The Marauders Year Five Part 2 #Wattys2017

Are You In or Are You Out?

Are You In Or Are You Out?

"I hope you lot are quite happy with yourselves." Lily sat down at the Gryffindor house table in the Great Hall the next morning at breakfast and glared at Sirius, James, and Peter with beady eyes. Moans over Dumbledore's attractiveness dotted the Hall, boys and girls alike whispering in reverent tones and staring gooey-eyed at the staff table, where Dumbledore himself sat, trying not to notice all the attention he was getting. Among the many admirers was Jasper Odair over at the Hufflepuff table. Because of how many students had been affected by the Marauders' little prank -- nearly three quarters of the student body had been in attendance at the Tea -- it was going to take several days before Professor Slughorn had enough antidote to completely end the infatuation.

Sirius said, "I'm fairly pleased with my fabulousity, actually, thanks for asking."

"Yeah," James agreed, "And how about you? Are you happy with yourself, Evans?"

Peter smiled and stuffed some oatmeal into his mouth, quickly followed by a half a slice of toast with orange marmalade, filling his maw so his cheeks puffed out like a squirrel.

"You should all be ashamed of yourselves. And where's The Other One? He should be ashamed too." She glanced about for Remus.

James took a deep breath, "He was and selected by the Ministry to go on a top secret mission to the moon." He lifted a strip of bacon from his platter. "Don't tell anyone." He stuck the bacon into his mouth.

Lily said, "He's left for the Shack already?"

Sirius dusted his palms on his knee, leaning closer to Lily, who'd sat next to him, and said, "He's with Newt Scamander's pup all day today, tonight, and tomorrow. If you must know, we've been abandoned. Left for dead. Forgotten. We're naught but the shadows of what we once were -- once, once we were interesting, once we were the only ones that he wanted to share his moons with! Once, but nary today..."

"Bloody hell, he's only gone for two days, you blubbering sodcake," James said, rolling his eyes. He looked at Lily, "You'd think the world was ending, the way this one's been on about it."

Sirius lifted his wand, "I ought to hex you, Potter."

"Go for it. See what happens." James replied.

"Big talk coming from a ickle bean that forgot his wand in the dorm," Sirius snickered.

James said, "I did not forget my --" but he patted his wand pocket even as he said and found he had and he groaned, "Why am I such an idiot?"

Sirius grinned and drew James's wand from his own pocket. "Luckily, your fabulous best mate has your back."

"I shall hire you as my official wand caddy and you shall follow me everywhere." James reached across for his wand from Sirius.

Sirius drew the wand back just before James could snatch it. "Ah-ah, Potter. What's the magic word?"

"Please?"

"No, that's a boring magic word. It's more of a magical phrase really."

James rolled his eyes, "Dunno Sirius, you change the damn magic word every time you bring it up - how are any of us supposed to know what it is?"

"Try 'Sirius is fabulous'," Peter tried.

James repeated, "Sirius is fabulous."

Sirius grinned, "While it's a good try, no..."

Lily reached over, took the wand, handed it to James and turned back to Sirius with a stern face, "Why aren't you with Rey, taking care of him?"

Sirius shrugged.