Lionhearted: The Moon Ascendant

Chapter 19

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For anyone still here years later, Thank you so much for all your wonderful comments and support as always!

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Peter Pettigrew was only listening with one ear as he and his mum made their way through King's Cross station, eagerly dodging trolleys and rushing muggles as Mrs Pettigrew fussed. She was verbally going through the list of Peter's things one last time as they approached the entrance to Platform Nine and Three Quarters, his rat cage in hand. They were a little early to the station this time around as his mum had worried about the holiday traffic.

Overall it had been a nice holiday: He'd been happy to see his mum again and enjoyed her home cooking and Christmas dinner, but then he'd also had to help clean around the house and then entertain his aunts who'd wanted to know everything about Hogwarts and compare it to what they remembered about his mum going when they were girls. He therefore had spent much of the holiday squeezed between the three old women on their too-small sofa as they doted on their 'darling little nephew,' petting his hair and pinching his cheeks, and saying how much he was starting to look like his late father, which had left him flustered.

He was still delighted by all his presents this year–His aunts had all chipped in and given him a miniature rocket that supposedly could fly 91 meters in the air, which was still much higher than he'd managed on a broom during flying lessons so far. He was dying to try it, but it had been too and muddy cold outside, and his mum didn't want it falling on one of the neighbours, so instead he had spent half of yesterday trying to find a way to smuggle it in his trunk while he packed.

He couldn't wait to show it off to his friends!

While it had been nice the novelty of having the telly and a room to himself again had long worn off, and after James had sent him multiple letters, the latest being about visiting the Slughorn's Christmas Party, seeing Sirius and Remus, and hinting about an amazing Christmas present that he couldn't wait to show him when they were back at the castle, he had been feeling a bit left out. The trip home before Christmas had been a lot of fun because, while it wasn't quite the same without the other two, he'd gotten to have James all to himself, and Peter was looking forward to it again. He brightened as they passed through the wall to the platform, and immediately began scanning the crowd, craning to see if he could spot him.

"–And I packed your extra socks, Merlin knows where you keep losing them, and you also have your lunch in your rucksack so don't go wasting your allowance on treats, and don't forget– Are you listening to me?"

"Yes, mum," Peter said absently as he led his own trolley along towards the end of the train, earning a sigh.

"Well, don't blame me if you've left anything, I shan't be sending you any more owls!" she warned, but Peter hadn't heard because he had just spotted James who was standing on one of the carriage stairs at the end, shouting and waving at him over the crowd.

"Peter! There you are!"

Beaming Peter hurried over.

Next to him on the platform stood an older witch and wizard who looked very similar to their son. The wizard was waving his wand to levitate a fallen trunk: it looked like James had dropped it in his excitement.

"Steady on, Jamie," Mr Potter said with a chuckle once his son finally had his trunk up and out of the way. James' father tipped his hat in greeting while Mrs Potter directed the boy to put his things away properly. "You'll have to excuse him, he's been so excited all Christmas to see all his friends again. Fleamont Potter, it's a pleasure, and my wife Euphemia!"

"Good to meet you all," said Mrs Pettigrew with a shy nod and a shake of the hand of James' mum. "My Peter has been quite the same, always chattering on about his roommates," Mrs Pettigrew said wryly, but her stern face softened as she watched James helping Peter get his trunk up the stairs. "I suppose I have you to thank for looking after my little Petey?" she said to James as the boys hopped back down onto the platform once more for their final goodbyes.

"That's our Jamie for you!" Mr Potter laughed, clapping his son's shoulder proudly while James grinned. "'He gets it from the missus! I for one was more prone to getting into scraps at his age, but I should be glad he takes more from her side or we'd be at our's wit's end, isn't that right 'Phemia?"

Mrs Potter smiled, taking his elbow in hers. "Oh, he's still got some of that Gryffindor bravado from you, to be sure, the way he plays about on that broom!" She shook her head, "Merlin, if that's not the source of my grey hairs!" The adults all laughed at that.

