When Black Met Blue (Marauder Fanfic)

chapter 42 *Edited*

'Potter!’ a girl’s voice screeched. James looked up worried as Marlene stalked over, dressed in her Quidditch robes. ‘What in Merlin’s name are you doing?! I told you at breakfast I wanted the you and the Chasers at training an hour early! The rest of the team has already headed down!’

James swore, leaping to his feet. Tufty mewled grumpily and sat on Remus instead. ‘I’ll see you four later!’ he said. He tripped over Peter’s feet in his hurry to get to the dormitory stairs and ended up sprawled on the rug. He glared at Sirius and Remus for laughing then charged up the stairs.

‘Hurry up, Potter!’ Marlene bellowed up the stairs.

‘I’m coming, McKinnon!’ James’ voice shouted back. ‘Give me a minute, would you?!’ Marlene sighed and bolted up the stairs. A second later, James swore loudly and came thundering back down the stairs, wearing only his white Quidditch pants. He had his broom in one hand and his boots in the other.

Marlene returned a moment later and tossed James his shirt and red and gold robes. Scowling, James threw on his shirt and sat down to lace up his boots. ‘You’re mental,’ he informed the sixth year. 

She shrugged. ‘Deal with it.’ Sirius caught Remus’ eye and they both sniggered. ‘Honestly, I don’t know how Lily puts up with you.’

Sirius watched James curiously, waiting for a reaction. None came. He was too busy staring at the window. ‘Whose owl?’ James asked.

Sirius shrugged, getting up to let it in. The owl, a handsome tawny surveyed him gravely and stuck out its leg. He tugged off the envelope, his eyes widening slightly as he read the name on the front. ‘It’s addressed to Prongs, Petal, Padfoot, Moony, Fawkes and Wormtail,’ he said, frowning. He petted the owl uncertainly. ‘Thank you.’

The owl took off he tore the envelope open. Sirius read it quickly, grinned and showed it to James. James looked scared but excited and wordlessly passed it to Remus who had no idea what was going on. Peter peeked over the sandy haired boy’s shoulder at the letter and promptly fainted. 

‘How he ever made it into Gryffindor is beyond me,’ Sirius said affectionately, giving Peter a poke in the shoulder. ‘Enervate.’

Peter sat up blinking around at the common room. ‘How did I get on the floor?’ he mumbled. His eyes narrowed as he stared at Sirius. ‘What did you do?’

‘Me!?’ Sirius said crossly. 

‘You fainted after you read Dumbledore’s letter,’ Remus told him, moving Tufty off his lap so he could stand.

‘Oh,’ Peter said, sounding terrified. ‘That wasn’t a dream, then?’

James shook his head grimly. ‘We can’t train tonight,’ he told a confused Marlene.

‘Why not?’ she demanded. ‘What could possibly be more important that Quidditch?!’

Sirius and James shared a brief look. ‘We can’t tell you.’ James grinned. ‘Why don’t you take it up with Dumbledore when he gets back, tell him he’s disrupting your training regime.’

‘He bloody well is. Wait- where’s Dumbledore going?’ 

‘Can’t tell you,’ Sirius said promptly. ‘Secret Marauder business.’

‘James?’ Lily burst through the Portrait Hole, red-faced and clutching a stitch in her side. ‘We have to go.’

‘I know,’ James said, tossing her the letter. ‘How did you-?’ Lily pulled an identical one out of her robes and incinerated them both with the tip of her wand. ‘What did you do that for?’