Chapter 24
The Marauders Part One
Disclaimer- Not Mine.
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"You think you know everything Evans..." Sirius whispered when Sprout's back was turned. "But you have no clue what really happened."
"I know damn well-!" Lily began, her voice raising.
"No you don't." Sirius said, his voice staying at a whisper. "You just think you know."
James hung his head as Lily and Sirius talked over him. He just wished Lily could know why Sirius really did what he did. Same thing with Julia. If it was out in the open, he knew all this tension would be gone. He wanted to tell them but he had promised Sirius he wouldn't even mention it. Besides, he was afraid if what really happened slipped out, there could be even more trouble. Trouble that was way over their heads.
"Why do you act like you're still attached to her? It was you who cheated on her..." Lily whispered back.
Sirius turned to her and leaned towards the table to look around James, "Like I said Evans, you don't know everything."
"What? Did you kiss Jacky then later on that night you-?" She began.
"Shut up!" Sirius said, finding himself standing again. He looked down at Lily, his voice now raised. "I didn't want any of this to happen! I didn't do what I did because I wanted to break her heart! I want us to still be together more than anything." He shouted, the eyes of his fellow classmates finding him. "I love her and I would give anything to have her back. I'd die to spend one more day with her."
Lily opened her mouth to say something but shut it again. She was speechless. "That's right Evans. You have nothing clever to say to that because you know it's true." His voice quivered but he quickly found it again. "I've never felt the way I feel with her with any other girl in my life. It was the first time I loved anyone. The first time that I would give anything to spend my life with someone. Yes, I was willing to devote my entire life to her...I love her Lily." He looked away noticing everyone was looking at him. He shook his head and said, in a lower voice, "Now why would I throw that all away?"
"Then-Then why did you do it Sirius? If you love me enough to...die for me?"
"But that's why I did it Juls. That's why I cheated on you; because I love you." He said truthfully.
Julia frowned in confusion, "So you cheated on me because you love me? That doesn't make any sense."
"There's more to it." He said, locking his eyes with hers.
Julia searched his gray eyes for the truth but wasn't sure where to look, "So tell me."
"I-I can't." Sirius said frustrated. He stood up and started walking towards the lake. Julia let out a sigh and followed him.
"Then how do you expect me to believe you?" She asked, putting her hand on his arm to stop his from walking any farther.
"Trust me." He said, a hint of anger showing in his voice. "Why can't you just do that?"
"Because you cheated on me! You broke all the trust I had in you when I saw you do that." She said, trying her best to remain calm. "And let me tell you something, I had a hell of a lot of trust in you."
Just tell her...Sirius told himself. But he knew he couldn't.
When Sirius remained silent, Julia sighed before saying, "About the letter you left me..." Sirius looked up at her hopefully, his big gray eyes searching her face. "To be honest with you, I don't want anything to do with you. Ever."
Even though Sirius had thought through how she might respond and knew that she was probably going to say something similar to what she just said, he was still shocked at how harsh she sounded. "But," Julia continued. "We're tearing James and Lily apart. Lily hates you and James sticks up for you." She sighed. "Even Remus doesn't act like himself anymore. It's like they're all walking pins and needles."
"If Lily wasn't such a bloody-"
"Sirius." Julia interrupted. "You have the same temper as her and I know if you ever saw Lily cheating on James you would be just as mad."
Sirius frowned, knowing she was right. "And that's why I think we should at least act like we don't hate each other." Said Julia.
"I don't hate you." Sirius said, looking her deep in the eyes.
Julia didn't feel like arguing with him so she concluded, "I just wanted you to know why I will be acting like we're still on speaking terms. Because, even though I'm going to act like I enjoy your company, I'm not going to change my opinion about you."
Sirius hung his head. She didn't want anything to do with him. She just wanted to keep their friends together. "Okay." He said quietly.
Julia frowned at the sad expression on his face. "Come on let's get back to class." She said, holding her hand out to him.
