Marauders to the End: Year One, Chapter Nineteen
TITLE: Small Victories
FANDOM: Harry Potter
CHARACTERS: Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, James Potter, Peter Pettigrew, Andromeda Black, OCs
RATING: PG-13
WARNINGS: None
SUMMARY: The Quidditch final is played and not everything is as it seems.
AUTHOR COMMENTARY: This took a weird turn to the philosophical, much to its detriment. For the record, though, I agree with Sirius.
May meant two things: exams and the Quidditch finals. Ravenclaw and Slytherin were competing for the Cup, but Gryffindor and Hufflepuff were fighting for third place. The Gryffindors weren’t particularly hopeful that they’d even achieve this. To come in third, they’d have to win by at least fifty points, which was highly unlikely.
Remus, however, was unusually optimistic about their chances. James, Sirius, and Peter wondered if it had anything to do with the moon being two weeks away, but to their surprise, it didn’t. For once, he was completely confident in himself and his calculations.
“What is your problem?” James asked Remus the day before the match.
“What problem?” Remus asked.
“This-this- uncalled for cheeriness!” James sputtered. “You’re not supposed to be the happy one! You’re the quiet, studious, but rather morose one!”
“I am not!” Remus contradicted.
“YOU’RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE THIS BLOODY CHEERFUL ALL OF A SUDDEN!” James cried. “WE HAVE OUR FINAL MATCH TOMORROW, HUFFLEPUFF IS GOING TO KICK OUR BLOODY ARSE, AND YOU’RE ACTING LIKE THAT’S A REASON TO BE CHEERFUL!”
“Hufflepuff isn’t going to beat us,” Remus said calmly. “We can do this. You just need to be optimistic.”
“HOW CAN I BE OPTIMISTIC?!” James shouted. “NO MATTER WHAT SORT OF PHYSICS EQUATION YOU HAVE, WE ARE NOT GOING TO WIN!”
“You know James, you’re shouting like an angsty teenager,” Sirius commented.
“It’s genetic,” James answered.
“Relax, James,” Remus said. “I have this all worked out.”
“You’d better,” Sirius said solemnly. “Otherwise, Anny will skin you alive and use you as a rug.”
“Werewolf fur rugs,” James said thoughtfully. “This could be big.”
“Shut up,” Remus snapped.
Saturday dawned bright and early for the Gryffindors. Okay, early. No one except Remus was feeling particularly bright.
“I’m warning you,” Anny shouted at the team over breakfast. “If we lose today, all of you will be sent home in bags tonight. I do not make idle threats. Do I make myself clear?”’
James and Sirius exchanged glances that showed they agreed wholeheartedly with this threat. Remus was wondering if he was included in it, and Peter hid under the table, even though he wasn’t technically involved in Quidditch.
At ten o’clock, the boys tramped down to the field, and the commentary started.
“This is Henny McKenny, back for the final match of the school term! Let’s see who we have today... it’s Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff, ladies and gentlemen, competing for third place in the House championship! And it’s Black, McDowell, Jenkins, Longbottom, Tonks, Wilkins, and Baily! And on Hufflepuff it’s McMillan, Cullen, Unwill, Twist, Swubble, Vilner, and Nolan!”
“You know,” Sirius said, glancing at the Hufflepuff team. “I bet we could get a lot of studying done back in the Common Room. Exams are only a few weeks away.”
“Since when do you study?” Remus asked.
“Since, er...” Sirius trailed off, trying to think of another excuse to miss the game.
“And they’re off!” McKenny called. “And Jenkins takes the Quaffle, and she’s flying downfield and- ouch! Hit by a Bludger, sent at her by Swubble of Hufflepuff, and Jenkins looses the Quaffle, which is caught by Unwill, who turns it around...”
“Swubble of Hufflepuff- large, good-looking, probably brainless...” Remus muttered. “Unwill- small, also good-looking, probably not brainless.”
“Who cares if they’re good-looking?” James asked irritably.
“The degree of beauty in a person could potentially have an adverse affect on our players’ concentration,” Remus answered. “Ergo, a good-looking player has the potential to distract our team, increasing the possibility of defeat through a deficit in attention.”
