DISCLAIMER: The characters of the Harry Potter Universe are the sole property of J.K. Rowling. Canon characters and plots are not owned by me nor do I make any profit from this fic.

. . . but a girl can dream . . .

BETA: Many, many thanks to ShayaLonnie for taking on the task of Beta, you're amazing!

A/N: I was thrilled with all the reviews for the last chapter. It's so amazing to get feedback for something I've written, especially because this is my first time putting anything out there for others to share in. I've been away and actually will be for two more weeks so writing time has been sporadic. I hope you all enjoy this.

Chapter 5

June 23, 1978

Smoke billowed into the hazy pub from a Floo that had not been properly cleaned in centuries. A low strum of hushed conversations created a soft murmur broken only by a loud guffaw of laughter from a table tucked into a far corner.

A tall, young wizard moved gracefully through the cluttered maze of tables and chairs. He cleaned spills with a worn and dirty rag, controlled with a lazy flick of his wrist, while using his other hand to direct drinks to this table and that. A broom following in his wake.

"— odd one there —" a voice muttered as he passed.

Hearing the words, he felt colour rise in his cheeks, suspecting that the whispers were about him; they usually were. The young wizard tucked his chin, letting his sandy locks fall forward to hide his face as continued on his way past the muttered voices, still catching bits of conversation.

" — see the eyes? —"

" — it's the nose, something about it —"

He felt his spine stiffen. This was too much, he thought as he felt his lip curl in a silent growl. Talk on the streets he could handle, outright jabs he'd brush off, but this was his place of work. This was too much . . . how was he supposed to just ignore it . . . ?

" . . . I tell you it's the teeth, all the bet—"

With lightening speed, the young wizard spun around and slammed his palms down on the offenders secluded table, broom clattering to the floor behind him. "All the better rip you to shreds with, you utter prats," he snarled and the two young wizards at the table began to laugh loudly.

Peter held his side as he laughed deeply. "You . . . oh, mate, your face right now!"

"Going to take a bite out of us, Moon?" Sirius grinned broadly at his friend before sending him a wink. " A little kinky, don't you think?" he asked, igniting the laughter his pudgy friend had just managed to control.

Remus tossed his rag to an empty table and sat down at the edge of their booth. "Budge up, Pete. You are both arseholes, you know that right? If someone hears you, I'll lose this job."

"Oh, don't be such a buzz kill, Moony," Sirius moaned. "It was wolf decibels, no one would pick up on that but you."

The young werewolf rolled his eyes. "Really, well then, my thanks to you, O Subtle One. The Big Bad Wolf? I thought you were smart, Sirius. Isn't that one is getting old?"

Sirius spread his arms out over the back of the booth smiling broadly. "Remind me to thank Lils for that one, by the way. It's a gem."

Remus snorted indignantly at his raven haired friend. "Right. You think a story where a wolf eats grandma and gets killed by a huntsman is a gem. You're an idiot. You know she only told James that story so he would stop calling her 'Little Red' back in sixth year. She didn't even know about . . . me yet."

Peter scoffed before patting his friend on the shoulder, a smirking tilt to his lips. "Who are you kidding Remus? Lily is, and always has been, a swot. She probably knew about your furry little problem back in first year; probably thought you were some poor lost soul . . ."

"Yeah," Sirius chimed in eagerly. "Dreamed about kissing the wolf to turn him into a prince or one of those things Muggles tell their kids about."

"Frogs." Remus sighed at Sirius' lost expression. "Honestly, how did you pass Muggle Studies? It's a frog. In a children's story, the princess kisses a frog and turns him into a prince and they live happily ever . . . " he trailed off at the sight of his friend's bemused grin. "Oh, shove off."

"No, no, do go on, Moony. Tell me about the princesses and frogs." Sirius smirked, resting his chin in his palm, batting his long lashes up at his moody werewolf friend.

"The point," Remus said firmly, " is it was a Muggle children's story and Lily had no idea about the wolf back then."

"I don't know, she could have. But you're right, she likes to share her knowledge. I don't think she could have kept it to herself if she wanted too," Peter said with a nod. "She's probably teaching Prongs all about huffing and puffing and blow—"

"Oi! Enough with the wolf tales already. I get it, Muggles have wolf stories. Ha, ha," Remus almost growled.

"Who's talking about wolves? I'm just hopeful my dear friend is having an enjoyable honeymoon," Peter said with a devious smirk.

Remus snorted loudly shaking his head to rid himself of that visual before turning to his friend across the table, only to see him laying sideways in the booth clasping his stomach and shaking lightly. " Are you all right?" he demanded before he noticed Sirius' quiet laughter.

