Disclaimer: I'm currently freaking out over finding a job since I'm a typical broke student who is very obviously not J.K. and doesn't own Harry Potter.

Hogsmeade had something for everyone.

Sirius Black liked Zonkos. It always had a new toy to try out on Snape or another unsuspecting Slytherin. Recently he had made the target his brother. Snape was becoming more and more off limits (save for James) but Regulus would always be a target. It was easier to laugh at your idiotic little brother than to get upset over his ever more obvious views.

Remus thought the bookstore was pretty great. It had nothing on Flourish and Blotts in terms of selection, but it was cozy and a nice place to read, before Sirius and James came in to find him that is. They were officially banned from the shop and each time they entered, Remus worried he'd be included in the ban so that they would actually keep out.

Mary enjoyed Madame Puddifoot's. Not for the atmosphere of course, no she never went in there with Lily, Dorcas or Marlene (as if they would step foot inside), but because it served as a nice test. If a boy would sit inside Madame Puddifoot's with you on two different Hogsmeade occasions for at least an hour, then he wanted more than a shag. She knew her plan wasn't fool proof (Sirius Black was notorious for bringing girls in on a date and his reputation was well-known), but she thought it was better than nothing.

Emmeline Vance, Caridee Lacen and Honey Wagtberg loved Gladrags Wizardwear. It didn't seem to phase them that what they bought from there couldn't actually be worn during the school year (which consisted of nine months of their life each year. Caridee liked to explain that it helped her look forward to breaks when she could wear her new clothes, Honey liked to tell others that girls appreciated nice clothes while Emmeline simply told others she liked to shop.

Marlene wanted to set up a tent in Honeydukes. Her sweet tooth was insatiable. Mary liked to rag her about not finding a bloke, but Marlene sometimes thought, who needs one, they whine, they require attention and sure shagging released endorphins, but so did chocolate. And chocolate didn't talk back.

"What are you doing?" Caradoc said plopping himself down on the couch next to Lily. "You know we're done with classes silly girl."

Lily smiled and looked up, "It's not homework." She lifted up the book for him to see. "I'm just waiting for Dorcas and Marlene to wake up so we can head into the village."

"As You Like It?" Caradoc read. "I've heard of this guy. Never had time to read it." Taking a deep breath he grinned at Lily, "So since you're awake and ready, and I'm awake and ready, want to head into town together?" It seemed to last forever. He watched with hidden agony as she looked up the stairs to where her friends were presumably still sleeping, and took her finger out of the book, letting her page be lost.

"That sounds great, have you had breakfast yet?"

"What are you doing Mary?" Benjy asked, watching his girlfriend twirl around as they walked to the village.

"I'm excited Ben!" Mary said, continuing her movements. "It's summer and it's warm! And we're on a date in Hogsmeade and we have no homework or exams to worry about!"

Benjy's smile widened as Mary grabbed his hand and started pulling him around with her. He spun her under his arm, but as he was no practiced dancer, ended up stumbling over her foot and falling in the dirt path, bringing her along with him. Mary rolled off of him so they were both looking up. Benjy's head turned to his left, as Mary's turned to her right.

"Three Broomsticks?" She asked. Benjy scooted forward and kissed her nose.

"What are you doing in there?" Emmeline yelled banging on the bathroom door. "Cari get out!"

"What's the rush Em?" Honey called to her roommate, "Come lie down. With me."

Emmeline turned away from the door and looked at her roommate, calmly reading Witch Weekly on her bed, fully dressed. "Honey shut up. I don't have time for that. I need to get into the bloody bathroom!"

After a few more bangs, the door finally opened and instead of Caridee, Freja Hansen walked out.

"Shit! I'm sorry Freja!" Emmeline apologized, "I really didn't mean to be so rude, you're always so—"

"Quiet Vance." Freja interrupted, "Honey, are you ready to head out?"

"Absolutely."

"Wait." Emmeline said, causing Honey to stop mid-way through sliding off the bed and Freja to turn around. "Where's Cari?"

"What are you doing?" Sirius questioned his mirror. He was sitting on the floor of his dorm, surrounded by piles of dirty clothes and empty chocolate frog wrappers.

"Looking for Evans." The mirror answered. Sirius sighed and looked at the face staring back at him. The face was distressed and the moving scenery behind the all over black hair was making him a little queasy.

"Prongs stop it. Go get Moony from the kitchens and meet me and Wormtail in the hallway. We have things to do."

"Do you have the map?" James answered, the background finally stopping its rapid movement.

"Mate, did you hear what I just said?"

"Or does Remus have it still? Lunatic sneaking into the library at night."

"Prongs."

"Did he put it back in Pete's trunk?"

"Oy!" The reflection finally stopped talking and looked at him. "We have to get down there, we have shit to do Prongs. No time for one of your fights with Evans."

"It wouldn't be a fight."

Sirius sighed and looked at the face in front of a once again moving background.

"What are you doing?" Dorcas asked Marlene. They were sitting at a corner booth in the Three Broomsticks, sipping on their drinks, well Dorcas was sitting, Marlene was fidgeting.