“So when I get on the field, my good looks will distract everyone and cause Gryffindor to win?” Sirius asked.
“It’s possible,” Remus conceded. “Although being good at Quidditch will also help. Plus, your supposed good looks could also distract our own players, so it’s a hindrance as well as an asset.”
“Black takes the Quaffle, and she’s speeding downfield, and- GRYFFINDOR SCORES! Ten-zero to Gryffindor, and McDowell takes the Quaffle!”
“Nolan doesn’t seem to be playing well today,” James commented. “She usually blocks most of the goals.”
Sirius suddenly seemed very interested in the fly buzzing around the stands. James raised his eyebrows.
“What?” Sirius asked.
“You Confunded her, didn’t you?” James whispered.
“No,” Sirius hissed defensively. “I only... well, she left her pumpkin juice unattended this morning...”
“You know you could be expelled for that?” James gasped.
“Only if I get caught,” Sirius muttered back. “Besides, it only put her at Wilkins’s level. I was only evening things up a bit.”
James sighed. It was no good arguing with Sirius, especially when it meant Gryffindor was winning. Thankfully, Remus and Peter didn’t notice anything.
“Hufflepuff in possession, and it’s Cullen with the Quaffle, and he approaches the goal hoop... WILKINS SAVES IT! The score is thirty-zero to Gryffindor, and Jenkins has the Quaffle.”
“If Alice can get the Snitch...” Remus muttered, too distracted with his notes to notice much else.”
“Shouldn’t we tell Remus?” James whispered. “For his notes?”
“No,” Sirius whispered back. “He might turn me in. Besides, it’s just a game. Who really cares about it anyways?”
“Mary Nolan might,” James murmured. “After all, it’s her you sabotaged. And I doubt McMillan’s going to be very forgiving.”
“Oh, shut up, James!” Sirius hissed. “It’ll wear off by tomorrow and no one needs to know.”
“You realize that if anyone did know, you wouldn’t be allowed to play?” James asked.
“No one will find out if you keep your mouth shut!” Sirius snarled.
“SHE’S SEEN IT!” Remus shouted. “SHE’S SEEN IT!”
James and Sirius turned and saw Alice flying faster than they thought was physically possible, her hand outstretched, and glint of gold just beyond her grasp...
“So has Vilner!” Peter screamed.
“Alice is going too fast!” James gasped. “There’s no way Vilner can catch up!”
Alice groped desperately, and her fingers closed on the tiny gold ball.
“GRYFFINDOR WINS!”
“You still shouldn’t have done it,” James said later that night.
“Will you shut up?” Sirius begged. “I did it, we won, and as long as you don’t say anything about it, that’s the end of it.”
“It’s not the end of it,” James whined. “You cheated, Sirius. You interfered with the abilities of a player who’s worked as hard as ours have. It’s not right.”
“Right,” Sirius muttered. “Right and wrong. Good and evil. Black and white. Does it matter? Does it change anything? Do people stop hurting each other because it’s wrong? Do the people who get ahead play by the rules? Do people think about whether what they’re doing is right in the real world?”
“They should.”
“They don’t!” Sirius shouted. “They don’t, James, and it’s time you learned that. When all’s said and done, at the end of the day, no one cares about right and wrong, and the ones who do end up getting hurt. Believe me, I know.” He turned to leave.
“So you’re going to join them?” James called after him. “You’re going to make your own rules? You’re going to be like the rest of your family?”
Sirius whirled around and glared at James. “Don’t you dare!” he snapped. “I tried to be different. I tried to do what was right. And you know what happened to me? You know what I have to live with? You know how much I pay for it every day of my life? The rules don’t matter. The laws don’t apply. All that matters is that you get ahead, and if getting ahead means you have to screw everyone who gets in your way, you do it!”
James stared at his friend. “I won’t tell this time,” he finally sighed. “But if you do it again, I will turn you in.”
Sirius nodded. “I’m sorry, James,” he muttered. “I just didn’t want Anny to get angry again.”
“I know,” James said. “And you’re probably right about all that. But we’re only twelve years old. Let’s enjoy being kids. Let’s not worry about the real world just yet.”
