Big thank you again to BubblegumDuchess22 for reviewing the last chapter. Thanks to all who read the last chapter as well. Some of you will hate me for this chapter but you won't see why until the end.

Chapter 40: The Last Everything

Mandy returned to the Gryffindor tower to find that the only one there was Sirius and he was sitting on the couch with Cyrus in his lap. The man was stroking the cat with a pensive look on his face. It was almost like he was deep in thought. "Everything all right?" Mandy asked.

"Yeah fine," Sirius answered. "How'd it go?"

"Great," Mandy said taking a seat in her chair. Finally the rest of the boys and Lily were back.

James sat down next to her and looked at her carefully. "What's wrong? Did you get caught?"

"She said it went great," Sirius said, looking up from the cat finally. That's when he noticed then worried look on her face. "Love?"

"It didn't quiet go as well as I said it did. Well the prank went great but on the way back I ran into Filch. He uh ... he took the map. Guys, I'm sorry."

"Aw Mandy," James sighed. He and the rest of the boys looked resigned.

"You don't look angry," Mandy said.

"Why would we be angry?" Sirius asked.

"Well it's the map. We put so much effort and time into it that losing it is just wrong," Mandy explained.

"Yeah there is that," James said softly.

"But it's not like you could stop him and we didn't really need it anymore. It's our last day," Sirius added.

"It would have been nice to hand it down but—" James said.

"At least it's in Filch's office," Remus started.

"Probably in his drawer marked "Confiscated and Highly Dangerous"," Peter said.

"And any prankster worth his or her salt should be able to retrieve it from there and figure out how to work it. What better way for the map to go?" Remus finished.

They sat for the next three hours as the rest of the castle searched until it was just after curfew. Then James walked to the window and waved his wand causing the fireworks on the lawn to go off.

The Gryffindors that had returned from searching for the missing pig rushed to the windows. Mandy knew that all over the castle people were rushing to do the same. Bright colorful lights lit up the grounds and were followed very shortly by the distinctive boom from the fireworks.

The show lasted another 20 minutes before the portrait swung open and McGonagall entered. "Potter!" she shouted as the fireworks died out. "Hunter, Black, Lupin, Pettigrew." The group of five walked over to their head of house. They could see that she looked severely irritated. Mandy just hoped that it was all a bluff. Even with knowing the woman for seven years Mandy still couldn't read the woman. Not as well as she had hoped she could and as well she should have been able to with her want to be an Auror.

"Yes, Professor?" Mandy asked.

"Did you or did you not say there were five pigs?" McGonagall asked.

"Specifically, we did not," Remus said knowingly.

"Mr. Lupin," McGonagall said in disbelief.

"We never stated there were five pigs," Peter added.

"Lily asked where number three was and the five of us said that none of us let one get away from us. When we said that Hogwarts was part of us—" Mandy started.

"We meant it. We've spent more than a third of our lives here. It has shaped who we are and who we want to be. It would be terrible to lose that part of yourself," James added.

"The fact that you insinuated that Hogwarts was the name of the pig is not our fault and that we would ever lose control of one of our pranks is insulting," Sirius finished.

McGonagall stared at them in disbelief.

Remus smiled lightly. "Can you honestly hold us accountable for you not getting clarification?"

"And on top of all that there are no rules against racing pigs in the Great Hall during dinner time," Peter finished.

"Does there have to be?" McGonagall asked.

"To stop us, yes," Mandy nodded.

McGonagall watched them not saying anything. It was hard to tell what she was thinking so it all they could do is stand and wait for her judgement. Finally she spoke. "As for the other pranks? The suits of armour singing as students passed—"

"We did not do that," Mandy said.

"You did not make them sing?" McGonagall said.

"We did not," James answered.

"And the Slytherin corridors? Am I to believe that you also had nothing to do with charming them Gryffindor colours?"

"We did not," Mandy said.

"And the balloons filled with confetti in the Professors' corridor? How do you even know where our quarters are?"

"We did not," Mandy said again.

"And you didn't turn Mr. Filch's office completely upside down? And put up posters with you lot's faces on them?"

"We did not," Remus answered.

"And you didn't conclude everything with a fireworks show on the lawn?" McGonagall asked.

"We did not," Mandy answered.

"Then who did?" McGonagall asked.

