Disclaimers: Okay I own nothing Harry Potter related. That genius is copyrighted to the one . . . the only . . . J.K. Rowling..! (cheers) But in all fun there will be name sin there you do not know or have not heard of. Those would be my characters which are copyright to me. (points to herself with her wand) So don't take them with out my permission or I'll have to hex you. Now all in good fun. Please Read & Review and enjoy. It is long I warn you . . . but I'm trying to build a strong plot and keep them in character. (waves wand and story appears) So . . . enjoy..!

Chapter 2 Draught of Peace

The bell rang loudly as the Marauders sat down. Peter sighed in relief. He wasn't late after all. Remus put his Potion book on the desk in front of him while Sirius was fiddling with his quill. James dropped his bag to his side and pulled out his mail and began to flip through it again. He pulled out a yellow letter which was titled: James Potter, Mailing Order for Zonko Products. James smiled. On his last Hogsmeade trip, him and Sirius ordered almost everything in Zonko's Joke Shop. They were low on pranking items and decided to re-stock. The letter stated they would be in right after Christmas. James smiled broadly.

"And— what is so funny Mr. Potter..?" asked a cold deep voice.

James looked up at Professor Woad, Head of Slytherin and Potion's Master. She resembled an over-stuffed stuffed animal to James. An ugly over-stuffed stuffed animal. Her two small beetle black eyes squinting as she looked around. He frizzy gray hair tied up into a messy bun. She was short and fat and wore a tight black cloak. It was either too small or she thought she was a thin as Professor McGonagall. She narrowed her eyes on James.

"I asked what was so funny..?" she said in her deep voice. Much to deep for a woman at least in Sirius's opinion.

James smiled back, "Ohhh... nothing," he said innocently, "Just thinking about how much fun we're gonna have today doing the Draught of Peace."

She smiled back, an evil smile back, "Ohhh we will have lots of fun Mr. Potter . . . lots of fun."

"That's what I was hoping for," James said using sarcasm.

Professor Woad turned around and shot her wand at the blackboard. Instruction began to appear on the board, "The instructions are on the board," she pointed her wand at the cupboard, "The ingredients are in the cupboard," she sat down evilly, "Begin."

About a half an hour into the project James was starting to find this potion just a bit difficult. It required constant supervision, in which, he was lacking of today. He simply had no interest in doing the Draught of Peace right now. Carefully, he added his two drops of syrup of hellebore.

"Ohhh . . ." Peter sighed, "Could this be any harder..?!"

"Don't ask for the worse," Sirius said adding his hellebore to his potion once James had handed it over, "You might just get it."

Peter whimpered again. Remus looked over into his caldron to see if he couldn't help Peter out a bit. Peter's Draught of Peace was spitting out orange sparks and was purple with turquoise bubbles coming form it. Remus raised an eyebrow, "Peter was is that..?"

"It's supposed to be the Draught of Peace . . ." he said, "But I think I messed up."

"I say you messed up," Sirius croaked in.

James laughed, "You forgot to stir counterclockwise and forgot the hellebore didn't you..?"

"We were supposed to stir counterclockwise and add hellebore..?"

James nodded, "Two drops of hellebore to be exact."

"Ohhh . . ." Peter said in frustration, "I'm done for..!"

Remus started to talk to Peter to calm him down. At this James began to talk to Sirius, "So . . . what are you doing for holidays..?"

"Hoping to survive."

James felt his spirit drop when Sirius said this. He wanted to help Sirius have a Merry Christmas for once. His mother never did anything to make his holidays' enjoyable. Always comparing him to his younger brother Regulas (who James despised but not as much as Sirius) and always called Sirius a blood traitor for being placed in Gryffindor and having friends whom she disliked. James thought all in all Sirius' mother was a git. Sirius agreed with him too.

"Come on can't you sneak out..?" James said.

Sirius looked up from his potion, "I mean I could but my Mum would know where I was . . . your place. She knows I would go there."

"How..?" James questioned.

"She knows were best friends," Sirius said, "She's not as stupid as she looks."

James let out a laugh. Sirius smiled but then frowned and added the next ingredient to his potion. James wanted to say something to make Sirius feel better. He opened his mouth but closed it again. He needed to think before he blurred something out. So he opened his mouth again but closed it once more. Maybe he shouldn't say anything at all.

"What are you a fish..?" Remus asked watching James open and close his mouth.

"No," James said in an annoyed voice, he was thinking about Sirius's holidays and bad they were going to be for him.

Remus raised an eyebrow, "Could have fooled me . . ."

"Yea well . . ." James was getting angry now. Not angry with Remus but angry with Sirius's mother for treating Sirius the way she did and always making his home visits hell, "I wasn't trying to fool you now was I..?!"

"I seemed to have touched a nerve," said Remus who seemed taken back, "Didn't mean to upset you."

James frowned and looked at his potion. It was giving off a silver vapor like it should. With ten minutes left (as Professor Woad announced) James took his flagon with a sample of his potion and brought it to the front as the directions stated. Professor Woad grabbed it and looked at it.

"Looks fine . . ." she said inspecting it and looking coldly at James, "No surprises it this one like last time..?" she questioned.

James had forgotten about last time. Last time his had slipped a Exploding Wick in his flagon. Their last potion required to be heated. So naturally when an Exploding Wick got heated with flame . . . it exploded all over Professor Woad.

James smiled as Sirius was walking up, "Nope. No surprises this time Professor," James said with a smirk, "I'll remember next time."

He turned around and began to walk to his desk. James was still angry about the conversation Sirius and him had had. How could his mother be so heartless towards him..? James slammed himself back into his chair and stuffed his books and his wand back into his bag. This whole business with Sirius about to have another horrible Christmas was bothering James beyond belief.

Gathering up their belongings, the Marauders made their way to Transfiguration. James getting grumpier as he thought of the holidays.

Authors Note: Well first I want to thank everyone who reviewed. I appreciate it. So what did you think of chapter 2..? Still working out the main plot line, but still read & review. Chapter 3 is coming soon. And sorry this chapter was short.