"And how about your lad? Does he fly?" Asked Mr Potter.

Mrs Pettigrew looked pale at the thought, "Heavens no! He's only learning this year; Muggle neighbours and all that. And well, Peters already so prone to falling, I worry if it's safe."

"Ahh, that's a shame!" Mr Potter said at the glum look on Peter's face. "Say, James doesn't have many playmates where we're at either, and he's been begging to have his friends visit." James and Peter perked up as he turned to his wife, "Perhaps we can arrange something over the summer?"

"Ooh, that would be lovely! And we have plenty of space," Mrs Potter said smiling over the chorus of "Really?" and "You mean it?" from the boys. "It would be so nice if you were available!"

Peter clasped his hands and rounded on his mum with pleading eyes. "Can I Mum, Please?" Mrs Pettigrew glanced at the Potter's earnest smiles and James' practically bouncing on his feet before looking at Peter's hopeful stare, before relenting with a shy smile.

"Well, if it wouldn't be too much trouble… Why not? Peter would love to," she said while the two boys cheered and James plopped an arm 'round Peter's shoulder happily, cheering Thank you!

"That's Perfect! How about we owl you and figure out the details closer to the break?" Mrs Potter said as the Hogwarts Express began its first whistles, and the crowd around the train began to separate.

"Yes, please! And what do you say, Peter?"

"Thank you, Mr and Mrs Potter!" Peter said happily.

"It's our pleasure! Now, you best be going to your seats," Mr Potter said turning to James who was giving his mum a last-minute hug. "You'll be writing of course, but make sure you're keeping up with your schoolwork, there's a good lad," he said before ruffling James' hair even further, while Mrs Pettigrew was telling Peter to be good and not to get into any trouble before giving him a quick kiss to the forehead and pressing Whiskers's cage into his hand, and then the two boys were scrambling onto the train, and jogging down the corridor to find the carriage with their trunks and pressing against the window to wave goodbye and the Hogwarts Express gave one last whistle and began to chug out of the station.

. . . . . . . . . . .

They'd collapsed into the seats, their tire from all the excitement only lasting for the time that the train made its way through the tunnels before they found their second wind.

"Hurray! I can't believe you're coming round for summer!" James' smile was very bright under his glasses.

"Me too," Peter said feeling shy, "I can't believe Mum'll let me go!"

"There's so much to plan! We can finally have our own Quidditch game, I'm sure I can get Dad to put the pitch back up– I'd broken it actually– And I can show you around the gardens and– It's going to be great!" He took a breath, "Anyway, how was your Christmas?"

"Oh, it was alright," said Peter, "Mum's sisters came to visit mostly." he shrugged, "How was yours?"

"Mine was fine, there was a Christmas feast but that was mostly people my parents know from the Ministry or other potioners, no one my age. I had to dress up and everything but there wasn't much to do…"

James had enjoyed his presents and adventures out in the snow that blanketed the lawns and hills that were his favoured spots for sledging, but it had been too cold for flying, and he was even more excited to be going back to Hogwarts after weeks of spending it with only his parents around. Being that they were older, his mum and dad preferred spending their time in the warmth and quiet by the living room fire, his mum often cross-stitching or his dad doing the word puzzles from the Daily Prophet, which meant James had spent a lot of time playing with his new toys by the fire or else in his room or writing letters. At least Peter hadn't been alone in that.

After Peter had described his presents, the rocket especially being of interest to James who wondered if they could get one of the older students to help them charm it, they started up a game of exploding snap, which they'd then turned into a game of exploding pick-up which had Peter's rat curling into a ball in his cage.

Then they played a few rounds of gobstones which soon devolved into the two boys attempting to see how far they could shoot the gloopy marbles at targets around the carriage until that turned into trying to shoot them at each other. Halfway into the trip, the trolley witch stopped by and they took a break, surrounded by treats from liquorice wands and pumpkin pasties, and James had a large pile of Chocolate Frogs.

