{Hey! Just wanted to tell you all before you before the chapter started that this chapter has MENTIONS of Wolfstar. As in, it happened during the Marauder's time, but as you all know, this story is Ronks. You'll get what I mean when you read the chapter. It isn't like, "This is a Wolfstar story" type of thing, just like, "Oh, by the way this happened like twenty years ago". I ship both Wolfstar and Ronks, and felt like adding the little nugget for my fellow shippers. (Sorry, if you don't like it, it's not a lot). Just wanted the warning because it's not in the tags and yada yada and I'm rambling. Now onto the chapter ~ Maddy.}
"Peter?"
Peter jumped out the sound of the voice. In the cell next to him, Umbridge was asleep, and he was trying to savour every moment of peace he had.
Though he wasn't sure if Umbridge had noticed, Peter had taken a more nocturnal approach; staying awake during the night, and asleep during the day. This reduced the amount of hours Umbridge can talk to him. He'd only been in jail the night, and already felt like pulling the hair out of his head in frustration.
It was about five in the morning, and Peter felt slightly sleep deprived, but was attempting to stay up until Umbridge woke up.
"Who said that?"
"Rodolphus," the voice called back, "Rodolphus Lestrange."
"Rodolphus, where are you?"
"The cell next to you. Not the one that woman's in."
Peter crawled over, and sat next to the wall, and looked through the small crack.
"I thought you died?" Rodolphus asked, "We found your body in Malfoy Manor."
"I-I guess I did technically," Peter wasn't sure how to describe his abnormal situation, "There's been people coming back from the dead."
"That's news. You think -"
"The only people with Dark Marks that are b-back are myself, Snape, and Regulus."
"Black? How did he die anyway?"
"Apparently de-deflected the Dark Lord."
"Oh, so you're the only loyal Death Eater that came back."
Peter nodded, though Rodolphus couldn't see him. "I heard them talking when they brought me here. They think I only came back because I was killed by the hand the Dark Lord gave me."
"Only people who were killed by the Dark Lord -"
"- and ourselves -" Peter added.
"Are coming back from the dead?"
"Yes?"
"Was that a question or a statement, Pettigrew?"
"Both?"
"Stop that!"
"Stop what?"
"Stop - I'm giving up." Rodolphus ran a hand through his long hair, "So, you don't think any other Death Eaters are coming back?"
"No, probably not." Peter pulled in his shirt.
"Well, we should avenge them."
"How are two men in Azkaban going to avenge the Death Eaters?"
"Three men in Azkaban. Rabastan is here."
"O-okay. What are three men in Azkaban going to do? And it's not l-like the Malfoy's'll help us. They're the ones that brought me to the Ministry. What happened anyway?"
"They deflected during the final battle. Don't talk about it in front of Rabastan. He was best friends with Lucius in Hogwarts."
"Don't talk about me," Rabastan muttered from the cell next to his older brother.
"Ignore him," Rodolphus stood up, using the wall as support. As he hand touched the grimy wall, a cascade of dirt rippled down, causing Rodolphus to cough. "Anyway, I've escaped her once before. Who's to say I can't do it again."
"You had help for that." Peter reminded him, standing up as well, but not using the wall, in fear of the dirt avalanche.
"Well, I've got experience now. I've got a plan."
"The security's different now, Lestrange." Peter pointed out.
"What are you talking about," a high pitched squeal came across the cell.
"Would you look at the time," Peter said, seamingly getting some of his former friend's dramatic flair, "It's time for me to go to bed!" He dropped his volume, "We'll talk about this later." Peter ignored Dolores's talking, and went to his cot, and promptly fell asleep.
■■■
The remaining Marauders, plus their wives, children, and Ginny Weasley, sat in Grimmauld Place. Ginny was giving a rather animated rendition of a Quidditch game from two years prior, the one she and Harry had kissed after. Despite having heard the story before, Harry was listening to his girlfriend, as she jumped and flailed her arms when getting to an intense part.
James was so engrossed in the story, someone could've passed in front of him naked and he'd not notice. Sirius had his head in James's lap, lying on his back, taking up the rest of the couch the two were sharing.
Lily sat on a chair next to James, dully noting her husband was married to Sirius just as he was married to her. She dozed off, jumping when Ginny would let out a loud exclamation, or James would clap at a play she was describing.
Remus, who had the inexplicable knack to tune out as soon as the word Quidditch was said, something that was extremely useful when sharing a dorm with James Potter, didn't listen to the story at all. He kept to his own thoughts, occasionally adjusting his grip on Teddy, who he had in somewhat of a sitting position on his lap. Teddy was almost as engrossed in the story as James was, though that could just be Ginny's enthusiasm about the sport. Teddy would clap whenever James did, and babble agreement at some of Ginny's statements, his hair was flashing between colours.
Tonks sat next to her husband, her attention switching constantly between Ginny and her son.
"So, when the game was over, we went back to the Common Room for our party. And Harry comes sauntering in after his detention-"
"Wait, Ginny, you already finished the game story," said Harry, blushing slightly at the thought of Ginny explaining their kiss to them.
The thing about Ginny, however, was she had little to no embarrassment filter, and would gladly continue the story. Which is exactly what she did.
