The Marauders and the Arenotelicon

"Okay, I have to say if History of Magic gets any more boring, I'm going to be a ghost just like Binns," complained Sirius at lunch. He grabbed a handful of potato chips and munched on them disgustedly. "I mean, no wonder he died! It was from boredom! Can he make goblin rebellions any more dull?"

"You want him to try?" James snorted. "I don't."

Peter looked glum at the thought. "Can you imagine when he starts talking about the Giant Wars?" Everyone shuddered at the idea of Professor Binns, the ghostly history teacher, droning on in monotone about giants and their warrior ways.

The conversation remained on Binns' lack of oration technique, growing ludicrous when Remus and James began mimicking Binns as they left the Great Hall. "And in 1434, Gelfin the Gargantuan took out Gimling Gate and Gordon Guardhouse merely by releasing pent-up pockets of natural gas from his extraneous end." The boys burst into laughter as James droned.

"In 1267," began Remus but Sirius suddenly shoved him and Peter behind a column as Dumbledore and an unknown wizard stepped into view from the staircase.

"I will, of course, check into it immediately, Dagnor," the headmaster was saying in a reassuring tone.

"We wouldn't pay that much mind, Headmaster," the man named Dagnor was saying worriedly, "but for those scratches on the outside of the Shack. Definitely not ghost-like if you take my meaning. Looks like some dog scratching to get into it, but why? It fair to makes my nerves jangle to think on it."

"No one has been harmed in the village though?" Dumbledore pressed. "At all?"

"Not a hair, sir, not a hair on anyone's head," Dagnor revealed, "but with wierd shrieking and screaming coming from the shack of a sudden this year and them scratchings, surely its only a matter of time? Oh and we've come up missing sheep and chickens again like we did earlier in the year. That's the truth, it is."

"I shall be down tomorrow to take a look then." Dumbledore sounded concerned but not unduly so.

"Well, I can tell you that the only thing strange we've seen in town was around dawn this morning. Large creature was on the edge of town, heading for the forest. We couldn't tell what it was but it was big."

Dumbledore ushered the man out the door with promises to do some investigating. He also informed the man that he would ask Hagrid if he'd notice anything new with the school's animals as well. The boys listened closely to every word and once Dumbledore had gone back up the stairs, they emerged with thoughtful expressions on their faces.

"A shack in the village getting scratched up like it's being dug into like a dog?" pondered Sirius.

"And their animals are being attacked just like the beginning of the year, eh?" speculated James.

Remus could have almost danced for joy at the opportunity that landed square in his lap. "We need to look at that shack," he suggested.

"Are you mad?" gasped Peter in horror. "How are we going to do that?"

"I don't know," Remus admitted, "but we have to look at those scratches. Maybe we can find a clue that will prove our suspicions!"

Peter continued to stare at Remus in shock. "Why don't we just tell the Headmaster what we suspect, then?" he pointed out.

Flummoxed, Remus turned to Sirius and James for help. James was frowning at the door where Dagnor had exited the castle while Sirius glared at Peter.

"You think Dumbledore's going to believe a bunch of first years who tell him that they think the thing in the forest is some creature that is more rumor and superstition, especially when they don't have any proof? Are you mad?" Sirius demanded almost petulantly. This time it was Peter who had no comeback. Remus mentally blessed Sirius' devious mind.

"Let's go back up to the common room," James murmured. "We need to plan."

"Plan?" drawled a voice to their right. All four of them whirled around to find Snape, MacNair and Wilkes lined up right outside the Great Hall doorway. "Planning to find a way to make Pettigrew intelligent are you?" MacNair and Wilkes guffawed.

"Yeah," tacked on Wilkes in a sly tone. "After that pathetic attempt in Transfiguration this week, he needs something to help him along." Peter flushed in humiliation. His oak twig had more resembled a mangled dog bone than a ink pen.

"I know a special brew that will give you a mental boost, Pettigrew," sneered Snape, earning another chuckle from his companions.

"But Severus, I don't think that works with half-Squibs!" corrected MacNair. "He'd be better off with a transplant. Maybe the Whomping Willow's brain will be a nice substitute?"

"Snape, shove off and take your lapdogs with you," snapped James. He had a hand on Sirius' elbow, keeping the taller boy from lunging.

"He can't, James," sneered Sirius hotly. "He forgot their leashes. They aren't smart enough to have passed obedience classes."

The laughter stopped and the two groups faced off. "You'll pay for that," Wilkes growled in a low tone. He paused and then smiled at Snape and MacNair. "You Blood Traitor."

Remus, James and Peter gasped, Sirius turned a mottled red and gave Wilkes a good shove. "What did you call me?" he hissed angrily.

"Sirius," bleated Peter nervously when Snape's hand twitched toward his wand.

"You're deaf as well as dumb, Black," Snape retorted. "It figures."

"That's it!" Sirius lunged for Snape's throat but Remus blocked the way.

"Take it back, you three," Remus snarled.

"Or what?" Snape snapped in return. "You'll duel us or something?"

"Exactly!" Sirius challenged. "Tonight in the Astronomy Tower at midnight. We'll be there, will you? Everyone knows Slytherins are short on courage."

"I'll be there," Snape informed them with a glittery black gaze that Remus didn't like at all. "You're confusing Gryffindor stupidity with courage again, Black."

The Slytherins turned their backs and marched away, whispering to each other and throwing evil grins over their shoulders until they disappeared toward the dungeons.

"Right where you belong, a dungeon!" shouted Sirius, still enraged.

"All right, Sirius," shushed James, looking around. "You've made enough of a scene for today, let's go." He began shoving Sirius up the staircase, Remus and Peter right behind. James continued pushing Sirius forward around a corner and right into Dumbledore.

"Headmaster!" stumbled Sirius. "Excuse me. James was shoving me."

"Quite all right, Mr. Black, quite all right. In fact, I was looking for Mr. Lupin. May I borrow him a few moments?" Remus met Dumbledore's eyes and wondered what was going on. He'd forgotten about the overheard conversation in the hallway but was forcefully reminded of it when he saw the serious gaze the headmaster was giving him.

"Is something wrong with my dad?" Remus asked to cover up his nervousness.

"I just need to speak with you alone," was all the older wizard would say. Remus nodded, waved good-bye to his friends and accompanied Dumbledore to an empty classroom. Dumbledore magically sound proofed the room as soon as the door closed. "I must ask you a very serious question, Remus, but I do not want you to take offense."

"Certainly, Headmaster," Remus managed to say without stuttering.

"Are you certain you have not managed to escape the shack during your stays there, Remus?" Dumbledore sat down in a chair and invited Remus to do the same. Remus sat gingerly down but remained perched on the very edge of the seat.

"I'm sure, Headmaster. I mean, I'd have attacked someone or something right? Or woken up somewhere besides the shack?" Remus swallowed.

"I suppose you're right." Dumbledore mulled over something in silence for a moment before speaking again. "You mentioned last term that you sensed another creature on the other side of the door. Have you done so again?"

Remus looked the headmaster right in the eye as he answered, "I'm not certain." It wasn't really a lie, he thought to himself but after Dumbledore nodded his agreement and let Remus leave the room, he felt a twinge of guilt because it wasn't the full truth either.