Disclaimer: As always these characters are J.K.Rowling's. The one's I have made up are a product of the original stories and thus aren't solely my own. No harm is intended, no money is being made, I just like to play with them.

Hast thou no mercy!

Chapter 1

"Oi, wake up," Remus muttered, ripping open the red bed hangingsand letting in a blazing strip of sunlight.

"Yeah, we're going to be late for breakfast," yelled James at the top of his lungs from the opposite side of the room. He hurled an enormous pillow at the sprawled out figure, who was lying fast asleep on his four poster bed, half-hidden beneath the bed clothes. "I'm starving! Will you get a move on? I want to talk to Evans before we have to go to lessons."

Sirius, who still had his eyes shut, smirked before groaning, "yeah yeah, hold your Hippogriffs I'm up." Sirius made a grab for his clothes and began putting them on, still half asleep. He managed to get one leg through the arm of his robes and the other twisted in the leg of his jeans before he noticed what he was doing. "Crap!" he cursed as he tripped over his trunk, pulling down the hangings with him. Remus groaned before rushing over to untangle him.

"Reparo," snorted James, pointing his wand at the torn hangings and watching them zoom back into place. He looked round to find Remus flushed pulling at Sirius' robes whilst Sirius danced around on one foot in his boxer shorts trying to pull his leg out of his sleeve. He stumbled every now and then on his jeans which were still wrapped around his other ankle.

"Don't just stand there laughing," Sirius shouted angrily, throwing a furtive look at Peter who was shaking with laughter cramming his fists into his mouth in a bid to calm down.

James, rolling his eyes, stalked over and grabbed hold of Sirius' foot and yanked. "Now can we go down to breakfast? If we're not too late!"

Sirius grinned. "You do realise you're not getting anywhere with that girl. If you haven't realised it already, Evan's isn't exactly part of your ever increasing fan club."

"Nor yours," James retorted. "And that pretty much covers nearly the entire school."

"Ooo, look who's full of themselves this morning," Remus muttered sarcastically under his breath as he threw his school bag over his shoulder.

Sirius carried on grinning to James' dismay. James turned on his heel and stalked out of the dormitory, down the flight of stairs, across the Gryffindor common room - passing a crowd of giggling second years - and clambered out of the portrait hole into the corridor beyond.

James took the stairs down to the entrance hall two at a time before running his fingers roughly through his dark already messy hair making it stand on end. He paused to wait for his best friends, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew to catch him up. When they were in sight, he threw out his chest and strutted into the Great Hall.

Sirius, who was now by his side, flicked his shoulder length black hair out of his eyes panting slightly from chasing James down seven flights of stairs and along several corridors. Remus and Peter were bringing up the rear Remus having already dived into his new Advanced Defence Against the Dark Arts textbook.

Several girls from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, Sirius noticed, started giggling as they walked past, staring wistfully at James and himself. Sirius very much doubted however whether James had even heard them. His eyes, Sirius observed, were fixed on a pretty sixth year girl with striking auburn hair who was sitting at the Gryffindor table with her friends.

Sirius rolled his eyes. How long has this been going on for, he wondered, as they neared the table.

"Hey Evans," James spoke, as he glided into a seat next to her.

"Yeah, what do you want," she turned, holding a piece of toast and smirking as he threw an arm casually around her shoulders.

Sirius, who was just about to sit down opposite them with Remus and Peter, noticed several second years scowl at the two of them before grudgingly returning to their breakfasts.

"You ever going to let me take you out to the Three Broomsticks for a pint of Butterbeer and a game of Darts? I'll even let you win!"

Remus snorted into the goblet of Pumpkin juice he'd been drinking from, spraying it across his Defence Against the Dark Arts book. Sirius smirked at the repulsive look Lily threw her friend, Ebony, who was sitting beside him.

"I may be wrong Prongs," piped up Peter, "but I don't think that's the best way to get Lily's attention."

James scowled at him. "What would you know Wormtail?"

"Well he does happen to live withfour women at home," Remus grinned sarcastically.

"Yeah, I reckon you should take Wormtail's advise Prongs" Sirius chipped in. "You've been trying this tact for how many years now? It's obviously not working. If you know what I mean!"

