I own nothing. Obvio...sly. Thanks for reading.
Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, Sirius Black and James Potter occupied the last two tables in the History of Magic classroom. Remus was taking notes, Peter tried to listen to the teacher but failed, and Sirius and James had bewitched their quills to take notes and were planning to play a prank on the Ravenclaws.
The bell rang and the Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors made their way out of the room. The Hufflepuffs went for Care of Magical Creatures while Gryffindors towards the stairs.
"What do we have next?" James asked.
"Double Potions. But not until next fifteen minutes." Sirius said.
Peter groaned, "I hate Potions."
"Is there any subject whom you actually like?" Sirius asked.
James chuckled. They gave the password to the Fat Lady and stepped in the common room then climbed the stairs for boy's dormitory. They removed some books from their bags and stuffed their cauldron and Potions book and left.
In the common room they met Frank Longbottom, a seventh year, who was playing exploding snap with his friends.
"Free from the torture of teachers Frank?" James asked as they crossed the table.
Frank laughed. "Yeah, I am James."
Once out of the common room they headed to the dungeons.
They shared the class with Slytherins. Professor Slughorn was already there. The Gryffindors and the Slytherins filled in the classroom.
The four shared the table at the end. James could see Lily Evans sitting with her friend two tables in front of them. He also had a clear view of Snape and his friends table. A mischievous grin came up on James' face. He nudged Sirius and pointed at the greasy haired boy. Sirius' face tore up with the same mischievous grin that James had.
"Think we should postpone our plan for Ravenclaws, mate?" Sirius whispered as Professor Slughorn called the class in order.
"Sure, Sirius," James said softly. Then he told Sirius what he was thinking and they agreed to it.
Professor Slughorn was telling the class about antidotes to some potions.
"So, who can tell me about Bezoars?" he asked.
Many students raised their hands. James, Sirius, Remus, Lily and Snape were one of those students.
The teacher frowned because of the lack of the hands raised. "Only this much. Now everyone we did that in your first year. Very well Mr Potter, tell us what a bezoar is."
"Well, professor, a bezoar is a stone like substance which is found in the stomach of goat and it is a good antidote for poisons." James answered.
"Good Mr Potter take five points."Slughorn said.
James grinned smugly.
"Now, you all will be brewing antidote to some poisonous Potions today." Slughorn told the students, "then we'll be testing them next week. Off to work now. You will find the instructions on the board." He flicked his wand and the instructions appeared on the black board. The class was soon filled with noises.
"So Padfoot shall we?" James asked.
"Sure Prongs." Sirius grinned.
Remus noticed his friends' face and he knew at once that they were up to something. He leaned over to whisper "What are you up to?" He asked in a stern voice.
"Nothing Remy," James rolled his eyes.
"Tell me, James," Remus insisted.
"Fine listen," James started to tell Remus their plan.
Remus's eyes grew wider for a second but then he grinned.
"You are actually in!"Sirius exclaimed.
"Yeah I am in," Remus nodded enthusiastically "Besides it will not hurt anyone."
"Awesome."
With half an hour left Sirius pulled out his slingshot "Muggle toys could be handy." Sirius did what he was supposed to do.
A second later the cauldrons at Snape's table had blasted splattering everything in thick liquid.
The girls jumped and the boys were staring at each other for a reason to the explosion.
Peter yelled but Sirius took the duty of notifying him about what had happened.
Snape as if have known who did that turned around and glared at the group of four boys. James smirked, Sirius winked, Remus suppressed a chuckle on seeing Snape's now filthy face while Peter mouthed 'BOOM' with a gesture.
Professor Slughorn was as if petrified. He was too shocked to acknowledge what had happened. Then he pulled his wand out and muttered the vanishing spell. It took a few minutes to clean the mess. The Marauders were laughing quietly at the end of the room.
Professor Slughorn dismissed the class ten minutes early.
Once out of earshot the four started laughing loudly.
"That was amazing," James said, wiping his eyes
"I know it was so cool," Sirius said.
"Did you see Snape's face?" Remus asked.
"Yeah he looked as if someone slapped him," Peter chortled.
Lily Evans, who was walking past them glared at James.
He ruffled his hair and smiled at her. Lily hmpf-ed and walked away.
James groaned. Sirius patted his shoulder and said "She'll come around, mate." Sirius tried to be sympathetic but failed.
James punched him playfully.
"C'mon we have defence against the dark arts next." Remus said.
"Well, that's my favourite." James said.
They went to the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. Most of the Gryffindors were already there while the others were entering.
A minute or two later the teacher entered. Professor Anderson was an almost like Professor McGonagall in nature. She was tall and thin with dark brown hair and brown eyes.
She was someone not to be crossed. But of course this didn't apply to the boys or they thought so. They usually got their way out.
Professor Anderson made her way to her desk. They got the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher changed every year. There were rumours that the job was jinxed.
"Today we will be practicing the shield charm. You all will divide into pairs to practice. The incantation is Protego. But first of all a demonstration. You can assist me?" She stared at the students and her eyes fell on Sirius like. "Ah Mr Black if you please."
Sirius moved in front and stood opposite to Professor Anderson. Both of them pulled out their wands. "Now Mr Black you will cast a spell and I will shield myself."
"Flipendo," bellowed Sirius. At the same moment Professor Anderson shouted "Protego."
The spell repelled, hit Sirius and he stumbled.
"So you know what it does now off to work." She waved her wand and all the tables stood against the wall.
Remus paired with Peter whereas James paired up with Sirius. "We'll change partners every fifteen minutes." James said.
