James lay on his four poster bed lazily, his legs swinging off the edge, his shoes and socks lay on the floor beside him, his tie, with his head boy badge pinned to it at an awkward angle, was hanging off the end of one of the posts. His three best friends lounged in assorted positions on their own beds. On the bed opposite his Sirius Black lay on his front, idly brush his dark hair out of his face, James had long since given up with his, knowing that, regardless of what he attempted to do with it, it would return to a scruffy mop within seconds. Beside him Remus Lupin sat, his head firmly within their latest Defence Against The Dark Arts text book, nodding occasionally and saying yes and no in the right places in order to ensure he still appeared to be paying attention to the conversation his roommates were having.
The fourth bed in the room was occupied by a smaller boy, his nose was slightly pointed and his hair mousy. He was also rounder than his friends, and was sat in the centre of his bed, legs crossed, hanging onto every word exchanged between Sirius and James, who were discussing that evening's top conversation; Quidditch.
"Well, mate, you are Captain, if we lose to Slytherin this year it will all be your fault."
"It wouldn't!" Peter, the smallest boy, squeaked slightly. Whilst he had always showed great admiration for Sirius, he practically adored James, and would never hear a word said against him. Unless it was by someone taller than him, clever than him, in a different house from him, older than him, or, the only one of the above that Sirius actually fitted; by someone more than five foot away from him.
"And why's that Peter? Become a Quidditch expert over the summer?"
"Well….well there's seven players on a team, not just one!"
"Very clever, I'd throw you a treat if I had any." He smirked, James laughed, Remus sniggered from behind his book, Peter himself even found the joke mildly amusing. Remus glanced over at them once the brief laughter had subsided.
"Did you find Dumbledore Prongs?"
"Yeah, didn't get a chance to speak to him though, he was talking to Lily and…" He paused, a smile on his lips. James had been in love with Lily for the past three years. Something the whole school had noticed, possibly owing to his frequent habit of asking her out. It was something he did at least once daily. Twice if there was a Hogsmeade trip coming up. Unfortunately for James, Lily wasn't in love with him, far from it. In fact, Lily was possibly the only girl in the school who wasn't in love with James Potter. With the exception of a rather unusual third year, who was madly in love with Sirius and would follow him around corridors dreamily until James physically removed her from his best friend's presence. Generally by locking her in bathrooms or cupboards until Sirius was a good few corridors away. He would then point her in the wrong direction and hope she wouldn't find them again for a few hours.
"He was talking to Lily, and what?" Sirius asked, a grin playing on his lips.
"Oh, um, and I didn't want to interrupt. Too early in the year to be getting hexed."
"She wouldn't hex you in front of Dumbledore." Remus pointed out, closing the text book and adding to a tidy stack beside his bed. Sirius hadn't yet unpacked his books, Peter had, although his stack had tumbled over almost immediately after he had made it and so the books now lay in an untidy heap. James' books were also in an untidy heap, mixed in with several pairs of socks, a quill or five, ink bottles, rolls of parchment and various other items which had been flung untidily from his trunk in search for a large box of Chocolate Frogs, the contents of which were now strewn about the dormitory, wrappers discarded and the cards portraying famous witches and wizards which lay within them flung carelessly from one friend to another as they searched for the few cards they had still yet to obtain.
"I don't know Moony, Lily isn't all that fond of our Prongs. Don't think she'd pass up an opportunity to tell him so, even in front of Dumbledore. After all, our esteemed headmaster is awfully fond of Lily, made her head girl an' everything. But then again-" He sat himself up and flung a Chocolate Frog card with Hengist of Woodcroft on at James. "He must be starting to lose his marbles, making dear James head boy an' all that."
"Maybe he thinks it'll straighten him out." Remus added in thoughtfully.
"It won't of course."
"Of course not." James said, a look of mischief about him.
"Perfect opportunity for some maraudering, don't you think?"
"Perfectly acceptable to be out of bed after hours-"
"If the head boy's with you-"
"Unless, of course-"
"Unless?" Remus asked, clearly enjoying James and Sirius' pre-term plotting.
"Unless James' dear Lily flower was to catch us."
"Ah, of course." Remus nodded. "Of course."
"Because that, Moony my friend, would find our much required head boy running for the hills, before little Lily can catch up with him."
"And hex him into the middle of next week?"
"And hex him into the middle of next month, Moony, next month."
"Or maybe-" James interrupted. Sirius eyed him curiously.
"Maybe?"
"Maybe Lily won't hex me at all this year. Maybe this year she'll say yes."
"And maybe this year Padfoot won't get a single detention."
"And maybe this year Wormtail'll get a date."
"Do you think?" Peter asked, hope etched in his face. His fellow marauders couldn't help laughing. Sirius tumbled off his bed and landed in a heap beside his trunk, still laughing. James flung his pillow at him and the sound of laughter echoed throughout the room for the rest of that evening.
