2: A Rude Awakening

James woke as suddenly as if he had just been doused in cold water, which incidentally, he had. He spluttered and sat up straight, reaching across for his glasses. Once they were firmly placed on his face the grinning features of his best friend swam into view, clutching a wand which appeared to be the source of the sudden spout of water. James scowled.

"What are you doing!" He said, annoyed.

"I've been shouting your name at least ten times, so don't say I didn't warn you."

James grabbed his own wand from the bedside table and muttered a quick charm, pronouncing him bone dry once more.

"I was asleep!" He said indignantly while getting up and stretching.

"You know Prongs, most people wake up when there's shouting in their ear…" James muttered something about dreaming and Sirius grinned mischievously, "Oh," He said knowingly, "And did that dream contain a certain redhead?"

James went slightly pink and ordered his friend out of his room so he could get ready in peace.

Ten minutes later and Sirius was banging on James' door.

"Come on Prongs we're going to be late!"

The door swung open and revealed a slightly harassed looking James with his wand in his hand, "Since when do you care about being late?"

Sirius eyed James' wand before replying, "Well we don't want to keep Moony waiting do we!"

James noticed Sirius' glance at his wand and smiled, twirling the long piece of wood between his fingers before stating, "You're hiding something from me, Padfoot."

"Why would I ever hide anything from you? You're my best mate! Now, put your wand away."

James chuckled but put his wand in his pocket all the same just as a voice came drifting up to them from the bottom of the stairs.

"James! Sirius! Are you flooing to Diagon Alley or apparating?"

James looked at Sirius who shrugged.

"We'll apparate, thanks mum." He shouted down the stairs before turning back to his friend, "I love being seventeen."

Sirius merely grinned in reply as they made their way out of the house, planning to apparate just outside the gate at the top of the garden. The Potter's house and gardens, like most wizarding residences, had anti-disapparating jinxes on it.

Sirius stepped before James out of the back door as James yelled a hurried goodbye to his mother and pulled the extravagant French doors to a close behind him. The pair then trudged their way across the lawns, feet squelching occasionally in the patches of mud that the previous night's rain downpour had created.

"God Prongs," Sirius moaned after a moment's silence, "Couldn't your parents have bought a decent sized house and smaller gardens that didn't take ten whole minutes to walk across?"

James grinned. This was his friend's new moan; since passing his apparition test Sirius apparated to James' house and seemed to revel in moaning about the length of the garden.

"I don't see you complaining when you get a huge room and ensuite all to yourself" Said James pointedly.

"Now, that is something a guy could get used to." Replied Sirius wistfully while James chuckled slightly, "But really; why can't we just apparate from the front of the house?"

James sighed exasperatedly, "I've told you, Padfoot, we live in a muggle neighbourhood – we can't go apparating at the front of the house in case a muggle sees us! It's far more trouble than it's worth."

"Alright, alright, I get it." Sirius replied grudgingly, sticking his hands in his trouser pockets.

"We're here now anyway." James stated, pointing.

They had indeed reached the end of the garden where a small white gate sat nestled in between two large oak trees. In comparison to the rest of the garden it seemed small and insignificant, perched at the very top of the rolling green. When the two friends turned back they could make out the shape of the large country house, an almost intimidating picture against the tranquillity of its surroundings.

James pushed open the gate for Sirius and watched as he stepped out under the shelter of the oaks and, deftly turning on his heel, disappeared from view. James swiftly followed, carefully locking the gate with his wand before turning on his own heel and vanishing in the same spot Sirius had seconds before.