Marauders Redux

Chapter 9: Another Birthday Surprise

Remus watched in amazement as the panic spread like wildfire through the crowd. People were surging en masse toward the exits, and a flock of orange-robed security wizards were suddenly up on stage, stopping the music and herding the band toward the backstage area.

Wizards and witches all around them were running, shouting, screaming, and--most alarmingly--waving their wands in the air. The concert-goers had turned into a mob.

"It started over there," said Nymphadora in a serious tone, pointing at the far end of the bar. She strode in the direction she had pointed with an air of determined confidence. Remus followed, amazed by her sudden transformation. He had seldom seen her in full Auror-mode, and she was certainly there now. Her attitude of relaxed playfulness had almost instantly been replaced by a stiff stance of alert aggressiveness; the confused and panicked crowd parted miraculously before her stern gaze, and allowed them to pass almost unhindered.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! May I have your attention please!" With a quick glance over his shoulder Remus could see that one of the security wizards had taken center stage, and was using the Sonorus charm to make himself heard over the chaotic din of the frightened crowd. "Ladies and Gentlemen! Everything is under control! There is no cause for panic! Everyone needs to stop moving, and lower their wands! I repeat: stop moving and lower your wands! There has been a minor altercation in the bar, but everything is under control! Security is working to locate the source of the trouble, so that the guilty parties can be ejected! We should have the situation contained within minutes! We need you to cooperate, and remain where you are, with your wands lowered and sheathed! I repeat, remain where you are, and do not panic!"

While the security-wizard droned on, Remus continued to follow Nymphadora on her determined path through the crowd. Their eyes darted back and forth, searching for any sign of Sirius. If he really had transformed back to his true visage, then they were in serious trouble.

Despite the security-wizard's requests, the crowd continued to shift and move uneasily about the club. Shouts of anger began, as patrons complained about stopping the concert. More of the orange-clad security officials had moved into the bar, and were circulating through the seating areas.

As they reached the bar, Remus caught sight of a trembling witch surrounded by three of the security-wizards. They moved in closer to hear what she was saying.

"It's like his face was melting!" she sobbed, tears streaming down her face. "And suddenly he wasn't himself anymore! He was Sirius Black! I swear it was that monster Sirius Black!"

Everyone within earshot of her hysterical declaration once again started to talk and shout, many of them scuttling for the exit despite the security-guards attempts to restrain them.

"This way," said Nymphadora, leading him toward a nearby row of dark recessed booths.

Her instincts proved correct. As they passed the third booth, they heard a worried voice hissing, "Tonks! Tonks! Under here!"

Sirius was crouched under the table, his dark hair dangling loosely in front of his face. He looked terrified.

"What happened?" Remus whispered loudly, crouching down.

"I don't know. I was looking for my flask--and it was just gone! I thought I had more time left... I was looking for you... but I just..." he stammered.

"No time for talk. Cover us, Remus," said Nymphadora, pulling out her spare flask of Polyjuice potion and sliding under the table with Sirius.

Remus stood up straight, turning to face away from the table and glancing around nervously. He saw a security-wizard escorting the weeping witch who had identified Sirius toward the exit. Other security-guards were still circulating through the whole seating area, and one of them was headed right for their booth.

He felt a horrible knot of fear growing in his chest. The last time Sirius' freedom had depended on him, his own poor judgment in neglecting to take his Wolfsbane potion had nearly condemned his friend to his death. Once again, it was up to him to keep Sirius safe--and this time he wouldn't fail. He had to act fast.

His eyes scanned the crowd around him, and in just an instant he knew what to do. In between him and the security-wizard stood a group of nearly a dozen women wearing Stubby Boardman-sloganed tee-shirts. At the far end of the bar, almost obscured by the shadows, sat a pale-faced, black-clad man with long dark hair hanging limply to his shoulders.

Remus acted without hesitation. Ignoring the approaching security wizard, he ran toward the group of Boardmaniacs, and with one giant bound, he leaped onto a nearby table-top.

In an outlandishly exaggerated fan-boy voice he shouted, "Oh my God! It's Stubby Boardman!" and pointed directly at the shadowed figure at the end of the bar.

With a start, the woman all stared up at him. Then they turned, almost as one, to look in the direction of his pointed arm.

With an excited gasp, one of them cried, "Stubby!"

"It's Stubby!" another echoed.

With a determined surge, they all started rushing toward the long-haired man at the bar, their eager cries piercing the sudden lull. "Stubby!" "I love you Stubby!" "I'm your biggest fan!"

