Marauders Part 1: The Beginning

A/N: Please don't think I'm dead. I'm not. I just have finals 
coming up and very horrible writer's block. Owww... my 
head hurts... I don't own these people, with the exception of 
the lovely new Marauder. Ooops.. Well, now I've gone and 
spoilt it! Uh-huh. Anyway, this story is pretty darned long, 
bwahahahaha!!! Adara's my most complex character ever, 
even though she annoys me most of the time. Enough of the 
crappy author's note! I can't stop typing! OK, read the story 
now! No, really! If you read the rest of this it won't tell you 
anything! 

~Draca'I've been so lonely since I lost my mind, and 
my patience is wearing thin...' ~April 29
T
The Land of Oompah-Loompah Bus Drivers
12:48 AM
__________________________________________


'No.'
 

'Why?!' pleaded Adara Mellyndar with a wide-eyed look of 

anticipation. 

'Because I said so. It's way, way, way too dangerous.' 
replied Remus Lupin annoyedly, picking up his textbook 
and turning away.

'I can help! I'm good at this sort of thing!'

'You'd get us all caught. How'd you find out, anyway?'

'I eavesdropped.' she replied with a devilish grin, following 
him out the library door. 

'Is nothing sacred, Adara?' he said, holding the door open 
politely. 

'Apparently not. Thanks for the chivalry, Remus.' she 
replied, hefting her bag over her shoulder. 'I've got to go-
think about it, will you please? You could use my help, you 
know it.'

'You're twelve years old- do you have to use words like 
'chivalry?' And besides, you're probably wrong.' 

'I am not wrong. I wouldn't mess it up, you'll see. And just 
because I'm precocious--'

He sighed exasperatedly. 'Uh, why don't you talk to Sirius?'

'Because he can't stand the sight of me, you know that.' she 
said matter-of-factly, turning left down the corridor. 

'You're exaggerating again.' he informed her.

'Oh, I am not.'

'Yeah, y'are.' 

'No, I'm not. I really have to go now-- PLEASE think about 
it. You can always use an extra person. And besides, if I'm 
in on it, I'll be a lot less likely to let it slip.' she told him 
with a delighted smile, a light dancing in her pupils that he 
knew meant business.

'You wouldn't.'


'Sure I wouldn't' she replied, crossing her fingers in front of 
his face. 'Surrrre I wouldn't.'

'Honestly. It is no wonder whatsoever that you're a 
Slytherin.'

'Thank you.'

'Not a compliment.' he said, brushing his hair out of his 
eyes. 

'So you're saying you'll talk to them?'

'I'll make you a deal. You think up a plan to get us the 

book, and you're in on it. Deal?' he said, knowing he was 
fighting a losing battle.

'Deal.' she said with a huge grin. 'Oh, man, this is so great--'

'Shhhhh!' he said, shaking his hand and raising a finger to 
his lips. 'You tell anybody, and the whole thing is blown.'

'Me be careful? I found out about this whole thing by 
listening to you four. Perhaps you might want to discuss 
such important matters in less public places?'

He blushed. 'Right.'

'Right. See you later.'

'Yeah.'

They headed down separate corridors. 

The Following Saturday
'I have a plan!' announced Adara triumphantly, bursting 
into the library wearing a grin. 

'Oh, no.' groaned Sirius Black. 'I knew it.' 

'No, really. A good plan. It'll work' 

'Hear her out, Sirius,' suggested James Potter. 'Or else, how 
are we ever going to pull this off? You haven't exactly been 
Mister-Idea-Man lately.'

'But if she has a plan, it means we have to let her--' Sirius 
began complaining.

''Scuse me!' interrupted Adara flippantly. 'I'm right here, 
and if you don't want to hear my brilliant plan, you can just 
figure out how to get the book without getting caught 
yourselves.' 

'No, no, we'll hear it!' Remus spoke up tiredly. 

'Thank you.' She plopped into an armchair next to the four. 
'All right. I assume you were going to use James' cloak to--'

'How did you know about James' cloak?!' the four of them 
exclaimed simultaneously. 

'You boys have really got to learn to be a little more 
discreet.' she replied calmly, pulling a piece of parchment 
out of her robes. 'Here's the name of the book we need, and 
exactly how to get to it.'

James took the roll from her and read aloud. 'Animagi 
Transformations: Do's, Don'ts, and Consequences.' He 
passed it to Remus, who read silently. 

'Now. To get to the book;' she started, shifting her eyes 
around for eavesdroppers, 'you have to go through a 
bookshelf to the Extra Restricted section. And 
unfortunately, it can only be done during the day.'

