Sunday 21st January 1973

Gryffindor Second Year Boys Dorm, 08:30

James burst through the dormitory door and threw himself on the nearest bed. Which just so happened to be Remus' which he did not appreciate.

"You're all muddy!" Remus said in dismay, noticing the muck on his friend's shoes. "Get off!"

Taking no mind of the other boy, James grumbled into the pillow. Remus couldn't make out a word of what he was saying. Not that it mattered. He was on his bed!

"Get off!" He repeated, this time adding a good yank to the leg.

All that did was pull James' shoe off. Remus crinkled his nose, it stank. He immediately threw it away.

Sirius followed in at a much more normal pace and was grinning. Probably at James. Which Remus did not appreciate as it would just encourage him.

"What's going on?" Peter asked, poking his head out of the bathroom, his hair wet from his shower.

"Quidditch Practice," Sirius supplied, sitting on his own bed.

"It's over already? I thought you'd be going on until lunch."

"Docherty took a bludger to the hip," Sirius explained. "Peterson and Weasley had to take her to the Hospital Wing. We're having another practice after dinner. Hufflepuff has the Pitch this afternoon."

"Was she too tired to dodge?" Remus asked curiously

Docherty was usually the nimblest in the air, nothing seemed to be able to touch her.

Sirius shook his head. "Nah, Weasley released the bludgers before he should have. One rocketed right into her as she was talking to Peterson."

"And she let him near her after that?" Remus asked incredulously.

"Not a chance," Sirius snorted. "There's another Weasley on the team. John?"

"Ah."

"How many Weasleys are there?" Peter asked, bemused.

"An awful lot," Sirius told him.

"Are they all in Gryffindor?"

"Probably."

Remus had noticed that there was a disproportionate number of redheads in Gryffindor Tower. How on earth did one family only have one hair colour? There had to be magic involved.

James groaned again but more pointedly this time. He was still on his bed!

"Peterson is some sort of demon," James announced, rolling over onto his back. "A Quidditch demon."

Remus took this as an opportunity to push him off his bed. He landed on the floor with an extremely satisfying thud.

"Hey!" James tried to sound indignant but it just came out as a pained groan.

Remus was unsympathetic.

"Why are you complaining? You were barely out there at all."

"My arm hurts. Arms. Both of them."

Remus raised an eyebrow questioningly at Sirius. It wasn't like he was going to get a sensible answer out of James, who had now dramatically curled up into the foetus position on the floor.

"Peterson had the Chasers run throwing drills."

"We didn't even get on our brooms!"

"I thought you said that Docherty fell off her broom?" Peter asked with a frown.

"Peterson was getting her to demonstrate a proper throw in the air to James," Sirius explained. "But we didn't get that far."

"Before the bludger incident." Remus stated.

Sirius nodded. "Before the bludger incident."

"How come you're not as muddy," Peter asked, giving Sirius a once over.

"I wiped my feet at the Entrance Hall," Sirius explained. "I did not need another detention from Filch."

All the boys winced. Spending an evening polishing trophy wasn't any of their idea of fun. It was positively horrible. Especially since he never, ever seemed to be satisfied with their first efforts. Or even their third. Actually, once Sirius had had to scrub one trophy six times before Filch was happy with the results. Though, happy was probably the wrong word. Remus didn't think that Filch was ever happy. He had certainly never seen a smile on that man's face.

"How did he miss James?" Remus asked in amazement.

There really was an incredible amount of mud on James' shoes. That was something Filch rarely, if ever, missed.

"He was too busy scaring a bunch of Hufflepuff Firsties. They looked like they were about to cry."

Ouch, Remus winced. Poor kids. They didn't deserve that.

James groaned loudly again, shifting his arms so they were stretched out. Remus poked him.

"You still have Charms homework to do."


Hufflepuff Common Room, 09:30

Dora sighed heavily as Professor Sprout left them. She had got told off enough for one day, thank you very much. First Filch and now her. It was only a little bit of mud! That didn't deserve lines! Never mind two hundred of them. By Tuesday nonetheless!

"At least we didn't get detention," Amelia pointed out logically.

Dora frowned at her, not appreciating said logic. Especially since said logic was, well, logical.

"It wouldn't have been unfair if we had," she continued.

