Born of the night

The midnight moon looked down on the sleepy little town nestled in the hills of Scotland.

A large stone building stood on the edge of the town near a forest. Suddenly four cloaked figures

swooped down to the ground in front of the building. They moved forward across the lawn into the building

Without making a sound.

In the sitting room of the building sat an older lady in a large armchair sleeping quietly.

Suddenly she woke up completely aware of the fact that she was no longer alone in the room.

"Who's there?" she said fearfully. She turned up the lamp to see four figures in the room

Each of them wearing red cloaks with gold trim. They had their hoods pulled up so their faces were concealed by the shadows.

"Calm yourself, Madame Zeldaria," said the one that was the closest to her, " it is merely us."

Suddenly a bag of Golden Galleons landed in the woman's lap.

"For you and the children," he said, "I only wish it could be more," he nodded slightly to his

Companions and the four of them left as mysteriously as they came. Madame Zeldaria clutched the bag

Tightly over her heart as a tear of gratitude made its way down her cheek.

"You wonderful young people," she said quietly, "You've risked so much to keep our hope alive,

Bless you, bless you."

* * * * * * * *

The day dawned and soon Hogwarts was a bussel with activity as the students scurried to their

Various classes. Each of the students were talking to each other about their various extra curricular interests. The boys talked mostly about Quidditch and girls. The girls talked about boys, clothes and boys.

"I'm telling you, Lily." said her best friend Julie, "You've got to come to the Quidditch matches all

The most eligible guys are on the team.

"Julie," replied Lily, "those meat heads have only to things in mind Quidditch and Quidditch." just then they rounded the corner and WHAM! Lily slammed into something that was moving pretty fast. She was

Knocked of her feet and her books papers went flying in every direction imaginable. Lily sat up and realized that what had slammed to her was a who, James Potter.

"MERLIN"S BEARD, Potter!!" snapped Julie, "why don't you watch where you're going!!"

"S-Sorry," he panted, "I was in a hurry to__." he trailed of when he realized it was Lily Evans he had

Bumped into. She was beautiful with her long Auburn hair and blue eyes. Then he realized that he was staring

Quickly he jerked his eyes away and back to the books that he was trying to sort out.

"Sorry," he apologized again before handing her books, grabbing his own and disappearing around the corner. He paused long enough to bang his head on a pillar.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid." he muttered

"That Potter what a klutz," fumed Julie.

"Hush, Julie it was an accident." scolded Lily as they continued on their way.

"Why are you defending him?" asked Julie, "Don't tell me you like him?"

"No," said Lily rolling her eyes, "I'm going out with Lorken MacDermott."

"Since when," said Julie.

"Since last night," replied Lily and then after looking around to make sure no one was within earshot.

She whispered "and guess what he told me that he is one of The Marauders." Julie's eyes widened.

"The Marauders," the said in a whispered squeal, "Lily do you have any idea how lucky you are? Why there isn't a girl here that wouldn't kill to go out with one of the Marauders the for hottest guys in the whole school!!!!!"

* * * * * * *

It was nearly midnight in Gryffindor tower Lily was sneaking out of the tower. When her

Friend Julie caught her.

"Where do you think you are going?" she hissed, "you know we're not supposed to be outside the tower after hours!!"

"I'm going to meet Lorken," Replied Lily, "he promised that if I met him in the room of requirement he'd introduce me to the rest of the Marauders! Please, cover for me if anything happens before I get back." with that Lily slipped out of the tower. And a shadow that had

Been listing from the top corner of the stairs moved away silently.

Lily paced back a forth in the Room of Requirement.

" Where is he," she said to herself she looked at her watch it said midnight. Suddenly she heard footsteps coming down the hall and realized that it was Filch and he was headed in her direction she looked around and realized that he must becoming there because the room of requirement hadn't been cleaned yet. She began to panic

"I'll be in so much trouble if I get caught," she said she was so busy trying to find a place to hide that she didn't see a huge picture behind her slide to the side revealing a hidden door.

