Sirius I
"Did you like question ten, Moony?" said Sirius with a note of amusement, as they walked out into the courtyard. He had just taken, perhaps the easiest exam ever administered in the history of Hogwarts.
Remus rolled his eyes. "Loved it," he said simply. "'Give five signs that identify the werewolf.' Excellent question."
James punched him in the shoulder. "D'you think you managed to get all the signs?"
"Think I did," said Remus with a slow nod as he scrunched up his face. "One: He's sitting on my chair. Two: He's wearing my clothes. Three: His name's Remus Lupin…"
They all laughed, except Peter, who'd dug out his old notes from his bag and said worriedly, "I got the snout shape, the pupils of the eyes, and the tufted tail, but I couldn't think what else—"
"How thick are you, Wormtail?" said James. "You run round with a werewolf once a month—"
"Keep your voice down," hissed Remus, glancing around them nervously.
But no one noticed. Sirius glanced around the courtyard haughtily. As he suspected, no one had paid them any mind at all.
"Well, I thought that paper was a piece of cake," said Sirius as they walked onto the grass and into the sun. "I'll be surprised if I don't get Outstanding on it at least."
"Me too," said James. Sirius noticed as James's eyes wandered away towards the group that hurried past them. Ah, of course, Lily Evans. The Potter heir's longtime and unfortunately unrequited obsession. Being the amazing friend he was, he herded the four of them towards the great beech tree that towered over the yard; and also overlooked the lake where the girls had hurried off to.
"Where'd you get that?" he asked as James pulled out a Snitch.
"Nicked it," said James as he reclined against the trunk of the tree, tossing the snitch into the air.
Sirius yawned as James did this a few more times, but no one paid him any attention except for Peter, who cheered every time James made the catch.
"Put that away, will you?" said Sirius after James made an admittedly difficult catch. "Before Wormtail wets himself from excitement."
"If it bothers you," replied James with a shrug.
Sirius sighed deeply. "I'm bored. Wish it was a full moon."
Remus winced. "You might," he said darkly, "We've still got Transfiguration," he said. "If you're bored, you could test me…Here." He tossed his book into Sirius's lap.
Sirius threw it back at him. "I don't need to look at that rubbish," he said with a disparaging snort. "I know it all."
"This'll liven you up, Padfoot," said James in a low voice. "Look who it is…" Sirius turned, and his lip curled. "Excellent. Snivellus."
"All right, Snivellus?" said James loudly.
Snape reacted so fast that Sirius was secretly a little impressed. Dropping his bag, Snape plunged his hand inside his robes, and his wand was halfway into the air when James shouted, "Expelliarmus!" Snape's wand flew twelve feet into the air and fell with a little thud in the grass behind him.
Sirius let out a bark of laughter. "Impedimenta!" he said, pointing his wand at Snape. There was nothing quite like messing with Severus Snape after a long O.W.L. exam. He rolled his wand between his fingers and basked in the attention of the gathering students.
"I was watching him, his nose was touching the parchment," said Sirius viciously. "There'll be great grease marks all over it, they won't be able to read a word."
Several people watching laughed and of course, Wormy, ever the supportive friend, sniggered shrilly. For an odd moment, it reminded him strangely of his mother. Snape let out a hiss as he struggled to get up, but the jinx was still operating on him.
"You — wait," he panted. "You — wait. . . ."
Sirius looked down in disdain. "Wait for what?" he said coolly. "What're you going to do, Snivelly, wipe your nose on us?" He had to admit, the torrent of swears and curses that erupted from Snape's mouth was impressive.
"Wash out your mouth," said James coldly. "Scourgify!"
Pink soap bubbles streamed from Snape's mouth at once, and Sirius smiled as the froth began covering his lips, making him gag, choking him.
"Leave him ALONE!" said a high voice. Sirius turned and rolled his eyes. Evans. What Prongs saw in her, he would never understand. Was she fit? Yes. Was she an annoying suck-up that hung around with a slimy git? Also yes. He had no sympathies for those who associated with the likes of Snivellus.
