"Lily you topped the year, you're the smartest witch in the year!"
She felt the blush reach her checks as she hugged Remus, they were the only two in the common room as everyone else had yet to come down to go to breakfast.
"I am that's not right, shouldn't it be a Ravenclaw?"
"Who says it should be a Ravenclaw, in fact the first Ravenclaw on this list, Clive Woodworth is ninth."
"What but how can that be, who's after me?"
Lily quickly scanned the list and smiled, she was top that was correct and right after her came James, Amanda, Sirius, Remus, Ginny, Branwen and then Alice. She quickly scanned down the list and found that Peter had come twenty-fifth and that was very high.
She heard a commotion from behind and saw Amanda and Ginny running down the boys' stairs followed by James who Lily noticed was only in his boxers.
"Will you two leave him alone!"
"No not until he gives me back my diary."
"I'll tell you what Gin, since I like you I'll ask him to give it back."
"And if he doesn't you can tell him he'll have me to deal with right James."
"Yes Amanda."
He moved his eyes away and saw laughter in the eyes of Lily who was looking at his legs. He looked down and saw that he was wearing a pair of boxers with pictures of chocolate frogs on; he knew he was blushing as he heard Remus.
"Hey James guess who's the smartest Wizard in our year and the second smartest student."
James smiled as he saw the pride on Remus' face
"Well done Re, I'm sure you'll be top next year."
"Not me James, you!"
James gasped as he pushed past the two girls in front of him and ran at the list. Sure enough his name was second straight after Lily's and above Amanda's.
"I beat Mand. In your face!"
He turned and pointed at her smiling. She was by his side in seconds.
"Wow aren't the First year Ravenclaws dumb, beaten by eight Gryffindors how will they live it down, if it had been one or two they could have put it down to luck but eight."
She smiled as she ran to the portrait hole. James knew she had gone to wind up Snape who had come twelfth on the list. He smiled as Lily, Ginny and Remus and left too and went back to dress.
The day flew and soon they were packing to leave the next morning. The group had celebrated the fact they topped the results and even Peter was in the top half of the year. The house itself hadn't come out as well, they had lost the Quidditch cup to Slytherin and the House Cup had been won by Ravenclaw (who were not happy with their first years)
The group headed to bed early and were all in the Great Hall the next morning by seven o'clock. They stuffed themselves with breakfast and were the first into the carriages to take them to Hogsmeade station.
The girls rode together gossiping about boys, make-up clothes and summer. While the boys got together to plan their summer pranks on each other. On entering the train they found the largest compartment and sat together laughing and having a good time.
The ride ended sooner than anyone wanted and they all climbed off. They waited on the platform until almost everyone had left waiting to say their goodbyes.
"Sirius and I better go through first, our families will go mad if they see us with you guys, well except with you Pete, my mum would have a field day and start planning a wedding for us. So everyone have a great summer and remember to write."
Amanda quickly hugged everyone wishing them a good summer she hugged Ginny tight as they made plans to meet up over the holidays to discuss their first prank of the new school year. She smiled as she hugged Lily and Alice, then Branwen. She followed by hugging the boys as Sirius hugged the girls goodbye.
When they had said their goodbyes they pushed the trolleys holding their trunks to the barrier where an old wizard checked them out. Before leaving the two turned and waved to their friends and then walked through the barrier to the muggle platform. They quickly spotted their families standing close together.
Tad was to one side with Mr Evans' and they waved to him before joining their parents. They saw the looks of disapproval at this and quickly turned without a word and left the station. With a sigh the two friends followed behind. They looked around and saw two large cars and watched as the drivers took their things. With a wave they climbed into separate cars, knowing their punishment for staying in Hogwarts was about to start.
Remus watched as they disappeared and decided he better leave as well, he hugged his friends as Ginny did the same the pair smiled as they ran through the barrier separating on the other side when seeing their families.
