Year 1972, First Year

James Jabbers:

Quote of the Day: Do unto others before they do unto you… alternatively; do unto other's worse than they did unto you… Especially if they're slimy Slytherins…

Our first year at Hogwarts was finally coming to an end; it had entered the month of June which meant exam season for everyone.

Everybody, especially the fifth years who had their OWL's and the seventh years who had their NEWT's, could be seen with their head stuck in their books, hastily scribbling down last minute notes or revising things over and over again.

Everyone that is, except for Sirius and me.

Remus insisted on revising things and studying his behind off as he had been known to miss school days at a time throughout the whole year, but despite this he was still getting good marks and when we tried to tell him this he just grunted and told us to go find something constructive to do. Some people get so narky around exams, I tell you. Well, seeing as we only had one exam to go, which was Defense Against the Dark Arts, Sirius and I felt like doing something else other than sitting inside with a bunch of zombies and looking through books. It did get utterly tedious.

"Remus let's go outside and go for a walk or something," I said as I looked out at the clear blue sky longingly.

"I can't. Unlike you two I want to get good marks in these exams," Remus replied, not taking his eyes off his book.

Sirius groaned. "You know you'll get top marks anyway, you don't need to study."

"I don't know if I'll get top marks or not, that's why I need to study." Remus replied.

"But we've only got one exam to go," I said.

"Yes, one important exam," Remus said.

"For Merlin's sake. You know everything there is to know about Defense, so come and at least walk outside," Sirius said.

"I'm perfectly comfortable here."

"Take your books with you for all I care. Just look at that beautiful sunshine, don't you just wish you could bask in it?" Sirius asked, pointing at the window.

Remus finally tore his eyes away from his book and looked out the window.

"Come on Remus," I pleaded.

"Fine then, I'll come, but only for a walk," Remus gave in.

"About time!" Sirius said.

We all stood up, Remus with a book in hand, and made our way out of the Gryffindor Common Room and down the corridors and out into the fresh air of the Hogwarts grounds. It felt much better being outside than cooped up in the common room hunching over books, I thought, as I breathed the fresh air in and let the sunshine warm my face.

"See isn't this nicer than inside?" I said as we walked across the grass.

"I suppose it is," Remus smiled.

"Let's go to the beech tree," Peter said, so we made our way over to our favourite beech tree which we liked to sit under when the weather was nice.

I looked around the grounds as I sat down under the beech tree, many other students were taking advantage of the nice weather and were sitting in the grass, talking or reading books.

Remus, now that he was here didn't instantly open his book to study; instead he lay in the grass enjoying the sunshine. Sirius was skimming rocks into the lake and Peter was looking through Remus' book.

"I wonder if I throw a rock hard enough, would it hit the Giant Squid?" Sirius wondered aloud.

"No one would be dumb enough to do that," Remus murmured, his eyes closed, "You being the exception, of course," he added.

Sirius pretended to look outraged, "I'm not dumb."

"Could've fooled me," I joked.

"Right, that's it James Potter! You're going in the lake!" And with that, he jumped up and started to tackle me. We tackled each other, rolling around on the ground, and we were dangerously close to the lake's edge when suddenly I heard Remus yell "Watch out!" and before I could respond I felt someone ram both Sirius and I into the muddy shallows of the lake.

"Hey!" I said in outrage as Sirius landed on my leg and let out a roar of anger.

I felt the cold water seeping into my robes. Despite being a warm summer's day the lake was absolutely freezing. I whipped my head around to the lake's edge where Evan Rosier, Rabastan and Rodolphus Lestrange and Snivellus stood, laughing their heads off with malicious glee. Remus and Peter had just come running over to the edge of the lake and were looking at us concernedly.

I picked myself up and glared at the four of them furiously, "You rotten filthy bloody prats!" I yelled as Sirius stood up beside me and instantly started sloshing his way over to the Slytherins in outrage, whipping his wand out.

"Oh, we're sorry, you looked like you needed a wash, you know, to get that filth off you," Rabastan said and the rest howled with laughter.

"You bloody bastards!" Sirius said furiously. I made my way angrily after Sirius so I could help him.

"Oh shut up Black. You needed to have a bath you filthy rat," Snivellus hissed, whipping his wand out of his pocket and aiming it at Sirius. Remus and Peter pulled their wands out.

"Piss off Snivellus you're the one that needs a wash you piece of stinking slime!" Sirius said savagely.

"Now now Black, you're the one covered in slime," Rosier said silkily.

"And you will be in a minute! You bunch of cowards!" I said furiously.

Suddenly, before I had time to even mutter a curse, Snivellus aimed his wand at me and yelled. I felt a curse hit me, and suddenly my ears began to twitch and wiggle uncontrollably. The Slytherins howled with laughter. Instantly I aimed my wand at Snivellus and was about to curse him back when suddenly I heard someone yell:

"What is happening here!" It was Professor Bones, he must have seen it all and come running down from wherever he had been.

"They pushed us in the lake!" I said angrily, pointing at the four Slytherins who hastily put their wands back in their robes.

"I know that Mr. Potter, I saw it," Professor Bones replied.

"They looked like they needed a wash," Rodolphus said.

