(A/N) I'll be quickly hopping over the next couple of years a bit because I feel the ones leading up to the Marauder's graduation will be quiet ones now.


September 1975 to December 1975

James Potter, Severus Snape and Sirius Black successfully became Animagi during the early parts of their fifth year. James was a stag whom they named 'Prongs.' Severus was a black panther named 'Shadow' while Sirius became a large black boarhound named 'Padfoot.' To their surprise, Lily showed up as they were getting ready to run with Remus aka 'Moony' during one of his full-moon transformations. When they objected on the grounds that she couldn't run with them as a human because of the wolf's temperament towards people, she promptly transformed into a red haired fox. She was eventually named 'Vixen' despite her protestations.

Severus began submitting his work in advanced Potioneering to be reviewed and published. His advancements in the properties of pain-relievers for those suffering from Dark Curses eventually led to being offered an apprenticeship with Damocles Belby who was attempting to find a curative for the Lycanthropy problem.

January 1976 to June 1976

The pranking perpetrated by the Marauders dropped to nearly nothing during the final ramp-up to their OWL tests. The boys did pull off a few minor episodes just to relieve tensions but didn't target anyone or any house in particular. The "Color Explosion of '76" was a big hit when the boys along with some quiet help from Lily setup a bunch of balloons that would drop at a predetermined time during breakfast. A curious first year tried popping a balloon only to be covered in a bright dusting of purple. This led to others trying and achieving a similar result but in random colors and effects. The only ones who didn't try to join in were the Slytherins though they did get some of the blowback when some idiot tried to dispel the colorful dusting with a Ventus charm.


September 1976 to December 1976

Lily began to emulate Severus and got a few papers published in Charms Quarterly after working with Professor Flitwick. She and James began actively dating each other when James finally stopped with the antics and settled down. She credited this change in behavior to the ongoing good relations between him and Severus. Severus in the meantime, branched out in whom he accompanied to Hogsmeade. By early December he had a steady girlfriend from Ravenclaw that he was frequently seen talking to and working with in Potions class.

January 1977 to June 1977

Remus finally came to terms with his parents regarding his medical condition. His mother unfortunately passed away during the month of May and during the next full moon, the wolf howled its anguish to the world. He was fortunate though that the rest of the Marauders were there to commiserate and keep him company. To take his mind off of the funeral arrangements and the general feelings of depression, Remus got a job in the muggle world as an assistant grocery shopkeeper. To his never-ending chagrin, whenever he and the others would get together, Sirius would always twig him about how hilarious it was to have a werewolf working in the meat department.


September 1977 to December 1977

It was the start of the final year for the Marauders at Hogwarts and they were determined to firmly cement their legacy into the annals of the school's history. Pranks were plotted and planned. Various potions, charms and runic arrays were researched and prepared. Petunia had suggested that during all of this planning, one of the team ought to be writing everything down in a journal of some sort. When asked why, she replied that at the end of their education and subsequent graduation wouldn't it be nice to hide the book somewhere amongst the books in the library for another generation of Marauders to find and use as a basis for their own mayhem and chaos?

January 1978 to August 1978

During a lovely spring excursion to Hogsmeade, James Charles Potter proposed to Lily Marie Evans. She playfully left him hanging for a few moments as his face got redder and redder from pained embarrassment. She finally relented and accepted to the cheers of the assembled crowd.

Remus had been selected as the secretary to write down and compile all of the Marauders' work over the past seven years. It took the collective effort to hunt down and compare their notes and whatnot but by the middle of August, a nicely bound and signed book called "The Marauders Compendium of Pranks, Pratfalls and General Chaos" was secretly placed within the stacks of the Great Library. The Marauder's Map was altered to lead those who were able to access its secrets and operation to the location of said book.

The map itself was secreted away behind a portrait of themselves that was hung in the back corner of the Gryffindor Common Room.


June 1978

Lily Evans, her boyfriend and fiancé James Potter, Severus Snape and Remus Lupin along with the rest of the Class of 1978 graduated from Hogwarts School Witchcraft and Wizardry. In attendance of this event were Petunia and her newly married husband Vernon Dursley and her parents, Marigold and Harold Evans.

