The summer of 1979 was quickly approaching and for four boys on the brink of manhood, the world was coming to an end.
They were under the beech tree they had sat under, plotted under, and studied under for the past 7 years. Ok, perhaps they had never studied under it, but if they'd ever felt inclined to study, they would have done it there. For once in their lives, they all looked somber, almost mournful. James sighed deeply and passed a hand through his hair.
"Bloody hell, I can't believe this is happening," he moaned.
"I know what you mean mate, I never honestly believed we would get to this point. Dumbledore should have kicked us out ages ago," Sirius piped up. The other three smiled without looking at him. They were each lost in his own thoughts, his own world, yet they were still together, united.
"At least you three know what you're doing, have some sense of what the future holds," Remus pointed out. It was true; Remus always spoke the truth. James and Sirius had been accepted into the Auror training program at the Ministry and even Peter had secured himself a place in the office of one of his father's friends, though the work would be menial at first. Remus, though undoubtedly the brightest student at Hogwarts, was still jobless and less than optimistic. Finding work as a werewolf was nearly impossible, especially in these dark times.
"Don't worry Moony, I'm sure something will come along." For once, Sirius didn't sound quite so sure of himself though. A pensive silence fell over the bunch as they leaned against the trunk of the tree and each other, eyes closed. Their thoughts were interrupted by the sound of running footsteps and someone's heavy breathing. James opened one eye, squinting into the sun, and saw his red-haired guardian angel standing over them, hands on hips. He loved when she looked at him like that, with her lips pursed and her eyebrows wrinkled with disapproval. He'd spent 6 years falling in love with those looks of hers. It was still strange for him now to be on the receiving end of one of her stunning, mind-blowing smiles now that they were dating.
"I should have known you'd be here. Are you guys ready?" She asked, tapping her foot impatiently.
"We'll never be ready for this Lils," James moaned. Lily just rolled her eyes.
"Ah, my little drama queens," she said with a wicked little smile.
"Lily, you don't understand. This was our home. For some of us, it was the only home we ever knew," Sirius explained. Lily had never seen Sirius speak so soberly before. She knew he had gone through some very tough times with his own family but she never realized how much of an effect that had until now. Her green eyes flickered to Remus' honey ones and her heart nearly broke at the expression of pain she found there. Hogwarts was the only place he'd ever been accepted, she knew that.
"I know guys, but it's almost time to start," Lily mumbled, glancing over her shoulder where people were filing into their seats.
"They'll wait," James said with a mischievous grin.
"Oh?" Lily's eyebrow rose up in defiance of the arrogant look on his face.
"They have to," Sirius spoke up, picking up on James' train of thought, "we're Marauders."
"No mate, we're THE Marauders," Remus announced. Lily couldn't help but laugh. The looks on their faces were so triumphant, but they're eyes spoke of sadness.
"Oh, my golden boys," she sighed. She'd always preferred to call them that, though they shrugged it off as too feminine. No one could deny, though, that they were golden. They'd ruled the school from the throne they'd created out of secret maps, romps through the woods as Animagi, and those shining smiles. Hogwarts would not be the same without them. They started the walk towards the grassy expanse where the ceremony would be held. She'd never seen them walk so slow, so dejectedly.
"Do you think they'll remember us when we're gone?" Sirius asked, to no one in particular.
"Gone? Gone like gone from here? Or gone like dead?" Peter finally spoke up. He'd always been the quiet one.
"Either. Both."
"There have probably been a million troops of mischief makers in the halls of Hogwarts over the years," Remus noted, always the voice of reason.
"Moony, must you be so morose?" James asked.
"But we're the Marauders," Peter reasoned, as if that made all the difference in the world, and perhaps it did.
"I just can't bear to think that when we leave today it'll all be gone. All the times we shared, all the pranks we pulled, all the people we laughed at and all the people we made laugh, all the people who fell in love and grew up. It's all going to die. It's already begun," Sirius lamented. Their trek across the grounds was beginning to feel like a funeral march.
"Come on guys, it's just graduation, not the end of the world," Lily said. But the looks they gave her in return told her that maybe it was.