The Marauders: Year Four

Peter the Leader

Peter the Leader

Sirius was mad out of his mind. He clutched the bit of Remus's hair in his fist and he ran - ran up the stairs and into Hogwarts castle. The Great Hall was just starting to fill up with people, but he could see even from the doorway that the other Marauders weren't yet there. He dashed for the staircase. All around him, whispers went up as people recognized him.

"Sirius Black!"

"But he's been expelled! What's he doing here?"

"Look there - it's Sirius, he's snuck into the castle!"

"What was he expelled for anyway?"

"Practicing Dark Arts, most likely! Being a Black and all..."

"I heard he killed somebody."

"Taken after his folks after all."

"Became a Death Eater, that's what I heard..."

"It's too bad, too, that he's gone bad because he's just so handsome!"

"He's gay, too, I hear..."

"Blimey, didn't know that!"

"Yeah, with that other funny Gryffindor boy. The one who's always ill. Remus Lupin."

Sirius ignored them all, his heart in his throat. He charged through a group of Ravenclaws. He had to find James. He didn't know what he would do - but something. Something had to be done!

He was rounding the fourth floor stairwell, the portraits joining in on the muttering, calling out for the headmaster or Filch to come and collect the intruder, when he heard Peter's voice echoing off the walls. "PETER!" he bellowed, "PETER!!!" He dashed the last few steps that separated them as Peter turned, surprise in his eyes.

"Sirius? What're you doing? Where's -- where's the cloak?"

"PETER. There's no time to explain. Here." He reached into his pocket, took out the notecard with the address written on it in his father's handwriting, "This is my dad's writing. He's secret keeper. With this, you'll be able to get into the house. You gotta get James. Get James and the Order and come to the house. They've got Remus! I gotta go. I gotta go help Remus, but we'll need back up. You gotta come. You get the Order. Everyone in the Order. Hurry!" He shoved the notecard into Peter's pudgey hands. "The floo in McGonagall's office works. Use that. Hurry!"

"But - but how --? Sirius! Wait! SIRIUS!" Peter wailed, "SIRIUS!"

But Sirius had already bolted off, not waiting to answer questions.

"Bloody hell!" moaned Peter, looking at the notecard. "Oh bloody hell!" He looked at Annalee, "I dunno what to do!"

"Go and get James and I'll work on finding the others," Annalee replied. "We'll go to Headquarters."

Peter nodded and he ran, clutching the card, turning back up the stairs and running for Gryffindor tower as Annalee ran down the stairs, hurrying to the Great Hall.

Peter panted as he ran, trying to process all the information that Sirius had dumped onto him in one rush of words. He threw himself through the common room, "JAMES!" Peter shouted as he ran. "JAMES!!!" He tripped on the steps up to the dorm. But James wasn't in the room. He spun about in the room, his mind not working quite right through the panic.

Where was James?

The library. He'd try the library. He didn't know why - James Potter at the library! - but he had to have some place to try and that was the first place that came to mind, so he launched himself back out of the dormitory door to the portrait hole and -- wham! Right into Lily Evans.