Ebony, who was sitting on Sirius' right, jabbed him hard in the ribs with her elbow.

"Oww." What was that for?" Remus, who was sitting on his other side, sniggered. "And you can shut up too." he cuffed him across the shoulder.

Peter shook his head grinning. "You two really haven't got a clue."

Lily, who had now extricated herself from James' prying hands, stood up. "You ready to go Eb?"

"Yep. Ooh hang on a sec..." She turned back to the table, leaned across Sirius, and grabbed a rack of toast before following Lily out into the main entrance, James and Sirius watching them until they disappeared.

Sitting at the back of the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom a month later, James and Sirius were making adjustments to The Marauder's Map. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," spoke James tapping the parchment.

Across the plain piece of parchment, thin green lines began to appear, spreading from James' wand tip up to its very edges creating a complex web that showed every detail of Hogwarts. Words then began to appear, names of classmates and teachers, prefects and even the Headmaster Albus Dumbledore.

Remus struggled to hear the incantation they'd be using that lesson. "Oh this is the limit," he whispered shooting James and Sirius a dirty look. "I can't believe you aren't paying attention! AGAIN!"

Hey, we passed our OWLs without paying much attention..."

"Yeah, but this is NEWT level."

"Yeah yeah whatever Mr Prefect. We'll borrow your notes later." Remus rolled his eyes. "Stop rolling your eyes, we're in our penultimate year, we're going to bloody enjoy it. Now where do you reckon- yeah that's probably right. The secret passageway's directly behind the witch's hump at the top of the main staircase," Sirius mumbled as James scribbled it down.

"Tell me why we're making this map again?" muttered Remus out of the corner of his mouth.

"Why?" James looked affronted. "Only so that the most worthy mischief makers to come will have an aid to cause the coolest mayhem this school has ever seen," James replied with a wicked grin.

"I'm sorry I even asked." Remus grinned shaking his head in amusement. "Well at least my charm worked, now at least we can see where people are. It might even keep you two out of detention for a while, though I very much doubt it." Sirius pulled a face before returning to the map. "I'd put that away if I were you." Remus pointed over to where their Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher now stood, two desks in front of them, and was looking very annoyed in their direction.

"Ooo, mischief managed," murmured James pointing his wand at the parchment.

"Hogsmeade weekend's coming up next week," muttered Peter as they headed up to the Gryffindor common room "What are we going to do?"

"That was a nice bit of flying you did there Potter," grinned Evans, as they entered the corridor that led to the Gryffindor tower.

"Yeah, you should have seen old Snivellus' face. Three hundred points to ten!" Peter chortled. "I love it when we beat Slytherin."

Lily walked forwards to give the Fat Lady the password, "Expelliarimus!" who swung forward revealing a hole behind, and through which, they now climbed.

They found themselves, on entering the Gryffindor common room, greeted by a thunderous round of applause. Above the many heads, now looking in their direction, hung an enormous banner of the Gryffindor lion and around its head circled the Quidditch team which were moving and waving to the people below.

As the crowd gathered around James, Lily said goodbye and headed over to where her friend Ebony, a tall tanned girl with long curly dark brown hair, was sitting by a window with a bottle of Butterbeer.

Once he had detached himself from the crowd, James turned to Sirius, Remus and Peter, "I'm telling you that girl likes me."

"Oh God here he goes again."

"Pass me the sick bucket will you," grinned Sirius pretending to wretch.

"Oh sod off," James retorted, his cheeks turning slightly red.

"I'll go get us some Butterbeers," Peter suggested still grinning.

James stalked over to an empty dilapidated sofa, which stood beside the fire, and threw himself on to it closing his eyes. His heart was pounding as he thought of Lily; her wavy auburn hair flowing down her back; her eyes a penetrating green, like they could see right into your soul-

"Oi, you're not dreaming about me again are you," Sirius growled affectionately as he pounced on to James' lap.

"Get off you big mutt."

"Hey, that was a bit below the belt," Sirius grinned.

Remus, who was now sitting in a nearby armchair rolled his eyes. Yet again his two best friends in the entire world were making absolute fools of themselves - and he loved them for it.

