Hogwarts with the Marauders (II) [OLD]

CHAPTER TWENTY - Bennet's Tree

Dedicated to Dani_Radcliffe because she guessed what the picture of Sirius was! It was Sirius in a tutu when the Marauders played truth or dare back in the first book. He was also singing Teenage Dream. ;) Zwerple also guessed this but Dani had PMed me before Zwerple posted her comment. But congratulations to both!

CHAPTER TWENTY - Bennet's Tree

"Is it this way?" Sirius inquired for a third time, pushing a low-hanging branch out of his way as he ducked through the trees. Alessia was behind him, holding hands with a red-eyed Lily. James was walking next to Bennet while Remus and Peter took up the end.

"Padfoot, you wanker, stop asking that!" James snapped, spinning around. "It's risking enough to have the bloke show us where the bloody founders are, don't make him drop dead by answering your question!"

Bennet smirked slightly and stopped in front of a willow tree.

"I can't lead you any further." he whispered, as if he thought that if he spoke quietly, no one would hear him and the Vow didn't have a possibility of breaking.

"Thank you so much." Alessia said, hugging him as he passed her.

Lily did the same.

"We'll never forget what you risked for us."

"And for a good Quidditch game." Sirius muttered under his breath. He looked down at his watch. "Alright, gentlemen, we must proceed! It's already past ten o'clock."

Lily began sniffling again just as Bennet disappeared through the undergrowth. None of them would see him again for many years, and just how that would happen, I will not tell you, because we haven't arrived at that part in the story yet, have we? For now, the only thing that is known to the Marauders is how dangerously close to their deadline they were.

"Does the tree have magical properties?" Peter asked, nervously walking over to the trunk. His fear that the tree would smack him was evident, but this was not the Whomping Willow, so he could rest assured.

"Perhaps." Remus answered, running a hand over the bark. He frowned and his hand stopped over one of the knots in the wood.

"What is it?" Sirius hissed.

"Sh." said Remus, bringing his face closer to the tree.

"Remus, be caref-"

"Quiet, Lily." Remus insisted.

The rest of the group exchanged a silent look as Remus' hand moved back from the knot and stopped next to his ear. He knocked on the wood. Sirius flinched and James took a step back, but nothing happened. Peter, who had been holding his breath, released it.

Alessia gasped, as if catching on.

"Is it-"

"Hush, Ale, let me try again." Remus waved his hand impatiently in the girls' direction, whom looked highly offended. Remus knocked again. "Aha!"

"Aha!" James and Sirius mocked together, snickering. Peter laughed hesitantly along with them.

Remus glared. "It's hollow." was all he said.

"What?" James asked, suddenly serious.

"You're head, you twat." Lily replied sarcastically. "The tree!"

"This tree?" Sirius continued.

Alessia face-palmed.

"No, not this tree." Remus said patiently, pointing off in the distance. "I think that one over there, why don't you go check it out, Padfoot?"

James and Sirius exchanged quizzical looks.

"Alright...." he said, a bizarre look on his face. "Come on, Jamesie."

"He's joking, get your arses back here!" Alessia called. "Peter, please go get them."

During this little exchange, Lily had moved closer to Remus and was passing her hand over the bark, around the tree, her yellow and black robes catching on twigs and dead leaves as she paced. Suddenly, she stopped as her finger snagged onto an unnatural-looking branch.

"This is like in the movies, when the girl is about to open the closet and everyone screams, 'Don't do it!', but she stubbornly opens the door anyway." James said, who had returned with Sirius and Peter to see Lily gripping the odd branch. "Well, go on then, love."

Lily shot him a look. "Don't call me 'love'."

"It's adorable." James defended himself.

"Though ghastly coming from you." she spat back, and pulled down on the branch, hard.

The ground beneath our young heroes' feat gave way and they were sucked into never-ending blackness. Well, never-ending until about ten feet deep, where they thudded to the floor with a loud thump.

"Everyone alright?" Remus coughed.

"No, I think I'm dead, Moony; what a stupid question." Sirius grumbled. "Nothing puts me in a worse mood then dying - especially from ten-foot-drops. Merlin should know that by now."

They all rolled their eyes and struggled to their feet.

"No broken bones?" Lily tried.

"I might've twisted my ankle." Peter sobbed.

"Get over it." James ordered harshly.

"You're so inconsiderate!" Lily shrieked.

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"You two sound like Wormtail's parents." Sirius noted.

"Sirius, why don't you come stand here with me?" Alessia said, in a voice that resembled a kindergarten teacher's offering a small child candy.

"Yes, love." her boyfriend replied, obeying.

"See? That's adorable!" James insisted, pointing at Sirius.

"I know where I'd like to stick that 'adorable'." Lily growled. "Up your a-"

"Okay!" Remus interrupted loudly.

The underground cave made his voice echo and magnified it by twenty, like a Howler.

"Is anyone there?" whispered a raspy voice, barely audible over Lily and James' bickering.

Everyone stopped and turned their heads to look down the black tunnel that was open a few yards to their left.

"Yes?" Alessia called back nervously.

"Help." begged the voice, feebly.