Halloween Memories
Just a short little oneshot, Remus attempts to chase away ghosts on Halloween by remembering eventful Halloween's gone past.
LonelyRemus stared moodily at the fire. It was October again, the third October he had spent alone in the dark. No trick or treaters came to his door, or even his solemn neighborhood. What irked Remus the most wasn't the hurt that kept colliding with him and threatening to drag him down, but the memories that came with the hurt.
Most days Remus would have used alcohol to solve his problems. He had turned to firewhiskey when he realized that even if it couldn't take the pain away, it could at least numb it. But not today, because it would be Halloween soon and he didn't want to numb the pain.
Remus looked at his wristwatch. Five minutes past twelve the six golden hands told him. It was now officially Halloween. Before he could stop himself Remus dove headfirst into the oncoming flood of memories and let them wash over him in remembrance. He sighed and settled back into his armchair, closing his eyes.
PumpkinsHalloween had been the Marauders' favorite holiday. It even beat out April Fool's Day. Not only did you get to dress up and gorge yourself on sweets, there was also the famed Devil's Night where hooligans were allowed to run amok. The marauders had been classified as hooligans the moment they stepped into Hogwarts' stony halls so they didn't feel guilty about taking advantage of October 29th.
They didn't smash pumpkins though like most naïve pranksters. No, that would have been a blatant destruction of a most cherished vegetable. Sirius never would have allowed it. Instead James found a creative use for the pumpkin.
On the day before Devil's Night, Remus and Peter would sneak down to Hagrid's hut under the cover of James' invisibility cloak. Hagrid, of course, more than willingly gave them a few dozen pumpkins from his patch for their mischief because the enormous man found them amusing. In the darkness the two boys would float the pumpkins back up to their dorm.
Sirius had always had a creative flair in him, one that Remus and James lacked. Their normal pranks would receive a good dosage of fun from Sirius that would make it memorable. In contrast, James would be the one executing the plan and Remus the one who thought the scheme up in the first place.
When Sirius wasn't using his talents to concoct new spells or potions, he carved pumpkins. He was also good at other kinds of art but rarely showcased his talent. Halloween allowed him an outlet he couldn't normally get and Sirius leapt at the opportunity.
The three boys would set the pumpkins from Hagrid down in a line in front of Sirius and wait expectantly.
Hogwarts: 1977, Gryffindor Dorms"C'mon Sirius, we haven't got all night!" James whined impatiently, dropping onto Remus' bed.
Remus glared, annoyed that his own bed had been stolen from him, and pulled up a rug to sit on near James' feet. "You have your own bed." The young werewolf grumbled under his breath.
"Yes, but it's way over there!" James gestured dramatically across the room.
"Hush Prongs. This is a delicate process. I need to see the image before I actually create it." Sirius stared appraisingly at the pumpkins, one hand stroking his chin.
"Stop making artsy things up and get started already." James growled at him. Sirius glanced at James, a smirk creeping across his handsome face. He was infuriating James on purpose.
Of course, James didn't catch this and just got angrier; Remus and Peter exchanged knowing looks and grinned behind their hands. They were best friends with James and Sirius and sometimes even they couldn't understand the two of them.
But the wait was always worthwhile. Sirius could carve the most bizarre, lifelike, and hilarious images into pumpkins. Pictures like McGonagall holding out a trick or treat bag and actually smiling, Snivellus holding a shampoo bottle at arm's length, or Filch sitting atop a mountain of candy with a chocolate bar in each hand.
After Sirius finished with the pumpkins, the marauders placed them strategically around the school for everyone to find come morning…
Same Night: 1977"No Moony, that one has got to go on the head table." Sirius explained shaking his head with mock sympathy as though Remus had committed a heinous offense. Remus was stumbling under the weight of a particularly large pumpkin with a picture of Slughorn, his mouth stained with chocolate, holding up Flitwick with one meaty hand as if he were about to eat the tiny professor.
"I apologize oh exalted carver." Remus said sweeping into low bow with the pumpkin raised high.
Sirius turned away crossing his arms. "Apology accepted." Remus grinned and hefted the pumpkin off to the Great Hall.
James and Sirius lugged another two of the pumpkins towards the Transfiguration room and Peter struggled as one pumpkin got away from him and started to roll down the dungeon steps. James groaned good-naturedly and went to help the oafish boy.
