Meeting the Marauders [ON HOLD]

2: Family Meeting

Sirius was proudly sitting in his royal blue bean-bag chair, his posture like the one of a king on his thrown. He always prided himself in reminding everyone he had chosen the color royal blue for a reason. Remus sat on his own bed, legs crossed over one another, leaning on his elbows as he pretended to read his Herbology textbook. James and Peter both sat on the circular carpet in front of Sirius, James lazily leaning back on his hands while Peter was sitting up straight like an obedient puppy eager to learn a new trick.

“Moony, close the b-”

“I’m reading, Padfoot.”

“Yes, I can see that,” Sirius spat, irritated. “That’s why I-”

Remus put his hand up. “Sh.”

“Remus John Lupin, close the freaking-!”

“Padfoot,” Remus interrupted calmly. “I know it’s too much to ask of someone with your level of IQ, but I would very much apreciate it if you would stop trying to have a conversation with me while I am reading something educational.”

Sirius was beyond angry.

“I DON’T FREAKING CARE ABOUT YOUR STUPID HERBOLOGY BOOK! Professor Sprout said you did effing great on the last project! Now, I’m having my bloody mid-life crisis here and none of you-!”

“Don’t you have to be, like, old to have a mid-life crisis?” James inquired.

“SHUT UP, PRONGS!” Sirius raged.

“Sirius was right,” Peter told Remus, who had stopped pretending to read to watch the amusing scene. “This is a family meeting. It reminds me so much of my own parents. Sirius is my mother of course, and James is-”

“I’m not a crabby old woman with a surly attitude!” Sirius butt-in, highly offended. Peter mumbled an apology, though Remus added:

“No, but you’re acting like one.”

“And I think I see a gray hair sprouting.”

“PRONGS, SHUT – THE – BLOODY – HELL – UP!”

“He is just like your mother, Pete.” James turned to Peter, smiling at the revelation.

Remus thought he should finally come to the rescue. Sirius looked like he was about to explode, and Remus didn’t fancy having to hose him off the beige dormitory walls. He snapped his book firmly shut and the room silenced itself.

“Padfoot, you may begin your meeting.” said Remus politely.

Sirius took deep, calming breaths and ree laxed into his bean-bag chair. Flipping a piece of his hair professionally out of his face, he said quite reasonably and as if the three others were Legililmens and could understand perfectly well what he was referring to, "She's mine."

"I'm sorry?" Peter spluttered.

"Anthea Grey." Sirius scowled, as if this were the most obvious thing in the world. Remus didn't know how Sirius had discovered her name, but news traveled very quickly within the walls of this castle. Though even this was quick by Hogwarts standards. The girl had arrived just that morning!

"You can't call a girl, Padfoot," insited James, exasperated. "You have to make them fall in love with you. Like Lily and I."

"Lily hates you." Sirius reminded him, caught slightly off guard.

"She doesn't, she just hasn't opened up about her feelings yet!" James said, sullenly.

Remus simply rolled his eyes and let his thoughts wander back to the girl in question, Anthea. The way she smiled – it seemed to light up the whole room – had Remus smiling as well, even during this particularly painful weekend. Sirius obviously liked her, but what did she think of him? “He’s very handsome,”she had said, and when Remus told her that Sirius was on the Quidditch team, her only response had been, “Yes, you’ve mentioned.”

It was only then, now out of the dazzling girl’s presence, that Remus realized he had in fact not mentioned anything about Quidditch until Anthea had spotted the sign on the notice board. Maybe Lily and Alice told her Sirius and James were on the team in Herbology, offered the small voice in Remus’ head, but he doubted Lily took any interest in Sirius more than the courteous “hello,” she offered him every morning and he was forbidden to return by James. She treated James coldly, ever since their second year, so that was no different. Alice, of course, already had a boyfriend, and took no great interest in the two.

“Sirius, did you talk to her today?” Remus suddenly asked, unaware that he had interrupted a conversation. “To Anthea, I mean.”

“Of course not, don’t be daft!” cried Sirius, for once in his life admitting he was – even just slightly – insecure in the presence of a beautiful girl. No, that was a lie: Sirius was not shy in front of beautiful girls because there were many at Hogwarts, but none of them were quite like Anthea.

It was hard to explain, Remus reflected. What really was enchanting about her, he understood when James and Sirius continued talking about their girl issues, was that one green eye of hers that stood out even more than Lily Evans’. Anthea’s was magical – almost too magical. Once today, she had caught him staring at it and quickly looked away. Remus had been careful to only look in her blue eye after that.

But onto more pressing matters: How had Anthea known? Maybe she’s a Legilimens, suggested the voice again, but Remus only scoffed. He doubted it; a seventeen-year-old Legilimens? It was possible to have a seventeen-year-old skilled in Occlumency, but he doubted they could be a Legilimens.

For now, he would have to drop the subject. Until he confronted her about it, there would be no way of knowing how Anthea had found out. Silently, he slipped back into the thread of conversation to hear the subject had changed from Anthea to Quidditch. Remus couldn’t help himself; he said under his breath, “She’s going to the game with me…”

It suddenly became so quiet that the boys could hear the Giant Squid splashing its tentacles in the Black Lake a five minutes’ walk away. And as if predicting what would happen, Peter launched himself off of the rug and near the closet just as James and Sirius threw themselves at the half-unexpecting Remus.

Peter quickly scurried closer to the closet and flung the door open, taking out Sir Lewis de Wellston of Rochester Springs III. Now, I feel the need to inform you that Sir Lewis de Wellston of Rochester Springs III is not, in fact, a person, but the first ever model of the racing-broom chain “Silver Arrow”. He is what the boys often used to break up fights and not a useable racing-broom anymore.

On one of their monthly trips to the Whomping Willow, Sirius had the strange idea to bring along his broom-stick (that is to say, Sir Lewis de Wellston of Rochester Springs III). I am fairly certain you could imagine the out-come; needless to say, the broom, though mended by Madam Griselda – the first-year’s flying instructor – was never able to leave the ground magically again.

Cautiously, Peter extended his arm and tried separating the boys with the tip of the broomstick. When it didn’t work, he sighed and started whacking the three Marauders as hard as he could until they broke apart, Remus looking dead, Sirius and James satisfied.

“Would you quit trying to murder Moony?” exploded Peter on sudden impulse. “The full moon’s on Sunday and he already looks like road-kill – the only thing you’ve done is made him look like an Inferus!”

“Oh, how would you know what Inferi looked like, eh, Wormtail?” Sirius huffed pompously. “Never seen a dead body in all your life, have you, much less one controlled by a Dark wizard!”

“Just, stop it.” Remus wheezed forcefully. “I had only said I was attending the Quidditch game with her! We’re just friends!” he insisted half-heartedly.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” said James wisely. “It’s the day before the full moon; you’ll be very restless, won’t you?”

“I’m not going to attack anyone,” Remus spat back, flushing madly as he stood up, shaking slightly, “especially not a new student. I want to see the match anyway. Now, if the meeting’s over, Padfoot–” Sirius shrugged half-heartedly. “– I’m going to bed. Goodnight.”