The Fifth Marauder

As the last echoes of Dumbledore's feast-ending speech faded, Professor McGonagall's crisp voice cut through the chatter. "Prefects, please escort your first years to their dormitories. House passwords and room assignments are posted in your common rooms."

William's legs felt heavy as he rose from the table, his stomach full of shepherd's pie and treacle tart. The Gryffindor prefect a tall girl with auburn hair - waved them forward.

"First years, gather 'round! Stay close, the staircases like to play tricks."

As they filed out of the Great Hall, William fell into step beside Clara. He bumped his shoulder against hers playfully. "Ready to meet your roommates?"

"I suppose." Clara adjusted her ribbon, which had come slightly loose during dinner. "Though I do hope they're not the giggly sort. That Marlene girl wouldn't stop chattering through the entire feast."

They climbed what felt like endless staircases, William's legs burning from the effort. Just as he was wondering how much further they could possibly go, the prefect stopped them in front of a large portrait of a woman in a pink silk dress.

"Pay attention," the prefect's voice carried sharp authority. "The password is 'Dragon's Breath.' Remember it, because you won't get in without it." Her eyes narrowed. "And if I catch any of you sharing this password with students from other houses, you'll be scrubbing cauldrons until Christmas."

William joined the chorus of "Yes" and nodding heads. The portrait swung open to reveal a circular hole in the wall. They clambered through one by one into a cozy room decorated in deep reds and warm golds. A fire crackled in the massive stone fireplace, and plush armchairs dotted the space.

"Boys' dormitories to the right, girls' to the left," the prefect announced, pointing to two spiral staircases. "Room assignments are posted on the notice board."

William, being nearest to the board, stepped forward to scan the lists for his name.

William's eyes scanned the dormitory assignments, his heart skipping several beats as he found his name. Dorm 4, top floor. Listed beneath: James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin.

His knees went weak. Peter wasn't listed - a change from what he knew should have happened. Somehow, his presence had already altered things. The implications made his head spin.

The spiral staircase seemed to stretch forever as William climbed, his trunk floating behind him thanks to a charm the prefect had cast. Each step brought him closer to sharing space with people who should have been fictional characters from his past life's books.

Dorm 4's heavy wooden door creaked as he pushed it open. The circular room housed four beds draped in deep red curtains, their posts reaching toward the ceiling. Windows between each bed overlooked the darkened grounds, and a pot-bellied stove sat in the center, radiating warmth.

William chose the bed farthest from the door, next to a window that offered a view of the lake. His hands shook slightly as he opened his trunk, methodically arranging his textbooks on the small desk beside his bed. Each book's spine faced outward, organized by subject. Quills, ink, and parchment found their places in the desk drawers. The familiar routine of organizing helped steady his nerves.

Bonnie's carrier sat on his bed, and he opened it to let her explore. The white cat stretched lazily before curling up on his pillow, apparently unimpressed by their new surroundings.

Footsteps and laughter echoed up the stairwell, growing louder. The door burst open with a bang that made William jump.

The door burst open with a bang that made William jump. Three boys tumbled in, their voices echoing off the stone walls.

"This is brilliant!" A bespectacled boy with messy black hair spun in a circle, taking in the room. "Look at the view!"

"Better than my room at home, that's for sure," drawled a taller boy with aristocratic features, dark hair falling into his eyes.

The third boy, smaller with light brown hair, hung back near the door with a quiet smile.

The boy with glasses spotted William and bounded over, extending his hand. "Hi! I'm James Potter. This is going to be our room!"

William shook the offered hand. "William Keating."

"William Keating," William managed, shaking James's hand.

"Sirius Black," Sirius declared with an exaggerated bow. "Pleased to make your acquaintance." The tall boy flopped onto the nearest empty bed. "I claim this one."

Remus stepped forward last, his smile gentle. "Remus Lupin. Don't mind these two - they've been like this since meeting on the train."

"Is that your cat?" James asked, peering at Bonnie who had cracked open one eye to observe the newcomers.

"Yeah, this is Bonnie."

Sirius sat up. "Brilliant! I love cats. My mother never let me have one - said they were beneath our family's dignity or some rubbish like that."

"The castle's massive, isn't it?" James sprawled across the foot of Sirius's claimed bed. "I can't wait to explore everything. Dad told me there are secret passages all over."

William watched them settle in, his heart racing at sharing space with these boys who would become legendary. But right now, they were just excited eleven-year-olds, their faces bright with wonder at their new home.

"So, Keating," Sirius propped himself up on his elbows, "where're you from?"

