A/N: And here's chapter thirteen...some say unlucky thirteen....what bad luck will our heroes be in for this time.....:D
review responses:
Geniia: Thank you! Yeah, I was nervous, cause this is quite a pivotal moment in the Marauders lives, and I wanted to get it just right, I'm so relieved that everyone likes it! I know, I found myself tearing up a little when I was writing Remus' reaction, I just had this image of a sandy haired little boy with tears in his eyes :( but it's all okay now, they still love him :D Yeah, well I kinda of thought Peter would be the more cautious and nervous one, and we know he idolized James and Sirius, so I can imagine he wouldn't have said it was okay (even if to him it was) until the other two did. That's just my opinion anyway, so well spotted! Thanks so much for reading and reviewing, and I'm so happy you liked the chapter! Enjoy the next one!
000kayko000: Thanks, glad you liked it! I know, poor Remus, but they've accepted him! Yay! Thanks for reviewing and reading, hope you enjoy the next chapter :D
neive lillrose: Thank you! I'm glad you liked it :) Yeah, Remus' part to write was sad, but it ended well :) Lily will realise, don't worry, she has to! The story will go all the way to their seventh year, so we still have five years to go :) Peter is a slimeball, but I figured he must have been a good guy at some point, he was a Marauder after all. But he got his comeuppance in the end! Thanks for reading, reviewing and alerting and all that :D I hope you like the next chapter too!
appleeater123: Wow! Really? I'm sure J.K would have done a better job *blushes* but wow! Thats probably one of the best comments my writing has ever gotten....ever! Thanks you so muhc ofr reading and reviewing, glad you liked it :) Hope you enjoy the next chapter too!
VampireWithTheGoldenEyes: He is rather dim isn't he...atleast for now :( Thank you XD I'm glad you liked it, I hope you like this next chapter (though from the responses I've gotten, it's probably impossible for me to beat!) Thanks for reviewing and reading, as always :)
evershort: Really, it's not a big deal. You've reviewed every chapter so far, and you've been a loyal reader, so I honestly don't mind. Not that I'm not immensely grateful for every single review I get, but you shouldn't feel bad about missing a couple, I know how often real life suddenly catches up on you, there's a couple of times I've found myself strapped for time to even update! I'm glad you liked those lines :D I do try for a bit of humour here and there. I'm really happy you liked the boys finding out about Remus too, incase you didn't know (I think I may have over mentioned it tbh, lol) I was nervous about how the chapter turned out. But it seems to have gone down well. Thank you as always for reading and reviewing (three times in all!!!) and i hope you like this chapter just as much :)
p.s. I positively grinned XD
Fairywolf: Hi Izzy :D Wow, thank you so much, yet another wonderful review from you, they always brighten my day! I try to make the story as exciting as possible, I hope it's working, it seems to be, which is brilliant! I'm so glad you liked the whole werewolf discovery too. Yeah, the potion was called Wolfsbane, but I think since I've mentioned it when they're second years (I'm pretty sure it was fifth year when Remus said he heard of it) I haven't given the name. I'm guessing it wouldn't have been fully developed then, and would probably have been just a rumour...well, that's my thoughts anyway lol. Well, what I have planned is for this story to go up to their seventh year, then to start a seperate story (with the same characters) about their years after Hogwarts and during the First War, leading up to Halloween, 1981. What do you think, good idea? I already have a few scenes for that story written down actually, I find myself randomly scribbling little plotlines down (I already have two marriages planned, a little teaser there :D ), so that's the plan so far, anyway. Thank you once again, for reading and reviewing. I hope you enjoy this next chapter too!
