James Potter arrived at the King's Cross train station at 10:30 a.m. on September 1st. He pushed his trolley torward platform nine and ten. His mum put his hand on his shoulder.
"James," Sara said. "I want you to behave yourself."
James thought of his friends Sirius, Remus, and Peter. Right then knowing that he was going to lie to his mother.
"Of course Mum! What else?" James told her reasurringly. She smiled up at him. James grew a good amount over the summer and he was now much taller than his mother.
He then jogged toward the platform between nine and ten and went right through the stone wall ahead of him. When he got the the other side he looked up and gladly saw the sign that read, platform nine and three quarters.
Again, the familiar scarlet Hogwarts Express lied ahead with billows of smoke arising lazily from the smokestack. He's waited all this time and finally, he's going back to my school. James walked anxiously toward the train with his black Gryffindor robes fluttering behind him.
He climbed upon the locomotive and and walked through the hall, looking for his friends. He bumped in to a group of girls all whispering. They giggled as he passed. James was very popular at Hogwarts, esspecially with the ladies.
"Excuse me ladies," said James as he pushed past the horde of giggling girls. He finally found the booth where his best friend, Sirius Black, sat looking out the window.
Sirius looked up as James entered the booth. "Hey, Prongs, what took you so long?" He asked as he rummaged through his luggage. He pushed back his long black hair with his fingers and took out a package of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.
"Sorry, Padfoot. Got caught up with the 'rents. Where's Moony?" James asked looking around the booth. It was completly empty except for him and Sirius.
"He went to go find the snack trolley. Wormtail will be back soon. He went with him." Sirius told him. And as he said that, Remus Lupin, blonde, tall and handsome, strode into the booth, with Peter Pettigrew trailing behind him. Peter was a short little guy with shaggy brown hair. He was plumper than the rest of the Marauders.
"Hey, Moony. How have you been?" James asked Remus as he clapped him on the back.
"Not bad," Remus replied. "I missed you guys over the few days I didn't see you."
A shiny glint of red caught the corner of James' eye. Suddenly, his head shot up and he looked towards the door of the booth. Lily Evans, the most beautiful girl at Hogwarts, strolled by their booth. She twisted her light red hair in her fingers as she waited for a crowd to clear so she could get by.
James' mouth gaped open. He hasen't seen her all summer and she was looking more beautiful than ever.
"Hey Evans!" James called out.
Lily stopped mid-step and looked around to see who called her. She immediatly saw James beaming at her and sighed. "What do you want James?" She asked in an annoyed voice. "I'm trying to find a cart so make it quick."
"Hey, why don't you take a seat on papa Sirius's lap?" Said Sirius patting his lap.
She glared at him. "Because, I don't want to get my new robes all dirty with your grease and scum," Lily replied. James, Remus, and Peter all said "ohhhh!" at the same time. Sirius stuck his tounge out at her and look out the window.
"So anyway, Evans," said James, "What are you doing over this weekend? Maybe we could plan a trip to the Quidditch pitch and you could take a ride on my broom if you catch my drift?" He winked. Sirius highfived him.
Lily's eyebrows furrowed. "You disgust me," Lily spat at him. James grinned. Lily stormed away with a glare at the four of them.
"Hey, maybe you should lay off her a bit. She seems to be getting angry." Remus suggested.
"Nah, she's just playing. All's fun and games in love and war!" Sirius said.
"It's all's fair in love and war." Peter told him.
"Ack, same thing."
A couple of hours of talking about Quidditch passed and the Hogwarts Express slowed to a halt. The grounds of Hogsmeade were dark and only lit by the lightness of the moon. James took a look up at the silhouette towers of the Hogwarts castle and smiled. He's finally home.
All the first years huddled together in the darkness looking nervous. They gathered on to the boats and headed across the lake toward Hogwarts.
The Marauders got their own carriage, pulled by nothing, and headed towards the huge Hogwarts castle. They arrived at the old rickety gates in front of the castle and they slowly creaked open.
"Crap! Where did I put my chocolate frogs?!" Sirius exclaimed suddenly. "Lumos" Sirius said and his wand tip lit up. He looked though the pockets of his Gryffindor robes and finally found a small blue and gold package. "Don't worry guys! I got 'em!"
"Thank god. I don't know what we'd do without them," James said sarcastically.
The small carriage stopped abruptly and the Marauders stepped down, finally on Hogwarts ground again.