William shifted on his bed, watching as Bonnie's tail twitched at the noise. "Maple Ridge. It's in London."

"Maple Ridge?" Sirius's eyebrows shot up. "That's... interesting." His tone carried a hint of something that made William's spine stiffen.

"Yeah, I grew up with three brothers," William added, deciding to push past the awkward moment. "Thomas is the oldest, then Michael and Robert - they're twins."

"Big family then," James chimed in, now sprawled across Sirius's bed. "Must be fun, having brothers. I'm an only child - gets dead boring sometimes."

"When did you find out about..." Remus gestured vaguely at the castle around them, "all this?"

"Madam Hooch showed up at our door about two weeks ago." William remembered her stern face, the way she'd muttered 'muggles' under her breath. "My brothers thought the Hogwarts letter was a prank at first. She had to prove it was real by showing us magic."

Sirius sat up straighter. "Hooch? The flying instructor? She's the one who visited you?"

"Yeah. Said she had nine other muggleborn families to visit that month."

"Only two weeks ago?" Sirius's voice hitched slightly, then his face flushed. "I mean, that's... that must have been quite a shock."

William noticed how Sirius seemed to be mentally kicking himself, clearly trying to navigate away from his ingrained preconceptions. "It was. My brothers still barely believe it's real."

"Well, you're in for a treat," James jumped in, his enthusiasm cutting through the tension. "Wait until you see Transfiguration - that's where you learn to turn things into other things. My dad says Professor McGonagall is brilliant at it. And Defense Against the Dark Arts - that's where we learn all the cool spells."

"What about Charms?" Remus asked quietly. "That's supposed to be fascinating too."

"Oh yeah!" James sat up, his glasses slightly askew. "Dad says Professor Flitwick makes things fly around the classroom on the first day. And Potions - though apparently the dungeons are freezing in winter."

William watched James's animated descriptions, grateful for the shift in conversation. The boy's excitement was infectious, his hands moving as he talked about each subject. It was strange seeing James Potter like this - just an eager kid who wanted to share his knowledge of the magical world.

"Course, flying lessons will be the best part," James continued. "Even if you've never been on a broom before, Hooch is supposed to be a great teacher. Did she mention anything about Quidditch when she visited?"

"No," William shook his head. "She didn't mention Quidditch. Honestly, I don't think she liked me much. She was polite enough, but kept muttering about 'muggles' under her breath. Especially when she realized my parents weren't home and my brothers were looking after things."

The casual way William mentioned this made the silence that followed even more noticeable. James's mouth dropped open slightly, his previous animation faltering. Remus's face took on a peculiar expression - something between concern and understanding.

"Your parents weren't..." James started, then stopped, clearly unsure how to continue.

"Mum's a travel nurse," William explained, not catching their misconception. "She takes contracts away from London sometimes. And Dad..." He shrugged, the gesture carrying years of acceptance. "Well, Thomas handles things when they're gone."

Remus and James exchanged a look that William pretended not to notice. He'd forgotten that leaving children alone wasn't exactly normal in wizarding families - or in most families, really.

Sirius, however, had latched onto a different detail entirely. His grey eyes flashed with unexpected intensity.

"Hooch acted prejudiced because you're muggleborn?" Sirius sat up straight, his previous lounging posture forgotten. "That's crazy. Unacceptable." His aristocratic features hardened into something fierce. "Listen, Keating, if anyone— and I mean anyone— gives you grief about being muggleborn, you tell me straightaway. I'll hex them into next week."

"Sirius-" Remus started, but Sirius cut him off.

"No, I mean it." Sirius's voice carried a weight beyond his eleven years. "I've had enough of that pure-blood nonsense. My whole family's rotten with it. Anyone tries that here, they'll answer to me."

William blinked, surprised by the vehemence in Sirius's tone. This was the boy who'd just been sorted into Gryffindor against his family's expectations, who'd probably received a Howler already for breaking centuries of Black family tradition.

"Thanks," William said quietly. "But really, it's fine. She wasn't cruel about it or anything."

"Doesn't matter," Sirius insisted. "It's not on. And James'll back me up, won't you, mate?"

"Course I will," James nodded firmly, seemingly grateful for the shift away from the awkward topic of William's home life. "No one should be treated differently because of their blood status. It's medieval thinking, that's what my dad always says."

"Yeah, thanks," William said softly, touched by Sirius's fierce declaration of support.