Grace ~ (I've probably mentioned my name already, but there you go!)
quirky-as-alice: When it comes to Lily, I'm sure we're going to see a lot of James' idiotic side! And we still have another five years to go! Haha! Thank you for reading and reviewing, I'm glad you liked it, and please enjoy the next chapter too :)
FishPonysRock: Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it! Hope you liked the next chapter too :)
BloodMoonRising: Thank you so much...the responses for this chapter have been so overwhelming, my heart is simply swelling! My face split into (yet another) grin when I read your review, you guys have all made my day! I'm glad you liked it (of course, feel free to read it as many times as you want :D ) and I'm relieved you liked the way I portrayed the characters and their responses too! I hope you enjoy this next chapter just as much (there's no major discovery's here, but there's a little twist at the end ;) ) Thank you as always for reading and reviewing! Until next time!
splatteredpaint: last, but never least, my longest reviewer :D Thank you! yes, James is a complete idiot when it comes to Lily, just wait until he starts really trying to win her over, I have a lot planned for dear Potter ;) Yeah, I think that before their discovery, they were best friends, but afterwards, they were more brothers. I can imagine that something like that could only bring the four of them closer together, and a lot more trusting of each other. And I know, poor Reg, it's tearing me apart writing his part, I really like him as a character! Thank you so much for reading and reviewing, I'm really glad you enjoyed the chapter, and I hope you enjoy this one too!
Disclaimer: I don't own HP *sigh*, but hey, that doesn't mean that someday I won't own a national (global, even) treasure! Fingers crossed, eh?
The Marauders Tale: The Hogwarts Years
Chapter Thirteen
Too Close to Home
With the revelation that Remus was a werewolf, it seemed the four friends became closer than ever. Even their fellow students and teachers noticed the change, remarking at how trusting the four seemed of each other, and even though they had rarely been seen out of each others company since they had met, the dynamics of their group had definitely changed, that much was certain. Of course, James, Sirius and Peter swore they'd never tell Remus's secret, and Remus believed them. He knew by the way they had reacted, and how they had comforted him, that they would never betray his secret.
However, on the night he was due to leave for the transformation, James, Sirius and Peter discovered the whole truth.
Remus had not long ago left to board the Knight bus to take him home for his transformation. Thanks to the speediness of the bus, he would have plenty of time at home before he transformed. James, Sirius and Peter decided to try and get some homework done, though their thoughts were somewhere else.
"I can't believe he goes through something like that every...you know...I don't think I'd be able to handle it," admitted James as the three friends attempted a particularly nasty essay on Shrinking Solutions they'd been given by Slughorn.
"I wish there was something we could do, we've been researching you-know-what's all week, and nothing," said Sirius irritably.
It was true. The boys had dedicated any free periods they had (without Remus' knowledge) into finding something that could perhaps help him. They had already read about the potion their friend had told them about, however from what they had discovered so far, it was nowhere near ready; it didn't even have a name yet. So far, all they'd managed to find out was that werewolves were extremely dangerous to humans, and should be avoided at all costs, something that when read, extremely angered James. Remus wasn't dangerous at all.
"He shouldn't have to face it alone either," James added, frowning at the thought of their friend in pain. From what they knew, transforming into a werewolf was hardly a bed of roses. Sirius merely shrugged, and turned back to his essay. Normally he wouldn't have bothered with homework, but Remus had made them promise they would get it done, and neither James, Sirius nor Peter could refuse the request on this particular day. But that was Remus for you, always thinking of others even when he was about to go through something truly horrific.
After several more minutes of homework induced silence, the boys were started by Peter squeaking loudly. James and Sirius frowned at their friend, noticing he wasn't staring at them; in fact, he was staring out of the common room window that had sat by.
"What's wrong?" asked James.
Peter turned a stricken and pale face to James and Sirius, "I don't think Remus told us the entire truth," he pointed a shaking finger out of the window. James and Sirius leant over, and looked out.
They didn't understand how they hadn't seen it before. It was dusk, it was starting to get rather dark, but the moon wasn't out yet, and they could just make out Remus and what appeared to be the school nurse Madam Pomfrey scurrying across the grounds...towards the Whomping Willow!
"Why are they going there?" Sirius voiced the question all three of them were thinking, careful not to say anything too loud; there were still several students milling about the common room.
The three friends watched in a mixture of awe and horror as the tree suddenly froze its flailing branches, and Remus and Madam Pomfrey disappeared. Minutes passed in silence, all three boys staring wide eyed out of the window, then Madam Pomfrey reappeared, hurrying away from the tree and back towards the castle.
James glanced at Sirius and Peter, who both seemed to be thinking the same thing. Invisibility cloak...now!
