4A/N Disclaimer: I own nothing. This is J.'s characters.
This is a one-shot written about the Marauders.
Four Marauders. Best friends. One turned traitor. Another died. One was betrayed. Another left alone. Four friends. Four brothers. Torn apart. Love conquers all but war destroys everything.
The final time they met. It was hard to believe but already then, Peter had gone. It was just them. A drink for old times sake. James had finally been dragged away from his new-born son Harry. Lily had insisted he went. Remus was looking tired and haggard, his job wearing him out. He refused the generosity but under James and Sirius' persistence, allowed the drinks to be on them for the night. Peter was mainly quiet, as he'd always been. How long had he taken the mark for? They would never know.
"Can't believe you made Padfoot, Harry's godfather. I feel sorry for the kid." Peter hiccupped, downing more firewhisky. James chuckled, "I owe him really. The next kids I have will have you and Moony as godfathers…merlin, I can imagine that. You'll have Harry the delinquent, whatever the next kid is…a bookworm like Moony and then the third kid a loyal to extremes person like you." Remus didn't notice then but now he thought about it, Peter had looked rather guilty even in his drunk state.
"Ah, shucks. Back to work tomorrow. Everyone's working overtime." Sirius muttered. Remus managed a half-smile, "Tell me about it. Do you remember how only a year ago…bloody hell, only a year? We were still at school?" Sirius snorted into his drink, "Who could forget? And Prongs, do you remember Lily and your feeble attempts to get her to go out with you?" Prongs slammed down his drink, swaying slightly, "Feeble? Excuse me! Well…I got the girl in the end." Peter chuckled, "You ruined her sister's wedding, remember?" James rolled his eyes, "Ah, but he was vermin anyway. It was funny. And worth it…Lily kissed me then." Remus laughed loudly, slipping down his seat, "I remember that…do you remember in seventh year how Dumbledore made a speech one day and said the seventh years may as well live together? What with people getting married all over the place, can you believe he actually ended up giving rooms to married couples?" Peter grinned stupidly, "We walked into them once…forgot it was there…"
"Ah no, Wormy, it was because we wanted to redecorate. You know, with pictures we'd caught of them on camera…" Sirius waved his hand drunkenly, "We gave it them in the album, do you remember?" Remus chuckled, "Nicest thing we did I reckon." James agreed whole-heartedly, "So many people…" They were quiet then, remembering the tragedies throughout the year. The year had been broken up with so many deaths. Barely a day passed without someone leaving. The Marauders that year had remained more quiet. Their pranks never on any particular person or house, not even the Slytherins. It had already hurt too many and no-one needed anything else. The four boys now men had become figures for the younger ones who were terrified. Sirius made them laugh and taught them other spells, James let people off, helped them with work and talked to them, Moony helped them with work and listened to everyone and Peter did what he did best. He said what needed to be said. They had all suffered personal blows that year.
James and Sirius lost their parents. Sirius was James' brother and no matter how many arguments they had, they were a sign of friendship which was held together with something thicker than blood. Remus lost his mother and his father later killed himself. He had been inconsolable if it weren't for his friends. They didn't mess with him, call him cowardly or anything that would have come up if it had been in the past six years. Peter lost his girlfriend. His small beautiful girlfriend, Jay. She had accepted him as Peter and not anyone else. For weeks he had grieved. He had been about to propose to her. He still did. He placed the engagement ring on her cold hand and kissed it. He cried then. Letting go to his emotions. Only weeks later his parents left him, cruelly, Remus remembered. Peter had stood there on the steps, in the rain, stubbornly refusing to leave.
"The real fighting's done here mother. I can't just hide while my friends are out there fighting." Those were some of the bravest words he'd had to say, pushing his mother and father away from him. He almost collapsed then. That had sealed them together. They were not just friends but brothers, through and through. Remus could only wish that could have stayed.
They left that night, not knowing that within a few days, they would be separated. Each to their own path. They raised their glasses in a final toast, golden liquid swirling in the glasses as they chanted.
"Marauders forever, through time and through changes, Friends forever, through thick and through thin. Brothers forever, thicker than blood, closer than ever. Prongs, Padfoot, Moony and Wormtail. Marauders. Friends. Brothers."
...