"We thought they wanted to go into the lake," Snivellus said snidely, a malicious look on his face.

"I don't want to hear your excuses Mr. Snape. That was a dirty trick you four just pulled, and I don't like people who sneak around behind other people's backs," Bones said sharply, eyeing the Slytherins, "Come with me now, please, all four of you," he said to them.

"What about those two!" Snivellus said, nodding at Sirius and I.

"What about them?" Professor Bones looked at Snivellus, "They didn't do anything wrong."

"They were about to curse us," Rodolphus said.

"As I seem to remember, you cursed them, not the other way around," Professor Bones said firmly, and then he waved his wand at me and my ears stopped twitching crazily. "Now come with me you four," Professor Bones said to the Slytherins and then walked briskly away; the Slytherins had no other choice but to follow them.

"I can't believe those bloody slimy bastards!" Sirius said when they had left.

"Me either! They'll pay for that, those stupid worthless rotten prats!" I said angrily.

"That was a dirty trick," Remus said as we walked back over to the beech tree to sit under it.

"Tell me about it," Peter agreed.

Sirius and I performed a spell to clean ourselves up.

"And hear what Snivellus said? The grimy little swot!" Sirius said, "Oh he's going to get it this time, he doesn't have Rosier and the Lestranges to save him in class."

"Well at least Bones is punishing them," Remus said, lying back down.

"I hope he gives them two months of detention cleaning bed pans in the hospital wing!" Sirius said bitterly.

"Wishful thinking," Peter replied.

"Well they deserve it," Sirius spat.

"I can't believe they pushed us in the lake, dirty gits," I said. Then I had an idea, "We should get them back. Tonight," I said.

Sirius' eyes twinkled wickedly as he grinned.

Remus groaned. "You can't do it tonight!"

"Why not?" I asked.

"Because our Defense exam is tomorrow, that's why!"

"So?"

Remus rolled his eyes, "You need to study for it. You haven't even done any study since, well… ever, come to think of it,"

"Who needs study?" Sirius said. I agreed as Sirius continued, "We don't need to revise anything; I know all of it already. Anyway, I studied last night."

"A last minute skim through of a Defense text book before you go to sleep does not count as studying Sirius," Remus replied, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Yes it does. That's all the study I need."

Remus just groaned again, "Well don't come crying to me if you get bad marks."

"I don't cry," Sirius replied. "So are you in Pete?"

"Er- no. I should do some studying, I mean, Defense isn't exactly my strong point," Peter replied.

"Aw come on! You're no fun!"

"I would, but I can't. Sorry." Peter replied.

"At least someone around here has some sense," Remus grinned.

"Well it looks like it's just you and me James," Sirius said, looking at me, "These girls need to study," Sirius nodded towards Remus and Peter. Remus poked his tongue out at him.

"So what can we do?" I wondered.

"I dunno, I was just thinking dung bombs in their common room," Sirius grinned.

"But where the hell is their common room?" I wondered.

"I have no idea. We could just follow one of the Slytherins back there in the Invisibility cloak," Sirius suggested.

"Good idea," I replied.

"But you can't do anything too obvious or they'll know it was you," Remus said.

"So? They won't have any proof," Sirius replied.

Remus just shook his head.

"Well let's get going then, if we're going to follow a Slytherin then we should get the cloak and all that," I said, standing up. "Are you two coming back to the dorm?" I asked Remus and Peter, who were now testing each other on dark creatures.

"Nah, I might stay here for a while," Remus replied, looking up from his book.

"Before he wouldn't leave the common room now he wants to stay here," Sirius commented.

"I think I'll stay here too," Peter replied.

"All right then, see ya," I said, and started to walk back to the castle with Sirius.

"I can't wait to get those mangy prats back," Sirius said as we walked across the lush grass.

"Me either," I replied, "What else can we do?" I asked him.

"I know! Itching powder!" Sirius said triumphantly, a smirk on his face.

"Great idea!" I replied. I couldn't wait to get those Slytherins back.

We tried to think of other ideas as we walked back to the common room and up to our dormitory. When we arrived at the dormitory we got all the dung bombs we could carry and a packet of itching powder, then we were ready.

"Got everything?" Sirius asked as we slipped the Invisibility cloak over ourselves.

"Yep," I replied, an armful of dung bombs under my arm.

"Showtime," Sirius grinned, and then we made our way out of the dormitory and out of the tower.

We walked silently for a while, making our way down to the lower floors, as there were many people around, walking back to their common rooms.

"Where do you reckon their common room is?" Sirius asked as we walked down a corridor close to the dungeons.

"I have no idea," I replied, "It must be around here somewhere though."

"Hey, let's follow Biddick," Sirius said as Simon Biddick, a fat, arrogant first year Slytherin, walked past.

I nodded and we silently followed Biddick. Suddenly Sirius pulled out a dung bomb and threw it at Biddick, it hit him from behind and he whipped around, peering down the corridor to see who was there. The dung bomb, which smelt of rotten eggs (if you haven't smelt rotten eggs before consider yourself lucky) seeped into his clothes as he wrinkled his nose.

I looked at Sirius blankly, not only had he put us in danger for no reason but now we would have to smell rotten eggs until we got into the common room. Fortunately Biddick just shrugged and turned around because he was too stupid to do anything else.

