#it wasn't voldemort who had to be afraid it was THE MARAUDERS

[atlasdoe]

"Who's afraid of little old me is about Regulus!!!!"

Have y'all ever heard of Peter Pettigrew????

[thegirlwhowrites642]

Hi, please free to ignore( huge fan of your metas btw)

What are your thoughts on Peter pettigrew? In swm we saw him fanboying over james to being responsible for his death. Just because he was afraid or he never really loved his friends. Many people say James and Sirius treated him shitty thats why he betrayed. Some even say he was just a tag along. Please share your thoughts.

First of all, thank you!

(also, unless they are rude, I don't ignore any questions, it might just take me two years to answer)

Peter Pettigrew

My very controversial opinion on Peter is that I love him (as a character).

To me, Peter is one of those characters who represent how Rowling's clear lack of self-awareness as a person translates in her work into her being unable to recognize her strengths as a writer. The majority of the most interesting things she comes up with are not the ones she focuses on.

And that's the case for Peter Pettigrew, who might be the Marauder with the most interesting story.

It's way too easy to reduce him to a coward as the author seems to want you to believe. And even claiming he didn't love his friends is a flattening of his character.

You can have a tendency to be influenced by peer pressure all you want but you don't become an unregistered animagus to help someone if you don't love the friend you are doing that for and you don't have a bit of courage (especially considering how long the whole thing was and that he wasn't particularly talented). He risked extremely severe consequences on his body due to the possibility of the process going wrong and he risked Azkaban for being unregistered.

That's fundamentally the opposite behavior of the one he later has with the Potters.

I also think it's important to point out how Remus is not a close relative (father, son, brother) and how the help Peter provides is not essential to Remus' survival, it's emotional comfort. The lack of necessity of the animagus matter and the easily cancellable bond with Remus increase the braveness and love of Peter's act (in contrast for example with something like what Narcissa does with her son by lying to Voldemort).

I think Peter's story is the one of someone who lost his courage, not the one of a person who never had it.

Doesn't this also make it so much more delicious how his downfall is caused by the return of a glimpse of honor?

I do agree with the fact that in SWM, James and Sirius don't treat him particularly well, especially Sirius, but I don't think they are that aware of it, especially James. They are a bit crude, and they are arrogant. They are two bright posh 16yo guys in a boarding school in the 70s. I don't expect from them a particularly high level of sensitivity in how they talk to people, especially to someone they take for granted knows to be their friend. Sirius is probably more aware of it, but I believe James to be quite unaware of himself at this point in the timeline. This is before his maturation really kicks in, his whole interaction with Lily shows a lack of self-awareness in how he talks to people (we know Lily turns him into a bit of an idiot, the problem is that he doesn't seem to be aware of it). Sirius on the other hand seems a lot more self-aware than James. A lot of people are not going to like what I'm about to say but: James is canonically a better person than Sirius.

And yet, it is abundantly clear that both James and Sirius love Peter.

James gives into Peter's hands his own life and the ones of his wife and son. Sirius gives in Peter's hands the lives of the family he chose.

In the Shrieking Shack, under all the pain Sirius has for the death of James and Lily, it is evident that there's also the pain that comes from the betrayal of a friend.

"THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED!" roared Black. "DIED RATHER THAN BETRAY YOUR FRIENDS, AS WE WOULD HAVE DONE FOR YOU!" - Chapter 19, Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban

Lily herself is very attached to Peter, in her letter to Sirius, she calls him Wormy (how cute is that?). And, let's remember that she too puts her life and the ones of her husband and son in Peter's hands.

It's too easy to say Peter was just a tagalong, that they didn't love him. It incredibly diminishes the pain of his act.

I also would like to point out that Peter isn't stupid. He was a double agent, he managed to frame Sirius by using in his favor people’s low opinion of his skills (and Remus and Sirius' rocky relationship). James, Sirius, and Remus might have thought of themselves as smarter than Peter but I don't think they actually believed him to be stupid. Considering who the Marauders are, their knowing how good of a liar, and how cunning Peter could be, would be a perfect explanation of why they became friends in the first place.

Does this mean they all loved Peter but Peter only loved Remus out of his friends?