“Okay,” Sirius said. “Small victories.”
FANDOM: Harry Potter
CHARACTERS: Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, James Potter, Peter Pettigrew, Andromeda Black, OCs
RATING: PG-13
WARNINGS: None
SUMMARY: The Quidditch final is played and not everything is as it seems.
AUTHOR COMMENTARY: This took a weird turn to the philosophical, much to its detriment. For the record, though, I agree with Sirius.
May meant two things: exams and the Quidditch finals. Ravenclaw and Slytherin were competing for the Cup, but Gryffindor and Hufflepuff were fighting for third place. The Gryffindors weren’t particularly hopeful that they’d even achieve this. To come in third, they’d have to win by at least fifty points, which was highly unlikely.
Remus, however, was unusually optimistic about their chances. James, Sirius, and Peter wondered if it had anything to do with the moon being two weeks away, but to their surprise, it didn’t. For once, he was completely confident in himself and his calculations.
“What is your problem?” James asked Remus the day before the match.
“What problem?” Remus asked.
“This-this- uncalled for cheeriness!” James sputtered. “You’re not supposed to be the happy one! You’re the quiet, studious, but rather morose one!”
“I am not!” Remus contradicted.
“YOU’RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE THIS BLOODY CHEERFUL ALL OF A SUDDEN!” James cried. “WE HAVE OUR FINAL MATCH TOMORROW, HUFFLEPUFF IS GOING TO KICK OUR BLOODY ARSE, AND YOU’RE ACTING LIKE THAT’S A REASON TO BE CHEERFUL!”
“Hufflepuff isn’t going to beat us,” Remus said calmly. “We can do this. You just need to be optimistic.”
“HOW CAN I BE OPTIMISTIC?!” James shouted. “NO MATTER WHAT SORT OF PHYSICS EQUATION YOU HAVE, WE ARE NOT GOING TO WIN!”
“You know James, you’re shouting like an angsty teenager,” Sirius commented.
“It’s genetic,” James answered.
“Relax, James,” Remus said. “I have this all worked out.”
“You’d better,” Sirius said solemnly. “Otherwise, Anny will skin you alive and use you as a rug.”
“Werewolf fur rugs,” James said thoughtfully. “This could be big.”
“Shut up,” Remus snapped.
Saturday dawned bright and early for the Gryffindors. Okay, early. No one except Remus was feeling particularly bright.
“I’m warning you,” Anny shouted at the team over breakfast. “If we lose today, all of you will be sent home in bags tonight. I do not make idle threats. Do I make myself clear?”’
James and Sirius exchanged glances that showed they agreed wholeheartedly with this threat. Remus was wondering if he was included in it, and Peter hid under the table, even though he wasn’t technically involved in Quidditch.
At ten o’clock, the boys tramped down to the field, and the commentary started.
“This is Henny McKenny, back for the final match of the school term! Let’s see who we have today... it’s Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff, ladies and gentlemen, competing for third place in the House championship! And it’s Black, McDowell, Jenkins, Longbottom, Tonks, Wilkins, and Baily! And on Hufflepuff it’s McMillan, Cullen, Unwill, Twist, Swubble, Vilner, and Nolan!”
“You know,” Sirius said, glancing at the Hufflepuff team. “I bet we could get a lot of studying done back in the Common Room. Exams are only a few weeks away.”
“Since when do you study?” Remus asked.
“Since, er...” Sirius trailed off, trying to think of another excuse to miss the game.
“And they’re off!” McKenny called. “And Jenkins takes the Quaffle, and she’s flying downfield and- ouch! Hit by a Bludger, sent at her by Swubble of Hufflepuff, and Jenkins looses the Quaffle, which is caught by Unwill, who turns it around...”
“Swubble of Hufflepuff- large, good-looking, probably brainless...” Remus muttered. “Unwill- small, also good-looking, probably not brainless.”
“Who cares if they’re good-looking?” James asked irritably.
“The degree of beauty in a person could potentially have an adverse affect on our players’ concentration,” Remus answered. “Ergo, a good-looking player has the potential to distract our team, increasing the possibility of defeat through a deficit in attention.”
