"Moony," Sirius hissed, "Moony, wake up!"

"Sirius, how many times do we have to go over this?", Remus grumbled as e rolled over and pulled a pillow over his head, "Pete is not an evil clown and there are no evil clowns in your sock drawer, nor under your bed for that matter! Now, may I please go back to bed?"

"No Moony! It's not the you-know-whats! I already had Mr. Truffles check!", Sirius said matter-of- factly as he waved a worn stuffed kitten at Remus, "It's officially November 19th!"

"So wh- WAIT! What do you mean its I officially /I November 19th?", Remus asked as he scrambled to check his bedside clock. The read out said 12:02 AM. "Sirius Black, you're dead!"

"Oh come on Moony, get up! We've gotta give Prongs his birthday prank."

"I don't know about this Pads. Did you talk to Lily?"

"Prongs isn't the only one who changed this year, Lily thinks that our idea is hilarious."

"Okay, let's go," Remus sighed as he disappeared under James' invisibility cloak along with Sirius.

"Are you guys there?", Lily whispered a few minutes later. Nemwick had woken her and informed her that the boys were outside waiting.

"No, we're right here," Sirius said from behind her, as he pulled the cloak off, causing Lily to jump.

"If you want to be a Marauder, Lil, you can't let people sneak past you like that," Remus teased.

"What ever. You two go and set up, I'll wake James."

"Make sure you do it like we planned!"

"Please don't let me mess this up," Lily whispered to the bedroom door. Sirius had some how found out that that was James' password. The door swung open and Lily steeped in.

"POTTER! Control your friends! Some how they got in and are going crazy out in the common room!""

"Wha appened?", he asked stupidly as he fumbled for his glasses and wand. Lily couldn't help but smile, he looked cute with his hair all mussed up, he'd fallen asleep without his shirt too and he looked good.

"Your friends, Potter!", she spat as she remember the rage at that she was supposed to be putting on.

"Ugg, right. Moony, Pads, what are you doing?"

"Surprise! It's officially your birthday! Cmon P-man, PARTY, PARTY, PARTY!"

"Guys come one, Lily's mad. We'll do this later."

"No I'm not James, I was just playing. I'm in on this one. But I wish that I had known about your birthday sooner. I didn't have a chance to get you anything."

"Lily, Lily, Lily, how many times do I have to tell you? Marauders don't exchange gifts, they just prank each other."

"Yeah, listen to what the stupid one said," Remus agreed.

"Hey!"

"Shut up Pads. Well, prank over, let's eat!"

"Yeah, eat! FOOD, FOOD, FOOD!"

They sat down around one of the tables and began to eat. To keep herself from laughing, and ruining the real prank, Lily had to keep shoveling food into her mouth. She couldn't believe that she was helping with a Marauder Prank. Nor could she believe that she had thought James cute, but she pushed that thought away as Sirius pulled out the fire whiskey.

The plan was to offer it to James as a gift for becoming of age. Sirius was to pop the cap and offer James the first drink. Little did James know that the drink was spiked with a de-aging potion that would make him ten years younger. James Potter would be eight-years-old again for twenty-four hours.

"Here you go mate. You're of age now, you should have some."

"Eh," James said as he looked from the whiskey to Lily then up at Sirius, "I don't know Pads. I mean-"

"James, just drink it. This year has been so crazy, you deserve it."

James shrugged and took the drink from Sirius. He held it up and muttered cheers before throwing his head back and allowing the liquid to burn down his throat. He made a face and then looked at Sirius.

"Mate what is this? I've never tasted fire whiskey like-"

Before James could finish there was a loud "pop" and he was suddenly very small. He was wearing light blue footie-pajamas and his face was much rounder and smoother.

"Wha-? Where's my mommy? Who are you people?"

And with that he began to cry. Lily immediately ran to the boy, forgetting that he was James Potter, and held him to her.

"Shhh James, it's okay. My name is Lily and they are Remus and Sirius. We're your friends and your safe here," she then turned to Sirius and hissed, "I thought that the potion would only make him I look /I eight!"

"Er, sooo did I?", he murmured as he scratched his head.

"I don't think that he's a good person, Miss. Lily," eight-year-old James whispered into her ear.

"I agree James. OUT! Sirius, Remus, GET OUT NOW!"

The two boys scurried to clean up the mess from the food and then ran to the portrait hole. Lily slammed Nemwick's frame shut and spun on her heel. James stood in the middle of the room clutching a throw pillow. There were tears streaming down his small face and he was using the pillow to try and dry his eyes.

"What's wrong now, sweetie?", Lily asked. She couldn't believe that this was James Potter.

"Big noise scare me."

Lily sighed as she rolled her eyes. She heard Nemwick laugh somewhere in the distance.

"It's okay now. Everything will be quiet now because it's time for bed."

"Are you gonna leave me?"

"Well, yeah. That is your room and this one here is mine."

"Oh no! Please can I stay with you? The evil clowns might get me!"

I What were James and Sirius mutated from the same tree of stupidity or something?, /I she thought to herself. Nemwick's laughter was out of control now and little James noticed it.

"OH NO! It's them! HELP ME MISS. LILY!", he shouted as he attached himself to her leg.

"It's not evil clowns, don't worry. You can stay with me tonight."

After tucking him into bed and turning out the lights James whispered her name into the darkness.

"I only trusted you over them crazy men because you're so pretty."

"'Cmon here kid," Lily whispered as she pulled him to her. I Even though he's eight he's still the same old James. Still loves me. When will you ever stop James? /I, she thought as she dozed off.