We can't really be sure of his feelings for Sirius, but the admiration he shows for James and the sense of guilt we know he has for his double agent activities don't really align with that image.

I think Peter's fear for his own life ended up winning over the love for his friends.

But why at this point? Why not at Hogwarts?

Something quite interesting is how Peter's father is the only parent of the Marauders who is never mentioned, not in the books, not in any additional material. Doesn't that align just so well with Peter always putting himself at the service of the most important male figure around? First James, and then after school, with the war going on, Voldemort.

Isn't it such a fitting image, Peter growing up without a father, with a too-cuddling mother whom he ends up resenting, faulting her for the absence of the father? It's so natural to paint him as a young man crushed by a sense of inadequacy towards an image of masculinity he idealizes but can't fulfill, supported by a society filled with a very toxic sense of masculinity and an absent father he can sew on any fantasy he wants.

When Peter was at Hogwarts, being friends with James, and being part of the Marauders, gave Peter a sense of security that allowed him to be brave enough to prioritize his love for his friends over himself.

Out in the real world, though, Voldemort is the dominant man and being positioned against the Dark Lord takes away the sense of security he had as a student. Both times Peter goes to Voldemort, he does it because he doesn't feel safe.

It's also abundantly clear how Peter's siding with Voldemort doesn't come from ideology. He becomes an animagus for Remus, he's a dear friend of Lily.

Peter dies because Voldemort doesn't trust him, and he is right in not trusting him. Somewhere in Peter, there's still the boy who risked his life for a friend.

Try to tell me this is not an interesting character.

He's still a coward overall, but a complex one.

Also, Peter Pettigrew is a clear victim of pretty privilege when it comes to the fandom. I'm ready to bet whatever you want that if he had been described as handsome the most popular ship with Sirius would be Sirus/Peter.

Actually, he didn't even have to be described as handsome, he just needed to not be described as ugly. Draco is described as having a pointy face and people have been lying to themselves claiming he's incredibly handsome for the last twenty-five years.

[whenlilyfallsinlove]

lost

a/n im sorry in advance

fred weasley was your best friend. you were attached at the hip. well all three of you were, you him and george. best friends. your parents were friends with molly and arthur when they were at hogwarts, so it was only fate that you would be friends with the twins. especially as you were the same age. you loved george as a brother, you would die for him. he was your rock, and the best advice giver. fred, on the other hand, was different.

you were in love with fred. you had been since you were 5. you remember the day well. you, fred, george, bill and charlie were playing a mini game of quidditch in the fields, near the burrow. of course, only being 5 put you, fred and george at a severe disadvantage but it was you 3 against the other 2. you remember it clearly. charlie hit a bludger, and (accidentally) of course, it came hurtling towards you. before it had even registered in your little mind, fred has flown in front of you, taking the hit. fred had a killer bruise that summer, but he didn't care. he felt brave for saving you. ever since that day, you had loved him.

you wished life was as simple as it was back then. you'd pay galleons to take you back to those times, when you were all young and carefree and didn't have to worry about voldemort. you'd also pay galleons to take you back to your time at hogwarts, whether it'd be when the three of you first discovered the marauder's map, or the hundreds of pranks you were dragged into. even the detentions. at the time it was annoying, but godric you'd do anything to go back.

it wasn't so simple now. your families and friends were in danger from the rise of voldemort, and you all had to fight back. it wasn't easy, george lost an ear, a mere month ago. he was fine now, but at the time you were scared, shrieking for help as you were paired up with him. you knew this war was ruthless. voldemort didn't care. he killed people you loved. life was too short, you needed to tell fred you loved him, at some point.

"it'll be okay boys." you stood in between the twins, looking over at the death eaters approaching hogwarts.

"you scared y/n?" george asked you, his tone genuine.

"very scared georgie, are you freddie?" you turn to look at the boy, who was already gazing at you.

he nods. in return.

you pull the two of them into a hug. this could potentially be the last time the three of you would be together, if worst came to worst.

"we'll be fine." george whispers.

you nod, and fred holds you tighter. you realise he is more afraid than he's letting on.

some form of spell is shot in your direction and you realise it's time.

"i love you boys." you look at them, your wand out, ready to fight.