Sirius looked at the hand she was holding out to her. It's not real...He reminded himself. It's just an act. The temptation got to him and he took her hand. Her skin against his felt so different from the last time he held her hand. It was like that innocence of being in love for the first time; like he was holding it for the first time.
James laid on his unmade four poster bed, holding a Transfiguration book in his hands. He had been laying there for most of that Saturday afternoon reading it over but primarily, just looking at the pictures. He let out a long sigh, his chest collapsing as the carbon dioxide rushed out of him. Sirius mirrored the position James was in but without the book. He was just staring at the ceiling, thinking. He had been doing a lot of thinking lately and it wasn't something he liked or even something he was good at. He liked doing whatever came to mind instead of having to analyze every little thing; it was much easier that way.
A light tapping noise was coming from the window. Sirius sighed knowing it was some owl delivering a message. "Why can't it just go to the bloody Great Hall and give it to us there?" Sirius rhetorically asked as he watched the tan owl peck at the window.
"You going to let him in?" James asked after Sirius had made no move towards the window, James's eyes still scanning the page at the same rate.
"It's your bloody owl." Sirius replied.
James moved the book out of his way and looked at the window. Sure enough, it was his family's owl perched outside the window. James stood up and made his way to the window through the clutter of the room. He opened the window letting a cold gust of the winter's air in. The owl flew in the window spraying the room with melted snow.
James untied the letter from the foot of the owl and broke the seal. After unfolding the letter he began to read it.
Sirius watched James read the letter. Normally, he would have teased James about his mother and how her letters are always sad and motherly like- "Oh Jamie, I miss you and I do hope that you're combing that rat nest on your head. I'm going to cut that mop over the summer whether you like it or not..." - but he was in no mood. Sirius opened his mouth to ask about the letter, "It's from my dad." James said, as he read on, almost reading Sirius's mind.
James's face broke out into a grin. "He got the potion." He excitedly said.
Sirius smiled and sat up. He turned to Remus, who was snoring loudly a bed over. "Oi, Moony wake up." He said, throwing a pillow at him.
"What the-." Remus muttered, throwing the pillow back at him.
"Get up." Sirius replied. He walked over to James and read the letter over his shoulder. "I can't believe it..." Sirius muttered.
"What is it?" Remus asked while yawning.
"My parents got the potion. Well, the directions for the potion." At this, Remus's mouth dropped.
"No way..." Remus joined the two Gryffindors to read the letter.
"But it's complicated as hell." Sirius said as he read over the directions. "Half of this I haven't even heard of..."
"Well that's not saying much." James joked.
Sirius grinned. "Maybe not...But it is complicated."
"Very complicated." Remus said, scratching his head. "I don't think we'd be able to this..."
"Come on. We're the Marauders." Sirius encouraged.
"Remus is right." James agreed. "I don't think we'll be able to do this..." A small smirk played on his face; the kind of smirk he always had when he had an idea. "But we all know someone who can..."
Lily stuck her head out of the bathroom when she heard knocking on the door of her dorm. "Yeah?" She responded.
"Open up." Sirius said through the oak door.
Lily let out a loud groan. "Get the hell away Black." She snapped.
Sirius glared at the closed door. "Bloody wench..." He muttered.
"Good thinking Sirius. Let's insult her before we ask her to do something for us." Remus joked.
"Uh Lily, it's James." James said. "Can we come in?"
Lily set down her brush and walked out of the bathroom. She threw the door open to reveal the three boys. "Since when do you knock?" She asked. Her eyes narrowed at the three of them. "What do you want?"
"Nothing..." Sirius's voice seriously lacked conviction.
"Just tell me." Lily said, pointedly at Remus and Sirius, ignoring Sirius as best she could.
"We need your help." James said, handing her the piece of parchment. "With this."
Lily frowned and took the parchment. She read it over slowly, her brow furrowing deeper as she did. "What is this? Don't tell me you made it up." She said in a slightly frustrated tone.. "Cause potions like this are-."
"The Ministry made it." James replied.
