The Marauders: Year Seven Part Two

Dementors and Giants

End of March passed by and April came on full of rain and wind so that the windows of Gryffindor tower were being pelted with droplets and flashes of lightning periodically lit up the grounds below. Sirius appointed himself the overseer of the upbringing of the New Marauders, DWO, and often would disappear for hours at a time with the younger students and turn up later, falling through the portrait hole laughing with them and awarding them with high fives all around. He served several detentions alongside Dexter, Wally, and Ollie, and even went so far as to disappear to their dormitory for a few hours one night, plotting the next adventure and round of pranks to put on the next day.

"I feel like I ought to be more concerned about Sirius than I am," Remus confided one night, sitting by the fire, his stockinged feet up and collecting the warmth as he read a book. He'd taken pause from his tome to watch Sirius stumble up the steps with the little seagulls, hooting about how close they'd been to getting caught by Filch, before the four of them had disappeared off to the younger lad's room. Remus looked over at James and Lily. "Do you feel as though he's having a bit of a regression lately?"

"He doesn't want to be so close to graduation is what it is," James said, shrugging. "He's trying at putting it off, keeping himself busy so he doesn't think on it." James and Lily were working on a paper for McGonagall, the parchment balanced on Lily's lap, who was sitting on James's lap, while James looked over her shoulder.

Remus pursed his lips, "Yeah I s'pose." He turned back to his book, disappearing in the covers of Magical Defense in the Darkest Duels, something he'd got out of the library.

"That any good, that?" James asked, nodding at the book.

Remus shrugged, "Nothing we don't already know, honestly." He lowered the book to his lap and rubbed his eyes. "Part of me wishes the year were already over already, I'm bloody sick of studying."

"What do you think Uni is, mate?" James snickered. "And this from a lad who thinks he's going to be a teacher!" 

"You know what I mean," Remus said, rolling his eyes, "I'm ready for a break for summer. It's been a really hard year and... I just could use a break is all." He had been about to say something about looking forward to the summer at Fallengunder with Ned and their Kneazle, but he'd caught himself and he stared blankly at the fire for a few moments before returning to the book yet again.

Lily poked James with the quill and asked, "Are you going to contribute anything to this?"

"Oh, yeah... right," James turned his attention back to the parchment with Lily.

Suddenly the portrait hole swung open and Professor McGonagall was stepping gingerly through. Silence fell over the common room. Lily stood, sliding off James's lap, and Remus dropped his book onto the coffee table. Everyone in the room was silent, staring at their head of house. McGonagall cleared her throat, "At ease everyone, at ease... Return to what you were doing..." She looked at James, "I'm just looking to have a word with you, Mr. Potter."

James looked surprised, "With me?" Then, "Whatever it is, Professor, I didn't do it. I've been right here in the dorm all night."

"Yeah, he has," Lily testified.

"I'm aware of that, Potter! Although Mr. Black cannot be saying the same thing..." she let her voice trail off, "No matter, though. I'm needing to have a word with you, if you'd just come along with me."

James gave Lily an apologetic look, then hurried 'round the furniture and followed McGonagall out of the portrait hole and down the corridor. They'd gone several steps before James's mind caught up with him to worry. "Professor," he said, nervously, "What's going on? You never come to the common room unless it's - it's an emergency." He chewed his lip, "It isn't -- one -- is it?" he asked tentatively.