Petunia Dursley nee Evans married Vernon Dursley in a quiet church wedding attended by a small group of friends and family. He immediately started a new job as Sales Representative for Grunnings Drills while she rose to the rank of Deputy Director of the Muggle Liaison Office, the youngest person to hold that title to date. Her guidebook, 'The Muggleborn's Guide to the Magical World' hit shelves in the beginning of the year to wide acclaim and was rapidly rising to the top of the bestseller list. The new First Contact Guidelines she had developed with the help of her coworkers, friends and family were due to become required reading and training material for the Aurors and Obliviator Squads in the next couple of days. Her training seminars for the witch or wizard who wished to interact with the muggle world had a three-month waiting list.

When the ceremony finished and the graduates were congratulated, they dispersed into the crowd of waiting family and friends. Petunia gave her younger sister a warm hug and did the same for the rest of the Marauders.

"So what's on your agenda for the future, Lily?"

"I want to take a year off and just zone out," Lily deadpanned, "Maybe go on a global vacation of random portkeys and destinations."

James laughed and hugged his girlfriend, "That sounds like a wonderful idea though I think we should stop by Potter Manor so you can see where you'll be living once we're married." Lily blushed at that.

Vernon inquired of the others what their plans were. Remus replied that he was planning on getting his Mastery in Defense and perhaps getting his teaching credentials. Sirius hadn't a clue as to what he wanted to do long-term but was planning on doing something similar to what Lily and James had in mind though not for another couple of months.

"Amazing as it sounds, I've been tentatively offered the position of being an Assistant Professor, teaching next year's induction to the Wizarding Studies class," he told the group.

Severus had plans to go onto getting his Mastery in Potions, "I've been talking with Slughorn and he's promised to help me get my Mastery and then introduce me to the Experimental Potions Department within the Ministry as well as a couple of other companies in Europe and the United States. Then of course, there's that internship with Mr. Belby in regards to that new werewolf potion he's been rumored to have been working on."

Marigold turned to James who was snuggling her youngest daughter, "What about you James? What are your plans?"

James shrugged, "Dunno. I'll probably find something. My dad's been starting to discuss the possibility of me taking over some of the less critical family obligations and businesses around the world."

No one mentioned Peter Pettigrew. He had briefly rejoined the Marauders but then vanished from the school in the middle of 1976. No word as to the reason for it but the rumor mill had it that he had fallen in with the remnants of Voldemort's Death Eaters and gotten killed in battle.


In the intervening years between 1974 and now, the magical world was rapidly healing itself from the aftermath of the Blood War between the Dark wizard Tom Riddle aka Lord Voldemort and his group of magical terrorists, the Death Eaters.

Despite Albus Dumbledore's best efforts to keep things quiet, all the secrets had been brought to light in a post-mortem trial about the man (or demon depending on who you talked to) who rose to power including all of his darkest secrets in his quest for immortality. It had become quite the circus especially when it came to be known that Albus knew what kind of person Tom Riddle was prior to the start of school when the then Deputy Headmaster delivered young Tom's acceptance letter at Wool's Orphanage. Questions were then raised against the Chief Warlock about why he had decided to keep information away from the very department within the Ministry tasked with keeping the magical world safe from Dark threats.

Albus' answer was the usual 'It was for The Greater Good.' Those in charge did not accept this and so a whole new investigation was begun, this time into Albus' past. As of Lily's graduation, the investigation was still ongoing.

The investigation and subsequent trial of Albus Dumbledore lasted nearly two years and resulted in his loss of the positions of Headmaster, Chief Warlock and Supreme Mugwump. His relationship with Gellert Grindlewald came to light to the shock and horror of many. His belief and implementation of Grindlewald's concept of the Greater Good through the quiet manipulation of the hearts and minds of impressionable children stunned and horrified both sides of the political arena. He was convicted of multiple counts of fraud, embezzlement, and the murder of several heirs of prominent bloodlines as well as multiple uses of the Unforgiveables. This last one was a shock to many when it was revealed that it was his Killing Curse that murdered his Obscurial sister.