"I couldn't help it," Sirius whispered with a smirk on his face as Biddick continued walking.

Some long winding passages that went under the school later Biddick stopped at a stretch of bare stone wall. He stood for a moment, as if trying to remember something.

"What was that new password again?" He murmured to himself.

Sirius groaned beside me, "Of all the Slytherins we chose to follow the stupidest one."

I nodded and watched Biddick in frustration as he rubbed his chin and looked at the wall, tapping his foot.

"Pure-blood," he grunted.

Nothing happened.

"Er- serpent?"

Again the wall did not move.

We stood there for almost a full ten minutes as Biddick tried various possible passwords which didn't move the wall aside a millimeter. Both Sirius and I felt like smacking Biddick across the side of the head. It took most of my willpower not to yell 'Work out the frickin' password you stupid swot!' And it must have taken Sirius more willpower than that because I could see his frustration growing by the second.

"What are you doing Biddick?" A voice said behind us. Sirius and I (and Biddick) turned around quickly to see none other than Sirius' cousin, Bellatrix Black, walking towards Biddick. Sirius looked at her with utmost loathing.

"I can't remember the password," Biddick replied.

"Typical," she said derisively. "What is that horrible stench?" Bellatrix looked at Biddick in disgust, wrinkling up her nose.

"Basilisk," Bellatrix muttered and suddenly a stone door which was concealed in the wall slid open to reveal the Slytherin common room. Bellatrix and Biddick entered the common room and Sirius and I quickly followed them inside.

I looked around as we entered. The Slytherin common room was a long underground room with a low roof. It quite reminded me of a cave. Which isn't in the least surprising because most (well, let's face it – all) of the Slytherins act like surly cave men and women. Hanging around the rough stone walls were round, greenish lamps which gave off an eerie glow. No wonder most of the Slytherins looked like they had never seen sunlight before, I thought as I peered around the dark room.

Most of the occupants of the common room were sitting in chairs around a fireplace which had a richly carved mantelpiece. I looked at them sitting in the chairs, I only knew some of them, they were the first year Slytherins plus other's including Bellatrix, Narcissa, Rosier, the Lestranges, Snivellus, Malfoy, and Wilkes who was a 5th year Slytherin that hung around the others. Some of the other Slytherins sitting there I didn't know, nor did I particularly want to. I sure was glad that I wasn't in Slytherin, I hated the dark arts and if anyone practiced the dark arts then it was definitely the Slytherins. I noticed that Biddick had gone straight to his room; no doubt he was going to try and get the smell off him. Only because Bellatrix had noticed it.

"Look at this place," Sirius whispered with a look of contempt at the room and its occupants, "I'm just glad that they didn't put me in this hellhole," he said.

He must be glad because I knew that his pureblood crazy parents wanted him to be in Slytherin, and the rest of his family was in Slytherin. But Sirius definitely was not like the rest of the Blacks, I thought, as I looked at his cousins Bellatrix and Narcissa who were sitting in their chairs looking arrogantly at their peers. Nope, I thought, Sirius definitely belonged in Gryffindor, not in this cold, dark place.

"Are you ready to wreak havoc?" I whispered to Sirius, handing him half the dung bombs as he gave me some itching powder.

"Always," Sirius replied with a sideways glance at me, a grin on his face.

"I say we use the itching powder first," I suggested.

"Okay. Let's do it then."

"Snivellus is mine," Sirius murmured. I nodded.

With that we made our way over to where most of the Slytherins were sitting. We walked behind Snivellus' chair and I opened my packet of itching powder whilst Sirius begun to sprinkle it on Snivellus, in his hair, on his robes, and basically all over him. Instantly he began to scratch himself, steadily it got worse and his friends began to notice his problem.

"Got fleas Severus?" Bellatrix let out a short barking laugh.

Snivellus glared at her, "No more than you Bellatrix, I feel itchy all of a sudden."

We then walked over to where Bellatrix, Narcissa and Malfoy were sitting on a couch. I had great pleasure in sprinkling the powder all over Malfoy whilst Sirius sprinkled it all over his two cousins with a wicked grin.

By now all four of them were scratching themselves like a pack of monkeys.

"What the hell is this! I'm so itchy!" Malfoy said as he scratched himself.

Sirius and I held back a laugh as we went around the other Slytherins and sprinkled itching powder all over them. The great thing about itching powder is that it takes more than a couple of days to wear off.

By now we had all the Slytherins frantically itching themselves and exclaiming in frustration. We had poured the most on Rosier, Snivelly, Malfoy and the Lestranges and were very happy to see that they were itching like crazy.

"Now for the dung bombs!" Sirius said, aiming a dung bomb at Snivellus. He pelted it at him and instantly it hit him fair in the chest, making him jump up and then screw up his nose.

"What the hell was that!" Snivellus exclaimed, peering in the direction it had come from to see nothing.

"You really should take a shower Snape," Malfoy said, covering his nose with his hand, which he soon had to abandon because he had the sudden urge to scratch himself. Many of the other Slytherins had the same problem, I noted as I tried very hard to suppress my laughter. Most of them were standing up so it was easier to scratch hard to get to places. Sirius and I then wreaked absolute havoc on the whole lot of them, we threw the rest of our dung bombs at all of them and around the common room so that the smell would stay there.

