A/N:

Hello everyone!

I'm going to be honest with you all - not that I tend not to be, but nevermind - in the last month or so I hit a bit of a period where all my anxieties and insecurities put a big dark cloud above my head. I almost, almost gave up on continuing with this and all my other stories. But, I went back and started reading my fic (including the chapters I haven't yet posted) and I realised why I'm writing this - for you all, and for me. Because even though it may get a bit dry or repetitive in places, this is my version of the Marauder era, and it's a life story as well.

I still love this story - as I hope you do.

We're 200k in and there's a whole lot more to come. Let's start now, if you're ready to come along.

The spring sun was shining brightly (well, as brightly as it ever did up in the wilds of Scotland) as the sixth year students ambled down the lane towards Hogsmeade. Much like always, they were in staggered groups, the majority of the Ravenclaws out in front with their instructor (who Rose still didn't know the name of - his whistly voice was so hard to listen to without immediately daydreaming of making a nice cup of tea), the Hufflepuff's hanging a little further behind. The Slytherins walked mostly alone, either way out in front - even in front of their instructor - or lagging at the back with surly expressions and glowers at the Gryffindor students. The house of the brave and noble strolled in the sunshine in two distinct groups. One group naturally consisted of Lily, Marlene, Mary, Alice, Dorcas, Hestia, and Emmeline. They cheerfully ignored the other groups, in a world of their own as Lily recited the three principles of apparition and Marlene gave them a pep talk (one that Rose had absolutely no doubt was actually helpful and not at all sarcastic - unlike Marauder pep talks to non-mischief makers). As for the Marauders, well, they hung far enough back to have their own space, but not so far back that they were anywhere near the Slytherins. Frank, Benjy and Caradoc deigned to walk with them - well, somewhere near them - and used the time to debate the chances of success for their respective teams in the quidditch over the summer.

For the Marauders themselves, it was pretty much business as usual. Rose ambled along, more or less just watching her friends go about their business. Remus managed his usual trick (that Rose was actually getting to be a little bit jealous of), walking around with his head buried in his leaflet, muttering the principles to himself in a tone that dared anyone to try and interrupt him. Peter was in a little world of his own, humming something Rose could've sworn was a show tune, hands nervously fidgeting with the straps of his bag. James stood just a little out in front of their group, his gaze attuned to Lily's back, occasionally calling something teasing over into the building debate their friends were having. Sirius eagerly participated in the debate, where participation meant heckling their teams and being quietly smug that he, James and Rose supported Puddlemere United - not the pathetic excuses for quidditch teams that everyone else supported.

"What makes you lot so superior?" Benjy glowered, crossing his arms over his Appleby Arrows shirt. "I happen to know for a fact that Peter supports the worst team in the entire quidditch league."

James stopped dead, turning to glare at his housemate. "Our Marauderishness is our badge of superiority, Fenwick" he announced, puffing his chest out. "And Peter's choice in team is a sad and unfortunate circumstance. His bad taste is unfortunately unavoidable."

Peter spluttered, nearly falling over his feet. "Oi!" he squawked, glaring at the quidditch captain. "Just because the Cannons haven't won in a while, doesn't mean we're the worst team in the league." He puffed out his chest, the garish shade of orange making Rose's eyes water. "We won the League Cup twenty one sodding times you ignoramuses."

"Yes, Pete" Sirius drawled, barely disguising his eye roll. "But let us not forget that a mere four or so years ago - in your own lifetime no less, old chap - the Cannons changed their motto from the decent We shall conquer, to the utterly pathetic; Let's all just keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best."

Peter mutely gave Sirius the finger, scowling at the reminder of his beloved team's fall from grace.

Caradoc smiled almost smugly, hitching the strap of his bag a little higher on his shoulder. "Me thinkest thou dost protest too muchly" he grinned, happily sidestepping James's tripping jinx. "After all, my team - the Ballycastle Bats - are serious contenders for the Cup this year."

