Gabrielle LeCorte didn't have much to complain about in her first eleven years. She lived with her mother and three brothers, when they weren't away at a magical boarding school, that is. She didn't mind much the absence of her brothers or father because she had something to make up for them. The Potters. They were as close as her own family. Mr. Potter was as close as a father and his son, James, was as close as another brother and was her best friend.
Dominique did as much as she could for her family of five but it wasn't easy for her. When Gabrielle was three months old her father walked out on Dominique, leaving her with three rowdy boys and an infant to care for. She was nearly driven insane that night. Her young baby cried. Her six year old son, Maurice, only wanted to see his father. Her nine year old son, Antoine, was carrying on because he didn't want his brother to go away to school and the oldest, Jacques, was eleven and finally able to go away to school, just when his mother needed him most. Jacques was the only one who really understood what was going on. He helped during the short month he was home but was then forced to abandon his mother for his education.
Fortunately there was a blessing in disguise living right next door to them. They never really talked with the Potters before. They were neighbors and were polite but there was never any reason to even be in touch with each other. The Potters had no children until two months before Gabrielle was born. Dominique LeCorte, or Bourque now, didn't have more than a few days alone with the three young children before the Potter stepped in, even with an infant of their own. Laura Potter didn't work so she watched the kids while Dominique worked. Without that family, not only would she be a mess, but Gabrielle might never have found one of her best friends.
James and Gabrielle were a perfect fit from the start. Having spent their infant days together they formed a bond that would only grow as they did. It was fair to say that together they were quite a handful. James always came up with these crazy pranks to pull on people but lucky for Gabrielle, though she helped to pull it off, she never was punished for it. Everything was always James' fault for none of the adults would believe that the only sweet little girl among all of the rowdy boys could do anything wrong.
So when they were finally eleven and going off to Hogwarts reality struck the parents at what terrible damage James could inflict on the old school and the students who attended it. It was then that Gabrielle was given the task of babysitting James. Of course, she never knew that by 'keeping an eye' on her best mate would leave her the tedious task of trying to control the infamous group of pranksters that would form only a month into their first year of Hogwarts. When it came around she, of course, had no other option but to accept the impossible task and try to keep them out of trouble.
________________________Seventh Year________________________
"Alright, kids. Please try and behave. I love you all. You best hurry or you will miss your train!" Laura Potter fussed over the four teenagers that she had carried for over the summer. They were just getting ready to leave with Dominique for the train station. This was the first year that she wasn't accompanying them to the station.
James Potter rolled his eyes at his mother's show of affection to himself and his friends. "All right. Bye, mum. I'll be sure to write you," he said as she hugged him, blushing a little with embarrassment. She gave him a big kiss on the cheek before letting his step away from her.
"G'bye, Laura! I'll miss you terribly while I'm gone but don't you worry. I'll be back for Christmas!" Sirius Black told her smiling wide before pulling the woman into a tight hug and kissing her on the cheek. The summer before their fifth year of Hogwarts he had run away from home and Laura had taken him in and was like a mother to him, much more than his real mother ever was. He winked one of his beautiful gray eyes at her before releasing her.
"Thank you for letting me stay with you, Laura. It's been a pleasure," Remus Lupin said before he was pulled into a hug after Sirius, smiling at her. As the tradition for the past three years, he stayed the last week of summer with the Potters. All of the Marauders would come but this year Peter had had some other obligation that he couldn't get out of leaving them one member short but they expected to meet up with him soon.
Lastly Laura turned to Gabrielle LeCorte with a sad smile. "Please keep an eye on my boys, hmm? You know I worry so much about them. I'm sure you could keep them in line?" Laura said grasping one of Gabrielle's hands in her own. The same thing was asked of her every year and it seemed to get harder and harder to keep the Marauders out of trouble.
Gabrielle laughed. "I'll do my best, Laurie. Goodbye. I'll write you and my mum," she said and hugged Laura tight. She turned around to see that the boys had already disappeared, no doubt to chase after her mother who had arranged for a cab to take them to King's Cross Station. Her mother was undoubtably beautiful which, to her displeasure, the boys had seemed to take notice of. It was usually only when Dominique came home that they liked to venture over to her house and hang around, invited or not.
Gabrielle rolled her eyes when she saw that her mother had modified the cab so that all of their trunks fit and so the back seat was enlarged to fit four instead of three. The driver didn't seem to have noticed however, being too captivated by Dominique.
"Do you have everything, chéris?" Dominique asked them as they stood on the platform. They had about five minutes before the train departed from the station. Good timing since they usually end up having to run on the train with barely a good bye to Laura and Dominique.
"Yes, mére. Au revoir, Je vous écrirai," Gabriella said and hugged her mother quickly. "Come on, boys. Let's go find our compartment," she said and started to drag her trunk towards the train but turned to see that none of them had moved. They obviously didn't want to leave without 'properly saying goodbye to Dominique', as Sirius had once put it. Peter Pettrigrew, seemed to have found them as well and waited with the boys to say goodbye to Dominique.