~**~
"I don't understand, how did they get the tree to stop moving?" hissed Sirius. The three friends, hidden under James' invisibility cloak, were staring perplexed at the Whomping Willow. It had been relatively easy to get out into the castle grounds. Curfew hadn't been enforced yet, but they thought it best to remain under the invisibility cloak just in case they ran into a curious teacher or a meddling Evans.
"Maybe it has a password or something?" suggested Peter thoughtfully, tilting his chubby face to the side.
Sirius nodded, and cleared his throat, "Uhhh...werewolf!"
The tree continued to strain towards them, the three boys just out of its reach.
"I don't think it's a password, look," said James. He pointed to a long stick lying on the ground near a small knot in one of the gnarled roots on the tree.
"What're we supposed to do with it?" Peter whispered, glancing nervously around. James shrugged, and stepped forward; making sure the invisibility cloak still covered them all. He grabbed the stick, and did the first thing the popped into his head; prodded the small knot. The tree instantly froze, and James looked at his friends in triumph.
"How did you work that one out?" Sirius asked with a quirked eyebrow.
James shrugged at his friend, "Seems the most logical thing, as Lupin would say."
Sirius chuckled, and turned back to face the now frozen tree.
"Let's go."
"Wait," said Peter, "The moon is already out...he...he's gonna be a werewolf already."
Sirius and James exchanged glances, "Well, we're invisible right? He won't be able to see us," said Sirius.
Peter nodded, but didn't seem thoroughly convinced, however he did follow them.
As they climbed through the opening beneath the Whomping Willow, the three friends came face to face with a rocky tunnel. They nodded silently to each other, and followed the tunnel.
After what seemed like half an hour of walking along the flat surface, the tunnel started to slope upwards. A few more minutes of walking and James spotted a wooden door straight ahead of them, and urged the others to hurry forward.
"Come on, we must be there," he whispered.
James pushed the door open, and stepped into a large hallway. The floorboards were dusty, though James could see one set of footprints leading up a set of rickety looking stairs. The banister was broken in the middle, and James could see a door hanging on by just its hinges.
"Where are we?" asked Sirius.
James shrugged, and proceeded to climb the stairs. He stopped abruptly, as a shrieking howl pierced the air. It fully hit him that wherever they were, they were now in the presence of a werewolf, and though they knew it was Remus, it didn't make the encounter less frightening. James glanced at Sirius, and pulled the invisibility cloak tighter over them.
"I think we'd better go, Remus would never forgive himself if anything ever happened," said James. The others nodded, and quickly made their way back into the tunnel, and back to the castle.
~**~
"Why do you think he wouldn't tell us he stayed at school for the full moon?"
James, Sirius and Peter were now making their way back to the Gryffindor common room, having sprinted away from the Whomping Willow as fast as possible. Feeling they were safe enough, they had uncovered themselves, James keeping the invisibility cloak tucked under his cloak.
Sirius shrugged, "Probably 'cause he knew we'd wanna see where it was."
James rolled his eyes, but grinned, "He knows us too well, we can't surprise him anymore."
Sirius laughed, "Shame, guess we'll have to be more inventive if we ever wanna trick him."
Beside the boys, Peter was remaining quiet, as he often did. He wasn't as confident as the boys, though he did have his moments.
"Don't you think it's a little dangerous, having a werewolf in the grounds?"
James and Sirius stopped abruptly, and whipped around to face a now cowering Peter.
"What, you think Remus is dangerous?" hissed Sirius, his eyes flashing dangerously.
"N – n – no," stammered Peter, "I – I just m – meant...when he...he's transformed."
James frowned at Peter, "He's in that house, wherever it is, and we walked for nearly an hour, he's nowhere near us," he stated simply, leaving no room for argument. Peter merely nodded, and after casting his eyes downward, followed the boys back to the common room. James felt a little sorry for Peter; after all, he was only voicing a concern, though did he really think Dumbledore wouldn't take every necessary precaution possible?
~**~
James, Sirius and Peter never told Remus they knew where he really went every month. They didn't want him to think they were following him, or didn't trust him. Although it was big news, the four friend's lives remained mostly the same.