Suddenly a hand clamped over her mouth and she was dragged back through the hidden doorway and as soon as the door shut the picture slid back into place.

"Quiet," hissed the voice of her captor, "were not going to hurt you." Lily found herself surrounded by four figures in red cloaks one of which was still hold his hand over her mouth. Slowly he removed his hand, and Lily realized that she was in the presence of the Marauders.

"Lorken," she said, the leader shook his head. Then he nodded to the others and they pulled back their hoods. Revealing themselves to be James potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew.

"You've been lied to Lily. Lorken MacDermott is not one of us,” said James. Lilly stood there quietly for a moment looking like she had been clubbed in the stomach.

"How did you know I was here?" she asked finally.

"I overheard you talking to Julie just before you left the tower earlier."

"Why would he lie to me?" she asked

"We overheard talking to Gretchen Mahler from Slytherin house on our way here," answered Sirius, "it seems that Lorken was helping his real girlfriend Gretchen get back at you for catching her cheating on that DADA test."

Suddenly Peter who had walked on ahead came running back up the passage.

"Red Alert," he barked, "McGonagall," is on her way to Gryffindor tower and Gretchen is with her.

"Plan B," snapped James switching to leader mode Remus went over and pressed a hidden switch on the wall a secret panel slid open revealing a rack of racing brooms with the Marauder's seal on them. James grabbed his broom and before Lily could say word pulled her on to it. they began to fly down the corridor and break neck speed. James would skid around corners sometimes using his foot to push of the wall. The other three were at his heels. Then suddenly he pulled up sharply and shifted him self until he was standing on one of the footrests Lily now had her arms around his neck and he had his arm around her waist as they flew vertically up the old dumbwaiter shaft. Straight to the Gryffindor common room when they got there they slipped out of the shaft stashed their brooms and Cloaks on another rack inside the secret passage way and raced into these respective dormitories.

McGonagall threw opened the door of the dormitory only to see a sleep-eyed Lily looking at her from her bed.

"Is something wrong Professor," she asked.

"Apparently not." said McGonagall glaring at Gretchen who was rendered speechless and promptly hauled away by the ear.

Lilly looked out the window at the moon for a while after McGonagall left.

"James," she whispered, "your secret is safe with me."

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Chapter 2

The Plot Thickens

The next morning past rather uneventfully and before Lily realized it, it was time for lunch. Grabbing her books she hurried down the stairs from the library and mad her way to the Great Hall. When she got there she found that the feast had already begun. As she sat down at the table next to her friend Julie she spotted James Potter setting across the way, about three or four people up from where she was sitting. Sirius sat on his right side and Remus and Peter were sitting in separate places on up the Gryffindor table. She watched as James ate his stew and listened to Sirius Jabbering on about something or other what it was she couldn't tell but she did see James chuckle every now and then so she figured it must be amusing.

All at once it appeared that James had dropped something under the table. He stood, moved behind the bench, and bent down sticking his head under the table searching for what ever he had dropped.

“James has a nice bu__ whoa where did that come from?” she thought, “And why am I staring.”

Just then her thoughts were interrupted when Julie sat down in front of her.

“Lily,” she said, “What happened last night? I want details!”

“I'll tell you later,” whispered. Lily she gathered up her books then stood up to leave the great hall and go back to the library. As she stood up she saw James give Remus and the Peter a barely perceptible nod as he walked past. A few seconds later as she hurried toward the stairs it dawned on her. That nod was a signal!

* * * * * * * * * *

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE HAD FOOD?" Yelled a dark clad man as he slammed his fist down on the table with enough force to shake the floorboards.

“J-Just what I,” S-said Sir Roderick stammered the now terrified minion Drake Bordeaux, “I went to the Orphanage to see if Madame Zeldaria had cracked yet, and I found that she had bought enough food to feed her and the children for two weeks!”