"But there is no such thing as a potion that will help a-a werewolf lose some of his characteristics on the full moon." Lily said, handing the potion back. She knew many wizards had devoted their lives to figuring out some type of potion. Lily would know. The night she found out Remus was a werewolf, she spent the entire night in the library trying to figure out something that might have helped him.
"It's just been invented." Remus said, following her to the bathroom door as she went back to brushing her hair.
"If it's just been invented, it's probably not accurate. Loads of wizards have tried to make potions like this and none of them have worked." Lily replied, slowing combing her fiery red hair.
"Could you try?" James asked. Sirius looked hopefully at her but he didn't say anything. He wasn't going to risk her helping Remus by opening his mouth, even if it meant swallowing his pride.
"Try what?" Lily asked. "This potion? Are you mad?" She said, her voice louder than it was before at the very idea of the question.
"Look, we know you could brew this potion better than anyone at this school, teachers included." James urged.
"A-and we really need your help." Remus said. "I need your help."
Lily frowned, "But this potion is not meant for a sixth year to brew. Heck, it's not meant for anyone to brew except the Ministry." She really wanted to help but she knew his potion was not going to be easy to make, if she could even make it at all. On top of it, she couldn't even be sure this potion would work, if brewed correctly.
"Just try." Remus said.
Lily shook her head and opened her mouth to talk but Sirius interjected, "Lily even though I hate everything about you, I know you can brew this potion."
Lily raised an eyebrow at Sirius. "Of course I could brew the bloody potion Black. And no one asked you anyway..." She interrupted sourly, forgetting that she previously said she probably couldn't make the potion.
"I'm talking." Sirius said sourly. They both exchanged glares and Sirius continued, "The three of us became Animagi when we were thirteen years old. And if you say you can brew this potion, then why the hell won't you?"
"I already bloody told you! It's a new potion. New potions don't always work." Lily snapped.
"But that doesn't-" Sirius began.
"I'm talking." Lily mocked in a high pitched whine. Remus and James exchanged a glance but neither of them said anything. After all, Sirius was on to something... "No matter how perfectly I was to brew this potion, it doesn't mean it will work. It takes years to get a potion perfected and a million tests. For all I know, I could brew this potion and Remus could grow a third ear on his arse." She near shouted.
"That's all we're asking!" Sirius countered. "It doesn't matter if Remus grows a third ear. He just wants you to try. No one's going to blame you if you get it wrong."
Lily pursed her lips and starred him down. When she didn't say anything, Sirius continued, "Are you that bloody stubborn to not brew a potion because you and I are in a fight?"
"That is not why I won't brew this potion!" Lily yelled truthfully. She glanced at Remus, who had taking a cautionary step backwards.
"It certainly seems like that." Sirius said calmly. He knew it wasn't really the reason, but it was the only thing he could think of to say.
"Remus that is not why!" Lily told him before turning back to Sirius. "Why the bloody hell did you even come in here anyways? To start something again?"
"Stop trying to change the subject. Just swallow your pride and make the damn potion!" He said frustrated.
"I am not proud!" She snapped.
"So make it then."
Lily looked him over for a few seconds before snatching the potion from James's hands. "Fine."
A grins spread over Remus's face. "But I'm not guaranteeing anything." She said quickly, when she noticed how happy Remus was.
"Thanks Lily." Remus said excitedly. "I'll find some way to repay you. I promise." He turned to leave, in search of Peter, to tell him the news.
Sirius nodded at Lily and gave her a manly pat on the arm. She squirmed away from him as he said, "Thanks Evans."
Once the two boys were out of the room, James turned to Lily and said, "It means a lot of Remus that you're doing this. I can't tell you how much he wants this."
Lily shrugged and looked up at him modestly. "But I don't want to disappoint him if I can't do it."
James smiled and took her hands, "You'll be able to do it. I know you will."
"That's not what I'm worried about. I'm worried about if the potion doesn't work." Lily said.
James nodded, "He already knows it might not work."
Lily shrugged, "But still..."