James, Sirius and Remus continued to get top marks in their classes, whilst Peter got reasonably good marks with a little help and extra studying with his friends. James and Sirius continued causing a little mayhem here and there for good measure, and even Remus seemed to be getting into the mischief making business by suggesting a few pranks himself. Even Peter, who normally just went along with it, came up with a couple of his own.
James and the rest of the team maintained their excellence in their Quidditch practices, all of them sure they would have a good shot at winning. Jonny, however, seemed to be getting a little obsessed, and had booked the pitch four nights a week for training, leaving little time for homework, and barely anytime at all for recreation.
However, the four friends still managed their night time explorations of the castle and its grounds, and even found a new secret passage, aside from the Whomping Willow (which they, of course, didn't tell Remus about); the one they found was on the first floor behind a suit of armour that only opened if you tapped the armour seven times. This passage led out of the castle and into the Forbidden Forest via an underground tunnel; however the boys had seen Filch hanging around the suit of armour, and were convinced he knew about it too.
True to his idea, Sirius scribbled down the location of their discovery, and also a couple of doors hidden behind tapestries they'd found one night. Remus had joked that he reckoned Sirius was going to draw a map of the entire place, however they knew it was impossible; plus there was still so much to discover!
Lily and James seemed to have reached an unspoken agreement not to even acknowledge each other. Lily simply ignored James completely, whilst James merely kept out of her way. He'd also kept his word to McGonagall, and had stayed clear of Snape...for the meanwhile.
All in all, James seemed to be having a rather good start to the year. He'd made the Quidditch team, discovered his best friend was a werewolf, and found two new secret passages all in the first two months of term. It was shaping up to be a pretty exciting year indeed.
~**~
"All right team, this is it."
Jonathan led his team down the tunnel leading to the Quidditch pitch. James glanced at Sirius, who looked just as pale as he was sure he was. Nerves. Their first match of the season was against Slytherin, who had quite a formidable team.
There were no new additions to their team this year, most of the team consisted of burly sixth and seventh years with far more brawn than brains. The captain, Gary Flint, was a tall, muscular seventh year with dark black hair and an ever present scowl on his face. He and Jonny had had several 'run ins' on the Quidditch pitch before, starting when Jonny joined the team in second year and had taken a bludger to the head three minutes in courtesy of Flint.
The Gryffindor team stepped out into the bright December sunlight to a cacophony of cheers from Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. The boos and hisses of the Slytherin's could also be heard, not ones to be outdone.
Jonny and Flint shook hands briefly, staring daggers at each other as they did so. Madam Hooch stepped in between the two, and released the bludgers and the snitch. James felt Kelly stir beside him, clearly itching to go. Sirius and Geoffrey had their bats at the ready. Hooch smiled at the teams, then tossed the Quaffle into the air. The game had begun.
~**~
"...and it's Potter to Knight, younger sister of our beloved captain who has put together quite a strong team this year..." Fabian Prewett, Gryffindor and one of Jonny's best friends was commentating. Gryffindor were leading 50-40, however the Slytherin team had taken to playing dirty in their desperation to win. Already, James had twice narrowly avoided being hit in the head by a bludger, saved at the last moment by Sirius, who seemed more determined to hit the Slytherin's than actually defend his teammates.
"....and Knight passes to Brown, who streaks up towards the goal, that's a nice bludger by Black, clearing a path for Brown who passes to Potter..."
James sped towards the Slytherin goals, the Quaffle tucked under his arm. He spotted Holly already there, and tossed the Quaffle...
"KNIGHT SCORES! That's 60-40 to Gryffindor!"
Holly did a quick celebratory lap, then sped off after Jerome Tanks, Slytherin's best chaser.
James started after her, but spotted Kelly pulling into a spectacular dive.
The game seemed forgotten and players and audience alike watched on bated breath as Jess and Thomas Jenkins were neck and neck. Kelly stretched her hand as far as she could, her fingers desperately scrabbling for the tiny golden ball....
"BROWN CATCHES THE SNITCH! GRYFFINDOR WIN!"
James punched the air and sped towards Kelly and the team who were slowly descending in a great pile towards the ground. James spotted Remus and Peter sprinting towards them, waving Gryffindor flags frantically and calling Kelly's name.