"Can't you leave me alone for five minutes to daydream."

"Oh get over it Prongs. Lily's way out of your league and you know it. She'd jump into bed with Snivellus before going out with your scrawny butt."

James looked desperately at Remus for help, who instead dove back into his Charms book with a grin stretched across his thin pale face.

"I resent that. My bottom is very nice thank you very much. And you can't be serious! Snivellus! After what he called her last week!"

"God Prongs, I thought you were supposed to be intelligent," Sirius laughed, pulling him in to a headlock and rubbing his free fist through his hair, making it stand on end even worse than usual. "It was a figure of speech!"

Several third year girlsstared adoringly at the pair as they walked past to their dormitories. However, James didn't notice them and his eyes were again searching out Lily, who was now talking animatedly to her friend at the other side of the common room.

Peter, now returning with four Butterbeers, followed James' gaze. "No such luck then lover boy!"

"Oh not you as well. Oh I've had it," said James, slamming down his Butterbeer.

"Had what?" But before Peter received an answer James had pushed Sirius off his lap, who fell to the floor slightly shocked.

"Sorry mate," he apologised, but without waiting for a reply he turned and stalked over to where Lily and her friend, Ebony, were sitting. James swung Lily around to face him and he kissed her.
Stunned by what they were seeing Sirius, and what felt like the entire common room, went quiet, staring gobsmacked at what was happening. Sirius, Lily noticed, appeared to be just as stunned as the rest of them.

James pulled away. "Not bad Evans. Anyway thanks for the goodnight kiss." With that, he stalked back across to Sirius, slightly flushed, and grabbed his Butterbeer, and went up to the boys dormitories

There was a tense pause in which everyone was either looking at Lily or at the door, from which, James had made his hasty exit. The pause was only broken by laughter which started off quietly and got louder and louder until the whole common room was caught up in the hysteria. Lily, blushing furiously, made a quick exit up to the girls dormitories leaving the rest in a very excitable mood.

"What the hell was all that about," Peter gasped spellbound.

"Hang on I'll go and find out." Sirius got up off the sofa which, moments before, had been occupied by James. He crossed the common room to where Ebony was now sitting alone. She was curled up in an old armchair next to the window, out of which, she was now gazing.

The panes of glass reflected her delicate face which, Sirius noticed, was extremely pretty. Why hadn't he noticed it before he wondered. Sirius saw that she was biting her bottom lip nervously, the same way James did when he was anxious. As he reached the table she was sitting at he cleared his throat and said rather awkwardly, "Hi." "Can I sit down." He indicated the chair which Lily had just vacated.

"Umm, yeah," replied Ebony slightly taken aback.

Sirius realised now why he hadn't noticed it before. As Ebony had turned around, her thick tumbling curls had fallen forwards throwing her face in to shadow.

There was an awkward pause in which neither made eye contact, both looking extremely uncomfortable. Ebony shifted slightly in her seat and she made to push some of her curls, which tumbled over her shoulders, out of her eyes. Sirius, who's mind had drawn a blank, tried to think of something to break the ice. He realised now that in the six years he'd been at Hogwarts he had never uttered more than a couple of words to her.

"Doyouknowwhatthatwasallabout?" he blurted out, before he could stop himself. Damn it, he thought, why do you always have to open your stupid mou-

"Sorry. I didn't quite catch that," Ebony replied, breaking into his thoughts, She was finally making eye contact. Her smile, Sirius saw, was reflected in her eyes. As he gazed at her Sirius suddenly felt like he'd been hit by lightning. Ebony's eyes were a deep aqua-marine, twinkling in the soft candle light which lit the common room. There was something disturbing yet mesmerising that he couldn't quite put his finger on.

"I said, do you know what that was all about," not once breaking eye contact.

"No, I was about to ask you the same question," she responded, looking away shyly.

"Oh. Well I'd better go and find out from Prongs then."
"Yeah, I'm going to see if Lily's okay."

Sirius stood up awkwardly, letting Ebony pass as she headed for one of the oak doors. She looked back briefly as she opened it, before disappearing behind it where a large stone staircase stood leading up to the girls dormitories. Sirius stared after her for a few moments before heading back over to Remus and Peter who were waiting expectantly.

