Two figures came rushing through platform 9 ¾, trunks crashing against each other's legs. On closer inspection, they looked windswept and tired and one of them was carrying a bag full of the contents of a joke shop.

'Damn it!' said one of them.

The scarlet, gleaming Hogwart's Express was leaving! Plumes of smoke issued from the funnel and the train was slowly gathering momentum.

These two figures rushed towards the closest carriage.

'Let us in! shouted one of them, banging desperately against a window. The train was now moving, slowly, but it was still moving and in a few seconds it would be off, streaking through the countryside. A sallow, menacing face, framed with a crop of oily black hair, grinned from a carriage near the middle of the train.

'Come on!' yelled one.

'The slimeball!' muttered another darkly.

The door of the last carriage was wrenched open and they toppled into it. Looking exhausted but elated with their luck, they got up and grinned as the train left the station.

'Oh my God! We actually made it,' said James Potter breathlessly, holding his side but stowing away his trunk at the same time.

'We only lost a frying frisbee and… some fireworks. Sorry Mr Filibuster,' came another, much calmer, voice of Sirius Black, who was rooting through the contents of his bag. He already sounded bored, as if he wished they had overslept another few seconds.

'I need to think of a suitable, let's say… punishment for Snivelly,' said Sirius.

James and Sirius had completely forgotten that somebody had opened the carriage door for them; they were now in a compartment.

'So we don't even get a thank you. We saved you around a 100 detentions and a howler from Mrs Potter, and what do we get… nothing,' said a voice with a long suffering but happy tone to it.

'Moony, Wormtail!'

The boys hugged each other; 2 months without all the Marauders had been very boring. Even when Sirius came round for dinner, James still found that he was sometimes bored. He had missed the excitement of the full moon coming around.

'We're waiting,' said Remus Lupin.

'Oh yeah, thanks!' James and Sirius chorused.

Remus began, 'We took the back compartment for a reason you know. Three years in a row, must be a record.'

'We got the worst choice of food too; the trolley comes here last,' piped in Peter.

'Sorry,' said James, playacting innocence, whose effect was ruined slightly by winking.

'Anyway, no harm done! Let's get to business. Snivelly up there was snivelling at us for almost missing the train. What do we have to say about that?' announced Sirius.

'Not again!' said Remus and Peter simultaneously.

'WHAT?' exclaimed Sirius.

'Remember last time we… or rather YOU ganged up on Snivel…Snape,' said Lupin, eyes full of worry.

'Oh, come on. It was his own curiosity that made him go to the shack. And it is not as if anything happened, Prongs pulled him out just fine. And if he died, it's not as if anyone'd miss him.'

'I think… Oh forget it! Just be more careful.'

'Coming James?' said Sirius, with a glazed look on his face…as if he was already visualising the attack on Snape.

During the conversation, James had been running his hands through his hair, making it messier than usual. He was thinking…which was very unusual. He usually did things on impulse.

'I dunno. It's just that…we might end up doing something bad again. I hate the Slimeball and all that but I don't want him dead.' Seeing the look of horror on Sirius's face, he hastily added, 'and I don't want any detentions straight away.'

After a moments pause, Sirius said, 'Come on! It might be our only chance for a few hours before the Slytherin prefects set out. Please!' pleaded Sirius. Slytherin 5th years were still a threat even if they themselves were in their 7th year. All people from the other houses worshipped James so they weren't a problem. The only thing was that they didn't know which house the head girl and boy were from.

James could see the shock of his own hesitation in Sirius's face.

'OK,' he said in an overly resigned voice, which couldn't quite completely mask a tone of excitement.

In the corner, Remus shook his head, knowing what would happen next as James and Sirius went out of the compartment.