This is my version of a retelling of the Marauders Era, beginning from the Snape incident and carrying through to right after Voldemort's fall. I wanted to try and explore the development of the Marauders from the boys we see bullying Snape into the men we know them to become. Hope you enjoy!
James sat in his usual armchair by the fire in the Gryffindor common room, chewing on the end of his quill as he went over the final touches of his transfiguration essay. The head marauder wasn't one for homework, but with transfiguration being his best subject as well as OWLS coming up, he figured the least he could do was give old Minnie the benefit of the doubt and try…a little bit. Sirius didn't share the sentiment, lounging in a chair by the fire, a cigarette hanging out of the corner of his mouth. James sighed, scratching out one of his sentences in frustration, nearly tearing through the parchment as he scribbled a slightly different wording. Sirius glanced over at him and rolled his eyes.
"Relax Prongs, you're going to ace this essay just like you have the last three, what's with the sudden compulsive need for academic achievement?"
"I wouldn't call it compulsive," James responded giving his writing one final look before smirking in approval at his work.
"Impressive though, I'll take. Minnie's not gonna know what hit her with this one." Sirius shrugged, glancing at Peter who was also deep in concentration, but only a few sentences into his own essay.
"Don't hurt yourself Wormy. You're going to get another P anyway, you're better off not earning it." Peter ignored the cutting remark, frowning deeper at his paper as James shoved his into his bag.
He noticed for the first time in nearly an hour of work that their fourth member was still missing.
"Is he still at the library then?" James said, trying and failing to appear uncaring as he snapped his quill in half with the ferocity with which he shoved it into his bag.
"Yeah, still there with Evans isn't he?" Sirius said in a mocking tone, smirking at James who mumbled a: "Shut up."
"Awe what is it Prongs, you jealous that Moony can manage to spend more than five minutes with her without getting lectured?" Sirius mocked again while Peter snorted behind his back.
"Don't you have an essay to finish Wormy?" Sirius said offhandedly.
He then continued talking to James ignoring Peter pouting beside him, saying: "She's not worth the headache Prongs. Honestly, the night's still young, your essay is all done. I say we go out and make some trouble of our own. There are some Slytherin robes in the laundry just begging to be dyed red and gold. What do you say?"
James didn't look entirely convinced, until Sirius followed up with: "I'm fairly certain Snivelly's mum writes his name in all his clothes. He'd look rather dashing in a nice pink don't you agree?"
James smirked at that, turning to Sirius's grinning face, and found it impossible to say no. "Alright, let's go."
The boys headed up to the dorm, having convinced Peter to finish his essay the next morning with Remus' help. They grabbed the Marauders' Map and James' trusty invisibility cloak, as it was far past curfew, and they had no intention to get themselves caught before the deed was done.
James had inherited the cloak from his father as a gift when he first left for Hogwarts in the hopes that he might use it to sneak down to the kitchens and such as James' father had done as a boy. James and his friends tended to use it for more than just midnight snacks, however. As for the other item, well, it was one of their greatest achievements as young wizards, a comprehensive map of Hogwarts castle complete with secret passageways, moving staircase patterns, and the location of anyone and everyone on Hogwarts' grounds. Remus would never tell the others, but he had actually gone to Lily for help with that complicated charm. She hadn't known what it was for, but had been more than happy to help Remus with what he claimed to be a theoretical extra credits assignment, and what the other marauders didn't know wouldn't hurt them.
The boys snuck through the portrait hole, Peter already in his rat form on James' shoulder, him and Sirius' feet peeking out from underneath the cloak, which used to be able to cover all four of them back in first year. They headed to the laundry where, once a week, the House elves of Hogwarts cleaned each houses' robes on rotation. Tonight, they were cleaning the Slytherins'. James had spent the past couple days asking around the castle in order to find out that crucial piece of information, finally landing on the answer when a first year Ravenclaw whose cousin was in Slytherin let him know out of spite. Sirius wasn't the only person considered a blood traitor for avoiding the infamous snake house. Upon entering the laundry, Peter turned back to normal as James and Sirius shed the cloak, and they found it was quite easy to spot the robes sitting in a number of neat piles waiting to be folded while the house elves finished washing and drying the remaining garments.