Dora pulled a face. Amelia just had to bring fairness into it, didn't she? And Hufflepuffs were nothing if not fair.

"It was an accident," Dora whined.

"A careless one."

Dora grumbled while Amelia shook her head, red hair falling into her eyes. She tried to tuck it behind her ears but her fringe wasn't long enough.

"I'm never having a fringe again," Amelia grumbled. "It's a pain to grow out."

With a quick thought, Dora had matching bangs which she rapidly made grow so she could tuck it behind her ears. Now it was Amelia's turn to pull a face.

"Wish I could do that."

"It does come in handy."

"Pity you can't morph yourself more hands to do your lines."

Dora shuddered at the mental image that gave her.

"I'd be like some sort of weird octopus."


Wednesday 24th January 1973

Potions Classroom, 14:20

"Oh, well done, Miss Evans!" Professor Slughorn praised with a beaming smile. "Take five points for Gryffindor for managing to fix the effects of the knotweed you added too much of!"

Lily couldn't help but beam back at him, he was just so genuine about his praise. He was honestly thrilled that she had done well. And so was she. Potions finally clicked this year, not that she had been bad at it last year but she had been more concentrated on getting used to Hogwarts and magic. This year, Potions seemed to be coming as easily to her as Charms did. Well, almost. She was top in Charms, not so much in Potions. That accolade went to -

"Your usual good work, Mr Snape, very well done. Two points to Slytherin."

Sev gave their Professor a pleased smile.

Severus ought to have good work. He really put the work in. His ingredients were always precisely sliced and he times things down to the second even though Slughorn had made it clear that precision didn't matter for the simpler potions they were doing. Lily was careful anyway because it was important to have good habits but Severus was very careful. Almost at the expense of the time they had to do it in. He'd almost not finished his exam Potion at the end of last year.

"Good job," she whispered to him, squeezing his arm.

"You too."

"Perfect consistency, Mr Potter," more praise came from the back of the room.

Sev frowned at that. He always seemed so insulted that Potter was good at Potions. She didn't know why; Potter was good at Potions but not amazing. Black, on the other hand-

"Mr Black, care to take a guess at why your potion is expelling purple smoke?"

Well, that explained the odd smell in the room. This potion definitely shouldn't be smoking.

"I, uh, didn't turn down the heat?"

"No, Mr Black."

That was an exhausted sigh if she had ever heard one. Lily couldn't help but giggle. Sev smirked.

"Oh, this happened to my dad once!" she heard Potter say eagerly. "He added too many lacewing flies."

"Indeed!" Professor Slughorn said in a pleased tone and he walked back down to the front of the classroom. "Does anyone know why this causes the Potion to smoke?"

Both Lily and Sev thrust up their hands. They gave each other a brief smile.

"Miss Evans?"

"It makes the potion too acid."

Another beaming smile.

"Exactly! Another point for Gryffindor! Now, how do we fix it?"

Lily kept her hand down, not sure of the answer. Sev did as well.

"Oh, I know!"

Lily turned to the source of the voice only to see Potter waving his hand about.

"Mr Potter, again!"

"You have to stir in a handful of ground hermit crab shell really quickly. It settles it."

"Not too quickly or you'll get a mess," Professor Slughorn chuckled. "But yes. Take two points for Gryffindor. One for guessing what was wrong and another for the solution."

"Dad had to stir it in really quickly because he let it smoke too long and it was nearly exploded."

"That can happen, but not in this classroom, hey?"

There were a few murmurs of agreement as everyone decided to pay more attention to their brewing. No one liked wearing their Potion.

"Lots of points for Gryffindor today," Professor Slughorn said jovial. "Come on, Slytherins! Can't have my House letting me down. Don't let the Lions show us up!"


Saturday 27th January 1973

Quidditch Pitch, 12:00

James and Sirius waved to their teammates as they trudged towards the changing rooms. Practice was over for the day (and it had gone well!) but the two of them wanted to muck about on the Quidditch Pitch for a bit. Have some fun flying rather than doing drills.

Peterson, being the boring yet wise Captain, made the decision to let them do it but surreptitiously removed the balls from the pitch and put them under lock and key. For everyone's safety. Let it be said that he wasn't stupid.

The two friends flew around the pitch, sometimes having spontaneous games of tag, dipping and diving and generally showing off to each other. It was good fun.

