2So I may or may not have seen this headcanon where the Marauders 5th roommate was Kingsley Shaklebolt and so now I feel like I have to share it with the world! Or at least, the people that read these stories.
So… here we go!
The moment Kingsley Shaklebolt was assigned his dorm he knew that his years at Hogwarts were going to be interesting. You see, Kingsley was sharing a dorm with James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew. The boys were all mischievous even before becoming the infamous Marauders. So Kingsley decided, right then and there, that no matter what those boys did, he would ignore it. He had a plan and it was not going to be taken off course by a group of prankster idiots.
The first four years were the easiest to deal with. The most Kingsley ever did was help Remus chastise the other boys for leaving their dirty clothes around the dorm. Once they were in 5th year the strangeness started. Kingsley walked into just bizarre things such as Sirius leaning on a somewhat drunk-looking deer and talking to it as though it was James. Kingsley didn't even blink however preferring to pretend he never saw a thing. When the others started disappearing on the full moon just as Remus had been doing he didn't even take a moment. He simply left the chocolate bar on Remus's bed for when the boy returned as he did every full moon.
By the time he made it so 7th-year people throughout the school were shocked. He heard students and teachers alike talking about it.
" Yes, yes. Great student! Studies hard and always helps other students in the class. He might even become Minister of Magic one day if he manages to make it through school without committing four murders."
" Shaklebolt? Oh yeah. I can't understand how he puts up with them. They must constantly try to prank him. It has to be exhausting."
Of course, Kingsley didn't let any of it faze him. He simply walked along as he felt his pride grow slightly in the knowledge that he had made it so far with the Marauders as roommates.
A couple of years after Hogwarts, Kingsley was working as an Auror in the ministry and received a letter and a package. He opened the letter to find a wedding invitation sent to him by James Potter and Lily Evans. At the bottom of the invitation, there were little notes from each of the Marauders apologizing for everything they had put him through at Hogwarts. Kingsley smiled and set the letter down gingerly. He then opened the package to find a small trophy with the words 'best roomie ever' imprinted on a plaque at the base. Kingsley's face broke out in a smile as he set the trophy back in the package along with the invitation. That evening he took it home with him and placed it on his mantle.
Weeks later, Kingsley found himself in a suit at James' wedding. He was very happy for the couple and gave both of them hugs later that night. The old roommates all talked and reconnected with each other before leaving. Then, around a year later, Kingsley received news of how Voldemort had found the Potter's secret house and killed Lily and James. Kingsley tried to compose himself but his eyes still watered at the loss of his friends. He was informed of how Dumbledore had taken Harry to his Aunt and Uncle's house and couldn't help but feel a slight bit of anger. He had heard Lily complain about her sister and her fiance before and was fearful of what would happen to the young boy. Still, he trusted Dumbledore.
He did, however, ask one of his friends in the ministry to get him the pictures from the Potter home. His friend came through and Kingsley held all the pictures in his hands as though they were ash and would fly away at a slight gust of wind. He brought them home and saved them until Harry would need them. When Harry's first year at Hogwarts came around, he made sure to give them to Hagrid in a neat album book. He knew Harry would receive them and he hoped that he would be happy with the pictures of him and his parents.
When Kingsley finally met Harry he couldn't help but see the similarities between the boy and James. He never said a word though. The boy knew enough people who had known his parents. There was no need to make it weird and include himself in that. Kingsley simply did the same thing to the boy he had done with his father. He kept his head held high and never stepped in unless he was needed.
I hope you guys enjoyed reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. Hope you guys are great and I love you all!
-WiseGirl46