Disclaimer: I don't own HP

An:Alrighty, I'm somewhat giddy about this chapter, because we finally meet the Mauraders! I just hope I get them right.


Infitiulus Rememdium

Chapter 5: Welcome Feast

The whole world's broke and it ain't worth fixing
It's time to start all over, make a new beginning
There's too much fighting, too little understanding
It's time to stop and start all over
Make a new beginning

Saturday passed by in a blur, the headmaster had brought up books so that Hermione could cram in some pre-term studying, and Ginny could give herself a crash-course for fifth year--crash meaning two mornings and an evening of solid studying in every 'Complete guide to 5th year' book located in Hogwarts.

Fred and George busied themselves with tinkering, trying to start up a new Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Hermione heard them at one point discussing how they might get the Maurader's help.

"Shouldn't you change your last names?" she asked, looking up from her lunch, late Sunday afternoon, "Wouldn't 'Weasley's Wizard Wheezes' be somewhat obvious?"

"Nahh...you forget we're a pureblood family." Fred smiled.

"Meaning our family is absurdly huge." George nodded.

"Besides, there aren't any Weasleys here to recognize it."

She shrugged and stood up, "We only have a few hours before the students arrive, I'm going to try to get some more studying in."

"Big surprise there." Fred snorted.

"Colossal." George nodded.

Hermione glared at the twins a minute before continuing, "And you should try to finish studying, too, Ginny."

"No way...I've read more about advanced potions, obscure charms, and superfluous runes in two days than I had previously in a lifetime!"

"Ginny, America may not have O.W.L.s, but you still need to have the knowledge of a fifth year graduate."

"Ah, sixth year is just a review of fifth!" Fred laughed.

"So says a school dropout!"

"You're just jealous because we escaped Umbridge and you didn't."

"I am not! I could have walked out at any time, but I didn't!" Hermione snapped, "I'm serious about my schooling!"

"And so are we." George sniffed, "Which is why we couldn't let a complete dunderhead like Umbridge teach us!"

"You let all the other teachers teach you--including the Death Eater!"

"Now, you have to admit, fake-Moody had style." Fred said, frowning.

"And he only really wanted to do Harry in, so it wasn't like we were in danger or anything." George shrugged.

At Hermione's death glare, Fred quickly moved on, "And Quirrel wasn't that bad until Harry arrived and he got possessed."

"Of course, Lupin was bloody brilliant."

"Now, Lockheart was a total git, and I wouldn't try one thing he tried to 'teach'--even if he had bothered to teach Defense against the Dark Arts instead of Lockheart 101."

"But he wasn't difficult to get around." George said with a smile.

"We just played exploding snap with Jordan in the back, and told him they were autographed by him."

"And he never checked?" Ginny looked dumbfounded.

"Oh yeah, but Lee Jordan charmed them to look like they had his signature on them!"

"Amazing..."

"It is not, Ginny." Hermione frowned at the twins, "You'd better set a good example for the Mauraders and actually listen in class this time!"

"Yeah, yeah...gotta keep them together and healthy by making them follow the rules and study and all that rot..." Fred rolled his eyes.

"You two just don't understand what we're doing!" she growled, "This isn't a vacation or some fun little game we're playing! We have one chance to get this right, if we screw this up, everyone dies!"

"No, Hermione, we do understand." Fred had a deadly serious frown on his face, "We just think there's a different way..."

"Oh, and what way is that?"

George shrugged, and smiled, "Can't tell you that, Hermione...you just stick to your plan, and we'll do ours."

"And you, Ginny?" Hermione turned toward the red head, "What's your 'plan'?"

"I don't know yet, I think I'll get to know the Mauraders before trying to manipulate their relationships and destinies."

"Fine!" Hermione growled, throwing her hands up in the arm and stalking off to her table full of books.

Looks like I'm the only one doing anything again!

SSSSCCCCCCSSSSSS

Night came swiftly, and soon they stood before the collected students of 1977. Despite the Sorting Ceremony, the eyes of two hundred students from all years peered curiously up at them alone. Near the end of the Gryffindor table sat a boy who had to be James Potter. Messy black hair and a lanky frame, only minor details differed him from Harry. His face was somewhat longer, and gray eyes watched interestedly through thick glasses, rather than the exotic emerald his son would have.

Sitting all around him were the other three Mauraders. Directly next to him sat a man whose eyes sparkled with mischief, and whose almost shoulder-length hair was mussed with a casual elegance than complemented his untidy and relaxed uniform. His uniform was the polar opposite of the neatly pressed suit worn by the young man across from him whose blue eyes stared up with an intense fascination through honey-brown hair. Next to the honey-bown haired one sat a plump young man you glanced about the hall nervously, trying to figure out how he should act. His hair was straw colored, and his watery brown eyes were wide with confusion. His button nose was almost non-existent on his round face, and he seemed to be trying to shrink into the crowd and disappear.