"We should do this more often!" Sirius said as he threw a dung bomb at Rabastan Lestrange who yelled in anger whilst itching himself which provided us both with adequate amusement.

We kept pelting the Slytherins with dung bombs as they ran around in confusion trying to dodge the dung bombs that were pelted at them from every direction.

"Someone's in here!" Rosier said.

"Of course someone's in here you idiot!" Malfoy said, trying to dodge flying dung bombs.

He was as bad at that as he was as trying to hit the bludger in Quidditch.

"I bet you it's the Gryffindor rats!" Rodolphus Lestrange said.

"We should get out of here," I said. Not only was the smell unbearable but if we stayed here too long we might be discovered.

Sirius nodded and with one last look at the chaos we had created, we made our way to the door. I took one last look at the Slytherins, who, by now, were itching like mad and smelt like the castle sewerage system and grinned broadly.

"Mischief managed!" Sirius said, looking around at the scene we had created and smirking.

I nodded and in the confusion we slipped out through the stone door and back into the passageway we had came. Once we were far enough away from the common room we stopped and burst out laughing.

"That," Sirius said, "Was brilliant!" he laughed.

"I know! Did you see Snivelly, itching like a gorilla!" I replied. We both burst out laughing.

"And the best part about it is that they'll be like this for the next week or so!" Sirius said, grinning. "This is gold!"

"Tell me about it!" I replied.

Once we had recovered we got back up and made our way back to our own common room and up to the dormitory.

"You stink," was the first thing Remus said to us as we entered and pulled off the invisibility cloak.

Sirius and I both burst out laughing at this and Remus and Peter shook their heads at us.

"So what did you do?" Peter asked eagerly when we had sat down.

"Oh you should have seen it Petey!" I said, "It was classic!"

"Yeah," Sirius chortled, "Pure gold! We put itching powder all over the prats, and then threw dung bombs at them!" Sirius said, grinning.

"And the best thing about it is that it'll last for at least a week!" I added.

"Imagine! Snivelly will be scratching like that for a week!" Sirius said as he changed his clothes. "Its pure gold!"

The last day of exams dawned and when we arrived at our last exam, Defense Against The Dark Arts, we noted with a vindictive pleasure, that Snivellus was still scratching like mad, and he let off the pungent smell of rotten eggs. Sirius and I tried in vain to stifle our laughs as he walked past us, glaring.

"Jeez Snivellus, could you take a bath at least once a week?" Sirius said as he walked past.

"Shut your mouth Black. I knew it was you and Potter that did this! And I'll get you back, I assure you!" he spat.

"Maybe you need a good long dip in the lake," I said, matching his glare.

"You need it more than I do Potter. Although, it might not wipe off all that filth," Snivellus hissed.

"That's funny, I thought you were the one that stinks like the sewer," I retorted. Snape pulled out his wand, but before he could do anything more Professor Flitwick came and we all had to enter the classroom.

"Professor Flitwick," Sirius put his hand up as we sat down.

"Yes Mr. Black?" Flitwick shuffled over to him.

"Well, I don't think I can work with that pungent smell in the air, it's kind of affecting my performance you see," Sirius said, "I think you should put Sniv- I mean Snape, in another room. I'm sure other people can't stand it as well."

Snape gave Sirius the death glare and I could just tell that he was thinking up horrible plans to get us back.

"Yes Professor, he's quite right, I don't think I can work in these conditions either." I said.

Well Snape did deserve it. He should have thought of the consequences before he pushed us in the lake and jinxed me.

Sirius flashed me a grin and Snivellus gave me his favourite look of loathing combined with another death glare he reserved just for me.

Professor Flitwick frowned at us. "Boys, I'm sure you can work in these conditions…"

"But Sir, I really can't concentrate if there's a particularly bad smell about, particularly that of rotting eggs. I'm allergic to such smells," Sirius said. "And James can't cope with these conditions either."

Professor Flitwick raised his eyebrows at Sirius and then he raised his wand and said an incantation, then a spurt of pink smoke came puffing out of his wand which smelt like flowers and covered up the smell of rotting eggs.

"There. Now no more complaining." Professor Flitwick said as he handed Sirius his exam.

Sirius looked thoroughly disappointed that Snivellus wasn't banished to another room, and what was worse, we had to smell flowers through the whole exam.

"You may start now," Professor Flitwick said, looking at a clock at the front of a room and sitting at a desk.

I opened my paper and started to answer the questions.

Well the last exam went by quite quickly and I think I did quite well, actually, I know I did great because I found it quite easy and I did study, even if it was a last minute effort.

Quite suddenly our second last day of our first year had come upon us. It was a Friday afternoon and we had just finished lessons and as usual the first years had the afternoon free so basically we were free to mess around and do whatever we pleased.

I was in the common room with Sirius, repacking my trunk. Remus and Peter had gone for a walk around the grounds and to visit Hagrid.

Sirius and I still needed to pack up our stuff so we couldn't go.

"So what are you doing this summer?" I asked Sirius as I shoved a pair of socks into my trunk.