"All right, Evans?" said James and the tone of his voice was suddenly pleasant, deeper, more mature.
Sirius laughed. "He sounds like a right berk, doesn't he?" he said quietly to Remus with a chuckle. But Remus did not reply, instead concentrating even harder on his book. The perfect little conflict avoider he was.
"Leave him alone," Lily repeated. "What's he done to you?" The look on her face most definitely reminded him of his mother. Her face was nearly as red as her hair and that glare was something else. Poor Prongs and his lack of awareness.
"Well," said James, appearing to deliberate the point, "it's more the fact that he exists if you know what I mean. . . ."
Sirius laughed appreciatively and Wormtail nearly pissed himself with laughter, but Lupin, still apparently intent on avoiding conflict at all costs, didn't, and neither did Lily.
"You think you're funny," she said coldly. "But you're just an arrogant, bullying toerag, Potter. Leave him alone."
"I will if you go out with me, Evans," said James quickly.
"Go on . . . Go out with me, and I'll never lay a wand on old Snivelly again."
Sirius winced at the intensified glare from Lily. Truly, if looks could kill, James would be dead ten times over. He turned his head as he heard Snape cursing darkly as he struggled towards his wand.
"I wouldn't go out with you if it was a choice between you and the giant squid," said Lily.
Sirius clapped James on the shoulder. "Bad luck, Prongs," he said briskly as he turned to face Snape. "OI!"
In another world, Severus Snape casts an unfinished version of a cutting curse on James Potter, and nothing happens. The day goes down as another clash between the Marauders and Snape. But not in this world.
"SECTUMSEMPRA!," cursed Snape as small pink bubbles flew from his mouth, his wand aimed at James's chest.
The world seemed to move at half speed. Sirius's eyes widened in shock as blood spurted from James's chest, an invisible great sword seemingly cutting his chest to crimson ribbons. That was no ordinary cutting curse. James crumpled to the floor as onlookers screamed.
He watched in horror as his eyes met James's. And for the first time, he saw something in there that shook him. Fear.
Sirius raised his wand in fury, his handsome face contorted in dark rage, an unspeakable curse on his lips. But Remus beat him to it.
"Expelliarmus!" cried the werewolf. Snape turned to parry, but Sirius would not be denied again. He leapt forward and struck him hard in the face.
"What did you do to him!" he screamed as he rained down blows on the pale boy.
"Resorting to muggle violence per usual, Black," spat Snape through a bloody smile. "How predictable."
Sirius felt a sudden headrush; death was too good for Snape. He levelled his wand in Snape's face but before he could say a word Peter pulled him back.
"Get off of me," he howled, knocking the smaller boy to the ground.
"Sirius, we need to get James to the hospital wing," pleaded Peter. "He's dying!"
That snapped him back to reality. He looked down and saw Moony picking up James's limp body, his hands soaked red. Lily was kneeling next to them, frozen in shock. The other onlookers had run off; the professors would be here soon. He spat on Snape and brusquely wiped the blood off his now throbbing hands and onto Snape's robes. With a swipe of his wand, he launched Snape into the tree that Moony had been reading under just moments ago. A sickening crunch followed, and Evans might have made a noise in protest, but he heard none of it. He ran forward and helped Remus put James into a newly conjured stretcher. It did not look good; deep gashes were carved into his best friend's chest, more and more crimson leaking out with each heartbeat. Quickly he stripped off his outer robe and pressed them hard into the wounds.
He pushed down the urge to laugh at the horror and absurdity of the situation.
"Hurry Remus we have to get him to Pomfrey" he said. "Peter, clear the way!" With that, they were off.
~0~
"So how's the boy doing?"
Sirius sighed as he clinked glasses with his uncle Alphard. Two weeks had passed since the incident, but he wished nothing more than to be back in St Mungo's by James's bedside. Had his Uncle Alphard of all people not asked to meet with him he would be there now. Alphard had always been his favourite. A touch mental in the head, a bit of an elitist, and yet he was the kindest one in the family. He had been the one to teach him how to duel, and for that, he would always be grateful. After all, it wasn't every day you could learn from a peerless.
