The Marauders - Order of the Phoenix - Part One

Be Right Back

James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter stood shoulder to shoulder to shoulder to shoulder on the sidewalk in front of the Evans's house, staring at Lily as she stood, holding the door opened to a white car - an Austin Maxi - and gesturing to the space inside.

Sirius held the wrapped biscuit tin to his chest. He looked side to side at the other Marauders, then said, "Alright, if no one else is going to say it, I'll say it." He cleared his throat as the others looked at him - Lily with impatience. "You're mental if you think we're all going to squash in there like a tin of sardines and ride muggle style all the way to Hogsmeade."

"It'll be fun!" Lily countered. "A road trip!"

"Like Jack Kerouac," said Remus.

"Exactly!"

"Well I am not Sal Paradise and I am not riding in that rolling tin squashed up between these idiots all the way to Min's."

Lily said, "It will be fun! Where is your sense of adventure!"

"I must have left it at home," Sirius shrugged.

"I think it does sound like fun," Peter said.

They all ignored him.

"My mum used to take me and dad on roadtrips to Bath," Remus said, shrugging. "We did have fun," he admitted. "She would pack us a lunch and we'd go to the beach and -"

"I've packed a lunch!" Lily said excitedly.

"My parents used portkeys," Sirius said. "Before they wanted to murder me, that is."

"So did mine," James said. "Minus the murdering me part." He paused, "It could be kind of groovy."

"Yeah well," Sirius muttered, "You both seem to share the fetish of doing rubbish the muggle way lately..."

"It will be really great," Lily said pleadingly, "We'll make stops along the way, and we'll have fun and listen to music.. Music, Sirius! I have an 8-track deck in the dash! You can play anything you like."

"My Queen cassette has been itching for a bit of exercise," Sirius murmured.

"Well, excellent, perfect time to give it a go!"

Sirius nodded, "Alright, I suppose."

"Shall we pop home and get the tape?" Remus asked.

Sirius reached into his leather jacket and pulled out a small square, no bigger than a breath mint. He put it on the ground, waved his wand and the square swelled and grew until there stood before him a large storage box. Opening it, he rummaged about through a very large collection of records and 8 track tapes until he found what he was looking for and held it up. "I've got it."

"You carry all that with you everywhere?" Peter asked, amazed.

"And some other stuff." Sirius shrugged and reshrunk the box, stuffing it into his pocket.

"But why?" Peter asked.

"For times like this, of course."

Sirius ignored Petwr's amazement and turned to Lily, handing her the tape. "And if your rolling sardine tin hurts my Freddie I'll dismantle it one bolt at a time."

Lily grinned and took the tape, excitement in her eyes. "Alright then, everybody in!"

"Well hang on, what if Sirius isn't the only one opposed to this plan?" James asked. "What if the rest of us need convincing as well?"

Lily stepped over to James and stared up at his eyes. "Giving me what I want now may very well pay off for you later," she said, her voice sultry.

James nodded, "Well that's decided then, lot, everyone in the car!"