Disclaimer: I do not own any of J.K. Rowling's characters, plot lines, etc., only my own. I simply write out of admiration of the books.


1975. In the muggle world it was an era of turbulence. America had just pulled out of an ugly war, people were protesting in the streets and Clara's muggle father was rarely sober enough to acknowledge any of it happening. However at the age of 16 that wasn't even her biggest concern, what concerned her was the war that was building in the wizarding world. It was what every witch and wizard knew about yet feared and refused to recognize . Clara was pulled out of her thoughts by the dragging of her record needle. It was September 1st, which was the day each year she looked forward to most. She finished loading her belongings in her trunk and leaving all but the bare minimum in her room, there was no sadness in her departure. She had to quietly carried her stuff down the stairs, she was trying to carefully leave with out waking her father as he was passed out on their couch in front of the television. The last time he had accompanied her to King's Cross station was her first year at Hogwarts, the last year her mother was alive and the last year he was altogether conscious enough to protest her way of life. As she stepped out on to the street, the air was warm and the clicking of the wheels from her trunk behind her provided some sort of comfort to her. Luckily the bus system didn't question a girl with a trunk and owl in a cage but she suspected she wasn't the only one to have made this trek today. The train station was no less crowded than any other year and when she made her way through the brick column between platform's nine and ten the crowd wasn't even remotely tamer. Her heart sunk as teary-eyed parents sent their kids off with emotional goodbyes. Even her first year it was never like that. Her muggle parents weren't her actual parents and when they found out their adopted daughter was a witch, they rarely acted parental. Apparently she had come from a long line of pure-blood elitists and when her real parents broke ranks and became what was deemed a "blood -traitor", they had a target put on their backs. They didn't want Clara's upbringing to be the same way which is why when they were killed she was given to a muggle family and left with her name and a fortune to support her in the magical world. However that was all that Professor McGonagall had told her when she had come to her house 6 years ago to tell her she was a witch; the rest of her family history was rather unclear.

Before Clara finished loading her luggage on to the car, someone jumped behind her and threw their arms around her shoulders.

"Clara Merden! Why didn't you visit me this summer?!" The girl screamed catching Clara off guard. It was her best friend Lily Evans.

"I'm sorry. I know I know! It was kind of hectic." she said pulling Lily into a hug. Lily knew she wasn't too much of a fan of her home life and respected her silence.

"Come on we better hurry if we're gonna get a good compartment with the rest of the girls. Alice and Mar already went to grab one and I came to find you." She said dragging Clara behind her through the crowd. Lily slipped into the compartment closest to a set of restrooms.

Clara was pulled into a second round of hugs.

"There she is!"

"We were worried for a second!"

"Hi! Hello! No need to worry, I doubt the train would ever leave without me." she teased.

"Come on we all have to hear about the summer!" Alice said pulling Clara down next to her. The teenage girls excitedly chatted about the events of their summer. Lily Evans, Alice Fawley, and Marlene McKinnon, had been Clara's dorm mates since she started at Hogwarts but it wasn't till a few years ago the group had always become inseparable. Clara and Lily had clicked their first year immediately, both having muggle upbringings, but it wasn't till she had a mishap during school her 4th year that they were all thrown together for the long haul.

Their chat was fun and energetic as their train ride convos often were and like clockwork the conversation was interrupted when the door slid open.

"Evans! How was your summer?" It was none other than the infamous James Potter that had been in love with Lily since first year. He had his posse in tow that had named themselves the Marauders, a name that made Clara roll her eyes every time she heard them mention it.

"Potter. What do you want now?" Lily quipped. No one got underneath Lily's skin like James did.

"Well I think it's pretty obvious, he wants to know how your summer was." The boy to his left spoke up. It was Sirius Black, James' biggest partner in crime.

"Do you speak for Potter now, Black?" Clara jabbed at Sirius. Frankly, the pair annoyed her most of the time. They got away with everything and acted like they owned the school. She admitted they were funny and did manage to make her laugh from time to time but she wasn't afraid to go head to head with them.

"Well someone's got to Merden." sending her his best smile awarding her eye roll. Out of the group, Clara liked Remus the best and even considered him a friend. They had classes together and even had studied together, she never quite placed what had drawn him to James,Sirius, and Peter.

"Oh give it a rest and leave before one of us hexes those smirks off your face." Clara said sending Remus a wave and wink as she closed door and locked it before they could protest.

"Clar always knows how to shut them down" Alice grinned.

"Unfortunately it never shuts them up" Lily said crossing her arms.

"Oh come on Lil you have to admit he's gotten pretty handsome and he's not as bad as he used to be. Honestly they all look pretty nice." Marlene teased Lily and elbowed her.

"They're all yours Marlene" Lily said reaching for her book.

"Nah, you know I prefer older men" Marlene wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. Right now her and a Hufflepuff 7th year seemed to be having quite the fling.

"Yeah but the real mystery is how come none of them have girlfriends" Alice asked.

"I can think of several good reasons. Between Potter being insufferable, Sirius with a new girl every month, Remus with his studies, and Peter with his shyness. They never seem to have time to commit to anyone." Lily jested.

"I don't know I think Potter is pretty committed to someone" Clara winked. "Anyway enough about them, any updates about you and Frank?" Frank Longbottom was the boy Alice had been crushing on for 2 years and just last year he had mustered up the courage to start hanging out with her and spending alone time together.

"I mean," she began to blush furiously "we've been writing each other all summer. And even hung out a few times." she said shyly tucking her hair behind her ears.

"Alice!"

"Alice!"

