The Marauder Life

Sirius_Padfoot

Rating: PG
Genres: Romance, Action & Adventure
Relationships: Lily & James
Book: Lily & James, Books 1 - 5
Published: 20/12/2005
Last Updated: 20/12/2005
Status: in_progress

A story about The Marauders and Lily's Hogwarts lives, from first wands to last goodbye. Any advice is very welcome, and the rating might change throughout the story.

Chapters

1. The Beginning

1. The Beginning

The Beginning

Disclaimer: Nothing in this story (except the plot) is owned by me, but by the great J.K. Rowling.

AN: My first fic… hope you like it, advice on how to make it better is very welcome! Enjoy!

“Jamesy! Jamesy! JAMESY!” yelled Sirius as loudly and annoyingly as possible directly in James’ ear. James Potter awoke to the sight of Sirius Black’s wide grin, in the comfort (or at least until Sirius arrived) of his own home.

“Seriously mate, everyday? You know I don’t like waking up.” James looked at the clock. “3:00! Sirius! You decided to wake me up at this hour?” asked James completely annoyed by Sirius’ lack of timing.

“I only just woke up James!” replied Sirius as he shook James as though trying to make his bed crumble beneath them. “Your mum told me to come wake you up, says she’s got a surprise, for the both of us.”

James got up from his bed and put his slippers on, walked out of the room, and turned the corner with Sirius right behind him.

“What do you think it is?” questioned Sirius.

James mumbled an answer that even he couldn’t hear. As they approached the kitchen, Mrs. Potter called out to them.

“Hurry children!” said Mrs. Potter with more enthusiasm than she ever had before. “Guess what just arrived…,” she paused, “by owl?”

Immediately James knew what it was, although Sirius looked rather confused.

“Our… Hogwarts letters?” asked James half frightened and half excited.

“Yep!” announced Mrs. Potter with tears of joy.

There was a long pause in which James and his mother just stared at each other, and Sirius took it upon himself to break the silence.

“Well, are we going to open them or what?” asked Sirius awkwardly in this mother son moment.

James and Sirius swiped the letters off the table and began to read them with the happiest faces they could manage.

“Mum, when are we going to get our wands… and maybe a new broom?” asked James.

“Most likely, tomorrow, but you won’t need the new broom until next year. In fact, you can’t even join the Quidditch team yet!” she said matter-of-factly.

James and Sirius looked at each other, both wondering the same thing. What sort of pranks are they going to be able to do with magic?

********************Later that day…********************

“So Sirius, did you tell your parents that you’re coming with us tomorrow to get your stuff?” asked James.

“Nah, haven’t sent the owl yet” said Sirius lazily.

“Have you even… written it yet?” asked James.

“Yea, yea, here,” He passed the freshly written letter to James, and continued to lie down on the porch.

Dear mum,

I’m sending this letter via owl because I just wanted to know if it was alright that I went with James to Diagon Alley to get my school stuff, seeing as though my letter arrived here. I’m just wondering if I could stay with him until tomorrow and afterwards they’ll floo me home. Is that okay?

Yours truly,

Sirius

“That’s great. All you have to do now is send it Sirius, so you better get to it. You know your mum is loud when she’s angry mate,” ordered James.

“Oh alright, can I borrow Owl?” questioned Sirius with a lazy look in his eye.

James went back inside and up the stairs to the cellar for their owls. Upon entering, he noticed the clear and wonderful view of the moon. He stood there at the window with Owl, his falcon, which Sirius took to naming last year. James was enraptured by the sight of the moon, which never looked so beautiful. Taking a step back, he started towards the porch once more.

********************Meanwhile…********************

“Lily dear?” asked Mrs. Evans with worry in her voice.

She entered the room, and looked around until she saw her daughter staring out the window in her room.

“Lily, don’t take it to heart. Petunia…was just… surprised,” she muttered with an unconvinced grin.

