Author's Note: Wow, it's been a while since I've written anything. I sorta just didn't feel inspired at all. I bet those muses have been winning all-expense paid vacations again without inviting me. That, or they just hate me.

Um, pretty much, you don't need to know anything before going into this one, other than that it's set in the Marauders' time.

My OC is Alice. You'll meet her.

Review, and you'll get Chapter Two faster. You know the drill, I'm sure

Ships: James/Sevy, Siri/Remie, and possibly more to come. It all depends on the reviews, ma friends.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter series, nor any of the characters, though I hear there are these utopian websites where you can publish knock offs online. Oh wow! Here we are!

The Life and Tomfoolery of the Marauders

Chapter One

Flashback: First Year

James Potter regarded the brick wall before him with excitement, masked, of course, with an air of superiority. He looked to his best friend, standing beside him as he had always imagined he would, and wheeled his cart around to face the wall.

"Bet you can't do it at a walk," Sirius whispered challengingly in James's ear.

"Two galleons," James held his hand out, taking the bet.

Both boys ended up chickening out, but it was just their first time. They'd still have six more chances with the bulwark at platform 9 ¾ to become the infamous Marauders, who have become legendary at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Once on the other side, they sauntered the corridors of the train, using their reputations to force past any other first years, already christened as inferior, and stood aside only for witches (at whom James winked) and upperclassmen.

Their (rather ceremonial) march ended when they reached a compartment they deemed satisfactory.

"It's just near enough to the back that we'll get the trolly fast enough," said Sirius.

"And not so near that we'll be bothered by unruly seventh years," nodded James.

Sirius grinned, the adrenaline of this adventure, their first time on the Hogwarts Express, rushed through him. He pulled open the door to the compartment, but his face immediately turned sour; it was occupied.

While Sirius was disappointed, James grinned. "Well if it isn't Miss Evans," he stepped in and greeted the young red head.

Lily turned her head away from the window, ready to be amiable to whoever had greeted her, but looked slightly disappointed when she saw James and Sirius. "Hi, James. Sirius. How was your summer?"

"Fine," Sirius turned to leave, but James caught his sleeve.

"Mind if we sit here, Lily?" James was already sitting.

"Um, I suppose not, but Se—someone is already sitting here, if you're okay with that."

"Of course, any friend of yours is a friend of mine," James smiled sweetly at her.

"Um, mate?" Sirius sat down, but remained facing the door. "Didn't we have that other person to go find or something?"

"Why—oh." James turned to the door too, and saw who Lily had been expecting: Severus Snape. Of course, James had only briefly met him; when he had been following Lily around and the two of them saw him Lily would pause and greet him politely.

Severus held a hand out and tried to greet the two of them, and James looked at it musingly, looked up at Severus's face, and turned back to Lily.

"Sirius is right. We should go." James turned, pushed past Severus, and lead Sirius into the hallway.

--

James had made a choice, and was damn happy with it. Life was good. He had three close friends, and as he faced platform 9 ¾ for his sixth time, he smiled in anticipation. Sure, he saw them plenty in the summer, but there was something different about seeing them at school. Oh yea, no parents.

His grin grew as he and Sirius took the wall at a walk, together. On the other side, he and Sirius looked around for their missing companions.

"There they are," James absent-mindedly flipped his hair out of the way, and pointed across the crowd.

"Remie! Wormy!" Sirius skipped off away from James after their friends.

"Hey guys, wow, you have changed so much." Remus dropped his bags to man-hug Sirius and then, in turn, James.

"Yea, from like, three days ago? I'm sure you missed me very much." Sirius picked his bags up. "Come on, let's get a seat."

"Two stunningly beautiful and amazingly competent witches approached the platform for their sixth time," Alice Troves stood, arms akimbo, with Lily Evans at the train station.

"Lacy," Lily positioned her cart to face the wall. "Stop narrating. You'll scare the muggles."

"Sev would let me." Alice also positioned her cart, and the girls went through to the platform.

"Where is he anyway?" Alice asked.

"He's probably late. Again. Let's just go get a compartment before they're all full." Lily led the way to the train to load their things, and they got on.

Quickly finding an empty compartment, they sat and started chatting. Severus Snape joined them shortly, rather quiet.

"So…what? No hug, not even a box of chocolates?" Unlike the Marauders, Alice didn't get a chance to see her friends every day over the summer, and was a little mad that Severus wasn't talking much with them.