'Oh, no.' said Sirius depressedly. 'There's no way that'll 
happen. The library's always packed during the day-
James'll never get through a bookshelf without anyone 
seeing, even if he is invisible. Scratch that plan.'

'I don't think so.' said Adara with maddening calm. 

'Well then, what's the rest?' Sirius demanded. 

'What else?' she replied. 'Your speciality. Create a 
diversion.'

'To distract them from a book shelf swinging open?'
'It's only part of a bookshelf. Here's what we're going to do.' 
she said, pulling the parchment away from James, who was 
studying the secret to opening the passage. 

'How'd you get this stuff, anyway?' he said as she took it 
out of his hands. 

'I have my ways. As I was saying, the five of us walking to 
the library very innocently next weekend, only James is 
invisible.'

'Got it.'

'Now, when we get here, Peter stands outside the door. If 
anyone starts to suspect anything, create a commotion. 
Pretend your wand backfired. Know how to do that?'

'I guess.' Pettigrew said nervously, biting his nails. 

'Now, Sirius and I are going to sit right over there,' she 
pointed to a central table, 'and start having a fight. One of 
those nice, loud, choice-expletive ones that everyone is so 
fond of.' she continued, pulling up her knees to sit cross-
legged. 

'That oughta hold their attention' agreed Sirius, apparently 
warming to Adara already. 'What else?'

'Well, Remus here is going to ask Madam Pince a whole lot 
of complicated questions,' she explained, turning to Lupin. 
'Okay?'

'Yeah.' he said eagerly. 'This is actually sounding as if it 
might work.'

'I know.' she said with a grin. 'As all that is going on, James 
is going to slip into the restricted section, open the shelf, 
grab the book, and leave the library, upon which Sirius and 
I will reach a truce and everything will suddenly become 
clear to Remus. And a little while later, we'll leave, 
attempting to look innocent, and skedaddle down to 
Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, where James'll be with the 
book.'

'GREAT!' exclaimed Remus, attracting weird stares from 
some of the other students across the library. 'That should 
work like a charm.'

'Should.' she emphasised. 'Now, are you going to let me in? 
You promised!'

'Well...' They all hesitated. 'Dunno... she's a girl... and a 
Slytherin...'

'And comes up with brilliant plans and is at least as 
conniving as you four...' she drawled in response, leaning 
on her hand. 

'Give us a second.' James said, holding up a hand. 'Privacy, 
please?' 

'Sure.' she said easily, although she was obviously very 
worried. 'Hurry, please.' She stood carefully and walked to 
the other side of the library, as they huddled and discussed 
in hushed tones.

'I don't know.' Sirius said worriedly. ' I really don't know.'

Remus shrugged. 'I'd say she's more then proved herself, if 
you ask me.'

'Yes.' James agreed. 'And she really wants this. She's not 
really that bad, especially for a Slytherin.'

'But that's just it!' argued Peter. 'She's a Slytherin! A 
stinking Slytherin!'

Sirius punched him. 

'What if she heard you, dimwit?' hissed Lupin. 'She's 
already taken the first step to make you three Animagi and 
you insult her? Swift.'

'I just don't think we can trust her.' he said meekly, rubbing 
his arm. 

'Well then, it's three against one, isn't it.' said Sirius, 
studying the parchment containing Adara's plan. 'She could 
be useful.'

James looked to the other side of the large room. 'She's 
definitely not the typical Slytherin.' 

'So it's agreed then?' asked Remus. 

Sirius and James nodded, followed hesitantly by Peter. 

'ADARA!' hollered Remus, earning him a glare from the 
librarian. 'C'mere.' he added in a quieter tone.

She hurried over. 'Verdict?' 

'Welllll...' Sirius said, teasing her. 

Adara pulled her wand out of her belt. 'Mmmm-hmmm?' 
she asked innocently, tapping it in one hand. 

'You're in.' said James finally. 'Just--just don't tell anyone.'

'Of course I won't!' she squealed, losing her cool. 'Yay! 
This is really corking!'

Sirius, Remus and James put their hands out, and she put 
hers on top of theirs. 'Look at us.' she said elatedly. 'A 
bunch of mischief-making marauders.'

'Hey.' said Sirius. 'I like that. The Marauders.' 

James grinned. 'I told you she'd fit right in.' 

Afterword: This was merely the beginning. The way I have 
this plot planned out, you might want antiseasick pills to 
get you around the twists and plot holes. It's really quite 
long and er.. some parts quite dark, particularly the later 
years. Now I'm usually not desperate for reviews, but I 
REALLY want them for this! Please! Feedback is good! 
Any feedback! Especially good feedback! Tell me how you 
like Adara! Tell me if you'll read the rest of this! I'm ill! 

Reviews are really good medicine! ~Draca