Of course not all of those late night expeditions were as care free as that one. Remus could remember one Halloween where he and Sirius had been involved in a nightmarish chase through the castles.
Worse, no one believed them.
Hogwarts Corridors: 1975"Sirius, what are you doing!" Remus whisper-yelled across the corridor.
Sirius was tottering on one foot and arms wind-milling wildly in the air. He was staring with wide horrified eyes at one of the knights in the entrance hall.
"Moony! It moved!" Sirius hissed, his eyes not leaving the knight.
"What moved Sirius?" Remus asked with a sigh.
Sirius was pointing and staggering away from the knight. "The knight! It pushed me! I swear it did." Sirius persisted seeing Remus' obvious skepticism.
"Sure it did Sirius. Stop fooling around, the traps have to be set by moon down." Remus leaned over to pick up the bag full of dungbombs when Sirius squeaked and raced towards Remus.
"It moved again." Sirius ducked behind Remus, peering over his shoulder. "Get 'im Moony." Sirius gave the leaner boy a push towards the knight. Remus looked at the knight again. It did look as though the knight had taken a step forward. It wasn't in line with its fellows.
Remus straightened and raised an eyebrow, just as the knight turned his head completely sideways towards the two 3rd years.
Remus yelped and with one move had swiveled around and was sprinting down the corridor with Sirius at his heels. The knight followed them brandishing a sharp sword.
For several hours the boys led a hellish escapade through the dark halls before they were able to lose the knight in the library.
The next morning when the boys, joined by James and Peter walked down to breakfast, the knight was not in its place and had been replaced by a portrait. James and Peter who had laughed at Sirius and Remus the night before looked at each other in amazement.
1978, Festive AttireIn their seventh and final year at Hogwarts the Marauders had dressed up as Robin Hood and his Merry Men. That had been Remus' favorite year because all the characters were suited to their personalities so well.
They had come to breakfast in their costumes to raucous applause and loud hooting laughter. Peter had blushed hard and Remus grinned foolishly but James and Sirius were unflappable as always, and each swept into a low bow. James also threw in a wink at Lily who, like everyone else was laughing too hard to say anything.
James, of course, was their hearty leader Robin Hood. His unruly black hair was hidden under a pointed green hat with a red feather tucked into a flap. Besides that he had on a green tunic, vambrances, a bow with a single suction cup arrow on his back, green leggings, brown boots, and finally a rubber dagger hung from his ornate belt.
Peter was Friar Wormy. He had long brown robes with a rope belt and brown sandals. No wonder the shy boy had blushed so furiously. Sirius thought Remus should have been Friar Moony but there was another part that Remus needed to fill instead.
That part was Little John. James had reasoned that since Remus' middle name was John, how could he possibly play anybody else? He had on the same green outfit as James minus the bow and arrow. Instead he came lumbering down the aisle to his seat that morning swinging a large wooden staff. Remus couldn't help but laugh at himself; the staff made him feel ridiculous.
Sirius loved his costume, he had even worn it to bed the night before. He was the dashing Will Scarlet. He had on a red tunic and leggings, a rubber sword, a brown pointed hat with a red feather, and brown boots. Every girl in the Great Hall went weak in the knees as he straightened from his bow.
The marauders kept up their charade all day. Before lunch, as the students spilled from their classrooms and loitered in the halls, they launched a tremendous battle. Robin Hood summoned his own staff from thin air and he and Little John had a fight of epic proportions. Friar Wormy was on Robin's side and Will Scarlet was on Little John's, both cheering loudly.
As their staffs clashed together Remus was glad they had practiced the fight sequence beforehand, otherwise he would have fallen flat on his face. Soon many kids had gathered and were cheering loudly for their favorite, even those who had read the book and knew who was going to win.
When Little John knocked Robin from his feet there was a deafening roar.
Robin then asked Little John if he and Will Scarlet would like to join his merry men. Will Scarlet helpfully pointed out that it was merry man considering that it was only Friar Wormy.
James scowled at Sirius but Remus intervened before either could break character completely and extended his hand to James and the four became the Merry Men of the Forbidden Forest.