The boys fell into companionable silence as they unpacked their trunks. William arranged his clothes in neat piles, while James seemed to be creating organized chaos around his bed. Sirius tossed his things haphazardly into his trunk, and Remus methodically sorted his belongings with careful precision.

Bonnie watched their activities with regal disinterest from her perch on William's pillow, occasionally batting at a stray sock that drifted too close to her domain.

"So," Sirius flopped back onto his bed, already looking restless. "Dinner's not for another hour. What should we do?"

Remus glanced up from arranging his books, a tired smile playing at his lips. "I'm okay with just reading quietly for a bit." His shoulders sagged slightly, betraying his exhaustion. "You two were quite... energetic on the train."

"Reading? Already?" Sirius sat bolt upright, looking scandalized. "We've only just got here! We can't waste our first night reading!"

William watched their exchange, remembering similar scenes from his past life's college dorm. "We could play 'two truths and a lie,'" he suggested.

Three blank faces turned toward him.

"What's that?" James asked, pushing his glasses up his nose.

"It's a muggle game," William explained. "Each person tells three things about themselves - two true things and one lie. Everyone else has to guess which one's the lie."

Sirius's eyes lit up. "Brilliant! You go first, then."

William thought carefully, drawing from both his lives. "Alright. One: I'm really good at chess. Two: I'm an excellent cook. Three: I can juggle."

"The cooking one's definitely the lie," James said immediately. "You're eleven - no way you can cook properly."

Sirius and Remus nodded in agreement.

"Actually," William smiled, "I can't juggle. I really am good at cooking."

"No way!" Sirius leaned forward. "Prove it."

"I cook for my brothers all the time," William shrugged, not noticing how the others' expressions shifted. "Someone has to make dinner when Mum's away on contracts, and Thomas is rubbish at anything beyond sandwiches and breakfast."

James and Remus exchanged another concerned look, while Sirius's face darkened slightly.

"That's... that's not right," James said slowly. "You shouldn't have to-"

"It's fine," William waved off their concern, completely missing the undertones of their reactions. "I actually enjoy it. Makes me feel useful, you know?"

The other boys didn't seem to know how to respond to that, but William was already moving on. "Alright, who's next? Sirius?"

Sirius lounged back against his bedpost, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Right then. One: I've been grounded for a week. Two: My parents punished me with a magical restriction. Three: I've been forced to apologize to someone I didn't like."

William watched as James snorted and rolled his eyes. "The apology's got to be the lie. You seem too stubborn to apologize if you don't mean it."

"Got it in one," Sirius grinned, but there was something sharp beneath his casual tone. "Mother tried to make me apologize to cousin Bella after I called her a prejudiced hag at dinner. Spent three days locked in my room instead."

His grey eyes darkened. "Course, that was nothing compared to when they found out I'd been talking to our muggleborn neighbor. Took away my wand privileges for two weeks. Said I was 'consorting with filth' and 'bringing shame to the Noble House of Black.'" He spat the words like they tasted foul.

James shifted closer to Sirius, their shoulders touching. "Your parents sound like real pieces of work, mate."

"They're obsessed with blood purity," Sirius's voice dripped with contempt. "Think being magical makes them better than everyone else. Keep trying to force me to be their perfect pureblood heir." He barked out a harsh laugh. "Well, they can stuff their precious pure blood right up their-"

"My turn," Remus cut in quickly, his quiet voice somehow filling the room. William noticed how deliberately he changed the subject, drawing attention away from Sirius's building anger.

"Let's see..." Remus tapped his chin thoughtfully. "One: I'm terrified of heights. Two: I'm a werewolf. Three: I've never had chocolate."

James burst out laughing. "Come on, Lupin! You're making this too easy. Werewolf? Really?"

William watched Remus's face carefully. Most wouldn't notice the slight tightening around his eyes, the way his smile didn't quite reach them.

"You caught me," Remus said lightly. "The werewolf bit's obviously the lie."

"Should've made it more challenging," James grinned. "Like... I don't know, something believable!"

"You're right," Remus agreed, his voice steady but his fingers picking at a loose thread on his sleeve. "I'll try harder next time."

William's chest tightened as he observed Remus's carefully controlled expression. He knew the truth, of course - that Remus had just cleverly hidden it in plain sight, letting them laugh it off as absurd. It was brilliant really, in a heartbreaking sort of way.

"Right then," James straightened his glasses with a flourish. "One: I once tried to ride my dad's racing broom and crashed into Mum's prized rosebush. Two: I helped deliver a baby unicorn last summer. Three: I can do a perfect impression of my gran."

