Saturday, June 21nd 2014

Hi all! The chapter's ready! Here's the preview: Padfoot huffed at them, but didn’t lift his nose. It was only mid-morning, but up in the mountains, it was dark enough to be the afternoon. Afternoon on… was it Sunday, or Monday? Padfoot counted back mentally. It was hard to keep track of time as a dog, and hard to keep track of time in the mountains, when everything was dark, no matter the time of day. Their mission structure also made it difficult; they walked for as long as they could, slept when they felt like it, or needed a break, and then walked some more. Sunday or Monday? Padfoot wondered again, and was bothered by the fact that he wasn’t certain. Enjoy! MarauderLover7.

Saturday June 14th, 2014

Hi, all! The next chapter's finished - and early! :D Here's the preview: “Oh my,” McGonagall said, pressing her hand – which was clasped tightly around her wand – to her heart. Snape didn’t seem to have eyes for any of them, except for Draco, who was fidgeting. McGonagall, apparently already over her shock, was now looking angrier that Harry had ever seen. She flicked her wand at one of the spraying jets of water, which transfigured itself into a chain and secured the troll to the stone wall. Then she rounded on them. “What on earth happened here?! Why aren’t the four of you in your dormitory?!” “I spilled juice on Granger, and then Potter said to lock the door, and Weasley actually locked the door, and-” "You-you spilled juice on Miss Granger so you could lock her in with a troll?" McGonagall asked faintly. Enjoy! MarauderLover7.

Sunday, June 8th, 2014

Hi all! Sorry for the late, and short update; my laptop deleted what I'd written, so I've spent all of today trying to redo it. :( Here's the preview: Suddenly, though, he burst out laughing. Remus glanced at him, and Sirius threw an arm around his shoulders. Remus glanced at him, puzzled. “Good joke, Moony,” he said. “I heard a better one the other day, though; there’s a dragon and a-” Someone cleared their throat, and Remus turned around. Sirius’ scent changed instantly, from defiant, to irritated, and Dora’s hair lost its remaining pink and went red. Until next week! MarauderLover7.

Sunday, June 1st 2014

Hi all! The next chapter's up; sorry it's a tad late! Here's the preview: Harry didn’t think he’d ever been so worried for his own safety in his life. Ron made an odd whimpering noise, and Draco was unhealthily pale. The giant dog – and not just any dog, but a dog with three heads – yawned, showing teeth as long as Harry’s forearm. It sniffed and then growled. Had it been smaller, Harry might have approached it, and tried to pat it – after living with Padfoot for so long, he had a fair idea on how to pat dogs – but it wasn’t small, it was huge, so Harry backed off. Enjoy! MarauderLover7.

Saturday, May 24th 2014

Hi all! The update is ready! Here's the preview: “So it’s the last place Filch or the Prefects would check,” Harry said. “I’m sure it links up to a staircase or something-” “Clever,” Ron said, grinning. Harry grinned back. Malfoy and Zabini did not. “You’re idiots,” Malfoy hissed. Zabini nodded. All four of them froze. “-nasty streak that no eleven year old should have. Merlin knows it’s messing things up at home; she takes it out on Viv, and then poor Tori has to step in, and that’s changed her too… you should see it, though. Tori’s this tiny little thing, but she’s terrifying when she gets going-” Someone else laughed and said, “Clarice-” “Prefects!” Ron hissed. Enjoy! MarauderLover7.

Saturday, May 17th 2014

Hi all! The update is up! :) Here's the preview: “Potter,” Morton said, sounding equally alarmed and curious. Harry lifted the hand that wasn’t supporting his broomstick and gave an awkward wave. Next to Morton, Umbridge swelled and stepped forward. “Mr Potter,” she said. She didn’t look displeased to see him - a sickly smile was in place – and her tone wasn’t nasty, either, but Harry couldn’t shake the idea that she was not happy to see him. “Might I ask what you’re doing here?” Enjoy! MarauderLover7.