"In your dreams, Dearborn" James scoffed, shaking his head at Caradoc's assurance.

Rose privately thought Caradoc was right - in the last five games Ballycastle and Puddlemere had played, Puddlemere had only managed to win three, and all five had been hard fought.

Frank, however, rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah" he groaned, hair flopping forward into his eyes. "Ballycastle are brilliant, we've heard it all before, mate."

Caradoc narrowed his eyes, raising an incredulous eyebrow. "And your team is so much better? Remind me, Frank, where did Montrose place last season?"

"A very respectable fifth" Frank replied haughtily. "And you know we're good - McGonagall supports our team."

"Granted" Remus said, finally putting his leaflet away. "But have any of you considered supporting a decent team for a change?" His eyes twinkled with innocent mischief. "Like, I don't know, the Tutshill Tornados?"

"Merlin" James cried, scrubbing a hand across his face. "Enough about the sodding Tornados, Rem."

Remus shrugged, a little smirk loitering about his lips. "The Plumpton Pass did get us the quickest win in league history."

"In 1921, Remus" Benjy retorted, shaking his head. "How 'bout something a little more recent, yeah?"

Remus raised an unimpressed eyebrow. "We kicked your arses last season."

Caradoc snorted, laughing at his friend's frown. "Touche."

Rose couldn't resist the opportunity to tease her dear friend about his beloved team. "Poor Remmy, that really was the highlight of your season, wasn't it?" she grinned, sympathy falling off her voice. Remus scowled out of the corner of his eye. "Whereas, our team rather beat the pants off yours over the summer, didn't it?"

James gleefully picked up the conversation. "Whereas, the only real team to support is the glorious, prestigious Puddlemere United."

"Winner of at least two European Cups and roughly twenty-two League Cups" Sirius added smugly. "Not to mention our esteemed Headmaster is a fan."

"Yeah, but he's bonkers" Frank sighed, his tone the resignation of a man who had had this conversation many times before.

"Brilliance is often misconstrued as insanity" James informed them wisely.

Remus finally broke, rolling his eyes. "That's what you always say when one of your prank ideas is particularly balmy."

"Remus?" James called pleasantly. Remus hummed a questioning note. "Shut up."

It was going on half past ten when they all arrived in Hogsmeade. They gathered around the entrance to the wizarding town, waiting for Instructor Whats-his-name to finally speak. The Instructor - who Rose finally found out was called Tatting (unfortunate all around really) - instructed them to go into the Three Broomsticks, where Rosmerta had agreed to watch over them and make sure that they didn't get into any mischief. Rose was offended that anyone even thought such measures necessary. Little groups of three or so at a time were called out into the spring sunshine, leaving the rest of them to only speculate what could they possibly be doing. Remus had no sooner got a round in than Tatting started poking his balding head into the tavern. James and Sirius immediately started talking loudly (about the virtues of not de-gnoming gardens) while slipping the word 'bald' in as often as possible. The others started taking gulps of butterbeer every time this happened, even though Lily scowled at them every time they burst into laughter. So, it wasn't really a big surprise when the Marauders were called out as a group instead of Tatting's pattern of randomness.

Rose was called up first - which she was sure was because she was the only girl. Tatting beckoned her closer with a crooked finger (giving her instant child catcher vibes), Rose shooting an unimpressed look at her friends as she complied.

"Miss Evans?" Tatting checked, squinting down at his clipboard.

"The younger, yes" Rose agreed, as pleasant as possible. "Rose Evans."

Tatting hummed, making a note on his clipboard. "Are you familiar with this town?"

Rose bit back a smirk. "More than a little" she conceded. If only he knew how much she and the others knew this town.

"Do you know the Shrieking Shack?"

Rose did smirk this time. "Only from the outside" she lied, fervently hoping that this meant Remus didn't have to apparate there. That would be too cruel.

