Hello all, Just a quick note before we start this sure to be amazing fan fiction. This particular story will be a joint effort between myself, Lori, and my dearest friend, Shelby. We will be using those names, alas, so if you were expecting some extra cool, super fly computer names, we're sorry to disappoint. Anywho, this will be a story mainly focused around the Marauders, and James and Lily (and of course, a little Snape). We will mostly be writing alternating chapters, but if one of us has a brainstorm, we will post perhaps, more then one chapter at a time. So don't worry, if in the end one of us has written more then the other; that's okay. We will probably be discussing most of what happens in class anyway (what else would we be doing?) so we agree that no matter what, we will take joint credit; no more to either person.

Anywho, let's get this starting: Bearing in mind neither of us has actually written a fan fiction before!

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James ruffled his rather untidy hair, to a point where if one were asked to describe it, the word "haystack" springs to mind. But, it seemed, that his hair was of no concern any of the other three teenager's who were sitting beside him, talking excitedly, to one another. They were a little different, these boys, seemingly normal teens, sitting in a carriage to themselves, on a rather red train headed to an extremely elite school. Hogwarts was it's name. And while I did say Hogwarts was an elite school, I do not, of course mean that it was one where academic achievements were noted, or to get in you needed a rather large stash of money. By elite, I mean simply only those with wizarding abilities were sent a letter asking their acceptance.

Now, one would of course assume this would be a large matter, and perhaps most of us would suppose that the topics of conversation would revolve around magical abilities, or perhaps spells, or maybe even broomsticks (one of the most popular means of transportation in the wizarding world). But, strangely enough, these boys were on a topic most 16 year old males somehow always end up on: Girls.

"I mean, I really don't think she likes me," said James, once again ruffling his hair, perhaps thinking that it had miraculously grown flat within the last few minutes. "And it's weird, I mean, I could ask any girl, any girl and they'd go out with me in a heartbeat ! What's so different about her?". He slumped angrily back in his seat, obviously confused greatly with the aspect that not every single female would be willing hit with the bat-bogey hex just to be seen holding hands with him.

"Hmph, maybe she's just not your girl, mate" mused the boy sitting opposite of James. If one had been listening carefully to the words being exchanged within the carriage for the last hour or so, one would know that his friends had repeatedly called him "Padfoot".

"Or maybe, she's not just, what were the words? Oh yes 'any girl'" the boy called Moony grinned, looking up momentarily from a fairly large book that took up most of his lap. "Maybe you ought to know by now that Lily Evans doesn't seem inclined to be one either".

James, or rather "Prongs", frowned, annoyed by his friends answers. "Yes, well, that's all great and everything, but, what can I do about it. I mean, do you" and he said the last words very quietly, as if saying them at an audible level would make them true, "do you think she likes someone … else?"

"Well, she did hang around with Snape…" the rather smaller, and pudgy boy called Wormtail said, just as quietly.

Prongs actually reached for his wand. "Oh, what I couldn't do to him. It's bad enough he exists, but why on earth would he think he even stands a chance with her" he spat, looking angry at simply the mention of the other boy's name.

Padfoot growled. "I know what you mean" he said, seeming strained now to sit down. "Hey, has anyone actually seen Snape yet?" he asked, looking out the compartment window, as if the boy Snape would appear instantly when someone called his name.

"I haven't seen him, and I've been on prefect duty" Moony said, emphasizing the word "prefect".

"Yeah, well, doesn't mean he's not here, does it?"

Moony rolled his eyes at Padfoot.

"No, I suppose it doesn't. But it also doesn't mean you have to search him out…"

"Oh, don't let that Prefect badge weigh you down, I mean it's been a whole summer.." Prongs said excitedly, jumping up.

"Yeah," agreed Padfoot, getting up as well, drawing his wand. "And a rather boring one at that. Prongs and I only had ourselves to jinx, and that gets really boring after a while, considering we're both really predictable…"

"Yes, and… don't you remember what Snape called Lily at the end of last year?" Wormtail squeaked quietly.

The carriage fell silent at his words, even Prefect Moony's eyebrows knit together in anger.

"Yeah" said James quietly. "We haven't forgotten".

In true fact, this was one of the more prominent reasons James couldn't wait to return to school this year. While other students, had perhaps, complained about the work they'd been assigned over the holidays, or stressed about the results of their OWLs and NEWTs, he had on the other hand, been waiting, silently plotting on how best to get back at Snape, the one who had dared called Lily Evans, the smartest, funniest, most beautiful girl at Hogwarts a mudblood. And, even after she had attempted to help him. The slimeball, the little snot, he deserved it. If no one else did, he deserved it.

"Lets go," he hissed, opening the door of the carriage. Padfoot followed him eagerly, looking forward to causing a bit of trouble, any trouble.

Moony looked at his friends intently, then sighed. He had long ago concluded that once Prongs and Padfoot decided to do something (and this had obviously unsettled Prongs deeply, even if Padfoot was a little too blind to see it) there was nothing he could do to stop them. Even as the Prefect badge shined, intimidating, from his chest, he knew he couldn't hold then back. No amount of detentions had ever, or ever would concern them.

"Well, I have duties to attend to, if you'll excuse me" Moony said, at the very least hoping the tone made them feel bad enough not to kill Snape, then headed off in the opposite direction of where he assumed Snape was sitting, so as to avoid the conflict. Because he, even if he knew that they were breaking the rules, and even if he understood that as a prefect he should know better, he figured that even he wouldn't be able to resist firing a few hex's at Snape, just as pay back for what he did to Lily.

"I think I'd better stay here… and… umm… look after the trunks…" Wormtail squeaked his excuse, but there was no need, as Prongs and Padfoot had already left, slamming the door closed.

Padfoot was practically skipping down the train, grinning broadly as people waved to pair of them, or said hello. The Marauder's happened to have a little bit of a fan group, everyone (Gryffindors, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs) enjoyed their random sporadic practical-jokes, laughing loudly, and high-fiving them as they left the scene, while others (teachers, and Slytherins of course) got annoyed easily, and it had resulted that the four of them were split up as much as possible. Although, they seemed to give up, the teachers, after realizing it helped nothing. Prongs managed a strained smile at a few, otherwise trying to keep his temper down, at least a bit. He deserved this, Snape. But it didn't mean he had to kill the boy. Not yet anyway.. He wouldn't get expelled. Not for Snape. No, defiantly not for Snape.

"Ooooo there he is !" whispered Padfoot, pointing ahead, looking as if he had just received the World Quidditch Cup.

And sure enough, in the very last compartment, sitting alone and looking blankly out the window, was Severus Snape. His long hair had grown even longer, and it seemed, to have grown even greasier as well. His robes were on already, and looked to be the same ones he had worn for years, as the hem was much too short, and the snake representing Slytherin on his chest seemed faded.

"Welcome back, Snivellus" Prongs sneered, opening the door and holding up his wand, feeling Padfoot beside him do the same.

Snape had just pulled out his own when a voice yell to Prongs left, about 7 feet away,

"JAMES THOMAS POTTER, PUT DOWN THAT WAND !"

** Note, I know "Thomas" isn't James actual middle name, but I couldn't find his middle name, nor his father's first, so thus, for the use of this fanfiction; it's "Thomas".**