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"I'm starving," James whined pitifully, dramatically sprawling himself on the bed.

"If you really want to know, I found a way to get in the kitchen."

All three heads immediately snapped into Remus's direction as soon as the statement came from his mouth.

"You found something and you didn't tell us? You git!" James exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at Remus who rolled his eyes.

"It's a recent discovery," the young werewolf said in his defense. "I can show you now and knowing you three; you probably want to find out sooner than later. I don't see any reason not to I suppose."

Remus barely had any time finishing his sentence for James and Sirius were both zooming towards the portrait hole, eager to get started. Once they reached the corridors, they broke out into a jog (or rather Sirius and James started to jog while Remus and Peter tried to keep up). The four looked a bit odd to any passing people, but when food was involved, they did not let anything stop them.

"Why—must—we—sprint?" Peter panted, bending over and putting his hands on his knees, breathing heavily.

"If it involves food and stuff we aren't supposed to be doing, I'm running," Sirius said then turned eagerly to Remus. "Hurry up! I want to see it!

"Fine," Remus said, clutching his sides that began to ache, but started jogging as soon as they caught up with Sirius. "I'm coming."

Remus, who was in the lead, guided them to a portrait of a bowl of fruit. It stretched from the ceiling to the floor, it looked like an ordinary picture that was stationary. But Remus pulled out his wand and prodded the pear with it. The pear actually moved as soon as he poked it with his wand and the four waited as a green handle began forming.

"A wand is not required to do that but I do," Remus added, stowing away his wand and he led them inside.

James, Peter, and Sirius all gaped in awe at the sight. The kitchen was nothing what they expected, the portrait did not do it justice. But it was not the size of the kitchen nor was it the interior that caught their attention the most, it was what was inside the kitchen that amazed them. House elves, hundreds of them, were scurrying around preparing food, washing dishes, and cleaning the floors.

"Oi, house elves!" James said.

"Yeah, Professor Dumbledore must have hired them or something," Remus said standing next to James with his arms crossed. "I was just as surprised as you were. I had no idea house elves were making our food."

"Do they listen to you?" Sirius whispered for only his friends to hear.

"Yes, Sirius," Remus said with the slightest scoff. "They're house elves. They'll listen to your every plea."

Sirius looked thoughtful and then a mischievous look glinted in his gray eyes as his gaze turned to the scurrying creatures.

"Sirius?" Remus asked, catching on the Black heir's plan.

"I'm parched, Remus," Sirius said dramatically and sighed loudly. "Will someone get me a glass of water?"

Ten or twelve house elves dropped whatever they were doing and all scrambled to get Sirius a glass of water. They rushed up to him holding glasses of water.

"Excellent!" Sirius said, grinning. He took one of the glasses and drained it. "Thanks!"

"Anything for the young master," the house elf squeaked and backed off with a low bow.

"Kreacher hates me! He only listens to me because I'm my mother's son," Sirius grumbled and made for his second glass of water, and upon draining it, took a third and finished it in a few ravenous sips.

"Can we ask for food?" James whispered to Remus who shrugged.

"If you must," he sighed then addressed the crowd. "Could one of you make something for us? I dunno, anything really. And no one is to speak of our visit here."

There were chorused answers of "yes sir" and "of course, young master" and "sworn to secrecy". Four house elves bowed to The Marauders and started making food that Remus could not distinguish.

"I feel bad for making them work," Peter said quietly as he watched them scamper about the kitchen, reaching whatever they could in a matter of seconds.

"I do, too, but it looks like Professor Dumbledore is taking good care of them," James said watching the house elves as well with interest sparking in his hazel eyes.

And in no time, there were plates of potatoes and pudding and steak and pasta. James eyed the food hungrily and took the large bowl of pudding.

"Oi, thanks!" James said and the four walked out with gracious nods. "Brilliant!"

The boys grinned once they were out of the kitchen and had no trouble sneaking back to the Gryffindor common room. The Marauders were glad to find it empty but they did not stop there. Instead, they hiked back up to the first year boys' dormitory and jumped on their beds, each holding a bowl of food. The party of four joked and laughed together and for once, Remus let go of his troubles and felt a hundred years younger.

The Marauders were lounging in the common room, the last day of vacation for them before the students returned. Sirius and Peter were playing a game of Exploding Snaps while Remus was reading a book and James prodding Remus.

"I'm so bored, Remus!" James whined and fell back dramatically.

"What am I suppose to do about that?" Remus said, slamming his book shut and fixing James with a glare. "Stop bloody poking me unless you want your fingers hexed together."

"Not until we do something!" James replied and sat back on his heels.

"Bugger off, Peter! That's the third game you've won! Out of three!" Sirius said, breaking the conversation between James and Remus. The Black heir groaned loudly and threw his cards on the floor making an explosion.

