Finally, seventh year had arrived. The Marauders entered the scarlet steam dragon, ready to begin the final chapter of their Hogwarts saga. They walked down the corridor, mysteriously loosing Peter along the way. When they walked into the compartment, they saw Lily, Annalisa, and Rachael.
"Evans, Carter, Leighla," James said, addressing Lily, Annalisa, and Rachael respectively. He moved to the seat in front of Lily.
"Potter," Lily replied with a sniff, turning away from the boys to stare out the window.
"What has her knickers in a twist?" Sirius asked, collapsing unceremoniously into the seat across from Annalisa. She rolled her violet-blue eyes and tossed her ash-blonde hair over her shoulder.
"The usual. Potter must have done something to set her off again." Lily harrumphed and turned farther from the group.
"May I sit here, Rachael?" Remus asked politely, gesturing to the seat across from her. She nodded, her deep brown curls bouncing. There was a strange emotion in her baby blue eyes, though Remus couldn't decipher it.
The six teenagers remained relatively quiet on the ride to the school, through the Sorting, and the Welcome Feast. Only when Professor Dumbledore stood up and asked all Seventh Years to stay behind did any of the six teenagers pay any attention.
"Why would he ask us to stay behind?" Lily asked Annalisa. "We have to show the First Years to the dorms. Oh, I hope the prefects remember the password…" She trailed off, her green eyes trained longingly on the Great Hall's door. Annalisa was shocked to see that Lily was about to disobey a teacher's direct order.
"Lil, the prefects know what they're doing," Annalisa said gently, laying her hand on the other girl's arm. Lily nodded absent-mindedly.
"You're right of course, Anna," Lily said. Just then, Professor Dumbledore gained everyone's attention, effectively stopping all conversation.
"Students, I'm going to get straight to the point. The Ministry has decided that Hogwarts students need to learn about marriage and families. To placate them, this year's Seventh Years, you all, will participate in a Marriage and Family Class in which you will 'get married' to a fellow student and go through the ups and downs of marriage. Before you ask, Professor Alabaster has picked your partners." Dumbledore gestured to a young woman with strawberry blonde hair.
"Hello students," Professor Alabaster spoke with a bell voice. "I will be reading out the partner names now. Boys, please sit at the girl's House table," she said, opening a scroll of parchment.
"Melissa Vadas and Blake Lugen." The two rose from the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw tables, respectively, and accepted their rings before retiring to the Gryffindor table.
"Marcia Taylor and Severus Snape."
"Darla Ryen and Mark Ingeme."
"Linda Ibsen and Jonathan Aggerlane." By now, everyone realized that Professor Alabaster was calling the partners by the girl's House.
"Lily Evans and James Potter." They both rose, Lily looking murderous and James looking delighted. Professor Alabaster quickly moved on to the Hufflepuffs, making Annalisa sit up and pay attention.
"Alice Padmore and Frank Longbottom."
"Lynn Nagy and Garrett Hunter."
"Lindsey Hackett and Trevor Milane."
"Rhiannon Daley and Forrest Greceau." Annalisa held her breath, knowing she was next.
"Annalisa Carter and Sirius Black," Anna sucked in a breath. Of course she had to get stuck with the worst prat in the school. She stood up, squaring her shoulders and trudging to the front of the Great Hall like a prisoner to the gallows. Anna and Sirius exchanged rings before going to the Hufflepuff table.
"Carmen Jackson and Myles Paulson," Professor Alabaster went through the rest of the students before addressing the group. "Now that you all are married, today's lesson is over. We will have class once a week on Friday mornings. I will see you Friday. Everyone go to your own dormitories, and please don't unpack until after our next class." Anna immediately rose from the Hufflepuff and walked toward Lily and Rachael by the Ravenclaw table.
"This is going to be a long year," Lily said, and the other two nodded in agreement before going to their respective dormitories.