Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, as it is the property of JKR.
Author's Note: These next few chapters are just something to give you an idea of their life between leaving school and Voldemort's downfall.
Also, because I made Molly and Arthur the same age as the Marauders, when they are actually several years older, I'm going to have to say they didn't have all their children. Ron is the eldest, but that won't come in to effect in this chapter anyway.
Chapter 19
It was the 1st day of September, and the Marauders were about to start their training in the new jobs they had opted for.
James and Lena were eating breakfast in their new home - a flat in Hogsmede, which Mr and Mrs Potter had bought for them as a present for their wedding.
The flat was over a small shop which sold quidditch items - the owner of the store knew both Lena and James from them coming in to the shop on practically every Hogsmede visit, and was glad to rent the shop to them, because he had his own large house and had no use for the flat.
There was a loud crack behind Lena causing her to drop her toast on her plate.
She whipped around to see the person she ought to have expected, stood there smirking.
' Sirius! ' she snapped,' why do you have to apparate in my kitchen like that? You could at least knock on the door - what about privacy? '
Sirius chuckled, helping himself to the food on her plate, and telling her,' Merlin, sis, give you a house and a fiance and you turn in to a proper stressed out adult.
Lena glared,' Yeah, well, I don't come and burst in to your house, do I? '
Sirius and Lena's Uncle Alphard had died over the summer and left them both a large amout of gold. Sirius had spent some of his on a house - which he had let Remus move in to with him - and put the rest away in his bank account.
Lena had wanted to spend her money on the wedding - which had been set for the next summer, when they would have a break from their studies and commitments - but James dismissed her wishes, telling her that his family had plenty of money to spend on the wedding, so she put the money away in the joint account she and James had set up - for rent, the wedding, any future family.
There was a knock at the door, and when Lena answered it, Remus was stood there.
She smiled and invited him in, saying loudly, as she passed Sirius on her way back in to the kitchen, ' At least some people know how to politely call up on other people.'
' Padfoot apparated right in again? ' Remus guessed.
Changing the subject, James asked Sirius, ' What time do we have to leave? '
Sirius and James were starting their two year training as Aurors today, whilst Lena and Remus were starting training as professors.
Although Lena had originally wanted to do something like divination - palm reading or something - she had now decided to do something which would help other people, and after having being told by Dumbledore at her graduation how good she was with people, and what a great assest she would be to the school, she thought it through and decided to be a professor - to help children out. She was undecided on what subject to teach, as was Remus, but Dumbledore had told them in wouldn't matter because they were skilled in a few different subjects, and would be able to teach a few different things.
' You have to be there for 9 AM,' Lena told the pair of them, ' and it's 8.15 now, you should be leaving soon if you want to be early and make a good impression ... come to think of it, so should we, Remus.'
Auror training took 2 years and took place in the ministry of magic. The training Remus and Lena would be undertaking would only take a year and was a much less popular class ... it also took place in the ministry, but they had been told that the entire class would only be 10-20 people, most of whom went off to tutor privately rather than at an academy like Hogwarts.
The four of them apparated to the visitors entrance of the ministry, and James kissed Lena goodbye tenderly before they all had to leave.
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That evening, Lena had just gotten back from the classes, as she walked through the back door of the shop - which led straight up the staircase to the flat - and entered her home, when she saw James at the table with Professor Dumbledore.
' Oh, hello, Professor,' she said, looking between the two in confusion.
' Hello Selena,' Dumbledore nodded,' I was just telling James what a nice place you have here.'
Selena sat down with the two men, and once she was seated, Dumbledore spoke again,' I have something very serious to ask of you, Selena. I have spoken it through with James, and he agrees, but you don't have to.'
' Why? What's going on? ' frowned Lena, as James place a hand over hers, rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb.
' Voldemort is growing more strong,' Dumbledore told her, ' and we need to be fighting him, I have a hunch as to what his plans are, and I need a team of people to join up with me to help bring him to his downfall. It's dangerous stuff, but I need people who are dedicated, skilled, and want to see the back of Voldemort. The Order of the Phoenix. '
James cleared his throat,' I've agreed to join, Lena, to fight Voldemort. It's a worthy cause, and I'm willing to put my self in danger if it means we can defeat Voldemort. '
' You're so brave and noble,' Lena sniffed,' and I'll join up too. '
Dumbledore nodded, satisfied, ' There will be regular meetings at out designated head quarters, and there'll be times when we'll be sending a few people out on missions individually, but if we all work togetehr for the cause, we'll get there.'
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The first meeting of the Order was a week later.
Lena came home from class tired and drained, had only time to meet James and give him a quick peck on the cheek before they had to apparate to the head quarters.
Inside, they met several people whom they didn't know, as well as some of their friends. Molly and Arthur were there, as were Remus, Peter, Sirius, Maria and Lauren.
Lauren and Maria had moved in to the big house Sirius owned, along with Remus. Maria was training to be a healer, whilst Lauren had gotten an apprenticeship at Witch Weekly as a reporter.
They were all so glad that their friends had decided to join up too.
Over the next few months, there were more meetings and some of them went off on missions over night, or over a weekend.
Things with Voldemort and the gang he was recruiting - Death Eaters - were getting worse, and in these dark times, they needed something to look forward to.