“But how,” snapped the other man pacing back and forth angrily, “where did the money come from? You were supposed to block off her financial support!”

“I d-did,” the smaller man stammered, “ She must have a source that we don't know about!”

“Well then don't just stand there, Imbecile, find out who this unknown source is and take Lucas Moorhead and Lucinda Golan with you.”

“You mean you want us to stake out the school, sir?” asked Drake

“I don't care how you do it,” snapped Roderick, “Just find out.”

* * * * * * * * * *

Lily sat quietly in the darkened Gryffindor common room. She was too high on adrenaline to sleep. She had be sure all day that James had signaled the Marauders to meet that night and she was determined to see if she was right. Just as her first wave of adrenaline began to wear off she heard movement in the darkness near the end of the sofa, she heard a secret panel slide open, and the rustling of cloaks. Slowly she reached out and turned up the lamp, and simultaneously four red cloak figures whirled around. And saw Lily sitting there. James looked relieved.

“It's you,” he whispered, “ for a minute there I thought we were busted.” Before Lily could say anything James pulled her into she secret passage Peter she closed the hidden door and sound- proofed the wall.

“Now,” said James, “ what are you doing here?”

“I saw you signal them at lunch today in the great hall,” said Lily, “That's how I knew you would be here tonight.”

“Looks like we're going to have to change signal,” said Sirius.

“I want to go with you!” Said Lily.

“No way,” said Peter, Sirius, and Remus in unison.

“ Let me put it this way,” said Lily, “if you want your little organization to stay a secret let me in.” they all looked at James.

“Okay,” Lily said James, “You're in, but I'll swear you in later. Right now we've got to get going.” James Grabbed one of their spare cloaks and draped it around her shoulders.

They took their racing brooms off the rack and mounted them. Lily climbed on behind James and put her arms around his waste, and like a shot they were off. Careening around corner and shooting down corridors of the hidden passages so fast that Lily could barely tell where they were, then all at once they were outside and climbing into the night sky. As soon as they were over the trees they turned do south. And headed down throw and little known ravine that kept anyone that might be awake at the school from seeing them. Lily could see that they were moving so fast that the trees they were passing looked like a dark blur. Suddenly they flew over the top a hill where Lily saw a small town spreading out below them.

As they approached the south end of the town, James aimed toward what appeared to be a large stone manor house. All of a sudden James came to a dead stop. His friends pulled of next to him.

“What is it?” asked Sirius

“Look down there in the bushes,” said James thankful there was no moon to give him and his friends position away. Looking down Sirius saw what James had seen the soft light from the sitting room window was glinting off of a silver buckle betraying the presence of three people hidden in the shrubbery. James nodded to Sirius and Remus who pulled away from the others so that they could circle around behind the would-be spies.

A few seconds later there was a noiseless explosion of green light and a few seconds after that Sirius and Remus rejoined the group.

“Don't worry James,” said Remus “we erased both their memories.”

“Alright,” said James, “Let's go.” Landing outside the house they walked inside

“ This is Madame Zeldaria's Orphanage,” said Lily before for she could add anything else they arrived in the sitting room. Madame Zeldaria was waiting for them. James presented her with the bag of gold galleons she thanked them profusely and then they left. They had just stepped outside when James stopped again.

“Sirius,” He said, “Did you say you erased both of their memories?”

“Yeah,” Replied Sirius, “ what's wrong with that?”

“Nothing,” said James, “except that there were THREE of them!” Just then an energy bolt came flying straight at them. They all simultaneously ducked and the bolt blew a tree limb in two. Instantly and insane looking woman in black garb appeared

Before Lily could say anything James boosted her onto Sirius's Broom.