"James is getting better. The healer said that they were close to a breakthrough."
The fallout had been immediate. As soon as Pomfrey saw the boys, James had been taken to St. Mungo's immediately and there he lay still in the Janus Thickey ward as magical runes pumped blood-replenishing potion into him. Snape had hit him with something nasty, and since he had neglected to create a working counter-curse, the healers were still not able to knit the wound close. At least he was alive.
Alphard nodded as he stroked his wispy black beard slowly. "That's good. Dark curse wounds are always tricky. Fleamont wants the Snape boy's head on a platter, maybe with his son's recovery he'll cool off."
"I hope he doesn't," said Sirius darkly. "Snape deserves to rot in Azkaban for what he did."
The slimy bastard, Snape had managed to remain in Hogwarts by the skin of his teeth. Dumbledore apparently brought him back on a probationary stint. Completely outrageous. The uproar in the wizarding community was instantaneous. The Potters were very popular after all, on both sides of the aisle. Fleamont and Euphemia were now gathering support in their bloc to motion for Snape to be expelled, a rare move, both the Potters being political and them moving against Dumbledore.
In his sixteen years of being alive, he had never even seen Mr. and Mrs. Potter look that mad. Not even when he and James nearly burned the manor down that one summer. If it weren't for James's current frailty, he would've sworn Mr Potter was going to kill Snape himself.
"Yes, yes," said Alphard as he took another shot of firewhisky. "But look at all the good that's come of this whole ordeal. If not for the Potter boy, Harold Minchum would have had enough votes to do away with our vassals."
"You mean our private armies."
Alphard waved his hand flippantly. "A long-standing tradition for us Purebloods. We own the Lestranges, they own the Malfoys, they own the Goyles, and it goes on and on. All those minor houses should be honoured to stand vassal for our House. Besides, with all the tension in the air, may need all the men we can get."
"Surely you're not worried about the Knights," said Sirius. "I thought they only attacked muggles and muggle-born."
"No dear nephew, there's something more sinister brewing," muttered Alphard as he went to take another shot. "Three of my contacts have gone dark. Strange characters are popping up and there are too many coincidences for them to be coincidences. Keep that wand handy boy, a war may be brewing."
"You must be joking. There hasn't been a war since Grindelwald!"
"People are going missing, foreigners arriving at our docks, political unrest," said Alphard as he counted off his fingers. "Sounds awfully similar to the last war. All we need is a powerful wizard to guide these hotheads and it'll be 1940 all over again."
He raised his hand, "Barkeep, another please." The bearded man slid another shot their way.
Sirius grabbed his Uncle's wrist stopping him from taking the shot. It was only 11 in the morning. "No more firewhisky for you Uncle, that's your sixth already."
Alphard pushed Sirius's hand away and grabbed the shot glass. "Your grandfather called a family meeting and I actually have to attend for once."
Grunting sympathetically, Sirius took his hand back. "What about? I didn't hear about it."
"Nothing that concerns you, dear boy," he said with a sigh. "You know how old Arcturus is. Hell bent on restoring the glory days but I'm afraid the old coot is on his last legs. All bark no bite. He insisted on my appearance, however, so hopefully, it'll be important this time around."
Sirius was unsurprised by that. His grandfather, powerful in his prime, seemed frailer and frailer each time he saw him.
"Well, what do you want Uncle? I'm sure you didn't call me into this lovely dive just to day drink."
"I've come to warn you," Alphard said, as he wiped his mouth. "After the incident with the Potter boy, your parents intend to finally bring you into the fold. They've let you do as you please for the last couple of years but now they think it's time for you to take your mantle as your heir."
"Over my dead body," said Sirius as he picked at an imaginary thread on his robes.
"They'll cut you off from the vaults if you don't do as they say, boy. They'll burn you off the damned tree."
Sirius yawned. This wouldn't be the first time Walburga had threatened that. He probably had heard a hundred lectures with that exact threat from his mother.
