Chapter 1: Smoky situations

Three boys stood near the Hogwarts express on September the first, looking at all the people and getting ready to board the train. These three boys were the marauders- therefore, the most popular, best dressed, and most mannerly guys in Hogwarts. Sirius Black, the tall one with the longish black hair and dark brown eyes, was setting charmed dungbombs on the steps.

"Only the slytherins will be able to set them off and smell them," he smirked to the tall blonde next to him, Remus Lupin. Only one of the group was silent and not paying attention to Sirius' pranking plans. James Potter- a tall muscular quidditch player with messy brown hair, blue eyes, and an out of proportion ego, was busy watching a red-haired girl laugh with another blonde girl.

"Hey, Moony, see these?" Sirius asked excitedly. "These are a new Zonko's product. Whereas in the past we had to put up with the smell and feel of dungbomb goo when we set them off, we can now be watch our victims gag and smell and be completely smell free! Plus, we can charm them not to look like dungbombs!"

"And how are you planning to accomplish that? I mean, charms isn't your best subject, padfoot. Last time you attempted a charm on one of your pranking toys- sorry! Tools!" He corrected as Sirius opened his mouth to protest, "you ended up exploding it- along with dinner- in the great hall- resulting in food all over everyone except the Slytherins. And a month of detention from McGonagall."

"Well, they've simplified the charm, and these are meant to be charmed- unlike filibuster's fireworks. But that's alright too- I spent the summer doing a little experimenting, and I've created charmable fireworks, too. You can make them-"

Sirius broke off, realizing James wasn't listening to him at all. Looking to see what James could possibly find more interesting than pranking modifications, he espied Lily Evans and her friend, Cat Mahnett, talking animatedly. "Prongs?" he ventured. "Prooonggs. Hey! PRONGS!"

James jumped and looked at his two friends blankly. "huh?"

"Prongs, old buddy, why don't you ask her out? I know you're dieing to!" Sirius prompted, looking at the red head boarding the train.

James snorted and looked depressed.

Yeah right, and get my hair turned indelible blue again, with boils popping up all over on my….er……ya know….uh…" He broke off uncomfortably

Sirius and Remus looked at him innocently.

Well, tell old moony, he won't laugh," Remus said, smirking.

"Right. Well. I think we should get on the train now. It's leaving soon." He replied looking even more uncomfortable. He lept up the stairs and dragged his trunk up before muttering something about finding a compartment and practically running down the hall.

Sirius rolled his eyes at Remus before they too scurried off after him.

A little later, James and Sirius were engaged in an impressive game of exploding snap, in which the deck kept not only exploding but sending out big clouds of black smoke all over the compartment. Remus was doing commentary- and dodging out of the way every time the deck exploded. Finally, the entire deck, deciding it was being over used, exploded all at once, blinding all three of them with a thick cloud of suffocating smoke. James choked and searched for the door, finally finding it and stumbling out it, the other two behind him. All of them were choking and looking as if they had been caught in a fire. When the smoke cleared, James looked up and froze before turning a mysterious shade of red. Sirius and Remus waved some smoke out or their faces before staring for a moment and bursting into laughter. Standing just out of the cloud, watching the three boys with their mouths open, was the red headed girl with her blonde friend.

Um……we were just coming down to see if there were any empty compartments," the blonde stated, trying not to laugh at Sirius, who had singed eyebrows and black smudges all over his face.

Sirius grinned back.

"Search no more, milady. You can sit in our compartment!"

The redhead glared at her friend before turning back to the boys.

"Oh, no, really, uh, we wouldn't want to inconvenience you in any way. It's alright. We'll just find another pla-" She began in a rush, but she was cut off by Remus.

"Aw, Lily, we won't do anything while you're in here. Our deck just exploded anyway, so the worst thing we can do is prank planning."

Lily glanced at her friend again before starting towards the compartment. Right as she got to the door, she stopped abruptly, causing James to walk into her, knocking her down.
"Oh…er…sorry…uh, here, let me help you up." He stammered, offering his hand."

She took it and pulled herself up, smiling at him.

"It's alright. It was my fault….I was just, uh, going to make Cat go into the compartment before me incase something exploded. But seeing as I'm in the compartment, looks like it's pointless to ask now!"

James blushed again and sat down near the window, across from Lily.

Sirius came in after Cat, and sat down next to Lily, pulling Cat down next to him.

Remus walked in last, sitting next to James. He smiled at Lily before turning to Sirius and saying, "Prongs seems to be blushing- there must be something wrong…..isn't it the second time today?"