"But that wasn't the real win of that night."
A smirk spread across Sirius's face, and his hair fell in his eyes, which James moved for him. "Oh, really? What was the real win of that night?"
"I'm getting to that. So, Harry opens the door, and my brother, Ron, you know, Harry's best friend, yells that we had won, and I run over to him to tell him details about the game. I was his substitute, and next thing I know, he kissed me."
Sirius and James let out a wolf-whistle. (Ironic, the only Marauder that didn't was the actual wolf). Tonks was laughing at Harry's face, which was some shade in between Ginny's and Lily's hair. Lily didn't say anything, but had a smile across her face.
"You know, Harry, you may look like Prongs, but you have the moments where your Lily comes and smacks you in the face." Remus said.
James's eyes widened, and he smacked Sirius in the face accidently, who just sent a glare in his direction, not bothering to sit up.
"Story time with Prongs!" James smiled. Teddy clapped and James looked in the baby's direction. "Thank you, Teddy."
Lily looked at her husband, "Please tell me this isn't-"
"Of course it is, Lily-flower," James told her. "It was our seventh year in about November. You see, Harry, your mother was starting to warming up to me. Years one through five we were on the mortal enemy list. Well, I was on Lily's, she was on my "girl of my dreams" list. Year six we were acquaintances."
"You know what acquaintance means, James?" asked Tonks.
James shrugged, "I heard your husband say it once."
Remus rolled his eyes, "Glad to know you listen to me. Sometimes at least."
"No problem, Moony. Back to the story!" James had a face-splitting grin. "By this point, I'd say we were friends. I stopped asking Lily out constantly about half-way through sixth year, around the time you two were together." He added in Sirius and Remus's direction
Remus nodded, "Sounds about right."
Harry glanced between the two men, "You were together?"
"When we were sixteen," Sirius told him, "for a little over a month."
Remus shrugged, "At least I got a lot of chocolate from him, though."
Sirius gave him an offended look, "Is that all I'm good for, Moony?"
"Yes."
James ran a hand through Sirius's hair (Yes, James was allowed to do that.), "I think you're more than that."
Ginny let out a chuckle, "Are we talking about James and Lily, or James and Sirius?"
Tonks smirked, "I'm thinking both."
"The story!" James exclaimed, "I almost forgot!"
Lily mumbled, "to think I'd be that lucky" under her breath.
"So," James ignored Lily's words, "Lily was secretly in love with me, and I not so secretly in love with her.
"One abnormally warm November day, Lily decided that she wanted to make a public declaration of her love for me."
"That's not what happened at all." Lily protested.
Sirius shushed her, and told James to continue.
"As I was saying, we were - and we being Padfoot, Moony, myself, and him -" he didn't bother to say Peter's name, "sitting by that tree by the Black Lake. As it was a warm day, there were about forty-five students outside. Lily, along with Marlene, Dorcas, Mary, and Alice, come walking over. Mary whispers something in Lily's ear. She turned a tomato red, similar to the colour she is now actually."
Lily was sitting in her chair, a similar shade her son had been a little while before.
"And Padfoot said, 'Whatcha think they're gossiping about?' and Moony, who was reading some book responded, 'about how you peed your pants last week.'"
Sirius smacked James in his stomach, and everyone, bar Sirius, started laughing. "Shut it, all of you."
James composed himself enough to continue. "That was when -" he paused so the others knew who he was talking about, "said that they were walking towards us. And I stood up, and leaned against the tree, and those two gave me disapproving looks."
"Which were warranted." Remus defended himself.
"But then Lily walks up to me, and grabs the collar of my shirt, and I thought she was going to yell at me."
"As did I," Sirius said, raising his hand.
"But, she kisses me on the lips, and when she pulls back she whispers, 'I like you, idiot. Next Saturday, meet me in the Common Room at ten,' and I'm in shock."
"So I, being the all loving best friend I am, said, 'Of course, Lily, he'll be there'" Sirius said.
"Thanks for that, by the way. Anyway, Lily starts to walk away, when I regain my brain, thanks to Moony smacking my leg-"
"You're welcome." Remus replied.
"- so I run after her, and catch up to her, and turn her around, and kiss her again. So, that was our first kiss."
Ginny looked between Harry and Lily. "Funny how the both of them were the one to initiate the kiss, yet the both of them are embarrassed about it now."
James smirked, "Introverted people, couldn't be me."
"I'm not introverted." Lily protested. "Remus was the introverted one in our year."
Tonks looked at her husband, "You haven't changed?"
Remus kissed her on top of her head, "I prefer to talk only to people I know. I wouldn't have made friends at Hogwarts if those two idiots didn't practically adopt me."
"Everyone at school thought that Remus was the mother of our group, but it was James." Sirius informed the group, "Don't let anyone fool you."
"Could you tell me some more stories about your Hogwarts years?" Harry asked quietly.
The three Marauders shared a look. Remus laid Teddy down, and made him a bottle. "What is it you want to know, Harry?" Remus said at last.
{I wrote one word then kinda took off from there. Lots of Hinny and Jily in this chapter.
Also, Rodolphus and Peter 👀👀 wonder what the two of 'em are up to.
Hope you enjoyed,
Maddy 🖤