Marauders Era Short Stories

Too familiar yet too unfamiliar

"James...?" The sweet voice of a woman broke the midnight silence. "What are you doing here sweetie?" She addressed the little six year old boy who was at the foot of her bed.

The boy said something but it was barely audible. "Speak up sweetheart." The male voice beside her spoke. 

"I'm scared mum..." The boy spoke again, barely a whisper. "I don't like the dark mum." The mum got up and hugged her son.

"It's okay dear. You can sleep with us." She smiled at him. 

"Do you want me to tell stories James?" The father asked making the boy grin from ear to ear. James nodded very enthusiastically making his parents smile at him fondly. 

✁✁✁✁

"James...?" The scared voice of a woman broke the midnight silence.

"Yes, darling?" James answered, turning in his bed facing her.

"I'm scared..." James first smiled and then hugged her. He was scared too. He was fucking terrified.

"I want my mum." The woman spoke again. Her voice trembling. James didn't say anything. He wanted his mum too. But he couldn't have her now. Neither could Lily.

It was times like these he missed his parents the most. He was an only child. He was loved beyond words and in return he loved his parents more than anything in the world. He never thought he could live in a world where they didn't exist but here he was. 

He was sacred of the dark. He didn't like it. He wished he was hugging his mum instead of Lily right now. Cause even though her hug was a comfort of something it wasn't the warm feeling he got from hugging his mum. She wasn't Euphemia, she was Lily. Although she was a mum she was not James'.  And he wasn't a child anymore. He wouldn't get comforted anymore. He would have to comfort someone now. That someone just woke up in the crib next to their bed, crying for food.  

⇄⇄⇄⇄

"James! James run!" Sirius was shouting from the other side of the corridor. "Mrs. Norris just left to inform Filch." He ran towards James. "Where is you invisibility clock?" He asked looking around. 

"I- I forgot." James stuttered. 

"What'd you mean you forgot?" Sirius looked at him frantically. 

"I gave it to Peter a few hours ago and he wasn't back when we left." James explained making Sirius' eyes wide with shock , fear, anger and amusement. 

"What are we waiting for then? Let's run!" Sirius screamed. "The dung bombs are about to set off. " And then grabbing James' arm Sirius started running. While running they heard the loud sound of dung bombs going off. 

"POTTER! BLACK!" They heard professor McGonagall shout, she was on her way to her office when the expulsion happened. "Wait right there."

"Sorry professor!" James shouted, laughing. None of them stopped to get punished. They can deal with it later. They stopped running when James' lung gave out just outside on the castle ground, near to the forbidden forest. Sirius stopped running too. They stared at each other a few seconds, catching their breaths. They don't know how the laughing start or who started it but they remember that they just laughed the most for the first time in front of each other. 

✁✁✁✁

"James! James run!" James heard Sirius shouting from somewhere. He wasn't sure where though. They were on a mission for the Order and it went wrong. They were attacked. Someone died but James didn't know who. He was glad to hear Sirius' voice. 

"Sirius where are you?" James shouted back blocking a stray curse. "Sirius!"

"I'm fine James! Just run! Apparat! Just leave!" He heard Sirius's voice again. 

"I'm not leaving you!" James shouted again.

"Don't be an idiot!" Came Sirius' angry voice. The man emerging from the smoke with just as an angry face. "It's my job to make everyone leave safely. I can't go now. You have to."

"Oh yeah? Fuck off. We are both leaving." With that James grabbed Sirius' arm and apparated a few miles from the headquarters.

"Why'd you do that?! James, someone died. I have to know who it was. It was my job." Sirius stated with obvious frustration in his voice.

"You can do it later. We were surrounded by the death eaters and Voldemort was there as well." James yelled. 

"What?" Sirius' throat became dry. 

"Yes..." James was panting now, looking dumbfounded himself. "I fought him for a while..."

"WHAT?!" Sirius shrieked. 

"Yes... yes, I know." James sat down, feeling too exhausted to say or do anything. He felt Sirius hug him tight. "What are you- why are you crying? Hey! I'm alright." He hugged back, feeling a little better.  

⇄⇄⇄⇄

"Moony, you don't have to do it alone." James spoke in a pained voice. 'Why can't Remus just understand?' He thought.

"Yes, I do James." Remus said bitterly. "Look" He tried to explain but James cut him off.

"No you don't. We are Animagus now, we can turn into an animal at will. You are not dangerous to animals. 

"James, you don't understand!" Remus had a exasperated look on his face. 

"What don't I understand?" James' voice rose. He was getting tried of Remus' bullshit. They became Animagus just for him and here he was complaining about it and not want them to tag along and keep him company. "Make me understand."

Remus' shoulder slopped. "I don't want you guys to see me like that." He looked down at the floor not wanting to make eye contract with James. He felt pathetic. "I look horrible when I transform James. Yes- more than I already do." He said when he felt James was gonna make a witty retort. He knew James pretty well at this point. 

James sighed. "Remus, you don't always have to do things alone..."

✁✁✁✁

"Remus, you don't have to do it alone." James spoke in a small voice. He was scared from him.

"Yes, I do James." He spoke in a determined voice. Ready to prove himself.

"No you don't." James spoke again with the same small voice because he knew can't do anything to stop Remus going alone this time. "This is really dangerous Remus."

"I know! I know James." Remus said. "But this is a chance. Don't you see? If I become a spy for the order and try to recruit other werewolves on our side the prejudice over us would go away a little." Remus spoke with hope. James never saw him like this.

"But Remus-"

"But what?" Remus asked, his eyes twinkling.

"I don't wanna say it but... we are losing Remus... We-" He was cut off again.

"James! Don't say that." Remus pleaded. "Please don't. Let me do something! Please." James nodded.

"Is that all you came to say? Goodbye?" James asked to which Remus nodded. "Well... goodbye than." He opened his arms for Remus to hug. They embraced each other tightly and then Remus left. To be on his own unlike last time when James convinced him to let him tag along. He had a feeling he won't see Remus again so he wished to the gods above to keep Remus alive and safe. That's all he really wanted, his friends and family to be safe.