The Wild Prince John ChaseThe students just loved the playacting and although some of the teachers, like McGonagall, didn't appreciate the interruptions, Dumbledore wouldn't allow them to interfere with the marauders because the headmaster too, enjoyed their performance.
Before dinner Sirius and James chased around Snape calling him "evil Prince John." James' arrow hit the Slytherin in the middle of his forehead and stuck there thanks to some extremely sticky potion solution Sirius had whipped up.
While Snape tried to pull the arrow from his head Sirius congratulated James with a clap on the shoulder. "Brilliant shot Robin. That is worth the golden arrow, don't you think?"
"Thank you Will, I hope to win the fair maiden's heart at the feast. Shall we?"
"Yes, we shall." James and Sirius linked arms and escorted each other into the Great Hall. Peter and Remus, laughing, followed after them.
Trick-or-TreatAfter dinner several younger kids would get into costume as well and went about the castle scaring people. The marauders put the night to better use, they went trick-or-treating.
Since they couldn't go down to Hogsmeade they made do by going door to door in the castle, knocking on all the teachers' private chambers.
Hogwarts: Halloween Night, 1976At McGonagall's door she looked at the four in bewilderment. "Trick or treat!" Sirius announced, thrusting his bag at her.
"What in Merlin's name do you think you're doing?" McGonagall asked, her eyes going wide.
"Trick or treating Minnie. Candy please." Sirius explained, a grin plastered across his face, which was just starting to lose its boyish roundness as he neared fifteen.
"Don't call me Minnie!" McGonagall growled. Finally seeing that they weren't going to leave without sweets, she summoned some for each of them and slammed the door in their faces.
"That wasn't so bad now was it?" James asked throwing his bag over his shoulder.
Remus pulled a list of names from his pocket and checked off McGonagall while Peter rooted around in his sack for a chocolate. "So, onto Slughorn then?"
Every teacher gave them pretty much the same reaction as McGonagall, except for Slughorn and Flitwick. Slughorn, who liked Sirius very much seeing as how he was a potions prodigy, thought they were being very clever and gave them quite a few sweets. Flitwick was always happy to see holiday spirit and James and Remus were his top students in Charms so he sent them away with bulging bags as well.
Present Halloween: 1984Remus stopped his musings for an instant and stared at the glass of firewhiskey in his hand. Swirling the golden liquid around for a moment, the young man got up and emptied the glass down the sink.
Grabbing a jumper from his closet Remus left his small flat and walked along the dark, cold sidewalk. He walked for a very long time, his head bent down against the autumn wind and his hands stuffed in his pockets.
Just as the sun was starting to rise in the east Remus arrived at Godric's Hollow Cemetery. Weaving his way through the maze of tombstones, Remus settled himself in front of two identical graves with the markers set very close together.
A gust of wind blew Remus' sandy blonde hair into his face and he distractedly swiped it away with one hand. He sat staring unblinkingly at the graves. They read:
James Tertius Potter
September 31, 1959-October 31, 1981
Devoted Father, Husband and Friend
He will be missed
And
Lily Claire Potter October 4, 1959-October 31, 1981
Beloved Mother, Daughter, Wife, and Friend
Loved by all
Remus covered his face with his hand and felt the hot tears slide through his fingers. He was going to spend Halloween with his friends like he had done in the past.
Author's Note:
Just brief. I'm new at I've been reading stories here for years but just recently got a penname and this is my first story so let me know what you think. This story takes place three years after James and Lily are killed.
I put the marauders' time at Hogwarts like this.
1972-First year
1973-Second year (James first asks Lily out-James becomes Chaser for Gryffindor)
1974-Third year (Marauders' find out about Remus)
1975-Fourth year (Knight flashback-Sirius becomes Beater for Gryffindor)
1976-Fifth year (McGonagall flashback, Marauders' master animagus forms)
1977-Sixth year (Pumpkins flashbacks, Lily says yes to James for the first time)
1978-Seventh year (Robin Hood flashbacks-Remus becomes Seeker for Gryffindor)
Mentions of these events will pop up in other stories of mine, in case you're not familiar with my line of thinking-which I bet you're not. In case you were wondering, Sirius is Beater because he likes to hit things (especially Slytherin Quidditch players), is strong, and not easily shaken while Remus is seeker because he is thin, aerodynamic, had good reactions, and didn't weigh much.