"we love you too." they respond.

you had lost the twins at some point during the battle. it was hard, to stick with friends. you were tired. your head pounded. you didn't know if it was adrenaline or fear.

your thoughts were interrupted by a death eater shooting a spell at you. you recognised him, he was one of your old classmates. you were 90% sure he was your old potions partner.

you shot a spell back, you didn't want to hurt him. no you really didn't. you knew his parents probably forced him into this mess and he couldn't say no. but this war was merciless.

"stupefy." you mutter, sending him flying back unconsicious.

you run. you wonder how you were sorted into gryffindor when you felt as scared as this.

you run and run until your met head first with a broad body.

"y/n?".

"freddie? oh thank godric." you wrap your arms round him tightly.

"careful woman, we're still in the middle of a bleeding war here." he teases, but hugs you back tightly.

"is george okay?" you mutter.

"yeah i saw him not that while ago. hes fine." he whispers back, reassuringly.

"good. listen fred, this might not be the best time in the world for his but i thought i may as well considering this is life or death. i love you. a lot i have since we were five. i couldn't imagine anything-" your words were cut out by freds lips on yours.

"bloody finally! i love you too y/n." fred smiles at you. you grin back.

"maybe this isn't the best time for this though" he chuckles. "we can finish this later, when this war is finished." he winks at you cheekily.

you shove him playfully.

at least in this time of darkness, you had each other.

you stuck together for a while. fighting death eaters. high fiving each other when the other had produced a particularly good spell.

you started fighting this ministery of magic guy, the one that you remember was percy's boss. that turned him against his family.

you shot a spell at him, disarming him, and knocking him unconscious. fred in the meantime was a few metres away from you, sending a stunning spell to another death eater.

after he had saw what you'd done, fred laughed, "that's my girl, y/n this is why i love-"

you had just ran to join him, when you heard a massive explosion. darkness.

"FRED" you screamed. but it was too late. fred was dead. your best friend, the love of your life. gone. forever. with his smile directed at you still etched on his face.

this war was ruthless. even if your side did win, it felt like a loss. as you and george clung onto each other, sobbing, you knew it wasn't really a win. nothing was a win without fred.

[ayvayenildi]

Snupin First Wizarding War Headcanon I Cannot Stop Thinking About

Just imagine Remus Lupin being a spy for the Order of Phoenix during the First Wizarding War and infiltrating the werewolfs that serve Voldemort as just another desperate one except he encounters Severus Snape, who very obviously knows who Remus is and how loyal he is to his friends. Surely, Remus is afraid that Snape will denounce him in a matter of seconds but instead he offers a deal: he will turn a blind eye on Remus' presence if Remus tells him how Lily is doing or, at least, whether she's still alive. This Snape is not yet a spy but he isn't very devoted to Voldemort's cause either plus he still cares about Lily above all else and knowing nothing about her drives him mad.

Remus doesn't like the idea but he doesn't really see a way out so he starts feeding Severus pieces of information. Slowly but steadily they grow closer and begin to cover each other's asses (Remus needs quite a lot of ass covering as he still tries not to hurt anyone and that makes other werewolves and Death Eaters suspicious). What started as a forced alliance becomes a real friendship as they are both in a desperate need of someone close; that's the time where some people in the Order start suspecting that Remus is a double-agent and is actually working for Voldemort — the Marauders seem to canonically think so as well, at least that's why (according to Sirius in the third book) they didn't tell Remus about Peter as the Secret-Keeper.

Imagine Remus and Severus growing so close over time that one morning after getting way too drunk for all the worst reasons they do actually wake up in the same bed. Imagine them both embarrassed as hell (Remus still has this big fat unrequited longing for Sirius and Severus is in a sort of situationship with Lucius), and they try to act as if it didn't happen except they both can't and keep coming back for more. Imagine them just finding some comfort in each other's embrace amidst what they both (wrongly) consider to be the worst time in their lives. That little thing they have quickly grows out of control.So, when Lily dies, and Snape desperately needs to blame someone for what had happened (he already blames himself but that’s simply not enough to calm the pain), the only person he can think of is Remus. It's Remus who distracted him and made him lose control. If it wasn't for Remus, he might have been able to save her.

Well... at least that's how I explain why Remus in the third book stubbornly calls Snape by his first name, thank you for coming to my TedTalk, bye!!

