The Marauders and the Fetch of Hogwarts

The plan was actually a decent one and had the potential for getting even with the sly students for the ambush days earlier. Peter, as usual, was the bait, Remus the brains, and Sirius and James were the muscle. Or in this case, the wands. The four of them knew it was just a matter of time before Snape or one of his cronies came wandering into the library. Whoever that was would spot Peter, sitting all by his lonesome working on his Potions essay. Unable to resist such an easy target, said Slytherin would begin tormenting Peter, and that's when the other three Gryffindors would have him.

Sirius about swooned when his brother Regulus came in with Snape. As far as the elder Black brother was concerned, the situation couldn't have gotten any better.

Sure enough, it took all of ten seconds for Snape and Regulus to notice Peter and another twenty seconds of whispered debate on what they were going to do. Remus tensed and James raised his wand. Sirius was already at the ready, wand raised and eyes glinting almost manically with ill-concealed glee.

"Pettigrew!" Regulus whispered loudly as he and Snape wandered over. "Where's your friends?"

Peter looked up in mild disinterest from his essay and then looked back down again, the perfect picture of boredom with his companions. "Off doing stuff."

"Couldn't get that essay done, eh, Pettigrew?" sneered Snape, peering over Peter's shoulder at the writing. "Pathetic. That has to be the easiest assignment the professor has ever given us and you've got it all wrong."

Remus was proud of Peter's look of mild surprise as he picked up the parchment as if to look it over. That was the cue. The victims, er, the enemy was in position.

"Rubescere Villosus!" Both James and Sirius cried out the hex at the same time. Their wands shot out a blast of red sparks that showered over the two Slytherin boys. Immediately the hex took effect. All but Peter were back in their seats by the time the rest of the students in the library had turned around to find out why Snape and Regulus were crying out in alarm. Peter was gaping in complete, unfeigned astonishment at what was happening.

Red fur, bright red fur at that, was growing all over Regulus and Severus' bodies. It was coming out of their ears, their fingertips, poking through their sleeves and pant legs, and was quite possibly the most hideous thing ever seen. The fact that the fur was bright red only added insult to the injury. Madam Pince managed to get the hex stopped but couldn't do away with it. With a fierce glare around the library, as if she could spot the culprits by their expressions alone, the librarian escorted the still shouting Slytherins away, undoubtedly to the infirmary.

As soon as the trio cleared the door, Peter grabbed his things and headed over to Sirius, Remus and James. With a completely innocent expression, Peter held his paper out to Remus and asked, "Is it as bad as Severus said?"

The three of them burst into laughter.

Regulus and Snape didn't make an appearance at dinner and the entire Slytherin table were glaring holes at the Gryffindors, who ate their dinner nonchalantly, without any concern whatsoever. No one could prove it had been them. Remus had quickly advised James and Sirius into using their wands to perform various spells from their Charms homework in case someone came to check to see what the last spells they had used were. No one checked but it was still sound advice.

Sirius was still chuckling over the expression on his brother's face. "That was priceless," he said around a mouthful of bread. "We'll never catch them unawares like that again, but it was still priceless."

"Yes, and we'd better keep a sharp out for retaliation, because it will come," Peter informed them dolefully, sneaking a look at the Slytherin table.

"They're plotting," warned Remus dramatically, grinning unrepentantly. The prank had actually been fun.

"Let them," dismissed James, reaching for another chicken leg. "We've got Astronomy tonight, right?"

"Yeah," Peter confirmed glumly. "I'm so tired, I don't think I can stay awake long enough to do some star-gazing."

"It's with the Ravenclaws, so we're okay, though. No need to keep glancing over our shoulders for creepy Slytherins," Sirius replied, picking up his glass of milk for a sip.

"You are so in trouble when I tell Mum and Dad what you did." Regulus' voice was low and downright mean.

Sirius turned around and gave a charmingly innocent grin. "I don't what you're talking about, little brother. I was on the other side of the library and I've got witnesses to prove it."

Regulus gazed hatefully at his older brother for one long moment before giving a distinctly Snape-like sneer. "Severus is having to undergo even more hex removal. It seems the dye produced by that spell is a dye he's highly allergic too. He's having to undergo some severe spell treatments that looked extremely painful."

"How sad for him," commented James without concern. "Extend our sympathies to him, will you, mate? There's a good boy. Toddle off now, the grown-ups have important matters to discuss that aren't for the ears of youngsters like you."

Regulus' hands clenched into fists again and his eyes briefly met Remus'. Remus merely raised an eyebrow and nodded politely. Regulus returned the gesture and stalked off. A few snickers from the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor tables followed the Slytherin first year.

"We're definitely going to get it now," Remus sighed.

Sirius grinned unrepentantly. "No, later, but you're right, we're definitely going to get it. I love my life."

"You're an idiot, Sirius," Peter informed the taller Gryffindor.

"I know, it's the Black lineage. I couldn't escape all of it, y'know." Sirius smirked in his brother's direction.

"Shut up and eat," chuckled James and the four of them did so.