"I'm not blushing!" James protested. "It's hot in here!"

Cat smirked, and looking sweetly at James she replied, "Ah, Jamesie, Lily may be gorgeous, but Sirius and Remus don't seem to feel this hotness she radiates."

"Catherine Mahnett!" Lily cried, smacking her friend on the arm.

She grimaced at the use of her name, and Sirius laughed.

"Well, Lils, true, you're not to bad to look at, but I must say that I don't feel this 'hotness,' as Cat so nicely put it. Maybe James is sick? He seems to be stuttering too….I don't remember him ever stuttering before. Not even around you."

Lily glared at him.

"If you don't shut up right now, I'll make sure you're stuttering 'til Christmas.," she muttered.

Everyone in the compartment snickered, and Remus shook his head saying, "temper, temper, milady! Prince James might like a girl with a temper, but the rest of us like peace- sort of."

Lily glared and whipped out her wand, shooting a tickling charm at Sirius, who immediately collapsed on the floor. James promptly did the same to Remus, who merely remained in his seat looking smug.

"T-t-t-ake it off!" Sirius gasped in between giggles.

Lily just looked at him, trying to look disdainful while laughing- and not succeeding. James gave Remus a dark look.

"And why aren't you being tickled?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Remus just shrugged.

"Not ticklish. I'm only ticklish on my feet." He clapped his hand to his mouth as Lily and James grinned wickedly at him. They both yelled "tickilius footus!" at the same time, and Remus started jumping around, yelling, "JAMES! I'm gonna KILL you!" while trying to scratch his feet through his shoes. He hopped out of the compartment, and ran down the halls screaming.

Everyone left in the compartment, with the exception of Sirius, who was still clutching his stomach and rolling around on the floor, collapsed on to the benches, laughing hard.

Remus came jumping back to their compartment fifteen minutes later, and Lily did the countercharm on his feet, much to the displeasure of James, who stood by pouting. Sirius had already had his tickling charm dispelled, and was know bent double in his seat, trying to get rid of a cramp from laughing. For the next hour, they all exchanged stories about their summers, and everyone was amazed that Lily and James were capable of having a conversation without screaming or pulling their wands on each other.

"Can you believe this?" Cat whispered to Sirius.

He just groaned in reply.

"I mean," she continued, "Last year, James couldn't even get NEAR her before she screamed 'NO I'M NOT GOING OUT WITH YOU, YOU STUPID PRAT!' and hexing him! Now they're getting along fine! I don't understand it.!"

Remus, who had his shoes off and was scratching his feet ("EWW! Remus, have compassion for my nose. I like my nose!"), glanced at James and whispered back, "Maybe it has something to do with the fact that James didn't ask her out the second he saw her. He did last year, and it didn't make a great impression. Or maybe Lily's realizing something that we've known all along." Remus grunted, lifting his head. "They'd make a great couple."

"So would you and Cat, Remus."

"I don't think so. Sorry Remus, nothing personal." Cat didn't exactly fancy talking about that with Sirius.

Sirius just shrugged and plopped his head down again.

"Soooo," Cat broke the silence. "Who's Head Boy this year? Anyone know?"

Sirius started to laugh again, but winced and stopped, massaging his side. Remus smiled at her and said, "Oh yeah. But it's a surprise. For Lily. We know she's Head Girl."

Cat looked closely at Remus, trying to get him to say more, but he just shrugged and pulled out a book. 'Oh well,' she thought. 'I guess I'll find out soon enough.' And she too turned to her bag and pulled out a book.

Shortly after it got dark, Remus stood up and announced "Prefect meetings. Come on, Lils."

As she and Remus started to leave, James stood up and stretched.

"I think I'll go for a walk. Need to stretch my legs. Plus it smells in here now, thanks to Remus and his feet."

Lily gave him a curious look, then shrugged and walked out, James and Remus following.

Cat watched them leave and then turned to Sirius. "Okay, now that Lily's gone, spill."

"Spill what? I drank all the pumpkin juice already," he asked, feigning innocence.

"You know what to spill! Information!"

"What information?"

"Sirius! Shutup and tell me who head boy is!" Cat said exasperatedly, giving him a dirty look.

He scratched his head and looked at her blankly. "Now how can I shutup and tell you something at the same time?"

"Sirius," she groaned, "just tell me already!"

He smiled at her and opened his mouth, but before he could say anything they heard a loud shout that echoed down the corridors of the train.

"JAMES POTTER! HEAD BOY! JAMES POTTER!"