By the time the last day of summer rolled around and I was packing my trunk, I was aware that no one at Wimpy had been harmed, because Bruce had closed the entire restaurant that day, and the pack had torn the place apart in anger since there was no one there.

My dad and I had gone to the restaurant one night and Dad had fixed up the whole thing with his wand, as well as making it look really nice. I didn't get to see Bruce and Ben's reactions, but I'm sure they both would have been really happy.

So, as I packed my trunk, I was calmer about the situation because I knew nothing could go wrong, except for maybe the pack trying to kill me, because obviously, Chef would know that it was me who had interfered with their attack.

But I wouldn't worry about that. Now all I was going to worry about was my final two years of education, and, at the end of that, my N.E.W.T.s.

If I thought my anxiety about the O.W.L.s was a lot, I hadn't been prepared for the anxiety that I was already feeling about my N.E.W.T.s, and that wouldn't even be happening for another two years.

Not even two years, I thought to myself as I closed my trunk, then climbed into bed. It was late, and both my parents had already gone to bed, and I'd forgotten to pack.

I climbed into bed, then, slowly but surely, drifted to sleep.

I woke up early the next morning so I could make myself and my parents a fancy breakfast, as I wouldn't be seeing them for three and a half months.

Of course, I burnt the bacon and undercooked the eggs, but when they woke up and joined me at the dining table to eat it, they both told me it was good through grimaced expressions.

Dad side-on apparated with Mum and I to get to King's Cross Station at quarter to eleven, and then, after a long goodbye, I finally clambered onto the train.

I walked down the carriage until I came to the marauders' compartment, to see Sirius sitting there alone, wearing his leather jacket that somehow still fit him, and a cigarette placed neatly between his teeth.

"Moony!" he cried, drawing the curtains, closing the door of the compartment, then giving me an 'I've missed you' kiss.

"Oh my god, it's not like she hasn't spent three months without me before. My mum needs to chill out, and..."

Sirius and I pulled apart so fast that I jarred my neck. James was standing at the entrance of the compartment, stunned. After what felt like a year, he finally blinked, then closed the door.

"I knew it. I knew it, I knew it, I knew it! Oh my god! I freaking knew it! Why didn't you tell me? I knew you both fancied each other."

Sirius and I looked at each other, then I spoke. "To be honest, I don't know why we didn't tell you. I thought it would be awkward, I guess..."

"Same for me," said Sirius.

"I won't make it awkward, I promise," said James. "And..."

Just then, the door opened again and Peter came in. All three of us fell silent.

"Um, hi?" said Peter, sounding like he was asking a question. He could obviously sense that we'd all stopped talking when he stepped in.

"Hey, Peter," said Sirius, sitting down. I sat down next to him, and James sat across from us. "How was your summer?"

"Yeah, good," said Peter. "What's going on? What were you guys talking about?"

James looked at Sirius and I, and we both shook our heads. James knowing was one thing, because he'd already known almost the whole story. But when James and Peter had discovered that I had feelings for Sirius a few years ago, Peter hadn't been as quickly accepting as James had been.

"Remember I told you about the whole thing that happened at Wimpy?" said James, and Peter nodded. "We were just talking about that."

"Oh, OK..." said Peter, sitting down next to James.

"How was your summer, Peter?" I asked.

"Good," said Peter. "Also, I think I know what I want my name to be in my Animagus form."

"Yeah, what's your name?" James asked as the train began to move.

"Wormtail," said Peter.

"Wormtail?" Sirius repeated.

"Yeah, there was a worm on my sofa over the summer, and my mum said it looked like a rat's tail, so... yeah," said Peter.

"Nice," said James. "I like it. So now we've got Wormtail, Prongs, Moony, and... Shaggy?"

"I'm not being Shaggy," Sirius grumbled. "I don't know what to be called!"

"I'm sure something will come to you," said Peter. "Just keep an eye out for inspiration."

"Yeah, alright," said Sirius.

To my great relief, during the first week back at school, things weren't awkward with James. But maybe that was because we were all dumped with a massive workload (except Peter, of course, who was only taking two classes.

In every single first lesson for each class, the teacher made a big fat speech about how just because this year was the year between the O.W.L.s and the N.E.W.T.s didn't mean that this year would be any easier. And just to prove that to us, they all set us essays due in the second lesson of the year.