Remus smiled as he was hugged by his mother, so glad that he was once again in her arms, his father patted his back and the three laughed. Remus looked up and saw Ginny standing with a large group. There was an older looking woman with red hair turning white and a man with red hair that was falling out.
He was about to leave with his family when he felt somebody tugging on his leg. He saw a small boy of about five there he was smiling up at him. His red hair flew around his head as his blue eyes twinkled with joy.
"Bill! Bill! Where are you?"
Remus smiled up at his parents as he picked the boy up under his arm, he heard the boy squeal with pleasure as Remus' eyes met Ginny's.
"This what you looking for Gin?"
"Thanks Re, come met everyone."
He moved towards the group aware that his parents were following. Smiling he was introduced to Molly and Arthur as he dropped the young boy Bill onto his feet, he ran around them straight away.
"It's nice to meet you Remus, I'm Magnolia and this is my husband Alexander."
"It's a pleasure meeting you, I'm Remus Lupin and this is my mother Hannah and my father Timothy."
The group spoke for a few moments before they went their separate ways after agreeing to get together over the holiday and all get to know each other better. Remus smiled thinking about how different this summer would be and all the fun he would have.
Peter was the next to leave heading through on his own knowing that his father's personal assistant would be waiting for him. He sighed at the thought of another summer with arguments was approaching and little food, not that he minded he could probably get by now that he didn't look like he would faint in a light breeze.
He waved at Ginny as she walked passed him on her way out wishing him a good summer and saying she'd send him an owl so they could meet up. He smiled as they walked away aware that the woman with long ginger hair, her sister Molly had asked if he was the ministers son.
He didn't wait for Lucy his father's assistant to say anything he just turned and walked out to find the ministry car and start his count down till his return to Hogwarts in the autumn.
James smiled at Lily and Branwen as he and Alice said their goodbyes and raced through the barrier to the other side to go home for the summer, both excited about what was to come.
James saw his father standing over to one side by a man he guessed worked with him. He moved over to them and looked as Alice followed. They both stopped next to the adults and at the same time said
"Hello"
They exchanged looks as they were grabbed into hugs. Henry looked at James and smiled as he turned to the other man.
"Thomas this is my son James."
"It's nice to met you James, and this young lady is my baby Alice, and you've already met Aaron."
James looked at the boy; he had seen him before he was a fourth year Hufflepuff and seeker for their Quidditch team, for the first time he saw the likeness between the boy and Alice.
"So Ally cat how was your first year?"
"Brilliant dad, I met so many nice people, there's Lily Evans, Branwen Ddraig, Remus Lupin, Ginny Dunn."
"Really and I bet they are all nice."
"Yeah they are" piped up James "and you know what's surprising Sirius Black and Amanda Dixon are so nice, you wouldn't guess they are related to the lot they are. Isn't that right Ally?"
"Yeah, and don't all me Ally okay or I'll call you Jamie."
The pair smirked at each other as their father's looked between them
"Are we missing something here hunny?"
"Yes daddy, James and I know each other we're both Gryffindors."
They smiled as their fathers lead them from the station discussing the dinner party for the next night and how much Lora (Alice's mother) and Jacqueline (James' mother) were looking forward to the night.
They said goodbye as they both got into separate cars and headed off home to see their mothers
Last to leave were Branwen and Lily they walked through the barrier together and found Tad and Mr Evans standing in the middle of the platform talking. Both girls ran and hugged the two men, and pulled away smiling. They all headed out of the station and took a walk around to the front to find a taxi.
They said goodbye as they climbed into the taxi's one going to the house of a grandparent and the other to a small shabby pub.
With the departure of all nine the first year of their lives in Hogwarts had come to an end and as they all travelled home in different ways to different places all minds were on the next year, the adventures they hoped to have.
None realised that in a year everything would change, their friendships their beliefs and in some causes respect for others all they cared about at this moment was the fun they were having, if only the group could forever stay just twelve.