The Missing Marauder: A Harry Potter FanFiction

Chapter 25

"How is he?" Lily Evans asked James Potter on the Hogwarts Express to their seventh year. "I know he's got to be taking it really hard."  

"Of course he's taking it hard," James replied, "We're all still sort of shocked. I mean, who would've thought that she was under the Imperius Curse? And by you-know-who, nonetheless!"  

"I know," she agreed, "I didn't see it coming. She just seemed so happy..."  

"Yeah, she seemed happy when she was herself," he said, fiddling with the handle on the cabin's door.  

"You didn't answer my question, James," Lily noted.  

"Last I saw him he had long hair and was in a distinctively crappy mood," he responded grouchily.  

"When was that?" she questioned.  

"Yesterday."  

"Oh."  

"Yeah."  

Suddenly, the door slid open and Remus Lupin stepped in, looking particularly exhausted. "Hello," he greeted gloomily, "Either of you seen Sirius around?"  

"No," they both responded simultaneously.  

Remus grimaced. "I was rather afraid of that. I figured you would, though, considering he lives with you-"  

"Lived," James interrupted, "Past tense, as in not now, no longer, ancient history."  

"Oh," Remus muttered, "So, where does he live now?"  

"Bought a house with some gold from his uncle, Alphard," James replied, "Got disowned for it, too."

"His uncle?" Lily asked, shocked.  

"Yeah," James said, "Something about how he helped a runaway blood traitor or something, which would make him a blood traitor, so he was disowned."  

"Poor Alphard..." Lily sighed.  

"Poor Padfoot," James countered, "His family's seriously messed up."  

Remus sat down across from Lily, who was sitting beside James, and he eyed their hands closely...were they touching? It was a simple gentle brush of the fingertips, but neither of them pulled away. They didn't even seem to notice.  

Suddenly, the door slid open again, and they all turned their gazes towards the tall boy standing there with short black hair and sad grey eyes.  

Lily stood up quickly and greeted, "Sirius."  

Sirius grimaced at them and said, "Good morning. Don't you all look...well, quite frankly like zombies."  

"You cut your hair," James noted.  

Sirius shrugged. "It was too long."  

He sat down next to Remus and Lily sat back down.  

"I hope you don't mind my asking," she said, "But how did you get in here? It's the Prefects' cabin. Not just anyone can walk in here."  

"I sneaked in past the conductor who was busy talking to some weirdo parents concerned about the cabins' luggage capacity or something," he explained, "Nobody noticed me, so..."  

"What about Wormtail?" James asked.  

Sirius looked around. "He was right behind me!" he chuckled, "Guess he couldn't get by the conductor. Oh, well."  

James, Lily, and Remus all stared at each other for a moment. Sirius noticed and asked, "Did I miss something here?"  

After a quick look at the other two, James replied, "No. Nothing at all."