"Wolf tales!" Sirius sputtered out on a laugh, pushing himself to sit once more. "You sa-you said wolf tales. Wolf tails . . . and . . . and you were so-so grrr . . ." He held his hands up in what Remus assumed were claws and fell back to his side continuing to laugh heartily.

The werewolf laughed. "Have a busy night, Pads? I think you might be a little sleep deprived. You're a little nutty . . . even for a Black."

"Oh, Moons. What a night, you should have been there. A beautiful woman followed by a beautiful woman. A little young, but this hair that screamed shag me . . . you had to be there, mate."

"No mate, I had to work. You know what that is, right? I hear you do it sometimes." The young werewolf flicked his wand towards his forgotten broom and rag, setting them in motion once more. "Right, then. I have a shift to finish while the two of you continue with whatever it is you're doing," He said as he turned away his broom and the snickering of his two friends following in his wake.

"Oi, send over two more pints, yeah?" he heard Sirius bellow at his back. "And we run the gauntlet tonight, don't forget."

An hour later found the three young wizards racing broomsticks swiftly through the dark cramped alleyways of Muggle London. Their young bodies laid tightly against the long handles as they each pushed their brooms faster, trying desperately to edge out the others.

Peter pulled into the lead with a loud whoop and a quick pump of his fist, which had him swerving dangerously for a moment before he regained control as he sped towards a tight corner. Behind him, head tilted into the wind as it rushed past, a wide grin spread over Remus' face as he started to inch closer, ready to surpass him at the approaching corner. Peter hesitated just before the sharp bend in the alleyway, nervously jerking up on his broom. Seeing his friend falter, Remus leaned into his broom, not even pausing to throw out a jeering taunt as he took over the lead with casual ease. His long lean body held in a smooth line as the muddled grey alleyways passed him in an unfocused blur.

Ahead of them lay a wall of painted graffiti, the Muggle art a landmark in their course. As the two young wizards sped towards the wall, they heard a low screeching sound coming from behind them, rapidly growing in volume as something in the distance grew ever closer.

Just as they were about to reach the wall, Sirius came peeling past them with the speed of a devil, screeching and howling in pleasure as he pulled up on his broom just before a seemingly inevitable collision with the bricks. He flew straight up the graffitied wall in a tightly spiraling corkscrew; a whirlwind of broom, wizard, and noise.

Remus and Peter fought to close the gap their over zealous friend left behind after his rapid ascent, but were no match for the laughing wizards vertical speed. They could only watch in mild irritation as Sirius leveled his broom and flew out of sight over top of the building.

Remus was next to crest over the side of the building only to find his dark haired friend reclining casually against the gabled roof. A smile of satisfaction pulling at the corners of Sirius' mouth, his broom lying haphazardly at his side still vibrating with the strength of its owner's magic.

"Nice of you to join me, mate." Sirius grinned cheekily.

Remus set his broom down at his side laying back on the inclined roof, chest heaving. "N-not sure how you managed that, swore we left you back at Grimmauld Park."

"What? Did you think I'd stopped in to chat with mother dearest? That's a laugh," Sirius said without a hint of laughter before giving his friend a sly smile. "Might have stopped to piss on her favorite Flutterby bushes."

Remus studied his friend for a moment. He sat stiffly, shoulders held in a hard line like he was just waiting for some sort of reprimand for his behaviour. Give him a taste of what he needs, Remus thought. "You know, numerous studies have shown that an insecure attachment of boys and their mothers can be linked to externalising behaviour; aggression, hostility, acting out in social settings . . ." He watched Sirius' shoulders sag, as he let out a deep breath Remus doubted he knew he'd been holding in the first place.

"We're not comparing the hate-breathing, acid-spitting, dragon-headed monster of Grimmauld Place to a mother, now are we?" Sirius laughed at the thought. "I know you could probably teach Defense Against the Dark Arts, Moony, but I'm fairly certain you just insulted dark creatures everywhere." He reclined back into the roof once more his posture returning to its normal devil may care slump.

"I'm just shocked your mum's favourite plant is a Flutterby. Pictured her more of a Devil's Snare fan, myself," Peter stated as he dropped down at their side, joining in when his friends chuckled at his wit.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "She keeps that in the guestroom. Can't risk any unsavoury guests making it through the night."

Peter grimaced and reached for the broom he had set down moments earlier. "Meeting tonight?"

"Probably not. No word yet."

