The Ghosts of the Past (The Marauders' Story)

ISOLATED

Few days later, Dumbledore made an announcement during breakfast. "I am pleased to announce that a few ex-students of Hogwarts will be visiting us tomorrow for nostalgia's sake. I hope you will make them welcome."

The visitors turned out to be Lucius Malfoy, Rabastan Lestrange, Bellatrix Black and some of their cronies.

While going to Herbology that day, Sirius had to double back to fetch his spade. He came across the group of ex-students standing in the corridor with some current Hogwarts students, Regulus among them.

Regulus and his friends were staring at the older boys with unmasked admiration on their faces.

With a sinking feeling, Sirius thought he knew what they were talking about.

As if to rub salt on his wounds, later that day, Sirius saw Snape and Regulus walking together in the grounds as if—as if Snape was Regulus' elder brother.

Sirius felt like he hated Snape more than anyone else in the world.

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"Did Regulus tell you anything about their meeting with the ex-students?"

In the deserted corridor of the Hogwarts, two tall boys stood facing, each with equal hatred on their faces.

Sirius Black, with black hair and flashing gray eyes, looked devilishly handsome; Severus Snape had an ugly sneer on his face.

"What is it to do with you? Can't you keep your slimy nose off anything?" asked Sirius scornfully.

"As if that Potter of yours can! Tell him to stop dancing after Lily Evans first. She is my best friend, not his. Or is he too arrogant to realize that?" said Snape.

"Don't talk about James like that!" cried Sirius furiously.

"What about Remus Lupin? Where does he disappear to every month?" asked Snape quietly.

It was the last straw.

"Why don't you find out yourself? Go to the Whomping Willow tonight and press the knot at its base. You'll get a nice surprise, Snivelly."

As Snape's eyes turned calculating, Sirius turned away so that the other boy could not see his grin.

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"What! You told Snape how to get into the Whomping Willow?" cried James, looking aghast.

"What's wrong with that? You look as if your date with Evans has been cancelled," said Sirius.

"How thick can you be, Padfoot?"

"I didn't know you were so concerned about Snivelly's feelings, Prongs."

"Remus will kill him, you idiot! And then Remus will likely spend his life in Azkaban!"

"But...Remus never affects us in that way," protested Sirius.

"That's because we're in Animagus form!" said James, rummaging in his trunk. Pulling out his Invisibility Cloak, he turned to Peter, pointedly ignoring Sirius. "I'm going after Snape. I have to get there in time!"

"James, wait! I'll come too," called Sirius. But James was already gone.

"Wormtail, you stay here. I'm going to help James," said Sirius, and then he was gone too.

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James crept through the corridor between the Whomping Willow and Shrieking Shack, hurrying as much as he could, furious with Sirius. At last he saw Snape's shadow in front of him. He ran after arch rival, shuddering to see the door of the room so close to him.