A/N: So, I'm sure this is like, the first time ever I have updated this quickly. =D I have recently been motivated to write (Okay, what that really means is I have nothing to do at work). I also am going to start adding a recap, mostly because I have a hard enough time keeping up with them, and I find I'm always rereading them before I can really get a good start on a new chapter so I can't imagine what it would be like reading them.
Anyways: A special Thank You is in order: to my most enthusiastic reader & reviewer: LilyHeartsMarauders
--- --- --- Recap:
They decided it wasn't safe to be out of doors anymore, and were headed back in, when the skies cleared, clouds dissipated and the thunder and lightening were no more. But what they saw when they looked back was far worse.
A green serpent revolving around a skull etched in the sky, just like the one from the newspaper they read not a day earlier.
--- --- ---
The Dark Mark loomed over the small town of Hogsmeade. The five Hogwarts students made their way closer to the school, wands at the ready. Along the way their group began to grow, as other students joined them.
"Why in Merlin's beard would Death Eaters go into Hogsmeade?" A petite Ravenclaw, who was Marlene McKinnon, wondered.
"I, I don't know." James said, and added, "It does seem strange though. Isn't Voldermort targeting muggles? It just doesn't make sense for him to attack a wizarding village."
Before they could mutter another word, a head popped out of some bushes, and came running at them. Sirius was the first to notice. He stepped away from the group. James did the same. The older students stood in front of the younger ones protectively.
"I would advise you to stop." Sirius called, but the strange figure kept coming towards them.
"We will fight you if you come any nearer." James warned, and still the body did not stop. Finally, they could tell it was a boy, but nobody was quick to put down their wands.
Remus recognized him, "James, Sirius, put down your wands. It's Peter."
Effie gave Lily a disgusted look and muttered, "All this trouble, because Pettigrew could not say a bloody thing. They should have just stunned his arse."
Peter had stopped a ways off, realizing who he was about to run into. 'If only it had been a group of first years.' He thought to himself. 'He would have shown them he was no coward. The Dark Lord had chosen him to be his Trusted One.' Peter blushed with pride at the notion, and absent mindedly held the tender mark on his arm. It had been a week since he had received it. But how he was going to keep it a secret from his friends he had yet to figure out. For now, avoiding them would be best, but who knew, it might be a good thing to keep them around, just in case.
The group watched the boy turn and go the other direction. Remus had tried to call out to the boy, but to no avail. There was simply something very wrong with the boy.
"Maybe he is just scared." Lily said, refusing to think badly of Peter.
"Maybe." James replied, still wondering what had just happened.
"Peter has been acting very oddly lately." Remus added, "Ever since, well, about a week ago." Yes, it was quite strange indeed the change in Peter, everyone agreed.
"We should keep going." Marlene decided, the dainty stature moving through the group with unnatural command.
It seemed to Lily that Marlene was the leading type. She had only ever talked to the girl on a small number of occasions, but when you are in different houses, well, you tend to just stick with your own. Not that that makes it right, but it's the way it has always been. She watched as the tiny girl lead the group up the hill towards the castle. This was someone she thought could fight. Lily decided she would ask the girl to join them the next evening when they were to meet again. Speaking of which, she had also decided that they would need to call themselves something; it just wouldn't be fitting to be a Marauder.
Dumbledore was there to meet the group when they had reached the castle entrance. McGonagall ushered them in, and most of them dispersed. A few of the older students, Marlene among them, hung back with the Marauders, Lily and Effie. Most of them were prefects and both James and Lily decided it would be best to dole out some responsibilities.
"Miss Montgomery, if you could tend to your house's younger students, and make sure that they have all made it to the Great Hall." James asked the short Hufflepuff. Her name was Alice, and she had the most comical expressions, matched with her cropped hair, she was quite amusing. The fellow 7th year bounded off, a few of her own house in tow.
"Miss McKinnon, the same for your house." Lily advised, stepping aside as the girl made to leave the group. "Oh, and Marlene, I would like you to meet me at the library tomorrow at 5, and bring Alice if you would." The girl gave her a weird look, but nodded her head in compliance.