Sirius threw himself back down on the dilapidated sofa next to the fire and stared up at the ceiling.

"Remus grinned, "Not you as well!"

"What? What's not you as well?" began Peter, who was now sitting on the floor cross-legged, before comprehension dawned across his slightly chubby face.

"Oh no, God give us strength!" Peter giggled, running his hands through his mouse-coloured hair.
"I'm going to see if Prongs is okay," began Sirius in an odd distant voice.

"You do that," Remus laughed. "Wormtail and I will stay down here and leave you two love sick gents to wallow in your deep and disturbing thoughts."

"Hey, I've got my own crush to deal with," grinned Peter. Sirius and Remus swivelled round to look at him.

"Wormtail, you old dog," Sirius began.

"Actually Padfoot, that would be you. Wormtail's the rat remember?" Remus cut in.

"Ha ha. Very funny," Sirius retorted.
"Actually, there is something Wormtail and I have been meaning to tell you for a long time," continued Remus, who had cottoned on to Peter's plan. "Would you like to tell him Wormtail, or should I?"

"Ooo you do it Moony. After all, you do have a way with words," Peter grinned, fluttering his eyes at Remus.

"What? Now hang on a minute-" Sirius began looking thunderstruck.

"That's right. Wormtail and I," Remus continued dramatically, "are in love." At this, Peter flung himself into Remus' outstretched arms, leaping onto his lap, causing the book Remus' had been reading to fall to the floor. Peter nuzzled his face into Remus' neck affectionately and Remus smiled down at him lovingly. Sirius stared at them, his mouth open aghast.

"Um mate, I hope you don't have a problem with this, well situation," Peter said hesitantly, looking back at Sirius.

"Erm, no," said Sirius in a rather high-pitched voice.

Peter turned to look at Remus who still looking at him affectionately. As their eyes met they faces broke into grin. They couldn't stand it any longer, so they descended into an hysterical fit of laughter.

"Oh you should have seen the look on your face," Peter gasped, trying to breath, after a moment's pause. "It was a picture."

Two nearby first year boys took fright as Remus and Peter began making kissing noises, fleeing to the safety of the opposite corner next to the window.

"Oh shut up," Sirius retorted, desperately fighting down the impulse to laugh along with them. "I've had enough of you clowns for one night." With that, he leaned over the arm of the sofa, retrieved his Butterbeer, and made a run for the boys dormitories, Remus' and Peter's laughter still ringing in his ears.

As he shut the door which led to the boys dormitories behind him, and leant against it, the cool air of the stone staircase rushed over him. He closed his eyes and breathed it in, in a bid to calm down and focus. However much he tried though, his mind kept wandering back to those startling aqua eyes. An uncomfortable warmth surged through his veins.

Oh stop being stupid, he told himself. I'm turning into a bloody girl. He stood kneading his fists against his temples. I wonder if Prongs is okay... And with that he turned and headed up the stairs until he reached the sixth floor landing, pushing open the lone oak door.

James was lying flat on his back, staring up at the ceiling, when Sirius entered the room. His black rimmed glasses were sitting askew on his face, his cheeks still slightly flushed.

Sirius wasn't sure whether he should interrupt him. Instead, he decided to sit quietly on his bed and try and start the two foot long Potions essay they had been set. If James wanted to talk, he reasoned, he'd be here ready to listen.

He walked over quietly to his trunk, which lay open, garments strewn haphazardly in and around it. As he bent down and began to pull out the necessary textbooks, spare parchment and quills. He stole a glance at James, who hadn't acknowledged his presence, before settling down to begin.
He got as far as writing the title, 'Discuss the properties and qualities of boomslang, and the other ingredients used, in making the Polyjuice Potion,' screwing up his face in concentration, when James spoke. He blurted out, "I can't believe I just did that! What was I thinking? I must be insane! Now she's never going to like me! Oh why why why?" He threw himself on to his side, propping his head up on his arm to face Sirius, who was still staring down intently at his Potions book. "Sirius help me! What do you think? Do I stand a chance or do you reckon I've blown it...? What-"

"Hold on, hold on, geeze, slow down, this isn't a Wizengamot inquisition you know! God! This must be serious if you're calling me Sirius. You do realise you've not used my name for over two years now? Not since you Peter and I finally worked out how to successfully become Animagi."