“No she wasn’t mum. She called me a freak because she hates me and now she has an even bigger reason too. I hate myself!” yelled Lily with tears streaming down her cheeks.

“Oh honey, don’t listen to her. She just doesn’t understand. Your father and I have talked about it and we’re behind you all the way.”

Lily looked at her mother with the saddest face in the world, that would make the happiest man alive instantly depressed. “Mum, if you had to talk about it, obviously you didn’t like it, and maybe I should just ignore the letters and keep going to regular school.”

“Lily, you’ve always been open to new things. Why is this any different, especially since your father and I are behind it? You should be glad of your magical side. You’re a witch Lily, and many girls your age would love to be like you.” She made sure Lily was taking it in before she continued again, “It’s a little scary yes, but if you just work hard at it, you can become better than Petunia. In many ways you already are because you can do something she can’t,” declared Mrs. Evan with the most inspiring voice she had ever used.

Lily eyed her mother for any hint of a lying face. When she found none she spoke softly, “Well yea, but she makes it so hard sometimes. She makes it so if I don’t do something like she does it’s completely wrong!” sobbed Lily with a slight tear again.

“Lily… are you proud of this? I mean of being a witch and having a chance to go to this school?” Mrs. Evans asked with the face of a psychologist and in all seriousness.

Lily was silent for a moment, considering whether she was or not, and finally answered, “Yes, I am”.

“Good, then it’s final. We’re going to get your things tomorrow, it seems this…,” she paused to look at the letter, “…Dumbledore knew that we had no idea where to buy these supplies, so he sent directions to get to… Diagon Alley.” Mrs. Evans finished and waited for her daughters reply.

“Good, I can’t wait until tomorrow!” Lily rose from her bed and wiped her tears. As she hopped in the bathroom and got ready for bed, her mind raced with thoughts of how Hogwarts was going to be…

********************Back at the Potter Residence…********************

“Here Sirius, send it fast. I’m tired and I want to go to bed,” added James with a yawn as Owl flew from one arm to the other.

“Thanks mate.” Sirius shuffled around with Owl’s foot and successfully tied the letter around it.

They went back inside and said their goodnights to Mr. and Mrs. Potter.

“So Sirius, what do you think Hogwarts will be like?”

“Same old stuff for you, eh, Quidditch and a few spells here and there, but as for me just another boundary for us to write our names in,” remarked Sirius.

“Nah, it won’t be like that for me. Sure it will be somewhat like that I suppose, but Quidditch has to wait until next year.”

“That’s rubbish.”

“Truly”

“Your as good as any 2nd year there James, they can’t wait a whole year until you’re as good as a 4th year. You might not like Quidditch then!” explained Sirius.

James laughed, “Like I’d ever stop liking Quidditch.”

“Yea, but they don’t know that!” teased Sirius.

With that they dozed off into their own wonderful world where just about anything is possible, to a world that each of them like to call Hogwarts.

James and Sirius awoke the next day bright and early to get ready for their trip to Diagon Alley.

“Sirius!” yelled James at the top of his lungs into the bathroom door. “You take longer in the shower than my mum and your mum put together, mate.”

“You can’t blame me James. I need to keep my hair perfect, especially on a day like this when we gentlemen have to go to Diagon Alley to pick up their school things!” Sirius yelled back.

James laughed; he couldn’t believe what Sirius just said.

“You, a gentleman Sirius, I think a wild boar at a dinner party is more of a gentleman than you!” jested James with a snicker.

“Ah, shove it.” answered Sirius scornfully.

James moved on and went down the stairs to be greeted by his mother and father who looked quite proud and happy.

“Hey James, you ready?” asked his father who looked handsome in his new robes.

“Yea right... I wish I was, but Sirius still hasn’t gotten out of the shower. I swear the man takes too long on his hair for his own good!” James pointed out.

His parents laughed and looked up at the sound of Sirius running down the stairs.

