Summary of last Chapter:

- A mysterious character called Evelyn McPhillips reminisces about her life

- Arcturus Black witnesses Minister Jenkins hold a press conference where she admits she is not qualified for the situation and resignes from office which Arcturus respects

- Despite him being expected to vote for Benjamin Nott, Arcturus Black helps Harold Minchum to power

- The Marauders achieve being animagi and complete the Marauders' Map

- Peter asks the group to stop harassing Severus Snape that much, Remus abstains while Sirius supports Peter to the surprise and brief anger of James before he grudgingly accepts to stop targeting Severus Snape so much

Chapter 8:

I'd love some comments y'all, this is pretty much my first attempt at creating something like this so yeah feedback would be nice.

Also: Searching for a female beta reader. Why female? Well one of the mc's is gonna be a girl and since I am a young man (emphasis on young) who is a loner and thus has little to no experience with girls I want to avoid making common mistakes that happen when men write women. So yeah a female beta reader would be awesome.

25th December 1975, England, Black Manor:

„Sirius!" Sirius heard his father shout throug the halls of the manor „Get your Gryffindor ass in my study!" Sirius grinned. His father was finally getting more creative. 'How times can change' Sirius mused 'I would have been offended by such a comment just a year ago and now I'd laugh about it'. Sirius and his father had now a far better relationship than they had a year ago and Sirius was really glad that it happened. He could have passed on the whole cruciatus thing but wasn't going to badmouth the results. He entered the

study and asked „I heard my old man wants to see me?"

„OLD!? Young man I am only in my 40s" his father said with a grin but became somber „Tell your friends that they are expected to come by in two days at sunrise. No this is not negotiable your grandfather and I need to have a talk with you four as a group". Sirius gulped and knew that this was not the time to play jokes so he simply nodded and left the room.

The marauders found themselves in Black Manor 2 days later. They glanced nervously at eachother, having no idea why Lord Black wanted them here. Only Sirius was somewhat relaxed, he knew that his grandfather wouldn't hurt his friends but he had no idea why his friends were here either.

Explosions rocked the manor and a female sounding scream was heard throughout the manor. The marauders glanced at eachother before they sprinted through the hallway with James and Sirius at the front while Remus and Peter were a bit more cautious. They heard a few more explosions and knew that they were coming nearer. When James and Sirius entered a large room they only saw Arcturus Black shooting a spell at them before everything went black. Remus and Peter who entered 3 seconds later managed to bring up shields just in time but were ambushed by Orion who appeared from underneath a invisibility cloak and fell to the ground like potato sacks just a second later.

The Marauders woke up after they were dosed in dozens of buckets of water.

Sputtering they oriented themselves and saw Arcturus and Orion Black in front of them, looking at them with a face that showed their disappointment.

„Really?" drawled Lord Black „These are the Marauders? The infamous pranksters of Hogwarts? Even if you're just fifth years, I expected better of you than just running into what you assumed to be a danger zone without covering yourselves and making sure that you weren't gonna get ambushed"

They hung their heads in shame knowing that, if this had been a serious fight, that they would be dead or worse captured by death eaters. Sirius shuddered at the thought, being Heir Black (which still flummoxed him as to why his grandfather hadn't made Regulus the heir years ago) ensured that he would have been kept as a hostage in order to get some sort of concession from house Black. James (as heir Potter) would have been in the same situation, maybe even a worse one since the Potters were a light family while the Blacks were a dark one. Remus and Peter would probably have been killed though and he knew that they knew that. James quickly got his courage back and lifted his head staring defiantly at his elders

„And how do you think we should have done this? We had barely a second after coming into this room to react" he complained.

„While it is understandable that under a second of time isn't enough time for the fifth year to bring up a shield you aren't average fifth years, no not even you Mr. Pettigrew. What you should have done is first, asking Kreacher what caused the explosions and if he confirmed that there were intruders or another fight of some sort then it would be admirable if you came but even then you should have made sure that a room was clear of danger" Orion continued chastising them and even James was cowed. Arcturus stepped forward „The gravest mistake you did however is not go in as a group. James and Sirius you were too far ahead from Remus and Peter." he said. Now it was Orion who stepped forward as Arcturus made a step backwards.

„Now to why you 4 are here. As the war, and yes this situation is turning into a war, continues to escalate Sirius and James will be under more and more danger as they are the heirs to prominent pureblood families. Remus and Peter will also be in some danger as they are known friends. Now, you 4 are good for fifth years but that won't be enough when you leave Hogwarts. I don't know what Remus and Peter will do but it seems likely that you will join your headmasters little band of vigilantes and thus you'll get into danger. What we're going to do is train you and we're going to play to your strengths at first but will branch out more later to make you more versatile fighters.

