This is a fan fic I wrote shortly after finishing Half-Blood Prince. It's just a story about the Marauders (Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs) and thier exploits at school. Enjoy and leave some feedback! Feedback is the only thing that keeps me writing.

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Days of the Marauders
Part 1

James Potter hurtled down the spiral staircase as fast as his feet would allow knocking down a pair of second year Ravenclaw girls when he reached the bottom. Without so much as a word of apology, he darted for the front doors which were standing wide open to reveal a darkening sunset on the grounds. The second he passed through the doors, he stood on the front lawn and looked around. James surveyed the grounds with excitement. It was a beautiful fall evening. Students were scattered everywhere on the grounds enjoying what was left of what had been quite the enjoyable Saturday. Most were moving now toward the oak front doors to go inside and back to the dormitories. As a pair of attractive fifth year Hufflepuffs walked past him into the entrance hall, James brushed back his untidy black hair with his hand in an attempt to make it look windswept. The girls gave him an interested look and walked into the hall, breaking into giggles once they thought they were out of earshot. James grinned and looked back on the grounds.

He snapped back to attention remembering what he needed to do and dashed forward into the grounds. His hazel eyes darted back and forth as if trying to count all those who were watching him. Being one of the most popular students in school wasn't the best thing when your trying to do something in secret. He headed in the direction of the lake at almost a sprint. He lifted his head up as he ran to look at the sunset. The sun was almost set, he needed to hurry. Then, he came to it. A beach tree standing on the edge of the lake. He doubled over to catch his breath. A voice came from around the other side of the tree.

"Your late, Potter." said the voice.

A very handsome boy with long black hair came walking from around the tree, watching James highly amused.

"Shut up, Sirius." James retorted. He stood up straight having caught his breath and looked at his friend. "I got caught up with something."

"Something?" said Sirius mockingly, "Or someone?"

"Both, really." James replied.

"Still wont go out with you, will she? Sirius said smiling.

"One day." James said in a dreamy state. "But then, I couldn't find the cloak."

"You didn't bring it?" Sirius asked, shocked.

"No, I have it." said James pulling out a silvery cloak from the inside of his robes and unfolding it. "But it toke me forever to find it."

"Well," Sirius said accusingly, "maybe if you tried to clean up your side of the dormitory on occasion…"

James gave him a hard look but Sirius simply returned it with a smile. Soon, a smile of his own spread across James' face. Sirius moved his head around and examined the grounds.

"What about Wormtail?" he asked.

"Didn't see him." James replied. "Think he's gotten cold feet again?"

"Probably." Sirius said.

Sirius sat down on the ground and James followed. The two sat for a few minutes talking about random things as the sun set even further. The grounds were beginning to empty completely. There were only a few people left. A boy and girl were sitting around the edge of the lake further from James and Sirius, a group of small second years were laughing loudly as they made their way back to the castle, and a burly seventh year was standing at the doors the castle apparently doing nothing.

"Those two better get moving." said Sirius gesturing to the couple sitting by the lake. "Madam Pomfrey will get upset again if there are to many out and about when she brings him down."

"Yeah." James said looking at the sky. "Where is Wormtail?"

But at that moment, a boy came hurtling through the front doors making the seventh year boy jump. He ran towards the edge of the lake and the tree James and Sirius were stationed under. When he got there, he doubled over panting just as James had done.

"It's about time, Wormtail." Sirius said menacingly.

"Sorry," Wormtail squealed. "But I had that detention with Flitwick, remember."

"Oh that's right." James said comprehension taking hold. "For trying to use a summon charm to steal Marcus Tilgup's homework."

"Yeah," Sirius said, amused "That was a right good piece of magic you know."

"Sending the books Flitwick was standing on flying out the window." James finished, laughing.

"Stop laughing!" Wormtail said, angrily. "I would have pulled it off if-"

"If you were a competent wizard". Sirius finished.

Wormtail glared at him. But, just as James had done, his look of anger was replaced with a smile. Wormtail sat down next to Sirius checking the sky like the others had. Sirius checked his watch.

"We've got about fifteen or so minutes" Sirius said.

"Plenty of time." James said quietly.

"So, I saw Snape on the way down." Wormtail said matter of factly.

"Really?" said Sirius who seemed generally interested. "And what was old Snivilus up to?

"Couldn't tell." Wormtail said, trying to remember. "But McGonagall was telling him off for snooping around the hospital wing when he shouldn't have been."

"After hours, probably." James said. "But what would he be doing hanging around there?"

"Probably trying to spy on Moony." Sirius said angrily. "That's where he goes beforehand, right?"

"Yeah," James answered "Pomfrey gives him stuff for the pain before she brings him down."

"That sounds just like Snivilus…" Sirius said, disgusted.

"Yeah, I know." James said with equal disgust.

"Oh! And, I got something for you, Prongs." said Wormtail "I only just remembered. Well, when you gave it to her, well, you left so fast, she couldn't thank you so she told me to give it to you."

"Yeah?" James said looking up expectedly

"Yeah." Wormtail said.

He pulled out from his pocket a small necklace with a note attached to it. Wormtail handed it to James who toke it and opened the note quickly. Scrawled across the note in writing he immediately recognized as Lilly's was the message "Not on your life, Potter". James' smile faded. He stored the necklace back in his pocket, crumpled up the note and threw it in the lake.