“So when I get on the field, my good looks will distract everyone and cause Gryffindor to win?” Sirius asked.
“It’s possible,” Remus conceded. “Although being good at Quidditch will also help. Plus, your supposed good looks could also distract our own players, so it’s a hindrance as well as an asset.”
“Black takes the Quaffle, and she’s speeding downfield, and- GRYFFINDOR SCORES! Ten-zero to Gryffindor, and McDowell takes the Quaffle!”
“Nolan doesn’t seem to be playing well today,” James commented. “She usually blocks most of the goals.”
Sirius suddenly seemed very interested in the fly buzzing around the stands. James raised his eyebrows.
“What?” Sirius asked.
“You Confunded her, didn’t you?” James whispered.
“No,” Sirius hissed defensively. “I only... well, she left her pumpkin juice unattended this morning...”
“You know you could be expelled for that?” James gasped.
“Only if I get caught,” Sirius muttered back. “Besides, it only put her at Wilkins’s level. I was only evening things up a bit.”
James sighed. It was no good arguing with Sirius, especially when it meant Gryffindor was winning. Thankfully, Remus and Peter didn’t notice anything.
“Hufflepuff in possession, and it’s Cullen with the Quaffle, and he approaches the goal hoop... WILKINS SAVES IT! The score is thirty-zero to Gryffindor, and Jenkins has the Quaffle.”
“If Alice can get the Snitch...” Remus muttered, too distracted with his notes to notice much else.”
“Shouldn’t we tell Remus?” James whispered. “For his notes?”
“No,” Sirius whispered back. “He might turn me in. Besides, it’s just a game. Who really cares about it anyways?”
“Mary Nolan might,” James murmured. “After all, it’s her you sabotaged. And I doubt McMillan’s going to be very forgiving.”
“Oh, shut up, James!” Sirius hissed. “It’ll wear off by tomorrow and no one needs to know.”
“You realize that if anyone did know, you wouldn’t be allowed to play?” James asked.
“No one will find out if you keep your mouth shut!” Sirius snarled.
“SHE’S SEEN IT!” Remus shouted. “SHE’S SEEN IT!”
James and Sirius turned and saw Alice flying faster than they thought was physically possible, her hand outstretched, and glint of gold just beyond her grasp...
“So has Vilner!” Peter screamed.
“Alice is going too fast!” James gasped. “There’s no way Vilner can catch up!”
Alice groped desperately, and her fingers closed on the tiny gold ball.
“GRYFFINDOR WINS!”
“You still shouldn’t have done it,” James said later that night.
“Will you shut up?” Sirius begged. “I did it, we won, and as long as you don’t say anything about it, that’s the end of it.”
“It’s not the end of it,” James whined. “You cheated, Sirius. You interfered with the abilities of a player who’s worked as hard as ours have. It’s not right.”
“Right,” Sirius muttered. “Right and wrong. Good and evil. Black and white. Does it matter? Does it change anything? Do people stop hurting each other because it’s wrong? Do the people who get ahead play by the rules? Do people think about whether what they’re doing is right in the real world?”
“They should.”
“They don’t!” Sirius shouted. “They don’t, James, and it’s time you learned that. When all’s said and done, at the end of the day, no one cares about right and wrong, and the ones who do end up getting hurt. Believe me, I know.” He turned to leave.
“So you’re going to join them?” James called after him. “You’re going to make your own rules? You’re going to be like the rest of your family?”
Sirius whirled around and glared at James. “Don’t you dare!” he snapped. “I tried to be different. I tried to do what was right. And you know what happened to me? You know what I have to live with? You know how much I pay for it every day of my life? The rules don’t matter. The laws don’t apply. All that matters is that you get ahead, and if getting ahead means you have to screw everyone who gets in your way, you do it!”
James stared at his friend. “I won’t tell this time,” he finally sighed. “But if you do it again, I will turn you in.”
Sirius nodded. “I’m sorry, James,” he muttered. “I just didn’t want Anny to get angry again.”
“I know,” James said. “And you’re probably right about all that. But we’re only twelve years old. Let’s enjoy being kids. Let’s not worry about the real world just yet.”
“Okay,” Sirius said. “Small victories.”