The Marauders: A Hogwarts Tale

The silence in the dorm room was palpable as James finished reading the last entry, the only sound the faint crinkle of a crisp packet and the soft, muffled sound of someone sniffling. Sirius turned his head, his brows knitting together as his eyes landed on Peter, who sat beside him, shoving another handful of crisps into his mouth between quiet sobs.

"Merlin's beard, Wormtail…" Sirius drawled. "Are you actually crying?"

"I can't help it, alright?" Peter blurted as he wiped at his teary eyes with the back of his hand. "It's just… so beautiful. Everything Raine went through, and Godric, and then them finding each other." He sniffed loudly. "All that love… it's just too much."

"For the love of God, Wormy," Sirius groaned, rolling his eyes. "It's just a bloody story." His teasing tone, however, softened slightly when he caught the genuine emotion in Peter's face.

"Still…" Remus interjected, his hands wrapped around a steaming mug of hot chocolate, his brow furrowed in thought. "It does bother me. Slavery isn't just real in Avalon—it's institutionalized. They've got rules, laws, systems in place for it. That's… it's horrifying."

James's expression darkened as he leaned back against the bedpost. "Tell me about it," he muttered. "And Hikari… a child that young. Sold like property." His hazel eyes glistened with unspoken sadness. "I can't even imagine."

"If it is real," Remus said cautiously, his gaze steady as James turned to him, hope flickering in his expression. "If it's real… it's a different time and a different world. Don't forget, England wasn't much better once upon a time. Slavery, cruelty—it's part of history everywhere. I suppose what matters is that, even in all that darkness, there was still some light. People like Godric and Workner…" His voice softened. "It's a small comfort, isn't it?"

"Workner and Creedy having a history, though," Sirius said, his tone thoughtful as he swirled the remnants of his pumpkin juice. "That caught me off guard. They were friends once? And this Amelia… whoever she was. Makes you wonder, doesn't it?"

"They were friends, like us," James murmured, shrugging slightly. "And then… they drifted apart. One of them turned into a downright bad apple. That's what's sad. I can't imagine us ending up like that."

Peter shook his head vehemently, his crisp packet crinkling loudly as he held it tightly in his lap. "Don't worry, James," he said with unusual conviction. "We're sticking together, no matter what. Always."

Sirius smirked, nudging Peter playfully. "Sentimental today, are we, Wormy? First tears, now loyalty oaths. What's next, poetry?"

Peter glared, his face flushing red. "Shut it, Padfoot."

The room filled with the sound of their laughter, their friendship a reassuring constant in the face of the heavy story they'd just read.

"That being said," Sirius said, flashing his trademark mischievous grin, "I didn't think Godric had it in him. The lad went from snogging to straight up shag—"

"Paddy, don't you dare finish that sentence!" Remus cut in sharply, his face flushing crimson. "I swear, I'll hex you into next week, and that's not a bluff!"

James burst into laughter, shaking his head. "You've got to admit, though, the whole pavilion setup? Smooth as anything. Bloke's got style, I'll give him that."

"Speaking of style," Peter exclaimed, "that Genji Shimada chap was downright wicked! Wish I could've seen it with my own eyes."

Sirius leaned back; arms crossed. "The man's a Visionary," he said, with a touch of reverence, "and from what Helena's said about those Visionary trials, he's got to be incredibly powerful. Wouldn't surprise me if he's sitting at the Table too, alongside all those other big names."

"Hell, I wouldn't be shocked if—" Remus's words trailed off as he swayed slightly, a hand reaching out to steady himself on the edge of the bed. His face had grown pale. "Oh, no… blast it all," he muttered under his breath.

Sirius sat up sharply, his easygoing smirk replaced by concern. "Oh, bugger. It's that time of the month again, isn't it?" he said, his tone unusually serious. "You've got your meds, haven't you?"

Remus waved a hand dismissively, though his expression betrayed him. "It's nothing," he said. "Don't fuss."

Peter, always eager to lighten the mood, chimed in cheerfully. "No worries, Moony. We'll head to the shack tomorrow as usual." His face lit up with an idea. "Hey, maybe we could take the book with us!"

"No!" James's voice came out louder than he'd intended, startling the others. Clearing his throat, he tried again, his tone more controlled. "Absolutely not," he said firmly. "No offense, Moony, but it's too risky."

Remus shrugged, his lips curling into a wry smile. "James is right," he said. "With my condition, there's no telling what might happen. I'd probably end up shredding the bloody thing during one of my episodes. And let's be honest, I'd much rather hear the next chapter than destroy it."

Sirius's grin returned, sharp and full of mischief. "Oh, and you say James is the one who's obsessed?"

