Author's Note: This is my first fanfiction that has to do with the world of Harry Potter! I'm so excited! I've been doing RPGs on forums for years before I finally came up with the idea of doing a Marauder fanfic! Hope you like it!
Disclaimer: Harry Potter related characters and places do not belong to me. It's all J.K. Rowling's doing… 'cause she's cool like that.
Chapter 1: Last Chance
A bespectacled, young man approached the large red steam engine labeled The Hogwarts Express, with a trunk full of magical items in tow.
As James Potter (a.k.a. Prongs) lugged his enormous case onto the train he heard a familiar voice float in behind him. "… --telling you, Remus. This girl was hot. And I mean, hot like supermodel hot."
"And where, may I ask, did you meet this girl?" asked the other conversation maker.
There was a slight pause before the other voice continued, "The women's lingerie section… but that's beside the point. She fancied me…. I could sense it."
A laugh came from the other as James turned around with a grin on his face, "Have a good time with the ladies, Padfoot?" Sirius Black (a.k.a. Padfoot) was a tall and handsome Gryffindor, the same House as James and Remus. His jet black hair covered his eyes so elegantly it was odd to know that he didn't spend time in front of the mirror styling it. It's amazing to also realize that he was straight! (Author's Note: Double bonus! XD) He and his mature features made him a favorite with the ladies of Hogwarts.
Followed closely behind him were Remus and Peter. Peter Pettigrew (a.k.a. Wormtail) was a portly, blond, and shy boy. There isn't really anything too interesting to report about him. He was basically average at everything he did. You could even consider him a tag-along with the others but none the less, the others enjoyed his company.
With a mischeivious smile, Sirius laughed at James's comment not giving any details.
Remus added in, "And the slap to the face meant a 'no-harm; no foul' to him either." Remus Lupin (a.k.a Moony) was also another 7th year at Hogwarts. Dirty blonde hair and multiple scars he wasn't bad looking either. He had his own fair share of girls who were after him. Oh yeah… did I mention he is a werewolf?
But that never scared the others into abandoning their friendship with him. Instead, they did the exact opposite. They banded together to form a group called the Marauders.
Since werewolves are harmless to animals, the other three secretly decided to become unregistered animagi. The skill of becoming an Animagi is really high above the level of the students attending Hogwarts. It's a skill where the conjurer can willingly change into an animal form, whenever necessary. After repeated attempts, James, Sirius, and Peter finally pulled it off successfully.
A stag, a dog, and a rat, respectively.
During the long nights of Remus's transformations, the others would roam the grounds with him exploring the Forbidden Forest just outside of the school's perimeter and a number of other places that most students never saw their entire stay at Hogwarts. Their adventures together during those times were never regretted.
They'd gotten to know the school and its grounds so well, the four of them created a map. But this was no ordinary map. This map showed the entire school (secret passages, mysterious rooms, etc...) as well as the grounds with an added bonus of pinpointing the exact location of each individual located there.
They called it The Marauders Map.
All four of them heartily laughed as they stepped onto the train with their luggage.
Finding a compartment was easy. Kicking a group of first years out on account of 7th year upperclassmen rights, the Marauders rested in the comfortably confined section, waiting for the train to begin its trip to the school.
Just as James keeled over from laughing so hard while Sirius recapped all of their pillages during the summer, a red streak whizzed passed the compartment door. Coming to his senses, James leapt up and pulled open the door.
Walking briskly away was a red-haired girl who looked somewhat flustered as she peered into each compartment.
"Hey, Evans!" James called after her, coolly. Combing his hand through his hair to make it even messier than usual, he took on the visage of a tough badass.
Lily Evans turned around sharply to glare at James. Her fiery red hair and striking green eyes was the epitome of James's opinion of perfection.
"What is it now, Potter?" she asked, looking annoyed.
"Nothing…" he said, making his hair untidier as he shook his head. Slowly Lily approached him, and stared into his deep hazel eyes. She looked like she was going to hit him… for insubordination or something stupid like that.
"Is there something you want to say to me, Potter?" she asked, glaring at him.
"Will you marry me?" James mocked, smirking.
Suddenly, getting on her toes, she kissed him deeply on the mouth. Pulling away, she smiled at him, "I'm afraid I'll have to deny your request... maybe once you mature up a little, I'll consider it. Why didn't you call me this summer?"
"Sorry," James said, putting his hand on his head. "I was really busy this summer. I tried to write… or call… or something."
