Disclaimer:- I do not live in Scotland, I do not have children, I am not a literany genius and I'm certainly not J.K. Rowling. Therefore I own nothing except the paper this was originally written on.

Chapter One:

Profiling the Pranksters

This isn't my story, but I was there so I should tell. This is the tale of four friends, of brotherhood, forgiveness, and one girl who almost destroyed them all.

You've heard of the marauders of course, the four Gryffindors that threw Hogwarts into chaos for seven years. You certainly couldn't say things were boring with them around.

The leader, naturally, was James Potter. He was charmed with the perfect life, extremely gifted both with a wand and on a broom. He was also good-looking, not overly tall with raven black hair that never lay flat and hazel eyes you could spend a lifetime falling into. He was the decision maker out of the four, the one to way the pro's and con's and choose what to do. The other three looked up to him, would do anything for him. In return he never let them down.

The trouble maker, James' second in command, was Sirius Black. He was tall with silky black hair that eloquently framed his hansom face. Most of the girls in our year thought he was the most gorgeous man on the planet. (I wasn't one of them, but then I married James so that's not particularly surprising.) Sirius was almost James' twin, they were so very similar. The one difference outsiders could see was that Sirius was more impulsive, so much so his friends rarely trusted his judgement. But Sirius' eyes betrayed the difference, steely-grey with such depth you could see his feelings floating there. An open book in more ways than one.

With these two you can understand the need for a voice of reason. That job fell squarely on the shoulders of Remus Lupin. Remus was a quiet boy with floppy light-brown hair and captivating amber eyes that could punish or reward with a single glance. Remus was also a werewolf! A curse that led him to control himself with such a tight leash, to keep the monster within him from escaping more than once a month. The wolf was Remus' nemesis, yet at the same time an essential part of his core being.

The last Marauder was Peter Pettigrew. He seemed the odd one out in the group, being small and without the confidence of the others. I, like many others, wondered if the sorting hat had made a mistake. However the rest of the Marauders took Peter under their collective wing and brought him out of himself, made sure that his brilliance, though rare, shone brightly.

James, Sirius, Remus and Peter: The Marauders!

From the first time they sat at the Gryffindor table they were friends. Always up to something, always in trouble, always planning the next prank against Slytherin. Not that they were the Marauders only victims, no-one was safe from them. The Slytherins were just the favourite target.

So that was how it was for five years, like musketeers; all for one and one for all.

Not that they didn't have their differences. I remember one incident in our second year, when James, Sirius and Peter discovered Remus' secret. (Boys really are slow, I had it worked out by February of our first year.) The argument that ensued that night kept Gryffindor Tower awake until the early hours, the marauders were not popular the next morning, and eventually I went to their dormitory to see if I could bring a little calm.

I'll never forget the scene as I walked in

Remus was sat on his bed with his knees pulled up to his chest, arms locked around his legs, rocking slightly. I could see tear stains on his cheeks. James was staring moodily out of the window and his reflection in the window pane showed the betrayal in his eyes. Peter sat on his bed, shoulders slumped and eyes blank with shock. I doubt he had moved since the fight started. Sirius had been yelling at the rocking Remus but turned on me as I opened the door.

"What the hell do you want Evans?"

"I wanted to help," I replied simply.

My eyes strayed to Remus and I fought the urge to go and comfort him.

"We don't need your help!" Sirius yelled back at me. "So GET OUT!"

I walked calmly into the room and shut the door behind me. Sirius raised his wand and pointed it straight at me.

"Put that down before you take someone's eye out Sirius." I chided. "And you can except my help, or have the whole of Gryffindor bursting in and cursing you all into oblivion. You're keeping the whole house awake."

Remus' eyes grew wide and fearful.

"Has everybody heard?" he whispered.

My heart wept for him. I sat down on his bed and wrapped my arms around his shaking body.

"No," I soothed. "They can hear shouts but not words. Your secrets still safe."

James turned around to face the room. His eyes bulged and the betrayal I had seen in his reflection was sharper and more pronounced.

"You told HER!"

Hurt poured from James Potter and flooded the room.

"You told HER, before US!"

"I didn't tell anyone," Remus whispered so quietly I wasn't sure the other boys would hear him. "I wouldn't."

His face showed the war going on in him. The fight to keep control of his emotions. I pulled him closer and he buried his face in my neck.

I had always liked Remus, much more than the other three back then, and it hurt me to see him so upset. His body was shaking violently now and I could feel his salty tears through my gown.

My emerald eyes met James' hazel ones and bored into them.

"Remus didn't tell me. I worked it out for myself in February last year, and I, unlike you, talked to him about it."

I had tried to keep my voice calm but I could feel the rage building up inside me. The raw injustice of the matter, like it mattered that he was a werewolf.

"YOU KNEW," Sirius screamed. "YOU KNEW AND YOU DIDN'T TELL US."

"I promised Remus I wouldn't tell anyone, " I said in a polite would be calm voice. "And this is exactly why he didn't want anyone to know. Call yourself friends! You rip him apart like this because he was unfortunate enough to be bitten as a child. With friends like you lot who needs enemies."

Those last words had been harsh, almost cruel, but I had to make them understand they were handling this the wrong way. It worked. James returned to stare out of the window and Sirius sat on his bed, cradling his head in his hands.

Remus lifted his head from my shoulder and I pulled back a little to give him some space, leaving just one hand resting on his.

"I'm sorry….." he started. "I didn't ask for this but I do understand your reactions……."

As he trailed off I squeezed his hand to let him know I was still there. This small comfort gesture seemed to give him strength.

"I'll go and see Dumbledore tomorrow morning, be gone by tomorrow evening. Everybody knew this might not work. You won't have to share a room with a Dark Creature anymore."

Remus' had practically spat those last few words in self disgust and the whole speech had taken everything out of him. He bit his bottom lip and resumed the battle for composure.

The other Marauders stared at him. He'd even got a reaction out of Peter.

"Mate.." James said gently as he sat on the other side of Remus and put a hand on his shoulder. "This was never about you being a werewolf."

"Yeah," agreed Sirius. "We aren't worried about that."

"We don't want you to leave Remus," Peter squeaked from his bed.

For his part Remus was rapidly losing the struggle to keep his feelings in check.

"Then why…?" he gasped, waving his arm around to indicate the fight.

"Because," James patiently explained. "You didn't trust us enough to tell us. We're meant to be your friends."

"Exactly!" exclaimed Sirius while joining us on Remus' bed. "Brothers, remember. All for one and one for all."

"We were upset you felt that you had to lie to us about it," Peter soothed

"I…I…I couldn't risk losing you guys. I….I….I couldn't….." but we never heard the end this as the internal battle within Remus was lost and he hid his face in his knees.

Confident the argument was over I gave Remus' hand another quick squeeze and slipped out of the room.

Next morning everything was back to normal between them, like nothing had happened, but the was the Marauders for you. A-typical in fact. Disagreements between the four were always a flash in the pan and over as suddenly as they had started.

That's what made the sixth year so odd………