William leaned forward, intrigued. The messy-haired boy's eyes sparkled with mischief, but there was something genuine in his expression too.

"The unicorn one's got to be the lie," Sirius declared. "No way you helped deliver a baby unicorn."

"Actually," James grinned, "the gran impression is the lie. The unicorn thing really happened! Dad works with magical creatures sometimes, and this pregnant unicorn wandered into our garden last summer. He had to help her, and I got to assist."

"No way!" Sirius sat up straighter. "What was it like?"

"Amazing. The foal was pure gold when it was born - they don't turn silver until they're about two years old. And the mother let me feed her sugar cubes afterward." James's face softened at the memory. "Dad says unicorns usually avoid wizards, but sometimes they know when they need help."

"What about the rosebush crash?" Remus asked quietly.

James laughed. "Oh yeah, that was last year. Dad's got this Cleansweep Five - top racing model. I thought I could handle it." He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Turns out I couldn't. Mum was furious about her roses, but Dad couldn't stop laughing."

The story devolved into Sirius tackling James, declaring he was lying about the unicorn, while James insisted between laughs that it was true. They rolled around on Sirius's bed, play-fighting and throwing increasingly ridiculous accusations at each other.

William watched them for a moment, feeling the weight of the long day settling into his bones. He turned to Remus, who sat quietly on his own bed, observing the chaos with tired amusement.

"Think I'll try to grab a quick nap before dinner," William said, stifling a yawn. "Would you mind waking me in about thirty minutes?"

"Of course," Remus nodded.

William stood, then paused. He looked at Remus - really looked at him. The slight shadows under his eyes, the careful way he held himself, the wariness behind his smile. Without overthinking it, William extended his hand.

"Hey, Lupin? I'm glad we're roommates."

Remus blinked, clearly thrown by the sudden gesture. His eyes darted between William's face and his outstretched hand, confusion evident in his expression. After a brief hesitation, he reached out and shook William's hand, offering a small, uncertain smile.

"Thanks," Remus said softly, though his tone suggested he wasn't quite sure what to make of the interaction. "Me too."

William nodded and climbed into his bed, Bonnie immediately curling up against his side. As he drifted off, he could still hear James and Sirius's playful bickering, punctuated by Remus's occasional quiet chuckle.

***

William jolted awake to James shaking his shoulder. "Come on, mate! Dinner time - I'm starving."

Rubbing sleep from his eyes, William swung his legs over the bed's edge. Bonnie protested with a disgruntled meow as he disturbed her rest. The dormitory had grown darker, with only the golden glow of sunset streaming through the windows.

They followed the stream of students down the spiral staircase, Sirius and James leading the way while Remus hung back with William. The common room buzzed with activity as everyone headed toward the portrait hole.

The walk to the Great Hall felt different from their earlier journey - less overwhelming now that William wasn't part of a nervous line of first-years. Still, the moving staircases caught him off guard when one shifted just as they stepped onto it.

"Bloody hell," he muttered, grabbing the railing.

"You'll get used to it," Remus offered with a sympathetic smile, probably already familiar with similar magicks given his pureblood heritage.

As they entered the Great Hall, William noticed the sideways glances directed at Sirius. Several older Gryffindors whispered behind their hands, while the Slytherin table practically radiated hostility. Sirius kept his chin high, but William saw how his shoulders tensed. Clearly James noticed, too, as he immediately placed his hand on Sirius' shoulder in support.

Through the crowd, William spotted Clara's blue ribbon. She stood near the Gryffindor table, looking slightly lost until he caught her eye.

"Clara!" He waved her over. "Come sit with us."

She made her way toward them, followed by two other girls - one with striking red hair, the other chattering animatedly. William recognized Lily Evans immediately, her green eyes just as bright as he'd imagined from his past life's readings.

"Everyone, this is Clara Bennett - we met on the train," William said as they settled onto the benches. "Clara, these are my dormmates - James Potter, Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin."

"Well met," Clara nodded politely, then gestured to her companions. "These are my roommates— Lily Evans and Marlene McKinnon."

William noticed how Clara's tone had softened when introducing Marlene, despite her earlier complaints about the girl's chatter. It seemed a few hours of sharing a dormitory had already begun smoothing over first impressions.

"Lovely to meet you all," Marlene beamed, sliding onto the bench beside Clara. "Isn't this exciting? I can't believe we're finally here! The castle's even grander than my sister described."

Lily settled on Marlene's other side, offering a quiet "Hello" to the group.

"Your sister's here too?" Sirius asked Marlene, clearly grateful for the distraction from the ongoing stares.

