Forever A Marauder

Prologue: Harry

HARRY

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A small piece of peeling wallpaper fluttered to the ground as Harry picked at it. The sound of Mad-Eye Moody's wooden leg made his thoughts return to him. Harry turned around to see Moody taking a swing of some liquid from his flask.

"I've got somethin' that might interest you, Harry." The ex-Auror's electric blue eye stayed on Harry's face as he pulled something from his interior coat pocket. He'd pulled out a photograph; it was wrinkled and possibly burned at the edges. The color had faded in more spots than others from not being properly kept. "Original Order of the Phoenix." Harry looked at the man's scarred face, nodding for him to go on. "That's me. And Remus is there."

"And Sirius with shorter hair." Harry pointed out after scanning his eyes over the tiny, moving faces. Moody nodded, continuing.

"Alice and Frank Longbottom. Terrible fate; worse than death what happened to 'em in my opinion," Moody's voice had a hint of sympathy. But he went on, listing the names of the tiny photographed group of people. "Here's what I thought might interest you, Harry." He pointed down at the photograph.

"M-my parents." Harry stated as his heart twisted. Harry inwardly winced as he looked down at the young faces of his parents. His mother smiled, not showing any teeth, but looking reasonably cheerful. Next to her James' arm circled her waist, his head leaning slightly on hers. They were together, not knowing the man behind them would betray them. Wormtail's watery eyes stared into Harry's, making him want to rip the picture to shreds. Harry contained himself, flicking his eyes over the other faces in the picture.

"Then there's-" Moody went on to explain the deaths and traumas of other members of the Order. Harry wanted so badly to tune him out, ignore the horrible thoughts of what happened to people who stood up against moral wrongness. His eyes landed on a woman he remembered well. Her hair was tumbling own her shoulders to a little past her waist. Her gaze sent a gentle feeling through Harry's body. She was taller than his mother, but not as tall as Sirius or James.

"Is that Calysta?" Harry blurted, possibly cutting off Moody's speech. Moody grunted in his throat, adjusting his long coat over his shoulders. He placed his cane in his other hand, holding out a stubby finger to the woman.

"Calysta Daelynn, yes. She's out-"

"I'll take it from here, Mad-Eye." Sirius' voice startled Harry, making him turn around to face his godfather as he approached from down the hall. His voice was soft, but Harry detected an off feeling in it. Sirius stepped up to Harry with a soft smile, reaching out to take the photograph. Admittedly, Harry no longer wanted to hear about the members; or listen to their stories as their eyes bore into his. However, curiosity got the better of him as he realized he knew close to nothing about this woman. Sirius stared at the photo with longing.

"Sirius, you never told me much about her. What was she like when you were in school together?" Harry asked. Sirius blinked, seemingly taken aback for a second, but made eye contact with Harry. He sighed deeply, handing the photo back to Moody.

"A wildly talented witch. Daelynn was a very close friend of your mother and father's. All of us, really; Peter and Remus and I. She had gotten us out of many sticky situations back in our school years," Sirius' mouth quirked upwards as he said it. "Calysta is an Animagus like the rest of us, you already knew that." Sirius explained, all the while his grey eyes deep in thought. Harry recalled the fifth name under the other four.

"Peregrine. The fifth name on the map. I remember seeing it!" Harry exclaimed quietly. Sirius nodded slowly. "Peregrine, er Calysta... was a Marauder? And a girl?" It connected in Harry's thoughts. Again, Sirius nodded.

"That was years ago." Moody interjected gruffly. Harry's godfather suddenly looked very worn. Harry couldn't help but have more questions about the Marauder he didn't meet.

"Why is she not here yet? I've been really excited to see her again." Harry pried. Sirius ruffled Harry's black hair, his smile more pronounced.

"She's a mystery, that woman is." Sirius left it at that, leaving Harry unsatisfied.