How the Marauders Came About
A/N: Chapter Two!! Enjoy! I actually have to type this two times, without any draft, from memory, because my computer messed up…
Disclaimer: None of this belongs to me…they are JK's, sadly.
Chapter Two—The Full Moon
First Year, September
"Whoa, did you see that tree they just planted over there?" James pointed out the window at the new Whomping Willow.
"It's—kind of scary," squeaked Peter. "I—I'd rather not go near there."
Instead, Sirius and James caught each other's eyes, James saying, "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
Sirius shook hands with his best mate, "We're definitely going to check it out, yeah."
"Deal."
"I—I don't think you guys should go," the duo turned at Remus' sound, "It might not be safe," Remus' face was pale, and as he wasn't the tricksters masterminds like James and Sirius, obviously he was lying.
"How do you know about it?" questioned Sirius, edging closer to Remus.
"I—I just do," stuttered Remus, not meeting his friends' curious glances.
First Year, December
"Any of you seen Remus?" Sirius came panting into the common room, James shrugging.
"I searched everywhere, Siri. He's not here," James gave Sirius a confused look.
At that moment, Peter bumped into them both.
"OW."
"Sorry guys, uh—I just seen Remey," Peter looked up.
"Then where—"
"—Is he?" Sirius and James said continuously, eager to know.
"Oh it's not that exciting," Peter sat down, "He told me his mum's sick. That's all."
The best mates heaved a sigh, "Typical Remus."
First Year, March
"You guys," said Remus, stopping his reading, "I—I might not be able to—"
Sirius looked up curiously, "—Join the late night club tonight?"
"What's the matter, Remey?" even Peter was wondering.
"I—um—got detention," Remus mumbled, running out of excuses.
"That's weird," remarked James, thinking of how many badly 'bizarre' things had happened to Remus once a month…
At the same time as the full moon…
"Anyways, sorry, just enjoy it for me, okay?" with that, Remus left the room.
"Don't you think it's almost impossible for a bookworm to get detention?" Sirius said thoughtfully.
Second Year, February
"Hey, Remus!" called James Potter excitedly as his friend stumbled through the portrait hole with armful of books.
"What is it now, James?" asked a very tired Remus, as he slumped on the red couch. "I've got loads to do…a Transfiguration homework for McGonagall, fifteen inches for Binns, a potion essay due tomorrow—"
"Enough, Remus," said James, putting his hands up to stop his worried friend's rambling. "I don't want to hear about your homework load…"
"So?"
"Well," James crossed his hands over his chest, a playful smile upon his face. "We're second years now, and I wonder if…"
"If we could go explore school a bit tonight!" said Sirius, who appeared from nowhere.
"N—N—No," stuttered Remus, looking at the calendar. "I can't."
"Why not?" retorted James in mock hurt. "Afraid McGonagall's going to catch us? Come on, it'll be fine!"
"Got a date or somethin', huh, Remey?" asked Sirius, as Remus blushed slightly. Always like this, thought Sirius. Remus would get all reddened or shy whenever anyone (normally it was either him or James, as Peter usually kept his mouth shut, and so was trusted by everyone in the group) remark or say anything about girls. Two years had passed since their first faithful meeting on the train, and yet not one of them had changed, not one bit.
"No!" said Remus, raising his voice. "I've got to go, and, like I said, I have a load of work to do." cutting off the conversation right there, Remus stormed up the boys' dormitories.
Sirius, James, and Peter looked at each other.
"Something's definitely up!" said James. "You know how he often 'disappears' with excuses once a month at the same time as the full moon?"
"Heck yeah, he's not a very good liar, isn't he? Ol' Remey is hiding a secret from us!" added Sirius. "A secret he doesn't want us to know!"
"Maybe he really has something important to do, guys," said Peter. "He might be doing his homework like he said."
The duo ignored him. "And we're going to find out!" James suggested.
"You bet, mate," confirmed Sirius, and they high-fived.
Peter rolled his eyes.
"Let's form a plan," began James, grabbing a piece of parchment and a quill. "Remus usually goes out at this time…" he noted it down on the parchment.
"And comes back…at this time…" said Peter.
"You said you weren't going to help!" whispered James.
"I didn't!" whispered Peter back in an even lighter voice.
"Oh let's get back to the point!" groaned Sirius, grabbing James's quill ("Hey!") and began writing. "I say we follow 'im in our—"
"Mine!" corrected James.