"We did," Sirius told her.

"Either you did or you didn't. It can't be both," McGonagall demanded.

"Well, it's all in the semantics you choose to use. We as a group did not commit each act but we did commit them," James said.

"Explain," the professor said.

"Each person did their own prank. Since we did not help each other we, as the group we, did not commit those pranks. However we as individuals did," Mandy explained.

"Miss Hunter," Professor McGonagall said, exasperatedly.

"Yes, Professor?" Mandy smiled.

"Professor," Lily said softly and kindly. "The house cup and Quidditch cup have already been awarded, it's after curfew and it's the last day of our last year. Is there really any harm to just letting it go?"

"I am glad the five of you are not coming back next year," McGonagall said. She pursed her lips then left the Common Room. Once they were sure she was gone the entire tower cheered.

"Minnie, you know she loves us," Sirius grinned.

"Whatever you say, Pads," Remus answered.

The following morning all the girls were feeling a bit nostalgic. "Just think," Shelly said, setting them all off, "this is the last morning we'll ever have at Hogwarts."

"We'll never wake up in the same room again," Parker added. "I mean all five of us."

"Never have breakfast all together, never go to classes again, never—" Lily started.

"Never complain about boys in the same room while eating ice cream and whipped cream," Tiff finished setting them all into laughter.

"Guys, why does it have to end?" Mandy asked.

"What?" Parker asked.

"I know we're going to be busy and everything, but like you lot said the other day, we're still going to be friends. Just because we're not in school doesn't mean we can't get together. How about once a month, some Saturday night we have nothing else going on we can all get together and have a girls' night. I mean think about it, the Marauders are still going to get together once a month and since three of us are dating them why can't we do the same? Just not on the same night," Mandy said.

"She's got a point. It'll be a great way to keep in touch," Lily said.

"That's a great idea," Parker added. The other two nodded.

"Besides, it feels like we're just going home for summer, it won't really hit us until it's the end of August and we're not coming back," Mandy said.

"Mandy!" The girls cried tossing their pillows at her. She easily deflected them with a wave of her wand and then finished packing her trunk. Soon they were all headed to breakfast then on their way to the train.

"What are those?" Shelly asked as she walked out to the horseless carriages.

"What are what?" Mandy asked looking back at her.

"Those there, pulling the carriages."

"There's nothing there, silly," Tiff said. Parker nodded. Peter too looked confused.

"They're called Thestrals," Mandy said.

"What?" Parker asked.

"Weren't you paying attention in Care of Magical Creatures first term?" Mandy asked. "We did a whole lesson on them. They're the only domesticated heard in all of Britain and Scotland."

"You can only see them if you've seen death," Lily added.

"You can see them?" Shelly asked.

"Yes, Mandy, James, Sirius, Remus, Talon, and I all can," Lily answered.

"Shelly, who did you see die?" Mandy asked.

"My grandma died over Christmas hols," Shelly answered.

"My condolences," Mandy said.

"What do they look like?" Parker asked.

"Big, black, skeletal, winged horses. Were none of you paying attention during that lesson?" Mandy asked. Tiff and Parker hung their heads. Of course not. If you couldn't see what the professor walk talking about when there was supposedly one next to the professor, then why pay attention. "They get a bad rep because they're associated with death, but really it's a great defense mechanism." Shelly smiled sadly and they climbed aboard the carriages.

After a few hours aboard the train Parker walked back into the Marauders compartment as she had been sitting with Talon and a few other friends down the train. "Mandy, Mum and Dad want to know if you're going to be staying with us until you find your own place," Parker said, leaning in the doorway.

"Why? I mean, I know Jas is going to be really busy getting back into the swing of things at the Auror department but I don't need a baby sitter. As long as I avoid the living room, I'll be fine," Mandy answered.

"Jason didn't tell you?" Parker asked.

"Tell me what?" Mandy asked confused, looking from Parker to James and Sirius then back.

"That he was—" Parker started but Remus cut her off with a loud round of coughing. "Uh, Remus?" Parker asked confused. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I think so," Remus answered. Parker looked away from him and saw Sirius's glare.

"Wait, are you telling me she doesn't know?" Parker asked.

"Exactly," Sirius said.

"How can she not know? We're talking about something she'd be—"

"Shut up!" Sirius growled. "Love, don't worry about it. It doesn't matter."