She smiled slightly, James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter...the Mauraders.

Exotic green eyes caught her attention sitting a ways down the table from the boys. Reddish hair cascaded down her back, perfectly straight. Her shockingly beautiful eyes held a silent inquiry that could have been a direct copy of Harry's. Except that she was first. Lily Evans...Harry said she did not start dating James until seventh year, so that explains why she's not sitting with him.

Dumbledore stood as the sorting hat ceremony finished, and motioned for silence. "As you may have noticed, we have four new students who are a bit older than we usually enroll..."

She frowned slightly, her pocket had felt hot for some time now, she was not sure why, as she had ceased carrying her D.A. coin when it had become pointless, and even if she still carried it, it would need Harry's coin to heat up.

"These are recent transfer students from America..." Dumbledore said, indicating with a sweep of his warms the three Weasleys and Hermione.

"I just thought of something..." Fred said out of the corner of his mouth, "Don't you think it'll be obvious we don't have American accents?"

"Nah, it's easy...just be really stiff and dry." George smirked back, and spoke in a deep, flat voice, "I cannot believe you have taken up the 'British accent'...how can you, a self respecting American, speak in such a way?"

"Uhh...no." Ginny frowned, "I'm not talking like that for who-knows-how-long."

Hermione rolled her eyes, "Come on, have you never met Americans? They lose their accents fairly quickly when living with us...we can just say we got here a week ago."

"...And so, as their school closed down, these four who were on a vacation here decided to enroll!" Dumbledore smile, "We have, of course, already sorted them into Gryffindor, so...without further ado, I present Misters Fred and George Weasley, Miss Ginny Weasley, and Miss Hermione Granger!"

Most of the hall erupted into applause, but as usual, many Slytherins remained seated. Hermione noticed suddenly that at some time during Dumbledore's speech, the heat disappeared. Strange...

"You may sit where you please..." his eyes twinkled knowlingly as he turned toward them, "...and the feast shall begin!"

Fred smirked and leaned over near Hermione to whisper in her ear, "You sit next to Harry..oops, did I say Harry? I meant James."

Hermione felt herself blush, and glared up at the twin, "I'll sit where I please!"

Of course, it was obvious that Dumbledore wished them to sit with the Mauraders, and they were the ones waving most excitedly for them to sit. Even Peter seemed somewhat energetic."

"Hey, I'll sit next to Sirius..." Ginny mumbled, "Me on right, you on his left, then we can both pretend that silly little look-alike James doesn't exist."

Hermione laughed, "Sure...sandwich me between Sirius and James."

Ginny gave her a wicked smile, "You know you love it."

"We'll sit next to Remus and..." Fred said, nodding.

"Remus." George frowned stubbornly.

"George...remember what Dumbledore said."

George rolled his eyes, "Yeah yeah...but I don't have to like him."

Splitting into pairs on either side of the table, they walked up to the Mauraders.

"Hey there!" James said, smiling and shaking her hand, "My name is James Potter, star Seeker for Gryffindor!"

"Yes, yes...whatever, Prongs." Sirius smirked, walking up and kissing her hand, "Name is Sirius Black...won't you two lovely ladies sit with us?"

Hermione flashed a smile at Ginny, and took a seat between the two men.

"My name is Remus Lupin...I'm a Gryffindor Prefect." Remus said with a polite smile, and offered her a handshake as the twins settled in on either side of him.

When she took his offered hand, he indicated Peter, who seemed to be shrinking away from George, "That's Peter Pettigrew, it's nice to meet you all."

George glared over at the chubby boy until Hermione kicked his shin. Giving her a glower, he spoke. "So, you four must be friends, right?"

"Yeah, from first year." Sirius said, smiling.

Hermione smile softly, Just like Harry, Ron, and me...

James glanced over in confusion, "What is it?"

"Oh, nothing...just thinking of my old school."

"You mean Harry." Fred smirked, earning a glare from both her and Ginny.

"No...unlike you I do not think only of the opposite sex."

Fred and George looked affronted, "We do not think only of women! We are far more concerned with bettering the wizarding world!"

"Hah!" Ginny laughed, "You mean reseaching new ways of pulling inventive pranks on unsuspecting wizards and witches!"

"Now, laughter is good for your health..." Sirius said with a sagely nod, "These two are doing a great service to our world."

