Hopefully you guys are ready, because all hell is about to break loose. While at Hogwarts James/ Lily and the gang was shielded from the tragedies of the magical world, now it will engulf them and test the limits of their friendships..Just prepare yourself..I've been told the next section is a tearjerker...(sighs)

Thank-you for all the kind reviews..You guys are great!!! I'll be updating soon.

Read and Review, please!!!!! Let me know what you guys think so far!

And remember nothing is my own..

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Chapter sixteen: The Last Play Saying Goodbye

Now that the N.E.W.Ts were finally over the end of Hogwarts was setting in with the Seventh years. This was the biggest step any of them had ever taken in their lives. Lily sat on the courtyard bench watching a few first year students talking about their summer holiday. Lily still remembered that first year. She had been so excited to go home back then. She was looking forward to her and Petunia and their late night conversations. She couldn't wait to tell her parents all about her magical education. Now, she had nothing to look forward to. What if she never saw December, Beth and Dreamy again. What if she drifted away from James. It was a very frightening time in the wizarding world.

Her last memories at Hogwarts weren't exactly picture perfect. December had finally set her foot down. She told Sirius to either get over the Skeeter article or get over her. While Sirius and Remus weren't friends, they were starting to be civil to one another again. Lily knew that tonight was the last full moon the Marauders would ever experience at Hogwarts. This was the ending of an era. She prayed that all those difficulties building between the Marauders could be resolved tonight.

"Hey Lils, what you doing out here?" December yelled as she ran up to Lily.

"Just thinking," Lily confessed.

December smiled, "yea, I'm going to miss this place to."

Lily pulled he legs into her chest, "I can't believe it's over."

"I can, I mean now we get to be real adults," December said sarcastically.

Lily felt like crying, "It's so dark out there right now, I'm scared."

She felt the friendly arm of December around her shoulders, "me too."

The two girls walked arm in arm to the Great Hall. There wasn't too many feasts left.

"I can't believe tomorrow is the End of the Year feast," December sighed.

Lily smiled, he was thinking about the full moon.

The Great Hall was bustling with happy students all excited about the holiday.

"I was wondering where you two were," James welcomed.

Lily wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek.

"Nervous about tonight?" she whispered.

"You have no idea," he confessed.

It had taken James best negotiation skills to convince Sirius to transform tonight. Sirius and Remus were sitting together, but there was still a lot of repair needed in there friendship. December was also learning to tread softly. Her and Sirius had an understanding, and he knew that December was the kind of girl that would make good on her threats.

The group divided into their normal conversation patterns. With the exception of Beth. Normally she would talk and giggle with December and Lily, but tonight she was having a perfectly happy conversation with Peter.

Peter was normally the odd man out, he lacked the confidence and grace of the other Marauders. Since the tension between Sirius and Remus, Peter had suddenly developed a staggering self confidence. He was almost an entirely different person, and Beth apparently was eating it up. She was in full flirt mode, laughing and batting her eyes.

"I thought she was serious with Bagman?" Sirius asked, noticing Beth talking to Peter.

December gave him a sly smile, "you know us girls are never satisfied."

Sirius looked quickly at Remus and turned his head back to his plate.

"Tick, tock," sneered Severus Snape.

Severus Snape and Anthony Points were standing confidently in direct line of the Marauders.

"What do you prats want?" warned James.

Just the sign of the Slytherins had united the Marauders. Sirius had his hand on his wand, and Remus already had his drawn.

"Just thought we'd remind you guys there are no rules after Hogwarts, watch your back," Points jeered.

Lily thought she saw him grin at Peter. The Slytherins walked away without incidence.

"I hate those jerks," Remus muttered.

Sirius acted like he was going to join Remus in dicing the Slytherins verbally, but changed his mind before he did. He apparently wasn't ready to make complete peace with him yet.

That night the common room was more active than usual. Remus had went straight to the Shrieking Shack right after dinner. It was approaching the nine o'clock hour. James tapped Sirius on the knee and motioned towards the clock. He reluctantly nodded. Peter was still chatting with Beth. James couldn't remember Peter every being so talkative. He smiled and looked over at Lily who was playing a game of wizards chess with December.

He bent down and gave Lily a quick kiss, "I've gotta go," he whispered.

She grabbed him behind his head and kissed him deeply, "be careful."

Sirius winked at December, "Don't wait up for me love."

December waved her hand to motion him to leave. Sirius and James walked over to Peter and collected him from Beth, and the three lifelong friends snuck out the portrait door.

Beth walked over to Lily and December, "what you guys think of Peter?" she inquired.