"Was here - graduated last year. She told me all about the secret passages, but wouldn't say where any of them are. Said I had to find them myself, the git."

James perked up at the mention of secret passages, but before he could respond, platters of food materialized on the table. The conversation dissolved into appreciative murmurs and requests to pass dishes.

William scooped up another spoonful of lamb stew when Professor McGonagall's crisp voice cut through the chatter.

"First years, your course schedules." She moved down the table, distributing parchments with practiced efficiency.

Across the hall, William spotted Professor Slughorn doing the same at the Slytherin table, his rotund figure moving more slowly as he paused to chat with certain students. Professor Sprout bustled among the Hufflepuffs, her patched hat bobbing as she answered questions.

McGonagall placed William's schedule in front of him. He studied it carefully, realizing he'd never known exactly how Hogwarts structured its daily classes. The schedule showed blocks from eight in the morning until four in the afternoon, with an hour for lunch. Free periods were scattered throughout— probably for homework and study time.

His eyes caught on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, marked as protected study time for all Gryffindors. It seemed that different houses had different protected study times. That would be useful for catching up on the mountain of assignments he expected first year to bring.

"Look, we've got Defense first thing tomorrow!" James pointed excitedly at his schedule. "Then double Potions with the Slytherins."

"Brilliant," Sirius groaned. "Just what I need— spending my morning with prissy brats giving me the evil eye."

"At least we've got Charms after lunch," Remus added quietly, studying his own schedule.

William's head ached from the long day and dreaded the long night ahead of him. For the past few weeks since finding out about Hogwarts, he'd had little time to prepare and read ahead about his classes. At this point, he was mostly going based off of what he knew from the movies and books. Still, even in his past life, William was an academic at heart, and he refused to be caught off guard by any of the content curated specifically for 11-year-olds. That would be embarassing, magic or not.

"I think I need to lie down," he lied, pushing his plate away. "Got a bit of a headache."

"Already?" Sirius raised an eyebrow. "But we haven't even started planning any proper mischief yet."

"Let him rest," Remus chided gently. "We've got a long day tomorrow."

James nodded, adjusting his glasses. "Yeah, get some sleep, mate. We'll try not to wake you when we come up."

"Thanks." William turned to Clara. "See you tomorrow?"

She looked up from where she'd been comparing schedules with Lily. "Of course. Feel better, William."

He stood, tucking his schedule into his pocket. The walk back to Gryffindor Tower felt longer alone, but the quiet was a relief after the constant stimulation of the Great Hall.

William climbed through the portrait hole and trudged up the spiral staircase to his dormitory. The room felt different in the darkness, moonlight casting long shadows across the stone floor. He lit the lamp beside his bed and pulled out his Defense Against the Dark Arts textbook, settling against his pillows.

The book's leather cover felt smooth under his fingers as he opened to the first chapter: "A History of Dark Magic and Those Who Oppose It." The introduction painted a stark picture - good versus evil, light versus dark, with clear lines drawn between the two. William's brow furrowed as he read about Grindelwald's reign of terror.

The text described Grindelwald as a power-hungry madman, driven by twisted ideals of wizard supremacy. While William didn't doubt Grindelwald's atrocities, he noticed how the book glossed over the complex social and political factors that had allowed the dark wizard to gain such a following. It reminded him of sanitized history textbooks from his past life, reducing complicated conflicts to simple moral tales.

He pulled his curtains closed, creating a private reading nook lit by his bedside lamp. The red fabric cast a warm glow over the pages as he continued reading. The chapter moved through various dark lords throughout history, each portrayed as purely evil figures who needed to be stopped by righteous light wizards. The pattern felt familiar - almost propagandistic in its simplicity.

The section on defensive magic emphasized protection and evasion rather than understanding the dark arts themselves. William couldn't help but think this approach left gaps in students' knowledge. How could you truly defend against something you weren't allowed to properly study?

He heard the dormitory door creak open, followed by hushed voices.

"Reckon he's asleep?" James whispered.

"Must be," Sirius replied softly. "Light's off behind his curtains."

William smiled slightly at their consideration but remained focused on his reading. Their muffled conversation continued as they got ready for bed, discussing tomorrow's classes and speculating about their professors.

The hours slipped by as William absorbed chapter after chapter. His eyes grew heavy around midnight, and he finally closed the book, carefully marking his place. Tomorrow would bring his first real magical classes, and despite his concerns about the oversimplified curriculum, excitement bubbled in his chest as he drifted off to sleep.