"That's okay. I forgive you," she said quietly. Kissing him again, the compartment door was blocked by someone standing in the way. It was Sirius.
"Ah. Miss Evans. What a pleasure to see you again! Got a friendly greeting for me? You know how lonely I am," he said, puckering up.
James rolled his eyes playfully as Lily smacked Sirius upside the head, "You wish."
Grabbing the back of his hair, Sirius whined, "Oh Lily! What would one must do to gain the affection of such a fair maiden such as yourself?"
"You're such a player," Lily said, smiling at him and grabbing onto James' shirt. She rested her head on his shoulder and looked at Sirius with sorrowful eyes, "I'm sure you'll get over it."
"I'm sure you're right!" Sirius said, completely doing a 180 personality change. He grinned widely and re-entered the compartment where Remus was reading his book and Peter was watching Sirius' act animatedly.
James lead Lily into the compartment just as the train began to slowly inch forward.
As James looked out the window, he could sense that the coming year would be an extremely eventful one. It was their last year all together at school and he was going to go out with a bang, whether the school was ready for it or not.
In a flash, Sirius got up and moved back over to the door. Grinning maliciously, he said quietly as he looked out the window into the hallway, "Why if it isn't our favorite prat, sniveling Snivellus."
James leapt to his feet, as Lily tried to grab onto his hand. But he was too quick. Standing next to Sirius, James could recognize the greasy trudge anywhere.
Sliding open the door ever so silently, they crept into the corridor. The clacking of the train took care of any other excess sound, especially ones from Lily urging him to leave him alone.
Severus "Snivellus" Snape was a 7th year Slytherin. Ever since they'd attended school together, the Marauders and Snape had loathed each other. It's rumored that Snape hated James because of his natural talent at Quidditch and his popularity at the school. Other theories suspect otherwise, such as having the prettiest girl in school as a girlfriend.
Sirius slowly pulled out his wand from the back pocket of his jeans and aimed for the back of Snape's head. "Fodio," he muttered.
Just then a small white jet of light shot out of his wand tip and smacked Snape in the back of his head.
Grabbing onto the back of his head, Snape wheeled around. The hook-nosed, greasy haired teenager looked more annoyed than ever.
Sirius and James both smiled at him, in mock kindness, "Oh! I'm sorry, Snivel—Severus!" Sirius said, bowing slightly. "Did that hit you? Oh, I'm terribly sorry… that your mother ever had a greasy git like you for a son."
Snape's face contorted into one of fury as he began charging straight for them. Suddenly, Lily moved in front of both James and Sirius, pressing her delicate hands on their chests. "Stop. It's not worth it."
Snape stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of Lily. Maybe he was afraid of her quick spell casting,… or perhaps it was something else.
Lily whipped around, as Sirius gave Snape an extremely crude hand gesture. "You stop it too. If you don't, 10 points from both Gryffindor AND Slytherin." She jabbed her finger towards the end of the hall, "Snape, just go. Just leave. Get out of my sight."
Snape scowled through his lanky, black hair. Turning slowly, he walked away, thinking twice about his actions. But something was uttered out of his mouth that made James snap.
"What did you call her!" he said, jumping forward, but Lily held him back. Sirius just looked on, frowning.
"I said, Snape, what the hell did you call Lily?" James looked as if his head were about to explode.
Snape turned around and said quietly, "I called her a 'filthy mudblood'." Snape turned around again and continued to walk down the corridor.
James turned red in fury and tried to run after him but this time Lily, Sirius, Remus and Peter held on to his jacket. James tried to fight them, but he soon gave up. He looked down at Lily who said, "James… he's not worth your time."
"Yeah, Prongs," said Remus, who had finally decided to drop his book and join in restraining James. "Besides…" he pointed to the ground. "He jinxed that spot on the floor as he walked away. If you'd gone after him… oh, I'd say by the looks of it, you'd probably erupt in boils and sores all over your body."
Everyone looked at the strangely glinting space of carpet with disgust for a second and then backed away into the compartment. Remus took care of the potential hex and then came back into the alcove.
The rest of the ride to the school, the group were schemeing new and improved ways to get back at Snape. Lily and Peter usually stayed out of the conversation.
James and Sirius vowed that Snape would never get away with something like that again.
They'd rather die than see that happen.
The more you review, the more I write! I want some feed back about this so I can improve on this a bit!