"Nothing." Marlene said glancing at Dorcas before swiveling and looking at a table behind them.

"Quit it!" Marlene jumped at the tone in Dorcas' voice. Looking guiltily at her friend, Marlene stopped her jerky movements and took a sip of her butterbeer. "What are you looking for?"

"I was just…evaluating some things."

"What things could you possibly be evaluating in Three Broomsticks?"

"Blokes." Marlene said scanning the area once more. Dorcas rolled her eyes at her companion.

"Yes, there are blokes here. What's to evaluate about them?"

"Well…"Marlene paused, "Who's left that none of us have touched, is single and isn't skeevy or a Slytherin?"

"Potter?"

"What are you doing Cari?" Emmeline said, grabbing her best friend's arm. "First I have to search all over the castle when we were supposed to go down to breakfast together, and I find you where? Oh that's right, crouched behind one of those creepy moving knights. And then once I found you, do I get to go eat anything? No. I have to run after to follow you to Hogsmeade where you are continuing to act weird and crouch and Caridee! Are you listening at all?"

"Shut up and look forward, right in front of Honeydukes."

Emmeline glared for an extra minute before sighing and looking where she had been directed. She felt her heart drop into her stomach. There in front of her was the tall blonde she had spent her life waiting to end up with, holding hands with her biggest competition for Head Girl.

"What are you doing for it? Do you know yet?"

Caradoc grinned, "I think the Marauders are planning something good. Remus hinted towards that." Laughing, he added, "I guess I just have to hope it's a good surprise, not something like itching powder in my jeans."

"Are you excited?" Lily said smiling up at her unexpected date. "This is the big one for wizards, 17."

"Of course!" Caradoc answered, "I won't have to spend all summer wishing I could use magic! You must be excited for that part too?"

Lily laughed at his childlike excitement and nodded her head. "Finally not receiving a letter warning me that if I use magic one more time I risk expulsion, will be superb."

Caradoc used their clasped hands to swing her around. "You, Lily Evans, two-year prefect and all around wonder girl, you broke the rules and used magic over summer?"

"I have…an older sister."

"Ah. Sibling rivalry, that explains everything." Caradoc winked, before suggesting "How about we head over to the Three Broomsticks? I'm starved."

"What are you doing?" Remus scolded Sirius as he stopped short in front of the entrance to the Three Broomsticks, causing Remus to hit into his back, which only led to James hitting into him, and Peter into James (the four of course traveled in a pack). The two were still not on good terms, and Remus had taken to becoming taking every opportunity given to yell at his friend.

"Why don't we head over to Zonko's first instead? Good idea yeah?"

The remaining three scowled at him. "Padfoot we just walked all the way here, we missed breakfast looking for this wank," he gestured to James, "and I'm hungry so move."

"No, I really don't think we should go in." Sirius insisted, trying to send a message to Remus, which he of course, ignored. "We haven't been to Hog's Head in ages, and now we're all actually 17, why don't we head over that way-"

James laughed at his friend, and pushed at him "When has getting firewhiskey ever been a problem with Rosie, she loves us. Is the girl you shagged last night in there or something?" Taking his opening, Remus helped James push Sirius into the pub.

With a curse, Sirius moved out of their way and watched James scan the room, pausing on the table Sirius had been hoping to usher him as far away as possible from.

"There's no way it's just Potter." Marlene said exasperated. "Think Dorcas!"

"It would be Potter and Black left," Dorcas smirked, "But you saw to it to get rid of Black."

Marlene groaned and dropped her head in her hands. "Why do you and Mary have to like boys so much?" Suddenly she lifted her head up "Ha!" Dorcas raised one perfect eyebrow. "Caradoc!" None of us have touched him!"

"Interesting things have happened since you've stopped evaluating the room."

"Wha-" Marlene said quickly, whipping her head around and stopping when she saw her best friend. "Lily and Caradoc!" She turned accusingly at Dorcas, "When did that happen?"

"We did all oversleep this morning."

"And Lily was gone when we woke up. Got it." After a brief pause, "Fuck. Potter really is the only guy left."

"How'd you manage that?" Lily asked amazed, "That's such an amazing opportunity!"

"My Uncle's best friend from well… Hogwarts actually, is the Head Healer there. I had mentioned wanting to go into Healer Training at his family dinner over break and I guess his friend over heard me." He shrugged, "What are you looking to do over summer?"

"Probably nothing that exciting." Lily sighed, "My sister's getting married in July, so I assume I'll be forced into helping out." She let a slight frown escape her as she thought about the misery Petunia was waiting to inflict upon her arrival back home. "It won't be much fun."

"But remember," Caradoc started, "You can use magic." He reached across the table and grabbed her hand, "And just think about all the fun you can have, just by waving this hand around."