Remus groaned in exasperation, snatching up a pillow and hurling it across the room with impressive force. Sirius, ever the agile mischief-maker, ducked with a grin, the pillow sailing harmlessly over his head. Straightening up, he stuck out his tongue, a smug expression plastered across his face.

"Nice try, Moony," Sirius quipped, leaning back lazily against the bedpost. "But you'll have to do better than that if you're aiming for me."

****

The following day, as the final chime of the Hogwarts clock tower rang out, Lily dashed through the courtyard, her breath visible in the crisp autumn air. Her mind had been consumed all day by thoughts of Avalon—of Godric and Raine, of the founders and their unfolding tale. She didn't know how or why, but the story had captured her heart in a way nothing else had. She could think of little else but discovering what came next.

The chill nipped at her cheeks, and the scent of the forest, earthy and sharp, rode on the wind. Each step crunched against the browning leaves scattered across the grounds, and her house-colored scarf fluttered as she pulled it tighter around her neck. She hurried toward the familiar bench where she'd sat with James the day before, her excitement building.

But as she approached, her steps slowed. Instead of James, she saw a small owl perched on the bench, its head tilted inquisitively. Clutched in its beak was a brown envelope sealed with crimson wax.

"Hello, Orwin," Lily said with a smile, recognizing James's Whiskered Screech Owl. Gently, she took the envelope from the owl's beak, her fingers brushing the smooth wax. Breaking the seal, she unfolded the letter inside.

Dear Lily,

I apologize for not being here today. There's an important matter I must attend to, and you probably won't see me for the next few days. However, I've left you a little something behind the tree.

Frowning slightly, Lily glanced up and toward the nearby tree. She stepped closer, peering around it, but saw nothing. Her lips quirked into a knowing grin as she reached for her wand.

"Revelio," she whispered, giving her wand a small wave.

At once, a brown leather bag shimmered into view, nestled discreetly behind the tree. Lily knelt and opened it, her breath catching as she saw the familiar book from the day before tucked neatly inside. The worn cover and faded lettering seemed to glow faintly in the soft light of the afternoon. Carefully, she closed the bag and returned to the letter.

Keep it safe for me, and please, tell no one about this. Mark the page where you stop before handing it back to me. I trust you, Lily. Don't let me down.

James.

Lily folded the letter, a small smile playing on her lips as she tucked it into her pocket. "Oh, James," she murmured, "what on earth have you gotten us into?"

Hugging the bag close, she made her way back toward the castle, the mystery of Avalon pulling her in deeper with every step.

****

The clock had just struck eight when Lily slipped into the abandoned girls' bathroom on the second floor, her footsteps echoing faintly against the cracked tiles. The eerie stillness of the place sent a chill down her spine, but she knew this was one of the few spots in the castle where she wouldn't be disturbed. Most students avoided it altogether, thanks to the ghostly occupant who had claimed it as her haunt.

The bathroom was as gloomy as ever. Shattered mirrors reflected fragmented images, and the once-pristine tiles bore the scars of time. Yet, the moonlight streaming through the tall, narrow windows lent the space an otherworldly glow, enough to illuminate the shadows that lingered in the corners.

Lily glanced around cautiously, her emerald eyes scanning for any signs of life—or unlife. Satisfied that she was alone, she let out a small sigh of relief and made her way to the back of the room. She lowered herself onto the cold floor, her school robes pooling around her, and pulled the leather bag from her side. With careful hands, she extracted the book and flipped it open to the page she and James had last read together.

Her brow furrowed as she noticed that James had read further without her. She huffed lightly. "Typical Potter," she muttered under her breath, though a faint smile tugged at her lips. There was no point in being cross about it now.

"A strange place to be doing some light reading, isn't it?" came a voice, startling Lily.

She whipped her head around to find herself face-to-face with a girl no older than herself, her hair tied into twin tails and a pair of rounded glasses perched on her nose. The girl's pale, translucent form glimmered faintly in the dim light, her expression hovering somewhere between curiosity and melancholy.

"Hey there, Myrtle," Lily said, relaxing a little as she recognized the ghost. "Sorry, I didn't mean to intrude. I couldn't read this in the library or my dorm, so I figured this might be the best spot for some privacy."

Myrtle's spectral face softened, though her usual sadness lingered in her eyes. "Oh, Lily, you know you're always welcome in my toilet," she said with a dramatic sigh. "You're the only girl who doesn't scream and run the moment they see me."

Her gaze drifted wistfully toward the book in Lily's lap. "I wish we could've been friends back when I was… you know… alive," she added. "What are you reading, anyway? Doesn't look like schoolwork."

