A Marauder by Blood

A Marauder by Blood

The Marauders stick together, no matter what.

The Marauders' first loyalty is to each other.

The Marauders always look out for their own.

Those three rules echoed in Harry's mind. His arm throbbed where he had his tattoo. He smiled sadly, Sirius would've been so proud.

Remus was putting away the ink and needle.

Harry had never thought of it before, but when he found out he knew he wanted it. He wanted it more than ever.

Remus told him that Sirius had wanted to do it himself. That he had mentioned it in passing, but since he wasn't around to do it, Remus'd decided he should do it.

For James.

For Sirius.

Harry had heard Remus mutter under his breath while he tattooed him

Harry sighed deeply, he thought of the picture Remus had shown him. He stood up and walked over to the kitchen table. There it was, next to a small booklet that had 'The Marauders' engraved in the front. It was a booklet full of codes and rules, of mischief and nonsense. But he wasn't interested in that now, he wanted the photo that was lying there innocently, pretending it didn't hold mirrors of loved ones that were no longer there. He picked it up and studied it.

He noticed it was worn around the edges and that the color had faded a bit. But you could plainly make out four young boys. His age, seventeen. He could see Remus had his medals for Charms around his neck. "Graduation night," Remus had said. They had gone out drinking in Diagon Alley to celebrate their Graduation and they came around the corner to this tattoo shop. They decided that since they had been together for seven years, it was only right to have a reminder of what they shared. They had thought that they would never grow apart. No matter how bad things got or how hard the war became. There they were; sleeves raised to show their arms, tattoos blazing in the flash of the camera.

James was on the left, looking excitedly at his stag tattoo. Sirius next to him with his sleeve fully rolled up and was simply showing off his tattoo of a black dog lying lazily over an invisible bed with a paw hanging out. Remus was next to Sirius, smiling, shyly holding up his sleeve to show a wolf on its hind legs howling at the drawn moon not far. The last was Peter, the most unimportant person. If Harry had a choice in the matter he would rip Peter out of the picture. But it was Remus' photo so he had no choice but to see him there. Peter was barely even showing his arm, but you could make out his tattoo, it was a small white mouse. The grins they would flash at each other, like they just did something wild and crazy.

And in a way they had. They had bound themselves to their childhood friendship after they became men. They had lived by their codes; codes of conduct and friendship, codes of Honor.

Harry suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned and saw Remus giving him a small sad smile. "I'm proud of you. Your father and Sirius would've been proud. It was what they would've wanted."

Harry nodded happily and then he sagged. "But I'm not really a Marauder. I've just tattooed myself as one." He stared at the mirror that hung on the wall, and watched as his red phoenix with its wings spread blurred and tears threatened to spill.

Remus got down on one knee and put both hands on his shoulder; he made Harry look him straight in the eyes. "Listen to me, Harry, you may not be an original Marauder, but you are one in heart..." Remus' voice cracked and he looked down. He cleared his voice and looked up at Harry again. "You, Harry, are a Marauder by blood."

The End