Harry Potter: The Marauders

Chapter - 1

Hello Fam :)

Look who's here. :)

Happy Reading...

The Marauders were gawking at the latest edition of the Quidditch magazine, sprawled on various chairs in the common room of Gryffindor Tower. Remus was relaxed beside a serious Sirius as the boy had a pen in his mouth, pulling it to highlight the techniques he thought would be useful against their rival teams in the upcoming matches in school. Peter was twitching, not really understanding the game or interested in particular. Remus glanced at the only person behaving uncharacteristically, James. James was sitting quietly in front of him, lost in his thoughts, and James was never quiet especially when the game is the topic.

"Prongs", said Sirius, circling another technique, without lifting his eyes from the magazine, "this looks amazing. We can use it against the Slytherins during our next match."

Defeating the Slytherins should at least cheer him but when it didn't, Remus knew something was really up with his best friend.

"Guys, let's sleep for today. I am too tired", said James.

"But-", interrupted Remus because Sirius beside him was still gaping at the boy, mouth wide-open and waiting for James to notice the dramatics. Remus didn't finish because James wasn't even listening. He was seconds away from bolting away. Remus looked at Sirius and understood he was thinking the same.

"Let's sleep then", interrupted Peter. "James is tired."

Remus rolled his eyes and so did Sirius beside him. "Wormtail, you don't need to agree with whatever Prongs says." The boy often followed James as if he were a God or something except when it was Quidditch. Quidditch and Peter are a huge no and while James has been a chaser since their 2nd year and Sirius a newly-inducted Beater, he questioned why Remus often indulged in their conversations when he didn't even play the game. Remus didn't play the game not because he couldn't but he didn't want to and his friends respected him enough to not force him about it. Doesn't mean he couldn't have a good conversation with them. A passionate conversation about anything was liberating.

"Leave it, Moony", said Sirius, with a slight glare towards the rat-animagus. "He is always up for sleep." He saw the sarcastic smirk drop into a sad smile when his eyes landed on James. Closing the magazine and throwing carelessly at Moony, Sirius steeled himself, slinging an arm around James.

Taking it as a cue, Remus packs their stuff and carries it to their dorm room, Peter helping him as they both followed the other two towards their room. James stopped abruptly, halting Sirius and his timely interruption to hold Peter from colliding into them.

"Look where you are walking, Wormy", muttered Sirius. He turned his head to follow James's sight and found a certain redhead descending down the stairs of her dorm and lying down on the couch they have vacated recently.

Just like James, she looked lost in her thoughts and hadn't noticed them. She wrapped the blanket around her and stared at the fireplace instead of closing her eyes.

When Sirius threw a questioning look towards Remus, he shrugged in return. He didn't know the reason and it didn't look like Lily was in a mood to have a conversation with him. Sirius gave a slight nod before pulling James again. "Prongs, let's go to sleep." James blinked his eyes at Sirius, opening and closing his mouth when he couldn't get any word out. Sirius maintained his smile as he pulled James again towards their dorm.

Remus threw another glance at the prefect and realized how disturbed she might have been if she hadn't noticed them for the past five minutes. It took all his strength to stop himself from pulling the girl in a hug and doing everything to put back the smile on her face. But he thought it was wise to give her time to wrap her head around whatever was bothering her. He could always ask her tomorrow.

When they reached their dorm room, Sirius pulled one of his James shirts and a pair of pajamas and threw it in his direction, asking him to change before changing himself. James's actions were almost mechanical. Sirius, after half-helping him to change, pulled the boy towards his bed and wrapped both his arms around him. "Sleep tight, Prongsie. We have Quidditch practice tomorrow and all you need is a goddamn sleep to clear whatever is going inside your head."

James straightened up at that and pulled back. "I will be back", he muttered and turned towards the door.

"Where are you going? It's already too late", said Remus. If he wasn't wrong, he knew where his friend was planning to go but as much as Prongs was a brother to him, Lily was his best friend and he didn't want the boy to say anything that would upset her further or hurt himself over her words.

The boy blinks his eyes because it was Remus asking the question instead of Sirius. No one ignores Remus. When he couldn't get any reason, he run his hand through his hair. "I just, I forgot something", he lied. "I will be back in a few minutes." He sprints out of the room before anyone could say anything.

"Moony, do you think somehow Lily-bean is the reason behind his behavior?", asked Sirius.

Remus frowned. "Evans?", he asked. Because as much as it was possible, Remus hardly saw them talking throughout the day, let alone arguing or hexing each other.

"Yeah", answered Sirius. "I mean after what happened in the afternoon. Even though it isn't the first time, but I don't know."

Yeah, afternoon, when James hexed Snape and the idiot called Lily the M-word in front of the whole school. "Do you think she said something to Prongs?", asked Remus. Because even if Remus was wrong about them interacting at all after the incident, Sirius was the best at guessing the moods about James.

Sirius shrugged in answer. "Why would she be upset then? She was looking too lost, just like him. I don't know what happened but I just love how she referred to the Slytherin git as Snivellus", he said, grinning.

Remus chuckles. "It's so un-Lily like, right?"

Sirius jumped on his bed. "Just because of that one thing, I can make her my best friend. Just imagine, Moony. She will be a very good Marauder."

Remus raised an eyebrow in question. "And whom are you replacing her for?"

Sirius smirked and threw a pillow in Peter's direction.

"Padfoot, let me sleep", whined the boy.

"Moony, she can do much much better than just sleeping, you know", whispered Sirius.

Remus shakes his head, laughing. "But she wouldn't be even standing in the same line as the Marauders. Remember, she is Lily Evans, the best and ideal witch of Hogwarts who probably hasn't broken a rule of the school yet?"

Sirius joins him laughing before glancing at James's empty bed and letting out a huge sigh. Remus was sure there were a hundred thoughts running inside his head behind the cause of James being upset, probably insane and illogical but he let him be. Without knowing the actual reason himself, he was no better than to assure Sirius.

XXX

James went to the common room and found Lily asleep on the couch. He saw the blanket half slipping on the floor and adjusted her without jostling her. He took a cushion and put it near her head. It was only a moment later he realized the almost negligible distance between them. Instead of the butterflies that always used to dance in his stomach whenever the girl was near him, he noticed the stains of dried tears on her cheek. His heart skipped a beat and he closed his fists to prevent himself from wiping her tears. He wanted to scoop her in his arms and apologize for everything wrong that has ever happened to her. He wanted to wake her up and ask her to yell at him, to hex him, until she felt better. Instead, all he did was stare at her face with the guilt that has been weighing down on him for hours. He had hurt her, very badly, directly or indirectly because not every day does one see the perfect prefect Lily Evans cry and he hated himself for being the reason behind it.

He was startled when Lily shifted in her sleep and crept back silently into the boys dorm, giving a final glance to the girl. Much to his relief, his friends were fast asleep, saving him from further questions and leaving him alone with his thoughts. 

I know it's a bit sad start considering the Marauders but give some time and they will bounce back. :P

Don't miss the note after this chapter. :)