Disclaimer: Characters and Hogwarts © JK Rowling. This is done for fun and not profit.

Chapter the first: Old Habits Die Hard

'Damn Evans!' James muttered, nursing a bruise on his cheek as he and his friends sat at the start-of-term feast.

Sirius chuckled. 'You got off lightly, mate. You're a bloody git when it comes to women, and that's the truth.'

James scowled, but didn't make any attempt to argue the point. Sirius was allowed to say things like that – it was one of his rights as James's best friend. Besides, even James had to admit that in this particular instance, he was absolutely right.

'You still haven't properly explained to me exactly what it was that you said, James,' Remus pointed out. 'And don't say that you didn't say anything, because obviously you did.'

'I didn't bloody say anything, all right?' James exclaimed, proving Remus's prediction of his reaction to be absolutely correct. 'She's in one of her hoity-toity moods, I go over and say hello, how were your holidays, and I get a punch in the face!'

'And a fantastic right hook she has, too,' Sirius said amusedly. 'However, Prongsie, I think your story there might have been missing a few crucial elements. Like the part when you said she should meet up with you later for a spot of snogging, and the part when, after she politely declined your most reasonable of requests –'

James rolled his eyes. 'She called me a stuck-up, arrogant bastard without any sense of decency,' he muttered.

'Still think that you shouldn't have called her a prissy little brat – nor should you have said that she ought to remove the stick from her behind before coming to school. Not that it wasn't marvellously executed, mind you.' Sirius grinned at the memory. 'Still, if you're serious about wanting to snog her, it probably wasn't the best of plans.'

'Glad to see you're in such a bloody good mood about it all,' James grumbled, spearing a roast potato on his plate with unnecessary force. 'Good to know that my misery is so bloody amusing to you.'

Sirius laughed.

'You are in a better mood than usual, Sirius,' Remus commented with a smile. Sirius shrugged and helped himself to a third portion of chicken.

'What can I say, Moony? Prongs here is a regular laugh-a-minute. Comedy gold, he is. Watching him grapple with Lily Evans is enough to make my day.' He grinned and nudged James, who scowled. Sirius laughed again.

'Come on, Jimmy. Just a bit of fun, eh? Besides, better to laugh about it rather than dwell on the fact that you're completely buggered where Evans is concerned.'

James muttered something indistinct. Remus cleared his throat in the way he always did when he was about to change the subject.

'Lily was probably in a strange mood anyway. Some of the prefects were saying some very rude things about muggle-borns, you know.'

James made a derisive noise. 'Three guesses which prefects,' he said, sending a pointed glance over Remus's shoulder towards the Slytherin table. Peter chuckled to himself. Sirius swallowed his mouthful.

'It's not just Slytherins, though,' he said, suddenly serious. 'I heard a couple of Ravenclaws say something as we were getting off the train. And there were some Hufflepuffs back at King's Cross who were whispering and looking very strangely at anyone who wasn't pureblood.'

Remus nodded. 'I saw them too. Bit of a weird feeling everywhere, isn't there?'

The boys all nodded. There was a strange feeling in the air. Their sixth year at Hogwarts had barely begun, and already there were odd, unfamiliar, calculating looks among friends and whispers at every table.

'I have to say, I think I'm going to actually appreciate being pureblood this year,' Sirius noted.

'I wouldn't want to be muggle-born if you paid me,' Peter agreed.

'Hear hear,' Remus said. 'We've all got enough problems.'

'You know, I would've thought that the old man would've mentioned something about it all,' James said. They turned to look at the staff table, where Dumbledore was deep in conversation with Professor Slughorn.

'Maybe he doesn't want to draw attention to it,' Sirius suggested. 'There'd only be more rumours if he acknowledged it.'

