Rory had planned to stay up all night on August 31st so that she would be awake in time to get to King's Cross Station the next morning, what with Mason now away in Wales for practically the entire year and not able to wake her up. Unfortunetely, her plan had failed, for she had drifted off to sleep around six in the morning. But time was something she was hardly paying attention to when she was woken up by the sound of Ares tapping at her bedroom window. And since her bed was right next to it, it didn't require much waking up to open the window and allow Ares to enter. So still in her groggy haze, Rory unconsciously opened the letter he'd dropped next to her on the bed, failing to realize said letter was red…

"RORY!" came Mason's voice. Rory had then actually fallen out of bed, still tangled in the blankets and looking up at the Howler. "You thought I'd forgotten you can't wake up by yourself before noon! Well, I didn't so wake up! You and Drew need to get to King's Cross! Good luck to the both of you!" And with that, it had bursted into flames, nothing remaining but ashes.

Rory smiled. Even when Mason wasn't there, he was still taking care of her. So she got up and immediately made her way to Drew's room, knocking on the door.

"Time to get up, Drew!" she said.

"Five more minutes!" he pleaded, voice muffled from behind the closed door.

And Rory allowed him those five more minutes, just because it would be the same thing she'd ask of Mason. So Rory began to get herself ready by brushing her hair and teeth before going to wake Drew again. That time, she heard him shuffle out of bed so she made her way back to her room to get dressed. Switching her pajamas for a pair of skin-tight jeans and a plain, light blue V-neck, Rory left her room and was greeted on the stairs by Drew who was also dressed in his Muggle clothes.

"So, O.W.L.s this year," said Rory conversationally as the two siblings entered the kitchen.

"N.E.W.T.s this year," countered Drew.

"At least it's my last," she shot back. "What a nightmare of a year fifth was…"

"Something tells me I'll muddle through," he insisted with a smile.

Rory popped her usual two chocolate chip waffles in the toaster and began preparing a pot of coffee. Drew busied himself with fixing a bowl of cereal.

"You'll have to have that career counselling with McGonagall this year, you know." Drew's bowl nearly overflowed with the milk he'd been pouring. "Drew!"

He immediately snapped out of it. "Right, sorry. But…you can't be serious! Careers? Already? I'm fifteen!"

"My thoughts exactly," Rory agreed. "I just went with what more than half of the school wants to be — an Auror."

"Well you were practically born to be an Auror, anyhow," he assured. "For Merlin's sake, it's literally in your name."

"Aurora Hart," she said aloud. "Huh, never noticed that before," She then focused back on Drew, munching away nervously on his cereal. "Don't worry about it, Drewbee. The counselling's a long way off. You don't have to figure out what you want to be just yet."

He seemed to physically relax at the sound of that, his shoulders falling as he released a content sigh. It was then that Rory read the yellow lettering on his black T-shirt: Star Wars.

"Oi, Drew!"

As soon as he'd lifted his head and turned it to face his sister, he found himself knocked into the other room in the blink of an eye. "What the sodding —" Then he saw it. Rory was holding out her wand which was emitting a purple glow, not just at the tip but every inch of the wand. Almost like…"A Lightsaber…"

Rory only smirked.

"How'd you do that?" begged her younger brother, still receiving nothing but that sly grin.

"Sorry, Drewbee," she finally spoke. "I'm afraid Astrum Bellum is far too complex for ickle fifth years."

But just then, as she went to grab her waffles which had popped up from the toaster, they were suddenly hit with some sort of blue blast and whipped against the wall. And upon looking in the direction of the spell, Rory saw her brother standing up straight with his wand drawn, emitting a dark blue glow.

"You did not just blast my waffles," she said slowly, just above a whisper.

"I did," said Drew, his voice equally as low and serious.

The two siblings exchanged a smirk before engaging in their own version of a Star Wars battle. All through the house they ran, shooting their own colored blasting spells at one another until they finally caught sight of the clock.

"10:50!" Rory announced, her wand returning to normal as she stuck it in her back pocket.

"All right, but this isn't over," Drew insisted before doing the same.

"Oh, I know," They each took hold of their own trunk, Rory extending her free arm out to her brother. "Now take my arm."

"Rory, I swear if you splinch —"

"I won't," she said shortly. "But if there were a way to only splinch you I'd do it."