Other women in the bar and on the nearby dance-floor soon caught on to what was happening, and joined the Boardmaniacs in their enthusiastic advance on Remus' poor victim. Soon, the crowd had turned into another full-fledged mob. But this time instead of running away from the bar and toward the exits, the mob was running toward the bar, trying to get a glimpse of their pop-idol, Stubby Boardman.

The security-wizard that had been headed toward Sirius' booth was caught up in the surging crowd, and was trying desperately to stop its advance on the bar.

Remus smiled in satisfaction, and jumped back down to the floor. He watched the result of his ridiculous plan in delight. He could hardly believe it had worked. For now, at least, Sirius was safe. With a little luck, Nymphadora's plan-B would work and the Sirius sighting would be blamed on a simple case of Boardman confusion.

"Hell of a stampede you've conjured up," commented a lilting voice from just behind him.

"Why thank-you, Padfoot," he replied as he turned to face the young blond figure of his once-more disguised friend. "But not nearly as spectacular as the one you incited a few minutes ago." Remus looked sternly into Sirius' eyes. The security wizard on stage was still droning out largely unheeded instructions, and the confused crowd milled around them in all directions, many of them calling for the Weird Sisters to return.

Sirius sighed, and looked sadly down at the ground. Nymphadora was standing protectively by his side, a grave look on her face. "So," said Sirius, "I guess this means the party's over."

"You better believe its over," said Nymphadora. "I didn't bring the extra flasks expecting to actually have to use them. I can't believe you could be so careless!"

Sirius' blue eyes glinted coldly, and his expression grew dangerous. He turned on Nymphadora. "Well maybe this wouldn't have been such a problem if you'd used those highly trained Auror-skills of yours to actually keep an eye on me, instead of obsessing over Remus the whole night!"

"How dare you!" she exclaimed, suddenly growing a few inches to stare menacingly into Sirius' eyes.

"Tonks, Padfoot! That's enough!" said Remus, stepping forward, ready to separate them if necessary.

Just then, Bill burst out of the crowd and careened up to them with Fleur in tow. "Thank God we found you!" He panted out of breath. "I was afraid something might have happened to you." Bill gave Sirius a meaningful look.

"Something nearly did," replied Sirius. "But thankfully, Moony here saved my ass."

"I think that I had a little something to do with it, too," interjected Nymphadora resentfully.

"We both took care of the problem," said Remus. Sirius glared at Nymphadora, and Bill raised one eyebrow at the obvious tension between the two of them.

"Soooo..." said Bill, "what are we going to do now?"

"Now," replied Nymphadora, "we are going to go home."

Remus expected an outburst from Sirius at that point, but instead it came from Fleur. "Already? But what if zey start ze concert again? Ze night is still young--we should wait to see what will 'appen!"

"A woman after my own heart," said Sirius with a little smile. "Are you quite sure you want to stick with Bill? Because if you ever change your mind...."

"Colin!" said Fleur. "You are so droll!"

"Whether they let the concert start again or not, we can't possibly stay," said Nymphadora firmly. "Who knows how many people may have seen you?" she hissed more quietly to Sirius.

"No one was really paying us any mind until after Meredith started to scream," said Sirius. "Whatever happened to Meredith, anyway? Did either of you notice?"

"If she was a girl with dark hair and a red blouse, then she's gone. I saw security escorting her out of the club," replied Remus.

"Such a shame. And things were going so well between us," said Sirius with a sigh.

"I don't think that should be your primary concern right now, Colin," said Nymphadora sternly. "You should be more worried about who could connect your current face with your usual one."

"Like I said--no one was paying us any attention. Meredith was the only one who saw the change, and then I bolted. I don't think there's another soul in here who would make the connection."

"What in ze world are you talking about?" asked Fleur.

"Its complicated, sweetheart," said Bill. "How about I explain it to you after we figure out what we're going to do?"

"We're going," stated Nymphadora.

"We're staying," said Sirius.

"Remus? What do you think?" asked Bill, clearly not wanting to cast the deciding vote himself.

All eyes were suddenly on Remus, with both Sirius and Nymphadora clearly convinced that he would take their side. Remus hesitated. He was inclined to agree with Nymphadora that they should leave--but did they really have to go home so soon? Living with Sirius would be unbearable if his one night out was cut so abruptly short. He opened his mouth to speak, but caught sight of something that distracted him.

"Look!" he said, pointing back up at the stage.

Myron Wagtail, leader singer of the Weird Sisters, was striding back to center stage. He unceremoniously pushed the security-wizard spokesman aside, and turned to address the crowd.