“Get her out of her!” he bark, “I'll take care of Madame crackpot!” Sirius was off before Lily could protest. James jumped on his broom and went speed down a narrow river gorge with Lucinda Golan in hot pursuit. Suddenly when Lucinda rounded a corner in the gorge she found James sitting there on his broom looking at her. Suddenly James stuck his thumb on his nose and wiggled his fingers. Enraged Lucinda threw a bolt at him. James dove down sharply revealing a man-sized sheet of the shiny mirror-like mineral Hematite in the cliff wall behind him. The bolt bounced off the natural mirror and flew straight back a Lucinda.

“Oh Crud!” was all she had time to say before the bolt hit her full in the chest and knocked her backwards out of sight over the gorge's natural wall where was a huge explosion.

“Good riddance,” said James then he turned around and flew towards home.

* * * * * * * * * *

Lily hadn't stopped pacing since she and the other three had arrived back at the common room in Gryffindor tower.

“Lily stop pacing,” said Remus, “James will be fine.” Just then the secret panel slid open and James walked in cleaning his glasses. All at once he was knocked backwards, his glasses went flying, and his arms were full of Lily Evans.

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Chapter 3

A Turning of Events

The Dragon's eye restaurant and Hogsmeade was a bussel with activity as people all shapes, sizes and nationalities arrived in all imaginable numbers. Some of the guests were eating and some were out on the dance floor swaying to the slow music that was playing.

Lily and Julie walked into the restaurant and looked around. Lily was wearing an emerald green Asian style dress and green dress sandals with straps that wound their way elegantly up her legs to just below her knees her auburn hair was pulled back into a braid down her back. Julie was wearing royal purple one-piece dress with matching high-heeled shoes and handbag.

“Julie,” whined Lily, “How did I let you talk me into going on a double blind date with you?”

“Oh stop griping and at least act like your having a good time.” Said Julie through the side of her mouth while trying to smile at their dates, which turned out to be a couple of Ravenclaws named John Collins and Ethan Pickerel.

“A couple of way to eager Ravenclaws,” Lily thought. But she decided that she would just make the best of things. As Lily sat down at the table she spotted James lounging in a back corner booth sipping on a cherry phosphate, a syrupy soda-like drink that many of the students used to pacify their sweet tooth. Images of last night came flooding back to her and she started turning red again and excused herself disappearing into the ladies bathroom as quickly as she could find it.

“Why, oh why did I throw myself into his arms last night,” she thought as she leaned against the sink trying to get her blushing under control, “I shocked him and completely embarrassed myself.”

Once she managed to stop blushing she walked out of the bathroom and straight toward her table willing herself to not look at James. She was about half way back to her table when she bumped squarely into Lucretia Masters a Tall Slytherin. She was wearing a short slinky black dress that didn't leave much to the imagination a thick layer of makeup and ruge lipstick

“Well what have we here,” she sneered, “A little lost Gryffindor.”

“Yeah, said Angus Malfoy Lucius Malfoy's younger brother, “and look at her outfit.”

“Makes you look like a woods nymph.” Laughed Lucretia.

“ That's better than looking like the floozy of Fifth Avenue!” retorted Lily.

“You little tart!!” yelled Lucretia swinging for Lily's nose. At the last second someone grabbed her arm, pulled her away waltzing her out onto the dance floor.

Lucretia's swing connected with Angus's Jaw and sent him flying backwards into a table smashing it to pieces.

“Oh Angy,” she said rushing to his side, “ Are you hurt?”

“I told you not to call me that in public,” he hissed before either of them could get to their feet they were grabbed by one of the waiters and quite literally thrown out the door.

Lily laughed at the spectacle. Then it dawned on her she had been so busy laughing at Lucretia and Angus that she hadn't realized that the person who had pulled her out of harm's way and who was now dancing with her was James.

“I suppose now that Lucretia will we gunning for me too,” he said with a smile. Lily giggled

“Yeah, especially since you caused her to deck her own boyfriend.” James rolled his eyes and snorted

“Those two deserve each other.”

They continued dancing. James now had his hands resting lightly on her hips and she had her arms around his neck. She didn't now how long they had been dancing when suddenly someone grabbed her arm.