December looked up from her intense game, "what about Bagman?"

"Oh, it doesn't hurt to have a spare," Beth joked.

Lily let out a laugh, "I think December is rubbing off on you."

"It only took seven years," December added.

Beth giggled and laid back on the couch, "I think Peter is a cutie."

Lily rolled her eyes. Dreamy Johnston walked over and sat next to Beth.

"Peter is a very good kisser," she informed her.

Lily almost fell over when December let out a choke. Dreamy apparently like the response she had generated, and she returned to her silent stare into the fire.

"You kissed Peter?" Beth asked excitedly.

Dreamy grinned but didn't respond.

"Oh my God!" Beth went into a giggle fit. Beth and her boys.

The Marauders were already enjoying there last great Marauder adventure. It was easier for Sirius to be civil to Remus when they were Padfoot and Moony. Prongs was happy that things were seeming normal. They decided not to go into Hogmeade due to their last encounter. They played in the Forbidden Forest.

The night passed quickly. Before any of them realized, the morning was creeping upon them. The thing that had held the Marauders together, what defined them as a group, was now over. It hit them hard on the way back from the Astronomy tower.

"It's over," Sirius muttered.

"Yea, I know," James agreed.

Peter gave a wicked grin, "I don't know what you guys are so depressed about?"

James stopped at looked at Peter, " what brought on this surge of courage?"

Peter dropped his eyes to the floor, "I'm just excited, that's all."

They three boys finally made it to their dormitory, where they all crashed into a deep sleep. It was close to lunch time before they finally resurfaced. James was still attempting to wake up with Lily attacked him in the common room.

She kissed him passionately, "I just realized how much I'm going to miss you."

James smiled and gave her a gentle squeeze. They walked down to the Great Hall hand in hand. December and Sirius were already at the table, and Sirius was talking about what he was planning on doing when he finally got his NEWT results.

Lily felt her heart pounding in his chest, she hated the thought of leaving Hogwarts forever.

"Hey D, I'm suppose to go talk to Professor McGonagall about my recommendations for Head Girl next year, wanna come?" Lily asked.

"Yea, I could use a walk," December agreed. She kissed Sirius on the cheek and left the Great Hall with Lily.

Remus entered the Great Hall a moment later. "Hey guys," he said weakly.

"Hey Moony," Sirius responded.

James jerked his head up towards Sirius. Remus smiled and said, "so I'm Moony again?"

"Yea, I was thinking about that," Sirius joked. "I mean, I'm Sirius Black."

James almost coughed up his pumpkin juice.

"Don't laugh Prongs," Sirius barked, "the Marauders are more important than a silly article or a girl."

Remus smiled "I'm sorry Padfoot, friends?" he held out his hand.

Sirius laughed and pulled Remus into a bear like hug, "as long as your okay with me dating December."

"Just don't marry her, okay?" Remus joked.

They three boys laughed like old times. Suddenly James looked around the Great Hall, "where is Peter?"

Sirius shrugged, but Remus had a worried expression on his face.

"He's been acting, strange, lately," Remus said with concern.

Sirius looked over at the cups holding the jewels for the House Cup.

"Looks like Gryffindor wins again," Sirius said proudly.

"Did you expect any less?" James said arrogantly.

Sirius smiled, "well, it's our last night." He lowered his voice "I think it's time to plan the finally Marauder prank."

The night came quickly. The End of The Year Feast was a celebration to end all celebrations. Dumbledore had just announced the winners of the House Cup. They Gryffindor table let out a loud cheer. Sirius gave Remus and James a sly wink, and the final Marauder prank began.

Lily caught the look intended for James and she quickly snapped her head over to the Gryffindor table. The Slytherins human head had all been replaced by Lion heads. They were roaring loudly. To top off the prank, a gigantic green banner flashing green letters spelling "Slytherins Suck."

The great hall busted into applause, and the final Marauder prank received a standing ovation. The four Marauders stood up and took a bow. While the Slytherins were being counter cursed by the professors, McGonagall was leading the Marauders out of the Great Hall to receive the final punishment.

When the boys finally joined the girls in the Gryffindor common room late that evening they were jeering about the memory of all there Hogwart memories. The Gryffindor seventh years stayed up all night, remembering all the goodtime, all the bad times and everything in between.

"You know guys, we need a picture, so we'll never forget this moment," Beth said happily. She ran up the dorm room stairs and grabbed her magical camera.

She asked a second year student to take a picture. The entire group gathered around the fire. Sirius, Remus, Peter, James, Lily, December, Beth and Dreamy. It was such a happy time.