Disclaimer: I still do not own Harry Potter.

Thanks to my oh-so-great reviewers!

Just a few things I wanted to clarify. One of my reviewers pointed out that I wrote in the last chapter that the Death Eaters were wearing sinister smiles. And they also said, how would people know that if they were wearing masks? You are absolutely right, it was an honest mistake on my part, it was a glaring error I overlooked. Just pretend that indeed they were wearing sinister smiles but no one could se them.

On another note, the reason I put Mr. Diggory and Cedric in the top box, and the reason I had Lucius Malfoy taunt the Weasleys about leprechaun gold, well, there's really no reason for it except that I wanted to write it that way. Also, Harry and Cedric are going to be extremely close in this fic.

Please enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 12: In the Pensieve

True to Dumbledore's words, a week later, there was a knock on the door of Marauder Place. When Sirius opened it, he was greeted by a face he hadn't seen in years. It brought a lot of memories to the surface.

"Sirius Black," a deep voice said. A big black man was standing in the doorway. He was well-built and very tall. His hair was in braids, and he wore a pleasant smile on his face.

"Kingsley Shacklebolt," Sirius answered, a smile of his own coming to his face. "Good to see you again, mate."

"You, too," said Kingsley. "It's been a long, long time."

"Yes, it has," agreed Sirius, trying not to think of the circumstances in which their last meeting had occurred. Kingsley was also trying not to remember that day.

"How have you been?" Sirius asked the other man.

"Good, good," said Kingsley. "I'm still working as an Auror, but do Muggle law on the side."

"I bet you're as good an Auror as ever," said Sirius.

Kingsley chuckled. "I don't know about that," he said modestly. "But what I do know is that you definitely were one of the best when you were working for us."

"Thanks," smiled Sirius. "Let's go into the living room. I'm sure you'd like to see Remus."

"Yes, I would. Where's Harry?"

"He's in his room, reading a book. I'll call him in to see us once we've discussed some things. I have to tell you, he's pretty nervous about meeting you."

"I can imagine," Kingsley said sympathetically. "This isn't going to be easy for him. But I'll try and make it as smooth of a ride as possible."

They walked into the living room, and Remus and Kingsley made their introductions. All three of them sat down on the couch. "Now," said Kingsley, "I must explain to you what's going to happen at this trial. You're aware of how court works, right?"

"Yes," said Sirius, not being able to help a scowl from appearing on his face. He didn't know how many times he'd wished to have his own trial.

Kingsley noticed the scowl. "I'm sorry, Sirius," he said sincerely. "I never understood what happened that day. But all the evidence was against you. I had to put personal feelings aside and obey the Minister's orders."

"I know," Sirius sighed. "I just wish that things could have been different. But at least I'm out of there now. And I'm now all registered as an Animagus, too. That was one of the first things Dumbledore and I did my first real week back in civilization."

"Yes, I heard all about your Animagus expeditions," said Kingsley. "Although it was against the law, I must admire you for your loyalty to Remus and your cleverness. That's a rare thing, to be able to transform at sixteen years old."

Sirius blushed. "Thanks."

"As I was saying," Kingsley continued, "I'll explain how this is going to work. I am the prosecutor for Vernon Dursley's case. What I am going to do is ask questions, and Harry will answer them. The tricky part will be the cross-examination. Harry will be questioned by Vernon Dursley's lawyer, whose name is Mr. Epinski. Harry will need to prepare himself to answer some very difficult questions."

"We're aware that some of the questions will be hard," Remus said.

"I would advise giving him a calming potion before he goes on the witness stand," Kingsley informed them. "It's important that he keeps his head. We want to get Vernon arrested for many years for this crime."

"Should we go get Harry?" inquired Remus.

"Yes, send him in now."

A minute later, a nervous-looking Harry walked into the room. "Hi," he said quietly, looking at the big black Auror. Harry had been right about being intimidated by this man; he did not look like the type of fellow you wanted to cross. But he had a smile on his face, and this did put Harry at ease a little.

"Good morning. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Potter," Kingsley said formally, shaking Harry's hand.

