𝐀𝐔𝐑𝐎𝐑𝐀 | 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬

✧ chapter 51 ✧

1977

The first month as seventh years flew by for the remaining members of the crazy eight. The workload began piling up as the N.E.W.T's loomed at the end of the school year, reminding everyone that they needed to take school far more seriously than ever should they wish to get into their dream jobs. Due to the ever-increasing threat of a dark force rising, more people than ever were thinking of becoming Auror's when they left Hogwarts, or at least joining the Department of Magical Law Enforcement or 'Wizard Cops' as Aurora called them.

Amongst the Auror hopefuls were James, Sirius, Remus and Peter, who were all adamant that that was what they wanted to do for a career. The others were far less certain, each of them tossing up between a few options. Lily thought she might like to work in muggle relations as she had a good understanding of them, but then also found the idea of being a heeler and helping others appealing. She knew that realistically not everyone could be a part of the fight, but that there also needed to be people back home to fix the wounded. The reality was she could do whatever she wanted and excel at it.

Marlene was also undecided. When she was younger she wanted to be an actress, but with the wizarding war happening and the death of her best friend at the hands of Death Eaters she was leaning more towards a career fighting the dark forces. She was torn between becoming an Auror or a Hit Wizard.

Aurora was the most frazzled of all. There were so many options and she wasn't sure what to do. In fifth year during their O.W.L's when they had all been offered careers counselling she told Professor McGonagall that she quite liked the idea of being a herbologist or a Curse-Breaker for Gringotts. Similarly, to Marlene however, her views had changed since Mary's death and she wanted a job on the front lines fighting the Death Eaters. It was because of this that she was now also considering becoming an Auror or an Unspeakable.

Even though their graduation was still an entire year away more or less, thoughts of careers and life after school still plagued the minds of all the Hogwarts seventh years.

One day during breakfast, it was announced that careers counselling would be offered to the seventh years if they so wished. Confused murmurs erupted at all four house tables. Careers counselling was only ever offered to the fifth years around the time of their O.W.L's to aid the selection of their N.E.W.T subjects. It seemed rather pointless to have yet another careers counselling session when their subjects were already chosen.

In the midst of a heated discussion over the necessity of yet another one on one with McGonagall, the woman herself approached the seven Gryffindor's.

"I took the liberty of signing all eight," McGonagall stopped herself, something resembling pity washing over her usually stern face, "I beg your pardon. I took the liberty of signing all seven of you up for careers counselling with me during the week. Times will be posted in the common room sometime today." Once she was done, she swept away before any of them could protest.

"That was bizarre." Lily mused, the seven still staring at McGonagall's retreating figure.

"Quite," Remus agreed, his brow knit in confusion.

The rest of breakfast was spent puzzling over why McGonagall 'took the liberty' of specifically targeting them all for careers counselling.

✧✧✧    

"Did you also get targeted? I was approached during breakfast and basically forced into one of those so called 'optional' careers counselling sessions." Aurora overheard Dorcas Meadowes saying to her friend Emmeline Vance on the way to Herbology, which was shared with the Ravenclaws.

"As a matter of fact, I did. So did Benjy, Ed and Marilyn. I haven't heard of anyone else in Ravenclaw being signed up without permission, but both Edgar and Amelia Bones, Dedalus Diggle, Cillian Gallagher and Caradoc Dearborn from Hufflepuff were discussing it on the way to Care of Magical Creatures after breakfast." Emmeline replied, looking equally as puzzled as Dorcas did.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop but I couldn't help but hear that you've both been signed up for the careers counselling as well?" Aurora blurted before she could stop herself. Both Dorcas and Emmeline turned to stare at her for a moment.

"As well? Who's been forced into it from Gryffindor?" Dorcas asked, now genuinely interested.

"Well, almost all of us actually. Sirius, James, Remus, Peter, Lily, Marlene and myself were all approached by McGonagall at breakfast." Aurora admitted, growing more and more suspicious of the whole situation.

"Almost seems as if we're being recruited for something," Emmeline mused.

"But what on earth for?" Dorcas questioned, scrunching her nose up.

"What organisation could possibly be interested in a bunch of school kids?" Aurora asked, falling into step with the other girls.

"Maybe it's like a club? I know for a fact that the Marauders want to be Auror's, and in fifth year I mentioned having an interest in it. Maybe it's an advanced Auror training programme of sorts?" Dorcas replied, a glimmer of hope flashing in her eyes.

"Perhaps, or maybe they think we all lack direction and need further assistance." Aurora joked, although the idea seemed more realistic than Dorcas's farfetched fantasy.

"I suppose we'll find out soon enough," Emmeline shrugged, and the two girls bid farewell to Aurora, waving as they entered the greenhouse and Aurora joined her own friends.

"What were you talking to Meadowes and Vance about?" James questioned once Aurora was stood beside him.

"I overheard them saying that they, along with Benjy Fenwick, Marilyn Blackwell and Edward Dodge in Ravenclaw and Edgar and Amelia Bones, Dedalus Diggle, Cillian Gallagher and Caradoc Dearborn in Hufflepuff were all signed up for this supposed 'careers counselling' same as we were. It just seemed odd was all, so I mentioned that we had also been signed up." Aurora responded, her mind whirring faster than before with all the possibilities.

"I wonder what it all means." Lily stated, scrunching her nose similarly to how Dorcas had.

"It just makes no sense really, why have only a select few students been told that they already have careers counselling meetings when they were introduced to us as an optional thing?" Marlene squinted, as if trying to physically see an answer to her question amongst the plants in the greenhouse.

"It is growing increasingly suspicious, I'll give you that." Sirius responded, joining the rest of the Gryffindor's in their perplexed silence.

None of them seemed to utter more than two words the entire lesson as they brainstormed over all the possible outcomes of the meetings. Aurora was certain they were reading way too far into things, but indulged everyone's ideas nonetheless.