'Yeah, you're probably right,' James nodded. 'Not much more than a few odd looks at the moment. It'd only be worse if people started talking about it out in the open. Stupid gits,' he added, throwing a cursory glance over at the Slytherin table before going back to his meal. 'They may not be the only ones talking, but you can bet your last knut that they're the ones who started it. Slimy bastards.'

'Yeah,' Sirius said. 'Someone ought to teach them a lesson.' A slow grin crept over his face as he turned towards his best friend. James was grinning back.

'Are you suggesting that we should be the ones to do it, Padfoot?' he asked innocently.

'You know, Prongs, I believe I am,' Sirius said, his grin now bordering on the maniacal. Peter glanced between the two excitedly. Remus busied himself with his dinner.

The Marauders were back in business.

Later that night, in the sixth year dormitory in Gryffindor tower, James raised the bottle of butterbeer that he'd swiped from the kitchens.

'Here's to sixth year, and to continued success in all our ventures,' he toasted. The other three raised their own bottles, albeit rather reluctantly in Remus's case.

'To sixth year!' Peter echoed.

'To harassing Slytherins!' Sirius added, smirking.

Remus rolled his eyes.

'Do I have to drink to that? I do have my prefect's badge to consider, after all,' he complained.

James laughed and took a swig of his butterbeer. 'Poor perfect prefect Moony,' he said, landing a playful punch on his friend's shoulder. 'If they haven't taken the badge off of you so far, Remmy my friend, I think you're safe.'

'Yeah,' agreed Sirius, also taking a mouthful of his drink. 'Besides, they'd have to replace you with one of us, wouldn't they? Let's face it; you're the only sucker for the job.'

Remus laughed. 'Fair point,' he conceded, accepting the toast with a swig of his drink. 'Merlin knows you lot cause enough trouble without the ability to dock points from Slytherin whenever you please.'

James's face split into a wide grin. 'Speaking of which, did you lot see his face?'

'When you –'

'And then he –'

'And then he turned around –'

They fell around laughing at the latest misfortune to befall their enemies. Only Remus, who still had part of his mind on his prefect's badge, managed to remain composed.

Peter was still chuckling as he said; 'Reckon McGonagall will figure that it was us?'

Sirius laughed his distinctive, bark-like laugh.

'Probably. She's a wily old cat, that Minerva. Expect detention tomorrow, Jim.'

James shrugged and lay back on his bed.

'Like I give a damn. It was worth it.'

'Ah,' said Sirius, winking at the other two as he went over to James's bed and perched himself on the end, hauling himself up using the end posts. 'But will you still feel that way when the lovely Miss Lily Evans next tells you where to stick it, Prongs? Next time she calls you a cad and a troublemaker? Will you still feel charitable about detention then?'

James wore an ironic expression. 'Like I give a puffskein's behind what that harpy thinks of me.'

Sirius sent a glance in Remus's direction which was loaded with meaning. James saw and scowled.

'What's that look supposed to mean?' he demanded.

'Only that you're not only a troublemaking git, but you're also a liar,' Sirius shot at him, jumping off James's bed and heading over to where they'd dumped the rest of the supplies they'd pinched. 'And if you really don't care what Evans thinks of you, then I hope she looses that right hook of hers on you again soon, Prongsie, because you could do with having some sense knocked into you.'

He threw a couple of Bertie Bott's beans into the air and caught them in his mouth. James grumbled something indistinct.

'What was that? Didn't quite catch that, Jamie.'

'I was just wondering when you became the bloody high authority on the opposite sex, Padfoot,' James repeated loudly. Sirius laughed.

'Haven't you been paying attention, Jimbo? I'm beating them off with a bloody broomstick. Something to do with my dark good looks and mysterious past.' He grinned and waggled his eyebrows at the other three. Remus and Peter had to laugh.

'Huh,' James scoffed. 'I find that bloody difficult to believe. I see more girls trying to chat Moony up than I see girls sending amorous glances in your direction.'

Remus went an odd shade of pink. Sirius laughed.