"Nothing most likely," Sirius replied mournfully, putting a pair of trousers back into his trunk.

I could tell already that Sirius didn't want to leave Hogwarts and go back to his house, Grimmauld Place. He hated it just as much as he hated his family. He had to spend a whole summer with nobody but his family who he didn't get along with at all and now since he was in Gryffindor, and had made friends with Remus, Peter and me, his parents would only treat him worse.

"Well you should come to my house for a couple of weeks or something," I said, hoping to lift his spirits. Even though I was a bit sad at leaving Hogwarts there would always be next year and I got to spend time with my family, who I hadn't seen since the Easter holidays.

Sirius looked at me and his eyes lit up, "Really? Could I?"

"Of course," I replied.

"Oh that's great James!" Sirius replied happily.

"And you can stay in my room," I said, "that is- as long as you don't yell in your sleep," I added with a grin, "I hear enough of that around here."

Sirius grinned, "I'll try not to. But no guarantees," he laughed.

"Well I'll write you a letter sometime then." I replied, packing more things into my trunk.

"James?"

"Yes?"

"Make it sooner rather than later, okay?" Sirius looked at me pleadingly.

"Of course," I replied, wanting to take Sirius to my house as soon as we got off the train just so he wouldn't have to suffer at the hands of his horrible family.

Sirius smiled.

I took one last look under the bed to see if there was anything I had left behind. I peered under the bed and stretched my hand under there to pick up something that looked like a bit of paper. I pulled it out from under the bed and looked at it.

It was a photograph that Jared had taken of me and Sirius at Christmas time when he had received a camera from his Uncle Alphard. There stood Sirius and I, tinsel wrapped around our heads, both grinning, arms around each other's shoulders, we were standing in front of the fire in the common room. Sirius had been truly happy in that picture as he had finally been accepted by the older Gryffindors as a true Gryffindor and not like the rest of the Black's. Sirius had given me the photograph to keep. It was the only photo of Sirius and I that he had ever taken. Many of the other ones were of me closing my eyes on Christmas morning when Sirius thought it was hilarious to see me be annoyed by the flashes of his camera.

"Remember this?" I asked Sirius as I handed him the photo.

"Yeah," he smiled. "Good times."

He made to hand it back, but I stopped him, "You keep it," I said.

Sirius smiled, "Really?" he asked.

"Yeah," I replied.

And then the door opened and Remus and Peter walked in.

Sirius, as if struck by a sudden idea, started to pull things out of his trunk.

"Erm- I thought you were meant to be packing Sirius, not unpacking," Remus said, looking at Sirius with bewilderment, who was flinging random objects out of his trunk in search of something.

"Are you planning to stay here for summer?" Peter grinned.

"No, I was looking for this!" Sirius replied as he turned around and held up his camera that his uncle had given him for Christmas.

"Remus, can you take a photo of James and me please," Sirius asked Remus, handing him the camera. So that was his idea.

"Sure," Remus replied, and then Sirius showed him how to use it before standing next to me and putting his arm around my shoulder. I did the same, and, both grinning, Remus took the picture.

"Now let's take one of the four of us," Sirius said.

"How are we meant to do that?" Peter asked.

"There's a button on here somewhere that takes the picture automatically," Sirius said, inspecting the camera that Remus had given back to him. "Ah, here it is," he said. "Is everyone ready?"

"Yes," we all said as the three of us gathered to take the photo.

Sirius put the camera on the windowsill and clicked the button, then he ran over to us and we all posed as the camera flashed automatically.

"There we go," Sirius said, smiling. Suddenly the camera started to make strange noises.

"What's it doing?" I asked as Sirius went to pick it up.

"That must have been the last photo," Sirius replied, "Its rewinding the negative. Well James, you can keep this," Sirius took the photo of him and me at Christmas time out of his pocket and handed it to me. "I'll have my own when I can get them developed."

"No, you keep it," I said. "You can send me a copy, but you keep it until you get the film developed," I said. Sirius would need a reminder of his friends more than I would.

Sirius smiled. "Cool."

With that, we all went down to our last feast at Hogwarts for our first year.

Our last day of our first year had finally come, and it was with sadness that I boarded the Hogwarts Express for the journey home to London. Sirius, Remus, Peter and I managed to find a compartment to ourselves and in the long hours of the journey we talked, ate and made the most of being able to use magic before our holidays by practicing some spells. We also used the last of our dung bomb supply by throwing them at the Slytherin's compartments and then running as fast as we could back to our own compartment before the Slytherins had worked out that something was beginning to smell like rotten eggs.

Remus, Peter and I tried our best to cheer Sirius up on the train, but he was still gloomy as the train pulled into the station at King's Cross.

"Oh come on Sirius, cheer up," Peter said, as Sirius looked particularly sad.

"It's a bit hard when I know I have to spend two whole months at that hell hole my parents call a home," Sirius replied gloomily.

"Well, whenever your particularly miserable, remember, we're always here for you mate," I said.

Sirius gave a short smile and then went back to being gloomy, "Thanks James."

"And you won't have to spend all summer there, you can come to my house," I said.

"Yeah, that's if they let me." Sirius replied.

"Well hopefully they will," I said.