As there were no Slytherin prefects in the group, the Head boy and girl had finished distributing duties, and lead the remaining students to the Great Hall.
Leaving Remus in charge of the Gryffindor students, they left to do rounds, in case there were any straggling students left. Splitting up, Lily took on the dungeons and first through third floor and James the fourth through seventh floor, plus the Astronomy tower.
Lily made a sweep through the dungeons and first floor, and was on the second, when she saw the tip of a foot sticking out from behind a statue that was set back in the wall.
Hand on her wand, she asked the person, "Come out. I know you are there." She heard the student sigh. He stepped out. It was Severus.
"Severus, you scared me half to death! What were you doing there? You know you are supposed to be down in the Great Hall just like everyone else."
"What does it matter to you?" He snapped at her.
"It matters a lot Severus, you haven't let me near you since, well, you know. And I have wanted to apologize."
"Why?" He asked bitterly, clearly not understanding why she would even care.
"Because you were my friend, and I would still like you to be. I forgave you for calling me a you-know-what. Maybe you should learn to do the same." She said softly.
"You and I are different people, Lily. Maybe you can forgive, but I can't. You were the one person that I thought would never disappoint me, and look what happened."
Lily felt a wave of anguish pass through her at his words. "I am only human Sev, I can't be perfect all the time. But I will always be here for you. That's what friends do."
He faltered and she knew it.
"Walk with me Sev?" She asked.
"Sure." He replied dully, knowing he could never say no to her, no matter how mad or disappointed he was.
"What were you doing there anyways?" She wondered.
"Hiding." His answer was simple.
"From who, may I ask?"
"Some of my house mates, and a few others. They've got annoyingly pushy about becoming a Death Eater."
"You haven't have you?" Lily asked worried.
"No. I haven't. But I would be careful who you associate yourself with Lily, not everyone you think is so good really is." He warned her.
Lily was confused, "What are you talking about?"
"I'm just saying, I don't even know who all the Death Eaters are. They could be anyone. And that doesn't mean just Slytherins. Everyone assumes as such, but I think I have an idea that there are others hiding behind their houses; claiming that they can't be Death Eaters, just because they aren't Slytherin.
Lily just nodded her head in agreement. She hadn't thought of that, but he had a valid point. She motioned to move up the stairs to the third floor.
"So we are starting this group," she began telling him as they walked up and down the third floor corridors, checking class rooms along the way. "I don't know what we are going to call it yet, but what we are doing is learning and practicing defensive skills."
"You mean stuff that they don't teach here at Hogwarts?" Severus asked, slightly intrigued, even though he didn't show it.
"Yes." She said. "I would really like you to join us Severus."
"Potter and his cronies are there, are they not?"
Lily nearly forgot they didn't get on, it had been so long since they had targeted Severus.
"Well, yes, but-"
"There's no 'but' about it, you know as well as I that the lot of us cant so much as look at each other as be in the same room without cursing the arse off the other."
"It doesn't have to be like that." Ever the optimist, Lily was trying to sway him. He knew it, and he couldn't fight it.
"It's the way things are though." He was losing this argument, and he knew it.
"And like I said, it doesn't have to be."
She was right, but before he could tell her so, they ran into James.
"What's he doing here?" James asked with a slight look of revulsion on his face. If there was anything about James that Lily didn't like, it was that look.
"James!" She chided.
"He's a Death Eater, and if he's not, he will be soon."
"Don't you say that, James Potter, or so help me…" Lily warned her boyfriend. This was their first fight as a couple.
"Or you will what Lily?" He retorted at her.
"I don't want to fight James. I want you to understand." Severus was standing off the side, embarrassed by the argument that his presence had caused.
"What is there to understand?"
"That not everyone that isn't like us is going to become a Death Eater." Lily was getting angrier by the second. "Don't you think that it is possible someone from Gryffindor, or even Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff might be Death Eaters? Because I do, and it is just as easily said that they might not be. Why would the Slytherin house be any different?"
