Quills
Disclaimer- I realize that I didn't put one in last time so: I'm not J.K. Rowling, and the only characters in this story that are mine are the ones that you've never heard of before.
I decided that most of the chapters will only be told from one or two different points of view, but some may be from all four of the Marauders or others, like teachers. But only the importent chapters. Remember there will be slash in some of the later chapters…pairings are: JPLE (one sided), RLSB (one sided), P.PoAM, PPOC, MMAD.
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James Potter--
"Are we there yet?"
"No James, we're not." Mae answered her son with a sigh. The Potter's had left for King's Cross station during the early hours of the morning so that they could, as Phillip Potter had put it; 'Get some well needed exercise and see what the Muggle city's all about!' They had played two-a-team Quidditch all summer, and were very fit because of it, but in the eyes of Mr. Potter (Phillip), they still could do with some more exercise.
"Humph, I hope that Flowery's all right…. You know how she gets sometimes if we're gone for too long." James said. 'I just hope that a week isn't too long.' Flowery, the Potters' house elf, would usually jump to what she thought were the worst conclusions if she thought that they were gone for too long, most of those conclusions were that they had gone off and gotten their heads pickled by some wizard-collecting Muggle. At the moment though, she was safe and sound at the Potters' manor in the country.
It had been precisely a week since the owners were there; they had had to floo to the Leaky Cauldron so that they could get school supplies and in James' case, an owl. As said before, Phillip had wanted to walk to King's Cross, so they decided to lodge at the famous pub in order to be on time.
"We'll be there within ten minutes, kiddo," said Phillip, addressing his son with a hint of disdain in his voice. The head of the house loved everything Muggle; he'd even gone to a collage that specialized in mechanics after he left Hogwarts, graduating at the head of his class and getting an engineering job soon after. Now, at the tender age of forty-two, he was the top dog of his department. His wife had been so exited about the news that she bought an enormous plot of land and had a manor built atop it; all Gryffindor style.
"Don't worry, love. After the Express leaves, we can go look at the automobile shop for a new car." Mae said, lightly resting her hand on her husband's shoulder. James laughed as his father instantly perked up, Perenelle just scowled.
"Arthur's going to apologize again as soon as I find him, Dad," she said.
"Oh there's no need for that Nelle! He apologized about a hundred times while we were de-treeing the car, didn't he?" James nodded to confirm the question.
"Well actually, about a hundred and one times," he corrected.
"Well actually, once more never hurt anybody," the older sibling huffed. "That car'd cost thousands of pounds. It's a shame that you got him as obsessed with Muggle things as you are, Dad, he would've made a great teacher."
"He still will!" the youngest fumed.
"Will you two please stop fighting, we've only got twenty minutes until the train leaves, and with you in its wake too." Mae insisted.
"Fine." James shrugged and turned to his dad, somehow he managed to instantly become elated. "Oh I'm really exited! Hey Dad! Which house d'ya think I'll be in? I hope it's Gryffindor, then I'll be just like you!" That would be true; James had inherited Phillips' forever messy raven hair, as well as his deep hazel eyes, strong jaw, and optimism. "Won't that be great?"
Phillip laughed jovially and beamed down at his prodigy as they walked step by step together. "Jim, there's not a single doubt in my mind that you'll be in-"
"Hufflepuff, with the way you're going on," Perenelle interjected with a grin to ensure that she was joking.
"Don't be silly, Nelle!" James scoffed with a dismissive wave of his hand. "How could I, the one and only magnificent James Phillip Percival Potter, get into Hufflepuff?" he joked back.
"Hmm, you do have a point there my ickle little Jamie-kins," she giggled at the indignant look that had settled on James' face. "With that ego of yours, you're bound to be destined for Slytherin!" Her giggles turned into laughs at the falsely horror-stricken faces of her father and brother.
"We're here!" Mae called back from her place five yards ahead.
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'I'm going to Hogwarts! I'm going to Hogwarts! I'm going to Hogwarts!' James continued his four-worded 'song' as a hum as Perenelle dragged him towards the barrier.
"James, if you don't shut-up with that stupid chant, I'm going to rip out your voice box as soon as the chance arises." James decided to stop; he really wouldn't put it past his older sister to actually do that. She would. "Now remember, if you have any questions, you need to ask me now. I won't be available during the train ride; I've got prefect duties to up-hold." The brick wall was coming closer. James' snowy owl hooted nervously, Perenelle's gave it a comforting and affectionate nudge; the two were in the same cage so that James could watch them more easily. "Thanks for agreeing to watch Mithras for me, it really means a lot."
"No problem, well, as long they don't plan on giving us any little owls anytime soon. Consider it as payback for helping me name Minerva." He alleged.
"Gladly." And with that the duo vanished into the rust red stone, not re-appearing on the other side. Mae and Phillip smiled at each other and disappeared as well, along with their children's over-packed trunks.