They approached with bated breath, but the house elves didn't give them a spare glance, far too focused on their work. Unlike the elves in the kitchen determined to hand out snacks to anyone who happened by, these elves had a mission that didn't involve any tasks other than finishing the robe cleaning. James looked at Sirius with his famous half-smile.
"Would you like to do the honors Padfoot my boy?"
"Why certainly, Prongs." Sirius grinned as he muttered the spell, "Colovaria", while Peter looked on with excitement.
The charm wouldn't take effect until the next day, as the boys intended, so now all they had to do was go upstairs and wait. When the trio returned to their dorm, their fourth member was already passed out in his four-poster. The group chuckled, knowing how pleased he would be in the morning when he saw their handiwork displayed in the Great Hall. They all said goodnight before moving to their respective beds and closing their eyes in preparation for sleep. James was lying in his bed half asleep, dreaming of the Slytherin table's reactions tomorrow morning when he heard the muffled groans of the boy in the bed to his left. This was enough to wake him and was quickly followed by a shuffling of feet no matter how much the boy tried to mask the sound. James made his way on tiptoes down the boys' stairs into the common room where he saw Remus sitting on the ground hunched over in pain. He approached him carefully, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"You alright Moony?" James asked, concern lacing his voice.
"Fine," he gritted his teeth to get the word out. "Just a little bit of pain, nothing I can't handle."
"Remus,"
"I said I'm fine James!" He shouted it a bit too loud and James looked around them, making sure no one else in the dorms heard and were coming to see what was wrong. Luckily, the rest of the dorm were either heavy sleepers or had lined their rooms with Muffliato charms to make sure and get some shut eye, used to the Marauders' late-night antics by now.
"I'm sorry, it's just, you don't know what it's like. I'm…a monster. I don't know how much longer I can do this, especially with all of you. Putting you in danger like this, it's not right."
"Remus, you're our best friend, and you're the furthest thing from a monster I've ever known. You iron your own sweaters for Merlin's sake." Remus chuckled a little bit at that.
"Look, this arrangement we've got going, it's important, not just for you, for all of us. This is the first moon in months that you haven't had to go to the hospital wing, right?"
Remus shrugged, not denying that having his friends around for each of his transformations tended to help numb the pain a little bit.
"How could we call ourselves your friends if we didn't help you deal with your…" James looked around the common room, and just in case any curious first years were making their way down the stairs, said the first phrase he could think of that made any sort of sense with the situation: "…furry little problem."
Remus laughed loudly at that, doubling over in pain as the laughter shook his ribs. "Furry little problem?"
"Yeah, we have to call it something in company, don't we?" James smirked at Remus who offered him a tired smile, but a smile, nonetheless.
"Go on up to bed James, I'll be ok. Just one more night, right?"
"Remus, if we can be there for you tomorrow, we can be there for you tonight. How about some wizard chess, eh?"
Remus paused uncertainly, but nodded when he saw that his friend was quite serious. Remus moved slowly to the common room table while James moved upstairs to get his set.
James' voice carried down the stairwell as he made his way back towards the common room, saying: "So, did Evans happen to mention anything about me while you two were hanging out tonight or…?"
The morning dawned cloudy and grey, a sprinkling of rain filling the springtime air. James lifted his stiff neck from the tabletop where he realized he must have fallen asleep. He looked across from him, but Remus wasn't there. He stood up to stretch before making his way up to the dorm, where Sirius and Peter lay fast asleep. The sound of the shower being turned off reached his ears, followed by the shuffling of who he assumed must be Remus pulling on his robes for the day. The door finally opened, and Remus came out, looking haggard, his tie crooked, and no robes to be found.
"Have you seen my robes James?"
"Hung up on your bedpost Moony."
"Right, got it, thanks. I'm going to go grab a bite to eat and maybe some tea or something."
"Remus," James grabbed him by the shoulders in order to better look him in the eye: "it's going to be fine, alright?"
Remus nodded before hurrying to pull his robes over his head with a couple of pained grunts.