"What?"

"I'm waffle-less thanks to you!"

"Oh, sod off and Apparate or we'll be late."

And though the pair had bickered, they did it teasingly with smiles as usual. But once Drew did hook arms with Rory, she directed all of her focus on King's Cross Station and they were launched through the familiar sensation of Apparation. Standing before the large scarlet steam engine, Drew began rubbing his temples as he always did after Apparating. Rory, on the other hand, had long ago adapted to the feeling.

"Well c'mon, little brother," she encouraged as they were one of the few stranglers rushing to catch the train. Drew went and wheeled his trunk off down one corridor and Rory made her way down another until reaching the compartment containing Lily, Alice, and Marlene.

"Hi, Rory," they all greeted robotically, tones free of emotions.

"Hi, Rory?" she repeated, utterly offended. "That's it? I'd receive a warmer welcome in Piper Vaisey's compartment."

"Sorry, Ror," Lily apologized. "We've just all had our own awful mornings."

Rory stowed away her trunk and took the empty seat next to Marlene. "What could be so awful that it'd ruin our first day as seventh years?"

"Well," Alice began. "I hardly got any sleep last night because…because last night…Frank…Frank…" And that was all she'd managed to say before a fountain of tears poured down from her eyes. It was like watching someone turn on a kitchen sink.

"Longbottom dumped — er — broke up with you?" Rory's guess was confirmed by a simple nod of Alice's head. "Why?"

"He said it'd be best if they just went their separate ways," Lily spoke for the weeping black-haired beauty. Lily placed a comforting hand on Alice's back as she was now hunched over, face in her hands, still sobbing uncontrollably.

"Sorry, Al." Rory was genuinely sorry for bringing up the topic.

But just like that, after a few more sniffles, the tears had ceased just like that kitchen sink again. A red-faced, tear-stained Alice basically composed herself before insisting, "S'alright."

"I'm not upset, just pissed off," Marlene clarified after a moment. "All four of my brothers were complete arseholes this morning, including Blake."

Blake was the youngest of Marlene's older brothers and was typically the one who stood up for her. Apparently that wasn't the case that morning.

"I refuse to go into further detail, by the way." Her hazel eyes pierced the three other girls' individually to ensure none of them would ask for an explanation; they wouldn't.

"My morning at home was quite pleasant actually," said Lily, bitterness beginning to seep into her tone after that statement. "Then I got here and had the unfortunate displeasure of crossing paths with Potter."

"Aw c'mon, Lils," said Rory. "You've dealt with Potter on plenty of other mornings and you've never acted this way."

"That's because on all of those other mornings I hadn't found out Potter was made Head Boy," she said peevishly.

Rory felt a sudden twinge of guilt as the train started up, King's Cross beginning to dissolve behind them. She had found out James was Head Boy the same day Lily had owled her about her receiving Head Girl. And though she'd planned to inform Lily, she clearly forgot.

"Really?" Rory feigned shock, though she could've prevented Lily's horrible morning. "Is Dumbledore off his rocker?" That had been the same thing she'd said when James first told her.

"Our thoughts exactly," said Marlene, everyone silently forgiving her for the unintentional harshness in her voice. "We reckon he's finally cracked."

"So, how was your morning, Rory?" Alice inquired, even her tone seeming to attempt a brighter conversation.

"Well…" She captured a deep breath before recalling the events of her morning. "I attempted to stay awake all night last night but failed, and was woken up by a Howler Mason sent me which literally caused me to fall out of bed. I woke up Drew and we got ready but when I went to eat my waffles, he blasted them out of my hands. And so we ran all around the house tossing blasting spells at each other until finally Apparating here and just barely catching the train."

Silence, and then…

"I s'pose my brothers truly weren't that horrid," said Marlene. "And they were only joking, of course."

"And if Rory can function without a morning of waffles then I'm sure I'll manage it without Frank," Alice said. "Who knows. This break up will probably only be temporary."

"And Potter will be forced to act professionally while we're running Head patrols," Lily said. "And it's not as though we have those every night."

Then all at once…

"Thanks, Rory!"

Confusion. That was what hit Rory first. Did her morning really sound that bad? Then again, the part about remaining waffle-less did sound quite terrible. But it hardly mattered now that all three of her friends were smiling.