Lily sat down on her bed, hanging her head down as she trained her eyes to a blotch on ink on the stone floor. James sat down next to her and put an arm around her. They sat their in silence for a while. James didn't know what to say to make her feel better. He understood that she was worried about disappointing Remus but at the same time, it would still make Remus feel better if she tried. He just didn't know how to word what he wanted to say. So instead, he changed the subject. "Happy anniversary." He said quietly.
A smile broke out on Lily's face as she turned to face him. "You remembered."
"How could I forget?" He returned the smile.
"A month." Lily said. "It seems shorter."
"It seems longer." They both said at the same time. James smiled, they were starting to think alike too, well kind of alike. "Why shorter?" He asked.
"Because...I don't know. School seems to go by quicker now that we're together." She said with a light shrug. "Why longer?"
"We've been friends for years. And it seems like we've been together since the beginning even though we weren't really together." James replied.
Lily smiled and kissed him gently. "You are so adorable." She whispered.
The door to the dorm swung open and both James and Lily turned their attention to the girl standing in the doorway.
"Woah, sorry." Julia said, it was clear to her that she was interrupting something. "I-I'll just go then." She said with a nod before she started back out the door.
"No wait." James said, not wanting to kick Julia out of her own dorm. "It's fine. I was just leaving anyway." He stood up from the bed. "Meet me in the common room tonight at seven." He gave Lily a quick kiss before leaving the door.
"Bye." Lily said, with a small smile.
James entered the boys' dorm a few minutes later after finishing a conversation with a fellow chaser in the common room. He walked in the dorm to find Sirius, Remus and Peter all scattered around, looking deathly bored.
"I was thinking..." James began, as he shut the door to the dorm. "Now I know Sirius especially isn't going to like this at first but let me explain." James lowered his voice in talked in a whisper. Even though, he was in the safety of their dorm, he always found it better to be safe and remain quiet, than go blurting out any Marauder business loud enough so a boy passing their dorm could hear in. "What do you say about making the girls Marauders?"
"No way!" Sirius yelled at his idea. "Over my dead body will you ever do that!"
"But what if Julia was apart too. Than-." James began, trying to tell Sirius his plan.
"I don't want your whore of your girlfriend to-." Sirius blurted.
"Sirius, please." James said as calm as he could.
Sirius shook his head. "It's not going to happen."
Peter, clearly, did not want to be apart of this argument and truthfully, he didn't care either way. Remus however, sat down silently thinking over what James had said. "Why not Sirius?" James asked. "I know you hate Lily but think about it for a second. If Julia's one, she'll be forced to see you. And it's not like she would say no to being a Marauder. I know she wants in just as much as Lily."
Remus nodded. "He has a good point, Padfoot."
"The more time Julia spends around you, the more she's going to start to forgive you." James encouraged.
"You don't know that." Sirius snapped.
"Yes I do. Because she's going to get used to the way things were before. Trust me Sirius, she will." James assured.
Sirius shook his head, "But I don't want Lily anywhere near me if I can help it."
James sighed and shook his head. "Look Lily is doing us a big favor by brewing that potion and not to make her a Marauder but Julia, would be stupid." James said. "If Julia's one than so is Lily."
"Come on Sirius." Remus spoke up. "It makes perfect sense. Besides, they both have been wanting to be one since first year. And in first year the only reason we didn't let them in was because they were girls." He truthfully recounted.
Sirius sighed. It was two against one. "Fine but if Lily says one damn thing about me and Julia I swear on my life that I'll..." His voice trailed off.
So it was settled.
A/N- Not my best but at least it was a little happier than the last ones. I'm so sorry it took me this long to get this out and I won't begin to tell you all the things that have happened since I last posted a chapter but I really am sorry.
Next chapter will have more action, I promise. I just needed this one to sort of lay down the ground work for the next one.
I'm going to be starting a Live Journal or a blog or something so next time, I'll be able to tell you if I can't update for awhile so if you want the link to it, e-mail me at review it will only take a second, I promise. I write faster with reviews...
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