I went to check when there was a full moon in September 1971 and apparently it was on 5 September. That means that Remus was barely active the first week of his schooling and that he was in the hospital wing most of the time. Peter probably started being friends with Sirius and James the same time as Remus, so for now it's just Sirius and James. Peter is just another student in the classroom right now.

A story about the Marauders for James Potter's birthday!

English isn't my native language, so forgive me for any minor mistakes.

Disclaimer: The world of Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling and Warner Brothers. I don't own anything.


'We should try to get close to the Whomping Willow too!' Sirius called.

'We need to take some time to blend in, to realise where we are, we can't do stupid stuff on the first week, we'll have seven years for that.' James reminded him with a smile.

'I know, I know, but I needed to do something daring, stupid and brave so my parents would be finer with the fact I'm not in Slytherin.' Sirius sighed.

'Don't worry, we'll think of something like that next week. Anyway, how do you think the potions lesson will be? I really enjoyed Transfiguration, but potions were always a big thing in my house, so I'm curious to see how this lesson will be.' James told his friends.

'You shouldn't have high hopes about that, the professor is just looking for kids from famous families to join his fancy club.' Sirius mentioned.

'Meaning, I'm probably going to have to deal with him, since I'm from a famous family and all.' James smiled and got inside the classroom. They went to sit in the back of the class.

'Hello students, I am Professor Horace Slughorn, the potions master. I'll start by reading names, I'm sure we'll have a few stars this year. Black, Sirius.' The Professor said and looked around to look for Sirius, he found him in the back of the class. Everyone already knew he was sorted into Gryffindor but it doesn't mean that it was normal.

'Here,' Sirius muttered, he heard enough stories about Slughorn and he could assume what will happen next.

'How come you are a Gryffindor? Every single Black was in my house, in Slytherin. Your cousins, your parents and grandparents they all were in Slytherin. So, how did you find yourself in Gryffindor, you are a Black.' Professor Slughorn asked Sirius.

'I guess... I'm not like them.' Sirius muttered, folding his hands. He saw that coming, he heard it so many times this week and he wasn't sure what he thought about it. He always felt like he did not belong to the Black family but now it had a physical proof, because he is Gryffindor.

Slughorn wasn't sure what to say about that, so he continued reading the names. After a few names he got to, 'Evans, Lily.'

'Here,' The red-haired Gryffindor girl who sat in front told him. She sat next to a Slytherin, Snape, he was the one from the train. It was pretty weird for a Slytherin and a Gryffindor to sit together. Professor Slughorn also raised an eyebrow on that but didn't say anything.

Professor Slughorn read a few more names and then he got to L. 'Lupin, Remus.' But no one responded.

'Isn't he, our roommate?' James whispered to Sirius.

'I don't know, I don't think I saw him, I got the feeling it's just the three of us.' Sirius whispered back.

'Where is he, Gryffindors?' The professor asked them.

'We don't know, professor, the year's only begun and we barely saw him, we're not in charge of him he can disappear if he wants to.' Sirius shrugged.

'Right, right,' the professor muttered, but the look on his face testified he recalled the reason one of his students was missing.

'He knows where Remus is,' Sirius stated While the professor talked to Mary Macdonald, who was also Gryffindor.

'I wonder what happened to him.' James mentioned as the list moved on to Mulciber.

'We could ask him when he reappears.' Sirius offered.

'You think he would answer? It's not like we talked to him before.' James reminded him.

'It's never too late to start a friendship.' Sirius smiled.

James signed to Sirius to be quiet because Slughorn got to the letter P and he would soon have his attention on him.

'Padgett, Blake.' The professor said.

'That's me.' One of the Slytherin boys said.

'Pettigrew, Peter.' Slughorn continued.

'Here,' the fat boy from the boys' room shrieked.

'Potter, James,' The professor looked directly at him not waiting for confirmation that it's him. 'You are Fleamont's son.' he stated.

'Yes,' James nodded.

'You're probably going to be the best student here in class, right? I'm so glad to have someone from a potioneers family. I can't wait to teach you.' Slughorn said gleefully.

'I'm fluttered, Professor,' James smirked, he was awkward but he tried to hide it.

'You should be, I'm honoured to teach someone like you.' Slughorn smiled at James and continued to read the names.

'Is he is going to be like this all the time?' James whispered to Sirius; he was a bit baffled from this conversation.

'I think he will. I told you he was just looking for famous kids.' Sirius muttered.

'I don't want to be his potions trophy!' James called, as quiet as he could.

'Snape, Severus.' The professor said and the boy from the train raised his hand to sign he was there. 'I have to ask, why do you two sit together, you know each other somehow?' The professor was curious, even if they met on the train students from different houses wouldn't sit together most of the time.

'Yes, we grew up in the same town, Cokeworth.' Severus answered.

'And Severus is the one who told me I'm a witch,' Lily added, smiling.

'That's not something that happens every day.' The Professor nodded in approval.

'You already found your precious someone? Aren't you a bit young for that?' James teased her.

'At least you could find someone less ugly.' Sirius added.

'What's wrong with you?' Lily groaned.

'Calm down, the year has only begun, don't start fighting,' Slughorn scolded them, 'Talkalot, Lucinda.'

'It's me, I'm Lucinda. It's a pleasure to meet you, professor. I can't wait to start learning with you. Potions is such an important subject and the best part is the fact that my head of house is the one who teaches it. Learning spells is not the only thing wizards can do, we should never forget that. Our journey here is only the beginning and we're going to have seven great years with you, I'm sure of it. We couldn't ask for a better teacher than you.' Lucinda rambled.