Peter nodded as he absentmindedly fidgeted with the handle of his broom . "Right, wish they'd let us know ahead of time. This last minute shite is a pain in the arse."

"You're telling me. I've had to cancel plans with Beck-ah, Kimber-no . . . um, Linda twice already."

Remus rolled his eyes as he watched his small pudgy friend. "It's a safety precaution. Those other two locations were leaked and there is nothing left but piles of ash to mark where they once stood." He really had hoped to spend some time with his friends as a group tonight. It hadn't even been a month since they had left Hogwarts and he was already beginning to feel the loss of his close-knit group of friends. With James now married and away on his honeymoon, he had really found himself depending on these bi-weekly flying drills to reconnect with his mates who were, if he really thought about it, the only family he had left. His own mother had died just months before and his father had become a recluse, searching for answers at the bottom of a bottle rather than seek out the only son he had . . . the son he blamed for the ruin of his family and the early death of his wife.

"Sure, but do they think it's a traitor?" Peter asked, his voice pulling Remus from his thoughts as the short Marauder kicked at a loose slate tile. "Dumbledore performs the vow himself, you'd have to be brilliant to get around them."

"Or just a sneaky little deviant bastard," Sirius sneered as he flicked his wand at his broom, making sparks fly from its tail.

Peter watched as the sparks glowed red hot on the old roof before fading out of existence.

"Heh . . . yeah, I-I guess that's . . .right. Well, I'm off, mates."

"Where are you off to again? Got a secret woman?" Sirius asked. "It's not the Marauder way to be leashed."

"That's rich coming from you, Pads. And look at Prongs, he moved right on to being chained. If you ask me, he's going to need to let her know who is in charge before he's completely whipped." The pudgy Marauder giggled snidely.

"Aww, Prongsie thinks the sun rises and sets around Lily, and it could be worse. Just between us, if I had to be whipped, I wouldn't mind taking a few lashes from such a delicious woman." Sirius smiled salaciously, his hands raised before him mimicking squeezing motions as he spoke.

Remus rolled his eyes at his friends antics. They all knew he would be the one to say that thought straight to the dynamic redhead and sport the resulting hex marks with pride. "Right, thanks for that visual."

"You. Are. Welcome," Sirius said with a salute.

"Where are you running off to Wormy?"

"Oi, forgot you were my keepers," the young man muttered as he picked at a loose splinter of wood on the handle of his aging broom. "Just off to see Mum, she's lonely with Dad gone. I'll see you later, yeah?"

"Yeah, yeah, go knit an afghan." Sirius waved his hand in dismissal. "Better yet, bake me some biscuits . . . but not the shite with the nuts; they get stuck in my teeth. The chocolate ones Moony loves!"

"Double Chocolate Chunk," Remus replied wistfully.

"That's the ticket, doubles, Wormy and don't forget!"

"Bite me, Pads," Peter replied as he flashed his friend a two fingered salute.

"Not my type, love. I like curves, but yours just aren't in the right places. All soft 'round the middle and your arse is down right boney. . . Moony, on the other hand, he's got a nice round bum . . ."

Remus rolled his eyes but couldn't stop the heat from rising into his cheeks. "Stop checking out my arse, Pads."

Sirius chuckled at his friends awkward blush. "Just appreciative of the view, Moony, dear."

"Right, and that's my cue." Peter kicked off the roof hovering for a moment longer. "St-stay safe, yeah?"

"Always, Pete. And you remember . . . double chocolate biscuits, and no skimping on the chocolate, Moony will know if you do!" Sirius shouted, the last bit meeting his small friend's retreating back.

"He's scared, you know."

"Aren't we all?"

"Yeah, Just . . . you know he's never been the bravest."

Sirius stared off into the night, his expression hard. "You don't have to be brave to do what's right . . . he's a Marauder."

Remus reclined back onto the cool roof tiles and gazed up at the waning gibbous moon hanging innocently amongst the heavens, feeling the bone-deep ache from days earlier. Sirius talked of being a Marauder like that alone made one worthy; like being one made you invincible. He used to feel that, too. In Hogwarts, prowling the corridors along with his mates, they were a force; they owned the world, could do anything. Now though, sweeping the floors and cleaning grimy glasses while waiting for the next moon to come, he couldn't help but feel foolish for their naivety. Still, they were so much more than his mates.

"Brothers," He declared.

"Brothers," Sirius echoed in the same solemn tone as his brother, Remus.

A/N 2.0

So what did you think about meeting these Marauders? I'd love to hear your thoughts, are they what you expected? Leave a review and let me know!