"Hey, Cheryl, what is that?" Marcie Burkenstock pointed downward instead of upward. This got everyone's attention, considering this was Astronomy and they were supposed to be stargazing, not looking at the distant hills. The two Ravenclaw girls were sharing a telescope next to Remus and Sirius.

Cheryl Rothie turned their telescope in the direction that Marcie was pointing. "I'm not sure but it looks like glowing people."

That definitely got everyone's attention and all telescopes began swiveling down toward the distant hills beyond Hogsmeade. Remus adjusted the focus just before Sirius impatiently shoved his way in front to peer through.

"Yeah and they're looking our way. I wonder who..." Cheryl's voice trailed off and she gave a gasp. "Oh my God. That's my mother!"

"What?" exclaimed Marcie, turning to look at Remus in puzzlement. He could only shrug helplessly. "Why is your mother glowing then?"

But Cheryl wasn't paying any attention. "And my little brother. And my father. And my Aunt Louisa." Cheryl slumped to the ground at Sirius' feet, startling him. As Sirius quickly bent down to help Cheryl, Remus took advantage of the empty telescope to take a look himself. Whatever it had been was gone now.

"What's going on?" demanded Professor Sinistra. It was her first year teaching and it was obvious the last thing she wanted was fainting students on her watch.

"Cheryl said she saw her family glowing over there!" Marcie pointed to where the figures had been.

"What?" demanded Sinistra disbelievingly. "Of all the nonsense. Mister Black, will you and Mister Lupin help me get Miss Rothie to the infirmary. The rest of you, the firmament not terra firma." Remus and Sirius cautiously pulled up the rather heavy Ravenclaw girl and followed Professor Sinistra to the infirmary.

The professor had swept ahead to warn the school nurse and Madam Pomfrey clucked sympathetically as the two boys carefully put the unconscious girl on a waiting bed. "Just fainted you say?"

"Something about seeing her family off glowing in the distance," answered Sinistra, pursing her lips. "Undoubtedly exhaustion and she didn't properly prepare for the late hours of my class." Sinistra stopped talking when she noticed the arrested expression on Pomfrey's face. "What is it?"

"Go get the headmaster, boys." Madam Pomfrey's voice was brisk and no-nonsense stern. "Be quick!"

The two of them hurried out but Remus braked immediately and listened at the door for a moment. "Family curse...ghosts...possible they are dead..." was all he caught before Sirius tugged on his robes and the two of them hurried off. They ran into Professor McGonagall, who was exiting the headmaster's corridor, quickly explained the circumstances and McGonagall agreed to take them up to Dumbledore's office.

Dumbledore listened to their story without even a blink of his eye, stood up, and went down to the infirmary without a word. The boys were soon dismissed. "Go and tell the class to go back to their dormitories. No class for this evening," Sinistra told them, her face gray with shock.

Sirius and Remus looked at each other in puzzlement but did as they were told. The Ravenclaws were understandably upset by the events but Remus said not a word about what he'd overheard until the Gryffindor boys were settled in their beds. He then related what he'd heard.

"Do you think she saw her parents?" asked Peter into the darkness.

"Don't be daft, Pettigrew," yawned Sexton somewhere to Remus' right.

They went to sleep.

The Great Hall was uncommonly silent the next morning. The Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables were tableaus of grief. With a sense of foreboding Remus sat down. Once the hall was full, the headmaster stood up, tapping his spoon lightly against his goblet for attention. Everyone looked up at the wise old wizard, shocked to find his face drawn and the customary twinkle in his blue eyes absent.

"I have an announcement. Last night two of our students suffered tragic losses. Miss Cheryl Rothie of Ravenclaw and Mister Tyrel MacFarland of Hufflepuff lost their families last night to mysterious attackers. Please extend your thoughts to these students and their houses in this time of sorrow. That is all."

The Great Hall was stunned into silence. Slowly, eating resumed but there was no talk, no chatter and definitely no laughter. At least not for some time. Eventually, whispers and murmurs began, growing into a crescendo. Rumor and speculation flowed from the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables to the Slytherin and Gryffindor tables, eventually reaching the ears of Remus, Sirius, Peter and James.

"They said that there was this weird signal above their houses," Lily could be overheard as saying. She paused as she listened a bit closer. "That there weren't any marks on the bodies." She looked terrified at the mere idea. "What kind of magic leaves no mark?"

Sirius had a ready answer. His face was grim as he replied, "The Killing Curse." The table around him went silent. "It's just a rush of death coming at you and it leaves no mark on the victim. It just eradicates your life like that." He snapped his fingers on 'that'.

"And you'd know this how, Black?" demanded Sexton in a fierce whisper. His blue eyes were accusing.

Sirius' lips thinned and his eyes were black with loathing. "I am from a family that adores anything that's dark magic," he replied. "And how do you think my family gets rid of all those useless, old house elves? You think they pension them off?" He gave a snort and turned to glare hatefully at his brother.

Remus turned around as well. The Slytherins were by far the noisiest students in the room and definitely the least affected by Dumbledore's announcement. A couple were smiling but none crossed the line by laughing out loud at any jokes. It was apparent, however, that they were unconcerned with the news.

"It's like they know something we don't," commented Peter fretfully.

"They probably do," Sirius muttered darkly. "They probably do."