"Just our little test" Tatting nodded cheerfully expression instantly turning more business-like. "A successful apparition outside the door to Dervish and Banges, no splinching yourself, and you will have completed this test."

"Outside the door?" Rose checked, happy when Tatting nodded. "Now?"

"When I give the signal" Tatting replied waving her back to the others. "Don't say a word."

"Marauder honour" Rose agreed solemnly. She wasn't going to take any chances that might end up with one of more of them disqualified and failing the test.

Rose watched Remus, then Peter, then James, then Sirius get called up by Tatting, each nodding once or twice before they came back to join her. All the while, her stomach fluttered with anticipation, feeling like doxies had taken up residence when she'd eaten her few mouthfuls of breakfast. She worried at the bottom of her jumper, ignoring the weight of her bag.

Remus bumped companionably against her, smiling with his too-dark green eyes. "Anyone else feeling slightly queasy?"

"I may throw up on the observer" Peter admitted, paler than Rose had seen him in a while.

James grinned in the comforting way they'd seen a hundred times before. "It's just a test. We ace those every day. We've trained for this, prepared for it. By Godric, we're not going to cock it up." Hazel eyes cut towards Sirius, who was leaning nonchalantly against the wall of the Broomsticks. "Right, Pads?"

"Just so" Sirius agreed dryly. He shot a wink and a smile at Rose, warming away the nervous anticipation.

Tatting clapped his hands, waving them until they were about a foot apart from each other. "You all know where you're apparating too?"

James glanced at them all and nodded. "We do."

Tatting frowned when no further answer was forthcoming. "Just remember the three D's" he cried, his voice whistling through his nose. "Destination, deliberation, and-"

"Don't cock it up!" the Marauders yelled as one.

At Tatting's nod, they took a step forward, spun on their heels and were gone.

Rose felt like she was being sucked through a vacuum cleaner tube, her vision was black, it was all but impossible to breathe. Everything was tight, constricted, as though she was squeezing through the eye of a needle. The urge to panic crept up on her, whispering from her hindbrain. Everything was black, it was almost like her vision when Bellatrix was torturing her. Rose pushed that from her mind, focusing her not inconsiderable concentration on the doorstep of Dervish and Banges, the wizarding equipment store. It wasn't a shop they tended to visit often - Zonko's and Honeydukes were much more their scene - but she knew it well enough. With another echoing crack!, Rose was blinking back in the sunlight.

"That was unpleasant" she muttered, running an automatic check on herself.

She wiggled her fingers and toes - all where they were supposed to be, her arms and legs too. Her hands raised and patted at her hair, her ears, her nose and chin - all present and accounted for. Her bag was a reassuring weight on her back and shoulders, and a quick glance down confirmed her shoes and clothes were just as they were before. A loud sigh of relief escaped her, her gaze turning to the store in front of her. She could see telescopes and sneakoscopes and sundry wizarding supplies littering the shelves and tables within the shop. And that could only mean one thing:

Success! Rose had managed to apparate outside of Dervish and Banges, just as she intended.

"Well done, Miss Evans."

Rose almost started as a prim voice spoke for behind her. She spun around, nearly overbalancing on the step, and shot a half-polite glare at the Ministry witch standing a foot from her. The woman was fifty if she was a day, with pale lilac robes and an expression Rose had seen million times before on her eldest sister. It was thinly veiled disgust, a tight mouth, wrinkled nose, stern set to the brow. If Rose didn't know better, she would think that this witch knew who she was. Or at least what she was - Rose Evans: Marauder and Muggle-born. Nevertheless, Rose's mother didn't raise her to be rude - unless on purpose, which her father had taught her and she never forgot. She turned to the lilac-robed witch with a pleasant smile.

"Thank you" she smiled, inclining her head slightly. "How did I do?"

The lilac-robed witch inclined her head in return. "A successful apparition attempt. Congratulations."