"Why won't he notice me Cari?" The pair had moved into the Three Broomsticks and were sitting in the opposite corner from the couple they had spent the day following. "I'm right in front of him. I always am. How can he miss me?" Caridee was again not listening. Rather she was concentrating on fishing her wand out of her purse, and aiming it underneath the table at a bottle of butterbeer. "Cari!"

"Prongs?" Sirius said, sticking his face in his friend's line of sight, and blocking the red head. "Mate turn around. We're leaving."

"No." Sirius looked worriedly at Remus, pleading with him to go with him on this one. "Move Sirius."

"James come on-" Remus said putting a hand on James' shoulder.

"No."

"Listen to them, let's head over to Zonko's. We haven't-"

"Pete shut up. We're staying here." James shrugged off his friends and began making a beeline for the table in the corner.

"Oh shoot!" Lily's butterbeer had suddenly tipped over and the remaining liquid had spilt over her shirt. She had been rather enthusiastic about explaining the horrendous dress her sister had picked out especially for her Maid of Honor, her, and she assumed she must have gestured too much and knocked over her drink.

Caradoc reached across the table to hand her some napkins. "You okay Lil?"

She looked up from the mess she was dabbing at to smile at him. "Just a little klutzy today. I'll just go into the bathroom and clean up. I know a few charms that work wonders." She stood up with all the dignity someone covered in a sticky drink can possess and made her way to the bathroom.

"Was that you? What did you do that for?"

Caridee rolled her eyes at her friend. "Go take her seat and hang out with him."

"What the hell will that do?" Emmeline said, her voice raising a few octaves. "They've had a perfectly lovely date already, this stupid little spill won't do anything. And, if I head over there do you know what he'll want to talk about?" Emmeline turned away from her friend and towards the bathroom before spitting "His new girlfriend."

"Emmy shut up." Caridee said sternly. "You go over there right now. Do not sit in her seat. Sit next to him. Lean your head on his shoulder, whatever it is that you two do normally. Just make it look cozy so that when she comes out, she'll feel how you have all day."

"James, stop it."

"I haven't seen Caradoc all day. I'm just going to say hi." He once again pulled his arms from Sirius grasp and made his way to their fifth roommate.

"Dammit." Sirius whipped around to look at Remus and Peter. "Well, do something!"

Exasperated Remus replied, "You know what he's like. He's decided he's doing this, and honestly, I can't believe Caradoc would do this. This just seems to be the month where everyone betrays someone they know." Sirius sharp features crumbled and he turned away to watch his best friend.

Peter looked between the two marauders. "So, are we still throwing him a party?"

"Dearborn." James said sliding into Lily's former seat, ignoring how sticky it now was.

"Hey James." Caradoc replied letting a hint of his nervousness creep into his voice. He was sure he was about to become the main target of the newly reformed Marauders. James made no move to answer him, simply continued staring at him, letting Caradoc begin to twitch with anxiety. "So, what's up? Are you with the the guys."

No answer.

"You okay mate?"

No answer.

"James?" His voice no longer had a hint of nervousness, it was drowning in over active nerves.

James dropped his glare and leaned back in his seat. With a casual air he announced to Caradoc, "I think I liked when our dormitory only had four blokes in it. More room. Didn't you think Dearborn?"

Caradoc opened his mouth to respond but was cut-off by the girl sliding in the booth next to him. "There you are! I haven't seen you all day!"

"Emmy!"

"Vance." James said addressing the new addition to the table. "We're talking about some room issues, would you mind going back to Caridee or Honey or whoever you're with."

"Bite me Potter." Emmeline responded following Cari's instructions and curling an arm around Caradoc's elbow and snuggling into him.

"Marlene turn around and look at the table Lily was at."

"Was at?" Marlene slightly tilting her head.

"Was. Two people replaced her." Dorcas said, eyes locked on the scene beyond Marlene's head.

"Vance, move."

"Piss off."

"James. Listen, I-"

"Quiet Dearborn."

"Leave him alone Potter."

"I didn't realize we were going on a double date." The three sitting looked up to see an unhappy redhead, hand on hip staring down at her bickering peers.

"Lil, we're not, James and Em just came over to say hi." Lily's eyes traveled down to Emmeline's right hand which had someone managed to lace fingers with Caradoc's hand. It was fairly normal for them to do so, but generally, never when one of them was on a date.

"Well, I'll let you three return to your conversation. I'm gonna go chat with Marlene and Dorcas." With those last words, she turned from the table and searched for her friends. She almost smiled when she noticed that they had been watching her. Her trip was paused by a hand gently touching her on the back . She glanced over her shoulder at James.

"I didn't mean to ruin your date Evans."

"Of course you did Potter. It's what you always do." She turned and smiled at him. "But for once, it wasn't you."

James hesitantly asked "So…you aren't cross with me?"

"If you let me go over to my friends, and make this the one time we can part on civil terms, no I won't be mad."

James' face instantly transformed, and he grinned at her. "See you around then Evans. Tell your mates I say hi. Oh and mention that no, I am not available. But they forgot about Remus."

AN: Review, read, and hopefully in a bit I'll have enough time to finish up chapter 4.