"Finally, a chance to fly without being chased by bludgers," James joked.

"You nearly got hit by one," Sirius teased.

"Not by one of yours!"

Sirius playfully dived at him, which James easily avoided with a carelessly executed barrel roll.

Okay, his aim wasn't always great but Peterson had praised how hard he could hit the bludgers!

"It'd be funny if people in the castle thought they were being chased by bludgers," James mused, pulling his broom up so he was hovering by Sirius.

"Not actual bludgers," Sirius said, wincing in remembrance of the sickening 'Crunch' sound his mistimed bludger made when he smacked it into the stands.

Thankfully it hadn't been the Gryffindor stands, just the Ravenclaw ones. And it had been easily fixed. Good as new. They wouldn't notice. Hopefully.

"Well, no. Of course not. Something soft and spongey so no one would get hurt."

Sirius nodded at that idea, really not wanting to hurt anyone. That was just bad form. But where would they get a lot of spongey balls?


Friday 2nd February 1973

Potions Lab, Dungeons

Lily pushed the door open, really hoping that she had got the right room. Severus had given her directions but the dungeons were very confusing - so many identical stone walls with little to no decoration. It was all rather gloomy; she didn't think she would be able to bear it if she had to sleep down here. She needed the open skies of Gryffindor Tower.

"Ah, Miss Evans!" Professor Slughorn jovially greeted, holding the door open for her. "Come in, come in!"

Lily smiled at one of her favourite Professors and carefully lifted her cauldron into the large room.

"Mr Snape has saved you a bench next to him," he said, gesturing to the opposite side of the room.

"Thanks," she said to Severus as she sorted out all her equipment.

This was the first time she was taking Professor Slughorn up on his offer of open lab times. He had three room set up as Potions labs, one each for the lower school, OWL students and NEWT students respectively, for people to practice as they wished. Or to even go ahead in the textbook or experiment, though that needed prior authorisation from him. His safety rules were very strict. You had to be properly spaced out, make careful notes on what you were planning to do and alert him immediately to any problems that arose. He looped through the three rooms so he could keep an eye on everyone.

"I see that you're attempting the Girding Potion?" he queried, checking his piece of parchment.

"Yes sir," she confirmed, pulling out her ingredients.

It was a bit further ahead in the textbook than what they were currently working on but, from the instructions, it looked like one she could accomplish. Hopefully. According to the syllabus Professor Slughorn had given them, they weren't going to attempt this one in class so she kind of wanted to see if she could do it herself.

"Interesting. This is a good bit more complicated than what we have been working on in class," he stated with a hint of warning.

Lily nodded at him, knowing that this was not the place to brag that she could do it (she wasn't one hundred percent confident anyway). The Professor was trying to see if she understood the complications of the brewing process.

"Yes sir, but I feel that I have mastered the techniques needed for this one," she explained.

"I usually use this an example of why the state of your ingredients is important," he stated. "And how this can affect the colour changes your potion undergoes."

It did undergo quite a lot of colour changes. Almost with every ingredient. Which was fascinating. What was not fascinating was the fact that she had to find three separate books to explain why it changed colour the way it did.

"What happens if you added your normal dragonflies instead of toasted?" he challenged.

"When not dried, or toasted, the dragonflies are more volatile," she answered quickly. "And would react with the potion too quickly meaning that it would render the potion ineffective."

Professor Slughorn nodded approvingly.

"And can you rescue your potion if you accidentally used normal dragonflies?"

Lily shook her head.

"No, because the dragonflies make it ineffective there's no way to rescue it except starting over."

"Exactly!" he said, beaming at her. "Well done!" he looked across to an impatient Severus. "Now, don't let me take up any more of your time."

Lily quickly tied her hair back and shot a grin at Severus.

It was time to get brewing!


Sunday 11th February 1973

Inner Quad, 12:00

Valentine's Day was fast approaching and everybody from third year and above seemed to be in complete chaos. Girls seemed to be giggling in every corner and boys were getting stressed out about asking them out. The younger years either thought this was hilarious or stupid.

