Afterlife

Blackhart: Part III

"You want....me.....to be part of your....gang," Severus repeated again, as he had been doing for the last five minutes.

"Yes, you," James said impatiently. Jeez, this guy was like Siri on iPhone, never understanding any question.

"It's not a gang," Sirius interrupted, "We are the Marauders, not some silly gang thing."

Severus arched an eyebrow, "So it isn't like some satanic cult thing?"

"We aren't like the Death Eaters, Severus," Remus sassed, "No matter how much you were into that stuff."

Severus looked stunned at that remark, but quickly smirked and replied with, "Says Mr I-secretly-listen-to-emo-music."

James and Sirius' jaws dropped. Remus blushed an angry face, "How dare you," he hissed, "That was supposed to be our thing!"

"Remus," Sirius said in part awe art shock, "I think I might give you some ice, because you just got outed."

"I think you might mean burned," Severus corrected, "And no, I'm not interested in jointing your little group."

"What?" Sirius' head snapped up, "What do you mean?"

"I don't want to join," Severus said slowly.

"But....but why?" He spluttered, astounded.

"Well because frankly at the moment I am quite enjoying being alone for once, no Voldemort to worry about, Dumbledore is spending a decade with his family so he doesn't talk to me, I'm doing great!"

"Not getting bullied by Death Eaters then?" James asked with a look of sincere concern. Deep, deep down, now he did actually care for the man.

"Nope, they leave me alone. Idiots, the lot of them."

"So you've been abandoned by your only friends."

"Technically I abandoned them, but yes, I suppose so."

"Isn't that a little lonely?" Sirius preyed.

"Yeah," Severus shook his head, "I mean no, not at all. Never. Well erm good talk guys I am going to head off now, places to be."

"But no people to see," Remus muttered.

Sirius was stunned out of his mind.

He had turned down the offer.

He had turned down the offer.

"He turned down the offer," Sirius commented blankly.

Sirius' words had never really extended too far from his thoughts.

"Yes, well done Captain Obvious," Remus added, pinching Sirius in the arm.

"Oi, Shut up Mr Emo-music-fan."

"Hey that's mean."

"Have we given up on Snape then?" James asked, wondering whether they would stick with the Marauder Threesome from now on.

"No," decided Sirius, "He's lonely and he wants to join us, despite not knowing it yet."

"What are you talking about, of course he knows it he is just denying it."

"You are right. We should go after him."

"Not now, Sirius. Wait for a bit. He'll come crawling back," Remus instructed.

~~~

True to what Remus had predicted, Snape kept coming desperately back to talk to them, never asking about the Marauders just simply inserting a comment or two into their conversation then leaving. He never proposed a question, just silently observed and then bam, sassed them with a witty comment.

"Admit it, you want to join us," James suggested.

Severus rolled his eyes, "Why would I ever, ever want to not join this hilarious group of banter and fun....please let me join,  I'm sorry I put the idea down before, I don't want to be alone anymore."

"That rhymed," Sirius said at the same time Remus said, "Yeah sure."

"Initiation Ceremony, commence," James's demanded. Remus and Sirius flew into one knee, placing both hands together and chanting phrases in Latin over and over again.

Severus couldn't translate it, but it meant 'Marauders Initiation ceremony has commenced.
Welcome person of new, it is with our great pleasure that we open this world of mystic and fun to you'

A little weird, yes, but that was practically Lore in the Marauder code.

"Severus Snape, doth thou enjoy the fine art of sarcastic humour?" James requested. Severus nodded.

"Severus Snape, doth thou enjoy the fine art of pranking?"

"Et monsieur Severus Snape, doth thou swear to protect and prevent harm from myself, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. Also Lily Potter and any other spouses that may come into effect as of the distant future. We never know whether Sirius will finally decide to start thinking about romance again."

"Je fais, Monsieur Potter, et j'espere tu es bon."

James looked at him blankly, "Sorry, I never learnt French."

"He said, 'I do, Mr Potter and I hope you are good'" Remus explained.

"Well, Severus, we aren't done here yet. We still have the naming ceremony to deal with."

Severus frowned, "I have to get a name?" He asked with distaste.

"Yes, it's a part of the Marauders."

"Ugh."

"Severus, you brought this on yourself, don't complain."

"Go away and brainstorm?" Remus suggested.

"Go away and brainstorm," James nodded.

The group dispersed to think. James immediately went back to Lily but Sirius went to walk along a path he had discovered not too long ago. Remus did the same, going a different way. Severus began to watch Harry's kids who were playing innocently, unaware of the war-the wars that had killed so many of the people Harry would have wanted his kids to meet.

Remus and Sirius eventually crashed into each other and both stuttered as they apologised, blushing madly and then disappearing. Both would have rather walked together than alone, but thought the other would think it stupid and so ran away.

They all met back up shortly after anyway to reveal their suggestions.

"Something along the lines of a snake, because he was a Slytherin and Head of that house," Sirius suggested.

"No thank you," Snape declined.

"No Snivellus, back from the day then?"

"Absolutely not."

"I was thinking-" Remus began.

"We all were."

"Yes, but I mean, I was really thinking. He has a bad boy reputation, right? Word on the streets...well, everyone remembers you, right? And your patronus was a deer, right-"

"Could you please stop saying right, Remus?"

"Right, right, sorry. Another name for a deer is a hart, and that, put with the colour black, to represent your soul" -Severus shot him a narrowed eyes look- "goes well."

"I don't quite understand. What do you mean?"

"Blackhart. B-L-A-C-K-H-A-R-T. That way he keeps his reputation as having a black heart, because they won't have a clue how we spell it."

"I like it," Severus agreed, surprised.

"I do too," James and Sirius said at the same time.

"Well then it's settled, isn't it? Moony, Blackhart, Padfoot and Prongs."

"Perfect," Blackhart agreed, "To a new era."

"Indeed."