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"Bye Mum, love you bunches," a tight hug and a peck on each cheek. "Love you too, Dad," the process is similar, but the kiss is planted on the girl's forehead. "And James, you might not believe me, but I love you a lot as well." Perenelle bent down to her eleven-year-old brothers height and rested her forehead against his. Her eyes scanned his slight features; they darted back to his eyes. Deep hazel looked into clear white.
Suddenly James was pulled into a tight embrace, he wrapped his arms around his sisters middle and squeezed back. "I love you too, Nelle." He whispered into the seventh year's dark, curling, red hair. "What's wrong, Nelle?" he asked, worried.
"I-I have a bad feeling about the next seven years. Nothing for you to worry about though." She sniffed. 'It must be about that Volde-moldy, or Dark Lord-thingy guy.' He thought. 'But I can't say anything, I'm not supposed to know.'
"Don't worry about Voldemort, Nelle. Hogwarts is safe, we'll make it through."
"Spoken like a true Gryffindor, my ickle little Jamie-kins." They pulled apart as the scarlet steam engine's shrill whistle blew. "Now off you go, make some new friends, keep them even if the aren't sorted into your house."
"Even Slytherin?"
"Even Slytherin." She laughed. "They're not all bad. Just most of them." And she was off, running onto the train with her trunk tailing her. 'Even Slytherin…'
"That's good advice she gave you, you should keep it," James turned around to find his father grimly smiling. "Now I want you to know, we, your mother and I love you loads. Nelle does too. Listen to what the professors and prefects tell you, don't get into too much trouble, and have fun. Bye kiddo, I'll see you at Christmas time if you want."
They hugged and Mae said:
"Phil, he's only got two minutes left to go, give me a chance." The three Potter's grinned as the matriarch joined the fray. "Have a great time, James. And don't forget to do your homework!" she called after him as he boarded the famous train. "Oh! And another thing! Don't-" but her words were lost as the Express' engine fired up and it began to roll out of station, seemingly determined to make as much noise as possible. James gave his parents one last toothy grin before closing the door and picking up the owls and his trunk.
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James growled from somewhere deep in his throat. He had spent the better part of the last twenty minutes looking for a compartment. 'Twenty minutes!' He thought as he looked at the beaten looking leather watch on his wrist. The boy lifted his head and gazed around at his surroundings. 'How long is this bloody train anyway?' Snapping his concentration back to finding a place to put the two sleeping owls and very heavy trunk, he walked over to a random door and poked his bespectacled head in.
"Excuse me, sorry to bother, but, do you happen to have any room left?" he asked politely. Glancing around, he noticed that five sixth-year Ravenclaw boys, already in their school robes, occupied the compartment. They were playing a game of Exploding Snap; all of them had soot covering their faces. The one closest to the door and James took off his glasses, cleaned them off on his friends' robes, and put them back on.
"No, I'm sorry, we don't. You're a first-year, though, aren't you?" James nodded. "Do you know who Perenelle Potter, the Head Girl, is?" James grinned.
"Yeah, she's my sister. But she asked me to not try and find her. Prefect and Head Girl duties and all." He told the sixth-year.
"Oh, well in that case…the other Prefects have to do rounds in about," he glanced at his own watch, "about twelve minutes, tops. Think you can manage 'till then?" James grimaced.
"Yeah, think that I can. Thanks for the help." He withdrew his head and slammed the compartment door closed. He was now officially, pissed out of his mind. James glared at the brown carpeting of the train for a few moments, contemplating what he could do. So in a last ditch attempt to keep calm, he walked around for ten more minutes, sticking his head into almost every compartment he passed and asking if they had any room left.
He was in the last carriage of the steam engine when he finally blew his casket. For thirty seconds James stared at his trunk, deciding that it was giving him a funny look; in ten seconds it was lying on its side having the shit beaten out of it. Soon after that, the eleven-year-old began yelling obscenities out as well. Somewhere in his mind it registered that he could hear the voices of his sister and her fellow prefects and friends coming towards him, but he never acknowledged the fact until he heard the outraged cry of "JAMES!" coming from none else then Perenelle.
He didn't stop verbally and physically assaulting his belongings until he felt strong arms wrap around him, trapping his arms at his sides and lifting him a foot off of the floor.
"James, what the hell are you doing?"
"Well I thought that that was pretty obvious, Gideon!" James growled at his sisters' friend and fellow Gryffindor prefect.
"Fine then!" Gideon snapped back. "Why the hell are you trying to beat your stuff into pulp!?" he asked as James continued to struggle against his hold.
"James, answer Gideon's question," the Head Girl said through gritted teeth as she walked up from behind them.
"Humph, fine, I guess, since you two don't seem likely to bugger off…"
"James," Perenelle warned mutinously.
"Okay already! I couldn't find a sodding compartment!"
"That's it!?" Gideon and Perenelle cried in unison and disbelief. "Just because you couldn't find a place to sit your little arse down on, you had to start destroying your stuff and yelling obscenities out like there's no tomorrow?" the first continued.