Lily hesitated for a moment, then smiled. "It's… well, it's hard to explain."

After a long and animated recount of the story of Avalon and its founders, Myrtle floated back slightly, her translucent face a picture of disbelief. "You're joking," she said flatly.

Lily laughed, the sound echoing softly in the empty bathroom. "That's exactly what I said to James! But honestly, Myrtle, it feels too real to be a made-up story. It's certainly more believable than the idea of some boy hitting his head on a sink and suddenly penning a masterpiece."

Myrtle gave Lily a shrewd look, floating a little closer with a ghostly swish of her robes. "Hmph. Well, I wouldn't know much about masterpieces," she said, her translucent lips twitching into a faint smirk. "But you've piqued my interest. Do go on, Lily. I'm quite curious now. But before you start…" She leaned in conspiratorially. "I must warn you…"

Lily raised a quizzical brow. "Warn me about what?"

Myrtle's grin turned positively cheeky. "You're not the only one who sneaks in here to be alone."

Before Lily could respond, a soft beam of light caught her face, illuminating the dim bathroom with a pale glow. She blinked and turned toward its source. At first, she couldn't make out much beyond the brightness of the wand's tip, but as it dimmed, the figure holding it became clearer.

A thin boy stood there, his pallid, sallow complexion stark against the shadows cast by the moonlight spilling in from the windows. His black robes were slightly too big for his wiry frame, and his shoulder-length hair, slick and glistening, framed his face. His dark eyes narrowed, more in surprise than suspicion.

"Lily?" he asked, his voice low and monotone, though it carried a note of genuine curiosity. "What on Earth are you doing here all by yourself?"

Lily's brows furrowed slightly; her tone equally wary. "Severus? I could ask you the same."

The two of them locked gazes in a silence thick with unspoken tension. Finally, after a moment, Severus cleared his throat, his tone flat but quieter now. "I… I come here to be alone. Mostly to think."

Lily tilted her head slightly, her expression softening but still guarded. "Well, so do I. So, it looks like we've got that in common."

Myrtle, hovering nearby, broke the silence with a dramatic sigh. "Oh, brilliant. Now it's a party," she quipped, throwing her hands in the air. "Do carry on. Don't mind me."

Severus' dark eyes fell to the book perched on Lily's lap, his wand gesturing lazily in its direction. "Reading, are we? A peculiar choice of venue, don't you think? Most people with half a brain tend to do that in a library."

"Oh, but it's no ordinary book, Severus," Myrtle chimed in gleefully, floating closer with a mischievous grin. Her ghostly gaze shifted to Lily. "Go on, tell him! Tell him what it's all about!"

Lily sighed, rubbing her temples before launching into an explanation about the mysterious book and its intricate tale. When she finally finished, Severus simply stared at her, his expression deadpan.

"You're having me on, aren't you?" Severus said flatly, his tone heavy with skepticism. "Honestly, this has Potter and his band of buffoons written all over it. It reeks of one of their absurd pranks." His dark eyes flicked to Myrtle, narrowing slightly. "And you—did she drag you into this collective madness as well?"

Myrtle floated lazily above, rolling her ghostly eyes with dramatic flair. "Oh, don't be such a wet blanket, Severus," she retorted. "You have to admit, it does sound rather fascinating—better than loitering in a damp bathroom, at least."

"Severus…" Lily began, her tone exasperated but resolute. "You know me well enough to realize I can sniff out one of their ridiculous pranks without even trying. This is not one of them." She leaned in slightly, her vivid green eyes narrowing with conviction. "In fact, I've never seen James so utterly consumed by something before. He's positively obsessed with this."

Severus snorted, folding his arms. "Well, that's hardly a testament to its quality. Avalon, Clans, Visionaries… It sounds utterly ridiculous. Like something scrawled by an unimaginative first-year trying to impress their mates with a bit of bad fantasy."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Fine, if you're not interested, feel free to sit over there and pretend I'm invisible. I won't mind."

With a reluctant shrug, Severus moved closer instead, settling down next to her on the cold tiled floor. He glanced at the book with a mix of disdain and reluctant curiosity. "Alright, Evans," he muttered, his tone grudging. "You've got my attention for now. But you'd better make it worth my time."

Myrtle beamed with excitement, clasping her translucent hands together as she floated just above them. "Now that we're all friends, let's crack on, shall we?" she said with a mischievous grin.

Lily gave her an amused glance before opening the book and flipping through the worn pages, the faint scent of aged parchment filling the air. Settling on the next chapter, she adjusted her position on the cold floor tiles and began to read aloud.