Kingsley then walked Harry through exactly what was going to happen in court. Harry listened with rapt attention, taking everything in. His mouth went dry when Kingsley mentioned the fact that he'd have to answer some difficult questions, and would probably get mind-probed to death by the cross-examiner. The three adults tried to allay his fears, and Kingsley talked in a slow, gentle voice. As the talk went on, Harry began to feel more reassured in Kingsley's presence. Something in his mannerisms told him that he could be trusted.

"Do you have any questions?" the big Auror asked when he was finished.

"Yeah," Harry said. "Will Vernon go to Azkaban if he's found guilty?"

"We're trying to work the wards out in Azkaban at this time," Kingsley answered. "Ever since those Death Eaters escaped, it hasn't been safe. If there's such a spell that can subdue the dementors so easily, we don't want other people using it and escaping. So if the wards are worked out, yes, he will go to Azkaban. But if they're not, we will hold him in a secure location at the Ministry."

"Oh, okay," said Harry. He was trying to think about Dumbledore's words, the words he had spoken about how he should not be ashamed of what happened. He was glad to see something finally happening to Vernon Dursley, but at the same time, he was terrified. What if Vernon found some way to get out of the Ministry and tried to find him?

"I'm glad he'll be put away," Sirius snarled, hands balled into fists. "If he ever comes near my godson again, I swear I really will murder him. I hope the wards on Azkaban are sorted out by then; he deserves that hell."

"We're going to make sure he doesn't come after Harry again. In my opinion, he deserves Azkaban too," growled Kingsley.

The four of them then had some hot chocolate and some brownies which Remus had made. Kingsley and Sirius started discussing Auror business. "Do you think you'll ever work as an Auror again?" Kingsley wanted to know. "As I said before, you were one of our best. The Auror department really needs someone with your skills."

"I appreciate that," said Sirius. "I might. But I'll have to go through some rehabilitation training, won't I? I mean, I was in Azkaban for twelve years."

"You may have to do some," Kingsley admitted. "But it probably won't take as long as the first time you trained."

"I'm really not sure," said Sirius. "I mean, I might do some side stuff if I feel like it. It looks like the Order of the Phoenix might be in session again soon with these foul Death Eaters on the loose. I definitely want to be a part of that. I don't know if I want to be a full-fledged Auror though. It brings back too many memories."

"I know, it reminds you of James, doesn't it?" asked Kingsley consolingly.

"Yeah," said Sirius. "James and I seemed to work together for so long. We went through the training together, we went on missions together. There's not a day that goes by that I don't miss him. And it's my fault he's dead."

"No, it's not," said Remus at once. "Sirius, I wish you'd stop beating yourself up about that. We all trusted Peter. We had no reason at all to suspect that something shady was going on with him."

"Yeah, but I should've known," muttered Sirius despondently.

"There's no point in looking back on could-haves and should-haves," said Kingsley. "I miss James too; he was one great Auror as well. But I'm sorry I didn't believe in you, Sirius. I knew how much you loved him, Lily, and Harry."

"I accept your apology," Sirius sighed.

Kingsley stayed for a little while longer, and he told stories to Harry of his Auror days working with James and Sirius. Harry listened, interested.

"Your dad was one wonderful man," Kingsley told him. "He never killed any Death Eaters if he had anything to say about it. He was a firm believer of two wrongs not making a right. Unfortunately, though, in times of war, those lines blur, but your father never changed his views."

"Yeah, I remember when he accidentally did kill one," Sirius reminisced. He remembered when James had been younger, when he'd believed so wholeheartedly in revenge, but the whole episode with Snape and the Shrieking Shack had humbled him beyond belief. "He didn't mean to, he was just defending himself. He'd tried to disarm him a number of times, but the Death Eater was too quick. James lost his temper and cast a very powerful Reductor curse. I remember his name: Booth. Dennis Booth. He went to Hogwarts with us, and was a Slytherin. I can't ever forget the scene after the battle was over.