"PARTY IN THE COMMON ROOM!" cried Sirius as he and Jonny did a strange celebratory dance. Holly jumped onto her cousin's back, screaming and laughing. James had never felt happier than he did at that moment.
The party was in full swing when James, Sirius and Holly returned from their showers. It lasted well into the night, until Professor McGonagall, although elated that the team had won, showed up to send everybody (including a protesting Sirius Black) to bed.
James had been surprised to see Lily join in, since she was such an advocate for following rules and such. He had assumed she had only gone along with it for Holly, but she genuinely seemed to have enjoyed herself.
Although, thinking of Lily only brought him sadness. She still wasn't talking to him, and it seemed it would quite a long time until she did. It won't always be this way, he thought. She'd like him someday, it might take a while, but James Potter wasn't ready to give up on Lily Evans just yet.
~**~
James, Sirius, Remus and Peter grabbed a compartment to themselves on the train ride home. The four boys passed away the time playing exploding snap, plotting further ways to annoy their teachers and of course coming up with new ways to torture the Slytherins. Remus was still finding it hard to believe his friends had accepted him for what he was. Rather than drive them away, Remus's 'furry little problem' that Sirius so kindly dubbed it one evening had only brought the closer together, cementing them not only as friends, but as brothers.
The door to their compartment slid open, and four small girls slipped in, giggling loudly.
"Can we help you?" asked Sirius, quirking an eyebrow. Chris shushed him, and glanced though the small gap in the door.
"They're gone, phew!" giggled Bridget.
"Who's gone?" asked James.
"Tim Stebbins and his mates," replied Holly as the four girls sat down, "He's been harassing us since we left Hogwarts."
"What do you mean 'harassing'?" asked James with narrowed eyes.
"Tim fancies Lily," Chris announced.
"What!" James cried. Lily glared at James, and turned back to Chris.
"I said don't tell anyone," she hissed.
"Ooops, sorry," Chris grinned sheepishly. Lily rolled her eyes, but failed to hide her smirk.
"Calm down James, she doesn't like him," chuckled Holly, earning herself a glare from James.
"Anyway, it's not just Lily, Steven Wilsey actually asked Holly out!" countered Bridget, looking rather excited.
"Boy, those Ravenclaws don't hang around," muttered Sirius darkly. Remus threw him a confused look, and Sirius merely shrugged. The boys returned to their previous tasks, whilst the girls began chatting amongst themselves, most likely about the Ravenclaw boys.
The train ride continued uneventfully. Lily neither spoke to, nor acknowledged James. Holly simply answered any questions directed to her by Sirius rather icily, and Chris and Bridget seemed to just get along with everyone.
All too soon, the train pulled into Kings Cross station and the seven Gryffindors bade goodbye and headed home with their parents for Christmas.
~**~
In the quaint little village of Mould-on-the-Would, a small pocket of witches and wizards had built their homes grouped together. Over the years, Muggles had moved to the area, though to this day, the village remained one of the only places in England to still be mostly populated by those of magical blood.
The village was rather picturesque. Large stone cottages covered in ivy lined the cobbles streets, with small, overgrown front gardens making the area look rather mysterious, as many a Muggle had commented.
At number 4, on a street named Wicket Way, Holly Knight and her family prepared for the upcoming Christmas celebration. This year they would be hosting the annual Potter get together, before travelling back up to Godric's Hollow for the Potter's New Years Eve party. Well, most of them would, Holly would be remaining behind, the twelve year old deemed too young to attend the party, much to her annoyance. Luckily, James Potter, her cousin, would be spending the night, along with her older brother Jonny; the rule was until you were of age, Potter or not, you weren't allowed to the party.
Outside, snow had already begun to fall. The wind was picking up a lightly, causing the tiny white snowflakes to swirl in a mesmerising dance against the blackened night sky. Living near the village centre, the large Christmas tree could be seen clearly from the Knight's living room, red and gold and green and as many coloured lights imaginable twinkling merrily back at them. Baubles the size of your head hung (by magic, of course) from the spiky green branches, and at the very top, many, many feet up, a bright golden star shone far brighter than even it's real life counterparts.
In short, Mould-on-the-Would, at Christmas, looked like the perfect Christmas card scene.