"Yeah. Hopefully." Sirius replied.

"Now cheer up," Remus said, as we stepped off the train.

We stood on the platform, people milling around us with their hooting owls and other pets, parents were kissing their children, students hugging their younger siblings and students were chatting and exchanging goodbyes before going home with their families.

Sirius didn't say anything for a while, and then, "…it's just that, well, I've had such a great year with you guys. Going to Hogwarts, making great friends, pranking people, even some of the lessons were fun. Now I have to go back to that-" Sirius' gaze settled gloomily on three people standing away from the rest of the crowd with haughty looks on their faces.

There was a tall woman standing there, her dark hair framing her angular features, she had an elegant nose, tight-lipped mouth and high cheekbones. She would have been pretty if not for the look of disgust on her face as she gazed at the people around her. She hadn't noticed her son yet.

The man next to her, who was unmistakably Sirius' father, Amias Black, stood next to his wife stiffly. His face was not unlike Sirius', with the same grey eyes and shapely nose, his black hair was combed back. In front of Sirius' parents stood a boy of around ten years of age. That, I thought, must be Regulus Black, Sirius' little brother. He stood there proudly with a smirk on his face. His hair was clipped to just below the ears and his dark brown eyes showed a hint of arrogance and disdain as he looked around at the crowd. He looked exactly like Sirius had described him, a 'right stuck up little prat', I believe were his exact words. The three of them were wearing black robes with an emblem that I had noticed was embroidered on many of Sirius' own items, it was the Black family crest.

For all the world if not for Sirius bearing the same crest and name as the rest of his family it would have seemed that he didn't even belong to the Black family.

"It'll only be for two months," Remus said, trying to comfort him as he tore his gaze away from Sirius' family.

"Two months feels like two years in Grimmauld Place," Sirius replied.

"James!" A voice called, and then my mother and father came into view. I smiled as they made their way over to me and hugged me. I introduced them to Sirius, Remus and Peter.

"So you three are what James can't stop talking about," my mother said, smiling at them.

They all smiled back.

"Mum, is it all right if Sirius comes to stay for a bit in the holidays?" I asked.

"Certainly James," she replied.

Sirius smiled genuinely. "Thank you Mrs. Potter!"

"That's quite all right. Remus and Peter are welcome to stay as well," Mum said. Peter and Remus both thanked her.

"Well," Sirius said. It was time to say goodbye for the summer. "I'll see you guys as soon as I can," he said, and then proceeded to shake our hands. "Oh, what the heck!" he said, and then before I knew it he was hugging me, then Remus then Peter in turn. Before we could say our proper goodbye's a shrill voice cut through the air.

"Sirius Black!"

His mother had finally spotted him and had come marching up to him, her husband and son behind her.

Sirius glowered and then turned around to face his mother.

"What do you think your doing!"

"Saying goodbye to my friends," Sirius replied, glaring at his mother.

"We're going!" she said, and grabbed Sirius' hand before he could do anything about it and started to drag him away.

"I'll write!" I yelled to him as his mother led him away.

As I exchanged glances with him I saw one of the gloomiest looks on his face that I had ever seen. I really wished that there was something more for him that I could do but there wasn't. And then he had disappeared from my sight.

I turned back around and found Peter greeting his family excitedly – his mother was holding his tiny new baby sister – Gabrielle (Gabi for short) who she had given birth to only this month. Peter was very excited at having a new sibling and I could tell he was going to be very happy this summer.

"Well I guess I'll see you next year," Peter said to Remus and me, as he momentarily turned away from his family.

"Yeah, I have to go as well," Remus said as he spotted his parents waiting for him and waved.

We said our goodbyes and with a promise of writing to each other over the summer Remus and Peter both went off with their families as I stood with mine.

Well, I was back where I started, I thought as I watched Peter and Remus disappear from view. And in some ways I was so far from where I started that it wasn't funny.

All in all it had been a great year; I contemplated as I walked through the barrier and into the Muggle world with my parents.

And already, I was quite ready to go back.

To Hogwarts – with Sirius, Remus and Peter.

Author's Notes: Well… Well. First year is finished (finally – no doubt you are thinking!). That's the end of the year. Thank you to every single reviewer and reader, I really appreciate the time you take to review and read the story. Thank you also to my betas Egwene and Ela who helped enormously in bringing things along. Yay!

brennQTWow! Thanks very much I'm glad you liked the whole chap! And yes it did all come together, that's how I imagine things, Sirius always planning everything at the last minute but it all goes perfectly fine (most of the time!) Once again thanks and I'm glad you loved the chapter!

Erica: Heh, I love that 'saving you from the clutches of Sirius Black' thing too, so James and so Sirius as well! Heh. I'm glad you liked the chap & the prank. Yay for pranks! Heh. I have no experience whatsoever in pranking:p !

Miss Penny: Thanks very much! If you're happy I'm happy!

KoriaenaThanks very much! Glad you loved the prank!

Blinded One: Heh. Yes they will find out soon. Soon enough anyway!

VisualpurpleYeah Sirius did have the best birthday! Glad you liked where 'marauders' came from. I suppose they had to get caught some time!