[sofoulandfairaday]

I actually do tend to put most of the Order we see in the photos around the same years, but my headcanon is that there were other older members but they all died by the time that photo was taken because they were trying to protect the younger kids. I like to imagine that Moody is the only surviving older Order member and he had to watch his peers die one by one and then had to watch as so many of those kids they died trying to protect were killed themselves

Soooo. I can see this working if well justified. There is a line that does justify it in canon, actually- "[...] look, I can’t promise no one’s going to get hurt, nobody can promise that, but we’re much better off than we were last time, you weren’t in the Order then, you don’t understand, last time we were outnumbered twenty to one by the Death Eaters and they were picking us off one by one...”

Voldemort would most likely send his Death Eaters after the best and strongest Order members first, even though they were more likely to take down many of his followers- it's not like he didn't have the numbers. BUT I'm afraid it's a little unrealistic. The weakest fighters in a fight to the death are those who get killed first even with protection.

Just for funsies, though, I'll give you my personal headcanon of the Order members' rough ages. I'm usually flexible if they're changed by a couple of years, but the generations should be kept.

This is the list of confirmed Order of the Phoenix members in the First Wizarding War:

Albus Dumbledore

Aberforth Dumbledore

Alastor Moody

Arabella Figg

Dedalus Diggle

Elphias Doge

Emmeline Vance

Mundungus Fletcher

Rubeus Hagrid

Sturgis Podmore

Severus Snape

Sirius Black

Remus Lupin

Peter Pettigrew (who turns spy for the Death Eaters in 1980)

All these people survive the war. Then we also have:

James Potter

Lily Evans Potter

Fabian Prewett

Gideon Prewett

Frank Longbottom

Alice Longbottom

Edgar Bones

Benji Fenwick

Caradoc Dearborn

Dorcas Meadowes

Marlene McKinnon

Now. The only girl confirmed to be one of Lily's classmates is Mary McDonald and she's not part of the Order (and I choose to believe that she wasn't; she sympathised, maybe, but I like the headcanon that she's so scarred by Mulciber and Avery's bullying - and that the event that Lily references to Severus is not the only time they use Dark Magic on her - that she wants nothing to do with the fight). I am maybe one of the two (2) people with a mild appreciation for BlackKinnon, and I don't mind Marlene as someone in the same age bracket as them (but I can also see her being older). She is murdered along her entire family, though, and it's unclear whether she was a mother, a sister, or a daughter. I will say that some of their Hogwarts years overlapped.

Dorcas I find way less likely. She was killed by Voldemort himself - the man wouldn't have bothered if she wasn't an Amelia Bones-level witch at least, which means she was mighty, which means she most likely wasn't twenty-one. I like to think that she was an Auror, or a Ministry high-ranking employee with sound principles that just would not bend to the infiltration of the DEs in the Ministry or to Barty Crouch Snr's ruthlessness.

Frank and Alice Longbottom are the same, to me. They're older than the Marauders, I would make them (just like Dorcas) around Bellatrix's age, maybe even older. That makes them around 30yrs old in 1981. Which means they would have had a full decade or more to become the most respected Aurors in the Wizarding World, so well known that what happened to them sparked major outrage, the kind that led to a manhunt for their torturers, and the sentencing of a pleading nineteen-year-old boy. (Of course, Barty jr was guilty, but they didn't know that, didn't know just how loyal to Voldemort he truly was. The Lestranges sentencing - an old wizarding family, a Lestrange had even been Minister for Magic - was clearly one sparked by public outrage. People were crying out for their blood.)

The Prewetts were Molly's older brothers, so they were way older than the Marauders. They were also killed by a group of Death Eaters led by Antonin Dolohov after what appears to have been a truly brutal fight, so nope. They weren't the Fred and George types of the Marauders Era (also. the Marauders were that!)

Edgar Bones had a wife and children and was considered to be one of the best of the era, so I doubt he was as young as the Fantastic Four. We really don't know enough about Caradoc Dearborn or Benji Fenwick to say, but I somehow doubt it.

Of those who survived.

