remus said bluntly. "And the other one, she was crying remember?"
"Maybe we can help?" Peter asked timidly.
"No Pete, it isn't any of our business. And there isn't anything we can do about it either." Remus said firmly.
"But—!"
"No!" Remus exclaimed. "Respect the privacy of others."
"Alright Lupin.."
"Good." Remus said, biting a huge piece off his chocolate. "You want some?" He asked when he saw the other three staring at him.
"Don't mind if I do," James said happily and helped himself. Sirius and Peter soon followed, and Remus was soon left with barely two bites of chocolate.
He glared. "Give it back."
His friends, seeing the look on his face, quickly popped their last pieces of chocolate into their mouths chewing satisfactorily. "Sorry Remus."
"Prats." Remus said, jealously guarding his remaining previous pieces of chocolate.
XXXXXXX