"What's all the yelling about?" Sirius grumbled as Peter rolled over, still sound asleep and snoring a bit.
"Nothing,"
"Moony is just a little worried that his furry little problem is going to get in the way of us having a pleasant evening, but I will tell you right now Moony, that will never be the case."
Sirius snorted at that. "Furry little problem? Prongs, you really are an idiot, you know?" James chuckled at that.
"Yeah, I know, now come on let's get down to breakfast. Peter!" James shouted at the boy who snorted and with a jolt released a quick chorus of: "I'm up, I'm up," before going back to snoring.
"Pads?"
"Alright, alright, but this is the last time." Sirius approached Peter's bed, holding out his wand, and saying quietly: "Aguamenti."
A jet of water shot out of his wand and all over Peter's head, waking him for real this time.
"Oh, bloody hell Sirius, what was that for?"
"Hey, we're all up it's better for us to go down as a unit. Besides, don't you want to see our work in action?" Sirius asked, chuckling as Peter wiped some of the water off his face.
"Yeah, whatever you didn't have to splash me again," but he gave Sirius a soft smile.
"What work?" Remus asked, concerned for his friends' well-being.
"Oh, don't worry Moony, you'll appreciate it. I guarantee that," Sirius said with a smirk pulling on a fresh dress shirt and tie, not bothering to shower before breakfast.
The boys went downstairs after Peter took a quick shower, with James spending that time working on his hair.
"Honestly Prongs, if you mess with it anymore, I'm going to send an owl to your dad telling him to send you some Sleakeazy."
"Whatever Pads," James took one last look at himself in the mirror before plastering on his signature smirk and heading out with the others.
Upon arriving in the great hall the boys had to bite back their laughter as they took their seats at the Gryffindor table. They kept glancing backwards, even Remus who was generally more of a stickler excited to watch the relatively harmless prank overtake the Slytherins. By around ten o'clock the great hall was packed with students from all four houses, which the group had been counting on. They snickered as slowly but surely the Slytherins' robes transitioned from black, like everyone surrounding them, to a bright scarlet and gold. As the Gryffindors began to notice, the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws noticed as well, and soon enough the entire hall was laughing at the Slytherin table. At the moment when most of the Slytherins began to realize the state of their beloved robes Severus Snape entered the great hall. The laughter went out of control after that, the whole hall staring at Severus Snape wearing a bright pink robe coated in a thick layer of glitter. The Marauders watched as Snape turned bright red running immediately out of the hall, while the Gryffindor table in particular roared with laughter. James twitched his neck, drawing the marauders behind him as he headed for the exit. Remus wore a frown on his face, but followed behind the group, while Peter and Sirius looked ecstatic.
"Oi, Snivellus, you are looking quite dashing in that shade, is that a violet perfume I detect? Or roses perhaps?" James asked, the smirk never leaving his face.
Snape paused for a moment before whipping around.
"What's your problem Potter?" He asked, still red in the face, and furious.
"No problem here, eh Padfoot?" James turned to Sirius, who stood right by his side, a smirk across his face as well.
"No, not a problem at all. I happen to agree with Prongsey over here. You're making that color work Snivelly."
Sirius offered a fake innocent grin as Snape moved forward.
"Shut the hell up Black, you two are as good as dead. Levi-" "Tarantallagra"
Before he could finish his spell, James struck. Snape's legs started moving uncontrollably before he could stop them. A group of students had now gathered around and were laughing as James kept the dance going.
"You didn't tell me you were such an accomplished dancer Snivelly."
The group laughed loudly at that as James grinned back at them, soaking up their praise like a sponge. "Oh, come on Snivelly, aren't you going to fight back?"
"No but I will. Expelliarmus"
James' wand flew out of his hand, while Snape collapsed in a heap before him. None other than Lily Evans held James' wand in her own hand immediately leaning down to check on Snape who shrugged her off.
"Are you ok?" She said it quietly, but he just grunted in frustration, storming off in a huff probably to change out of his now stark pink robes.
"Too bad for him, he's going to find all of his robes stuck that wonderful color."
"Except for the one that I dyed a lovely pea soup green." Sirius chuckled as Remus glanced guiltily at Lily, looking away from her piercing gaze in shame.
