Ramona sits down for another detention. The professors realising the four Gryffindor's are trouble always split them up in detentions. For Ramona it's her own personal torture, the potion lab. Tonight it's four students in attendance in this detention.
"Miss Lupin, we have to stop meeting this way."
Ramona sneers in annoyance then turns to Malfoy and gives a mocking nod, "Malfoy."
Malfoy stands up and decides to sit next to Ramona.
"What have I ever done to deserve such hostility .. You know, Dumbledore does you such a disservice." Malfoy then waves his hand dismissively, "But this is Dumbledore I am talking about."
The way Malfoy sneers the headmasters name rubs Ramona the wrong way.
"How so?" hisses Ramona.
Malfoy sighs dramatically, "What do you think will come of you when you leave Hogwarts? No job will be waiting for you, Merlin forbid you'll have to join the muggle world. Dumbledore insists on giving you false hope. You will never belong."
Ramona lifts an eyebrow in scorn, "You really are under the delusion that Dumbledore is that stupid as to allow a Werewolf into a school for children?"
Lucius chuckles darkly, "You will find out I am hardly ever wrong. There is no denying you are .. a Wolf."
The troublemakers and Ramona are all sitting around the common room throwing ideas back and forth about pranks. In a break in the conversation Ramona brings up the subject that is troubling her. Malfoy. He is becoming a threat and an annoyance. Ramona suggests they focus pranks on Malfoy and his friends.
Black laughs at that, "I would love to get at that family." Black shutters, "You should hear the stories about that family."
Ramona nods and looks Black way, "He knows."
"BUT HE has connections, I don't think he should be touched," adds Peter.
James runs his hand through his hair then claps his hands, "Great idea Peter we need to do this anonymously .. under a code name perhaps."
"Operation troublemakers," says Ramona then smirks.
There are outcries of disagreements, they argue back and forth about the code name.
"Marauders," whispers James.
Marauders it is.
The students embark off the train to platform nine and three quarters. Ramona is stressed and has tears forming in her eyes, the rest of her year was amazing and going home scares her. The Marauders became known and they used their pranks to attack the school, particularly playing close attention .. to Malfoy. Her marks were extremely high in defence and transfiguration but quite lacking in potions, Ramona failed dismally in brewing and only her theory work saved her from repeating that subject. The only subject Ramona came first in was defence, Mary to Ramona's annoyance came first in Herb. Quite predictably Severus came first in potions followed closely by Lily.
As expected the Defence teacher left crying 'I CAN'T WORK under these conditions .. Merlin I hate you Marauders! I QUIT'. To which the four laughed and felt the Defence teacher deserved it for being so horrid at being a teacher.
"Remy, are you OK?" asks James.
Ramona forces a fake smile on her face, "I'll be alright."
Ramona sees her parents and sees the stern looks. Ramona realises her parents must have had another fight. Ramona grabs her trunk and makes her way over not wanting them to be more annoyed with her than they already seem to be.
Ramona's father gives a slight nod then takes the trunk and leads to the floo network line. After travelling through the fireplace to go home Ramona feels no comfort or feeling of home.
"So Father and mother how have you two been?"
Ramona notices her parents are still as pale as ever so they haven't got much sunlight. Her father sighs and pinches his nose in stress.
"Ramona, I get many reports about your behaviour. This has to end! How many times did you get detention and you didn't learn! It's a huge risk for you to be even there and you spit in the teachers and our faces. If you're not going to take your schooling seriously you shouldn't be there."
Ramona is a little taken back with this particular scolding because Ramona takes her education very seriously, which is why she got O's in all her examinations apart from potions. The Marauders may like their pranks but they are not failures in school work. James got all O's apart from herb, Sirius got all O's apart from potions and Peter got all O's apart from Transfiguration. They worked together and made study fun and made sure they helped each other.
"Did you get my results?" whispers Ramona in reply.
"RESULTS, why should your results matter when you attract so much attention to yourself. You need to keep your head down. I know that may sound harsh to you but IF you draw too much attention it could led to consequences to you and to your mother and I."
Ramona nods sadly at her father's words, "Yes father, sorry father."
In the days that followed it seems to Ramona that she can't do anything right in her parents eye. Ramona and her Father do practice duels to make sure Ramona is able to protect herself from hunters. Ramona's skill in dueling hadn't improved much because the bad defence teacher mostly taught theory and a lot of mundane gossip.
Today is the first full moon of the summer break and Ramona is scared. It's the first full moon her parents has had to deal with for almost a year.
"Perhaps I could go to Hogwarts? .. The place I .."
At her father's look Ramona can't continue and looks down. Ramona grinds her teeth. The rest of the day is filled with Ramona working on her homework the three ignoring each other. Ramona works on her homework sitting in the double seated swing chair on the porch.
Hey Remy, good luck with tonight mate. Thinking of you. Siri
Hello Ramona, such good weather today! Practicing for quidditch. Hoping to make the team, as you know. I hope everything goes well tonight. James.
Hey hey Remi, I was wondering if you could go over my charms homework that's attached? Thanks, you're a lifesaver, also I hope tonight goes OK. Let me know how you are tomorrow OK! Peter.