Not that Frank and his friends were somehow separate from all this. Oh no, they were right in the middle. Hormones were officially in full swing and suddenly girls were really rather pretty. Pretty enough to make faces turn bright red and stutters to appear instead of carefully crafted sentences. Which Frank hated. He normally prided himself in his ability to speak well. Not that it was appreciated with his group of friends. The amount of times he had been called a snob...

"You're not going to ask her to Hogsmeade," Niles said in an incredulous tone.

"Why not?" Jasper demanded.

"What's going on?" Frank asked, having missed whatever just happened.

"McRae, here," Niles pointed at Jasper. "Wants to ask Winoa out."

"Just because I can actually get a date, Parker-"

"You haven't even asked her out!"

"Winoa Prince?" Frank clarified.

"That's the one," Niles confirmed.

"I think Jaz has an excellent chance," Julian said loyally.

"Pretty sure she hates all boys," Josie pointed out.

"You're meant to be on my side!"

Josie looked her brother up and down and shook her head.

"Not a chance."

"Oi!"

Frank just shook his head as he watched the triplets wrestle with each other. You would have thought with them all being teenagers now that their behaviour would reflect their mature status. Not so. In fact, they seemed to have got worse.

"Have you got anyone on your mind for Valentine's Day?" Frank asked Nile, ignoring the tangle of limbs that was rolling about in front of them.

Niles shook his head and blushed, which Frank took for a yes. But he wasn't going to pry. That would not be polite. Even though he was really curious. He gave Niles a sidelong look which just made the boy blush harder and take a quick glance across the Quad. Frank followed his gaze and saw a group of girls from their year. He squinted at them, trying to guess which one Niles was attracted to. Looking back at Niles was no good because he was now staring studiously at the ground.

"Do you think I should get Alice something?" Frank asked, deciding that he wasn't going to press for an answer.

That question made the McRaes stop their silly rolling around. Frank gave them a disapproving look. They had dirt coating their robes and faces.

Julian, still on the ground, tilted his head to one side and gave him a confused look.

"That second year who's always talking to you? The blonde one? Why would you get her something?"

"She is my betrothed," Frank said in a cool tone, not liking his friend's tone.

Julian gaped at him, apparently unable to say anything. Frank didn't know why. It wasn't like having a betrothed was something out of the ordinary.

"You're betrothed?" Jasper spluttered out, making up for his brother's lack of words.

Okay, maybe it wasn't. Or maybe it was just the McRaes being dramatic again. He turned to Kingsley to back him up but the Ravenclaw was just shaking his head in disbelief.

"Betrothed? Is that like an engagement? You get engaged as kids here?" Kingsley asked in quick succession, his voice getting more incredulous with each question.

"Yes," Frank answered both of his friends.

"Only the old families do betrothals," Julian told Kingsley. "It's very old fashioned."

"No, it's not," Frank argued.

Admittedly, they were going out of style but only recently. Most people's grandparents in the Wizarding World had been betrothed. And he was sure a lot of parents had been as well. His certainly had been. As had the Potters! It wasn't that odd, was it? Looking around at all the strange looks he was getting; Frank was starting to think that it was.

"What even is a betrothal anyway?" Kingsley asked, looking genuinely curious.

Julian opened his mouth to speak, a mischievous look on his face but Frank shut him up with a glare. He was not going to tell exaggerated stories to Kingsley - Frank just knew that's what he'd do.

"A betrothal is basically a promise between two people that they will get married at some point."

"When you're kids?" Kingsley asked incredulously.

"More like babies," Frank corrected. "It's usually done in the first year. Or even before the baby is born."

"What if you don't know what you're having? What happens then?"

Frank gave him an odd look.

"There are spells that tell you."

Everyone used those spells. Knowing the gender was quite important after all, from naming to clothing to nursery decorations and, for some, things like inheritance and betrothal agreements.

"But what if you want it to be a surprise or it's wrong?" Kingsley insisted.

Josie actually jumped in here, "The spell is never wrong but you can't cast it until you're four months along."

All of the boys gave her odd looks.

"What? All of us girls had that talk from Madam Pomfrey last year."

That didn't really clear anything up but Frank really didn't want to know any more so decided not to press her.

"And if you want a surprise then you don't do any contracts until the baby is born," he finished.

It was pretty much an even split on who did contracts before birth or in the first year. Some wanted to see the baby before doing anything and others just wanted everything out of the way. Frank thought that getting it all out of the way before the birth was quite sensible. There was more than enough going on when the baby arrived.