Rose bit her lip, hoping her bright grin wasn't showing. It wasn't done to show how excited and relieved she was. Marauders had a cool, calm and confident reputation to uphold. So, she didn't cheer aloud or punch the air, or burst into slightly hysterical laughter at the relief of it all. Oh no. She might do that later, if the mood took her, but right now she had more important things to do.

Taking a moment to calm herself, expelling the nerves in one long breath, Rose walked the few steps to join the Ministry Witch. "Thank you" she said again, shaking her hand professionally. "May I be excused now?"

"Of course" the witch replied, frowning a little at her watch. "The next student should be coming along in a minute."

Much as Rose would have enjoyed staying there and watching one of her schoolmates potentially splinch themselves, she thought she had best not. Besides, she had an appointment to keep.

Whistling rather jauntily, Rose ambled back down the streets of Hogsmeade, stopping every now and then to tilt her head back up into the sunshine. If she didn't have such experience being in Hogsmeade whenever the Marauders wanted to be, Rose imagined she might find the stillness quite unnerving. As it was, she just found it peaceful. It was what Hogsmeade would always be to them – calm, peaceful, safe. Aside from Hogwarts, there really was no place safer, especially now that Dumbledore had extended certain protections to the village after the unfortunate incident on Sirius' seventeenth birthday. Rose could have found a quiet spot to sit down and enjoyably pass the rest of the morning, and perhaps she might have if not for a familiar cheer.

"Astra!" James waved a hand high over his head, smiling wide and bright. His cheeks were a little flushed (possibly with the heat, or with happiness – it was hard to tell), and his glasses caught the reflection of the spring sun.

Rose grinned widely, taking a few running steps to get closer. "Hullo, Prongs" she called back, coming to a stop in front of him.

James rocked a little on his feet, hands shoved carelessly in his jean pockets. "That was fun, wasn't it?" he said, beaming like he had after they had succeeded with their corporeal patroni for the first time.

"Can't complain about it, Jamie" Rose conceded cheerfully. "You passed, of course."

James smirked, not even bothering to pretend to be offended. "But of course, Lady Astra." He hooked his thumbs into the loops for his belt, a cocky glint in his eyes. "A successful apparition outside the Hogs Head. The assessor was impressed."

"Time to let some of the air out of your head, Prongs" Sirius remarked, loping around the corner passed Schrivenshaft's. "We were never going to fail our tests, and of course the sodding assessors were going to be impressed with us." He shook his hair back into place, grey eyes teasing. "It is expected. We are the Marauders."

James peered curiously at his best friend, laughter shining in his eyes. "You look slightly miffed, mate" he commented mischievously. "Something you'd care to share?"

Sirius favoured James with a look the equivalent of flicking him the V's. "I passed the bloody test, Potter."

James adopted an expression of wounded innocence. "I never said you didn't." His gaze flickered back towards the other part of town. "By the looks of it, Moons did too."

Remus came all but floating to join them, a wide grin stretching his face. Gone was the tiredness of before, only bright happiness remaining. His green eyes flickered over each of them in turn, his grin widening impossibly. "Four from four" he said, clapping James on the back while Sirius scowled back in the direction he himself had come. "What's up with Padfoot?"

"No idea" Rose shrugged, leaving Sirius to brood if he wanted to. He'd tell them all whatever was bothering him in time.

Sirius caught her comment, smiling his usual charming smile. "There's nothing at all the matter, Rosebud" he assured her, clapping James on the back in a manly hug. "We're just waiting on Peter, hmm?"

"Nope" James winked, nodding to the figure hurrying down the street to reach them.

"I DID IT!" Peter yelled, punching the air within sight of them. "I didn't cock it up and I didn't splinch my big toe, and I bloody did it!"

James froze for a moment, eyes wide behind the circular frames of his glasses. Sirius rolled his eyes, clicking his fingers in front of James's nose. James blinked, a blinding smile stretching his lips. He pulled Sirius into a bear hug. "WE DID IT!"