'Thanks, miss,' Professor Slughorn nodded to her, enjoying the flattery.

'Merlin, what was that?' Sirius asked, shocked.

'I guess she just talks a lot?' James snickered.

'No wonder that's her name.' Sirius laughed.

After he finished to reading all the names, Professor Slughorn started the lesson. 'Potions is a very important lesson. You'll need to be subtle and precise or else the whole potion could be ruined. This lesson will not be easy, it's not your wands we'll use here but your brains. You'll need to be delicate and listen carefully to everything I say and make sure you do everything right from your books. Since yesterday was a full moon, I thought it would be nice to do your first lesson on the moon phases. Do you know who is the witch who studied this field the most? Mr. Potter, I'm sure you know.'

James sat in silence for a moment, not sure what to answer, he needed a clever answer, not a chance he let himself be Fleamont's son here and just answer the question straight. He had his own personality and he needed to prove that to the professor. 'Well, someone who hasn't slept the whole night, that's for sure,' James laughed and was pleased to hear giggles from the rest of the class.

The professor wasn't sure what to do with this answer, 'I think she slept at night and checked the ingredients in the morning... The answer is Hesper Starkey, if I recall correctly, she was in the same year at Hogwarts as the headmaster. She spent many years studying how the moon's phases affect the potions fabrications.'

'Hesper? What kind of name is Hesper?' James whispered to Sirius and rolled his eyes.

'A pure-blood's name, that was the name of my great-grandmother, I was named after her husband, Sirius, and unique names are always interesting.' Sirius stated.

'I didn't know that,' James muttered, he knew Sirius for only a week. He didn't know if Sirius would laugh with him about the joke he made or it would insult him.

'Mr. Potter, I'm sure you'll know the answer to this question, which magical plant needs to be picked in a full moon?' Slughorn asked another question.

'Sir, I think you're mistaken, but I'm not my father, I am not supposed to know everything about potions, we are here to learn, this is your job to tell us that,' James stated, he said it in a polite voice but it wasn't very polite.

Professor Slughorn was taken aback from what James said. He didn't expect that answer at all, 'Anyone knows the answer?' He muttered, but he was so baffled by James that he didn't notice the two kids in the front of the class raising their hands.

'See, professor? You don't need me to answer, the couple from Cokeworth know the answer.' James teased the two kids.

Lily and Severus shared a look but weren't sure how to react. He wasn't nice on the train but they couldn't blame him for using them to avoid answering the professor, he shouldn't know the answers just because his father was a potioneer and they did raise their hands.

'Yes, Miss Evans," the professor gave her permission to answer.

'I think it's Fluxweed.' Lily said.

'Correct, three points to Gryffindor,' Slughorn smiled, he was a bit surprised she knew the answer.

'What potion is brewed in one full moon cycle?' Professor Slughorn asked, the two at the front raised their hands. 'Now you, Mr. Snape.'

'It's Veritaserum,' Severus answered.

'Very good, three points to Slytherin.' Slughorn nodded in approval.

'I knew they would know the answer. Maybe now he'll stop picking on me.' James whispered.

'Don't count on that,' Sirius whispered back, 'the moment this lesson will be over he'll ask us to join his little famous club.'

They didn't listen for the rest of the lesson, Slughorn didn't even let them brew a potion yet, he just explained about cauldron types and phials. The lesson was very boring. Sirius and James waited longingly for this suffering to come to an end. When the lesson was over, they quickly collected their belongings and walked towards the door, but the Professor stopped them. 'Mr. Potter, Mr. Black, can you stay for a moment?'

The boys rolled their eyes but stayed in the classroom, waiting for the rest of the students to get out. 'What is it, professor?' James wondered, even though Sirius told him earlier what Slughorn wants.

'Since both of you from very famous families, do you want to join my little club? It could really help you in the future, it could open a lot of doors for you two,' Slughorn offered.

'Professor, you do not want the first Black in Gryffindor in your club and we both know it.' Sirius stated.

'Thanks for the offer professor, but please don't forget that I'm not my father, I want to figure out what I'm good at, what I love to do, and that's not necessarily potions, I know about my family potions-making heritage, but I want to do something else professor. I'm sorry but I must decline,' James answered politely, he didn't like this professor. Thinking he was just like his dad, trying to impress him because of his family, these seven years weren't going to be very fun in potions.

'Alright, tell me if you've changed your mind.' The professor said, disappointed.

The boys nodded and quickly got out of the classroom. 'I don't like him!' James called.

'I told you he would be like that,' Sirius reminded him.

'I know but how can we deal with him for the following seven years?' James groaned.

'We'll prank him of course,' Sirius grinned.

'Now you are talking.' James chuckled and grinned as well.


At his office, Professor Slughorn sighed and drank his tea. He didn't expect the lesson with the first years to be like that. He expected that Fleamont Potter's son would be the best student and answer all the questions. And he couldn't figure out if this child didn't answer on purpose or if he really didn't know the answer. He could never imagine that two random kids from Cokeworth who didn't live in the wizarding world would answer the questions and not James Potter. How would two kids from Cokeworth be better than the son of the best potion-maker of the century?!


Author note: This fanfic sounded more interesting in my head then it is now. Not my greatest writing, I thought about the idea because of the punch line in the end, but in comparison to the rest of the fanfic it's a bit lame.
James and Sirius teased Lily and Severus about them dating because they are kids, and this is probably the first teasing they could think about, it's a pretty trivial one, especially in the beginning when James doesn't want to date Lily yet, it's only a week since the year began.