"So, do you still have to propose?" Kingsley asked.

"Of course! Frank said indignantly.

The very idea of not proposing was simply absurd. A betrothal was in no way an agreement to get married. Well, Longbottoms didn't use it that way. It was a plan, an idea even, to get married. You were in no way completely tied to it, though there were always caveats to breaking a betrothal. And monetary penalties, usually. But the Longbottoms and Smiths didn't do that. Not with him and Alice anyway, though they had done in the past. But this was the modern way of doing things. They just had to go out with each other once they were both fourteen and see if they were compatible with each other. Nothing much to it. If it didn't work out, it didn't work out. No shame or fuss about it.

"It seems like a load of faff," was Julian's opinion.

Frank rolled his eyes. It wasn't exactly complicated! And no one answered his question!


Wednesday 14th February 1973

Gryffindor Common Room, 07:50

Frank chewed on his lip as he kept an eye on the stairs to the Girls' Dorms. She hadn't come down yet and he didn't know to be relieved or not.

Would she like what he got her? Was it enough? Did he really know her? What she liked? Frank checked the pocket of his robes for what must have been the tenth time. It was still there. Phew. Now he just needed Alice.

He looked balefully at the stairs to the Girls' Dorms. Where was she? She was going to be late for classes at this rate. He tried to tap his feet too impatiently on the floor. He was already getting more than enough amused looks from his so-called friends. They were just jealous they had no one to give gifts to.

Just when he was going to ask Josie to go looking for her, Alice appeared at the top of the stairs. Looking lovely, as usual. She was with Mary MacDonald. Also, as usual. Panic hit him. What did one do when you needed to give someone a gift? Pull them to one side? Just give it to them?

Thankfully, MacDonald took that out of his hands as she left Alice to go talk to someone else.

"Hi," he greeted, suddenly feeling quite shy.

"Oh, good morning, Frank," she returned, giving him a smile.

They both stood there in front of each other, shuffling awkwardly. Frank didn't know what to say. He was all tongue-tied. Why? It was just Alice. His betrothed. Who he had known forever. Whose blonde hair was looking like spun gold today.

"I got you something," he said shyly, feeling his cheeks heat up.

"Really?"

Frank nodded mutely and held out her gift. He didn't wrap it because it was such a weird shape and he didn't want to break it or something. He probably should have put it back in the box it had come in but he had thrown it away without thinking. Hopefully, the lack of wrapping wouldn't matter.

It was a flower, a rose to be exact - a pink one. A fake one, admittedly, but that's because it was a decoration. Tiny little glass crystals glittered along all the edges. Frank had thought that it was quite pretty.

Alice let out a gasp and carefully took it off him, her eyes wide.

"I know it's only one flower but-" Frank started to nervously say, twisting his hands together.

"It's perfect," Alice interrupted.

"It is?"

First carefully setting the flower on the table next to them, Alice then pounced on him and gave him what could only be described as a squeeze. Frank gasped; he didn't think that Alice had that much strength in her. He seriously thought that his lungs were being squashed flat.

"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" she squealed right in his year.

Okay, now he couldn't hear as well as couldn't breathe.

"Glad you like it," he gasped out. "Alice?"

She immediately released him and he sucked in gulps of air. Beautiful, beautiful air.

"It's gorgeous," she breathed, picking it back up and spinning it in her hands.

The little bits of glass twinkled as they caught the light. She was completely mesmerised by it.

"Oh, thank you, Frank."

Thankfully, she didn't hug him again but she did give him a shy smile. It made his breath catch in his throat a little.

"Y-you, you're welcome," he stuttered out.

They did the awkward stating at each other again. Neither of them knowing what to say.

"I better put this away somewhere safe," ice said, looking at the rose instead of him. "I'm going to put it in my dorm. On my bedside table."

Frank nodded, having nothing really to say to that. Alice looked down at the rose and back at him again. Her mouth opened and closed but nothing came out.

Without warning, she leaned forwards and pressed a kiss to his cheek. Not even letting him respond, she swiftly turned and went back up the stairs.

Slightly bemused, Frank watched her until she disappeared.

Someone walked up behind him and slung an arm over his shoulders.

"So, she liked it then?" Julian said in a teasing tone.