Sunday, May 11th 2014.

Hi all!
The next chapter's up - it's a touch late this week, because I've been so busy. :( But it's longer than other chapters have been, so hopefully that makes up for it. :)

Here's the preview:

It turned out to be a fun lesson. Harry, without bothering to consult his textbook, used a Wind Charm, and was given ten points; Ventus was a charm they learned later in the year, apparently, and he had the control of a second year. Seamus, in the seat behind Harry, tried to melt his marble. It sort of worked; he did manage to melt the marble, but he also set his desk on fire, and lost five points for doing so.

Harry glanced at his friends; Draco was blowing on his marble, and stopping it before it rolled off the desk, before blowing it the other way, and Ron was shooting sparks out of his wand. Every second or third spark would hit the glass, and push it over a bit. Hermione's face was scrunched up in concentration, and she seemed to have two spindles growing out of her marble.

As they left Charms, and headed for lunch, she told Harry, rather sadly, that she'd been trying to make it grow legs and run, but hadn't quite managed it.

Until Sunday!
MarauderLover7.

Saturday, May 3rd 2014

Hi, all! :)
Just another short message to let you know that the next chapter of "Initiate" is up. :)

Here's an excerpt:
“Malfoy,” One said, looking puzzled, as Draco fell into step beside them. “I think the question is, are you heading back to the common room?”

“Obviously,” he said, and then watched the stunned glance that went between them.

“Are you feeling quite well?” Two asked, putting a smelly hand on his forehead. Draco batted it away, revolted.

“Looks a bit pale, Fred,” One said.

“He’s always pale, George,” Two replied. “But he doesn’t feel warm.”

“Oh, shut up,” Draco said. 

I'm still trying to find time to answer your lovely reviews: uni's back with a vengeance, and I don't have much spare time at the moment, but when I find an hour or two, I'll try to get around to it. :)

Until next week!
MarauderLover7.

Saturday, April 26th 2014

Hi, all!
The next chapter's up. :)

Here's the preview:
Christopher Morton sniffed and wiped his eyes, and then let out a small, gut-wrenching noise. Sirius sat in a chair opposite him, thinking this was probably one of the most horrible things he’d ever had to do.

“I’m so sorry,” Sirius said.

“Why’d they send you?” Morton managed to ask.

“Sending a letter was an option,” Sirius said carefully. “But I thought you’d have some questions, or- letters can leave things out, and you deserve to understand as much as we do at the present time.”

Enjoy!
MarauderLover7.

Sunday, April 20th 2014

Hi everyone!
The next chapter's up! :)

Here's the preview:

“Mr Morton, it’s Auror Black,” he called. There was a scuffling noise inside, and then a creak, like a door or window opening. “Morton, open the door.” A thump. Sirius’ irritation became unease. “Morton!”

“Help!”

It was so weak that it was almost a whisper, and Sirius didn’t think he’d have heard it if it wasn’t for his canine hearing.

Happy reading!
MarauderLover7.

Saturday, April 12th 2014

Hi, everyone!

The next chapter's up! I'm sorry I haven't been answering reviews for the last few weeks - university's been keeping me too busy to do much else than get the chapters done. :S But I should hopefully be able to get some answers out to you all within the next few weeks. :) I really do appreciate your comments. :)

Here's the preview:

"How do you know about the squid?" Harry asked; last he'd heard, the twins had been content to stare at Moony in awed silence, instead of asking him questions. "And friends? Were there- I mean- Friends? As in, more than one? Who-"

"Friends is the plural of friend, Potter," Draco said, "so yes, I daresay there was more than one." Hermione laughed before she could stop herself. "Why in Merlin's name did these friends of yours have to clean the bathroom? I'm lost."

"They lost me at squid," Harry heard Ron say to Hermione, who nodded. At the same time, the twins seemed to realise Draco was with them.

"Oh, Malfoy," Fred said. "Didn't see you there."

