Disclaimer: It is to my greatest misfortune that I do not own the Harry Potter characters or universe. They belong to this talented lady that goes by the name J.K. Rowling, and she does not wish to share ownership. If she was to give me Sirius Orion Black, I would be the happiest girl in the world.

A/N - Hello there! Well, for starters, let me make this clear to you that this will most certainly be a series. As you can see by the title, this is only Year 1; there will be six more installments. In other words, it will go through the beginning of the Marauders' first year up to their graduation.

I've read a lot of Marauder tales, but I've only ever enjoyed a few of them. Some were ridiculous, some made no sense, and most never fully captured the solid fact that the Marauders were like brothers, despite blood, heritage, or being. I've been trying to look for the right Marauder story for about three years, and I still haven't found it. So I've come to the decision that it is my duty to write it until it is found. I really, really, really love the Marauders, and it is my hope that I should write them according to their characters justifiably so. I want this story to be eye-catching, so please read it!

I go by the facts of J.K. Rowling. This means that dates will be exact, ages will be exact, and names will be exact. If these things are unknown, then I will provide. Whatever people I make up will quite possibly never be major characters; only minor. I know this is fiction and that I can make up anything I want, but, well...I'm just messed-up in the head like that! Of course whatever else you see here is mine; basically the whole plot.

I just want to make a little something clear, though. Peter Pettigrew was part of the Marauders, but...listen...I hate him. I absolutely, positively hate his fucking guts! So...he's not going to be fully present until their third year at least. Like, J.K. Rowling never stated when Peter was issued as a Marauder; we only know that he was already part of them during their fifth year. So, theoretically, I'm going to be putting him far off to the side until I absolutely need to proclaim his existence.

To wrap it all up, feel free to leave ideas and suggestions in a review. Tell me how you think this is going and tell me how you think I can make it better. I'd love to see what you guys have to say, and I'll take it to heart.

I sincerely hope you love this story. Every single word, every single event, has been playing around in my head nonstop for many months, and this is my first time putting it online for everyone to see. I haven't even written it down on paper. You can criticize and whatnot, but I will always be proud of my work.

Now, without further ado….


Prologue: The Tale of Four Boys

On September 1st, 1971, four remarkably unique boys entered Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and formed the most extraordinary bond of friendship that made them soul brothers.

These four boys came from different backgrounds and different parents. All were raised differently and all came to school with difficult problems. Together they share secrets, jokes and tears. They become the definition of brotherhood that we know so well. This is the story where their friendship brought them together.

One boy comes from an extremely Dark family. The baddest reputation for being evil and dangerous. Friendless and unloved as a child, but an older cousin and younger brother to bond with, he lived a rich, but lonely life in a dark and gloomy mansion. He was taught to detest certain people, to form snobbish habits and to follow the ways of an even bigger antagonist. He has learned at an early age to ignore these beliefs and waits impatiently for the moment he can go away and make a new image of himself. No longer will he be the son of evil parents; he will now become Sirius Black, the boy who desires friends. Handsome, clever, raucous and kind-hearted, he longs for people to see him for who he is and not for what his family has done. He wants recognition for his uniqueness; not for his last name.

One boy comes from a life of pain and suffering. An unfortunate event that plagued him at a young age, he is shunned by the world he lives in and has grown up with the only fact that he lives by: You are a monster. How can a well-mannered, polite, intelligent young man such as himself not think himself worthy of being a human being? How can he heed the whispers, how can he regard the looks of horror on people's faces, how can he even believe such nonsense? This beautiful boy, Remus Lupin, has been raised by loving parents, but lived an isolated childhood with no friends. He desires friendship, for people to know that he is not a monster but a person who just wishes to be loved.

One boy comes from a wealthy and spoiled childhood, from elderly parents that had him late in their lives. Clearly an adored, coddled child does not have any issue so major in his life. Alas, this is not exact. This boy has a hard time finding true meaning in his life. Smart, boisterous and kind, everything he desires, he receives. His friends, Muggle or Wizard, have ambitions that do not satisfy his crafty personality. His friends were fair, but they were not real friends. There was no closeness and he wished for a friend-like brother. Living as an only child was great, but a bit lonely at times. No, James Potter wishes for a daring life, full of adventure and big happenings. He desires a challenge that will make his pampered life enjoyable.

The last boy comes from a life of simplicity. A mother, a father and only himself for a playmate. Ridiculed by everyone his own age for childlike reasons, he has never had a friend thus creating low self-esteem and thirst for acceptance. He arrives at Hogwarts searching in similarly for the same thing James searches for: Friendship. Peter Pettigrew wants people his own age to see him as a friendly, nice person. He wants to be respected.

Stories that centered around their friendship were passed down from decade to decade by the adults that had watched them grow up; teachers and alumni. Former classmates told their children about the wild things that had happened at school, so wild that even the most rambunctious of the children would question whether it was truth or falsehood. Surely a rampaging hobgoblin did not come and randomly destroy every one of the Hogwarts Houses apart from Gryffindor house. Surely a minotaur did not chase after the opposing team on the Quidditch field and every one else in sight after a fair defeat. Surely the Great Hall of Hogwarts did not transform into an ocean and travel throughout the school, merpeople and water demons and the Giant Squid swimming around. And of course no one ever ventured deep inside the Forbidden Forest, was captured by Death Eaters and was held prisoner for three weeks and came back unscathed and alive to tell the tale.

But they did happen.

These boys were legends, and their legacy has been repeated as the years passed, though no one has ever topped what they have accomplished. The people that were lucky enough to go to school with them boasted to many about the adventures they had had together. Many claimed false tales about a "close friendship" they had obtained with them. Most even dared to claim that they had been very close to them.

Only few knew any better.

Follow them and come along on their journey through their years at Hogwarts. Watch them form alliances and make their own titles. Watch them battle bullies and swoon teachers. Join them in their Marauder antics and laugh at their childlike innocence. Cry with them as they tell their heartbreaking stories as they slowly and unexpectedly grow their bonds. Watch them fall in love. Watch the Marauders grow from friends to best friends, from brothers to soul brothers.


True friendship isn't seen with the eyes, it is felt with the heart.
When there is trust, understanding, loyalty, and sharing.
True friendship is a rare feeling, but when it is found
It has profound impact on our well-being, strength, and character.
True friendship does not need elaborate gifts
Or spectacular events in order to be valuable or valued.
To ensure long-lasting quality and satisfaction,
True friendship only needs a few key ingredients:
Undying loyalty, unmatched understanding, unsurpassed trust,
Deep and soulful secrets, and endless sharing.
These ingredients, mixed with personality and a sense of humor,
Can make a friendship last a lifetime.

This is where the tale begins.


A/N- I hope I didn't bore you with this. I promise the upcoming chapters will be interesting...at least, I hope you think so. It would mean the world to me if you reviewed. Next chapter coming on Friday! Watch out for it!

~ Shashon*