James bit his bottom lip anxiously for a while before finally speaking. "I know I act like a bit of a prat around Lily, but I really like her."

"Oh Prongs, why do you always choose the unobtainable," Sirius sighed. "There are hundreds of girls at Hogwarts that would jump at the chance of dating you, and you have to pick the only one that doesn't."

"Yeah, well the only reason those girls like me is because I'm a good Quidditch player..."

"Not forgetting good looking, a complete and utter show off and the fact that you hang around with exceptionally cool mates," Sirius laughed counting them on his hand.

"Give it a rest Padfoot, stop joking around, I'm trying to be serious. I need help!" James looked depressed and Sirius, sitting rather awkwardly, didn't know what to say that could possibly help. He sank back on to his bed, leaning against the heavy wooden headboard, which had been engraved with the school's crest, thinking.

Looking back at his family history, he didn't think he qualified as being the best person to talk to about emotions and such-like. Before he had come to Hogwarts he had never even socialised with anyone outside of his immediate family.

Growing up in the Black household hadn't exactly developed his people skills. His father was rarely to be found at home, preferring to stay at the Ministry of Magic until late into the evening. And when he was at home, he was to be found either in his library reading, or giving his sons, Sirius and his younger brother Regulus, lectures about what it meant to be a pure blood and how to uphold the family honour.

Then there was his mother. Sirius let out a deep sigh. His mother was like his father, dedicated to keeping the Black family bloodline pure. He had vivid recollections of Andromeda, his favourite cousin, announcing to the family that she was marrying Ted Tonks, a Muggle-born. The chaos that ensued had seen Andromeda's name being blasted off the family tapestry, which hung in pride of place in the drawing room, leaving a small singed hole where her name had once stood between her sisters Bellatrix and Narcissa. His mother's wand had wiped her off the family tree forever. The Black family disowning her for being a despicable blood traitor.

He loved his mother dearly, but that day something in him died. He hated his family's beliefs, and hated them even more so for the way they talked about his friends. James and Peter, though not of the same social standing as the Black's, were deemed adequate for their son's acquaintance. However, the same could not be said for his other friend Remus. They had called him a "Mudblood," a foul term to call a Muggle-born like Ted Tonks. They hadn't even been correct. Remus' mother was a Muggle, but his father was a wizard. Remus was a half-blood. When Sirius had pointed this out, his father had retorted that it didn't matter and that they were all the same, "filthy little Mudbloods, the lot of them." And for answering his father back, his mother had sent him to his bedroom with no dinner and he was told, in no uncertain terms, to drop his friendship with Remus. Not that he had listened to them of course. They'd been friends for the past six years, much to his parents dismay. They're fanatics he thought, his mother even more so than his father.

Something inside Sirius' head suddenly clicked as he thought. James needed someone to talk to, someone who would not answer him back with quick-witted remarks. He closed his Potions book and threw it, half-heartedly, back into his trunk. He closed is eyes and concentrated hard.

Where Sirius had been sitting, moments before, now sat a huge shaggy black dog. Sirius had transformed into his Animagi form. He pounced lightly off his bed, bounded across the room and leapt onto James,' wagging his tail and licking James' face affectionately. He lay his big fluffy head into his sad friends lap and nudged his right hand until James rubbed behind his ears. James looked down at him and smiled. "Hey."

With the weight of Sirius' body next to him, James lay back on to his bed staring up at the ceiling, a pensive look stretched across his normally happy face. Sirius didn't know what to say to his friend, or if there was anything he could say. Maybe simply being there was enough, even if it was in the form of a dog. As they lay there in silence, Sirius thought, they don't call us man's best friend for nothing.

A while later, Remus and Peter came up to bed, neither saying very much as they changed. Even after they had said goodnight and gone to bed, James continued to stroke Sirius' fur. Sirius thought James wanted him to stay. He made no move to push him away, so being a true friend, he lay there all night whilst his friend continued to ponder up at the ceiling.