"Well," George amended, "we did see you-"

"-but we didn't recognise you-"

"-with your tie." Draco glanced at the offending item and flushed.

Until next week. :)
MarauderLover7.

Saturday, April 5th 2014

Hi, everyone!
The update is up!

Here's the preview:

Harry thought he was going to like life at Hogwarts very much indeed. After lunch (when they would usually have had Herbology), he and all of the other first years - had a meeting with the four House Heads, and the Head Boy and Girl, who gave them a proper introduction to Hogwarts; they introduced themselves, and let the students know where their offices were, if they ever needed to find them. They were briefed – in detail – on the rules – curfew, for example, as well as magic use, homework deadlines and even had the caretaker Filch present a talk on prohibited areas and items.

Enjoy!
MarauderLover7.

Saturday, March 29th 2014

Hi all!
The next chapter's up, and it's a long one this week. :)

Here's the preview:

If I'm wrong, and he's just a git, Sirius thought to himself, then that's the end of it. But if he's something more dangerous... Sirius checked his Sidekick; Harry was probably at Hogwarts by now, or very close to arriving. He smiled to himself and stopped by his cubicle to collect a few case files to look over that night.

"Sirius!"

Marlene, like Sirius, looked like she was about to leave for the night; she had a heavy textbook under one arm, and a phial of something in the other hand.

"Poison analysis," she said, when she saw what he was looking at.

"Sounds fun," Sirius said. She grunted.

"I've been to St Mungo's twice this week." Sirius gave her a sympathetic look. "Are you heading off?"

"Yeah-"

"Do you have anything planned for dinner?"

Until next week! :)

MarauderLover7.

Saturday, 22rd March 2014

Hello, all!
There's an early update waiting for you, on your site of choice... :)

Here's the preview:

He would have no choice but to follow in his father’s footsteps, and kneel at the Dark Lord’s feet, and he would have a life of servitude whether he wanted it or not.

That was what Narcissa feared, what she wanted to avoid, regardless of the cost.

Severus did, of course, want Draco to have a better quality of life than ‘Death Eater’ but above all - and he’d never admit this to anyone, and especially not to Dumbledore - he just wanted Draco to be happy, doing whatever he enjoyed, or spending time with people whose company he appreciated.

And, Severus knew, thanks to his and Narcissa’s manipulations, there was really only one place that he’d find that.

For all the good it does, he thought, I am sorry, Draco.

Until next Sunday! :)
MarauderLover7.

Sunday, March 16th 2014

Hi, everyone!
The next chapter's up!

Here's the preview:

"Have fun!" Tonks shouted, waving. Her hair flashed through the colours of the four Houses, making Harry grin, and others on the platform turn and point.

"Eat your vegetables!" Padfoot called, walking alongside the train. Ginny was running just in front of him, laughing and crying, and waving at her brothers. "Don't start anything with Hufflepuffs or Slytherins without your friends – they hunt in packs!" Harry just laughed. "Say hi to Peeves, and old McGonagall, and tell Snape I want my bloody book back!" Padfoot was jogging now. "And cause trouble, but don't get caught!"

The train was gathering speed quickly, and Padfoot dropped into his dog-form so that he could keep up. Harry could hear him barking, right up until the train rounded the bend, and the platform disappeared from sight.

Enjoy!
MarauderLover7.

Sunday, 9th March 2014

Hi everyone!

The next chapter's up! :)

Here's the preview!

Harry woke up to Padfoot's freezing nose in his ear, and hot, doggy breath in his face. He laughed, pulled Padfoot out of the way by his collar so that he could sit up, and then batted his godfather away with his pillow.

Padfoot just caught the end of it – gently - between his sharp teeth, and gave Harry a silly, tongue-lolling grin. Harry gave up on trying to wrest it away, and pushing him – and the pillow – off the bed.

Padfoot bounced back up almost instantly, and Harry just knew he was going to lose the scuffle that would come next, so he did the only thing he could do.

