Disclaimer: I own nuttin.

A/N: kikialiena has totally guilt me into updating my fic even though its 2 am right now. Sorry for the delay, but I'm finally a senior so studies are pretty heavy this year and the amount of homework is simply devastating. Anyway thanx for all your reviews.

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"Well fellows, I have some spiffy news," Sirius said handing out crème colored envelops to James, Remus, Harry, and Ron.

"He is back then?" James asked Sirius excitedly, who nodded with a smirk plastered across his face.

"Just got back early in the morning, Karkroff isn't too happy. But then he always preferred Bulgaria, seems like he is being offered a job at Drumstrang next year."

"Great, so we have a nice little date with the Slytherins tonight," Remus sighed, looking anything but pleased, "think I'll stay back with Peter tonight, old Slug isn't my favorite host."

"Oh come on Remus, don't be a pooper!" Sirius cried, clapping Peter on the back, "Peter will be just fine, he doesn't need you to mommy him. Besides, tonight he invited Ron, Harry, and Hermione…wouldn't leave your little girlfriend alone with the Slytherins now would you?"

"Oh shut up," Remus muttered his cheeks getting flushed.

"Heh he, I bet he reckons the trio have to be pretty special to get protection from Dumbledore," James pondered before popping a chocolate cauldron into his mouth.

"Anyone looking at them would guess the same," Sirius winked at Harry and Ron making them laugh.

Harry though felt a little sick at the pit of his stomach, oh he was special, only Slughorn didn't know just how much…yet. He also didn't quite enjoy the prospect of sitting in a small room with James, who would (as he had been doing in the past few days) force his presence on Harry. As much as Harry disliked causing his father hurt, he simply could not look him in the eyes or he'd end up vomiting all over the poor boy. He had thought perhaps the memories of that horrible afternoon would soon disappear…but he had no luck there. Everywhere he went people were making snide remarks about James and Lily and their very numerous rendezvous. Worst of all however was the constant jesting of Remus and Sirius when it came to this matter.

"Well…what are we waiting for," Ron said urgently, getting to his feet, "Slughorn's invitation says 8:00 pm, we're already late!"

"Just get your wand ready Ron," Sirius advised, grinning down at his own, "There are a bunch of jolly ol' people already settled there."

"Sirius, you do remember the last time wands were wiped out in old Slug's parties, right?" Remus said frowning at him, but Sirius' grin merely became wider.

"Sure, the Slytherins were turned into a bunch of ducklings."

"So were we."

"So?" Sirius shrugged, "I enjoyed the duck life. Those prats get to prance around naked…lucky bastards!"

They all snorted at this. As they left the dormitory they waved bye to Peter who looked extremely envious, though he tried to hide it. Harry noticed Ron looked rather pleased, it seemed as though getting an invite to Slughorn's party made him appreciate the Marauders' era in Hogwarts more so.

"We'll make it up to Peter," Sirius told a bummed looking Remus as he threw an arm over his shoulder.

"Yeah, well I don't think it'll be enough," Remus sighed making Sirius sniff guiltily.

As they pushed the door Harry was surprised to see such a full room, it seemed as though in this era Slughorn found a large number of talented, well-connected, and would-be successful students. The classroom bore the Prewett brothers, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Caradoc Dearborn, Barty Crouch jr., Lily, Hermione, a 7th year Hufflepuff called Edgar Bones, and a group of Slytherins Harry knew only too well. If anything the room seemed to be divided amongst the middle. On one side there were the Gryffindors and Bones, and on the other the Slytherins, all glaring at the new comers with hatred.

Harry's eyes lingered for a second on the spiteful face of Snape, then moved on to the two boys closest to him. The tall one with glinting silver-blue eyes was Evan Rosier, and the one with sharp features and high cheekbones was Attila Wilkes. A girl who bore great resemblance to Attila sat next to him, what struck Harry was her striking beauty and definite resemblance to Blaise Zabini. Next to her were the cold features of the Rabastan Lestranges, and next to him was Bellatrix Black wearing and odd expression. A little away from the rest sat Dorcas Meadows in mini-Quidditch robes (of the CC) with knee high green and silver striped socks. Beside Dorcas sat another boy, an extremely handsome one. Had Harry not known better he would have thought he was looking across into the stormy gray eyes of his godfather. The faces of Sirius and Regulus looked as identical as James to Harry's, yet as Harry looked closer the exhausted fear that seemed stretched over the younger boy's face was all his own.

Harry sat down beside Hermione watching the aura passed between the two brothers. While Regulus stared at Sirius in a mournful silence, Sirius tried to pretend the Slytherin half of the room didn't exist. Their expressions changed little throughout the night. His eyes were transfixed on the two boys until his father's voice interrupted Slughorn's tales on Anika Meadows.

"THAT FUCKING BITCH!" James blurted out making all eyes jerk towards him, "what a horrible fucking person," James said again oblivious to the attention he was getting, his eyes glued onto this week's issue of Witch Weekly.

"Potter, Potter, watch you language son," Slughorn said with an amused look on his face, "is there something you want to share with us?"

James now looked up, his cheeks reddening as he became aware of all the eyes on him. A second later his face paled and his hazel eyes grew cold. He stared at Dorcas for a full minute before he spoke again.

"There is something I'd like to share, only with her," and before anyone could say anything the issue of Witch Weekly was sent into the air and towards Dorcas, who caught it gracefully.

For the next while the entire class watched James watch Dorcas as she read the magazine. It seemed as every second went by, Dorcas' face grew more and more sallow. After a while she seemed to have finished, and slowly looked up. Her eyes seem to lock into James' and her lips curled into an ugly grimace.

"You're loving this aren't you?" she said staring at James in cold anger, "It proves every filth you ever believed about us."

"It's hard to argue that," he shot back.

"This isn't my sister talking—"

"Last time I checked this was an interview of hers. This one goes much farther than the past few, though her filthy blood beliefs were apparent in the very first—" Dorcas' pale face blanched even more so.

"There are others?" her eyes widened at Harry's nods.

"This has been going on for a while—Where are you going?" James called after her as she bolted out, "stupid Slytherins, always surprised at their own filth."

"Shut up James!" Gideon snarled making everyone look at him.

"Since when—"

"Back off Dorcas. Just stop being such a fucking ass!" and with that Gideon got up and left.

After a few minutes of silence Sirius was the first to speak. Quietly he asked James what was in the article, making the disgusted look on James' face even more so.

"Looks like blondie Meadows is off to the Euro Witch Festival, only playing her new songs. Sounds like she is going farther to spread her filthy massage. It irks me beyond belief that some stupid shitheads out there are still supporting her."

"You saw the look on Dorcas' face."

"So?"

"So she very obviously isn't one of the shitheads," at this James' eyes narrowed glaring at Sirius, who seemed completely oblivious to the change.

"What is that—"

"Think I'll call it a night. See ya all," and with a would-be merry wave Sirius got up to leave the room after Dorcas

OOOOOO

A/N: Before you get mad about the Peter treatment in this chap remember that I'm going to clear things up by the next one. I find it highly doubtful the Marauders would be rude to one of their own.