“Hello, James you better jump in the shower now seeing as my five minute shower is up,” said Sirius with a slight chuckle.

“Ha, in my dreams!” said James with a look of triumph on his face.

“Oh, so you’re dreaming about me now, eh, James? Didn’t think it would ever happen, but then again a man often forgets how irresistible he is!” shot back Sirius.

James opened his mouth to say something, anything, but nothing came to mind. Instead he turned around and walked off towards the bathroom, determined not to give Sirius another win by retorting something back to him before he got in the shower.

********************Later that day - Diagon Alley********************

James and Sirius stepped through the newly opened brick doorway, in which his father had opened with his wand; Diagon Alley was filled with hundreds of wizards and witches, and many stores. Sirius had been here before, but only to Gringotts bank. He had never been in the rest of the stores.

“So, here’s the plan. While your father takes you to go get fitted into your robes I’ll head over to Flourish and Blotts to get your books. Then we’ll meet back at Ollivanders, deal?”

They all agreed on Mrs. Potter’s plan and started towards their described destinations. Although James had never been here before since he had neglected coming to Gringotts about 1,000 times, he had seen it to be like every other wizard store. To him it wasn’t really a big deal; the only thing he wanted was to get a wand and see Hogwarts. That’s what he was looking forward to.

“Cool, right James?” asked Sirius with interest.

“Yea, robes are a bit tight though,” James said, directing his words to the dresser.

She immediately began fixing and re-measuring him so he received the perfect fit. They had silence for the remainder of the visit to the robe shop; of course Mr. Potter had to give his own opinions and adjustments where he considered it to be needed. When they were done James and Sirius walked out of Madam Malkin’s and waited for his father in the brightly colored and trash littered streets of Diagon Alley.

“Well guys, looks like its wands next. Are you both ready?” inquired Mr. Potter as soon as he came out of the shop.

They started towards Ollivanders when a when he caught sight of a bright, fiery red. He looked over at the most prettiest girl he had ever seen, and her cheeks had the most beautiful freckles ever. The most amazing feature of her body though, (aside from her already amazing body and hair) were her big emerald like eyes, which shined bright enough to make anyone go blind.

“Sirius, look at her!” commanded James with much excitement.

“At who?” wondered Sirius, looking around everywhere for the girl James had tried to point out.

“Her!” shouted James and held Sirius’ head to look directly at the unknown red-head.

Sirius’ eyebrows rose at the beauty of her.

“Eh, she’s alright…” said Sirius with a bored voice.

James said nothing. He kept his gaze on her until she entered the shop from whence they had just exited, but James paid no attention to it. He took a step forward. “Guys, this way,” he mumbled, barely illegible. Sirius turned him in the opposite direction and walked him towards it. James just looked over his shoulder every few seconds, hoping she’d come out again.

“Not yet my good friend, put her off for a bit, eh? She isn’t worth it just yet,” said Sirius.

“You think so?”

“Yea, just concentrate on your wand picking for now and then we’ll see how it is when we get to school, okay?” said Sirius with a this-conversation-is-finished look.

They had just entered Ollivanders when Mr. Ollivander came out with the most freakish looking object they had ever seen, which surely could make a baby cry on sight.

“Welcome! Hmm, I see I have two young wizards to attend to, Hogwarts I presume? No matter. I’ll provide you with the best wands you could ever imagine. Now, if I could just take your measurements…”

Soon after Mrs. Potter arrived with all their books and waited for Mr. Ollivander to finish giving them their wands so they could move on to buy the rest of the supplies on the list. All the while James never stopped thinking about that red-headed girl he saw coming out of the robe shop, and Sirius knew it. It was rather obvious from the same dreamy look that he had the rest of the day, the look that made it so easily to pull him across anywhere.

Later, with Sirius still in the shower getting ready for the trip to Hogwarts the next day, James sat in his bed still arguing with himself over what to do with the red haired girl.