"What's your problem, Potter?" Lily huffed taking off after Snape as he and Sirius roared with laughter at the rest of the Slytherins making their way out of the great hall with their heads down, robes stuffed down their shirts or hidden under their arms in an effort to avoid attention.
"Mr. Potter." James froze at the sound of that voice, a voice that he knew all too well.
Putting on his most charming smile he turned to meet the stern gaze of Professor McGonagall.
"Hey there Minnie, let me explain. There was a problem in the laundry this morning you see and…"
"Enough. Potter, Black come with me."
"Professor, you don't have to…" Remus tried to speak for his friends.
"Save your breath Remus, I know perfectly well you were in the library late last night far past the time you could've been with these hoodlums."
"But, professor."
"Come on boys."
Sirius and James walked into charms in the nick of time. Professor Flitwick was already lecturing the class about the importance of focusing for the OWL Exam coming up. Remus glanced at the two of them.
"You alright?"
"Yeah, detention tonight, nothing we can't handle." James whispered back, glancing back at Lily who furiously avoided his eyes.
He bit his lip, and ruffled his hair at the back, trying to get it to a healthy amount of untidiness.
"Alright, good I was worried." Remus whispered back.
"You're always worried Moony, relax. It's all settled. We'll be out by 8, down to the shack by 9." Sirius replied.
Remus shushed him, glancing around fearfully. Sirius smirked, sitting back in his chair, feet up, not paying attention to the lesson before him.
Sirius stopped to use the bathroom after charms, so he found himself making the walk to the potions classroom on his own. As he made his way down towards the dungeons, he heard the sound of scuffling feet, and turned around, to see Snape back in robes of regular black approaching him.
"Pretty funny joke you pulled there Black."
Snape said, barely keeping his voice settled.
"Yeah, whatever Snivellus," Sirius tried to shove past him, but Snape stood in his way.
"I bet it would make you laugh your ass off if I were to do the same to your robes right?" Snape asked, giving Sirius a dark look.
"You better watch your mouth," Sirius replied, already pulling out his wand in defense.
"Did it make you feel good to watch your brother wearing your team colors for once, knowing that he was always going to come back to us?"
Snape had gone too far this time. Sirius rushed forward grabbing Snape by the front of his robes ready to punch his lights out.
"You better watch it if you want me to keep quiet," Snape replied with a sly smirk.
"Quiet about what?" Sirius asked, now holding his wand tip at Snape's throat.
"I think you know what. I've been watching you Black, you and the rest of your worthless horde. And I know exactly what you've been up to," Snape smiled even wider at Sirius' horrified expression.
"Up to something huh Snape? Says the guy running around wearing junior death eater robes." Snape ignored the taunt, going back to jeering about this secret of the marauders.
"Come on Black, you really think I'm that stupid?" Snape asked.
"Well, since you asked…"
"…let's just say there's going to be a full moon tonight if you know what I mean," Snape responded.
Sirius looked at Snape stoically. "Well, if you're that desperate to prove you're right, then why don't you just go to the Whomping Willow yourself?"
Snape's expression twisted into one of slight confusion, not sure how to respond to such an obvious taunt.
"You've watched us head that way I suppose? If you're so clever, sneaking about watching us, waiting for the perfect opportunity to catch us doing something unforgiveable, if you know so well what's going on, why have you never followed us? Guess you were too stupid to figure out just how we were getting past eh?"
Snape stayed silent at that.
"You really want to know? Because I honestly don't think you're stupid enough to do what I'm about to tell you."
Snape glared at Sirius as he walked forward, close enough to nearly touch noses with the slightly shorter boy.
"Just press the knot at the center of the Willow, right below it is a tunnel. Through that tunnel you'll find exactly what you're looking for if you're man enough to try that is."
Snape looked at Sirius with a manic expression before heading off. Sirius smirked, making his way towards Slughorn's potions class where he was not looking forward to a second long lecture about the importance of the OWLs.
James and Sirius were busy writing lines while whispering at one another, ignoring the stern looks from McGonagall and idle threats to move them to separate rooms, not that either boy cared given their full proof communication system were that to happen.