"What's going on?" Mandy asked.

James sighed, his mind spinning fast. "Jason said that you made so much progress since your parents' deaths that he didn't want to set you back by having you stay at your old place plus his flat in London is too small for the two of you."

"So, if I understand what you're saying, I'm not allowed to go to the home I grew up in because he says so and he's not offering me another place and since Sirius doesn't have a place for us, he's essentially making me homeless," Mandy said thoughtfully.

"Of course not. I just said you could stay with us," Parker said.

"Or you could stay with me. You know Mum would love to have you," James added.

"And I promise to find us a place soon," Sirius added.

"Are you sure, James?"

"What about me? Aren't we good enough?" Parker asked.

"Of course you are, they just already have you and Cara plus Timmy, Talon, and their other sister Ashley. There's barely enough room," Mandy said. Ashley was Talon's 15 year old sister in Ravenclaw. Even though they had an older sister, her small flat outside London certainly wouldn't be big enough for five.

"I see," Parker said.

"Mum would love to have you over. You know she'd say stay as long as you want. It's not like we'll be there much. Just until our N.E.W.T. results come out then we'll only be there when we're not training. She'd love the company," James explained.

"No offense, Parker," Mandy said. Parker nodded and left their compartment.

When the train pulled into the station in London, Mandy felt a little sad. Like she said that morning, it wouldn't really hit her until that fall when she wouldn't be going back, but part of her felt sad that it was their last train ride. She grabbed her trunk and bag and got off the train. After saying goodbye to her girlfriends, she found James again and he offered her his hand. Mandy only stared at him. "You ready? We have to apparate in. I mean I can apparate you straight in," James told her. Mandy stared at him for a few moments wondering why he would offer to apparate her since she passed her exam the previous summer. "You have to have Potter blood to apparate through the wards." Mandy continued to stare at him in disbelief. When she realized that he was serious, she shoved her right wrist under his nose. It took him a brief moment but he eventually figured it out and shook his head. "Sorry."

"Come here, Love," Mandy said offering Sirius her hand.

"But how will you ...?" Lily started.

"Don't worry about it," Mandy said. She took Sirius's hand and apparated to the Potter Manor. James said goodbye to his girlfriend then followed Mandy.

"And that was it," Mandy said to her gathered family.

"What? That can't be it. That's just the end of Hogwarts. What about the first war? What about all of us?" Devin demanded.

"It's getting late, Bud. It's almost dinner time and the next story needs its own time," Mandy said gently. She stood up and wiped her hands on her jeans.

"But Mum, you can't just leave it like that. Did you pass your N.E.W.T.s? What about Meg? When did you and Dad get married? How'd you find out about the Order and join?" Devin pressed.

"Well," Mandy sat back down and saw the smirk on Sirius's face. "We got married that November, Meg didn't come along until two years later, yes, I passed my N.E.W.T.s and joined the Auror progamme and I found out about the Order and joined just over a year later."

"You're not going to tell us who didn't want you to join the Order are you?" Erin asked.

"I can't give that story the justice that it deserves before I have to get dinner on the table."

"You got married before my parents?" Harry asked.

"Yeah. Not by choice. My aunt kinda took it out of my hands. George, you said you came over because your mother wanted you to invite us to dinner on Sunday?"

"Yes," George nodded.

"Well, perhaps you'll hear the tale then. Until then, who wants Shepherd's pie?" Mandy asked.

"I better get home. Thanks," Harry said.

"For what?" Mandy asked.

"For telling me the truth. I know part of you will always want to protect me but you've always been more open than anyone else. About my past, your past with my parents. It means a lot."

"You're my Cub; it's the best I can do to make up for not being there to raise you after your parents died like I should have." Mandy said. Harry smiled and Mandy left the room to make dinner for the rest of the family that would be staying. As she prepared the food she thought about everything she had just told them. She knew that most people would disapprove of what she had told them or of her telling them so much but they were her kids and those that weren't were older than she had been when she had lived through it so they should be fine. Besides it was her story and she wouldn't let anyone stop her.

And why should you hate me? Because this is

THE END!

Thanks to all of you who have read, reviewed, liked, favorited, and alerted this story. It means a lot to me. You will see more of these characters again in the story It Changed Their Lives, but I can't promise you when that will be out.