Remus gently put down the picture of them. Four teenagers. Master Prankers. So naïve. Then Peter had gone. Sirius had been betrayed. Framed. James was dead. And he was alone. The last of the legend that had been the Marauders. He slowly opened his drawer, staring at the letter. He felt his breath catch in his throat. Tears were in his eyes. Peter. Peter had been tricked and trapped. He had managed to pass a letter to Remus. Last words before he…he died.
Dear Remus, and James and Sirius who I wish could've been here to read this.
I'm so sorry for the many wrongs I committed since I left. Life got harder and through everything, I wanted revenge. I had thrown away so much for the cause and all I got back was nothing. Everything was going wrong. No-one was safe. I'd lost too much. If I was by myself I would have gone insane. But you held us together. We were the Marauders. I thought we were losing. I wanted to secure us a safe way out. But I never considered the consequences. That's me, remember Moony? Brash headed, in a quiet way, Gryffindor through and through. I loved you guys so much yet what did I do? Betray you. I never meant for that to happen. I never meant for any of this to happen. It all went too far. I was too weak compared to you. People dealt with things in different ways. I dealt with it in the wrong way. I thought I could save you, be heroic. But that's not me. It's never been me. I don't know why I brought him back. Maybe because I thought he could owe me something. Or maybe just because I was scared. I could always feel power and I could sense his rising. I just did the wrong thing again and again. I always make the wrong choices…
Remus could see Peter's eyes almost blurring then, his illegible writing becoming even more so.
That's why I needed you guys there…to give me that guidance. Why you took me in I don't know. Maybe you were searching for the wrong person. I don't know how or why you put up with me but you did and for that I'm thankful. I'm grateful for everything and anything you guys did for me. Now I'm writing this because I'm hoping you'll forgive me. But if you don't, I'll understand. So many wrongs I committed. So many.
Remus could imagine Peter sitting hunched in a room, scribbling desperately away as his time, his life before him trickled away like sand through fingers. He could see Peter's nose scrunched up as he poured out his ramblings, last minute confessions in typical Peter way.
But I'm going to make you proud. I'm going to do the right thing, Moony. I'm going to fight. Like the rest of you. I never did have that much courage before but you guys gave me that courage. You gave me the belief to stand up for myself, to believe in myself and to understand myself. You taught me that love is not a weakness; that hope is always there and no matter how long the tunnel seems, there is always light at the end of it. I'm finally reaching that light. I know. You'd be proud of me, Padfoot. I'm not going down without a fight. I'm taking down as many of them as I can. And Prongs? I won't give up. I believe in your son. I believe in Harry. He's brave, courageous and a leader. He will live and he will win. Moony, I know I can be a bit of an idiot sometimes with a pea-sized brain, but some of that defence tutoring is finally going to pay off. I'm going down fighting but without dark magic. I'm quitting.
I know it's late…far too late for most of you but I want to do something right for once. This is a clear choice for me now, and I've made my decision. I hope you can forgive me. I really hope you can.
Marauders forever, through time and through changes, Friends forever, through thick and through thin. Brothers forever, thicker than blood, closer than ever. Prongs, Padfoot, Moony and Wormtail. Marauders. Friends. Brothers.
Peter Pettigrew. Wormtail. Marauder. Gryffindor through and through.
Remus felt tears prick his eyes again as he placed the letter back in its drawer. He slid it closed, painstakingly, feeling like his heart had been torn to pieces.
Peter had gone down fighting as he'd promised. He had done the Marauders proud. He decorated Voldemort's halls with gold and red. He'd made fireworks with smoke that spelled out Marauders. He'd even gone as far as to plaster pictures of the Marauders all over the floor. And he had stood there in the hall and as Snape said. A true Marauder. Looking as proud as ever. He'd taken down at least five of the inner circle, catching them unawares and injured so many others. He'd saved so many people's lives then. He'd gone down fighting using purely light magic. No dark at all. He had turned the hall to chaos. Showed that even Voldemort's rule could be undermined. And he had got Remus' message. A small slip of paper.
I forgive you.
Severus had told him then, that Peter went down laughing. Like he had been at Hogwarts. Something or someone gave him the strength to go on and through the confusion, he held himself against 50 or more death eaters for over fifteen minutes. In the end it was Voldemort who struck him down. He was a brave man.