"Holly! Can you let Vespa out!" came the screech of Mrs Knight. Holly sniggered; she loved her mother to death, but Merlin did she have a pair of lungs on her.
"You're the one who said keep her in on Christmas Eve!" Holly called back, dodging a bauble her brother chucked at her as she entered the hall.
The Knight's, like the Potter's, were a well off family, living comfortably in a larger than needed house, in a particularly famous wizarding village. George and Elizabeth Potter, Holly's grandparents, had been celebrated Aurors, both coming from wealthy pure-blooded families, thus allowing their children, Harold and Ivy to be considerably well off.
After releasing her midnight black owl (Holly swore she had never seen a more beautiful creature, though Jonny would often argue his toad, named after Friar Tuck, a character in a wonderful little Muggle story their father had read to them as a child, was far easier on the eyes), she returned to her living room, where her older brother was currently shaking presents, trying to decipher each rattle and shake.
"Quidditch gloves," she heard him reply absently, and shaking her head, Holly retreated to the kitchen.
Because her father was a muggle, Holly's mother had learnt, and now insisted, that cooking be done the Muggle way. From what her uncle and aunt had told her, Mrs Knight had had a hard time adjusting, but thankfully picked it up in the end. Currently, her mother was placing a fat turkey in the oven, whilst her father, flowery apron and all, was dicing various vegetables.
"Looks nice," the dark haired girl commented, eyeing the variety of fresh vegetables cluttering the kitchen benches, "What time are Uncle Harry and the others coming?"
"Probably around eleven," Mrs Knight answered absently, waving her wand at the sink (she never washed up the Muggle way).
Holly nodded, and after grabbing a carrot stick, wandered back into the living room, where her brother had seemingly finished trying to hear what his presents her, and had moved onto Holly's.
"I think the Potter's have sent you a Quaffle," Jonny said, placing a large present back onto the ground, "Sounds like it, anyway."
Holly quirked an eyebrow, "How can you know the sound of a Quaffle?"
Jonny winked at his sister, and returned to his task, "Years of practice, Jolly."
Holly rolled her eyes and collapsed into the squashy crimson sofa, kicking her legs up on the coffee table and grabbing her mother's copy of Witch Weekly.
No one quite noticed the flashes of light at first. The Knights weren't really paying attention. Jonny was still wrapped up in his present guessing game, Holly still immersed in her magazine, and both of their parents still busy in the kitchen.
It was only when they heard the screams, that they knew something was wrong.
"What the bloody hell was that?!" Jonny jumped to his feet and ran to the living room
Window, closely followed by his sister, and yanked back the lacy nets. Just past the large Christmas tree in the village square, the Knight children watched in a mixture of awe and fear as a large group of cloaked people moved from house to house, flashes of red and green and gold lighting up the sky.
"Kids, get away from the window!" Mrs Knight came bursting into the living room, followed seconds later by her husband as a second terrified scream pierced the otherwise calm air. Mrs Knight already had her wand out, and was racing towards the front door. Holly looked fearfully at her brother, whose face was unreadable.
"Mum! What's going on!?" Holly cried, running after her mother.
"Get inside Holly!" Mrs Knight called back, sprinting down the garden path and out the front gate. Holly watched helplessly as her mother ran towards what was presumably some sort of battle.
"Voldemort," she whispered, feeling as though the air had been knocked out of her. She barely registered whoever it was shoving her out of the way, and only when a loud bang snapped her from her reverie, did she realise it was Jonny.
"Jonny, no! Get back here!"
"Floo to Uncle Harry's!" he called back, and with that, disappeared into the street. Holly stood stock still for a moment, her eyes glued to the growing crowd of people. She could just make out ther faces, it seemed witches and wizards were suddenly apparating to the scene of the attack.
"Holly! Holly, get in here!"
Holly whimpered slightly, and turned to go back inside and take her father to safety. He was a Muggle, and clearly in very grave danger.
But just as she turned to head back inside, Holly could have sworn she saw the flash of a silver beard.
What do you think? Any good? Let me know :)
I hope you've all enjoyed the chapter, and I'd like once more to thank everybody for the amazing reviews on the last chapter. I'm still a little awestruck, if I'm honest!