'Now James, I know you're jealous. It's all right. It's just that Moony and I are clearly the heartbreakers of the group. It's all in the genes, you know.' He winked at Remus again.

James rolled his eyes. 'Yeah, yeah. I assume I don't have to remind you of your own shortcomings when it comes to the fairer sex. Which was the one that ended up slapping you in the dining hall? Or, more to the point, which ones haven't?'

Peter laughed. James turned on him, a manic glint in his eye. 'Don't get me started on you, Wormtail. It's too easy, believe me. When was the last time you had a conversation with an actual girl, exactly? One where you didn't turn scarlet and start stuttering?'

Peter pouted and threw a pillow at him. It missed by a mile. Remus chuckled.

'Yeah, there's not much to speak of where you're concerned either, Moony. I mean, for a bloke with an uncanny insight into the workings of the female mind, you don't have any experience in the matter as far as I'm aware.'

Remus grinned. 'That's all you morons know,' he said.

They all looked at him. There was a pause.

Sirius laughed first. James and Peter and then Remus joined him.

'Excellent, Moony!' Sirius exclaimed, clapping his friend on the shoulder and offering a chocolate frog. 'But of course, now that you've mentioned this secret life of yours, we're going to need names, dates … all the saucy details.'

'Keep dreaming, Padfoot,' Remus chuckled, taking the chocolate. 'A gentleman never tells.'

They laughed again. Outside the dormitory, the night faded imperceptibly into early morning.

In the girls' dormitory, Lily Evans lay awake, listening to the deep breathing of her roommates.

Hufflepuff Frank Longbottom, this year's Head Boy, sat thoughtfully in his common room, pondering how he could tell his girlfriend Alice that he loved her without sounding like a complete git.

In Ravenclaw house, Hestia Jones dreamed peacefully about something she would be confused about when she woke.

Down in the Slytherin quarters, Severus Snape slept fitfully, his knee still uncomfortable where Potter's curse had hit him.

As the pink light of dawn slowly crept over the lake, Hogwarts finally slept. And for a while it seemed that everything was back to normal for another year.

'That Longbottom's a complete git, that's all I'm saying,' James said loudly at breakfast that morning. 'Whoever said he'd make a good Head Boy is obviously lacking a bit in the common sense department.'

A few Hufflepuffs who were sitting behind him shot glares at him behind his back. He didn't notice.

'Prongs, the only reason you don't like him is because his team nearly beat ours for the quidditch cup last year,' Sirius said patiently.

'Damn right that's why I don't like him!' James exclaimed. 'Bloody git. Doesn't have a chance this year, I'm telling you, not now that I'm captain. I'll show him. Won't even know what's coming, he won't. Pass the eggs, will you Moony?'

'You're lucky they let you be captain, James,' Remus said carefully. 'Don't you think you should watch yourself, lest they take it away?'

James laughed. 'And who would they get in my place? This is your prefect's badge talking, Moony. You know there's not a chance that McGonagall would let anyone else be captain – that team needs me.'

Sirius rolled his eyes. 'Your powerful sense of modesty strikes again, Jimmy.'

'McGonagall's coming with our timetables,' Peter piped up. 'She doesn't look too happy.'

'Ah, good to know nothing's changed then,' Sirius smiled.

Professor McGonagall appeared behind James and Sirius, who turned to acknowledge her.

'Morning, Professor,' Sirius remarked jovially.

'Lovely day,' James added with a grin.

McGonagall's mouth was a thin, tight line. 'Good morning gentlemen. I seem to recognise your handiwork amongst a few of the members of Professor Slughorn's house.'

James and Sirius attempted to look innocent.

'You couldn't possibly believe that we would have anything to do with that sort of thing,' James said, trying to sound genuinely hurt.

'Actually, Potter, you'd be surprised at how quickly I came to this conclusion.' McGonagall had that warning note in her voice. 'Particularly after hearing Severus Snape's account of events.'

