Title: What Do You Think?

Beta-ed: No.

A/N: Wow. I was shocked by the amount of reviews I got after last chapter. I know I told you, too, but still. Thanks to anyone who left a review, short or detailed, for multiple chapters or just one. Although, I did see a few people put me on their story alert/ favorite story list, etc, yet not review. I love to see reviews, so just write a short message, don't be afraid. I would really appreciate it and try to incorporate anything you tell me you like into the story more. For example: Some people said they like the James/ Lily shipping. I had no intention of ending the last chapter like I did, but decided to do it for the reviewers. Also, some people wanted me to explain the whole "how they got the book" question… so I did. Any other suggestions or questions that I haven't answered (how will this affect their fight against Voldemort?), will be answered in future chapters. If you have a suggestion, leave it in a review. If you want more of something, do the same. Thanks for listening to my rambling. Enjoy the chapter.

It was all Harry could do to stop himself imitating Hermione and hitting Malfoy in the face on these occasions.

"Don't stop yourself, Harry. Just do it," Sirius encouraged. "He deserves it."

"But he could get detention," Lily argued.

"Doesn't matter," Sirius countered.

Remus shook his head to tell Lily it wasn't worth it to answer back. The fact that Remus was normally the one arguing with Sirius, but was now telling her not to, was enough to silence her.

----------

Exam week began and an unnatural hush fell over the castle.

James seemed disappointed with this bit of news. "But that's the best time to start pranking random people."

"Why?" Lily asked.

"Because the atmosphere is so tense that nobody would see it coming. Even from me." Lily looked at him as if she highly doubted that last statement was true. "I don't understand why, but it happens every year."

The third years emerged from Transfiguration at lunchtime on Monday, limp and ashen-faced, comparing results and bemoaning the difficulty of the tasks they had been set, which had included turning a teapot into a tortoise.

"What? Are these kids stupid?" James asked, surprised that Transfiguration wasn't everyone's best subject like it was his.

"That happens to be a very difficult spell for a third year," Lily said.

"That is such an easy spell that I mastered it the first time we were told what to do."

Again Lily looked like she didn't believe him, but a small nod from Remus made her reconsider. Maybe James was more talented than she gave him credit for. It had taken her several days to master that particular spell. "So he isn't just gifted at Quidditch," she thought.

"Were the tortoises supposed to breathe steam?"

"Yes," Sirius answered, making fun of the boy's inability to perform such a simple spell. "It's a special type of tortoise. You get extra credit for it."

"Really?" James asked, looking like he would have liked to know that during the exams.

Alright, so he wasn't that smart, Lily realized.

"Yes, James," Sirius answered sarcastically. "McGonagall told us that for weeks before the exams."

"Oh, that explains it," James responded. "I never listen in her class."

Hermione had been right; Professor Flitwick did indeed test them on Cheering Charms. Harry slightly overdid his out of nerves and Ron, who was partnering him, ended up in fits of hysterical laughter and had to be led to a quiet room for an hour before he was ready to perform the charm himself.

"Don't worry, Harry," James reassured. "I did the same thing," he said, smiling at the memory.

Sirius glared at James, clearly remembering the occasion as well.

Try as he might, he couldn't get his Confusing Concoction to thicken,

"I guess it was too confusing," Remus remarked.

Everyone smiled at the little joke, mostly because it was Remus who said it. He had hardly made any jokes all day except to make fun of Sirius.

and Snape, standing watch with an air of vindictive pleasure, scribbled something that looked suspiciously like a zero onto his notes before moving away.

The smiles instantly dropped off of their faces, only to be replaced by looks of anger. Even Lily was a little mad, although she did know that he deserved the grade because of his poor Potions skills.

Professor Lupin had compiled the most unusual exam any of them had ever taken; a sort of obstacle course outside in the sun, where they had to wade a deep paddling pool containing a grindylow, cross a series of potholes full of Red Caps, squish their way across a patch of marsh while ignoring misleading directions from a hinkypunk, then climb into an old trunk and battle with a new boggart.

"Excellent, Moony," James said when the description was finished. He looked excited at the mention of an obstacle course. "Think you can recreate it now?"

