Presented as the contents of an old shoebox under Remus Lupin's bed, The Shoebox Project tells the story of Marauders-era Hogwarts through letters, photographs, and diary entries.
"This story will lift you up and make your life a little better, and...
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Except for the occasional sneeze -- while the rare histories section is optimal for total privacy, it is also unfortunately optimal for total dust -- the library is quiet. The only light flickers from the tip of James' wand, held trembling with excitement over the folds of old parchment. The Map, forever associated with capital letters, does nothing. The four boys crowded around it hold their breath until Remus feels dizzy and Sirius sneezes for the fifth time. At last, a blotch of ink takes form in the area labeled, in impeccable script, LIBRARY. Hours of research, practice, trial, error, refinement, and countless failed attempts and wasted paper, draw together in precise concentration and form four pairs of footprints, eight little shoed feet in total, mounded together in what Remus realizes is the rare histories section. The names bloom like a stain, two on each side. JAMES POTTER and SIRIUS BLACK; REMUS LUPIN and PETER PETTIGREW. James makes a noise like he's just had the best wank of his life. Sirius sneezes a sixth time. Peter's mouth is hanging open like he's a fish and Remus thinks dizzily that they are geniuses, that they should be endowed with magical research grants, and it's a bloody shame no one can ever know about Their Map because One, it is A Secret, and Two, it's against so many Hogwarts rules and regulations that the very prospect of it had at the onset made Remus' head hurt for days. No one will ever know the tale of their creativity, their inspiration, their dedication to the cause. It seems a pity, really, Remus thinks, that so much hard work should be known only amongst the four of them. Then again, that's his Boys' Club Wet Blanket spirit talking. He keeps the regret to himself.
"We did it," James whispers. His wand shakes erratically. "Look at us. There we are. Right there. Right there. It's fantastic. We're brilliant. We are the best pranksters ever. Future generations will sing our names to the heavens. Look at us. We did it!" "Well," Remus cautions. "We've only got us to work. And we still have half the map to finish."
"Be quiet, Moony," Sirius cautions. "Let Prongsie have his moment. They're so rare for him; he deserves his happiness."
"They are not rare," James protests, "I have moments all the time. Loads of them. Moments all over the shop. It's just -- it's just that this one is -- Moony, be quiet for a moment and just think about what we did!"
