I Solemnly Swear

Chapter 12: Return of the Marauders

Winter came upon Hogwarts suddenly, snow falling thickly overnight. Herbology lessons were cancelled, and Professor Kettleburn redid his lesson on salamanders, just so the students could cluster around the fires on the snow covered grounds. And yet, the near Antarctic conditions did not stop James Potter from calling quidditch practice. Three days a week and early Sunday mornings, James corralled his team and dragged them out of their warm beds and out into the freezing winter air.

However, December 10 saw a blizzard blow into the castle, and even James had to see sense - and the point of Sirius' wand that evening - and call off practice.

The sixth year Gryffindor students were soon the only ones in the Common Room, sitting around the fire and holding steaming mugs of hot chocolate. They had a week until they broke up for Christmas, and the festive spirit was promoting a rare sense of unity. Alice and Frank were curled up on the couch, Benjy perching on the arm furthest from the canoodling couple. Hestia and Dorcas shared the other couch, Marlene and Emmeline elegantly leaning against the bottom of it.

Peter was stretched out furthest from the fire, dropping more marshmallows in his cup than was probably good for him. He kept up with the conversations, tossing in odd comments about the Slytherin students acting the oddest after the Hogsmeade Incident (as the students had taken to calling it). James and Lily sat on opposite armchairs, keeping up a grudging truce for the sake of harmony.

Sirius leaned against the hearth, legs stretched out in front of him, Rose happily sitting against the bottom of Remus' chair, watching the firelight dance across Sirius' handsome features. His eyes were closed, but she could tell he was listening to the growing list of Slytherin's Acting Suspiciously, the slight tensing of his jaw giving him away.

"You can say Regulus, you know," he announced tiredly, anger and worry lurking within his words. "He's counting the days until he can be 'of service', the stupid little git."

"I can't honestly believe that You-Know-Who is recruiting Hogwarts students," Mary spoke up, biting her bottom lip.

Sirius laughed bitterly. "I envy you your conviction, MacDonald," he said, his eyes opening and filling with a kind of pain. "When war is around the corner, which it is, then everyone is looking to recruit soldiers. And believe me, not even school kids are safe."

"But we don't know that for certain," Emmeline cut in hopefully, ignoring the frantic shaking of James's head.

"We do," Sirius replied, all five Marauders implied in his statement. Rose looked away from them all, knowing and hating the truth of what Sirius was about to say. "I won't say it, Rosebud, if you don't want me to." As ever, Sirius knew what she was thinking.

"I hate that it happened, Siri, not that you want to say it," she told him sadly.

"I know, Sweetheart," he sighed, already worn down by the stress of the war. Even James turned downcast.

Marlene narrowed her dark blue eyes at them, anger darkening the midnight shade further. "That's it!" she announced, sounding very much like a drill sergeant. "I've had enough of this pity party."

"Pity party?" Remus repeated, scrunching up his nose. "What are you on about, Marlene?"

"You lot are seeing Death Eaters in every Slytherin," Marlene told them seriously. "Now, most of them are more suspicious than three hags hanging around a vampire - including your brother, Sirius, and our resident unwashed potions expert - but you're letting Voldemort get to you. Where the hell have the Marauders gone? What, you beat them once and then they beat you? Come on." Her eyes rolled audibly. "You five immature morons keep this place in good spirits, you make us laugh even when we should be worrying about the war to come."