That prank was the first of many that the five of them escaped, undetected with. But now, they were in their fifth year at Hogwarts, knowing that their O.W.L.'s were coming up and they had one year to decide what their futures were going to be. The Marauder nickname had already been christened on them by an exasperated McGonagall, and so they all cheerfully bore it.

By now, James was the undisputed star of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, Sirius and Kristen his supporting cast members. He was also team Captain, as much of their original team had graduated. His features were constantly gone over by his fans, untidy black hair, gleaming hazel eyes, and a physique made well by Quidditch. And, much of the school's girls, no matter what year they were, fawned over and scrutinized his every move. He'd already had a few serious girlfriends, and more than a few non-serious ones, but they just kept coming onto him.

Sirius had grown into his aristocratic good looks, keeping the other half of the school's girls starry-eyed. With his barking laugh and sarcasm that perfectly complimented James' flamboyant, in your face humor, he never had a shortage of fangirls either. Of course, he and James were often compared; Sirius' "sexy" broodiness, shaggy black hair, dark grey eyes and leaner build were why he was preferred over James to his fans. But he didn't have girlfriends—he had one night stands. That didn't seem to deter the amount of partners he had though.

While Remus wasn't on the Quidditch team, even he had a few girls crushing on him. Who James and Sirius hung out with didn't go unnoticed, and the girls who liked him admired his studiousness, fine sandy blonde hair and warm eyes, as well as his willingness to go with whatever James and Sirius had cooked up next.

And lastly, Peter, whom, out of their group, had decidedly the least girls like him, but those who did liked his easy attitude towards life. And there couldn't be anything bad about him, if he hung out with the most dazzling boys in school right?

Now at fifteen years old, Kristen hadn't gone unnoticed either. Even though she didn't have rabid fans, there were quite a few guys who would have liked to hang 'round her. But Sirius' and James' overprotectiveness often left her irritated and without anyone else to talk to, ready to lash out.

But one thing she had done, damn the consequences, was go and date Connor, their former team Captain's brother; now a seventh year. When James and Sirius had found out, they had completely flipped. But Kristen had stood up to them, in the middle of the full, completely silent common room, and calmly said that it was their fault she'd never gotten so much as a date in the five years at Hogwarts despite being asked out by several people, and she wasn't going to turn into a nun for them. She'd also said that if they tried to wreck her relationship with Connor, a slow castration with a rusty, dull knife would be headed their way.

James and Sirius had had a row with her, but grudgingly letting her have her way when it became apparent that she wouldn't change her mind.

At the moment, the five of them were at breakfast—the first week of their 5th year.

"Hey, nice to see you could wake up," Kristen lightly banged her shoulder against James' as he yawned, seating himself next to her.

"Yeah, after last night I wonder how I could have," he muttered, blearily opening his eyes to bite on a piece of bacon.

She rolled her eyes. "Who was it this time?"

"Angelique Duprez," Remus cut in. "The Hufflepuff sixth year."

Kristen wrinkled her nose. "That girl? Whatever happened to you trying to impress Lily?"

James sighed. "Do you have to talk about her when I just woke up?"

"Hey mate, at least you can think," Sirius groaned, his arms cradling his head. "That firewhiskey was strong."

"Just as long as you aren't dead," Kristen grabbed an ice cube and stuffed it down the back of his shirt, making him jump and curse.

"The hell was that for?!" he swore again, yanking at his shirt, and made it fall out.

Kristen shrugged. "Dunno," and laughed. "At least you aren't dead anymore."

He stuck his tongue out at her, and raised his voice. "No, Kristen, I will not take off my shirt! That's disgusting!"

Without missing a beat, she answered, "Because I would totally want to see your man boobs anyways."

"Don't be jealous 'cause they're bigger than yours," he laughed, she rolled her eyes and sauntered off to find Connor with a parting shot of, "I think you should check your cup size, I'm pretty sure that's an A, not a C!"

James led a round of whoops by the rest of the 5th year Gryffindor boys as they hooted, and Sirius couldn't think of a witty retort.

Behind her, Sirius scowled as she left to find her boyfriend. It wasn't that he thought Connor wasn't right for her—it was that he was. Too right for her.

"Cheer up mate," James thumped him on the back. "She doesn't have any classes with him."

"Thank Merlin."

"You know, if you don't like her with him, you could just try to break them up," Remus commented casually, buttering a piece of toast.