"James went over to where Booth lay dying, and started talking to him. I tried to get James to come with me, but he wouldn't move. I remember I got a little beat up in that battle, too. I had some cuts and bruises, but they weren't that serious. But I tried to get James to leave Booth to die, but he was a better person than I am. He actually had a civilized talk with him.

"He told me later what their conversation had been about. Booth asked if he'd come over to gloat, and James said no. He had asked Booth if it was worth it, whether fighting on Voldemort's side was worth all the bloodshed and warfare. Booth had never really been a leader, he was a follower like my brother Regulus. He admitted to James that no, it hadn't been worth it, and if he'd been a better person he might have been able to stand up to his peers and family and say no to the Death Eaters. Booth told James he was scared to die, and James said he'd stay with him. He actually stayed and held his hand, telling him not to be afraid and how he was sorry he'd acted like a total arrogant sonuvabitch in school. I think it's absurd, but James actually blamed himself for Booth becoming a Death Eater. He said if he hadn't been a total bully at school, Booth might not have turned to the only solace he could find: his Slytherin peers. Booth tried to tell him it wasn't his fault, that he'd been pressured by his family and peers to take the Mark. James begged Booth to hold on, that Dumbledore could help him, he could hide him from Voldemort's wrath. But Booth said it was too late, and with that, he was gone. James actually wept over his dead body; Albus Dumbledore was the one who found him. James was broken up about it for weeks; he actually went into sort of a depression. It took Peter, Lily, Remus and I to bring him out of it."

"Was I born yet?" asked Harry.

"No," said Kingsley. "You were on the way, though. Lily was about five months pregnant with you at the time."

"It sounded like my dad was a really good person."

"He was, lad," Kingsley said proudly. "He and your godfather here worked wonderfully together."

"It's amazing how compassionate your dad was," said Sirius. "Believe me, I was upset when Regulus died, but I've always felt guilty that I was never as upset as I should have been. My family and I had all those differences, and I tried my absolute best to get away from them and leave any remnants of that life behind. But Regulus was my brother, and there was a time, when we were very little, that we did get along."

"Yeah, I can imagine his death was hard," said Harry.

"Sirius often resorted to firewhiskey when he was upset," Kingsley interjected.

"Yeah, it took us Marauders and Lily to get him to put it down," said Remus.

"That's a bad habit," Harry said, and he couldn't help thinking of his uncle. "You'd best not do that anymore, Sirius."

"I know, kiddo," said Sirius, blushing.

After a little more time, Kingsley left, and Harry, Remus, and Sirius made and then ate lunch. Once they'd eaten a delicious meal, Harry said, "If you two don't mind, I'd like to have a look in the Pensieve."

"Sure!" Sirius grinned. "Do you mind if we come in with you? We love reminiscing over old memories."

"Of course you can come," said Harry, and they went into his room. The Pensieve was sitting on his desk. Taking a deep breath, the two Marauders and their pup plunged their hands into the memories. They were falling, falling, falling through mist and fog...'and then they landed.

"Let's see two today," said Harry. "Do you know what order they go in?"

"They'll be all mixed up," replied Remus. "But once you've seen all of them, you'll have witnessed a collaboration of events that happened throughout our seven years of Hogwarts, and then some of after school."

They watched as a scene unfolded around them. They were standing by the Hogwarts lake. As Harry looked around, he could see many students enjoying themselves in the water, or doing homework by the trees.

"Ah, we were here a lot," Sirius said with a toothy grin. "Let's see when this was. Look under the big beech tree, Harry."

Harry looked, and he saw four boys. One had messy black hair and was wearing glasses, one was plump with watery blue eyes, one was black-haired and extremely handsome, and one was brown-haired and looked exhausted. They were the younger versions of James, Peter, Sirius, and Remus respectively. The three observers walked nearer to the scene, and then they were able to understand the conversation the Marauders were having.

"So, boys," said the plump boy, Peter. "Are we on for this evening? We can go annoy the house-elves in the kitchens again."

"Yeah!" said Sirius. "Good idea, Petey!"

"You two always want to go to the kitchens!" whined James. "How about we do something else?"

"Ah, but Jamesy, my friend, don't you want to fill up that stomach of yours?" laughed Sirius.