“Come on James. You can’t do this. She doesn’t matter. For all you know she could be a prat,” implied JC (James’ Conscience).

“No, I know she isn’t one!” argued James.

“Don’t be a fool like Sirius. You’ve never fallen for a girl you don’t know about!” said JC.

“I’m not, I know about this,” shot back James.

“Look, how about instead you make a promise not to get involved with her… for the time being?” pleaded JC.

“Well, I guess… Oh alright, fine, but only for the time being!” said James.

“Fine, but if you completely forget, oh well!” finished JC.

James’ thoughts finished as Sirius emerged from the bathroom,

“Well, I guess your idea to go first was a good one,” he said happily. He continued, “This way, you can get showered and not have to wait for me, and also I can get done with my shower on my time.” Sirius sent him an approving look which James returned.

“How do you feel about tomorrow?” asked James. “I know we don’t have classes but just being there.”

“I know it’ll be great. Let’s just try to behave, eh?”

There was an awkward silence; James looked at Sirius as though he was a ghost. “Could he be serious?” James thought, and then Sirius broke the silence with a loud bark-like laugh. James quickly followed suit and laughed as well.

“It’ll be great Sirius; a perfect playground for me and you!” said James mischievously. “It’ll be just like at your house that time we transformed Bellatrix’s hair purple, enlarged her eyebrows and eyelashes 10-fold, and gave her the fattest lip on this side of the universe!” said James with a loud laugh.

“Yea can’t wait for those times!” said Sirius with a wide grin. He immediately laid his head down however, and James caught the picture.

“Alright, goodnight Sirius,” said James softly.

“Night,” ended Sirius.

“James, Sirius, are you two ready?” asked Mr. Potter as he reached for the doorknob.

Everyone had awoken bright and early for this day. Mr. and Mrs. Potter were taking Sirius and James to King’s Cross so they could board the Hogwarts Express. Before Mr. Potter could finally continue to reach for the doorknob a letter flew in addressed from the Ministry.

“Hmm, well I might as well read it now. It could involve our transportation,” he said as he looked out the window and noticed that their vehicle had not yet arrived.

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Potter,

It is with our greatest regret and apologies that I must inform you that the vehicle you had ordered at 10:35 A.M. approximately three days ago to arrive at 11:26 A.M. today are unavailable at the current moment. Although, we can provide transportation at 1:00 P.M, if you are willing to wait for its arrival we would be more than pleased to send it. Please send your answer via owl before the specified time (12:30). Thank you, and once again our sincerest apologies to your family and yourselves.

Sincerely,

Minister of Magic

“Well, looks like the ministry has withdrawn their vehicle, and we cannot accept the next available one at one o’clock for the train would have left by then,” said Mr. Potter sadly.

“Well, what now?” asked James not knowing what to do.

“Well, what can we do?” asked Mrs. Potter. “We had never bothered to think of a back-up option. We never would’ve thought the Ministry would run out of vehicles before our time,” said Mrs. Potter

“So…” said Sirius looking confused, “Can’t we just order a muggle… taxi or something?” offered Sirius.

Everyone looked up to the idea Sirius had just given them. “It’s brilliant” thought Mr. Potter. “We could get out on the road and ask for one, we wouldn’t have to reveal who we are at all, we could tell the driver where to go, get in, get out, and on the road they are to Hogwarts. Then, by the time they get back, I’ll be sure to have the car fixed!”

“Well then, it’s settled. We are going to get a muggle “taxi” and get a ride to King’s Cross, okay? Everyone agrees?” asked Mr. Potter.

“Yes,” said everyone in unison.

“Then… let’s get going!” said Mr. Potter excitedly.

Everyone got up and started gathering their things.

“Muggle driving?” asked James.

“Exactly,” said Sirius.

“Well then, what are we waiting for? Let’s go!” said James excitedly.

As they finished gathering their things, they stepped out the door and made their way down to the sidewalk to try and pick up a taxi…