Remus rubbed his eyes, looking back over his room. His wife, Nymphadora Tonks, now Nymphadora Lupin, lay there, sound asleep. Little Teddy was asleep in his cot, his hair a tranquil blue. He felt his eyes give way, as he climbed into bed. The Marauders. That's who they were. Who they had been. And who they would be forever more. That night, he cried himself to sleep, salty tears soaking the pillow. It was alright to let go to your emotions sometimes. It was always okay.
That was his last perfect night. Then the inevitable happened. The final battle at Hogwarts. Remus returned for one last time to Hogwarts. Memories of everything rushed past him as he apparated into Hogwarts. He felt almost a twinge of sadness as he remembered reminding them again and again, "You can't apparate into Hogwarts!" He remembered his first step into the great hall, his eyes round with amazement, even Sirius and James were silent and Peter, as ever, quiet and amazed, taking everything in. He remembered stepping in, year after year after year, every year different. He remembered their first prank. Simple and effective. Tying a banner to every teacher's hat which was charmed to sing, "Oh Marauders, Oh Marauders, you'll love them, you'll hate them, you'll want to be them…" He remembered their first detention, sitting there writing lines. When they'd handed them in, he remembered his look of utter shock as Professor McGonagall gave Sirius another detention. For writing cheesy pick-up lines instead of his supposed lines. He remembered Filch. He remembered Mrs. Norris. He remembered every corridor, every secret passage, every tower. He remembered their transformations into animagus. He remembered their promise to be with him, every time they could. He remembered their creation of their map. He remembered their whole lives in a space of a second before he was flung into a frenzy of attack.
Marauders forever, through time and through changes, Friends forever, through thick and through thin. Brothers forever, thicker than blood, closer than ever. Prongs, Padfoot, Moony and Wormtail. Marauders. Friends. Brothers
He fought on. He fought for the Marauders. He fought for his wife. He fought for his son. He fought for Harry. He fought for all the children. He fought for the school. He fought for his past teachers and colleagues. He fought for love. He fought against hate. He fought to secure a better future for the next generation. He fought for brothers.
Fred fell. A grin on his face. A reconciliation with his brother before he left. A twin left alone, always missing his other half. Determination. Love for a brother.
He fought for the wizards. He fought for the witches. He fought for those lost. He fought for those living. He fought for everyone.
He found himself next to his wife, Dora and his terrified eyes registered her appearance. He did not berate her, only smiling sadly, "You never were the type to stay at home, were you Dora?" Tonks simply smiled, "I love you, Remus Lupin." Remus smiled, "I love you too, Nymphadora Lupin."
They fought on together, side by side. It took twenty deatheaters altogether at once to finally break past their defences and knowing the end and accepting it, Remus kissed his wife one last time, holding his wife in a final embrace as they fell.
I believe in you Harry. I believe you can win.
He walked through the mists of time with Dora. Holding hands and wondering through to find the light at the end of the tunnel.
"Moony! And who's this?" A tall dark haired figure appeared wearing round wired glasses. A smaller, petite figure appeared next to him, with long red hair and emerald green eyes. An exuberant shout joined in, a large black dog which looked like the grim appeared, transforming in one step to a handsome young man who was at the height of his youth. Next, a rat transformed suddenly, into a mousy-haired blue-eyed man who was grinning, his arm around a small brunette, a gleaming engagement ring on her finger. Jay.
"Guys…" Remus gaped, almost in amazement. He shook himself out of it, and introduced Dora, despite drinking every aspect of them up. They embraced each other, finally, everything that might have ever stood between them gone. The Marauders. The legend. The friends. The brothers.
They stared through the glistening pool of time and memories, watching the final part of the battle unfold. They watched Harry fight. They watched him win. They watched him live. They watched him speak to Dumbledore, speaking in a manner far too serious for any seventeen year old but there was triumph in his eyes and love. He had won.
"You know what?" Sirius finally grinned, "Dumbledore's here now, teaching again…and now we're all back together again, I think this place is lacking some pranking." Remus grinned along with James and Peter as the women behind them shook their heads sighing, "Marauders will be Marauders."
They watched as the Marauders transformed. A stag. A dog. A wolf. A rat. Finally. Together.
Marauders forever, through time and through changes, Friends forever, through thick and through thin. Brothers forever, thicker than blood, closer than ever. Prongs, Padfoot, Moony and Wormtail. Marauders. The Marauders.