"Alice!Why didn't you mention any of that in your letters?! This is big, romantic letters, long walks in the park and after last years date..." Clara teased as Alice's face became fully red.

"Yeah I s'pose so." she grinned

"Don't think this conversation is over young lady, we'll hear more later." Lily fake scolded.

"What about you Clar, anyone catch your fancy?" Marlene imposed. Clara didn't have anyone who really caught her eye, it wasn't to stay she didn't have crushes in the past just that they only ever remained that: crushes. She was the friend type and no one ever expanded on that.

"Nah, you know me, just trekking on as usual." she said reaching up overhead to try and grab her uniform to change. "Come on, don't worry about it, we'll be arriving soon."

"Alright, alright but we'll also talk about this later." Marlene said as Clara was pushing her out the door.

"Of course Mar."


The group took their seats at the Gryffindor table. Clara scanned the room and it was relevant that the room was emptier. It was no secret that each year more and more muggle-borns were staying home out of fear of what was happening in the world. It was enough to make her frown.

"Oh no" Lily sighed.

"What?" Clara questioned but as the seats next to them were filled, she had the answer to her question.

"Well Evans, some would say it's fate" James said sliding into the seat next to Alice, luckily Lily was on the inside. Clara however was not afforded this luxury as Sirius slid in the seat next to her.

"I don't recall asking you to sit here." Lily protested.

"I don't recall asking your permission." James joked but Lily simply didn't care and started a conversation with Marlene.

"James why don't you give it a rest." Remus urged obviously annoyed.

"How was your summer Remus?" Clara questioned trying to break the tensions.

"It was good, a little dull but that's only by comparison to these guys." Remus joked. The sincerity made Clara smile but it didn't last long.

"What? You don't want to know how my summer was Merden? or James? Or Peter?" Sirius fake pouted.

"No, not really. Although did new team captain over here come up with a way to win the cup this year?" while Clara was annoyed with James, on the Qudditch pitch he was one of the best damn good players. However she rarely talked to him outside that. She had been on the team since her second year and her and James were the only ones to make it in their second year. They had some what of an friendship because of that in their second year but that didn't last long.

"You bet. I've been reading all summer, reviewed some old playbooks, and even went to a few rec games to get some ideas. I have some notes if you want to look at them and maybe give me some ideas. You have a good eye." James said excitedly and Clara noticed a side of James she hadn't before. He seemed dedicated and almost nervous which was in stark contrast from the normal attitude he had.

"Yeah, Of course!" Clara said excitedly, she absolutely loved Qudditch.

"Well I mean if you impress the captain enough to make the team again." and there he was. Back to his cocky self.

"I don't think Clara has to prove herself to but she could beat you in a match." Lily interrupted, obviously listening to their prior conversation.

"And you say I talk a high game with my friends." Sirius said to Clara in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Yeah but at least hers it warranted Black and she's absolutely right Potter. You know I could take you." and with that, Dumbledore had quieted the students for his open remarks. The girls went back to their chattering and luckily didn't have to talk to the boys the rest of the meal. It was one of the longer conversations she had with them and as always it left her irritated.

"Alright Clara and I have a quick prefect meeting with McGonagall but then we'll meet you up there. Make sure you grab us a room." Lily called as she steered Clara to the front of the great hall. It was Clara's first year as a prefect and she was actually rather surprised she was chosen. She was a good student and often followed the rules but not always. She didn't like getting in trouble but she was always stood up for her friends or herself, she had rather stubborn streak. Clara filed in next to Remus who was also named a prefect last year and she figured he was heading for head boy because despite his friends antics he was very by the book.

"Congratulations Clara." Remus smiled at her.

"Thank you and I mean you too, even if it's you second year." she teased him. They stood in silence for a moment.

"I'm sorry about James and Sirius earlier, they can be a bit much." he said sheepishly.

"It's alright. They like to try and get under people's skin. And they know I'm friends with Lily so it's guilt by association." she smirked at the tall, lanky boy.

"If it's any consolation I think they do like you, they just try to get people going. Believe it or not, I think they consider you a friend" and before Clara had time to question what Remus meant, McGonagall had started her lecture that she apparently gave every year. Clara had eagerly listened to as much as could before realizing just how tired she was. After the meeting Lily, Remus, and herself, made their way back to the common room. When Lily and her had made it to their dorm, Alice and Marlene sat in ready in full sleepover mode. The girls talked about the gossip that had already made it's way around the school and did each others' nails as they often did on that first night.

"Clar, Remus has seemed to be awfully friendly towards you lately." Alice imposed. The question caught Clara off-guard.

"Yeah an you should have seen him chatting her ear off at the prefect meeting." Squealed Lily, feeding into Alice's accusation .

"Oooo does some one have a crush on Clara..."Marlene awed.

"Jeez you guys are awful. You know that's not true." Clara blushed. She didn't like Remus in that way but it still embarrassed her to talk about it. "Besides I don't need a guy right now." she said solemnly. Truthfully it wouldn't hurt to catch someone's attention but she didn't rely on it.

"We know you don't like him, we just like to see you get flustered. But Clara guys are idiots right now and most of the time." Lily said warmly and it was the last they mentioned it.

It wasn't until later, that when she sat in bed that she remembered what Remus had said earlier. I think they consider you a friend. That was certainly news to her and she certainly had never considered them friends. She didn't have time to analyze what he meant before she fell into a fitful sleep.


A/N: Thank you for reading my first chapter! I honestly didn't think I would write another Harry Potter fic but here I am. You can never have enough Marauders Era and it was an era I really wanted to explore. I hope you all liked it and please don't hesitate to leave a review or send me feedback, I love hearing from people. Hope to update soon, thanks again!