Dropping three classes meant I had a few times a week where I had a spare period. When I'd first seen this on my timetable, I'd been glad that I'd have some extra time to relax, but I was spending my spare periods doing work for all of my classes.

So, with the heavy workload of the start of sixth year, there was no time for me to hang out with the other marauders, especially since whenever James and Sirius weren't doing school work, they were practicing for Quidditch.

The quantity of Quidditch practice that was going on was so ridiculously high that even Marlene was complaining about it.

"My N.E.W.T exams are this year!" I heard her grumbling to James on the first Saturday of the term. "We've only been at school four days, and this will be our third practice!"

"Yeah, it should be our fourth," said James.

"You need to calm down," said Marlene. "We're already the best team, I don't think we can get any better."

"We can always be better," said James. "Plus, I thought you liked Quidditch?"

"I do!" Marlene cried. "I just like passing school as well!"

The next Wednesday night was the full moon, and to be honest, I was looking forward to it.

I wasn't looking forward to experiencing the pain of transformation, of course, but I'd spent the last two full moons on my own, and now I'd be able to do it with the marauders once again.

When the four of us were sitting in the Shrieking Shack on Wednesday evening, only moments before my transformation would begin, Sirius announced that he'd finally decided on his name.

"Padfoot," he said, smiling.

"Padfoot?" I repeated.

"Yeah," said Sirius. "Do you not like it? I dunno... James is Prongs, to do with the antlers, Peter's Wormtail, to do with the tail, and I thought I should be to do with a certain part of my animal body, so I thought the paws, and... yeah, the name just came to me."

"It's cool, I like it," I said.

"Thanks," said Sirius, blushing. My eyes flicked to James, who was looking at Sirius, but then he looked at the floor.

I didn't have time to dwell on any awkwardness that was present, because I was soon transforming into a werewolf.

We were Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs. Everything seemed perfect, other than the rising amount of schoolwork we were facing, which, by the second week of school, was becoming the new normal.

On the second Saturday of the term, James announced that he was going to hold the Quidditch tryouts that afternoon.

"Wait," I said after he'd made his announcement. "If you're only doing the tryouts now, why have you already had like a million Quidditch practices?"

"Um... I dunno, to be honest," said James. "Are you going to try out this year? And you, Peter."

"Nuh," I said, snorting.

"Um... maybe, actually," said Peter.

"Really!?" James cried, his face lighting up.

"Don't do it, Wormtail," said Sirius. "You'll regret it after the second practice."

"No, you won't!" James cried. "We need a new Chaser, one of our Chasers left last year."

"I was thinking maybe I'd be a Keeper..." said Peter.

"Yeah, maybe," said James. "Well, come to tryouts this afternoon, and we'll see how you go."

"OK," said Peter, his tone nervous.

Since the other three marauders were at the Quidditch tryouts, I took the peace and quiet to my advantage to get some homework done in the almost completely empty common room.

"Hey, Remus," came a voice, and I looked over to see Dorcas sitting down in an armchair next to me, dumping a half-completed essay onto a small table, next to my half-completed essay.

"Hi," I said.

"Marls wanted me to watch her at the tryouts, but I think I've watched her play Quidditch enough, so I, uh... didn't show up," said Dorcas. "Call me an awful friend, but I have work to do."

"Are you two still going out?" I asked, picking up on that she called Marlene a friend.

"Yeah," said Dorcas. "Sorry, it's sort of become a habit to call her my friend because that's what everyone else wants to hear."

I rolled my eyes at that. "It's not fair, is it? Anyway, what are you working on?"

"History of Magic," she said. "How about you?"

"Defence Against the Dark Arts at the moment," I said.

"Wow, sounds so fun," said Dorcas sarcastically. "Anyway, we're distracting each other. This and five other essays are due on Monday."

"Oh, great, so seventh year isn't any better than sixth?" I said.

Dorcas laughed. "Oh, just you wait."

"So, am I on the team?"

James looked uncomfortable. The marauders were in the dormitory that night, and Peter was asking about how he went in the Quidditch trials that afternoon. I could tell from both James's and Sirius's expressions that he had done horribly, but neither of them wanted to tell him.

And James obviously didn't want Peter on the team, but he would feel bad for not letting him on the team.

"Um, we're not entirely sure yet," said James. "I should let you know before next weekend, though. How does that sound?"

"Alright," said Peter. "I... I know I am pretty bad at the game, but I'd love it if you could give me a chance..."

"Yeah," said James. "I'll let you know soon."