We know that Albus, Aberforth, Moody, Elphias Doge, Mundungus, and Arabella Figg are all way older than the Marauders, and I've always pictured Dedalus Diggle as a middle aged man (but we only know he's tiny and excitable, so it could go either way). Sturgis Podmore's description fits someone that could have been in the Marauder's year or maybe slightly older, but still one of their peers.

So, really, the green-faced youths that fought with the Order were: the four Marauders, Lily, maybe Marlene and Emmeline Vance (who isn't even listed as fighting with them in the First War, only the second), and maybe Sturgis Podmore. On the side of the Death Eaters: Avery, Mulciber, Barty Crouch jr (who was two/three years younger than the Marauders!!!), Regulus Black and of course Severus Snape.

And, no. Evan Rosier's age is never disclosed, and since he brutally maims fucking Alastor Moody - possibly the greatest Auror ever - I'm inclined to believe that he was at least Bellatrix's age (so 8-9 years older than the Marauders). In my personal headcanon he's even a tad older - but no less cuntier for it. My boy serves as much cunt at 27 as he did at 17 (<3).

[fensherohair]

The Marauders & The Metamorphic Witch Part 14

Words: 1.6k Warning: None Pronouns: She/Her use of (Y/N)

Returning to Hogwarts for the fourth year was different from the previous three. Perhaps it was being halfway through the education or the new expectations placed upon each student. Or maybe it was the dark shadow of the growing threat of war hanging over the entire wizarding world. Voldemort was growing in power—no one could deny that. His followers were growing in numbers, and his influence was getting stronger with every passing day. 

"Alright, Pumpkin Head," called James, throwing his words to Allegra and her group of friends, reminding them of the chaos at the end of last year. The last week had been filled with students standing up to the group of girls; the older students hadn't done much in the way of stopping it; prefects had turned the other way with a quiet chuckle while the head boy and girl of the houses had simply instructed the younger students on their method. By the time the professors had come around to investigate, it was as if nothing had happened at all. 

"Shut up, Potter," yelled Allegra in response. Her voice was harsh and colder than normal. Tucked under her arm were a few books on Dark Arts. Since returning to school for the fourth year, Allegra had changed too. Spending her time studying Dark Arts, Charms, Potions, and dangerous Magical Creatures. It wasn't uncommon for Allegra to be in detention now, openly being mean to others around her outside her little group of friends. Everything about her had changed, as if she'd undergone a dark makeover during the holidays, something Isolde had confirmed. 

"What is it with all the changes lately?" asked Peter, noticing others had also begun to change. Marlene had lost her mind filters over the summer holidays when she'd once been polite with her wording. She was anything but to those who dared torment her now. Lily and Snape had become more distant as if a rift had formed between them. Isolde had gained confidence now, where she'd once been afraid to show affection to those she loved both romantically and plutonically. She now pridefully displayed it. 

(Y/N) was about the only girl to remain the same; although more sensible than before, she was still as clumsy as ever, mischievous, and curious about everything. Hunter still needed to keep her on track and out of trouble. 

"We're older now, mate; we're expected to start acting like it," began Sirius, recalling McGonnagal's visit to the tower mere days after the welcoming feast. She'd made it clear that she expected those of the fourth year and upwards to set a good example for younger students; they were young adults, after all, and it was time they began to act like it. "Plus, some are vying for Prefect next year." 

"Pfft, who wants that responsibility?" James said, acting offended by the idea of being a prefect. All the responsibility, no fun, and having to run around after younger students. Nothing about it appealed to him, although the idea of winding one up was something he'd enjoy doing. "Sounds like a nightmare to me. Can you imagine chasing Wolffe around the castle?" 

"Don't we already do that?" asked Remus, a chuckle flowing from his lips mere seconds later. "She's not called the Bane of Hogwarts for nothing." 

"Never did find out how she got old Peeves to listen to her," commented James, recalling witnessing the chaos the poltergeist caused at (Y/N)'s request—everything from popping out of blackboards to following people around making farting noises. A few unlucky ones had been locked in suits of armor or had things dropped on them. 

"Speaking of Wolffe, we've barely seen her since the holidays," stated Peter, recalling (Y/N) hadn't been in the train compartment with them. Most of the time, he'd seen her during breakfast and dinner, but after that, it was as if she just disappeared entirely. Immediately Remus glanced over to Sirius, suspecting the pureblood could shed light on the mystery. When his eyes found Sirius, however, the fizzy-haired wizard seemed lost in thought; sadness swam in his icy eyes. 

