The Wolf and the Raven

Ch 52 - The Marauders

A/N: Why did this chapter take so long?! Anyway, I hope you enjoy the inception of our favorite little gang :D

The end of term was fast approaching, but, rather than looking forward to their holiday, the five Gryffindor friends were becoming increasingly despondent. The last Quidditch match of the season would soon be upon them, and they dreaded viewing it from the sidelines.

Strangely enough, after a week of giving James, Sirius, and Branwen the cold shoulder, Kingsley turned around and was as genial as ever. He had let it be known that Edgar Bones would be coming back to take James' place as Chaser, Kaleb Newman would replace Sirius as Beater, and Bridget Latimer would fill the role of Seeker. Still, he continued to demand expect that the disqualified team members would participate in weekly practises and drove them even harder than before.

After the final practise of the month, Remus and Peter joined their friends in the locker room.

"I don't know why we're even here!" Sirius hurled his bat across the room. "It's bad enough we can't play – why does he have to rub it in by making us come to practise?"

"Hey, we're going to be on the team next year," James reminded him. "We might as well stay sharp."

"Not like we couldn't practise over the summer," Branwen grumbled. She had mostly been silent on the subject of their banishment, but she was seething inside at the thought of Bridget taking her place on the pitch.

"Let's just go get some dinner," Peter suggested. "You'll feel better after you've eaten."

Before they could leave though, they found themselves cornered by the Prewetts. "Come on, you lot," Fabian grinned. "We've got a surprise for you."

The friends exchanged raised brows and questioning glances, but none of them had a clue as to what the twins were up to.

Fabian and Gideon were uncharacteristically quiet as they led the other Gryffindors through the maze of the castle. They didn't pause until they reached a deserted corner of the seventh floor. It appeared to be a dead-end and apparently a convenient corner to hide a ridiculous tapestry of a wizard surrounded by trolls in tutus. It was in front of this tapestry that Fabian and Gideon finally stopped.

"This, my children," Fabian gestured grandly, "is Barnabas the Barmy."

"Barmy though he was, he is the guardian of this school's greatest secret!" Gideon continued.

"We've kept it to ourselves all these years, but now that we're about to leave for bigger and better things, we need to pass our knowledge on to those who are worthy."

"In exchange for a favour, of course," Gideon winked.

Nodding at each other, the brothers paced in front of the tapestry three times.

Distracted by the odd tapestry and the even odder behaviour of their teammates, the other five were caught off guard when the wall behind them began to rumble. The stone itself seemed to shiver before a small, innocuous wooden door materialised. "Ladies first," Fabian grinned and bowed dramatically.

Branwen found herself in a room hardly bigger than a broom cupboard. The walls were lined with shelf upon shelf, each of them sagging under the weight of various jars, bottles, and boxes of potion ingredients. Scribbled-in books, many of them scorched in the corners, littered every open surface. A boiling cauldron sat on a table in the centre of the room. Whatever was inside bubbled with the lethargy of swamp gas escaping into the humid air.

"This, lady and gents, is the Room of Requirement. It exists purely to become whatever you need. You only have to think of your desire, then pace three times in front of the tapestry and voila," Fabian snapped his fingers.

Sirius wrinkled his nose. "And what you needed was a nastier version of the Potions room?"

"Actually, yes," Gideon replied. "You see, this is the little treat we've been preparing for you ever since we heard about McGonagall's decision."

"Polyjuice potion?" Everyone turned to face Remus, who had edged closer to the pot to peer into its muddy substance.

"Ten points for Scarface!" Fabian crowed.

Branwen's hand closed tightly around her wand, bristling at the slur toward her friend. Peter gripped her wrist though and held her back.

James redirected the conversation. "You want us to take that?"

"You're going to take it if you want to play on Saturday."

"What are you on about?" Sirius folded his arms across his chest.

"Bones, Newman, and Latimer have agreed to let you pose as them during the match. You'll have to use the Polyjuice Potion to make it convincing though," Gideon told them.

"The match is this Saturday?" Branwen frowned.

Fabian raised a brow. "That's right."

Her eyes widened. "Excuse us a moment."

Branwen grabbed James' and Sirius' arms and dragged them to a corner of the small room, Remus and Peter following closely. When they were gathered around her, she spoke in a quiet whisper. "We can't possibly do this. Saturday is the next full moon. Our leaves have to be ready by then. If we use the Polyjuice Potion, who knows what will happen to them?"

James and Sirius grumbled, their eyes downcast, but neither could argue with her point.

"I think you should go for it," Remus surprised them all. "I know how much Quidditch means to all of you. I would hate for you to miss out because of something you're doing for me."

Sirius scoffed. "This is our decision to make, Remus. You don't have to be a martyr."

Remus rolled his eyes, but James snapped his fingers. "I've got it."

The little huddle broke apart as James turned to address the other boys in the room. "We'll take the potion and play –" Fabian and Gideon high-fived, "– if you can arrange for the match to happen on Sunday instead of Saturday." They groaned.

"Quidditch has never been played on a Sunday!" Fabian protested.

"McGonagall would never allow it," Gideon added.

Sirius winked at his friends, then shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, if it's too much of a challenge for you, we understand. It would take a lot of skill and planning, and of course it's never been done before...."

Fabian and Gideon grinned at each before answering in unison, "We'll do it!"