Selenophile // Marauders

|41| Badge, Fifth Year

1st of September, 1975

Riley ran to the wall between platforms 9 and 10. The loud and cheerful chatter of parents and kids stepping onto the Hogwarts Express filled the platform. Riley looked behind her as Ivy also passed through the gate. Her mum had to work that day and only Ivy was there. Riley walked through all the people hugging and shouting. Riley smiled as she saw her friends and dorm mates. 

"I think it's time to go now," Riley said as she let go of her trunk. 

"I'll miss you so much..." Ivy said quietly as she pulled Riley into a tight hug. She didn't let her go for a whole minute. She kept whispering "I'll miss you," to her ear. Riley didn't understand why she was so sentimental out of the blue. It was her fifth year, they were used to being separated for a couple of months and then seeing each other again. 

"V, are you alright?" Riley asked softly as she escaped Ivy's arms. She looked at her sister's face. Her wavy, dirty blonde hair fell to her shoulders as she wiped her tears away. Her green eyes were greener than ever. "Why are you crying, I'll be back in three months."

"Nothing, you're just... nothing, Rey," Ivy stuttered. She smiled wryly and put her hand on Riley's shoulder. "You'll be sixteen soon..."

"There are still two months, and I'll write to you!" Riley said as she tried to lighten up the mood. "I have to go now, V."

"I'll miss you... I love you, don't forget that!" Ivy said as Riley took a few steps towards the train. She looked back and took a deep breath. This wasn't right, why was she so emotional?

"I'll miss you too..." she said as she smiled.

***

Riley sat in the compartment which was now almost full with the four boys already there. She put her bag down and took her spot right next to the door, as always. She closed the compartment door shut and took out some snacks.

"How are you lovebirds?" she asked teasingly. Remus took a deep breath and Sirius laughed. 

"For the last fucking time, we are NOT dating!" he said loudly. "That was just a dare! It's James' fault!"

"Why are you so mad?" Peter asked. 

"Nothing..."

The compartment door opened suddenly. Lily Evans stood there with her smiling face and long auburn hair. Her green eyes glistened as the sunlight hit her face. She was holding out a small silvery thing in her hand. 

"Hi!" she said excitedly. 

"Hi, Evans, have you finally decided to go on a date with me?" James asked smilingly. 

"Piss off Potter," Lily said quickly. "Remus, show me your badge!"

"What badge?" Sirius asked. 

"Oh, uh— I think it's in my trunk..." he said.

"Why?! I thought you'd have liked being chosen as a prefect!" Lily said. All of the Marauders slowly turned to Remus who was now drinking water as he tried to avoid them. 

"You're a prefect?!" Riley said in shock.

"Why are you so shocked?" Lily asked. "I knew he would be a prefect."

"But will you help us get away with pranks?!" James said jokingly. "But you know, I'm quidditch captain this year!"

"YOU ARE?!" Riley said loudly. "Please don't make the team practice every fucking day!"

"Quidditch is important!" he said. "Don't you already wake up at sunrise or something?"

"It is important but it isn't a matter of life or death, you know!" Riley said. 

"Show us your badge!" Sirius begged Remus. 

"I will, later," Remus said sharply. "You'll get why..."

"But they are silver and pretty, come on!" Lily said. "I'll see you later!" she said as she walked away from their compartment. As she left, everyone understood why Remus didn't want to wear the badge. 

"Silver?" James asked softly. 

"Yeah, Dumbledore is very careful of these things as you can see," Remus said as he let out an annoyed laugh. 

"You can take it to McGonagall, she'll fix it," Peter suggested.

"Does it hurt a lot? Like, when you touch it?" Riley asked. 

"It burns my skin. Painful." 

"I've learned how we can become animagi this year," James said as he tried to change the subject. "But just a heads up, it's hard."

"We already knew that," Sirius said. "How do you become animagi?" he asked impatiently. James took out a very large book which he now held on his lap. 

"Alright, so... we'll have to hold a mandrake leaf in our mouths for a whole month. And then, we'll be using that to brew a potion which we will be drinking during a lightning storm. It will have to turn blood-red. We'll also have to learn a spell, called the Animagus Spell, and repeat it every sunrise and sundown until the consumption of the potion. And then we become animagi!" James explained. Peter's eyes widened as he ate another pumpkin pasty. 

"Well, that does not seem or sound very easy and I will not be making you do that so you can accompany me while I'm extremely dangerous once a month!" Remus said in one breath.

"And we won't listen to you!" Sirius said as he smiled. 

"When are we doing it?" Riley asked excitedly. "I'm excited about this, it will be fun!"

"January?" James suggested. 

"Why so late?" Sirius asked.  

"The month with the most lightning is why."

"Alright then, January it is!"