"Because they are pure bloods and that is what they stand for." James argued.
"No." Lily said, softly, her eyes trailing to Severus, "not all of them are."
James could tell this argument was over. He might as well give in. He decided he didn't have to like the idea, and he didn't have to like Severus, but he would let Lily have her way. She might be right.
"I'm sorry Lily." James apologized.
"Its fine." She told him, and cocked her head toward Severus, who was standing awkwardly a few feet from her.
"Sorry." James muttered at him. Severus looked up sharply, confused. A smirk planted itself on Lily's face, the way it always did when she won.
"S'alright." Severus grumbled back. James decided to get on Lily's good side and held his hand out to the Slytherin.
"No hard feelings then?"
Severus looked at the hand outstretched towards him and grudgingly shook it, giving James a curt nod. They didn't have to be friends.
They looked to Lily, she was beaming proudly, and that was good enough for both of them.
The three of them made their way back to the Great Hall. James and Severus careful to stay out of the way of the other, a silent agreement that they would be courteous as long as they did not overstep any boundaries.
After they had joined their fellow students in the Great Hall, Severus leaving to find his own house mates, Dumbledore stood at the pew. The students became silent, waiting for their Headmaster to begin.
"If you are wondering why I have gathered you here, there had been an attack at Hogsmeade. I find it is imperative that you all stay put, while I can get a good head count, Minerva, if you will."
The other Professor flicked her wand, and then turned to the Headmaster, "All accounted for."
Dumbledore nodded at her, and continued, "The rule still stands, that no one is allowed out of the schools boundaries. That means no students will be found in the Forbidden Forrest, at Hogsmeade or the like. There will be consequences to those who do not abide by these regulations that I have set forth. I would also advise you to stay in groups whenever you are out of the castle. I feel strongly towards safety in numbers.
You are dismissed to your respective common rooms, everyone but our Head Boy and Girl, please."
Sirius gave James a peculiar look.
"We will talk about it later." James said, as he and Lily headed toward Dumbledore.
"What is it Professor?" Lily asked.
"A bird came and told me you lot had started, a defensive group of sorts. I would like to hear about it. But over tea, of course, follow me." Lily and James exchanged a funny look. 'How did he know about that?'
He led them to his office, where he offered them some candy, both declined politely. His choice in candy usually had a little nip, or snap to it.
"Excuse my ignorance, but I am interested to know what exactly it is that you do at these meetings." Dumbledore asked, his intense blues eyes curiously looking at the two students before him. He poured the tea, "Cream?"
"Yes, please." Lily said, while James turned down any tea at all. "You see Professor- we want to prepare ourselves for what is out there; with spells and knowledge that is not taught here at the school."
"I quite understand that my dear, what I want to know, and I should have been more specific, is if you are willing to extend this group into something … greater."
Lily stared at him, not understanding.
"You mean, like, an Order?" James asked staring right back at Dumbledore.
"Precisely!" The Headmaster chuckled. "It is a well known fact, that clubs, and groups alike are not allowed in Hogwarts without Professor Supervision; though I am willing to overlook your misjudgment. But that is, also, not my point. I have started a movement against the self proclaimed "Dark Lord"; and what I am asking is this: if you will prepare certain students for my own Order, I will let you continue your own group. I am assuming that you will both be part of it as well."
The two Head Students couldn't believe what their Headmaster was asking them.
"Naturally, you will want to start careers as Aurors, if I am not mistaken, and that will be fine. The Order consists of many Aurors already and others too. I would like for you to think on this, but I must say, I would prefer you to make a decision now, before I send you off."
Lily was the first to speak up. "I will do it." James still looked skeptical, but nodded his head in agreement. "What do you call this Order, sir?" Lily asked.
"The Order of the Pheonix."
A/N: Again, I know. I didn't even used to write an author's note before & now I'm adding them to the bottom of the chapter!!
If you want me to update more & faster you should review. It helps. Good/ bad/ indifferent… I don't care, just review. I would like to hear your thoughts!