WolfieThanks very much! Well, to tell you the truth, I don't really know how I come up with the plot, I'm just working around the main plot of MWPP, what we know so far about them, J.K already gave the plot away, I'm sort of 'filling in the gaps' you could say. As to where my ideas come from, well, I just start writing and well, there they are.

AnaraneThanks very much! I'm really glad you loved the chapter! It seems to be popular. Yay!

LupinLover99: Thanks very much! Glad Sirius was in character and glad you liked HBSUNFRJP! Hehe.

French Chipmunk: Thanks very much! Well at least this (I hope) is more amusing than biology and IPT! Heh. Thanks again!

Lavender-sykes: Hi! Thanks very much! Glad you did like it, since it was dedicated to you! Glad I could keep you laughing! Thanks again!

Me: Thanks very much! Glad you like it! Aw, Philomena was only showing Remus a different way of looking at things, but glad she's got a personality! Thanks again!

Jennykim2007: Wow! Thanks very much for all your reviews! I'm glad you reviewed the chapters! Glad you like Remus in my fic and you think I got his personality right, its hard to characterize him! As to your question, no there really won't be any of Remus actually reading this and reacting to it. I've launched into this huge story and yes I know Remus is reading this just after Sirius dies, but I think to cut into the story and write about Remus' reactions would kind of ruin it, well not ruin it per say, but it would interrupt the flow the story already has going. At the end of the story though I will show Remus' thoughts and reactions in an epilogue, as his thoughts and reactions started with a prologue so I think it only right that he have the epilogue as well. Anyway, I hope this hasn't disappointed you, but to show Remus' reactions would interrupt the flow and I don't want to keep jumping back and forward in time. Though thanks very much for your suggestion and your reviews. I really appreciate them!

Janet Lily: Thanks very much! Yes the origins of the famous four are out! Their secret is blown! Heh! Glad you liked the chapter, and someone noticed it was well planned! Yay! I tried! Heh. It all fitted together nicely in the end, that's what I liked about the chapter. Anyway, thanks a heap again!

ThehpgangThanks very much! I'm glad you liked the end! I'm glad that the endings aren't getting well… repetitive…! Cause I always like to end things on a conclusion or on a 'happy note' as some would say. So glad its not getting boring! Yay! Thanks again!

Writer of Fantasy: Heh! Thanks very very very much! I'm really glad you liked it! And I will not get a big head. Promise! Heh.

Elvenwolf123321: Thanks very much! Glad you liked it! 200 pages! Wow. That is a fair bit! I do feel kinda accomplished. Thanks again!

PickledishkillerThanks very very much! They will figure out Remus is a werewolf soon enough, they cant yet cause its only been first year. But they will find out pretty soon, don't worry! Thanks very much again!

Naru Lovely: Woah…! Now that is the longest review I've ever received! That's a great thing! Thanks very very very much! I'm really flattered and appreciate it that you took your time to review each chapter when you didn't have to and give your thoughts on it! So thanks so much!! I really do appreciate it and love when reader's give their thoughts and long reviews! I'm leaving you till last because my reply will be hugely long! So, to reply to everything you've said…

I'm really flattered that you've been searching for a story like mine and you say you've found it with mine. Wow! Although you should give writing about MWPP a go, its fun!

1. Yes, now that you point it out "Live fast, die young and leave a good-looking corpse behind" does describe James and Lily very well. Though you know I've never looked at it from that POV. I've always thought of Sirius when I read that quote, I imagine it to be Sirius' sort of life motto, he's the kind of guy who wants to live fast and leave a good looking corpse behind (I'm not sure about the die young part!) But whenever I thought of that quote I associated it with Sirius. Never thought about it from J&L's POV, though it makes so much sense!

2. I think you're friends could give you a much better view on yourself than you could, so that's why I did it that way. Like Sirius would know James inside out and if James wrote about himself he wouldn't write about his faults or might miss some things that Sirius wouldn't and he probably wouldn't write how great a friend he is! Or anything remotely fluffy about himself!

3. Wow. I didn't know it could affect someone like that (the part where Sirius describes James) I'm glad it was touching, and seemed real. Thanks very much!

4. Yes I know what you mean about the exclusion of Peter, I completely agree. You know though, before I read 'Forever Alive' (have you read that? It's the most awesome MWPP story ever, if you're looking for good MWPP stories I definitely recommend it) I always hated Peter, but reading about him through fanfiction made me realize that he wasn't a blubbery jerk but a genuine person before he betrayed his friends. After all, he must have had some redeeming qualities for the most popular guys in class to hang out with him. Oh no, you sense something bad about his family? You're giving away potentially top secret plots here! Heh. Just joking. But you know, I think along the same lines as you, and I find myself sometimes planning the plot of why Peter did what he did, what made him do it, and then I realize that I'm only going to write about the seven years while they're at school anyway! But who knows…

5. Yes I agree about Remus as well, he would have had to have a sense of humour, 1. because to hang around with those three you would have to have a sense of humour or you would go insane, and 2. if he didn't really have much of a sense of humour I don't know if Sirius and James would hang out with him as much. Anyway. I'm glad you liked Remus. There are a lot of Remus lovers out there. But I myself, I would have to say I love Sirius the most, followed very very closely by Remus.