“May have a word with you,” Julie growled through clenched teeth and a forced smile, “Alone.” Julie practically dragged Lily into the bathroom.

“What do you think you're doing?” she snapped the minute the door closed.

“Well,” said Lily feeling a little indignant, “James did keep me from getting a bloody nose. I thought one little dance was the least I could do.”

“ONE little dance,” said Julie shaking her had, “You horse's neck you've been dancing with him for nearly an hour!” Lily looked at her watch and was shocked to find out that it said 7:05 P.M. instead of 6:15 P.M.

“Bugger,” she said to herself, “how could this happened, How could I dance with him for that long and not realize it?” Gathering up her courage she walked out of the bathroom and found that James had gone back to his table and was sitting with his back to her. Taking a deep breath she walked over to him.

“ I didn't mean to interfere in your date,” he said quietly when she walked up next to him, “I'm sorry.” Lily was surprised

“How did you know?” she asked. James turned toward her and that's when she saw that he was now sporting a shiner over his left eye.

“Well,” he said pointing to the shiner, “When a guy you hardly know comes up to you, tells you to back off, then jerks your glasses off and does this it's pretty much a dead give away.” With that he got up quietly and walked out.

* * * * * *

James walked down the hall toward the library, thankful for Madame Pomfrey's healing salve that had gotten rid of his black eye. Still he couldn't help but smile the shiner was the only unpleasant part of the evening. He had really, really enjoyed dancing with Lily and she seemed to enjoy it to maybe she even lik--,

“Hold it,” he said to himself, “Lily Evan is one of the prettiest girls in the school she's not likely to be interested in a be speckled daredevil.”

He was just about to round the corner when he overheard two Ravenclaw boys talking,

“Great Merlin,” said the first one, “Did you see Ethan's face last night?”

“Yeah,” said the second, “He looked like he'd been hit in the eye with a fifty pound sledge hammer!”

“You've got that Right,” said the first one, “And he got back so late that Madame Pomfrey had already left and, as luck would have it, she took the Key to the medicine chest with her so he had to spend the night with his left eye swollen shut.”

“Boy,” said the second boy, “what could he have done to earn that?”

“I heard that he had a date last night with Lily Evans and that he did something that really ticked her off.”

James stood there for a minute after they had walked out of earshot with his eyes wide and his heart pounding.

“Could it be?”

* * * * * * *

The Marauders now stood in a secret room off of one of the passageways that they knew so well. Dressed in their trademark red cloaks they stood facing Lily Evans who on her knees in front of them. It was James who spoke.

“Do you Lily Evans pledge to guard the secrets of the Marauders with your life and to live by the Marauder code which is Honor Courage and Loyalty?”

“I do so pledge,” she replied without any hesitation. James tapped his wand on both of her shoulders and smiled.

“Then rise Lily Evans and join us.” As she stood one of the others brought a cloak and draped it around her shoulders. And they welcomed her. Then once the induction ceremony was out of the way, they got down to business.

“Peter,” said James, “have you been able to come up with any information on those three goons that tried to waylay us outside the orphanage two nights ago?”

“Yes I do,” replied Peter pulled some papers out of the satchel that was lying on the table. He hand each of them papers with mug shots on them before continued,

“Their names are Lucas Moorhead, Lucinda Golan, and Drake Bordeaux. Real cretins all of them and they work for Sir Cecil Roderick.”

“Wait a minute,” said Remus “Isn't he the son or something of that Philanthropist Alistair Roderick the man who started the orphanage?”

“Nephew, actually,” said Sirius.

“Why would he want to abuse his uncle's project?” asked Lily

“ It's not as surprising a turn of events as you think, Lily,” said James, “while Cecil is Alistair's nephew, they are nothing alike.”

“Okay,” said Sirius, “we all agree that Cecil Roderick is capable of this but we still don't know why?

“That My friend,” said James, “Is the sixty-four thousand dollar question.”

TBC

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