authorsnote: ugh, feel like I've been languishing on this chapter for weeks but here it is!
do enjoy, lemme know your thoughts, I love your reviews'
songrecs: this love - taylor swift (tay tay owns this fic)
The weekend was a lazy one, and his favourite kind.
Lounging around in front of the fire, like cats luxuriating in the heat, the cosy armchairs enveloping them. Even Crookshanks joined them, the little bundle of fluff curled up on Hermione's lap (after she'd given him several kisses, again the ginger feline had accepted them with grace, for he would only do for Hermione), adding to their comfort.
And comfort it was, the kind he'd forgotten.
After the party, people in various stages of hangover were lounging in the common room with them. James was on an armchair next to Hermione's and yet he'd fallen asleep, mouth hanging open a touch. Remus was at one of the tables, head buried in a book, and Harry knew he didn't feel nearly as rough due to his wolf side having a far higher tolerance for alcohol. Pettigrew sat next to him, also nose in a book, though more because he was trying to bury out the sounds of any noise. Sirius hadn't even emerged yet, and his Mother had shot both of them a look, lingering on him a touch before she'd flounced out the portrait hole.
And so, all in all, a quiet Saturday, especially for them, a quiet like they hadn't known for a long time, but a welcome one, as Hermione read through a pile of small books on unusual Charms quickly, and he lingered on 'Becoming an Animagus', though the front cover was glamoured to look like a Defence book.
He'd been serious when he and Hermione had spoken about training to become Anamagi, as not only would it be useful in many different ways, but it would also be crucial if they were to integrate with the Marauders properly.
As they so intended to do. They hadn't spoken much about what to do once they left school, they had more than enough gold to never need to work, but Harry still fancied the Auror path, Hermione had said law was still a possibility for her. They'd figure that out when the time came, but the main thing would be joining the Order and seeing Voldemort gone once and for all.
Then they could maybe think of some future.
Even now, having defeated him once, it was like when he'd found out about the prophecy the first time;
'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...
born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies...
and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not...
and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives...'
He could see no future, nothing beyond, not until Voldemort was gone, his future was full until that moment.
It was almost like they hadn't just gone back in time, but his mindset had gone back too, quickly, had caught up. They had left just as Voldemort had been defeated, only hours later, perhaps he hadn't had time to process it, perhaps he hadn't even accepted it, but it was easy to slip back into that mindset again, vigilant, poised, waiting.
'And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives…'
"You okay?" Hermione said, interrupting his thought process, he offered her a nod and Hermione a small smile in return, always able to see through him.
"When does Quidditch practice start?" She asked, and Harry smiled, only Hermione could pretend to care about Quidditch to make him smile, and she grinned as she could see it worked.
"Tomorrow" Harry said, James having given him the schedule earlier in the week, it was the same strict, three times a week, and Harry felt itching to get back to it, back in the air, back with the wind on his face, back to perhaps just a snapshot of a mindset when Quidditch, catching the snitch, had been the only thing that had mattered.
How he wished things could be that simple again, but then had they ever been?
No, this had been his fate since he was 11, Voldemort waiting, perhaps now it was a bit different, the prophecy hadn't been made, and yet that didn't matter to him, he knew, hell, Harry could feel it in his bones; it would come down to them again.
'and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal'
He had, perhaps not in this time, but for him, this Harry, it was as set in stone as it had been once.
There was no changing it, no hiding from it, as there hadn't been last time. Even though Voldemort wasn't aware of him yet, he would be, and Harry would make sure it didn't go beyond him, no one else dying for him, no one else hurting. It would come down to them.
'and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives'
Just the two of them, even Hermione wouldn't factor into that part, just him and Voldemort would duel in the end.
"What are we going to do today then?" He jolted as Hermione prodded him out of his brooding again and offered her a sheepish smile.
"I was thinking about the book" Hermione said, eyebrow raised, closing her own book then to look across at him.
They had the map, first worrying they'd have to duplicate it, and then he'd had found it, whole and real in his moleskin pouch, and even Hermione, brilliant as she was hadn't tried to unpick time paradoxes thoroughly enough to figure out how it hadn't popped into mid-air or exploded or something.
'Don't look a gift horse in the mouth' She'd said, an expression her Father was fond of using, and so they didn't, just happy to have one of the key tools they needed to sneak around, as they'd no doubt need to.
And soon, as they did not have a copy of the book.
Severus Snapes potion book.
It wasn't essential per-say and perhaps they were being fussy in that they hadn't brewed anything yet (and much needed to be brewed), but Harry knew just how much of a difference Snape's additions made, and how much it would improve the timing and potency of anything they needed.
Stuff like Felix Felicis, Polijuice, even basic Healing Potions would be much improved with Snape's spin on things, the man could brew.
Only here they wouldn't find his book crammed in the potion's cupboard, it would be on him, likely at all times, which made getting it tricky, or downright impossible. Harry remembered the Snape from this time, had seen him twice; paranoid, secretive, an outcast, they could hardly ask for it, and stealing it would prove difficult too.
Really, they should drop it, be content with the potions textbook they had upstairs, get to work on the kind of potions they'd need, and yet he could see it was bugging Hermione, and he knew it was bugging him. Why settle for anything less than best?
Besides, he found himself smiling a little, it would be more like a prank, or a heist, nothing so serious as chasing down Death Eaters, but a chance to flex their planning skills, and get a fine reward if they pulled it off.
When they pulled it off, hopefully.
"You can duplicate it?" He asked almost idly, no one seemed to be listening, but better safe than sorry.
"Yes" Hermione said with a nod, "I'll need about ten minutes with it, to duplicate every page to make sure everything is there, but that's it"
"Will that leave a trace?" He asked, flipping to the next page of his book, but he wasn't reading it, focused entirely on seeming like he was, but his head cocked to the side to listen to Hermione.
