I Solemnly Swear: I Need a Marauders Series

It's something every Potterhead dreams of, but doesn't necessarily harbor expectations for: a new series set in Rowling's wizarding world. And yeah, there are countless stories in that universe waiting to be told--but for me, it's no contest which one needs to be written.

I need a Hogwarts series chronicling the Marauders' lives--their friendship and adventures and all of those intricate little puzzle pieces that led up to Harry's series--and I need it desperately.

by Viria



Need convincing? Of course you don't. But just for the heck of it, I'll explain my reasoning.

1) First off, there's that 800-word teaser prequel Rowling wrote. In a way, writing a story that short is kind of worse than writing no story at all, because it's just enough to show you what you're missing. In this case, it's Sirius and James joking their way through a run-in with some Muggle cops.

Really, discovering this story is what really kicked off my Marauders obsession--I love it for the way it shows what a fluid, effortless team James and Sirius make, and how they never take anything too seriously. (I acknowledge that there's a Sirius/serious pun to be made here, but for all our sakes, I'm not going there. You're welcome.)

2) It's a way of returning to the wizarding world without unraveling the pretty bow she tied up Harry's series with. Thanks to the epilogue in The Deathly Hallows, there aren't really any loose ends dangling around. We've even gotten more information about what certain characters have gone on to do, and that world seems like it's in a pretty safe place, so I'm content on that front.

A prequel series rather than a series about the next generation would allow Rowling to tell a new story without undermining all the achievements and sacrifice of Harry's series.

3) Likewise, a prequel series wouldn't undermine Harry as a character. For some reason, this always seems to happen to characters when their kids steal the protagonist spotlight. It's the main reason I dislike books about the next generation. It happened to Little House on the Prairie, The Lion King II, Madeleine L'Engle books about Meg's daughter--once the former main character is limited to a supporting role, and a parent at that, the spark that made you love them often gets lost in translation.

4) The Marauders have loads of potential for adventure. There's Lupin's wolfish struggle, the rest of the gang becoming animagi for him and misadventures with the Whomping Willow, exploring the castle and creating the Marauder's Map, all sorts of detention-earning stunts...the Marauders are a fun bunch, and there would never be a dull moment when they're around.

5) James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter make a diverse, well-rounded group. Their different personalities would play off each other in dynamic ways, allowing for close bonds just as easily as friction. Between the four of them, there's a personality type for everyone to love. Knowing the group's fate makes it that much more bittersweet, but it would be nice to get to see them during lighter days when they were all brothers.

6) It's not all sunshine and prank wars, though. During this time period, there would still be a lot of escalating drama because of all the conflict leading to Voldemort's rise in power and this generation's big war. This wouldn't necessarily be in the forefront of the series, obviously, especially at first--but that slow, steady buildup of unease and conflict could play out in a variety of subtle ways.

7) Speaking of this generation: It offers a rich cast of secondary characters. People in the Marauders' year and the years around them go on to play huge roles in the future. It'd be interesting to see who they were, how they interacted with other major players, and how they evolved through the years.

Are my hopes in any way elevated for this series? Not really. It's something you think about in the same way you think of getting your Hogwarts letter--it'd be nice, but doesn't look like it's happening any time soon. But the Marauders fandom is strong, and it's churned out all sorts of great material; it may not be official, but it's still fun to consider.

What about you? If you could have any new Potter series, who would it be about--any why?