"Yeah, sure, but why don't we do something else afterwards?"

"What do you suggest, old boy?" said Sirius playfully.

"How about," smiled Remus, "we go scout out that secret passageway we found the other day."

"Are you sure you're up for it, Rem?" asked Sirius. "We know full moon was last night and you look pretty knackered."

"Oh, don't worry about me," said Remus. "If we're going to make mischief, I want to be a part of it!"

"Okay, kitchens and then secret passageway it is," James beamed.

"Hey, James, look over there!" Peter exclaimed after a few moments of comfortable silence.

"What is it, Pete?"

"Evans is over there! Look! Why don't you go ask her to Hogsmeade this weekend?"

James immediately got to his feet and strutted over to where Lily and a few of her girlfriends were standing. "Hey, Evans!" he shouted. "Evans!"

The pretty red-haired girl looked at him. "What is it, Potter?" she said in a bored voice, as if she'd been through this with him many, many times before.

"I was thinking," said James with his most cocky grin, "that you could come to Hogsmeade with me this weekend. We'll have a great time!" Lily's face suddenly turned as red as a tomato. Her hands went to her hips and she looked as though she were about to explode.

"HOW DARE YOU, JAMES POTTER!" she screamed. "HOW DARE YOU TELL ME TO GO TO HOGSMEADE WITH YOU! WHATEVER HAPPENED TO ASKING?"

James looked at her with an I-don't-know-what-I-did-wrong look. "Um," he said, "Are you okay Evans?"

"NO, I'M NOT!" she shouted. "BUT I WILL BE WHEN YOU GO AWAY!"

"I guess that's a no, then?" James smirked.

"DAMN RIGHT IT IS!" yelled Lily, drawing her wand.

"All right, all right, no need to hex me," said James, looking at her with admiration. He walked back over to his friends.

"Any luck, mate?" Sirius asked. "I'm guessing your answer's no, since I could hear her screaming at you from a mile away."

"Yeah, she's got some temper," James grinned. "That's why I love her, though."

The memory faded, and Sirius and Remus looked at Harry for his reaction. "Wow," Harry said simply. "She really didn't like him very much, did she?"

"Nope," Sirius chortled. "But your dad didn't have much of a style with girls at that point in time. That was in our third year."

Another scene began to take shape around them. This time they were in the boys' dormitory. Remus was sitting on his bed, and he seemed to be deep in thought.

Suddenly, the younger James, Sirius, and Peter walked into the room. "Colloportus!" James said, securing the door with a locking spell. "Remus, mate, we need to talk," he said seriously.

"Ah, I know when this was," said the present-day Sirius from beside Harry. "This was in our second year."

"What's the problem, guys?" the younger Remus asked.

"We don't know how to say this to you, Rem," Peter said, "but we might as well just go ahead and say it. We know what you are. We know you're a werewolf and that you transform every full moon."

"James and I worked it out, and then let Peter in on it," said Sirius.

Remus's face went white. He got to his feet and was looking like he was about to unlock the door.

"Mate, where are you going?" James asked, concerned.

"I'm leaving," Remus said flatly. "You know what I am now, so I guess you don't want to stay with me anymore."

"WHAT!" exclaimed Sirius. "Remus John Lupin, you're staying right here! Don't move a muscle!"

Remus began to shake. "Look, I know what you think of me," he cried. "Just let me go. I'm sorry you had to share a room with a monster."

The three other Marauders rushed over to Remus. "Remmy, mate, listen to us," James said. "You've got it totally wrong. We don't care that you're a werewolf."

"Wh-what?" Remus said, utterly shocked.

"We don't care," Sirius told him firmly. "It doesn't matter to us."

"Because after all," Peter said, "you're still Remus. You're still the same person you were yesterday, before we knew for sure."

"But surely ..." Remus gasped. "Guys, you know what a werewolf is, don't you? I'm a bloodthirsty monster once a month! I could kill any one of you!"

"But we know Dumbledore's set up precautions," James told him. "We figured it out. You go to the Shrieking Shack, don't you? The place isn't haunted after all. That's you."