"Sorry, Alice." Severus sighed. "How was your summer?"

"Fine. I pestered my brothers, swam, and tried to introduce my mom to Pink Floyd. Dad was gone most of the time." Alice lived in a pureblood wizarding family, though that fact was known to few: specifically, the two people in the compartment with her. It wasn't obvious that her family had such high standing; she kept it private at school, and the knowledge of her four younger brothers brought to most people's minds that she was a mudblood.

"How was your summer, Lil?" Alice knew better than to ask Severus. He was even more guarded when it came to the discussion of family than Alice.

"It was great. Mum, Dad and I went to America and visited family. Or distant relatives, or acquaintances, or someone. They were people I had never met, but it was really fun. And I win that bet, Lace. Mum now both listens to and adores the Weird Sisters."

Severus retreated back to his own thoughts as he watched Alice hand Lily some coins.

"We need to come back with a bang, Siri." James reclined in the empty compartment they found, propping his feet up on the opposite bench, forcing Sirius to scoot towards Remus.

"Prongsie, of course! But stop cramming me against dear old Mooney awkwardly. I don't do awkward." Sirius didn't move back when James moved his legs.

"So, wait. Are you guys like, together now?" Peter was slower, though James seemed relieved at the request for clarification.

Remus shifted in his seat.

"Yes." Sirius put his hand on Remus's thigh, and turned to look at him mock-seductively. Remus pretended to swoon, but failed to keep a straight face.

"Bravo, bravo!" James and Peter clapped at their production.

"So, what do you have in mind for this stunning return, Prongsie?"

"Well, that's why I asked you guys. We're the Marauders for a reason you know; if I could do it myself, I would."

"But you wouldn't be nearly as admired if you didn't have us," Remus said.

"So true, Moony," Sirius put his arm around Remus' shoulders thoughtfully.

"Well, the prank should be something that everyone will notice, right? So it should be something that everyone has their attention on during the feast." Peter started strategizing.

"The professors' table?" Remus suggested.

"Too obvious. The first years." Sirius had his devious smile on.

"But we could actually get in trouble for that one, especially if one got hurt and their parents found out." Peter's prudence may have been the only thing that kept the group from being seriously reprimanded and punish thus far. The fact that they went undetected was thanks to the guile of the others.

"Well…the Sorting Hat, then?" As soon as James said it, he realized how clever it was. He grinned with anticipation.

"The hat it is." All four boys smiled at each other, and planned the specifics.

"Hey Sev, we're here." Lily shook Severus's shoulder. He had fallen asleep just a short time after they had all gone to change into their robes. He woke softly at Lily's touch, and gathered his things.

"Oh god. Sorting." He wrinkled his nose in disgust at the thought of the ceremony as they unloaded their things and walked towards the "horseless" carriages. "More first years added to Slytherin."

Alice nodded. "Which, of course, means that the Death Eaters will swarm like vultures to recruit. It happens in Hufflepuff to."

"There are Hufflepuff Death Eaters?" Lily was surprised. She knew that there were Gryffindor Death Eaters, but they were valued for their bravery and willingness to kill. She also knew of a few Ravenclaw supporters, and obviously Slytherin, but she had never thought a Hufflepuff could be so treacherous.

"Yea, apparently we're more evil than the world would think." She gave a mischievous smile.

"Oh goodness…" Severus shared an uneasy glance with Lily. Alice just turned and looked out the window, still smiling.

The Marauders' carriage arrived at the castle, and the four unloaded from the carriage. As they filtered in to the Great Hall with the rest of the student body and took their seats at the Gryffindor table, the familiar, annual feeling of comfort came over them. Dumbledore took his spot and everyone prepared for his speech.

"Welcome to all. For those of you here for your first time, I am Professor Dumbledore, and this is Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." He spread his arms out, motioning to the entire castle and grounds. "I hope that you will all be very comfortable here."

Dumbledore continued on with the usual rules and introduced teachers, and finally motioned to Professor McGonagall to bring out the Sorting Hat.

The four Gryffindors shifted in anticipation, carefully watching the hat.

--

Author's Note 2: Review, that's all I have to say. I've already got Chapter 2 started, but I refuse to post until I have at least a review or a decent number of readers. Even if you hated it, review. I don't mind flames, so long as you're willing to say it to my "face". I'd also like to know how many of you want me to continue my Voldemort fic or my Draco fic.

A. Conscience