'He'd say anything to get us in trouble, Professor, and you know it!' Sirius exclaimed. 'Surely an intelligent woman such as yourself wouldn't be swayed by such an obvious ruse!'

'Be that as it may, boys, you will serve detention tonight – the first of many for the year, no doubt. And before you start to argue –' she added, as they opened their mouths to protest – 'may I point out, Potter, that if I see you in my office even half as much as I did last year, I shall not hesitate to remove you from the position of quidditch captain. Consider yourself on probation in that role, Potter, do you understand?'

'But Professor –'

'Do you understand?'

James sighed. 'Yes ma'am.'

'Right. Now, as for the subject of your timetables – Potter and Black, you're fine for all your subjects. That was good work in your exams – if only you would apply yourself to your schoolwork all the time, and not just when you were about to be assessed. Pettigrew – I was pleased with your Transfiguration mark; clearly having these two miscreants for friends has helped you somewhat.'

Peter went a bit pink. Sirius and James grinned at each other.

'You're fine for Transfiguration, Muggle Studies, Care of Magical Creatures, Charms and Herbology – you'll have to do Potions again, though; and so will you, Lupin. I've arranged a tutor to help you through it.'

'We could help them out, Professor,' James said. 'No need to bother someone else with it.'

'Thank you Potter, but I think I would prefer that your friends had a tutor whose method of teaching was not brewing potions that could be slipped into the drinks of your classmates which might result in people being sent to the Hospital wing.' McGonagall gave him a sharp look over the top of her square spectacles.

James managed somehow to look horrified. 'I'm appalled that you would think I would do such a thing!' he said in outraged tones.

'I don't think you would, Potter, I know you would,' McGonagall sighed. 'Besides, Miss Evans has already agreed to help your friends. Here are your timetables, boys.'

She handed them around, pausing only to narrow her eyes at Remus.

'Lupin, I hope to see you take your prefect's badge more seriously this year,' she said gravely. Remus swallowed forcefully as he took the slip of paper that she handed him.

'Yes, Professor,' he said weakly, quailing under her stern look.

'Good. Well, I think that is all for now. Potter, Black – I will see you both tonight, five' o'clock.'

'We know the drill, Professor,' Sirius called after her as she left. If she had heard him, she gave no sign of it.

He laughed. 'She's all right for an old bird, I reckon. She can't be serious about you being on probation, Prongs – why let you have it if she's only going to take it away again?'

James nodded. 'Yeah, I reckon you're right – but I might play it safe for a while, just to be sure. Bloody hell, I feel sorry for you two,' he added, turning to Remus and Peter. 'Bloody Evans on your case about Potions for a whole year? Rather you than me, and make no mistake.'

Sirius rolled his eyes. Peter shrugged.

'Lily's best in the year for Potions,' he said. 'I'm sure it'll be all right.'

'Yeah, you're the only one of us she doesn't like, Prongs,' Sirius reminded him.

'That's not fair,' James pouted. 'She doesn't like you either.'

'Yeah, but I'm not trying to get her to snog me,' Sirius smirked. 'You all right, Moony? Something wrong with your timetable?'

Remus had been staring at his timetable for the past two minutes. When Sirius addressed him, he looked up with a start.

'What? Oh, no, it's fine … class is starting, should we head off?'

The other three exchanged a glance.

'I guess so,' James said. 'What have we got? Charms?'

'Yeah – that's all right first up, isn't it? Not to mention we have a free period later – you know, I think this is going to be a pretty good year,' Sirius smiled.

James grinned back at him. He was happy that his best friend was in such a good mood. He only hoped that it lasted – Sirius in a bad mood was never any fun for those around him. Even James tended to avoid him on his worse days.

They left the table and started heading out the door. They were almost at the marble staircase when they ran into Severus Snape.

He was still walking with a slight limp. James smirked at him as he pushed past.