The teacher moved between the students watching them performing the shield charm, correcting them occasionally.
Three of them had perfectly shielded themselves after the practice of half an hour. Peter was having difficulties performing the charm so the three of them took turns to help him out.
The bell rang and it was time for lunch. At the oak doors of the Great Hall they came face to face with Snape and some other Slytherins. They ignored the four but James shouted "Washed your face, have you Snivellus?"
Sirius laughed and Peter gave a small chuckle.
Snape glared at them. "You will pay Potter," Snape sneered.
James laughed at him "What will you do Snivellus hex me," James pretended to be afraid of him.
Snape glared at James. Then a cold voice yelled behind them. "Potter! You are blocking the doors!" barked Lily Evans. She was staring at James with the coldest glare that anyone had ever seen.
"Hiya, Evans," James smiled an innocent smile.
Lily narrowed her bright green eyes and said "You are blocking my way Potter."
"Yeah well didn't realize the chat with Snivellus will attract this much attention." he jerked his head in the direction of students surrounding them with a smirk on his face.
"Move," Lily said.
"On one condition," James said.
"For God's sake. I will not go out with you," She pointed a finger at him.
"Better luck next time James," Sirius said.
Then Professor McGonagall came behind them. "Inside everyone. Now!"
The whole crowd made their way to the four big house tables. The incident that took place in the potions class seemed to have reached every student in Hogwarts.
After lunch they had Care of Magical Creatures class with Professor Kettleburn.
The students who were taking Care of Magical Creatures went to the edge of Forest while others to the Gryffindor common room.
Ravenclaws were already surrounding Professor Kettleburn who kept glancing towards the Forest.
"Alright now. Everyone here. Right. We should start. Follow me." Professor Kettleburn turned around and walked towards the Forest. The students followed.
They reached a small field surrounded by fence. There were several hedgehogs like creatures.
"They are called Knarls," announced Professor Kettleburn.
"Who can tell the difference between a hedgehog and a knarl?"
Lily and several others raised their hands.
"Yes Miss Evans?"
"A knarl will never eat anything left in the gardens whereas hedgehogs will. A knarl can also ruin the lawn if food is left for it." Lily said.
"Ten points to Gryffindor. Yes this is the nature of a knarl." The teacher babbled on telling the class about Knarls. When the class ended he gave an essay on Knarls.
"Which I'll be collecting next week. Class dismissed."
"Well come on let's go and visit our huge friend." James said. "It's been a busy day."
"Let's go and leave our bags in the dormitory first look?" Remus asked. They nodded in approval.
After they'd gotten rid of their bags they came out of the castle and reached Hagrid's hut and knocked. Hagrid poked his head out. "Ah yer four. C'm in c'm in."
He opened the door and let the four fifth year's in.
"How are you Hagrid?" Sirius asked.
"I am fine. How about' yer four? Wan' some rock cake? I was makin' some." Hagrid asked as the four sat on the chairs. Hagrid's hut consisted of a single room with a small table and few chairs.
"No thanks Hagrid we are not hungry." Sirius quickly said.
They knew how Hagrid's cooking was.
"So how's it goin' at Hogwarts?" said Hagrid.
"Same old, Hagrid nothing new," James said.
"It can' be ol' with yer four at school." Hagrid shook his head.
James chuckled "I said school is same old not us."
"Ah o' course. So how's it goin' with yer four at Hogwarts?"
"That is an appropriate question. We are currently lacking in some cases of different pranks." Sirius said in a serious voice.
"Well Sirius yer can never be serious," Hagrid said.
The rest of them laughed.
"I agree with you Hagrid. He can never serious," Remus said.
"At least his name is serious right Sirius?" mumbled Peter which was too slow for everyone to hear except James who was sitting next to him. James chuckled softly at Peter's comment.
"Enough debate on my name can't we discuss something else?" Sirius asked. He was obviously getting annoyed.
An hour later the marauders left Hagrid's hut with homework as and excuse because Hagrid was insisting them to eat his cakes.
"I have always wondered how he had turned that big." Peter said as they headed to Gryffindor common room.
"How thick are you Peter. I sometimes wonder that how on earth the Sorting Hat placed you in Gryffindor."Said Sirius.
"Amygdales" Remus said to the Fat Lady.
"But what's Hagrid got to do with my house?" Peter was puzzled.
"He is half-" James was cut off by a shout from the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain Jack Smith, seventh year.
"Potter, Quidditch practices tomorrow evening at 6 make sure you are there. We need to train the new seeker and he's not as good as last one."
"Okay Smith I'll be there," James shouted back.
The boys made their way to boys dormitory and dumped their bags on the beds.
"Let's go to the Library James," Sirius said.
James nodded.
"Wow, you guys in library. That'll be a miracle" Remus teased.
"Why do you want to go to the Library?" asked Peter.
"Pete, tell why we have been keeping a Mandrake's leaf in our mouths?" asked Sirius.
"To turn into animagi," answered Peter.
"Exactly, we are going there to search for animagi as," he checked his watch, "the month will be over in an hour. We need to check the spells again," explained James.
Remus paled. "James, Sirius please don't. What if something goes wrong? You guys should not risk their lives for me. Please. I am not worth it," pleaded Remus.
"Look Remus, you are our best mate and if there's a need to sacrifice my life for my best friends then I will." said James, partly angry with Remus's words.
"We, James. If we need to sacrifice ourselves then we will." Sirius said.
"Y-yes of course" strutted Peter.
Remus had nothing to say. He couldn't help but wonder what had he done to get these friends in his life.