Unchartered Territory
by FlameDiadem
Chapter One
It was the first of September, and James Potter was about to start his sixth year at Hogwarts. He was sitting in a compartment on the train, vaguely staring out the window at Platform nine-and-three-quarters, when he heard a familiar voice behind him.
"Oy!" He turned, startled, then relaxed as he saw Sirius Black's face looming above him. "There you are. I couldn't find you for ages, and then I find you sitting in here like a zombie!"
"Har har," James said, punching his best friend's shoulder playfully as he flopped on the seat next to him. "I was just zoned. Where's Moony, and Wormtail? You run into them yet?"
"Ran into Moony on the platform," Sirius said with a lazy sigh. "He's coming, he had to go to the prefect's compartment, remember? He did say something about Wormtail, though, that he had heard he was sick or something."
"Sick what with?"
"I dunno, does it matter?" Sirius waved a hand in the air impatiently. "Point is, he's not coming in until he's better. Or something. Anyways, far more interesting and exciting…" He leaned forward conspiratorially. "Full moon in three days." James whistled under his breath.
"That soon? Man, I though for sure we'd have more time. Harsh on Moony, huh?"
"You complaining?" Sirius raised an eyebrow and grinned, his long black hair flopping lazily over his other eye. James laughed.
"Nah, 'course not. But it's been a while since I practiced transforming."
"How come?" His friend demanded. "I did mine all summer!"
"Yeah, well, a dog is slightly less noticeable then a giant stag, now isn't it?" James snapped. But he was still smiling.
"So we're on?"
"You ever had doubts?"
"Good, then," Sirius said, collapsing back on his seat in contentment. "Now if only Moony and food would show up, life would be perfect." James laughed.
"You're easily pleased, Pads." His friend grinned.
"Hey, why not? After all, we're finally heading back! And with full moon coming…"
"Let me guess," said a dry voice from the doorway. "Fun times are back again, and you're raring to go." James laughed as Remus Lupin entered the compartment and sat across from him.
"Naturally," Sirius said with a lazy shrug. "I mean, think about it, Moony. A whole year ahead of the Marauders, with no one to stop us from committing mischief galore!"
"Sounds great," Remus said dryly, "except for one little thing. You've obviously forgotten about the workload this year. Exactly how much free time do you think we're going to have, Padfoot?"
"Work," Sirius said dismissively. "Don't talk to me about work. Listen, Moony, which is more important, work or having a really good time?"
"I wouldn't think you would even have to ask Moony that one," James remarked, watching the two with amusement. "But we do have something that's in between the two to work on, if you'll recall." Sirius looked momentarily confused, then his face lit up.
"The map?" He said eagerly. James grinned and pulled a piece of parchment from his bag. He handed it over to Remus, who was also looking curious.
"Did you do anything to it over the summer?" he asked. "I suggested adding the tracking spell, but I never got a response…"
"I added that," James said, "But the problem is that we have no firm way of knowing who is even attending Hogwarts."
"Oh, yes, we do," Sirius said with a glare. "I suggested a perfectly reasonable option, but did anyone listen to me? No." Remus sighed.
"Pads, we can't attach the map to the admissions book in the Headmaster's office. We'd have to break loads of rules just to get to it, and the likelihood that we could get enough time in the room alone with it to cast that kind of a spell…" He shook his head. "No, it's much easier to just put a detection spell on it."
"But is it really?" Sirius asked. "The problem with that is that we'd get an overflow. I mean, do we really want to see every wizard who enters the castle? I doubt they all matter."
"They do too!" Remus said. "The whole point of the map is to make sure we don't get caught if we're breaking the rules, and that means by anyone. It doesn't really matter if it's a prefect, a faculty member, or anyone else. Getting caught is getting caught. And while I'm against breaking the rules in general…" He shook his head. "At least this way we can avoid expulsion."
"Putting that issue aside for now, though," James said with a small sigh, "I did add a new feature that I think you'll like. Remember how we were worried someone would come across the map and figure out that it was just invisible ink?" Te other two nodded. "Well," James said triumphantly, "That's not an issue anymore. To see the map, you have to tap it and say, 'I solemnly swear I am up to no good.'" He suited word to action. Slowly, ink appeared on the page. "Then, to hide it again, you tap it again and say 'mischief managed.'" He demonstrated again, and the ink vanished.
Sirius stared at it.
"How on earth did you manage that?" He said accusingly. "None of us could work it out at the end of the year!"
"I helped some," Remus admitted with a grin. "But it was mainly thanks to this." He pulled out a book. "I found it in Diagon Alley, in a store mainly full of used junk. But this is pure gold."
"Mischief Managed, by Trub LM Aker?" Sirius read. "What on earth… You mean to tell me that you've been researching how to break the rules, Moony?" James smirked as Remus turned pink.
"No!" He said hotly. "I just thought that it would be helpful for while we worked on the map! And I was right, it's where we found the concealing spell, and –" Remus broke off as Sirius roared with laughter. James was trying not to laugh, with very little success. Remus tried to act offended, but then lapsed into a lopsided grin.
"Well, it was helpful," he said. Just then, the food cart arrived at their compartment door. All three purchased snacks, and then sat down again. They chatted and shared the sweets all the way to Hogwarts, as the sky outside grew darker, until it was inky black. They changed into their school robes at last, Remus pinning his prefects badge carefully to his, James haphazardly attaching his Quidditch captain badge on his. When they arrived at Hogwarts, the air was clear and warm. Sirius glanced up at the almost full moon with barely disguised glee. James couldn't help but let a grin spread across his own face as they approached the castle and entered through the great double doors, heading for the Great Hall. A new year had begun at Hogwarts, and the Marauders (at least, most of them) were together once more, and ready to take on whatever life threw at them.