Remus looked even more shocked. "How did you ..."

Sirius rummaged around in his trunk and took out a piece of paper. "This," he said, showing it to Remus. "This is a lunar chart that James and I made. We noticed you were always away on full moon, and you always came back looking exhausted. And we always saw articles in the Daily Prophet about the strange noises in the Shrieking Shack the day after full moon."

"Wow," said Remus. "I don't believe it!"

"Mate, why didn't you tell us?" James asked gently. "We're all friends here, we wouldn't have abandoned you over this. Friendship is unconditional. That's something my mum always says."

Remus looked overwhelmed. "I was bitten when I was five," he explained. "And whenever anyone found out what I was, they didn't want to be friends with me anymore. I figured that at Hogwarts, I'd have no friends either. I'm a monster, I don't deserve any."

The three others looked appalled. "Nonsense!" Sirius cried. "Of course you deserve friends! Everyone does. And all the people who abandoned you are just stupid. We're not like that."

"And you're not a monster," said James, making direct eye contact with Remus. "Just because you're not yourself once a month, that doesn't make you a monster. It's out of your control."

"We want to help," said Sirius. "To try and make this better for you."

"Thank you," Remus said, looking choked up. "But there's no way you can."

"Wanna bet?" said James. "Where there's a will, there's a way. We'll find something, won't we, Pete, Siri?"

"Yeah," chimed Sirius and Peter.

Remus suddenly burst into tears. He looked so moved that three people were willing to stay friends with him even after this revelation. Harry was surprised that his guardians were willing to share such a highly emotional moment, but they were both smiling, which meant they were totally comfortable with it.

"Oh, don't cry, Rem," said James softly. He went over to his friend and embraced him, and Sirius and Peter joined in. It was the sweetest group hug ever; they all clung to each other as Remus sobbed his heart out.

When his tears slowed, he looked at his friends and said, "Y-you guys truly don't know what this means to me. I've never had real friends before."

"Well, you do now," Sirius grinned.

"And we'll always be friends," said James. "Let's make a pact, boys. Let's say we'll never stop being friends. We'll stay together through thick and thin, trust each other, never betray each other, and never keep secrets from each other." He put his hand on his bed, which was very near to where the four were standing. Sirius laid his hand on top of James's, and then Remus did the same, with Peter following.

"Friends forever," James said.

"Friends forever," Sirius beamed.

"Forever," Remus agreed.

"Forever," Peter chimed.

They held their hands in place for a moment, and then lifted them. "Anyone wanna play a game of Exploding Snap?" Sirius asked.

"Yeah, why not?" James said, and the scene began to fade around them.

"How do we go back?" said Harry.

"Just lift your wand hand and say "out,"" Remus told him.

So all three did, and they were rising, rising, rising...''and then they found themselves back in Harry's bedroom. "Wow," Harry exclaimed. "Sounds like you four were really, really close."

"We were," said Remus, his eyes shining. It made him feel those emotions all over again, going back into that moment and seeing the reactions of his friends to his lycanthropy. He'd never trade all those good years for anything.

xxx

As Harry went to bed that night, he thought about his own friends. Ron and Hermione had been with him through everything too, through all the regular routines of Hogwarts. They'd stayed loyal to him through every Voldemort experience he'd had, and they'd gone into danger together. Ginny had just become a recent friend of his, and they found they'd shared a deep connection because they'd both been terribly hurt before. Harry sincerely hoped that he, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny would always stay friends, that they wouldn't fall apart like the Marauders had, suspecting each other of betrayal and arguing amongst themselves. He knew that the strain of things like war could do that to people, and hoped that he and his friends were strong enough to survive it all with their friendship still intact.

He then thought about his guardians, how Sirius and remus were doing everything to help him through the trials and tribulations that were thrown his way. He knew that seeing his uncle again would be terribly difficult, but he knew deep down that he could get through anything with those two by his side. They were the most loyal people you could ever meet, and Harry was lucky to have them. With these happy thoughts in mind, he fell into a relaxing sleep with no nightmares.