6. About the Sirius – dead thing, well I've had time to think about it and read what others think, and as much as I hate to say it, as much as I hate everything about it, I do believe he won't be coming back (as a living person). Oh god. That sounds horrible. But J.K was really emotional about that scene and yeah. I guess we can only wait (and hope) and see…

7. Bellatrix – I've always thought of her as the middle child, and Andromeda as the oldest for some reason, she seems like the oldest sister to me more than Bellatrix. Her name means 'female warrior?' that is very appropriate indeed!

8. I'm glad you liked the chapter describing all the teachers, and Remus' cynical interruptions, I love that too. And yes, he is the same Edgar Bones, as in Amelia Bones' brother, who was in the first Order. I pinched him and gave him more character. Philomena, yes she is a bit mysterious isn't she? I like her, she plays a role in Remus' 'story', she helps him a fair bit when he needs it, that's what I like about her. And you shouldn't listen to Sirius' superstitions! Heh. Or should you? Dun dun dun…

9. Yes I felt sorry for Sirius on his first day as well, poor Sirius to have a family like that. The Black's are Dursleyish in the way they treat Sirius. They're so arrogant and nasty. Jared and Dominic get it together in the end though, I think that there are people like that in every house though, like Gryffindor cant all be full of nice people who accept everyone.

10. The animosity between the Slytherins & Gryffindors. I don't really see Godric and Salazaar to be that great friends, I think maybe at first they tolerated each other and maybe even got on because they were building the school, but after Salazaar let known his feelings about muggle's then I don't think Godric would have liked it much and that was when the whole house rivalry started, it just grew from there and of course Riddle wouldn't have helped, but I think its in almost every Slytherin were brought up that way, to hate Gryffindors etc. I mean, after all, that's why they were sorted into Slytherin, because of their personality.

11. I'm very glad that Remus isn't a girl! I've never thought of that! Two monthly pain in the butts in one month! That would be absolutely horrible! The whole lycanthrope matter, yes it is very complicated, I agree. I have no idea what happens when the moon is up during the day. The way I think it works (despite me showing the moonlight hitting him) is that as soon as the moon starts to rise then his transformation starts as well. So maybe when the moon rises in the day Remus has to go to the shack during the day. I don't know.

12. You know I don't really see Viggo Mortensen as Sirius, I think I would just keep thinking of him as Aragorn then! No I missed Orlando at the Oscar's! I couldn't watch it:(

13. Heh, glad you liked the boys prankin' each other. Yes Sirius is quite the actor. I think James would have fallen for it, 1. cause Sirius is a good actor and he looked genuinely distraught, 2. James doesn't know yet fully the capabilities and mischief of Sirius. Heh. Well as to who thought of all the details, I actually imagine Sirius would have thought them up, he just dragged Remus along because he could. Heh.

14. Remus giggles. Heh. Hehehehe. Yes, Remus does emit a giggle once again, though he'd never admit it. I think all of them once in a while when feeling particularly silly, would giggle. I cant remember where I put Remus giggling though. Oh dear. I'm going to find it! Oh I found it. Okay, so I'll put it in context for you, say you're James, you just got tricked by nasty Slytherins to go into the forest, your on the verge of finding a big black scary thing in the forest, your just about to see what it is then Remus steps on a twig and scares the thing away, then he proceeds to laugh for some crazy reason unknown to you, so you are a little bit peeved and want to know what the hell he's doing. So anyway, to sum up, James was just writing that Remus giggled cause he was kinda annoyed with him. He might not've been giggling per say, but he was laughing so James put it down to giggled. I think. Heh.

15. Yeah Hagrid's a great chap. Although I haven't featured him much beyond that chapter. Oops.

16. Glad you love Sirius chapters. They're my absolute favourite ones to write cause you can write cynically and make stupid/funny comments about people cause that's what Sirius would do. Its so much fun!

17. Chapter 21, wow! You cried? I'm glad you found it beautiful, I really wanted to show a bond between James and Remus instead of the usual characters which bond all the time i.e R/S, which I love to do a lot despite this!

18. I'm glad you liked the background on Andromeda and Ted, there will be more about them soon. And Andromeda will actually be featured, not just talked about! Woohoo! Heh. It would make a nice side story.

19. The bet between Sirius and James. Heh, you know, I don't think any of my reviewers have mentioned that yet, I'm glad you did though! I can't wait to write about it! As to who wins… well yes Sirius is the obvious choice, I'm sure James would be outraged to hear so, but James might just have a few tricks up his sleeve Sirius isn't aware of. We'll just have to wait and see I guess. I don't even know who's going to win yet! Heh. Though, now you've mentioned this, I might just have an idea… the plot bunnies are finally attacking! Anyway, I'm sure it'll all come together in the end. Heh.

20. I'm glad you loved the scenes between Sirius and Remus, be assured there will be lots more to come! (I can't help it really!) Anyway, I absolutely love (I know I sound repetitive here!) writing scenes between Sirius and Remus.

Ah. ! That was the longest reply I've ever written to someone so I hope you feel special (heh, just joking). Thanks a whole bunch again, I'm really glad you like the story and am honoured that you took the time to write about everything that's happened so far. Now that's some dedication!

Take care!