"She would murder me," Sirius stared morosely at his orange juice. "And if she's happy…"

"You don't have the balls to break them up," James bantered lightly, and let his eyes wander to a certain redhead.

"You don't have the balls to get Lily to go out with you," Sirius rejoined, stuffing more food into his mouth.

"Hey, mate, don't go there," James mumbled, chewing on scrambled eggs.

"Then don't go there about Kristen and Johnson, thanks."

Remus effectively changed the subject. "So, Potions! Ready for another year with Sluggy?"

"Do we still have it with the Slytherins?"

Remus gave him a strange look. "Well, yeah. It's only till next year enough people drop it so the classes become mixed."

Sirius blinked, shaking his head so his hair flew everywhere, but then flopped back to its original, perfect state, making his fans sigh and a few faint.

Then, he and James turned in unison to the Ravenclaw table, where Kristen had slid into a spot next to her boyfriend, who had his arm around her shoulders. Her smile was bright as Connor's friends laughed; effectively entertaining her. Sirius' scowl deepened.

James coughed. "Stop staring," cough, cough.

Peter laughed, the only sound he'd made so far as he'd been sleeping at the table. "Be careful, someone might notice that you're turning green," he remarked.

Sirius dragged his eyes away from Kristen's group as the breakfast bell rang, and they stood up to get to Potions.

"Hey Potter," a few boys gave James high fives as they passed him.

"Black," others greeted Sirius with rough grins and shoulder bumps.

Another 7th year bumped fists with them as the four guys made their way to the dungeon, their paths smoothed out for them as people automatically got out of their way.

Two minutes before class started, Kristen walked in and slid into a seat next to Sirius, slouching slightly, with a half-smile on her face.

"Did you get lucky?" Sirius asked, leaning back on his chair, absently flicking bits of ripped up parchment at Slytherins with his wand.

"I wouldn't be here right now if I had," she shot back, twirling her quill between her fingers.

James smirked, shifting in his seat. "No, I reckon you'd be on your back."

"Shagging like mad," Sirius added; his light tone didn't betray the irritation in his eyes.

"Fuck yeah," her eyelids shut sleepily.

Soon though Slughorn bustled in and began lecturing them on O.W.L's, and that no goofing off would be tolerated from then on. No one was listening, simply tapping their feet and watching the clock for when it would be over. Since it was only the third day back, most of the professors were still waxing eloquence on the importance of this year. And frankly, most of them were more interested in satisfying primal urges and the upcoming Quidditch season than classes.

Kristen blinked. At the moment, life was pretty damn good. Her best friends were there for her, she was able to talk to and hang round just about anyone in her year [and quite a few that weren't] and her boyfriend was amazing. O.W.L. year was just another year—but she already had her future planned out. There were rumors of some crackpot dark wizard rising, and she wanted to be facing them.

When the bell finally rang for them to go to their second Transfiguration class of the week, the first one out the door was none other than Kristen. Closely following were James and Sirius, while the other two were taking their time.

"We're getting bored," James began, winking at a few girls passing by them.

"And?" Kristen asked, ignoring seemingly the whole female population that had coincidentally turned up in the same hallway as them.

"We want your help," Sirius answered.

"For what?" she was wary now. Some of their schemes were just not moral in her opinion—and their treatment of that Snape kid? Sickened her a little bit.

"Well, James here wants you to help him get Lily," Sirius cracked, and James elbowed him.

"I don't need Kristen for that mate, I can do it on my own, with my own dazzling charm," he made a face at Sirius.

"Yeah, whatever you say."

"We just need you to, erm, say a spell in the girl's dormitory."

"What, and why?"

James shot a look at Sirius. "According to our calculations," he attempted to sound pompous, and in Kristen's opinion, did it very well, "it should be behind the nightstand of the third bed."

"The hell? That's my bed," she gave them an odd look. "And what's the spell?"

"Revalio Relashio," Sirius answered her. "Just move the stand, tap the wall and say it."

"Why?" they were now nearing the Transfiguration classroom.

"Just do it. And then, if it works, we'll tell you."

She shrugged. "Alright."

"James, when are we starting Quidditch practice?" Sirius asked, seating himself easily between his two friends. Peter and Remus soon appeared, choosing to sit in front of the three.

"Next week," the other Marauder answered. "I've already gotten permission from McGonagall. It's a good thing that Slytherin's captain is still being disputed, 'cause then it gives us an advantage."

