Disclaimer: I am not J.K Rowling and I do not own Harry Potter.
Franklin D. Roosevelt once said that "Happiness is not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort." James could not see how that was true. People always told him that "money can't buy you happiness," but the people of Hogwarts seemed damn happy – especially the ones with the money. James could have chosen to include himself in that group, but from day one he had decided that his money would not define him or his status while he was in Hogwarts. So he had chosen to exclude himself from the socialite parties that were always being thrown. He had chosen to exclude himself from the annual ski trips to the Alps and most importantly he had chosen to exclude himself from the world where status was everything. Instead he embraced another life; a life where the amount in your parent's bank accounts doesn't make or break you. James chose to spend his winter breaks at the Potter mansion with his best mates Sirius, Remus and Peter. Jen and Carrie also normally joined them. James surrounded himself with normal people and ignored those at the top of the popularity ladder.
You see at Hogwarts, who you parents are, where they live and how much money they have defines you're status and you're status defines you. Status is this most important thing at Hogwarts and without you are no one, irrelevant. Well irrelevant to those with status. Once during Muggle Studies they had learnt about an Indian Politician who said:
"Never make friends with people who are above or below you in status. Such friendships will never give you any happiness."
That quote seemed to describe Hogwarts perfectly. You never mix outside your social class. There was one group who followed that rule to the 'T'. These were students who had parents with bank accounts filled with gold, or in the muggle-born students case; millions. They could get anything they wanted in an instant and they lived lives no one could dare to imagine. Students would awaken on a Sunday morning to see pictures of their classmates splashed across the front page of 'Diamond Magazine' one of the most exclusive magazines in England and no one would bat an eyelid. These were the students who could get up and coming bands to play at their 16th birthday parties. They were spoilt and everyone admired them – well nearly everyone. There were those in Hogwarts who just saw them as stuck-up and idiotic. This included the Marauders, Jen and Carrie, anyone else who had been told they were nobody and most of the staff. Yet the staff could not prevent the rich witches and wizards sneaking out on a Saturday as they knew as soon as they did, they're have howlers from the most powerful adults in England complaining about the treatment of their child. So instead they chose to let the children run wild relishing their status. Of course the children not realising that out in the real world, mummy and daddy wouldn't be there to hold their hand.
Though the Marauders and two girls kept up the pretence of hating that elite group because of the way they treated everyone below them, there was a far more personal reason than that as to why they despised them. It was because just before fifth year began that group stole away and changed one of their closest friends. For four years the six of them had hung out with Lily Evans and they'd always be seen together. They entrusted each other with their darkest secrets, right down to Remus' transformations. They had been seven normal Gryffindors who all hated the 'diamond kids,' Lily's personal nickname for them due to the way they were always on the cover of diamond magazine. James could still hear Lily's voice as she commented on them whenever they walked by, "I can't stand them. They're all so completely shallow and I'm sure daddy pays for them to get decent grades. All they care about is whom they're seen with. Their lives must be so empty!" She's then turn around and continue with her game of chess or prank planning.
However over the summer, Lily's father was elected deputy prime minister and Lily's potential status suddenly skyrocketed. Everyone in both Muggle and Magical England knew who the Evan's were. The six of them never worked out how, but by the end of the summer Lily Evans had become best friends with one of the most important girls in school, Lana Costello. It was most likely, that it had something to do with Costello's father being Minister of Magic. All that they knew was that when 1st of September rolled around, Lily Evans walked onto Platform 9¾ arm-in-arm with Lana looking completely different. Her messy red hair was curled and gleaming and her uniform looked like it came straight off a Parisian catwalk. She walked with an air of confidence and snobbery that had never been there before and she looked at the students like they were below her. When she walked past the Marauders and co. Sirius had called out "Lily-Flower," but instead of smiling like she normally did, she looked at him with disgust, whispered something in Lana's ear and they both walked off giggling. At that moment they had all realised the Lily Evans they knew and loved was gone.
They got used to seeing her picture splashed across the front pages – normally with her up-and-coming rock star boyfriend Steve Jacobs and best mate Lana. They got used to seeing her packing for the ski trip in the Alps. They got used to her wearing the latest fashions. They got used to her ignoring everyone but her friends, but they never quite got used to her ignoring them.
A/N: Okay so this is my first story on here. I know the chapter's short and a bit odd, but it's just an introduction to life at Hogwarts and the way the group is at the minute. You'll get a better introduction to Lara, Jen and Carrie next chapter. Please review to tell me if you liked it or what I could do better