"What?" asked Sirius?

"Nothing." said James quickly.

"No it isn't." Sirius said suspiciously. "What did she write?"

"Nothing!" James repeated angry.

"Accio Note!" shouted Sirius who had his wand out. The note James had just thrown to the water soared back up and into Sirius' outstretched hand. James leapt forward to try and take it but Sirius was to fast for him. Sirius leapt to his feet and stepped back ask James landed on his face on the ground. Wormtail got to his feet too and looked over Sirius' shoulder to read the note. Both started snickering as James' expression turned sour.

"Shot down again, eh Prongs?" said Sirius loudly.

"Shut up!" James retorted. "I don't see you with any type of date either!"

"I could have any girl in this school." Sirius said, retaking his seat on the grass as James moved back into his own. "I just choose not to."

"Sure." James said as Wormtail sat down again beside Sirius.

"I'm serious." said Sirius.

"Yes, we all know your name." said James slyly. Wormtail started laughing so hard, he fell backward.

"Oh, shut up!" Sirius said though he couldn't contain his grin either. "You know, you could probably have your pick of girls too. But, instead, you choose to cling to Lilly Evans. Your just to stubborn, Prongs."

"Yeah, I know." James said pulling his wand out from his pocket.

"What do we have planned for tonight?" Wormtail asked expectedly.

"Don't know." said James flicking his wand. A group of rocks sitting beside the lake floated into the air. With a flick of his wand, James sent the first one flying off over the edge of the lake. It flew as in an graceful arc and splashed down out in the distant water.

"Maybe we could leave the house tonight." Sirius sad slyly. James and Wormtail stared at him. Wormtail looked shocked that anyone could think of something so crazy. James seemed to be thinking about it very hard.

"Out? Of the house?" Wormtail whimpered. "But, what if he? I mean, what if we didn't?"

"It isn't as if we can't keep hold of him." Sirius said in reply. His eyes were starting to get a gleam that Wormtail had seen before and knew that it never meant anything good. "We've been able to handle him fine. Maybe a scratch or to but…"

"But this isn't just like keeping a dog on a leash!" Wormtail replied.

"Yeah, but, we can deal with him. Make sure he doesn't go near any people, you know." Sirius said thoughtfully.

"But we haven't got enough experience with him…" Wormtail pleaded.

"We've done this twice before." Sirius said. "That old house gets kind of boring after a while."

"I don't know…" Wormtail said. "I suppose if we kept a real close eye on…"

"That's the spirit!" Sirius said clapping Wormtail on the back so hard he fell face forward on the ground. "What about you, Prongs? What do you think?"

James was looking out at the lake, his stones still floating over the edge. He thought about it. He had to agree with Sirius, that old house was rather boring after a while. But were they up to the task? Could he, Sirius, and Wormtail really keep something as vicious as that under leash? What if someone got hurt, it would be their fault. It was a rather big risk. But then, just like every time before, a reckless daring toke hold. "It'll be fine" he told himself. "Come on, it'll be fun." A grin spread across James' face.

"Prongs?" Sirius repeated snapping James back to reality.

"Yeah." said James, the same gleam as Sirius' in his eye now, "It'll be loads of fun."

"Well, I suppose it could be fun. As long as we don't mess up." Wormtail said.

"Mess up?" Sirius said shocked "Since when have we ever messed up?"

"Well, there was that time when you tried to mix that love potion in under your bed. I can still smell it in the dormitory."

"Yeah, well.." said Sirius. And Wormtail and Sirius began batting back and forth the different times Sirius had messed up in the past. James flicked his wand a few more times sending his levitating rocks into the lake. His mind teaming with ideas about what to do tonight. Leaving the house was going to be truly fun, he could tell. But how wouldMoony take it? Would he think it to dangerous? "Danger should be your middle name." said a voice in James' head. This was true, of course. Becoming an unregistered Animagus was not something normal school children did every day and, as James well knew, he and his friends were anything but normal.

James flicked the last of his rocks onto the lack surface and looked around once more. Darkness was coming fast. James got to his feet, pulling up the invisibility cloak he still had.

"It's almost time." James said, checking his watch,

"Yeah." Sirius said, getting to his feet. We'd better get into position. Wormtail, there isn't room for you in here. You'll just have to-"

But Sirius broke off. He was looking at where Wormtail had been standing but he wasn't there. Instead, a black rat now sat in the ground where Wormtail had been standing moments before. Sirius bent low and picked up the rat, placing him safely in his pocket.

"Show off" James said, smiling.

"Your one to talk." Sirius retorted.

James smiled again and looked around the grounds once more. The couple on the lake side had gone, James could not see where. The group of second years was just now disappearing through the doorway to the entrance hall. The seventh year boy was still standing in the doorway but was not looking in their direction but up at the tops of the trees of the Forbidden Forest. James, not taking the time to worry what the boy may be looking at, lifted the cloak and draped it over his head. Sirius groped at the air until he found the cloak in his hand, lifted it up, and joined James underneath.

"Shall we go then?" James asked.

"Yeah, lets move" Sirius said in an unneeded whisper.