They came into the dimmed entrance hall, lit by torches hung consistanly on the walls. They saw the first years gathered on the stair case looking unsurely up at the head of Griffindor house, a stern middle aged women wearing a dark green witch's hat with matching robes, known as Minerva McGonagall.
James led the four-some up the stairs and into the Great Hall. It was a huge gold room lit by hundreds of enchanted floating candles, complete with four long tables filled with hundreds of chatting kids, and one long table facing them filled with all the professors. The center gold chair was occupied by the Head Master of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore.
The four Gryffindors found their way through the crowds of people and sat down next to eachother on a long bench, coincidentely sitting across from Lily and her best friend Emily.
"Hey babe," grinned James at Lily, leaning across the table so their noses were almost touching.
"Don't call me that," glared Lily as she leaned back away from him. "I will never, be your babe."
"Oh! Harsh. Someone's PMSing!" Sirius called out. Lily looked appauled. James thought she was going to slap him. Emily threw back her long auburn hair and instantly started to whisper and glare at Sirius.
Dumbledore stood up before everyone and as if he hit a mute button, the crowd went silent. "I welcome you again, or for the first time, to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," Dumbledore told everyone. With his long white beard and his starry blue robes he looked from table to table. "I welcome the Ravenclaws, the Hufflepuffs, the Slytherins, and the Gryffindors to join together and learn to become the best wizards or witches they can be. And just a few words before we begin our feast. Blubber, knick-nacs, and pallywags! Enjoy."
The Marauders all looked at eachother at these words and burst out laughing. With a blink of an eye, food magically appeared on the table in front of them. The feast began. Sirius dug in like a dog and Emily laughed. James looked at Emily, confused. Emily? Laughing at Sirius? Lily looked exactly the same. He decided to ignore it.
"I can't wait for Quidditch to start!" James exclaimed.
"Haven't you already had this conversation about a million times before?" Lily asked. James ignored her. She rolled her eyes.
Emily then leaned across the table over to Sirius, licked her thumb and rubbed his chin. Lily and James's eyes widend in shock. Sirius blushed and looked down.
"You had a little something," Emily muttered in response to their surprised looks. Then she just went on eating. For the rest of the time James kept shooting Sirius weird looks trying firgure out what was going on. Sirius wouldn't look at him. James looked at Remus who was looking just as confused. Remus shrugged.
When the feast ended, the Marauders walked through the hall towards the Fat Lady portrait. James looked at Sirius who was still trying not to look them in the eyes.
"Hey, Padfoot. Is their something going on with you and Emily?" James asked.
Sirius twiddled his thumbs and looked straight ahead, not meeting their eyes. "No," he said, still beet red.
Remus put his hand on Sirius' shoulder and stopped him from walking. "You're lying. I can tell," he said. "There is something going on. Just tell us. You can trust us!"
Sirius finally looked up at them and said, "I know that. It's just... Well... Okay fine. I'll tell you in the common room."
They climbed the stone steps leading to Gryffindor tower, no one talking when they reached the Fat Lady.
"Ginger cookies." Remus said and the Fat Lady portrait swung open. When they got in, there wasn't anyone there.
"Perfect," said Peter. "We're alone."
The four looked around the large common room lined with red and gold and took their usual seat by the fire.
"Okay, spill it." said Peter with an eager look in his eyes waiting to know what he did with Emily.
"YOU WHAT?" James yelled. Sirius blushed and looked down.
"It was one time! And besides, it didn't really mean anything. It's not like were going out or anything. I don't even like her that much," said Sirius.
Remus stood up looking flustered.
"Okay, so you screw this girl after knowing her for what, an hour? What a Sirius thing to do," James said grinning.
Remus smacked his hand to his face and started to mutter angry words under his breath. Sirius put on a little frown.
"Well, you know. We were partying. No one really knew what they were doing. Everyone was drunk anyways. I guess I just got a little carried away," said Sirius.
"Carried away?" said Remus. "You had sex with this girl you barely knew!"
Remus looked angry, confused, worried, sad, and flustered all at the same time. He kept sitting down and standing up again repeatedly, sometimes pacing a little around the room. The other three could only hear some of the words he was muttering, "Bloody hell. Immature- Stupid- How could he do this?"
Sirius sighed. "Well, come on guys! Cut me some slack! It's not like we both didn't enjoy it." Sirius said grinning and looking down again.
Remus sat down for the final time and James patted Sirius' back grinning broadly.