"Well apparently because that's what I've been doing for the past five minutes." Some girls in the background giggled and started to furiously whisper. "Where've you been anyway? Some sixth-year Ravenclaw who was playing Exploding Snap with his friends recommended for me to find you!"
"What?" she asked surprised. A frown contorted her delicate features. "What did he look like?"
"Umm, well, he had glasses like mine and long brownish-blonde hair. He was sitting with four other Ravenclaws." Perenelle looked as though she could commit homicide there and then, with her bare hands.
"OLIVER!" she hollered, James felt Gideon cringe and remembered that Perenelle was standing directly at the strawberry-blonde's shoulder.
"Who's Oliver?" the first-year whispered to the seventh-year who was still holding him in a very tight grip.
"He's a seventh-year Ravenclaw Prefect. He's also Head Boy, supposed to be helping hopeless younger students like you." Came the whispered answer. Gideon snorted and released James. "Pig-headed jerk, he is. Nelle could do much better then him, and Dumbledore could've found a better Head Boy too." James grinned as he rubbed his aching arms.
"So," he supplied, "you have a thing for my sister, do you?" All of the color in Gideon's face left as he gulped. "Well then that's good. Dad likes you; know how to drive a car. Don't worry though, Nelle'll come around." The seventh-year grinned as well and patted the younger boy on the shoulder.
"Hehe, thanks." His face became stern. "But never let me catch you swearing so much ever again! You're too young for words like that. I'm going off to find Nelle, don't try anything, I'll find you a compartment for you to sit in." He looked around for a few seconds before throwing open the door to his right. Grabbing the handle of James' trunk, he flung it inside and gripped James' arm, who soon followed the trunk, lastly, he tenderly picked up the owls' cage and gently set it inside the compartment. He scowled at James (who was getting up from the ground) one last time before slamming the door closed and stalking away.
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"Blimey, what the hell did you do to get his knickers in a twist?" asked a voice from behind James. Said person spun around to see three curious looking boys, and one equally curious looking girl, staring at him. The boy closest to him was surprisingly good looking for a boy his age; with shoulder length, silky black hair and eyes the color of molten silver. He seemed familiar. "So," he pressed again, "what did you do?"
"Um," was all that managed to come from his mouth. 'Wow, I must really look stupid, just sitting here…' he thought, noticing that he had fallen over again. A greasy haired boy sitting next to the window sighed and looked up.
"Well, if you're not going to say anything, then at least get up off the floor. Your owls are going mad." He pointed out. "I'm Severus by the way. The redhead over there," he said pointing a hitchhiker thumb at the girl sitting across from him "is Lily Evens. I'm sorry but I don't know the rest of your names."
"Thanks, Sev. But next time I can introduce myself, 'kay?" Lily said and Severus nodded. "Well anyway, I'm a Muggle-born, so I don't know much. But didn't the letter say that you were only allowed one pet?"
"Yeah, of course you're only allowed one pet! What gives with you having two?" asked the first boy. James suddenly flew up, remembering who it was that he was looking at. 'No wonder he seemed familiar, he was at Gringotts with his family last week!'
"You're a Black!" he accused.
"What!?" the other cried, confused. "No! Last time I checked I was a Caucasian!"
"He means your surname." Sighed the scarred boy who was sitting next to Lily. He closed the Muggle book that he had been reading and set it next to himself on the seat. "And what does it matter that he's the son of Walburga and Orion Black? He might not be like his parents. Sirius, you know that Lily is a Muggle-born and you didn't run. Why is that?"
Sirius looked a little apprehensive that the boy knew his and his parents' names but answered all the same. "Well," he said, drawing the word out. "why would it matter? I mean, we're all going to the same place, and we might be sorted into the same house, so what's the point of making enemies with someone who you'll be stuck with for the next seven years. And anyway," he shrugged, "if she's here now, then there must've been wizards and witches in her past family line. You should never judge a book by its cover." The scarred boy nodded, the answer was sufficient enough.
"Good that you think civilly," Severus growled. "any different and you'd be out of here in less then ten seconds."
"Sev, stop threatening people!" Lily hissed at her best friend. "Anyhow, thanks Sirius and…?" she questioned with a quirked eyebrow. 'How the hell does she do that?' James thought as he watched the girl who greatly reminded him of his sister.
"I'm Remus, Remus Lupin."
"Well it's nice to meet you, Remus." The redhead said smiling.
"Who're you at any rate?" Sirius asked James. "And why the bloody hell do you have two owls!?"
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Well that's the end of the second chapter, sorry that it took me so long to update. I'm a large procrastinator and the first copy of the second chapter wasn't good, I'm not too keen on this one either, but it's better.
Thanks so much for all of the reviews, they're really great!! And the reviewers rock! I hope that the story meets your standards; I know that it's going slowly but it'll speed up next chapter. Peter didn't show up in this one because he's so quiet and shy and the only time that James noticed him was when Sirius first talked. "Said person spun around to see three curious looking boys..." He'll be in the next one in which the Sorting hat gets Sirius confused even more. But not by too much.
Thanks again! Cola (justification to wormtail)