"James," Remus said and tucked his book under his arm and swinging his feet off the couch. "If you don't stop poking me, you will be missing your fingers by tonight."

James grinned like madman as he looked at Remus in amusement. "Is that a threat?"

"Consider taking it as one," Remus muttered and slapped James's hand away with his book.

"Ouch, you prat!" James said, retaliating and eyeing the book with great dislike. "How big is that book?"

"Big enough," Remus said with a smirk and lifted his head. "Around eight hundred pages."

"Wow, Remus," James said, staring at the book with a lamented expression. He shook his head in mock disbelief. "That's such a waste of time. I can't believe you're actually taking time to read that book."

"Reading's good for you James," Remus said as if his statement settled the dispute and lifted his chin slightly as if daring to be challenged. "But how would you know? Maybe you should try it sometime."

"ME READ? For fun?" James said appalled and loudly, looking absolutely revolted at the very idea of being caught with a book for fun. That was simply not him.

"True," Remus muttered and rolled his eyes.

James resumed to poking Remus, Remus ignoring him, Sirius and Peter started a game of Wizards Chess. Only a few "peaceful" moments of silence stretched, undisturbed, until Remus broke the silence again.

"Sod off, James!" Remus said after a few minutes have passed. "I'm trying to read and it's hard when someone is constantly poking you!"

"You're ignoring me, how else will I get your attention?" James asked in an innocent voice and looked at Remus with a hidden grin.

"I dunno," Remus said. "Go poke Sirius or someone other than me!"

James laughed and shoved Remus off the couch, laughing wildly as he watched the young werewolf fall to the ground ungraciously with a thud.

"JAMES!" Remus shouted and glared at the laughing boy.

"REMUS!" James imitated, laughing even harder as Remus raised his eyebrow and folding his arms across his chest.

Remus shoved James to the floor and pinned him down with his legs. Wriggling, James nearly threw him off, but Remus held his arm against James's throat, cutting his ability to speak.

"Get off, prat!" James puffed and tried to throw the boy off but doing it without the use of his arms made it a challenge. "You're cutting off my air supply!"

"No. Now you know how annoying you can be," Remus said still pinning James with more of a pronounced smirk.

The messy haired boy brought up his knee and connected it with Remus's ribs and send him sprawling on the floor next to him. Before lycanthrope could regain his composure, James was on his knees. Remus only had time to look up before the other boy had shoved him to the floor and pinned him down with his knees.

Remus wheezed as James's right leg was on his chest.

"Yeah?" James asked and raised his eyebrow in a superior kind of way.

"James," Remus snapped from below and tried freeing his arm. "Get off me!"

"Now I bet you wish I was back to poking you," James said with a cheeky grin.

Remus did his best to attempt a glare but James was on his oxygen supply.

"James, I can barely breathe," Remus said weakly and started struggling under James again as he inhaled deeply.

James shifted his weight so his knees pinned Remus's left arm, but he wriggled his right arm from James and attempted to shove him off.

"Nice try," James laughed as he folded his arms across his chest.

"Oi," Remus said, his arm was throbbing now. "Get off my arm, I can't feel it—you are cutting off the circulation."

"Would they have to amputate it?" Peter asked from his chess game though looking indifferently.

"Now you pay attention," Remus muttered sarcastically and looked over at him. "Think you can help me?"

Sirius looked up and burst out laughing, not even caring that Peter's knight was squishing his pawn on the board, the knight was now dragging off Sirius's pawn that was still squirming but as soon as the knight threw it off the board, the pawn fell still.

"Sirius," Remus said and rolled his eyes the best he could. "Stop laughing, you git, and get him off me."

Sirius took his time to sober up and drag James off Remus.

"I see you're taking Remus's side," James said standing up and straightened his robes. Remus got to his feet (with the help of Peter) and dusted himself off defiantly, glowering deeply at James who waved at him heartily.

"This is war," Remus snarled, narrowing his eyes at James. James laughed in amusement and he and Remus were doing their best to shove the other one down.

"I swear," Remus said as James nearly wiped his feet from under him. "If I lose there goes my dignity."

"I'm a harder opponent then you give me credit for, Remus," James said with an amused tone. "Perhaps you'd like to find out?"

"I already have," Remus said with an air of laughter and kicked James's feet out from under him.

James exclaimed as he fell to the floor and landed on his side. Remus had barely enough time to gloat before James swung out his foot and forced his own legs to buckle underneath him as he fell.

"I am victorious!" James hollered and sprang to his feet, quick to plant his foot on Remus's stomach.

"I'm calling it!" Remus said and tried dragging James's foot off his stomach by the ankle. "Get off my stomach!"

