Author's Note: Sorry for the delay. I've been rather busy with moving and starting a new job. I'll try to update more often.
Sirius:
It was a long walk back to the castle for Sirius. When he decided to wander around the grounds to avoid his coursework, comforting a sobbing Lily Evans wasn't exactly what he had expected. It wasn't like they were friends after all. No, the marauders were classmates with their fellow Gryffindors, but they didn't actively spend time with the 6th year girls. That was mostly due to James and Lily being unable to be in close proximity for more than a few minutes without a screaming match. Sirius had nothing against any of the girls. He didn't particularly understand James's obsession with Lily. She was pretty enough, but not really Sirius's type.
Sirius wasn't sure how to feel after hearing her story. Here he thought his summer had been a nightmare. Finally escaping the hellhole he had been forced to call home for so long was an emotional ordeal. But he couldn't decide whether he pitied or envied Lily Evans. On one hand, it was terrible for Lily to have to feel the pain of watching the family she loved fall to pieces. But on the other hand, at least she had a family that loved her and each other for all those years.
Sirius had never told anyone the full extent of what he had gone through over the course of his life. The marauders knew a good deal about his childhood, but even they didn't know everything. Most of the time, he didn't even let himself think about the worst of it. His musings were interrupted by the sight of his 3 friends in a corner of the common room. Remus appeared to be tutoring Peter while James watched in amusement attempting to read a book about quidditch.
"So I turn my wand like this?" A jet of small flames shot out of Peter's wand in James's direction.
"Oi! Pete! Don't set me on fire! You're supposed to be producing smoke, not fire!" This time it was Remus's turn to laugh as James frantically patted out the small flames from his robes. Sirius found himself laughing as well. His friends looked up at the sound.
"Hey Padfoot!" Remus called. "Where have you been? I could use some help here and this one," he pointed at James, "is completely useless."
"I went for a walk." Sirius replied, walking over to sit at the table with his friends.
"Oh?" Said James, returning to his book. "Snog anyone we know?"
Sirius sighed. "I went for a walk by myself."
"But... why?" Peter asked.
"Because I felt like it." Sirius shrugged. His mirth had evaporated, and he returned to the rather contemplative moody feeling he hadn't been able to shake since leaving Lily on the grounds.
Remus and James both gave him curious looks while Peter looked incredibly confused.
"But I thought - " Peter continued.
"Pete! Drop it!" Sirius interrupted. The curious looks from Remus and James and the confused look from Peter intensified. Sirius merely stole a quill and piece of parchment from Remus and began writing his transfiguration essay. His friends merely shrugged at each other and returned to their previous activities.
Contrary to popular belief, the marauders completed their school work. Though they weren't often seen studying, they did quite well in their classes. Remus was the most studious of the four. Peter struggled, but the other three (mostly Remus because James and Sirius had little patience and short attention spans) helped him out. James and Sirius just didn't see the point of studying when they managed to get good marks without studying at all. They all got their work in on time though. Perhaps that was why while they pulled pranks often, they got away with more than they probably should have.
After another hour or so, their studying session devolved to the point where no schoolwork was getting accomplished. Their laughter began to attract giggling fourth year girls, annoying the marauders enough for them to relocate to their dorm where they turned to planning their next prank against the Slytherins. True to his word, Sirius never mentioned coming across Lily Evans on the grounds. A marauder's word of discretion meant something after all.