"Didn't go as planned, huh?" asked James, remembering Sirius mention he planned to talk to (Y/N) over the summer holidays and tell her how he felt. He'd been excited about it before, grinning from ear to ear, that goofy smile. After that, everything changed. Sirius had been almost lost, and (Y/N) all but avoided them as if they were the human incarnations of Dragon Pox. 

"It wasn't (Y/N)," voiced Sirius, beginning to open up as they approached the portrait hole. Remus speaking the latest password to the portrait of the fat lady, interrupting her latest attempt at singing. "It's how our parents reacted. Mine weren't pleased, did their expected routine about upholding traditions and whatnot. The Wolffe's reaction was based on my parents; to say they don't think highly of them is an understatement. They approved the idea of Hunter and Isolde but asked (Y/N) to keep her distance." 

"So (Y/N) didn't think you were joking?" asked Peter in an attempt to lighten the mood a little bit. "Guess I owe Moony 5 Galleons," he added, hearing James stifle his amusement by whipping a hand over his mouth. Remus, on the other hand, could only look around in confusion, holding up his hands to plead his innocence. 

"Come on, Padfoot. We all know that's not going to stop you from chasing her," said James, grabbing hold of Sirius' shoulder in the hopes of conveying the encouragement all three of them would willingly give. "She's the ying to your yang. We can all see it. It's like Remus and Marlene when they finally get past the awkward stage." 

"Think of it this way, Padfoot," began Peter, suspecting his words would both lighten the mood and offend, "At least you're not pining after someone to an embarrassing degree like Prongs with Lily," he added. This time, it was Remus who tried and failed to stifle his laughter. James let out a squeak as if trying to show his offense without speaking a word on the subject. Sirius could only grin, offering a nod of thanks to Peter even more so when it was Wormtail who had wordlessly encouraged each of them as they chased after the three girls. 

"It's too quiet in here," spoke Fennec as she returned to the common room; looking around, she was met with the Marauders seemingly minding their own business, Lily and her group of girls on the opposite side of the tower to them, appearing on to be studying. Allegra, Samantha, Georgie, and Ulrica all gathered around the fire, a stack of books between them, whispering among themselves while pointing to several students coming and going from the common room. 

"It's because there's no mischief, random explosions, or unexpected jump scares," casually replied Finnick from the walkway above the stairs. As he spoke, he glanced at the four boys around one table and the girls, specifically (Y/N), around another studying. "Not even Peeves is causing havoc this time."

"Good, that stupid poltergeist is terror; it should be banished from the castle," said Allegra, recalling the poltergeist's years of antics. The poltergeist seemed to ignore everyone: staff, students, and ghosts, with the exception of the Bloody Baron and the few he actually liked, mainly those who loved mischief. 

"He's only a terror to those who don't have a sense of humor," called Isolde, not sparing anyone's feelings or even bothering to look up from her book. Lily let out a small chuckle at the comment, suspecting Isolde was right to an extent. There was no end of times poor Filch had found himself running around the castle chasing Peeves and cleaning up the chaotic messes the poltergeist made. Those who had a love and talent for mischief always missed Peeve's antics or got the lighter side of the pranks and jokes, maybe a few water balloons rather than a bag of scorpions or lit torches. 

"We have good senses of humor; you sad idiots just don't understand it," spoke Ulrica, the tone suggesting she had taken offense to Isolde's words and was trying to defend herself. 

"That's because terrorizing people isn't funny. As you lot found out last year when you got a taste of your own medicine," voiced James, suspecting the previous year would repeat again in terms of their behavior. Once again, they would believe they were above the rules and play victim when they were rightly caught and reprimanded for their behavior. By the end of the year, those around would be fed up with them and once again play their game back at them. Only this time, likely with a few more creative spells. "Oi, Wolffe, how did you create that pool on the seventh floor?" asked Prongs, calling over to the metamorphic wich the opposite side of the tower. 

'The same way I cause all my mischief," (Y/N) replied, her signature grin slowly painting on her lips. "Magic" 

"You walked right into that one, mate," Sirius commented lightly. 