"Dear mum and dad have threatened that a million times. Empty threats."
"It's different this time. The Potter Boy being cut down in the middle of Hogwarts has the pureblood factions in an uproar. Your parents are at the forefront of this movement and feel more emboldened than ever. Do yourself a service and keep your head down and do as they say."
He checked his watch, golden with the Black crest proudly in the center.
"I best be off," said Alphard as he pushed himself from the table, and rose from his chair, albeit a little shakily. "Please Sirius, for your own sake. Once you graduate Hogwarts you can never speak to them again. Think of the long game."
He flipped a galleon to the barkeep and walked over to the floo, grabbing a handful of powder from the nearby pot.
"I'll see you around Sirius, think about what I said." He threw the powder down, and the fire roared purple. "Grimmauld Place!"
Purple? Sirius jumped from his seat, "Uncle stop!"
Alphard paused for a split second his foot centimetres away from the fire. His drunken eyes widened at the sight of the purple, now imploding flames, and threw a wandless shield up, just as the fireplace exploded. Everything in a meter radius of the fireplace vaporized instantly. All except for a slightly smoking, extremely pissed Alphard Black.
Sirius crawled out from behind the table. What on in Merlin's name was going on?
Then out of the corner of his eye, he saw the barkeep aim his wand at Alphard. "Uncle, duck!"
The barkeep shouted from behind the bar, "AvadaKedavra!"
Alphard jumped into action. The drunken man was gone and in his place was the first wand of the House Black.
He drew his wand smoothly from his robes and rolled away in the same action, the jet of emerald crashing harmlessly into the mantle above his head. Alphard casually twirled his hand and the barkeep's wand flew from his hand.
"Stupefy".
The red jet slammed into the man and the bearded man crashed into the wall behind him, his eyes rolled back into his head.
"I'm getting too old for this," Alphard said as he spat soot from his mouth. He got up and summoned the stunned man to his feet. "I come here every day and Merlin knows I overtip this forsaken establishment and this is how you repay me?" He kicked the barkeep hard in the ribs.
Sirius watched stunned. He hadn't even had time to draw his wand. "Are you alright?"
Alphard waved his hand flippantly. "I'm fine. Not the first time someone's tried to off me nor will it be the last. But I've clearly gotten sloppy. Thank you, Sirius, you've surely saved my life."
Sirius shrugged. "It's what I do."
Alphard laughed, but there was a noticable strain in his voice as he poked around the ruined fireplace.
"Who do you think was behind this?"
Alphard shrugged nonchalantly. Reaching down he tapped the stunned man with his wand and transfigured him into a pebble. "Any number of people. My business leads me to meet some unsavoury folk, and Merlin knows I've angered more than a few of them."
"And what are you going to do with him?"
"Oh I'll turn him over to the Aurors eventually, I just have a few questions first." He winked at Sirius. "I think I'll be better off apparating out this time. I'm late as is. Until next time, Sirius, and do heed my warning dear nephew. Walburga on the warpath is something I have no desire to see."
With that, he spun on his heel and disappeared with a crack.
Sirius looked back at the fireplace, now a smouldering hole in the ground.
Who would do such a thing? His uncle had always been in some shady business so had no shortage of enemies. And he did leave in an odd hurry.
He let out a breath he hadn't known he had been holding. He had almost lost two people he cared about dearly and had been a bystander to both. Sirius flicked his hand out and clumsily tried to make it fly into his hand like his uncle did. Maybe it was time he took duelling seriously again. He thought about what Alphard had said. Maybe it was time they all took duelling seriously again.
~0~
"What are we doing here Sirius?" said Remus as he looked around the massive drawing room. "If your mum catches us—"
"What dear old mum doesn't know won't kill her," said Sirius. He raised his wand and moved the tables and chairs into a neat pile against the far wall. "Now lads—oi pay attention Wormy— with what happened to Prongs, we need to get our duelling skills up."
Wormtail plopped down on the soft rug on the floor. "But we're already good at duelling."
"No, we're good at ganging up on our fellow students."