"Is Moony awake yet?" Padfoot paused mid-bound, and his ears perked up. Harry put on his glasses, grabbed his wand, and with a grin, hopped out of bed.

Padfoot made an impatient noise, and Harry laughed again and ran after him.

Until next week!
MarauderLover7.

Saturday, March 1st 2014

Hello, everyone!
The next chapter of "Initiate" is up, and we're getting closer to Hogwarts with every passing scene! :)

Here's the preview:

“It was planned, then,” Sirius murmured, dabbing Remus' other shoulder.

“They didn't know their way around the house,” Remus said. “That's probably what saved us. I thought it was Mad-Eye, but then I realised it couldn’t be-”

“Poorly planned, then,” Sirius said. “You can't rely on that next time, though.”

“Next time?”

“This was planned,” Sirius said rolling his eyes. “Obviously someone wants you dead and since you're still alive, it's reasonable to conclude they'll come looking for you again.”

“He's right,” Dora said, not seeming to like the revelation at all. Remus didn’t like it much either.

“Of course I am,” Sirius said. 

Enjoy!
MarauderLover7.

Saturday, February 15th 2014

Hello, everyone!

Firstly, I would like to say an enormous thank you to everyone; I can't believe how positively the first chapter of Initiate has been received, and how lovely your comments at the end of Innocent were. :) I've started to answer some of them, but haven't got around to them all just yet. :)

The next update for Initiate is up a bit early (updates are still due on Sundays), but it's a reasonably short chapter - sorry!

Here's the preview:

“No warts,” Harry agreed, rubbing mud off his shorts.

“No toad,” Hermione said nervously.

“Nope,” Harry said. “Very muggle-ish.” She’d actually done well, he thought. Zabini’d carried herself like a pureblood – haughtily – so he doubted she spent much time in the muggle world, but she’d certainly looked the part.

“Pardon?” Hermione asked, eyes huge. Harry realised his mistake too late.

Enjoy!
MarauderLover7.

Saturday, February 8th 2013

Hello, everyone!
Several announcements today...

Firstly, "Innocent" is finished! I've just posted the final chapter! :D

Here's the preview:

The man folded the newspaper – the headline read Flying In Circles? and on the front was a moving photograph of a large, spiny dragon being caught in an even larger net over the British Channel – and set it down on the table.

“He was worth keeping alive if only for that,” he mused, looking at the stocky redheaded man from the forest; he was on a broom in the photograph, flying rather well. “Got a dragon off our tail if nothing else.”

Indeed, replied the other, but he seemed distracted; his thoughts were - as they had been since the forest – looping through the same series of images:

The stone, the castle and the boy.

And, secondly, because I had a bit of extra time this week, I was able to also finish the first chapter of the sequel, "Initiate". :) So, if you're interested, you can launch right into that! :D

Here's that preview:

“Wand, Harry,” he said; the item in question was protruding from the pocket of Harry’s school shorts.

“Oops,” Harry said, spinning around. “Sorry.” He squeezed past Dora and then Sirius, dropped his wand on the kitchen table. His lunchbox, which he’d forgotten, was pressed into his hands by Kreacher. “Thanks! Bye, Kreacher,” he called, letting Sirius usher him upstairs, down the hallway, and out the door. Sirius took a moment longer, to retrieve his bike from the indoor shed he and Harry had replaced his father’s old office with, back in early January, and wheeled it out into the warm, June sun.

Dora yawned and bid them both goodbye before she promptly vanished, and Sirius carefully maneuvered his bike down the front steps to where Harry was waiting impatiently, spelling out words under his breath.

Updates will continue for Initiate, on Sundays, as usual. :)
MarauderLover7.

Sunday, February 2nd 2013

Hello, everyone!
The next chapter's up, for those of you who are interested. :)

Here's the preview:

Marlene made a furious noise from somewhere on his left, and there was a clatter as a wand fell. Sirius rolled onto his side in time to see the man release Marlene. She fell to the floor, limp and unmoving, and Sirius crawled to her side, ignoring the man for the moment. He, Sirius realised detachedly, didn’t seem to mind; he just watched from beneath his hood as Sirius felt for a pulse and found none.