"Ah, so you are still causing pandemonium on a smaller scale," Finnick voiced from the walkway above, a light chuckle escaping him. 

"Was there any doubt?" (Y/N) asked. 

"Some," answered Fennec, moving to sit at another of the empty tables. She threw her feet on the table before opening the latest charms book, figuring she'd take the quiet time to do a little studying of her own. The sixth year was just as important as the seventh. Everything they were set to learn would appear in their NEWT exams at the end of the seventh year. 

Series Masterlist

[anahira]

Sugar Refinery : Marauders Era AU

Part 5 : Draco's nostalgic travel

Draco had never really felt understood by the other students at Hogwarts. The Slytherins were shaped by their parents' radical ideas, the teachers only saw him through the prism of the Slytherin stereotype, and to top it all off, Harry hated him because of that ginger bastard Ron Weasley. Their parents not getting along was one thing, but ruining any chance he had of getting along with someone he'd always admired and looked forward to getting to know was another, and one he felt was unjustified. He was lonely, even more so now that he had become a Death Eater to punish his father for failing his mission. He didn't belong there, his parents had prepared him mentally, but he had always admired those who fought against Voldemort: James Potter, Lily Potter, Harry Potter, and so on. He admired the Potters. He wished he was a Potter.

Without really knowing why, his steps led him to the Room of Requirement. He was not thinking about anything, anything other than the Potters and the life he could have had. So when the door opened, he expected to see a warm and welcoming house, but instead he found some kind of strange hotel that was totally unfamiliar to him. He didn't understand. Where had he ended up? Taking a few steps inside, he arrived at the empty reception area, where there was a board with multiple keys. One was missing. Looking around, he quickly saw which door it was, room 777. A beam of light shone through the corridor from underneath the door and he could hear a few snippets of voices that were unknown to him. He didn't know what he should do, he wanted to get closer so he could hear and possibly see who the speakers were. But he was afraid, afraid of what he might find behind that door and the effect it might have on his life. After all, the last time he'd had the absurd idea of going to see what was going on in this kind of situation, he'd stumbled into a meeting of Death Eaters with Voldemort, he was barely 14. But this time it wasn't the same. He was in the Room of Requirement, nothing dramatic should happen to him. So he gathered all his courage and began to walk forward, step by step. The closer he got, the more surreal the light seemed and the more distant the words felt. Then he started to run and suddenly opened the door 777 with a gasp.

What he found behind it made him freeze. Sitting on a red carpet were three young boys and a girl who must be his age. None of them had turned around when he had burst in, as if he wasn't there. He was invisible now. The four friends continued their cheerful conversation. They took turns talking about quidditch, potions lessons, McGonagall almost catching them, and Severus Snape. It was when the red-haired girl called by their names and gently scolded them for the umpteenth mistake they had apparently made, that he realized. James, Sirius, Remus, and he assumed the last one was Lily. The Marauders. He had before him a memory of the Marauders that this place had kept secret from everyone. He had wanted to meet them and become part of their family, but here he was seeing them at his age. They looked so composed and relaxed, as if nothing could touch them. Maybe it was this detachment that killed them after all, the Potters. Joviality is not a good thing in this world. The discussion continued. They talked about unimportant things: crushes, jokes and other trivia. Until a topic came up that was introduced by Sirius, Sirius Black, his uncle banished from the family for treason: children.

-"I want a little boy who's going to romp around in the garden and laugh his head off!" exclaimed James as he leapt to his feet and spun around theatrically.

-"I just want healthy children who can enjoy their lives.", answered Lily

They laughed in unison, Sirius and Remus making no comment about the children they would like to have. They just looked at each other. Perhaps they were hiding something that Draco didn't know about, he was sure of it. But upon hearing those few words that sounded so simple and obvious, Draco slid back against the wall and curled up against his knees, letting a few tears slip out of their permitted perimeter. He wished he'd had that childhood. He thought of Harry too, who could have had this childhood without any tragic events. They could have been happy with 'ifs'. If only those 'ifs' could come true...' he muttered to himself. He was just a child who wanted happiness and kindness. He just wanted a family, a real one.

Written by me and @belovedbastardremus