"Moony, we've been over this," said Sirius exasperatedly. "We're not gonna mess with other people anymore."
"Except for Snape," said Wormtail under his breath.
Sirius ignored him. He wasn't wrong. That bastard was a dead man walking.
"But you're right we work well as a team but we need to be better individually. My Uncle Alphard said that there might be a war on the way so we best get our duelling up to shape. He got attacked right in front of me for fucks sake."
Remus frowned. "Alphard? Isn't he the drug dealer?"
"No dear Moony, he moves medical supplies, we've been over this! But anyways he wouldn't lie about something like that, he's not the type."
Remus shrugged. "If you say so. We might as well practice regardless, Cardoc said that duelling was on the Defence N.E.W.T.S."
"We're worrying about N.E.W.T.S already?" said Peter with a groan. "We just got on break!"
"Wormy there's a war on the way you idiot. Don't you want to be prepared?"
"Allegedly a war on the way."
"Enough of your scepticism lads, line up and hit me with your best shots," said Sirius exasperatedly.
"Two on one, Sirius?" said Remus. "Awfully confident now aren't we?"
"Please, I've been duelling since birth. You two morons only know the basic forms that idiot Grisham put us through last year in class."
This much was simply a fact. He had mopped Remus and Peter the last time they had duelled each other. But then again that was back in the 2nd year. The gleam in Remus's eye made Sirius a little uneasy.
"Alright then. You ready Pete?"
Peter got up from the ground with a sigh and stood next to Remus. "Let's do this."
Sirius bowed deeply, and his two friends bowed back.
To his surprise, his friends struck first.
"Stupefy!" they shouted in unison, Remus aiming high and Wormtail aiming low.
He cursed aloud and jumped to the side, as the two continued to fire upon him. Unsurprisingly they both used form III, defensive with constant pressure, the form favoured by their last DADA professor.
As he rolled away, he summoned an antique drawer from the far end of the room and blasted it apart in the direction of his friends. His mother was going to kill him.
Moony didn't even blink as he batted the fragments to the side, Wormtail then turning them into ash with a well-placed flame. The duo continued to seamlessly fire on Sirius, jets of red seemingly honing on him, one after the other.
Sirius wheezed as Peter clipped him with a tickling jinx. He barely parried Moony's stunner that followed close behind. The two kept up the pressure and now they both aimed low. Sirius jumped out of the way as the twin jets of red splashed on the rug singeing the threads. Instead of retreating further he aimed up and had the massive, gaudy chandelier crash in front of him, giving him a moment of reprieve as he took cover.
"Quit hiding Padfoot," shouted Wormtail shrilly, the laughter in his voice evident.
Sirius peeked and barely had time to move his head out of the way as an orange curse flew by missing him by centimetres. The two had clearly been practising on their own. He aimed his wand down at his shoelace as a flurry of spells ricocheted off of the barely held-together chandelier. With a whisper, his lace was now a snake.
A smile crept across his face as he heard Moony yelp at the sight of the massive cobra slithering towards them. He jumped out from behind the chandelier when he heard footsteps from the hall.
"Conjunctivitis!", shouted Peter as Remus levitated and banished the flailing snake.
Sirius ducked.
"What the bloody hell is going on in here?" said Regulus as he opened the door to the drawing room only to be blasted in the face.
They all froze as the favoured Black rolled around the floor clutching his face.
"Wormy you idiot!"
"You weren't supposed to dodge it!"
"Well, what was I supposed to do then?"
Remus stepped forward and applied the counter-curse. "Are you okay Regulus?"
Regulus got to his feet slowly, his eyes puffy where the curse had struck him.
"You're all dead," he said darkly.
~0~
James's eyes flew open as he sat up in his cot. His heart was racing, and sweat was pouring down his face.
Where was he? Why was he here?
And then it all came back.
"Mr Potter, he's awake!" said a medi-witch from the hallway, the voice becoming distant as the rush in his head grew louder.
He looked down at his shaking hands as the memories flooded back. All he could feel was rage.