The Marauders: Year Two | #Wattys2016

Go Howl at the Moon

Go Howl at the Moon

Things were quite somber around Hogwarts after the death of Alice Bell. It was as though the seriousness of the threat of the Dark Lord had struck too close to home for many of the students, and they finally understood why it was so serious that Voldemort was out there somewhere. Before Alice Bell had been killed, there had been no real reason to believe in the existence of a war from within the safety of the walls of Hogwarts. Even those who knew perfectly well that there was a threat hadn't believed it would ever touch their lives - especially the pureblood witches and wizards. But Alice Bell had been a pureblood, and yet her blood had been spilled the same as any muggle-born or half blood might've been.

It got even weirder 'round the Gryffindor common room when, a week after the news of Alice's death, Derek Bell returned to school. He looked a mess, thinner and paler than any of the Gryffindors remembered him being. Bilius Weasley had seen his trunk arrive in their dorm and met him in the Entrance Hall, and when the two arrived through the portrait hole, most everyone in the house was sitting in the common room, waiting for his return. "Let him through, let him through - all of you sod off, you've got classes and homework you ought to be doing, let the man breathe," Bilius commanded, waving away the Gryffindors that stared on eagerly as Derek, sopping wet from the heavy autumn rain that was falling outside, made his way up the stairs to the Sixth Years' dormitory.

"How's he doing?" Sirius asked Bilius quietly. But Bilius only shrugged in reply and hurried on after Derek.

Remus went to the Shrieking Shack that week, too, as the first full moon of term came. He shoved a couple of textbooks into his bookbag and slung it over his shoulder the night he was to leave. The second years were all in their dorm and Peter was making flash cards to study spells from Charms while James was laying across his bed with Sirius, looking at a broom catalog that had come in by owl. The two of them were daydreaming about the newest models of quidditch brooms when Remus cleared his throat. They all three looked up. "I"m about to go," Remus informed them.

Sirius said, "I'm sorry we can't go with you, mate."

"Believe me, I'm sorry, too," Remus said with a heavy sigh. He fiddled with the strap of his bag, then puffed out his cheeks and said, "Although... I am glad that somebody will be here for Lily if she needs anything," he added.

James frowned and his eyes moved back down to the catalog on his lap.

"And you all will check on her, right, while I'm gone?" Remus added.

"Sure, of course," Sirius replied.

"Cos she's really upset still," Remus reminded them.

"We know," James replied, "Everybody in the bloody school knows. She's worse than that Moaning Myrtle on the second floor. Always moping about..."

"Well her best friend died, James," Remus reminded him sharply, "That's to be expected, isn't it?"

James shrugged.

"Wouldn't you be moping about if it was Sirius who was killed?" Remus shot back, angrily.

"Oi," exclaimed Sirius, "Why's it got to be me that's gone and been offed here?"

"Because you're his best friend," Remus answered.

"Still - off yourself, not me," Sirius said back.

"Alright then, James, wouldn't you be complaining and moping about all over if it was any of the three of us that'd been offed?"

James's eyes flickered ever so slightly toward Peter for just a fraction of a moment. Peter didn't notice, he was still clumsily trying to magic the flash cards he was making. James replied, "I wouldn't be annoying the whole damn school."