Author's note:
We've been looking forward to sharing this fanfiction with you, fellow Potterheads, for quite some time now. As both my friend and I enjoy writing, we figured that this would be a wonderful opportunity for us to do a collaboration. We hope we captured the characters personality, and kept the story realistic to the books. And at last; we hope you enjoy reading this as much as we did writing it.
The smell of freshly made buns spread across the street of Diagon alley, as James Potter and Remus Lupin made their way to The Leaky Cauldron. The one and only Sirius Black, who also happened to be their best friend, was staying there due to some family drama. The year was 1976, 31 of August to be exact. The day before the new semester at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
"You've remembered to get everything on your list?" Remus asked once again, as he knew just how forgetful James could be, and even though he ought to get a dose of his own medicine, Remus felt some sort of responsibility for his friends.
James nodded absently, without actually paying as much attention to the school books as Remus would like him to. As a matter of fact, they were both exited to see their friend, whom they hadn't heard much from the last months of summer.
As they walked down the street, James realised just how long it had been since the last year of school. Even though he enjoyed the summer holydays to the fullest, he couldn't help but wish he was back at Hogwarts with his fellow Marauders. He smiled a little to himself as he remembered just how many times they'd been stuck in detention as a result of pranking Slytherins.
Remus glanced slightly at his friend as they walked down the street. To be honest, he had been incredibly concerned about Sirius as he knew he had family problems, and even though he specifically avoided the topic, both Remus and James knew that he was struggling a lot.
"Do you actually have any idea where we're heading?" Remus asked slightly uncertain, as he didn't really know if his sense of direction was leading them the right way or not.
"Not really, but if we keep on walking, we should find it sooner or later." He laughed when Remus rolled his eyes, given by his frivolous behaviour.
"Perhaps it would be wise to ask someone," Remus suggested, somewhat stressed as both of them, and most likely Sirius as well, still hadn't got to buy all of the books for the semester.
"I think I know where we are", James suddenly exclaimed, right before Remus got to ask an old witch with a soiled, emerald green cloak and a slightly crooked nose that covered most of her face for the directions.
James grabbed Remus by his sleeve, and dragged him in the direction he meant was right.
"You're sure about this?" Remus asked, with a hint of hesitation in his voice. James wasn't known to have the best sense of direction.
"Have I ever failed you?" He turned his head to Remus who gave him an annoyed look.
"Don't answer that."
After walking, or in Remus's sake; being dragged for a few minutes, they managed to find The Leaky Cauldron.
"You actually knew the way, I'm impressed Prongs." said Remus teasingly, as they approached the building.
"Oh Remus, Don't doubt my sense of direction. It's perfection at its finest."
James pulled the door open and slammed it against the wall.
"Are you trying to tear the entire building down, or what?" asked Remus as he gently closed it.
"It won't be long before this old building collapses anyway." James turned to Remus and laughed.
"Now, where's that old dog? He must be here somewhere." Before James turned around, someone jumped at him.
"Prongs! Moony!" Sirius was smiling from ear to ear.
"Where have you knuckleheads been? I've been waiting all morning!"
"Sorry Padfoot, We got lost." Remus looked accusingly at James.
"Hey, I did find the way eventually! You would be completely lost without me, Moony."
"Aren't I always?" sighed Remus, and their laughter filled the room as they couldn't hold it back any longer.
"So this is where you've spent your last days of summer?" Remus asked with a rather absent voice as he let his eyes wander around the main room of Leaky Cauldron, that seemed to be pretty much dilapidated. The room itself was dark, with a long, worn wooden table placed in the middle of it. A big, stone built fireplace lit up the room and gave it a gloomy, but slightly mystical appearance.
"Yeah, it's a lot nicer than it may look like, though" Sirius replied as he sat down at a chair next to the table.
"But now I'd like to hear everything about your summer!" He said eagerly and a crocked smile spread across his olive colored, but slightly sunburned face.
"Well, it hasn't been the same without you, but it's been far from quiet, that's for sure." James laughed.
"Sorry to interrupt the emotional reunion," Remus teased
"But I'd like to remind you that we're leaving for Hogwarts tomorrow and I know you two well enough to tell that you're probably still missing most of this year's school supplies.
"We'll visit Flourish and Blotts first." said Remus and pointed at a building not far away from them. In the windows of the shop, they could see piles of books stacked on top of each other.
"Your heaven, I presume." Sirius gazed at Remus, who tried not to grin.
As they opened the door, the smell of old books hit them like a wave. There were barely space to move around, and the lights were dimmed. The shelves were stacked to the ceiling with books. It was a very dusty shop, but Remus seemed to like it, whilst James and Sirius weren't all that fond of the place.
Sirius gave a huge sigh, and a tornado of dust was created. He chuckled, but quickly stopped as a young girl walked in. Her hair was long and curly, and her eyes shone as bright as the midnight moon.
"Mistress, May I ask of thee, thine first name?" Sirius walked closer to her with a soft smile on his face. Her curls bounced gracefully as she turned around.
"I'm Roselle. I'm also not supposed to speak to strangers." she turned away from him, picking up a few books on the shelf beside her.
"Thou don't believe in love at first glance?" He whispered softly into her ear, and her cheeks went pink.
"You can't possibly love someone only based on their looks."
"Thou beautiful Rosette, Who ever loved that loved not at first sight?" she looked at him and sighed, slightly annoyed.
"It's Roselle, and please leave me alone. I don't like your presence, so could you please move aside." Sirius didn't move a muscle.
"Oh wonderful mistress, I didn't want to distress thee."
"You're not getting anywhere with that Shakespearean of yours. I'm not going to fall head over heels over a shaggy boy I met in a book shop. Now, if you would be so kind, I'd like to leave." she pushed her way through to the counter, holding her books against her chest.
Sirius felt slightly annoyed as he followed her with his eyes.
"Get thee to a nunnery!" he shouted as she left the store.
"Having trouble with your charm today?" James teased.
"Her loss." Sirius rolled his eyes and sighed.
"Next stop will be Obscurus Books!" said Remus with a smile, and headed for the counter.
"Great, more books..." sighed James, who now looked just as depressed as Sirius.
When the sun went down, and the three boys had managed to get the school supplies they needed for the upcoming semester, they decided to head back to The Leaky Cauldron together.
James and Sirius seemed to be considerably more tired than Remus, who on the contrary seemed to be very excited as he managed to get The Philosophy of the Mundane: Why the Muggles Prefer Not to Know by Professor Mordicus Egg and he was, as they walked down the rather dark street, deeply immersed in the book that he claimed to be "highly relevant and interesting".
When they reached the Leaky Cauldron, they all sat down together at the end of the long wooden table.
"Are you really spending your last day of freedom with your nose buried in that book of yours?" Sirius laughed, craning his neck to get a better look at the book, not really understanding why Remus enjoyed reading it so much.
"I suppose that's nearly impossible with the two of you around." Remus said while putting away the book, leaving a little crease in the corner, as he didn't have any bookmark to use.
"No, you're quite right about that," James agreed.
"Now, where were we," he furrowed his brows, as if he was trying really hard to remember.
"Summer holidays!" he exclaimed and a slightly crooked smile spread across his face, as he'd been looking forward to telling Sirius what he'd been up to for the last couple of months.