"Happy to help," she told them, mirroring the grin.

"But not happy enough to help me, I see," came the voice of non-other than Sirius, causing over a thousand emotions to stir within Rory. Regardless of whether he was upset or angry, the very sound of his voice had Rory caught between crying, dying, melting, screaming, giggling, smiling, and…did she mention crying?

"And what exactly d'you need my help with, Black?" If Sirius wasn't showing his hurt before, he certainly was now. Rory could feel the use of his surname slap him across the face and rebound off him to hit her as well.

Being untouchable doesn't mean you have to be an arse! she scolded herself.

"I mean Padfoot," she quickly corrected though the damage had already been done.

"I needed you to help me with my loneliness!" he said as though it were obvious. "I owled you ten times and you never wrote a single bloody letter back!"

Shit, Rory cursed herself. I've already been acting like a complete git!

"I told Prongs to tell you that I missed you too," said Rory in her smallest voice, because she knew this was a pathetic thing to say.

"You did?" Sirius's expression softened briefly before hardening again. "Why'd you write to him and not me?"

Rory said exactly what was on her mind: "'Cause I'm a right git."

"No, you're not, Rory," Alice assured.

Rory had completely forgotten there were people in that compartment besides her and Sirius. But she ignored Alice's comment and continued to speak to Sirius.

"I'm sorry."

A look of utter surprise registered on his face. "Er, Perrett's right — you're not a git," he said with a look of uncertainty. But that was quickly replaced with his usual smirk and aura of charm. "So you did miss me then?"

Rory rolled her eyes though a smile was etched across her face. "Don't push it," she told him, getting up from her seat and stepping out of the compartment after saying goodbye to the girls. Sirius led the way to the Marauder's compartment and it was safe to say that the two were pretty much back at the beginning.

No, actually they were treating eachother the same, but somehow in a different way. Almost more like actual friends. Not just the same simple flirting and insults thrown back and forth. It all felt so familiar and yet so new.

What an interesting year this'll turn out to be, Rory thought.

"Well, well, well," came an unfortunately familiar cold voice. She was now standing behind Rory and Sirius but Rory refused to turn around and confirm it.

A very interesting year indeed.

"Would you look at that. It's our old friend Rory Hart. You remember Rory don't you, gents?"

There came grunts and sniggers of agreement and Rory could just picture the same group of Slytherin boys she saw her with last time.

"Just ignore them, Wily," Sirius advised softly in her ear, the same old chills running up her spine.

"I'm not here to start trouble, Hart," came her sickly sweet voice yet again. "Unlike you, I don't go around looking to pick fights."

Rory hadn't even realized she was clenching her fists until Sirius's warm hands were placed over them to calm her. It worked, though it arroused a few butterflies in her stomach.

"You remember my friend, Evan Rosier." It wasn't a question, though she hardly had to ask anyway. The memory of her and Rosier's first encounter had practically been burned in her mind.

"And exactly what business does a Gryffindor have with Piper Vaisey?" questioned Mulciber.

"What's it to you?" she asked. "It's no business of yours."

The group seemed to issue the same low hissing of laughter. "She's quite a sharp tongue," Mulciber had commented.

"Just the way I like them," came Rosier's seductive tone from behind Rory, his voice softly in her ear.

So simple and yet such a lasting first impression.

"Turn around and look at him, Hart," she ordered. "He's got something to ask you."

And so reluctantly, Rory turned to find exactly what she'd expected. Piper Vaisey stood in front of her usual cronies — Rosier, Lucas Avery, David Wilkes, Nigel Mulciber and Snivellus — honey blond hair falling in their usual perfect ringlets, deep blue eyes practically mirroring the same smirk twisted upon her bright red lips. And though Rory had never seen Piper in anything but her Slytherin robes, she wasn't the least bit surprised to find that her Muggle clothes were seemingly all designer.

"What d'you want, Rosier?" demanded Rory. "And make it quick."

"You," he said simply, eyebrows raised suggestively. "And don't worry, love…I'll make it quick." He winked, the cronies snickered, Sirius practically growled taking a protective stance, and Rory nearly puked.

"Rosier, you piece of shit," Sirius hissed. "If you so much as look at her the wrong way, I swear to Godric I'll —"

"Temper, temper, Black," warned Rosier. "I just thought I'd have a bit of an advantage if I were the first of the Hart Fan Club to woo her."