Arcturus and I have quitely asked your teachers to get to know your strenghts. Sirius, you seem to be very good at offensive spells so you're going to be tutored in battle magic along with the dark arts, don't look at me like that you know it is necessary. Oh and before I forget to tell you, your grandfather will teach you. James, Professor McGonagall told us that you're almost a prodigy when it comes to transfiguration and since my mother Melania is a transfigurations mistress she is going to tutor you. Remus, almost all your teachers generally praise you for being very studious but you seem to feel more at home with Runes so we're going to get you tutors for that. Additionally, since you are a werewolf (yes we are aware of your furry little problem and no Sirius didn't snitch on you) we will look into getting a martial arts teacher. Your enhanced physique (if applied correctly) could help you more than you think. We are likely going to ask my cousin Alphard to teach you in Runes but don't have a martial arts tutor for you, yet. Peter, you are generally being regarded as the weakest link of the group when it comes to magical power and skill with a wand. I can see that it embarrasses you but you have to make do with the cards you get. Don't feel too bad though since your skills in potions seem to make up for your lack of magical power. According to Professor Slughorn atleast but he knows his stuff so I'm gonna trust his evaluation of you. I will be personally tutoring you to make a fine potioneer out of you someday. We'll also see if you have potential in healing so I've called my dear sister Lucretia who worked in St. Mungos in the past to come here in the summer to teach you. Yes we'll teach you during the summer holidays as the winter holidays don't give us enough time for it.

Come back here again in the coming days before you go back to Hogwarts and we will give you the books necessary to start your practical training in the summer. Don't show them to anyone other than a member of your group and make sure not to lose them. These are from the Black library and considered sacred so We. Want. Them. Back in the summer, understood?... Good now off you go, I'm sure you want to have discussion amongst your little group of pranksters." he said before leaving the room with Arcturus and leaving 4 speechless teenaged boys behind. The coming summer was going to be interesting.

2 days later:

Peter couldn't believe it, finally someone other than his friends was complimenting him for something he actually was good at. He knew that he wasn't nearly as good with a wand as the other 3 marauders but potions? Potions didn't need a wand to brew potions. He sighed, it felt very relieving that an actual adult didn't see him as a shadow to the 'true' marauders no Sirius' father was actually seeing potential in him and because of that he would do his best to make his future teacher proud of him. He didn't know it yet but he would eventually come to admire his friend's dad and see him as a father figure. He would eventually be amongst the group of people that would grieve the most after Orion Black's death. It would change his fate forever.

James didn't quite know what to think of the Blacks and this new development. Sirius had always told of how horrible his family were and Sirius' mother certainly was in the end (seriously who the hell cruciates their own son?) but his father and grandfather really seemed like good blokes. Maybe this was a trap and they just pretended to be alright but it really didn't looked like that. He'd have to ask his parents for their opinion on what he should do.

Remus was suspicious about his friend's family at first and thus, when he went back to get the books he would need, asked them why they didn't report him to the ministry once they found out about his status.

Flashback to yesterday:

„I can see that you don't quite trust us yet Remus" said Arcturus after he had observed the teenager for a while „What's the issue?" he asked Remus.

„I just don't understand why you didn't report me to the ministry. The general public doesn't know I am a werewolf after all and the Black family is famous for hating anything not pureblood which includes half breeds and dark creatures... unless you did and you just didn't tell me" Remus replied and Arcturus ran his hand over his head.

„Look I can understand your concerns but you don't really have to worry about it. You are Sirius' friend there's that of course and we'd hate to harm our new relationship with him because we ratted you out to the ministry. Besides it wouldn't really get us anything in the first place. The most important reason however is that we don't see you as a threat. Now don't look at me like that I know that werewolves are dangerous and that's why I generally support werewolf laws, however the ministry is partially responsible for the entire situation in the first place. Some of the laws are too harsh and push a part of the werewolves (many of which were turned against their will) into violence and crime in their desperation to make a living... or into the camps of werewolves like Greyback. And those are the biggest problem against which the laws were enacted in the first place. Werewolves like Greyback hunt muggles and magicals alike or even turn them into new werewolves for fun. Greyback is especially known for getting off on turning children into werewolves and from your reaction to the name I can see that he got to you aswell at some point. However, while Greyback is certianly the most famous and viscous of them he is far from the only one participating in those vile acts. Those werewolves are the ones that the public needs to be defended against, those werewolves are the ones that need to be taken out and those werewolves are the ones that I hate with every fibre of my being. But you Remus? You are certainly not part of that group. I asked around your teachers to get an impression of you and this is what they told me. You are generally described as a person that is kind, calm, helpful and maybe even a little shy. That's why it would be senseless to report you to the ministry. That's why we didn't and won't mention your condition to anyone else in the family aswell. Because you Remus are no threat to society. If anything I see in you the potential to greatly benifit society with the skills you could have someday."

Arcturus preached, passionately at the beginning and turning soft at the end.

Remus didn't know what to say, he was left speechless. To prevent an embarrassing situation he nodded at Arcuturus in understanding and left the manor with the books as fast as he could.

Flashback end

**Chapter End**

Characters in this chapter and the amount of chapters they have been in:

- Sirius Black (5)

- Orion Black (6)

- Arcturus Black (6)

- James Potter (3)

- Remus Lupin (3)

- Peter Pettigrew (3)