"It's such a pain having to wait to go visit Moony. I hope he's alright," James whispered, while writing "I will never dye Slytherin robes pink again."
"He'll be fine, not like he's going to be alone out there," Sirius said with a smirk.
"I suppose he does have Wormtail, but I don't know if sending him out alone is the best idea…" Sirius snorted at that, going back to his lines.
"What's got you all peppy?"
"Nothing much."
"Hey, you've got your mischief face on, what did you do?" James asked, smirking a little at the prospect of a new prank opportunity.
"Let's just say Snivellus won't be bothering us for the next few weeks at least." James looked confused for a second, before his face contorted into an expression of horror.
"Sirius, you didn't."
"What, he asked how to find what he's looking for, all I did was deliver."
James grabbed Sirius' hand, smearing the ink from his lines across the page, forcing the boy to look at him.
"Sirius, what did you do?"
"Prongs come on he's not stupid enough to actually do it. Merlin knows we're not that lucky." Sirius replied, turning back to his paper as James leapt out of his seat taking off towards the classroom door. "Prongs, where are you going?"
"Mr. Potter! Your detention is not finished, Mr. Potter!", but James was already gone, ignoring McGonagall's useless scolding.
James slammed his weight into the locked side door that led to the Hogwarts grounds, muttering "Alohamora" and swinging it open. He didn't bother to close it behind him as he took off at a full sprint across the lawn with what felt like a spear in is lungs. But he had no choice, Snape was in danger. Stupid Snivellus Snape with his greasy hair and long nose. Snivelly with his yellow teeth and creepy demeanor. Severus, who would probably be a death eater one day, but also was a sixteen-year-old kid with a mother and a father. A sixteen-year-old kid who had no idea what he was getting into, facing a full-grown werewolf on his own with zero protection. Zero protection, that is, except for an equally idiotic teenager with an absolute moron for a best friend. The thought of Sirius chained up in Azkaban for Snape's accidental murder pushed James even harder to make it to the Willow on time. He arrived in time to catch a glimpse of Snape making his way into the tunnel from across the grounds. He picked up speed, though he didn't think it was possible. James finally made it to the Whomping Willow which had been released from its immobilized state. He grabbed a stick, pressing the knot above the secret tunnel with a crazed look of fear in his eyes. James ran forward, sliding into the tunnel and hunching over so that he could still manage a slight run through the tight corridor.
"Snape!" He called out, desperately trying to stop him.
"Snape, you don't have to do this! Please, come back. You don't know what you're doing!" No response, he moved faster.
He arrived at the end of the tunnel after ten minutes of near sprinting and would have collapsed already were it not for the adrenaline pushing him forward. He saw the dark cloak and the greasy hair of the boy he had come to loathe and ran forward grabbing him by the collar right before a bloodthirsty werewolf chomped at the spot where the boy's neck had been a moment before.
"Get behind me, go get out of here!"
Snape's eyes showed a mixture of shock and terror, and for the first time in his life he did what James said, running the best he could in his crouched state back through the tunnel. James took a quick look behind him to make sure Snape was out of sight before he began to turn. He felt his bones twist uncomfortably, his jaw lengthened as antlers protruded out of his head. Before long he felt the hooves replace his hands and feet, and he stood before Remus in his animagus form. He pushed Remus back into the Shrieking Shack as best he could, fighting off his angered wolf form until he managed to pin him down with his hooves. Remus roared in his face, but James looked him in the eyes willing Remus to come to the surface. The werewolf whimpered at the stern look in the stag's eyes and backed up scratching and biting at itself as if in punishment. James backed off slowly, making his way back into the tunnel, not daring to transform back until he was nearly halfway to the end, almost a mile away from his friend's werewolf form. He exited the tunnel, human again, and saw Snape still sitting outside of it, just out of reach from the Whomping Willow. James pressed the knot before making his way over to Snape, giving him a look like a stern father to a son who has just misbehaved.
"What the hell were you thinking?! You could have been killed! This is a werewolf Severus, it's not something to joke around about."
"Tell that to your buddy. He's the one who told me where to go."
"That's not the point Snivellus."