As part of his trial and after being found guilty of many crimes against the magical world, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore was declared by a panel of seven to be a Dark Lord. After his conviction and sentence of life without the possibility of parole and during the transport to the prison island of Azkaban, Albus Dumbledore slipped his bonds and his jailors and escaped into the wilds.


October 1979

"Hey, Lily! Happy Halloween!" exclaimed Petunia as she greeted her sister and her husband to her new home in Surrey, "Come on in and make yourselves comfortable. Vernon's got the card table set up and I've got some firewhiskey decanted, fruit juices and Butterbeer chilling."

"Hello, Tuni and thank you though I'll have to pass on the alcohol for a while," commented Lily as James went in search of Vernon.

Petunia's eyes widened as she guessed the reason for Lily's abstinence, "Really? It's confirmed?"

Lily grinned and nodded, "We just came from Saint Mungo's. In nine months, the Potter family will have grown by one." Petunia squealed in happiness for her sister then let a small smirk grow on her own face.

"Well then I guess my news will be just as much of a shock. I'm pregnant as well! I found out about a week ago and wanted to keep it a secret for a bit longer but now that you're here, surprise!" Lily squealed as well and dragged Petunia in for another hug.


February 1980

Lily Potter looked up in annoyance from her desk at the sound of an insistent knocking on her door to her office at Hogwarts. She was finishing up her Mastery in Charms with Professor Flitwick and needed some quiet time to study.

"Come in!" she barked.

The door opened to reveal James standing there with a worried look on his face.

"We got a problem, Lily. I was just contacted by an Unspeakable who said that there's a prophecy that was just given possibly regarding our child."

Lily snorted in derision, "A prophecy? Really? Come on James, you know those things are murky at best and only understandable after the fact. What was the wording?"

James looked down at the piece of paper and read, "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches…Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies… And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not… And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives…"


Thursday 31 July 1980

Harry James Potter was born in the early morning hours after a seven hour-long labor to the celebration of his parents, Lily and James Potter. His godfather, Sirius Black, was waiting outside to spread the news of the impending birth and to keep an eye on Severus and Remus who were practically swooning with nervousness despite their protests to the contrary. In reality, it was Sirius who was about ready to pass out but blaming it on the others gave him something to do in the meantime. Petunia and Vernon arrived not long after they did and settled in to wait. In Petunia's arms was her own infant son, Dudley.

The door burst open and James appeared; all frazzled from suddenly released nerves, "It's a boy! My son is born!"

There were congratulations all around. One by one Sirius, Severus and Remus entered to congratulate Lily and to see the new baby. James stood proudly next to his exhausted wife while grinning goofily the entire time. After the Marauders left, Petunia and Vernon quietly entered. The two sisters swapped babies and examined each.

"Oh, Lily. He's so handsome though not as handsome as mine of course," Petunia sniffed haughtily, which caused Lily to laugh.

"Thanks Petunia. Yours is definitely built like Vernon there. He's going to be a strapping young football hooligan in due time."

Vernon caressed infant Harry's cheek with one finger and smiled as the baby opened his eyes and stared unfocused at the intruder of his dreams, "He's got your eyes, Lily. He's going to have the greenest eyes ever."


1 November 1981

A little over a year passed and still the world watched and waited for the capture of Albus Dumbledore. The prophecy had been released to the Auror Department as well as their friends and family to keep everyone on their toes should they ever spot Albus. It was the analysis of the Department of Mysteries Divination Masters that the prophecy might apply to both Harry James Potter and Neville Francis Longbottom. Both of whom were born in the last two days of July 1980. As a result of that, both families were urged to go into hiding for their safety.

It was early morning and Petunia stepped out onto the porch to retrieve the morning paper and the milk from the stand. The day's planned activities barely percolating through her sleep-addled mind as she bent over to pick up the bottle, she spotted the baby basket with a lumpy blanket in it just inches away.

'My god, who would leave that here of all places? Must be a magical to do something so stupid,' she thought to herself as she unwrapped the bundle within. She screamed and dropped to her knees in her horror and recognition of the infant with a mop of messy black hair, a scar upon his forehead and a chubby hand clutching a letter.