Sirius was currently pulling Dominique towards him and hugging her. "I will miss you're pleasurably company while I'm away but do not fret, sweet Dominique. I will be sure to write you and will be back to see you for the holidays," he told her once he had released her and kissed her hand, looking up at her with one of his infamous smiles.
James stepped forward next and hugged Dominique. "Au revoir, Domi. I'll write you and mum," he said grinning in the same way as Sirius before stepping aside.
Remus hugged her next and said, "Thank you for your hospitality, Dominique. I'm looking forward to the next time I will see you. G'bye." Peter stepped forward next and hugged her wordlessly, his cheeks turning slightly pink as he did this.
Dominique chuckled as the boys grabbed their trunks and started walking off to catch up with an irritated Gabrielle. "Au revoir, boys. Do try and behave yourselves. Je t'aime, Ellie," Dominique replied and waved to them.
Gabrielle didn't turn around or reply. She had never liked the way the Marauders were around her mother. Dominique was her mother after all and she didn't want them drooling all over her, no matter how attractive she was. She was a single mom and, though she always put up with their special treatment of her, she hated how a forty-six year old women stole the teenage boys' attention away from her. Gabrielle undoubtably inherited her mother's good looks seeing as they shared the same long legs, curls, strong bone structure and thin curvy figure. The only thing that she got from her father were her aqua eyes and the blondness of her hair.
James barreled ahead of them and over towards where a familiar redhead stood saying her farewells to her parents. Once they had gone he began to 'talk up' the redhead who looked rather bored with him. When the two girls made eye contact, the redhead begged with those hypnotizing green eyes for help. Rolling her eyes, Gabrielle jogged over to the group and joined them saying, "James Potter would you leave my poor Lily alone? This is our last year of school. As much as I want you two together, I don't think you begging her to go out with you will help. How about giving her some space?" she had wrapped her arm around the redhead, Lily, as she spoke and gave the boy, James, a threatening look.
James Potter ran a hand through his unruly jet black hair grinning at the two girls. His glasses were slipping slightly down his nose but he pushed they up gently before glancing at the three boys behind him. The chubby, short, blonde boy was laughing so hard he was having some trouble breathing. Standing next to him was the scrawnier looking boy who looked a bit tired with his brown hair falling into his face. He also had some scars that he tried desperately to hide. Through the hint of tiredness, you could see the humor shining through his eyes as he patted the choking boy on his back. The last boy had to be the most handsome of them and just as much the daring leader as James was. His long wavy hair fell gracefully around his face but didn't hide the dangerous grey eyes that were soft against his tan skin. He was very toned and didn't lack that charming grin that matched that of his best mate who stood at his side grinning at the girls.
"Well if it isn't our little Gabby, defending Ms. Lily Evans once more. Don't you ever get sick of pulling these two off each other? I say we just lock them in a room together and let them work it out without these interruptions and they can get it on! I know you have the hots for James but you gotta just let it go. Let him and Lily be happy without you," the handsome boy said grinning. He stood at six foot two which was only a few inches taller than Gabrielle’s five foot ten. For some reason the two had become best friends. Their personalities were similar but they fought constantly while still remaining best friend. Gabrielle, James and Sirius were the closest out of the group, especially since during the summer they were all together since Sirius moved in with James.
She just rolled her aqua eyes at him. "Very funny Mr. Black. But as you know I have no more than brotherly feelings for Mr. Potter. The same goes for you, Mr. Pettigrew," the mousy blonde boy looked up at the mention of his name, "and Mr. Lupin," the scrawny was the last to look up at her at the mention of his name, "and all of you know it. I would appreciate if you would all just cut the crap,” she finished, still irritated about their treatment of her mother.
No one had anything else to say. The only advantage of looking after James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew was that while most of the other girls at Hogwarts struggled just to get a smile from them, she had complete control over them. They obeyed her, most of the time at least. She was the care taker of the infamous Marauders and most girls would kill to fill her shoes.
Most girl that is except, of course, one of her only female friend Lily Evans. She had, though most were unsure why, caught the eye of James and couldn't seem to shake him from her. He had pursued her since halfway through first year when they were introduced by Gabrielle. She, however, never showed any interested in him, actually really the opposite. She had only shown dislike and disgust. Through all the years leading up to this finally year, she had refused his pursuit of just a single date from her but James was not about to give up. He still had one year ahead of him to win the beautiful redhead over who had rejected him countless times.
The whistle blew announced that they train would be departing. “Come on you lot. Get on the train,” Gabrielle ordered and they all scrambled onto the train, dragging their trunks behind them. They found the familiar compartment that the Marauders had shared since first year that had been carefully etched with ‘The Marauders’ on the outside of the door, claiming it as their own.
Babysitting the Marauders by Pivotal_Love
Chapter Notes: DISCLAIMER: The majority of these characters and locations I do not own. J.K. Rowling is the brilliant mind behind the splendid Marauders and Hogwarts.
I have revised this chapter after abandoning this story for a while, please let me know what you think and I will have the second chapter up as soon as possible! -Elle