"Alright, Alright! Your invisible cloak!" said Sirius, bored.
"What if he sees us?" questioned Peter, but he was silenced by Sirius. "Shut it, Pete! No one sees through James's special cloak!"
"We begin the OGR—" James started to say.
"What's OGR?" Sirius asked.
"I was about to tell you, idiot!"
"Right!"
"Well I was!"
"Like you were…"
"I DID!"
"Hey, this sounds familiar," commented Peter. It had been two years, and, still, James and Sirius couldn't stop these petty arguments they always had.
After five minutes, they stopped.
"We begin Operation Get Remus at nine o'clock sharp," said James. "Be there, or be square!"
"Sure thing, pal!" grinned Sirius.
"I don't have a good feeling about this…" mumbled Peter.
At Nine…
"Psst!" a shadow from the dark touched Sirius, making him jump. "It's me, James!"
Sirius sighed, and so did Peter. "I just saw Remus went out a couple of minutes ago, looking rather painful…" added James.
Sirius looked puzzled. "Maybe…"
"You don't think…"
"Period?"
"Are you out of your mind, Sirius Black?!" asked James, stunned.
"Just joking, mate, just joking!" Sirius laughed so loud James and Peter had to shush him up. "Why'd you have to be so serious?"
"Serious or not," said James, grabbing Sirius. "You better come with me now!"
They were walking along a deserted corridor when Peter, the last of the group, stopped suddenly.
"What is it, Pete?" asked Sirius, ahead of Peter. "You know we have to stick together or else someone might see us!"
"It's…it's…." stuttered Peter, pointing at the floor.
"What?" asked James, annoyed.
"It's MRS. NORRISS!" yelled Peter, terrified.
Indeed, the red-eyed cat was there, looking up at them.
"Oh come on, Peter," said James. "Stop being a coward and follow us!"
"Wait, James?" said Sirius.
"What now?" James was pulling the group ahead, but now he was just stuck.
"I've always wanted to do this!" Sirius had a sly grin on his face. "Woof! Woof!" he 'barked' at the cat, James tugging his cloak.
"Sirius!"
"Ok, ok!"
"We might get caught! Follow!" James's voice was more forceful this time, to Sirius's and Peter's amazement at his leadership.
They continued walking, when they heard a strange noise…
"Si—Si—Sirius," stammered Peter, "You're not making any sounds, are you?"
"Hell no! I'm not!" said Sirius in fright.
"Then…" James was keeping a tight hold on Sirius's shoulders now, both shuddering in fear.
"What is it?" squeaked Peter.
They had finally reached the Weeping Willow. "Er…I don't know," said James, and, getting rid of his fears, added, "Let's go in there to see what it is!"
"You sure?" asked Sirius, afraid.
"We'll hold on together," confirmed James.
They did. While James cast a spell to stop the wicked tree, Sirius and Peter stumbled into the hole.
"Seems like it's some kind of a passageway leading us out of Hogwarts," said Sirius.
"To the Shrieking Shack?" wondered Peter, thinking about the most haunted house in Britain.
"Who knows!" James shrugged, him following them closely behind.
They reached the end of the tunnel, pushing each other up and found themselves, of course, in the old, ruined house.
"My word!" exclaimed Peter, unable to believe they were really there, but Sirius was quicker. "Look there!" he pointed. "Someone's crouching on the chair…"
Oh boy, did they see the most bizarre sight…
"Are my eyes playing tricks on me?" Sirius mumbled.
James rubbed his eyes, took his glasses out, wiped them on his cloak, and put them back on.
Peter squeaked like a rat in fright.
"Is—is—" stammered Peter once again at the transformation of their friend into a monster.
"—Remus—a--" continued Sirius, not able to end the sentence.
"—a werewolf?" finished James, hardly believing in the sight before his eyes.
"So that's why he has to go see McGonagall every month!" realized Sirius.
"Why he keeps looking at the calendar!" exclaimed James.
"Poor Remey," sympathized Peter. "Morphing like that must be painful…could we do anything to help?"
"Yes! That's it!" James snapped his fingers. "I've got an idea!"
"What?" asked Sirius and Peter at the same time.
"I'll tell you once we get back to the dorms," said James, pushing Sirius. "Now let's just go!"
A/N: And so began the Marauders' Tale…thun, thun, da!
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Love to all,
Your ever humble fanfic writer :)