"I'm halfway through my collection but I can't find Leopoldina Smethwyck anywhere!" he muttered, ripping open two frogs and laughing as Peter fell out of his seat in his attempt to dive after it, and it all went to chaos from there. Soon there were dozens of chocolate frogs and the two were making a game of trying to catch them and stuff them into Peter's lunchpail. They were both having a lot of fun, but perhaps they'd been a bit too enthusiastic in their game because soon some of the frogs had found a small gap in the carriage door, which is how they found themselves chasing frogs down the corridors, and that is how they'd found themselves skidding to a halt in front of Lucius Malfoy who'd been on his patrolling rounds.

Peter had never interacted directly with the Slytherin Prefect before, but he had of course heard the many stories from Sirius about how nasty he could be. This was proven when the older boy had looked down at the two of them, his eyes taking in the gobstone splatter and pastry crumbs on Peter's drab muggle clothes with a contemptuous sneer before dismissing him entirely, then turning his gaze over the ash on James' face and hair with a look of cool recognition. Peter had felt himself shiver– While the older boy had the same grey eyes as Sirius, unlike their friend's his were flinty with malice.

"Causing mischief in the corridors are we? Ten points from Gryffindor. For the both of you," he'd drawled, ignoring James' protests. "And clean those up," he commanded, rounding on Peter, "Perhaps you haven't noticed, but most of us prefer less filth being spread upon our magical spaces."

With that Malfoy sneered and swept away to join a carriage of other Slytherins from the Quidditch team. Peter flushed with embarrassment at the other students' faces peeking from the nearby carriages that had come to see the commotion and hearing laughter. James scowled, rounding on the onlookers who quickly closed the doors, leaving the two in the corridor.

"Why that pompous clay-brained git!" James said looking murderous before turning to Peter. "Don't you listen to a word from him, Peter!"

"R-right…" Peter said with a little sniff. He wasn't going to cry, not in front of James, but he certainly felt like it as James snatched up the rest of the frogs before squeezing Peter's shoulder and leading the way back to their seats. As they returned to the safety of their carriage Peter trudged after him, quickly dabbing his eyes as James muttered on about 'Stinking fanatics' and how Malfoy was just trying to get a rise, and that the only filth around here was his attitude. Peter nodded along but his heart wasn't in it.

It just wasn't fair! The wizarding world was where he was supposed to belong! He'd never fit in the muggle world because the neighbourhood children never wanted to play with him because he couldn't keep up when they wanted to race or climb trees or skip rope, and they had also heard from their own parents that his family was strange. Some of the neighbourhood parents didn't like seeing strange animals hanging about, and there were whispers about sometimes seeing strange lights from the windows growing up, and warned their own children to stay away. So instead, he remembered having to play by himself on his little patch of lawn, watching enviously through the bars of their little garden fence as the other children played together.

It hadn't been quite so bad back when his dad was around, but that was years ago.

Peter had been seven when he got sick, but he remembered his dad being a happy man with a big smile under the little green flat cap he'd used to wear, and even though he was a muggle he hadn't been afraid of magic and had been excited to think his son would one day get to do nifty things like make the house clean itself. Peter can even still picture him arriving home from work in their pale blue mini car, and how sometimes upon seeing Peter sitting alone on the front steps or playing by himself and he'd call, "Ay Petey my lad! How about we go catch a film?" And then they'd set off into town to visit the little cinema before they'd be expected back for dinner. They'd see all sorts of films from musicals to action, but his dad especially used to have a fondness for spy films. He used to say that he felt very much like a spy himself because he got to know a big secret that the other muggles didn't, and that used to make Peter feel proud too. Sometimes instead of the cinema, they'd go fishing instead and his dad would make a big show even if he only caught little minnows to be thrown back. His dad always knew how to cheer him up, and he wished he was around now…

His mum also used to tell him all about how things would be much easier when he'd get to go to school too and not have to worry about the Statute of Secrecy when trying to make friends. And it certainly had at least when he had James and Sirius and Remus, but outside of that he still wasn't completely welcome either.

