Found the pieces of paper with this on today, and thought I'd write another chapter while waiting for Edwin to think about Seeing. Did you know, I've been in the Best Loos in Wales? Wow, I feel so special…

What makes me feel specialer is the fact that my friend's drawing me slashy pics for Christmas! But I don't get them till New Year. 

Songs- Cap'n Said To Me (cool song I learnt aged eight), I Dreamed A Dream from Les Mis, It Wasn't Me by Shaggy, Now I'm Here by Queen, Something by the Beatles and You've Got To Hide Your Love Away also by the Beatles.

"Exactly where are we going, Professor?"

"We're going this way, that way, forwards and backwards, over the Irish Sea. A bottle of rum to fill my tum, now that's the life for me!" Professor McGonagall finished by slapping her thigh. She then walked off.

"And that answers my question," Sirius muttered.

All of the Gryffindor seventh years were being taken out of the castle for the afternoon. No one knew why, or where they were going. James was using the opportunity to talk to Lily.

"Lily, do you know why we're going out?"

She looked askance at him. "No, Potter. Why are you talking to me?"

"Because we're Head Boy and Girl. We ought to get on. And don't worry, I'm not going to ask you out.

"Oh." They walked on in silence for a few moments. Very awkward.

"Seen any good films lately?"

"How do you know about films?"

James shrugged. "Remus dragged us to one a few summers ago. Sirius was convinced that the big people were going to come out and eat him. Ever since then, I've watched as many as I can in the holidays."

"At the cinema?"

"At home on a visitelion. Moony and I go to the cinema when we're round his, but then he has to make it up to Padders by going for a ride on the motorbike."

Lily pushed a piece of hair behind her ear. "They don't take you?"

"Nah, you can only fit two people on it. Sirius took me out once, but it's those two who go out a lot."

Lily frowned. "They seem so different, but I guess they really like each other's company."

"They understand each other. They have deep conversations, but if it's all three of us we talk about dreams."

Lily's face lit up, and James swore inwardly- a song was coming.

"I dreamed a dream in days gone by, when hope was high and life worth living. I dreamed that love would never die, I dreamed that God would be forgiving." She stopped, and looked embarrassed. "Sorry. I wish I knew who'd done this. I'd wring their neck and then feed them kangaroo balls."

James' eyes widened. "Umm… isn't that a bit strong?"

"No," she said savagely. "They deserve everything they get. Why? Potter, was it you?"

"No!" he said quickly. "It's really advanced Potions, and you know I'm rubbish at it."

"Hmm." She still looked suspicious, so James dropped back to talk to Sirius and Remus.

They seemed to be arguing, talking in swift whispers. As James reached them, he heard Remus exclaim, "Over my dead body are you telling him!"

"Telling who what?" James slung an arm around each of their shoulders.

Remus blushed, and Sirius smiled cockily. "Remus and I have this majorly big secret, and I want to tell everyone, but he won't let me."

James clucked his tongue. "Well, don't tell Lily, or she'll wring your neck and feed you kangaroo balls."

"What!" Remus and Sirius both stopped dead, their faces pale. Remus' eyes were more amusing, looking like they were about to pop out, pick up canes and start tap dancing.

"Oh, don't worry. She doesn't know it's you who did the prank."

Remus sighed. "The prank, that's why she'd kill me. Shit, she wants to kill me."

"Oh Remmikins, that's the strongest language I've ever heard you use." Sirius tried to look scandalised, but merely ended up looking constipated.

"You, shut it. It's your fault just as much as it is mine. And do you really want an angry Lily Evans after you?" Leaving Sirius to gibber in fear, Remus turned to James. "Of course, it's in your best interests to stop her finding out."

"How'd you work that one out?"

"Come on. Your two best friends? In a prank? She'll never believe you had nothing to do with it."

Professor McGonagall clapped her hands for attention. "Right! Everyone over here, please!" They'd arrived. It was a bit of forest. Nothing else you could say about it really. "I know you all went to know why you're here ("Damn straight," muttered Sirius). Last year you were unable to take your Apparition test, thanks to the entire examining team getting covered in warts at the first test." James and Sirius looked down at their feet, whistling 'It Wasn't Me'. "You will therefore be taking the test now."

Remus immediately began to bite his fingernails. "I'm going to fail, I know it."

Sirius grabbed his wrist. "Stop it. You'll be fine. Just remember the three Ds: Destination, Determination, and Deliberation!" When Remus started to laugh hysterically, Sirius patted him on the back nervously, his eyes wide.

James sidled over to where Lily was standing. "It's ok, Lily."

The redhead gazed at him anxiously. "But we've had no time to revise."

"You're the smartest witch in our year."

Lily narrowed her eyes and put her hand on her hip. "Are you trying to flatter me, Potter?"

"No! I'm trying to reassure you!"

She prodded him in the chest. "Back off."

"Black, Sirius." Sirius smirked and walked forward. "You will Apparate to the front of the Three Broomsticks tavern. Is that understood?"

Sirius nodded. "Here I stand. Look around, around, around… But you won't see me. Now I'm here, now I'm there, I'm just a…"

---

The Marauders lay on their beds. Well, three of them did. James was dreaming (most probably of Lily, judging by the wistful smile on his face), Remus was already revising for their exams in May, and Peter was consoling himself for not passing his Apparition test. By eating lots of chocolate.

As can be readily deduced from this list, Sirius was missing. As it was a Saturday night, their second since they'd been back from the holidays, he was on a date. With Laura. He'd had to delay their first one, because Remus had been 'indisposed' with his furry little problem, and Padfoot couldn't miss that.

"Moony," Peter asked, "where do odd socks go?"

"Odd sock land."

A pillow flew across the room, rather surprised to be disturbed from its sedentary existence. "I'm being serious."

"So am I." Remus bit the end of his quill, ending up with a lot of ink around his mouth (he forgot to check which end of the quill it was). "All the odd socks migrate to this planet far away, where they live a life of ease without the threat of shoes to confine them. There's also a part of their world set off for lost pens."

"So how do they get there?"

"Washing machines are actually interdimensional portals."

"They're whats?"

The door to the dorm banged opened as Sirius entered, swaying slightly. "Spread the news, the studmuffin of Hogwarts is no longer available." He fell onto Remus' bed, disturbing all the notes spread across the cover.

James sat up, finally taking an interest in the conversation. "Are you gonna get serious with that Laura chick?"

A look of amusement flashed across Sirius' face. "Nah. There is someone I'm serious about, but they won't let me tell."

James was sure he didn't imagine Sirius and Remus staring at each other for a few seconds, but when he blinked they were both laughing. "How serious are you?"

"You're asking me will my love grow? I don't know, I don't know. You stick around, now it may show. I don't know, I don't know… But I do know I'm head over heels."

"Aw, bless ickle Siri."

Sirius stuck out his tongue at Remus. James began to sing softly. "Hey! You've got to hide your love away. Hey! You've got to hide your love away."

Remus gasped, and brought his hand to his face.

"Moony? What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He brushed it across his eyes, and smiled shakily. "It's just that song."

"What about it? I don't know it."

"It's done by the Beatles, a muggle band. John Lennon wrote it about their manager, coz he was gay and that was illegal at the time."

Sirius reached up and touched Remus' cheek, before snatching his hand away. "Why's that so sad?"

"Well, he killed himself a bit later." Remus stood, and walked into the bathroom.

Sirius followed him in there.

Oh, I got serious. Sorry, but that song was playing and I had to put it in there. Happy Christmas everyone!