"What happened?" Kristen asked; she hadn't been keeping up with the rumors about Slytherin House.
"Well, Bradley said he got the badge, so everyone thought it was him. But then that other guy, McKintosh, said that he had it, but it disappeared. So now McKintosh is saying that Bradley stole it, and their House is taking sides."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Just give them a bit of Veritaserum, why don't they? And wouldn't Slughorn know who he gave it to?"

"Sluggy thinks that he can handle it, and no, he can't remember," James answered.

"Bunch of idiots," Kristen laughed.

McGonagall strode into the room to begin class as the bell rang.

"Alright class, we will be working on Vanishing spells today. Kindly clear your desk—yes, Mr. Potter?" her voice was sharp; a testament to how many times James had interrupted her over the years.

"I thought we were practicing Conjuring spells professor," his eyes widened. "I spent all night practicing those!"

"You must have heard wrong—that which I have no doubt about, it must be nigh impossible to hear anything over the sounds of your own voice. But, you may demonstrate the Conjuring spell—if you have the ability, of course," her voice changed to mellifluously dangerous.

"Gladly, my dear professor!" James flourished his wand silently, and a bouquet of red roses appeared with a trumpeting noise and a shower of confetti. Grabbing it, he strode through the aisles of the classroom to the front, where he bowed and handed it to McGonagall, cocky grin in place.

"The least I could do for you."

Sirius led a round of cheers in the backround with Peter clapping wildly. James looked around at his peers, searching out a particular redhead's expression—which was disdain and irritation as she turned away. His eyes lowered a fraction of an inch before regaining his trademark smirk; everything had changed ever since that one fateful day…

Kristen's face remained carefully blank.

McGonagall pursed her lips, not showing any of the approval over his magical talent that she felt. For Conjuring spells were already 5th year regime; having conjured it silently and with such bombastic air was quite impressive.

"Thank you Mr. Potter. Now, you may use the rest of the class to work on your Vanishing Spell. Since you are so efficient at Conjuring, I assume you will be equally proficient at Vanishing. We will see at the end of class."

Some hoots in the backround, mixed with a few laughs.

"Same for you Mr. Black. Leave the hooting for the Quidditch field," she swept off.

The two of them high fived, barely acknowledging the admiring glances cast their way by at least half of the females in the room.

Professor McGonagall ignored their latest antics and set about teaching the rest of the class how to do Vanishing Spells. But out of their group, only Peter and Remus were paying much attention—Peter because he still didn't know how to do them after James had explained to him and Remus because he needed to pay attention to all his teachers after receiving his prefect's badge.

James' eye once again strayed to Lily, and this time, Kristen caught him. Jerking her head, she wordlessly asked, why? Why what? She already knew that James liked the girl. And they would be together, if teenage recklessness hadn't decided to push the Marauders a few years ago. More like why he wasn't doing anything about it.

James met Kristen's eyes and, shrugging, nodded at Sirius.

Angrily, she tossed her head and reverted her attention back to the Professor. Letting out a soft sigh, James let a small smile flit across his lips. While the whole school thought that she was either in love with Sirius, him, or Remus and therefore cheating on Connor, he knew she would never do that. And he also knew that it irritated her to no fucking end and was the fastest thing to make her shut up.

Because his uncertainness about his life was starting to scare him.

Well, as you can see, I'm definetly continuing this. I'm wondering how I'm going to work all the scene's I've pre-written into the plot, but hey, you guys like drama right? Plenty of heartache, tears and fights. One thing I do have to say:

I'M GOING TO BE UPDATING MUCH MORE SLOWLY! And irregularly! I REALLY, REALLY want to get my Inheritance Fan Fiction, Alex Rider, and Percy Jackson ones DONE and over with, as well as my (currently) sole fictionpress one. This story and my other, Harry Potter one will unfortunately be shunted to the side (I'll still update though). I need to finish these projects so I can start all the ones I have in my head!

Thanks for hearing me out, let me know how 5th year is going so far!

Review Replies:


SkyePuppy25: I really didn't leave you guys an option did I? I was going to include one about me dragging all the other years on—pretty much bits of fluff—but I was depressed at the thought of it. Thanks for letting me know your two cents! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Hurricane-Rachel: Your wish, my command : )

Pheobep3: Done!

Hooda: I have so many plots cooked up…enjoy!