Remus laughed, shaking his head at James's antics. "You might want to say it louder, Prongs" he muttered dryly. "There might be a few people in London who didn't quite hear you."

James reached out a hand, pulling the rest of them into the group hug. "Don't be such a buzzkill, Remus. This is our moment."

If anyone happened to be walking up the street to visit any of the shops located in the far part of town, they would have thought the Marauders had temporarily lost their gobstones. They were in a huddle in the middle of the street, laughing and cheering incoherently, bouncing up and down like the Gryffindor team had the last time they had won the Quidditch Cup (coincidentally, the 1975/76 school year). Rose wasn't too proud to join in, yelling much like she had when they had won last year, happily sandwiched between Remus and Peter, happy just to be there just as they were.

Ten minutes later, Rose was ambling around the town with her fellow Marauders. They were taking up most of the street, all in a row, walking with no real destination in mind. It was, Rose reflected, much like their Full Moon adventures, only this time it was daylight, and they were all more or less human. Peter was regaling them with his successful apparition, grinning with the kind of confidence he lacked nine days out of ten.

"…and then there I was, standing outside the Post Office – all in one piece!"

"And you naturally wet yourself from the excitement" Sirius quipped dryly, James snorting beside him.

Peter scowled down the line at the dog animagus. "No" he sniffed, raising his nose into the air. "As a matter of fact, I did not."

"Of course he didn't, Pads" James teased, mischief tripping along his words. "He promptly went inside and sent a letter to his mother in the vain hope that maybe she'll treat him like a real, live boy now!"

"Oh sod off, the pair of you" Peter grumbled, cheeks flushing.

Rose shook her head at the lot of them, wondering why it was always her and Remus that seemed to possess any sense of maturity. "So, Rem" she began, turning to the Marauder beside her. "You already know that I ended up outside Dervish and Banges, where did you have to apparate to?"

Remus reached into his bag, pulling out a copy of Tricks and Tactics For Practical Defence (Fifth Edition). "In front of the Defence Section of Tomes and Scrolls" he replied, shrugging as if it wasn't a big deal.

Sirius scoffed, making an unhappy note in the back of his throat. "That is practically handing you the license on a silver platter" he grumbled, winking across Rose at his friend. "How'd you swing that?"

Remus shrugged again. "Not a clue, but somebody out there must like me."

James hummed thoughtfully. "Speaking of, Pads, where did you end up?"

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Oh" he said, tone dry and unyielding. "I apparated to the Democratic Republic of Mind Your Own Sodding Business."

"Lovely weather there this time of year" James replied, nodding wisely.

"You know" Remus commented innocently. "I don't think that's in Hogsmeade."

Sirius flipped him the universal middle finger gesture, unimpressed with Remus' smart commentary.

Normally, Rose would let such things be, but a little voice of mischief (sounding remarkably like Prongs in the middle of epic prank planning mode) whispered in the back of her mind. She smirked to herself, winding her arms around Sirius' left arm. "Siri?" she asked, tilting her face up towards him.

Sirius sighed slightly, the expulsion of air barely audible at all. "Yes, Rosebud?" he replied, his tone all but resigned.

Rose couldn't help but laugh at his expression. "Where exactly is the Democratic Republic of Mind Your Own Sodding Business?"

Sirius scrubbed his hands over his face, a chuckle escaping his lips. "Bugger it" he said, more to himself than any of them. "It was Puddifoot's, alright? I had to apparate outside of bloody Madame Puddifoot's nauseating tearooms."

James clapped Sirius on the back, laughter shining through his sympathy. "Bad luck, mate" he laughed, almost tripping over Sirius' well-placed boot.

Rose herself was hardly more sympathetic. Her laughter refused to be suppressed, joined immediately by James's, Peter's and Remus', while Sirius reluctantly chuckled along with them.