"Not when I'm done" Hermione said and he grinned at how she almost looked affronted, as though she'd leave a trace, he should know better than that.
"I had to ask" He said cheekily, and at Hermione's eye roll he grinned, "Then how?" He asked, eyebrow raised, it was then Hermione glanced around, and shook her head.
"Upstairs to plan?" Hermione asked, and he offered a nod, upstairs out of the way of prying eyes and ears did seem better.
"To plan what?" He didn't jump, far too used to scares to flinch (though Hermione did, and glared at no one for good measure), but he did whirl around to find Sirius, looking much better for wear than he would have thought, eyebrow raised, some kind of band t-shirt on, a little smirk on his face. He truly looked younger, more full of life, but Harry still saw him as his Godfather, and felt a pang the man didn't know him as that.
It did hurt at times, they'd come back, sacrificed everything to do so, and yet no one knew. No one knew who they were or why they'd given up everything to travel back in time. It was worth it of course, to be here, surrounded by them, alive, his family, but it did still sting.
"Nothing" Hermione said hurriedly, and Harry couldn't help but shoot her a look, good at many things Hermione was, lying had never been one of them.
He liked that about her though, her honesty, like his, they saw to the truth of things, to each other, he'd rather that than she be skilled with a silver tongue.
"Uh hu" Sirius said with his own eye roll before he flopped down onto an armchair, "Sounds like you're planning something at least, need help?"
His immediate sense was to say no, but then he stopped himself. They could use the help, the Marauders were legendary pranksters after all, and knew the current Castle, students, and all far better than they did. The question was how not to seem suspicious in recruiting them for the task (though James, Lupin and Pettigrew now all had their heads up and were waiting to hear them, Harry didn't think it would take much persuasion).
It came to him in a bolt, and he quickly shared a glance with Hermione. She shook her head, but then he nodded, eyes wide, trying to convey he had a plan, maybe not a great one, but he had one (which was more than they often had in scenarios such as these). She shook her head again but at his look it was her turn to roll her eyes, and nod, flop back in her chair but give in.
She probably knew better than to talk him out of something he'd set his mind on, as it would be vice versa.
"We want to steal book" Harry said, and at that Sirius laughed, bark like almost which made Harry smile, like man, like beast.
"Lame" He said with a shake of his head, "That's your first Hogwarts prank, a book? I expected that from Bullstrode, but from a Potter?" Sirius said mockingly, and he laughed as Hermione shot him a glare.
"Careful or I'll know where to put the book" She muttered in annoyance, and Sirius just laughed again. Harry found it amusing how Sirius seemed to love Hermione's fiery attitude, clearly pleased she wasn't some pureblood snob.
"It's a book with some homemade spells in" Harry said with a shrug, "Hermione saw it in Potions the other day, looked cool, it is that Snape kids" He tried to sound as casual as possible, and knew he had them as James raised his eyebrow, "Was that his name?" He feigned to Hermione.
"I think so" She said catching on, but not before offering him a glare, "He was very rude, but I saw some interesting looking stuff in there" She said with a shrug, "We won't steal it, steal it, just copy it"
"Snivellus" Sirius sneered then and Harry this time had to resist the urge to flinch. Sure, he'd never liked Snape, man was a hero in hindsight but had still been a bully, but he'd never liked his Father and Sirius being bullies also. He knew they regretted it when they were older, but he hated they couldn't see it yet, and knew he'd have to say something.
Ugh, the worst kind of standing up; to your friends, but if Neville had learnt the lesson, so could he, as awkward as he felt about it, he'd never stand for bullying, not even here.
"Don't be horrible" Hermione interjected, her tone harsh, and Harry resisted the urge to offer her a smile, Hermione had a low tolerance for bullying like him, and had clearly decided she'd man this crusade to save him the pain, not that he wouldn't stand by her, he was no coward, "We want to prank him and steal his book, not bully him"
"You don't know him" James shot in, the three other Marauders having gathered around, "He's basically married to the dark arts" He said and Sirius sneered again.
"Doesn't mean he should be bullied" Harry said, god he hated this, but he wouldn't back down, that wasn't his way, "Makes you as bad as him"
"You don't know what you're talking about" Sirius shot back, and Harry shrugged, trying to defuse the situation, but without letting it slide.
"No, but I don't like bullies" He shrugged again, "We don't need your help if that's the case"
"Chill" James interjected then as Sirius opened his mouth again, "We'll put it aside, though you'll see Harry, Snivellus is dark"
"I'm sure we can make our own minds up" Hermione said pompously, even sticking her nose in the air a little, somehow, she had the snooty pureblood persona on tap when she wanted it, and was far better at faking it than him, "Are you going to help or not?"
"What's the plan?" Lupin jumped in then, clearly trying to move the subject along, and Harry could see the situation wasn't quite diffused, more like the issue was put on the back burner; for now, better than nothing, but he didn't look forward to it inevitably rearing its head again.
"We don't have one" Harry said honestly, trying to move it along too, "Any ideas?" He looked directly at Sirius then, wanting his opinion, which worked.
That seemed to chase away the last chunk of tension … for the moment at least, and then Harry felt the thrill of pleasure, at the four Marauders and he and Hermione putting their heads together in front of the Gryffindor fire, to plan a good, old-fashioned prank, with an end goal in mind.
It was just like he'd dreamed it, all sat around, in a circle, fire roaring, red and gold surrounding them, the Marauders with two additions, just as he'd always imagined it, but he hadn't dared to hope he'd one day be part of it.
Here he was, and it was better than he imagined.
sooo thoughts?
next chapter - the prank! its such a joy writing the marauders! also, I'm going to be adding in some of the slytherin bunch soon, I'm excited to write them too!
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speak soon (sooner)