"No," Remus answered simply.

"Excellent, Harry," Lupin muttered as Harry climbed out of the trunk, grinning. "Full marks."

"I guess we found Harry's best subject," Remus commented, proud that it was he who taught it.

Ron did very well until he reached the hinkypunk, which successfully confused him into sinking waist-high into the quagmire.

"I would do the same, Ron," Sirius admitted. "Those damn hinkypunks are too smart."

"No, just smarter than you," Remus said.

"P-P-Professor McGonagall!" Hermione gasped, pointing into the trunk. "Sh-she said I'd failed everything!"

"See, Lily, I told you it would be something like that," James said, referring to when they laughed at Ron's "got a nine-out-of-ten" joke.

"It's still not funny to make fun of someone's worst fears."

"Why are you sticking up for her so much?" James asked. After a moment, a look of comprehension dawned on his face and his mouth dropped open. "Is that your worst fear, too?"

Sirius and Remus immediately started to look at Lily as if they were just meeting her. Lily hastily denied the accusation. The marauders seemed to relax a little. "I guess I can lie as well as them," she thought to herself.

----------

(Ron talking about his Divination exam)

"Rubbish," said Ron. "Couldn't see a thing, so I made some stuff up."

"Good job," encouraged Sirius. "That's how you truly take a Divination exam."

Remus opened his mouth to tell Sirius the real way to take an exam, but remembered he was supposed to be afraid of crystal balls, so he closed his mouth, angry once again. Although he had to admit it was getting pretty tiring being mad, and James was just protecting his secret anyway.

"Don't think she was convinced, though…"

"Too bad," James said.

Relieved, Harry got up, picked up his bag turned to go, but then a loud, harsh voice spoke behind him.

"IT WILL HAPPEN TONIGHT."

"Oh? That's great to hear," James said sarcastically, obviously not aware of how the situation would turn out.

Harry wheeled around. Professor Trelawney had gone rigid in her armchair; her eyes were unfocused and her mouth sagging.

"See? Even she fell asleep because this exam is so boring," Sirius said.

"I don't think she's asleep, Sirius," Remus responded.

"Then what is she doing?"

Remus just answered by continuing the book.

Harry climbed down the ladder and the spiral staircase, wondering… had he just heard Professor Trelawney make a real prediction? Or had that been her idea of an impressive end to the test?

"Probably the latter, Harry," James replied. "She's always been a fraud. She couldn't ever make a real prediction, even without realizing it."

(Hermione talking about the discarded Invisibility Cloak behind the statue)

"If he sees you… How do you open the witch's hump again?"

"You-you tap it and say, 'Dissendium,'" said Harry. "But-"

Hermione didn't wait for the rest of his sentence; she strode across the room, pushed open the Fat Lady's portrait and vanished from sight.

"Is Hermione going to get the cloak?" asked James.

"Can't be, that would be breaking a lot of rules," Sirius replied, shaking his head.

Hermione returned a quarter of an hour later with the silvery cloak folded carefully under her robes.

"She did," James said, shocked.

"That's amazing," Sirius said with awe in his voice.

"Hermione, I don't know what's gotten into you lately!" said Ron, astounded. "First you hit Malfoy,

"As if that's not enough," James interrupted.

then you walk out on Professor Trelawney-"

"And she goes to get the cloak," finished Sirius.

"I don't know what's gotten into her either, but I like it," James said.

----------

"Ron! I - I don't believe it – it's Scabbers!"

"Wow, it's the rat just keeps on living," Remus said.

"Quite a talented little creature isn't it?" Sirius added.

----------

A/N: Before you start to wonder… yes, I deliberately skipped over the Buckbeak parts. I don't really care how the marauders would react to that. I'm only concerned with how they react to Harry, Hermione, Ron, the twins, and their own counterparts in the books. And since I'm the author, what I'm concerned with is the only thing that matters. I might have to address the Buckbeak thing at the end, but for now I won't. You can fill in your own reactions if you want.

Also, I might not be updating as much anymore. School's started again and I've taken harder classes than I ever have before. I'm going to try to not let that affect my writing, but it probably will, so expect it.

Keep reviewing if you have before, and if you haven't, then start.