“No,” he croaked. He held his hand above Marlene’s nose, hoping to feel a whisper of breath, but none came. He shook his head, trying to keep it together. His eyes were stinging.

“Last man standing,” the Serpent Sworn man said softly, from above him. Sirius understood the implications; the Aurors and the trainees – Dora, Mad-Eye, Robards, Scrimgeour, all of them – were all either dead, or captured. He refused to think about that in any more depth. Not now.

“No,” Sirius said. He reached for Marlene’s hand, and hoped that the movement distracted the man from Sirius’ other hand, which had just curled around his wand.

... Not looking good, is it? :/
But no cliffies this week, haha; it's resolved now. 
Until next week!
MarauderLover7.

Friday, January 24th 2013

Hello, everyone! :)
Very early update for you all, but I had so much fun with this chapter that I raced through it! :D Consider it an early celebration for Lily's birthday. :P

Here's the preview:

"Coward!" the second one spat as Sirius tucked his wand away, bowed into Padfoot and took off across the floor; Marlene was being dragged now, toward the telephone box entrance.

"Stop him!" one of the golden people ordered, and the second one - a woman - released her hold on Marlene's wrists and rounded on Padfoot. He dodged two spells - nasty, crimson looking ones - and then ran straight into a third, which-

What? he wondered.

He could see Marlene. He liked her. Her not believing his innocence and the whole tying to kill him issue hadn't helped things much, but he still, Merlin-help-him, liked her. Silly, he told himself, and then wheezed a doggy laugh from where he was lying on the ground; Silly was what Harry had called him when Harry was a pupp- baby. Harry was a baby, not a puppy. Or had been. Makes sense because he's a wolf, too, Padfoot thought, or will be.

He stood up and shook his coat out; it itched a bit, so he paused for a scratch. Two people were watching him, one – Marlene, who he liked – was fighting to get free. The other woman – the shiny one - had a stick raised in his direction and Padfoot’s breath caught.

She’s going to throw it, he thought, and his tail wagged. Only she didn’t; she held it at a funny angle, and said a spell.

The next update is set for Sunday, but it could be earlier (no promises!) depending on how quickly I get it done. :P

Sunday, January 19th, 2014

Hi, everyone!
It's Sunday, and you know what that means; an update! :D

Here's the preview:

“And you,” Mad-Eye said quietly, sparing a quick look for Sirius.

“Don’t bother,” Sirius said, rolling his wand between his fingers. “I’m staying.” He wasn’t sure why Mad-Eye hadn’t left with the rest. It was odd... but Mad-Eye was one of the most cautious people he knew, and Sirius also trusted his judgement. He’d learned that much in the Order.

“Good,” Mad-Eye said, with an odd smile. He took a sip from his hipflask, and then looked worried. Sirius ignored that, and glanced back at the door. “Makes this easier.”

Until next week! :)
MarauderLover7.

Saturday, January 11th 2014

Hi, everyone!
I'm back, and managed to get a bit of writing done while I was away, so here it is; a slightly early update! :D
The next update will be Sunday, as usual. :)

Here's the preview:

"Shall we talk?" he asked.

"No," Harry said at once. "Just- I'm sorry, Padfoot, but I- You have to go."

"Why?" Sirius asked, taking a step forward. Harry's wand jerked up to focus on Sirius, who put his hands up and took a step back. "Hey," he said, frowning.

"Please," Harry said. "I don't want- I'm not- It's too dangerous."

"Well yeah, kiddo," Sirius said. "You've got a wand pointed at me." Harry started to lower his wand and then changed his mind. His hand was shaking, but the wand itself hardly moved.

"Not the wand," he said. "It isn't. It's- It's me, Padfoot. And I can't- I'll hurt you."

Until next week! :D
MarauderLover7.