"Hello, friends!" he began.

The milling crowd was immediately arrested in its movement, and scattered applause broke out.

"So," Wagtail continued, "I hear we had a little Sirius Black problem?"

Dozens of varied shouts of assent rose from the crowd, and the general agitation threatened to resume.

Wagtail held out his hands in a supplicating gesture. "Calm down! Take it easy!" His laid-back entreaties actually produced an effect, and the crowd once more grew quiet.

"Here's what I think," said Wagtail. "I think that if Sirius Black wanted to come in here and murder us all, he would have done it already! He's had plenty of time!"

More cheers of assent burst from the crowd.

"So what the hell is everyone so frightened for?" he continued. The crowd roared in agreement.

"I think," said Wagtail, "that if Sirius Black really is here, he's here for the same reason the rest of us are: to have a good time!" The response to this was overwhelming. The cheers and applause were deafening, and the people still milling around the bar began to flock back onto the dance-floor.

Remus watched in bemusement as the crowd that only minutes earlier had been overwhelmed with fear and confusion were now being galvanized into a throng of eager partiers.

"Good Lord!" said Sirius softly. "It really is Stubby Boardman! Look!"

Remus glanced back over to the bar, and watched in amazement as five of the security wizards cleared a path through a small crowd of Boardmaniacs to lead the slim black-clad figure out of the bar. Boardman looked decidedly annoyed.

"How did you know it was him?" asked Nymphadora.

Remus smiled, and let out a little laugh. "I didn't," he replied. "I thought I was just making it up!"

In the meantime, Wagtail had continued to rally the crowd. "So who here besides Sirius Black wants to have a good time?" he called. The screams of the crowd were overwhelming.

"Yeah! Yeah!" cried Wagtail, waving his fists in the air.

The rest of the band began to make their way back onto the stage, joining in the cheers of the crowd.

"And Black," continued Wagtail, "if you're really out there, mate, you're welcome to join the party! Now who's with me?!" Everyone roared, including Bill, Fleur and Sirius.

"In fact," shouted Wagtail, "I think that I'm going to dedicate the rest of the night to everyone's favorite party crasher: Sirius Black!" A new wave of cheers erupted.

"Mr. Black--this one's for you!" he cried over the din of the crowd. The Weird Sisters had taken up their instruments, and, after a few gestures from Wagtail, they began to play.

Remus hadn't thought the crowd could get any louder, but it did. The band launched into the opening bars of their classic, "It's Time to Party Like the Muggles Aren't Watching," and the sound from the crowd literally shook the house. The frustrated security wizards had abandoned the stage, and resumed their usual posts around the perimeter of the club. It appeared that the show would indeed go on.

Remus watched as Sirius stared in wistful delight at the raging party on the dance floor--a party that had just miraculously been dedicated to him. Remus looked at the varied expressions of astonishment and excitement on the faces of his friends. None of them could have predicted what had just happened--that a whole crowded club of their peers would be cheering and dancing in honor of the wizarding world's most wanted fugitive. This was a birthday surprise that none of them could have planned.

He laid his hand on Sirius' shoulder, and with a smile, said, "I think you have your answer, old friend. This is your party--it would be a shame to leave before you had a chance to enjoy it."

The ecstatic look on Sirius face was all he needed to know he'd made the right decision. After all--it was just for one night.

"You hear that?" declared Sirius, puffing up his chest. "Moony here has made the decision: we stay!"

Fleur clapped in delight, and Bill smiled. But Nymphadora drew up to Remus with a concerned look on her face. "But what if someone else saw him transform? What will we do?"

"If anything else happens, we'll take care of it. That's what friends do, isn't it?"

After a short pause, Nymphadora nodded. "You're right. Of course. You're right."

Sirius let out a whoop of delight. "Come on everybody! What are we waiting for? Let's go party!" He turned and led the charge to the dance floor, with Bill and Fleur following close behind.

Nymphadora still looked horribly nervous. Remus stepped closer to her, and lowered his head toward her to speak softly and still be heard over the din. "Have a little faith, Nymphadora. Your backup plans worked perfectly. Everything is going to be fine--I promise."

She nodded slowly. "I just wanted everything to be perfect," she said.

"It still can be. It will be," he said firmly. "Now, I believe," he extended his hand toward Nymphadora, "that I still owe you a dance."

Her little crooked smile slowly stole back across her face, and she reached out to take his hand. "I think I'd better take you up on that," she said.

With matching smiles, they followed their friends to the dance floor.