"-And you have just as much a right to be here as anyone!" James was saying as he slammed the carriage door behind them and shuttered the blinds. Peter stuffed the chocolate frogs that'd started this mess into his lunchpail then flopped into his seat poking his finger into Whisker's cage to pet him. Sometimes that made him feel better when he was miserable.

James sat across from him at a loss, opening his mouth and then closing it again.

"I'm sorry Peter, it's my fault," he said at last, plucking at the stack of frog cards beside him, "We didn't even find Leopoldina either!" he said looking glum.

"N-no… it's alright, h-he was just being a prat," he said with a little sniff.

"You're damn right he is!" James said crossing his arms with a frown. "Someone should teach him a lesson."

Peter laughed humorlessly. "What could we do? He's a seventh year, and a prefect," he thought about how they'd lost even more house points and how angry the rest of the Gryffindors would be since they'd already lost so many when Sirius and Lily got caught duelling. "He'd just get us into even more trouble…"

"... That's only if we get caught…" James said looking very wide-eyed for a moment.

"Well, yeah but how would we not get caught? Unless we did another Operation Slytherin stinks?" he said brightening hopefully. James shook his head, but his grin had grown even larger.

"We don't have to go that far, after all, I have exactly what we need right now!" He said before jumping up and going to the carriage door to peak around if anyone was near the corridor, then shutting it tightly and firmly closing the window shades before he went digging into his trunk. Peter had been disappointed that they weren't planning a new operation, but now he looked curiously as James pulled out a leather sack and beckoned Peter to come closer so he could whisper.

"Right. Peter, first of all, you have to swear you won't ever tell anyone else about what I'm going to show you!" James said, holding out his pinky, and Peter felt it was just like when they'd made their pack about Slytherin Stinks! Peter joined pinkies with a solemn "I swear I won't ever tell," and James nodded looking pleased before he opened the sack, and Peter watched as James unpacked what looked like a large swatch of silvery fabric.

"I was going to wait to show you at Hogwarts because I wanted our first prank with it to all be together, but then Sirius and Remus got to see it at the Christmas party, so this is only fair!" James said as the fabric unfolded into what looked like a cloak. Peter was confused for a moment until James flung the cloak over his head, and he jumped as James completely disappeared!

He almost let out a shout before he felt something clamp over his mouth and James' head appeared as if floating. "Should have warned you not to do that!" he grinned before the rest of him reappeared, and Peter had a hundred questions once he could speak again.

"What is that?! How does it work? Where in the world–"

"It's great, isn't it?! Mum and Dad gave it to me for Christmas!" He looked serious for a moment, "My parents seem to think that bad things are going to start happening soon. They were talking about it over Christmas, and well… I don't know any specifics but they're worried because my family are all well-known blood traitors. They told me I'm really only supposed to use it for an emergency but well…" James looked up, his eyes flashing behind his glasses. "It's people like Malfoy who think they can do whatever they want who're the problem. And maybe I don't know how to duel like Dad, but with this, I can fight them my way instead, right? So? What do you say? Are you with me?"

Peter stared at James for a long moment before he broke into a grin, "Of course I am! I wouldn't miss this for the world!" He said, this mind swimming with the possibilities that now lay before him.

"Brilliant," James said looking relieved, "Because if we want this to work, it's going to take the two of us, and I think it can fit us all if we're careful."

"Okay, what's the plan then?" Peter asked happily, and James turned back to his trunk to dig around for several familiar-looking round packages which he presented with a smile that was downright roguish.

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"We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes time. Please leave your luggage on the train, and it will be taken to the school separately," said the usual voice echoing through the Express, and Lucius Malfoy stood as he prepared to join the other prefects at the front of the train where they along with the Head Boy and Head Girl would be expected to monitor the rest of the students on their way to the castle from the station.