'Your leg hurting you, is it Snivelly?' he called. Snape pretended not to hear him.

Sirius chuckled. 'Slimy git. We ought to curse him for snivelling to McGonagall, you know.'

James shrugged. 'We'll do it later. Come on, we'd better get to class.'

'James, what happened to 'playing it safe?'' Remus wanted to know as they made their way to the Charms classroom. 'It's five minutes since you said that, and already you're planning to torment Snape!'

'Ah, but notice I didn't curse him in the entrance hall,' James pointed out.

'It is an improvement, Moony, you have to admit,' Sirius grinned. 'Besides, what do you expect us to do – let him get away with it?'

Remus rolled his eyes. They were coming up on the Charms classroom now.

James noticed his friend's look.

'Aw, come on Moony. It's just a bit of fun.'

'McGonagall will take your captaincy, James. She's not kidding around. It's a wonder she even lets you stay on the team.'

James stopped just outside the door to the classroom, staring at Remus in horror.

'You don't seriously think that, do you?'

'Yeah, I do,' Remus replied. 'And before you say it, it's not just my prefect's badge talking. I really think you ought to watch it this year.'

James frowned at him.

'This isn't about me, is it Remus? It's about McGonagall saying that you should be a good little prefect and keep a tighter leash on us this year. Well? Isn't it?'

Remus avoided his eyes.

'Don't be ridiculous, James.'

'Come on, guys,' Peter said quickly. 'Don't fight.'

Sirius gave James a little push. 'Come on, Prongs. Time for class. Leave Prefect Moony alone – he's just trying to do his job.'

James sent Remus a glare. 'If you insist, Padfoot. As long as Prefect Moony realises that if he continues in this vein I will extend to him the same courtesy I have to every other prefect that has come before him – none whatsoever.'

'Give it a rest, James,' Remus pleaded. 'Let's just go to class, all right?'

'Yeah, whatever,' James muttered, heading through the door into the classroom. Sirius shrugged at Remus and followed, Peter trailing along behind. Remus sighed.

'You should stick up for yourself, Remus,' said a voice. Lily Evans was coming along the corridor towards him. Remus offered her a weak smile.

'That's easy for you to say, Lily,' he replied. 'You don't have to sleep in the same dormitory as them.'

Lily rolled her brilliant green eyes. 'Potter's just being a git. I hope McGonagall does take him off the quidditch team – it might make him realise how much of a prat he actually is, since quidditch is all he cares about.'

'That's not fair, Lily,' Remus said.

Lily shrugged. 'Isn't it? Oh, maybe not, but sometimes it seems like that. Are you going into the classroom, or are you going to stand there sticking up for Potter all day?'

She looked annoyed. Remus opened his mouth to say something else about James, who after all was one of his best friends, but decided against it, as he was already receiving her glare.

'Sorry,' he said finally, heading into the classroom, where he took his traditional seat behind James and next to Peter. James did not turn around to look at him. Remus sighed again and took out parchment and quills, wishing that he hadn't said anything to James at all. It wasn't worth it, it never came to anything, and James could be just as moody as Sirius when he felt like it.

For his part, James's anger was already starting to fade. He had never been the sort to hold a grudge over something trivial like that. And besides, he admitted to himself in a quiet, secret part of his head, Remus had a point. He always did. James often said things without thinking, but he also knew that he would have to be careful if he didn't want to lose his new position on the quidditch team. It was going to be difficult, though. He frowned to himself, thinking it over.

Lily Evans was sitting two seats in front of him, her dark red hair spilling down over the back of her chair. James watched her thoughtfully. He knew what she would say in answer to his current dilemma. The same thing she always said. She never missed an opportunity to remind him how much of a git he was. She was all right, though. She wasn't always angry at him. Just … most of the time.

James sighed. Why was it that in order for him to get the things he wanted, he would have to stop doing everything that made life fun? It hardly seemed fair.