"Mr. Potter." James turned around at that all-too-familiar voice, biting his lip hard enough to draw blood.
There would be no charming his way out of this one. He was right outside of the forbidden forest in front of a secret passageway out of the castle, which Dumbledore certainly knew about, far past dark. The old man had no twinkle in his eye for him this time, no subtle smirk to show a silent glint of approval for his actions despite the sternness he had to portray as headmaster. He was as full of rage as James had ever seen him, and yet eerily calm. James gulped as Dumbledore gestured the two of them forward and thought for a moment of just how angry his parents would be when he came home with a trunkful of dungbombs and a broken wand.
They made their way up to Dumbledore's office solemnly, even Snape finding it impossible to find a way to talk himself out of this situation. He had done wrong as well, and he knew it. Dumbledore sat down behind his desk, the two boys standing before him, awaiting judgement.
"Have a seat, boys."
They sat in the two chairs before Dumbledore's desk, an anxious air about the both of them, James doing what he always did when he had nothing substantial to fiddle with and biting his nails down to the beds.
"I hope the two of you can understand the severity of what has happened tonight. Severus," Snape hardly looked up at Dumbledore's clear address. "You could have died tonight, or worse yet been cursed with the affliction that Remus has suffered from for the past twelve years of his life."
Snape just nodded at that, still looking numb.
"Severus, I understand your need for answers. You are inquisitive and thoughtful. It is just these qualities which make you an exceptional student, and one of our top young Slytherins here at Hogwarts. However, looking for this kind of danger will only lead you to more trouble. That is why I need your word that you will not reveal any of what you saw tonight."
"But Professor…"
"Your word Severus, or I will have no choice but to expel you." Snape nodded, looking more furious by the minute like he might boil over.
His anger settled just a bit when Dumbledore turned to James, his expression instead fixing itself into a slight smirk.
"Mr. Potter, I have no idea what possessed you to go after Severus tonight, but you have certainly shown immense bravery in doing so. However, I have to know who provided him with the answers on how to find Remus in the first place."
James glanced at Severus before biting his lip and hanging his head.
"It was me sir. I thought it would be funny, just a joke to throw him off for the Potions exam this afternoon. I didn't think he'd actually do it."
Dumbledore listened patiently which James took as permission to continue.
"I am truly sorry sir. The minute I found out where he went, I went to stop him. That's all I can really say." Dumbledore nodded.
"A month's detention Mr. Potter. It will be served every night throughout the rest of this school year. McGonagall will decide on the specific punishment. As for you Mr. Snape. I have nothing more. Go on, get back to your houses, now."
James tried to keep the giddy smile from blowing up his face, nodding politely before strutting out of Dumbledore's office. Snape looked like he was about to explode.
"Potter, I swear to God…"
"Ah ah, best not to start a fight right outside of the Headmaster's office Snivelly old chum. Good evening. I'll see you around." James made his way back to the Gryffindor common room where Sirius was waiting for him, hair ragged and eyes bloodshot.
"What happened, are you ok? I saw Dumbledore drag you two off and I…" "Come on, you really think Dumbledore would do anything to me? I managed my way out of it like always, got detention with Minnie for the rest of the year though."
Sirius breathed a heavy sigh of relief.
"Oh, wonderful. I thought you were done for."
James let his smile take over his face, ignoring the reminder in his brain that he was thinking the exact same thing not one hour ago. Sirius smirked once again, looking at James.
"So, the look on Snivelly's face, when you managed to save his life, how was it?"
James paused for a moment, before noticing the breathless worry still gracing Sirius' normally easy-going features. "It was brilliant."
Sirius smiled brightly at his best friend, trying to hide his shaking hands, and anxious expression, trying and failing to add on the easy-going smile that he practiced so well. Because James could never know how scared Sirius was. James could never know that if he was expelled because of Sirius, if Sirius lost his best friend at Hogwarts and had to stay at home for the next two years that he would fall apart for real. But James was safe despite Sirius' recklessness and that was all that mattered.
And so ends the first chapter. Hope you guys enjoyed! Please leave a review, I really like receiving feedback so I can try and improve writing-wise.