James smirked victoriously and removed his foot but not bothering to help Remus up which would be more than he would have expected anyway. Once the fighting match was over, Sirius sighed loudly as he lost one of his rook's to Peter's queen.

"I'm going back to reading," Remus said and sent a glare at James before opening his book and burying himself in it.

"I don't think that boy does anything but read!" Sirius said. "Damn you, Peter!"

Sirius glowered at Peter who shrugged nonchalantly, he stowed the chess board away and was cleaning up the mess. James, who had joined them, was patting Sirius on the back while Peter tried to disguise his smug look.

"You win every game," Sirius grumbled but his gray eyes danced with amusement. Peter shrugged again and got to his feet; he flopped back on the couch and stared at the ceiling.

"What do you think about first year so far?" James asked; he was lounging in the armchair with his back resting against one end and his legs dangled off the other arm.

Remus joined them and sat down on the other chair with his book forgotten on the desk behind them. Sirius sat up from the floor and looked at James with scrutinizing eyes that made the bespectacled raise his eyebrow skeptically.

"What?"

"Peculiar question," Sirius admitted but took the time to answer. "I think this year has been a load better with you guys."

"I can vouch for that," Peter agreed from the couch and sighed contently. "We've been through some pretty wild stuff for a couple of simple first years, eh?"

"I think the word 'adventure' would fit this year," Remus answered and grinned, shaking his head as he looked at his friends. "But let's pace ourselves, shall we? We have seven years here."

"Seven years to drive the professors here mad!" Sirius said with his usual bark-like laugh that James, Peter, and Remus heard very often.

"I think we have some great stories we can share together," Peter chimed in and sat up on the couch. "Not that I want to hold hands and tell stories, but I like you lot."

James grinned mischievously. "Just remember—Evans is in the same house as us. Maybe she'll go for me."

"Some chance, eh?" Remus joked and sent a smirk to James who scowled.

"How much do you want to bet she's going to say yes before seventh year?" he asked Remus with an air of arrogance to his tone.

"I dunno," Remus said, grinning with an amused expression. "Knowing you James, you will eventually get her to say yes but for now, I think she hates your guts."

"I can change that," James said and raised his eyebrows at the young werewolf.

"Can you imagine that our first year is almost half over?" Sirius asked, changing the subject and laying back down.

"It's hard to believe," Peter agreed wholeheartedly. "This year seemed to go by fast."

"Don't worry, Peter," Remus repeated, giving his friend a small smile. "We still have six years after this one of each other. And who knows, perhaps we'll be friends when we graduate."

"We better be friends!" James said looking at Sirius, Peter, and Remus.

There was a comfortable silence for a few minutes before it was broken once more.

"Did you hear about that family Voldemort wiped out? Two children and a single mother," Sirius asked nonchalantly.

This subject took Remus by surprise.

"I heard about it in the Daily Prophet. That bloke is crazy!" James said and rubbed his eyes wearily.

"Who the bloody hell is he anyway? He apparently is just now posing a threat? Just try to fathom that! He's killed at least three families already!" Sirius said angrily and suddenly darkened his look. "We all know who he'll attract."

"I think we all know that answer," Remus said darkly. "People are saying he'll rise to power."

Sirius, Peter, and James all looked at him.

"Really?"

"Yeah," Remus sighed and suddenly looked years older. "Some of his followers—they call themselves Death Eaters—their lot killed my mum. He has been recruiting heavily in hopes of forming the one thing a leader needs."

"This is crazy," Peter said shaking his head, looking frightened. "We barely know anything about him and suddenly out of nowhere he is posing threats so bad the Minister is getting involved?"

"It takes them a while to see a threat when someone dies right in front of them," James said and shook his head. "Wonder who's going with him."

"My parents . . ." Sirius trailed off.

"What about them?" James asked, turning his attention to his friend.

"My family'll be the first ones to agree, along with all the other pureblood manias like my dear old mum," Sirius said miserably, and looked around the room. "Don't hate me—I never agreed to their ridiculousness."

"Of course you don't," Remus said reassuringly, giving his friend a sympathetic and understanding look. "You've proven that already. You are your own person, mate. We know that. Trust us."

"I still feel like there's a darkness I got from them that I can't escape," Sirius said quickly as if he did not want them to hear him properly.

"But you've proven yourself against your family," Peter said and smiled encouragingly.

"How?"

"You're in Gryffindor, Sirius. You, yourself, said that all your family has been in Slytherin. Well, you definitely proved that you're not one of them," Peter said, the wisest thing he ever said.

"Peter's right, Sirius," James said.

Sirius looked a little more convinced yet still doubtful.

"Right then," Remus said suddenly, getting up from his chair and looking about the Common Room. "I'll see you lot later. I've got a few things I must do."