"Exactly as I was going to say!" Fred laughed. He and George were positively beaming.

"I think we could become great friends..." James said with a mischievous smile.

"I hope so."

Hermione rolled her eyes, Typical, they've forgotten once again why we're here...and poor Peter along with it. She smiled over at Peter and deliberately changed the subject. "You haven't spoken at all...is it okay if I call you Peter?"

The boy's eyes widened in shock, as if he were stunned she had even spoken to him. He stared in silence for so long she was worried he would not answer, before finally speaking in a timid voice, "Y-yeah..you can if y-you like..."

"Ah...Peter's kind of shy, but we love him anyway!" James laughed, and reached across the table t give him a pat on the shoulder, "Don't we, Wormtail?"

"A-ahh...right..."

Sirius shook his head, "You know, Hermione, you remind me of another girl I know."

"You mean the red-head James keeps staring at?"

James turned a lovely shade of crimson as Sirius gave a barking laugh, "How did you guess?"

"Because she has reddish hair and looks bookish?" Ginny offered.

Remus laughed over his food, "Her name is Lily Evans...James is somewhat enamored with her, but she doesn't quite return his feelings."

"Moony, you truly are the master of understatement." Sirius chuckled, "What he means to say, is that James is mad for Lily, but she happens to hate his guts, so his relationship is never going to happen."

"That's not true!" James snapped, "You'll see, Padfoot, I'll make her mine!"

Sirius snorted, "Yeah, the day you do that is the day I snog ol' Snivellus!"

Hermione choked on her steak, and judging from the hacking and spluttering around the table near her, the Weasleys had, too.

"Do you know who he's talking about?" James asked curiously.

"N-no.." Hermione lied, wheezing, "but from his tone, it doesn't sound like he much fancies her or him."

"It is a 'he', and no, he certainly does not." Remus said.

"I prefer 'it'. It's a greasy slimeball of a Slytherin." James scowled.

"Even so...am I missing something?" Sirius asked, raising an eyebrow, "You think he has a chance?"

"W-well...let's just say...you shouldn't..."Hermione started, through coughs.

"I mean...really shouldn't." Fred nodded, punching his chest to clear his throat.

"O-kay..."Sirius said slowly, eyes narrowed, "I'll hug him and say Happy Christmas, then."

"No matter what day it is?" Remus asked with a small smile.

"Even if it's bloody Easter."

James got a huge smirk on his face and stood up, "That settles it! I'm doing it now!"

"It's your funeral, Prongs." Sirius said, rolling his eyes as James strode down the table to where Lily was sitting.

Hermione could not see well what was happening through Sirius and the other Gryffindors eating, but she heard indistinct shouting, and a very distinctive slap. Sirius burst into howls of laughter as a disgruntled James trudged back, angry red handprint on his cheek. The Twins and Ginny laughed along with Remus, and even Peter managed some timid chuckling.

"Laugh it up." James said sourly, "Just you wait, I'll do it tomorrow."

Sirius was fighting for breath, hunched over his food, and punching the table, "Yeah...j-just wait until tomorrow...she's obviously about to crack!"

"Shut your trap, Padfoot." James snapped irritably.

"Maybe you're overbearing?" Hermione offered, remembering how Harry had said James had been much too arrogant until seventh year. "Ginny and I could help you..."

"No...that's okay, Sirius would never let it lie if I got tutorship to get a date with her..." James said with a smile, "But don't worry, I will see him bid a Happy Christmas!"

She sighed, "You shouldn't have to lose a bet to bid someone Happy Christmas."

"You don't know Snivellus...look, he's over there." Sirius said, pointing over at the Slytherin table, "His personality is as nasty as his appearance."

Hermione spared Sirius a glare, before following his finger to the Slytherin table. Her throat caught as she met with glittering onyx eyes. Flat black hair, pale skin, hooked nose, it could only be one person.

He was watching her two table down with a scowl, apparently ignoring the two Slytherins trying to engage him in conversation.

It was then that she realized her pocket was once again burning.

We can break the cycle - we can break the chain
We can start all over - in the new beginning
We can learn, we can teach
We can share the myths the dream the prayer
The notion that we can do better
Change our lives and paths
Create a new world and

Start all over
Start all over
Start all over
Start all over

CH END


AN: I don't do eye colors...lol, I hope I remembered their eyes right. Also, I know James is a Chaser in the books, but in the movies they say he's a Seeker, and I like Harry following in his father's footsteps like that, so...

A song that seems almost fitting for a theme song, Tracy Chapman, New beginning

No bashing on poor Peter...I like the little pipsqueak, I feel sorry for him...

-Yusagi Sombermoon