Secrets and Lies

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"Why'd you stop laughing?" asked Peter.

"No reason," said all three visitors at once with very carefully placed nonchalant looks on their faces.

"Ahhh!" exclaimed Hermione,"We need to go or we're going to be late!"

"Oh my God!" yelled Lily as she grabbed up her things.

As Hermione and Lily ran for the doors, the six boys they had left at the table stared at each other.

"Birds of a feather" Muttered Sirius.

Harry, Ron, and James gave him sharp looks and followed the girls

"C'mon boys," said Remus to Peter and Sirius. " We don't wanna be late to Jacoby. He might stop letting us getting away with everything." He had a little grin on his face that let Sirius and Peter know that Remus found all this highly amusing.

"Oh shut up, Moony," said Sirius as he pushed past the werewolf.

Remus and Peter looked at each other and burst out laughing.

"I can hear you, ya know!" yelled Sirius as he walked out the doors.

Still smiling, Peter and Remus followed everybody to potions.

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"That was so cool," said Ron as they walked out of potions.

"I know," started Hermione, "To get through an entire class without the professor calling me a know-it-all mudblood."

"Who would do that?" asked James, an angered look on his face.

"You don't wanna know" seemed to have become the trio's staple answer.

It was an answer that was starting to annoy the marauders

"Why can't you tell us anything?" whined Sirius. "I mean, you've already told us your names and who your parents are, except for Harry's mother that is."

"Dumbledore allowed us to tell you all of this in the

first place because all of your memories, everyone's memories, of us will be erased," answered Hermione.

Sirius opened his mouth but Hermione beat him to the punch,

"But it's still not a good idea to reveal too much."

Sirius growled.

"Give it up, Padfoot," said Harry. "You're never gonna get her to budge. You never do."

Sirius just looked grumpy now. Hermione smirked and ran to catch up with Lily.

"So, Harry," started James, "We have a free period, wanna go and talk? Alone." He said the last part with a look at Sirius, Remus, Ron, and Peter. "And that means no invisibility cloaks," said Harry.

"I know we now have two," they'd had Harry's with them when they'd been taken to the past, "But NO USING them to spy on us."

"Oh Fine," said Ron.

"Besides, I have better things to do. Like have a nice long talk with Moony, Padfoot, and Wormtail." Ron's eyes were gleaming and Harry

knew that Ron had been wanting to have a prank talk with Sirius and Remus for awhile now.

"Have fun, Red."

"Ooo, just you wait Potter."

Harry smiled and he and James walked off.

"So what do you think? The Shrieking Shack?" asked Harry.

James started but then smiled, "Sure. Son." He smirked.

"Sounds good, Dad." James' face went slack.

Harry smiled.

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When Hermione had caught up with Lily she smiled cheerfully and said, "Hi!"

Lily looked at her.

"Something wrong Lily?"

"How can you hang out with them? I mean, Harry and Ron seem just as bad as James and Sirius. And then there's those idiot 'marauders' themselves."

By this time Hermione and Lily had stopped walking and

Sirius, Remus, Peter, and Ron had caught up with them.

"Love you too, Lily," said Sirius sarcastically.

Hermione fixed Lily with a slight glare, "Harry and Ron are my best friends Lily. I love them more than you could possibly imagine."

"We'd die for each other," added Ron seriously in a matter of fact way.

The other four students looked at them.

"Not that Sirius would ever let any of us get even close to death."

Sirius jumped.

Hermione and Ron smirked.

"You should really give them a chance Lily, they're actually really good guys. For the most part." She said the last part with a grin, but her eyes had gotten a little blurry.

"Hermione are you ok?" asked Lily.

"Hermione?" added Sirius.

Hermione suddenly burst into tears and Ron turned to hug her.

"I miss them Ron."

"I know you do, Mione. Me too."

"Who do you miss so much Hermione?" asked Peter. "Your best friends are here with you."

"But there's more to our family than us," said Ron.

"There's Sirius and Remus, and the rest of the Weasleys, but mostly I was thinking of Sirius and Remus."

"But we're right here with you."

"Not who you are in the future though." With that

Hermione walked in the direction of Gryffindor Tower.

Or possibly the library.

"Hermione's really close to Sirius and Remus in the future. She and Remus are a lot alike, as I'm sure you've realized, and as for Sirius, well, no one's ever really been able to figure out why Sirius and Hermione are so close, but we're all really close to them."

"Why just them?" asked Peter, looking hurt.

Ron thought fast.

"Well, close as we all are to James, he's still Harry's father and you travel a lot for your job at the ministry. Bring us some of the coolest gifts though."

Peter looked happy with this answer.

"Now," said Ron, "If you'll excuse us, Lily, we need to talk shop."

"Oh Lord! Can't you ever give it up?!"

All three boys looked like they were trying to decide whether to have her committed to St Mungo's for her obvious insanity or just put her out of her misery right then and there

"Never!"