Frank tore his eyes away from the door Alice disappeared behind and gave him a shove.

"Shut up."


Marlene and Lily watched this little display with mixed reactions.

"Yuck," Marlene declared, miming sticking a finger down her throat.

"I think it's romantic," Lily told her.

"It's soppy."

Lily just rolled her eyes, knowing that the was no changing Marlene's mind. She just didn't understand romance.

"How is exchanging spit romantic?" she demanded.

"Don't be disgusting. And they're hugging. Not kissing."

"Still gross. Boys are gross."

"You have three brothers."

"Exactly. I know just how gross they can be."


Thursday 22nd February 1973

Second Year Gryffindor Boys Dorm, 08:15

James stood in the doorway of the dorm, only his eyes being visible through the thick layer of mud that coated him.

"Not. A. Word," he warned them all, stomping past them to get to the showers.

They all had the decency to wait until they heard the water turn on before bursting out into laughter.

"What happened?" Peter gasped out, wiping tears from his eyes.

"James can't dive," Sirius said by way of explanation.

"Ouch," Remus flinched in sympathy.

"He managed to pull out of it," Sirius quickly assured him. "But he lost control of him broom and went tumbling into a mud puddle."

Remus couldn't help it, his lips twitched at that mental image.

"Then he couldn't get back on his feet," Sirius continued. "He was slipping a sliding everywhere."

That made him lose it all over again. Poor James!


Tuesday 27th February 1973

Professor McGonagall's Office, 17:15

James and Sirius tried to make themselves as small as possible in front of McGonagall's desk as she scolded them. They were also trying to look as contrite as they possibly could. Okay, maybe charming old quaffles to look like bludger and let them loose in the school hadn't been the best of ideas. Or a good idea at all.

It had sent mass panic throughout the school and not more than a few stampedes. Apparently, they had made them look too much like bludgers. Definitely not the funny reaction they had been going for.

"Of all the irresponsible, dangerous and downright stupid things to do!" came the tirade.

James flinched. He didn't think he'd ever seen McGonagall so furious. Not even that time that this year's first years got into that all out brawl. And she had been angry then. For a week, all of the first years had flinched when they had looked at her. It had been quite amusing.

Unlike now. Now was definitely not amusing. James was half-expecting smoke to come out of her ears.

"What about the rest of you Marauders?" Professor McGonagall asked, directing her attention to Remus and Peter. "What part did you play in this little escapade?"

Both boys' eyes widened in fear. Their Head of House had gone past displeased and straight to furious. A terrifying sight.

"They didn't have any part in it," James stepped in to defend them

They really didn't. It had all been him and Sirius. Stupidly, really. Remus usually was the one to point out holes in their plans and Peter always knew the best escape routes. He nudged Sirius, who was staring at their Head of House a little wide-eyed.

"Yeah," Sirius agreed, nodding vigorously. "Just us."

"Hm," McGonagall gave them a long look and then slowly nodded. "Very well. Then I shall just punish you two, Mr Black, Mr Potter."

James heaved a sigh of relief. He didn't want to needlessly get his friends into trouble. Especially not this amount of trouble.

McGonagall slapped them with losing twenty points each and two weeks' worth of detentions. Which James thought was a bit steep, but no matter. At least they were still alive. Not something he was expecting after all of this.

They were given a final, and rather extended, scolding before being released.

The four of them quickly left the room and didn't breathe freely until they were a way down the corridor.

"That. That was terrifying." Peter panted out, looking like he had just run a race.

James certainly felt like he had.

"My mother is less terrifying, and that's saying something," Sirius joked but still looking a bit pale.

"At least it's over," Remus said, trying to put on a positive tone.

It didn't help. There were still detentions to do. Lots and lots of them. But it was over for Remus and Peter, James supposed.

"Next time, we won't leave you two out," James promised.

"You better not," Remus jokingly threatened.

Peter mumbled something under his breath. James tilted his head to one side in question.

"What was that, Pete?"

"Marauders," he repeated.

"That's what McGonagall called us," Sirius stated.

"It means someone who goes from place to place causing chaos," Remus supplied.

"Really?" James asked in surprise.

Remus nodded. Huh. Made sense why she called them that.

"I like it," Peter told them. "It describes us perfectly."