Chapter 8- The Lions and the Rat *Harry*

The young Marauders look exactly like they did in the photographs. I try to speak, but the words just won't come. I think I've forgotten how to breathe.

"Hello, do you think you can help us? We're new here, just arrived late. Portkey was dodgy actually, so we landed in a corridor downstairs. We went to Dumbledore's office and got Sorted into Gryffindor, but he didn't actually tell us where the Common Room is. We should be with the seventh years; I'm Hermione, and this is Harry." She sticks out her hand for them to shake. Brightest Witch of Her Age to the rescue, as usual.

They look at each other, more than a little surprised at this speech, but introduce themselves anyway. "I'm James. This git," said Marauder poked his best mate in the side, and continued above his protests, "Is Sirius, and the brainy guy that already sounds like a teacher is Remus. Oh and Peter is here too."

I notice Peter tug on Sirius' sleeve, and start whimpering and stuttering in his ear about spies of all things; the little rat! I feel Hermione's hand on my arm, reminding me not to do anything stupid, and it's the only thing stopping me from tearing Pettigrew limb from limb where he stands.

Sirius nods before turning to Remus and asking quietly what he thinks they should do. He looks at us for a minute, before speaking aloud, "of course we can help. We all know how unpleasant it is to be stuck outside all night." Sirius looks away, quite uncomfortable at this rebuttal. Remus placates him in an undertone I'm probably not supposed to hear;

"This way we can keep an eye on them. They won't want splitting up, we can all have a sleepover in the Common Room. If anything happens, we'll know about it."

We thank him, and James leads the way to the portrait hole. "Caput Draconis" the door swings open and we clamber through. Peter and Remus head straight upstairs, while the remaining two Marauders relax on the armchairs by the fire. I give them a questioning look.

"They're just getting pillows and things," Sirius confirms, "we can all stay down here for the night, unless Hermione would rather go wake up the other seventh year girls. Not a good idea, Lily's a grizzly bear if you disturb her when she's sleeping!" He winks, and is promptly knocked over by the energy of the pillow James flings at him.

"Watch it Padfoot, he's very protective," Remus returns snickering from under heaps of bedding, "I made that mistake the other day, just happened to mention that I found her and James in a broom clos-" "OI!" James tackles him to the ground, but the damage is done and Sirius is howling with mirth.

"Oh Prongs," he gasps, the tears just streaming down his face, "you kept that one quiet!" Wormtail chuckles, and sets down his own load of blankets. I grab the cushions from the now vacant armchairs and join them, as Hermione curls up on the sofa. She looks over at James, who is now making his own fortress of blankets and blushing furiously. "Your girlfriend?"

He nods stiffly, and Remus laughs again. "They only got together recently. He's been asking her out since third year but for some reason she kept saying no," he smirks, knowing he is out of throttling range. If looks could kill, Moony wouldn't be long for this world.

"Yeah, never rejected him the same way twice though; you can't deny she's got imagination. Remember the time in fourth year, when he went to the kitchens and asked the elves to make a special dessert just for Lily, with the words 'Will You Go Out With Me' on it, and it went to Alice by mistake? So she picked it up, they both walked over to us and set it on the table in front of Prongs. Then without even saying anything Lily grabbed him by the hair and rammed his face straight in it!" Sirius begins to shake with the force of his laughter.

James does not look amused. Unfortunately for Peter, he doesn't quite catch on; "That was brilliant. Hey, do you guys remember when he asked her right before Christmas in fifth year?" His eyes are shining with glee, completely missing the fact that James has bypassed red and is slowly turning purple. I probably shouldn't look so enthusiastic, but I can't wait to see what he will do to the rat. "She said nothing, and then just when everyone was having Christmas dinner this Howler appears in the Great Hall, screaming for the entire school to hear that James can't even get a har-"

"PETTIGREW!" Uh oh. Serves him right I guess. At long last Peter catches on and makes to dash out of the room, but James doesn't mess around chasing him. With a flick of his wand Peter is upside down, completely naked apart from his embarrassingly vibrant green and yellow undergarments, and for unknown reasons has turned blue from head to toe. The Common Room fills with our laughter for a while, until James finally relents and lets him down. Remus summons his clothes back, but there's no cure for the blue; that would have to wear off on its own.

I wonder. If he transformed now, would he be stuck as a fat blue rat? I snigger to myself, grabbing a duvet I recognise from Grimmauld Place - Sirius never got rid of his old school things - and wrap myself up in it so I can finally get some sleep. The Marauders start settling down, Hermione already out of it. I think of all the opportunities we have in the past; this could just work out for the better…