Sirius shrugged nonchalantly. "At least I had to apparate outside the infernal shop. I've kept my record of never again setting foot inside that hellhole."

Remus rolled his eyes at Sirius' dramatics. "It just a tearoom, Sirius. It's perfectly ordinary."

Sirius raised an eyebrow, Rose seeing him mentally getting up on his metaphorical soapbox. "That place" he spat, treating the word as if it were unpleasant on his tongue "is not perfectly ordinary, Remus Lupin. It is where Gilderoy Lockhart used to hold court, matching his lurid pastel robes with the decor. It is where romance goes to mutate, turning from the connection between two people to the unholy hybrid of love-heart confetti and nauseatingly sweet heart-shaped chocolates with sickening raspberry and strawberry centres." Sirius waved generally around, James nodding along with his rant. "It is the insipid dungeon where normal chaps like Prongs will be dragged by their aspiring girlfriends, forced to endure meaningless chitchat over tasteless coffee and bland scones. It is a pink-walled, lace curtained, floral scented den of misery that no man can escape unscathed. It is, in short, the place where men are measured against every romantic standard and unmatchable notion and are inevitably found wanting." Sirius heaved a sigh, shrugging at Remus' unimpressed expression. "And it'll always be the place where Pete spewed all over Maeve Wright from Hufflepuff in third year."

James burst into laughter. "I'd forgotten he did that!"

Peter buried his face in his hands, groaning loud and long.

James clapped Sirius on the back. "Come on, let's get back to the Broomsticks. I want to watch the dejection on all their faces when they realise we aced yet another almost impossible feat of magic." He grinned at Remus, muttering in despair under his breath. "Don't worry, Moons, it's Pads' shout."

Just as James had predicted, there was a chorus of dejected groans as the Marauders waltzed into the Three Broomsticks, heads held high. They claimed a table at the back of the bar, watching students come and go - most smiling in relief, while others (like the aforementioned Rupert Farthingale and Maeve Wright) trudged back in with woebegone expressions. One by one, their friends came to sit by them, accepting the butterbeers James had ordered in celebration (or commiseration if their tests had not gone as well as they expected). Lily, Alice, Marlene and Mary came in first, Lily giving Rose a grin and a thumbs up before sitting at the furthest end of the table. Then came Hestia, Emmeline and Dorcas - each of whom wore the familiar grins of triumph (and whispered to Rose that they had, indeed, passed their tests). Then came the final three of their unofficial group. Benjy, Caradoc and Frank - all of whom had been apprehensive about failing the tests - shuffled in, a heavy weight on their shoulders.

James peered at them through the dim light, his expression critical. "You lot are the worst actors I have ever seen" he announced, disappointed in them. "If you're trying to pull one over on us, try harder. Much harder."

Remus peered over the rim of his tankard of Butterbeer. "I take it you didn't disgrace the names of Gryffindor and Ravenclaw?"

Benjy flopped down on the bench, reaching for his own mug of frosty Butterbeer. "Let's just say that come summer, we'll be apparating everywhere for everything."

"To the shops, to the quidditch" Caradoc recited, in a much better mood than that morning. "Even to the facilities."

James shuddered. "Apparating to the lav, can't tell you how many times my Dad has done that."

Sirius inclined his head thoughtfully. "You can't deny, it is efficient."

James nodded in vague agreement, his gaze somewhere off into the distance. "This summer we'll be here, there and everywhere. Nobody will be able to keep us down."

"But you'll have to pass your exams first to get to summer" Remus reminded them, smirking at the chorus of groans that followed. "When I get back to the castle, I'm drawing up exam revision plans."

Peter howled, clutching plaintively at the sleeve of Remus' jumper. "Oh no, Moony" he cried desperately. "Don't take away our illusions of freedom so soon!"

Remus just glared at James and Sirius. "I blame you two for this."

Sirius winked roguishly. "You're a sourpuss Rem, but we thank you anyway."

Thank you for reading.

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