"Hart Fan Club?" repeated Rory, now growing curious.

Sure, she'd been asked out plenty of times in the past, but never did she have a fan club like Sirius's unofficial one. She figured it was mainly because most blokes were intimidated by her closeness with the Marauders or something along those lines. Then again, maybe Rory was reading too much into this. Rosier was a filthy, lying, Slytherin after all.

"Unofficially, of course," said Rosier. "You see, what with your brother, Marsden —"

"Mason," Rory corrected him.

"— Whatever — being prefect and Head Boy and, not to mention, older, you became sort of…"

"Untouchable," provided Avery.

There's that word again, she thought.

"Naturally, men want what they can't have," added Piper.

"Or in your case, they have what they don't want," Rory said to her which earned a snicker from Sirius.

"But now that your darling brother is out of the way…" continued Rosier, his voice trailing off suggestively as he ignored all other comments. He didn't even have to finish that sentence, it was the step he took toward Rory which caused her to immediately whip out her wand.

Stupefy! she shouted in her mind, Rosier dropping to the ground unconscious. And as soon as his body hit the floor, Rory took off down the corridor hand-in-hand with Sirius, the rest of the Slytherins chasing after. But as the Marauder's compartment drew nearer, Rory turned, wand drawn, and managed to hit every one of the cronies (Piper must have stayed back with Rosier) with the Jelly-Legs Jinx.

"That was brilliant, Rory!" came the muffled voice of Nathan Coyle, his face pressed up against his compartment door.

Rory and Sirius slid open the door to their own and Sirius said, "Something tells me that kid'll always be your fan club president."

"Better him than Rosier," she said, scrunching her face in disgust.

"What about Rosier?" asked a new voice — Remus.

Rory took a seat next to him, Peter on his other side; Sirius sat next to James.

"We had a bit of a run-in with Vaisey and her cronies," Rory explained.

"Apparently Rosier's pining for Rory now, as are a dozen other blokes," added Sirius. "Said something about her having been 'untouchable' with Mason around."

"Makes sense," said Remus with a shrug of his shoulders.

"I always thought we were the ones warding off the blokes," said Peter, seemingly to himself.

"Well, we warded off some," James told him. "But Mason was the real threat."

"Why didn't I know about this?" said Rory. "All this time I've been thinking I was just completely undesireable!"

"You know that's not true," said Remus seriously.

"Doesn't matter, I don't want to talk about it anymore," Rory decided.

"Well then, d'you know what we should talk about?" asked James.

Rory and the other three Marauders replied with, "Lily."

"As incredible as my future wife is, that wasn't what I was going to suggest."

They all exchanged a knowing glance before saying, "Quidditch."

James beamed. "Yes!" And then his face faltered slightly. "Wait, am I really that predictable?"

"Not at all," Rory sarcastically assured. "We only know 'cause we've been your mates for so long."

"Well it hardly matters anyway," James pushed the idea aside. "Right, so Quidditch. I'm actually a bit disappointed I hadn't thought of having tryouts over the summer. That way, we could've spent most of August practicing and getting in shape."

"Thank Merlin you didn't!" exclaimed Sirius. "Bloody hell, Prongs, no one would've wanted to practice with you over their holiday. I wouldn't've even came."

"If you wanted to be on my team you would've," James said, completely stone-faced. "Now then, the tryouts won't be anything too serious —"

"Thank Godric," breathed both Rory and Sirius.

"But once we've got a team, I'll book the pitch for as many morning sessions as we can get. I'm sure there wouldn't be any competition for the six o'clock slot."

"Of course not!" voiced Rory. "No other Captain is mad enough to want the pitch at six o'-bloody-clock!"

But despite Sirius and Rory's outbursts, James continued to ignore them both. "We'll need to do a lot more running as well —"

"The entire game is played on brooms!" reminded Sirius.

"We need to get in shape, Sirius!" James finally acknowledged the remarks. "It's our seventh year! Our final year! We need to win the Quidditch Cup! Which means we have to be ready! And most of all, we have to — Ah, Heads meeting."

"Prefect meeting," said Remus, getting up to leave the compartment along with James.

Rory was now left with Sirius and Peter.

"So," she began conversationally. "this'll be an interesting year…"