He and Narcissa had been at a stalemate in their game of chess, which was not the reason why with a languid wave of his wand he had the pieces to his very old and very expensive set flying into their cushioned chest and then into the safety of his trunk, no matter what the small quirked corner of Narcissa's lip seemed to be implying. She raised a brow at him, seeming amused before with a flip of her hair over her shoulder she instead turned her attention to Rita Greengrass who had been studying an article in Daily Prophet about dark creature sightings.

He turned his nose with dignity before he strode out into the corridor, straightening his robes and stepping away, sliding the door closed behind him when suddenly it caught on the door track with a squeak. He wrinkled his nose, disgusted to be inconvenienced by such woeful attention to the upkeep. No doubt he would be sending a strongly worded letter to the Board about such lax standards.

He attempted it again and nodded when the carriage closed with a snap before making his way out to the front carriage where he stood apart from the other prefects, lest the outside observer get any ideas that he was at such a low league as the rest.

He hardly tolerated the choice of Head Boy or Girl: He personally thought he had been a much better choice than Lionel Johanns at least, but then Dumbledore was a fool and Lucius suspected was probably prejudiced against the Malfoy family, although there was no definite proof as such.

His fellow Slytherin prefect Valeria Powlett quietly nodded in acknowledgement as the train slowed to a stop at Hogsmeade Station and then the prefects filed out into the cold night. Lucius drew his wand to cast a warming charm on himself then lit it lazily as he went, wrinkling his nose at the muddy pathway. He had volunteered to take up the area where the students would be boarding the small horse-drawn style carriages the upper years used to get to school, for what better reason than it would mean being first of the group of prefects to arrive at the castle?

He stood at the gate leading to the first of the small black stagecoaches and waited as the first group of students followed behind and started boarding under the orange lamplights, the ones in front mainly being seventh and sixth years, and on it went, Lucius standing with growing irritation as the students clambered into the large black doors with less and less grace as they crowd became more third and second years until finally, the first years had gathered.

He glanced down the road to where the rest of the prefects who'd had patrols of the train, and the Head Boy and Girl bringing up the rear of stragglers. Deciding that they could handle the rest, he had stepped forward to snap at a group of Hufflepuffs who were taking too long to board when he felt something pull on his cloak.

"What?" He swept the bottom of his cloak away expecting to have caught on a branch or something, but there was nothing there but the mud beneath his boots. He frowned, raising his wand to cast around, but there was nothing there. How odd… He thought before shrugging it off, irritably. The sooner he got the Hogwarts the sooner he could be settling down for dinner and then into the comfort of the common room.

This time he did snap at the next group of Gryffindor boys who were holding up the next carriage: He recognized the messy hair of that Potter boy standing in the carriage door attempting to help up that chubby little mudblood whose stumpy little legs could hardly reach the step. Lucius forced down the urge to roll his eyes as finally the Gryffindor Prefect– the other bloodtraitor Longbottom– Gave the younger boy a nudge, and finally, that distasteful group were out of his sight.

As the next carriage approached he swept forward and gave a chilling look to the group of first years, daring them to protest as he took the seat and slammed the door to relax and enjoy the next few minutes of blessed peace in his now-private carriage.

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"Do you see them yet?" Remus asked from where he sitting on the bottom step of the marble staircase of the entrance hall. Sirius glanced over at him from where he was leaning against the bannister, flip-throwing one of the extra Christmas crackers they'd brought down for James and Peter's arrival over and over. He was still looking a little peaky after his night in the hospital wing, to Sirius' dissatisfaction, and so Sirius had taken it upon himself to be the lookout for the other boys.

He scanned the hall doors where the students were trickling in but shook his head. No sign yet of either. So far they'd seen mostly the upper-year students including Narcissa who'd stopped by on her way to the Great Hall.

"I've kept my word, Regulus is doing well. Misses you I suppose although he didn't need to say as much. Meda also sends her regards," she informed him, cooly.

"Aww, thanks Cissy! Have I told you you're the best cousin lately?" Sirius said, teasingly innocent, and Narcissa gave a little 'hmph' before twirling away, her nose in the air, although she looked faintly embarrassed.

"Quite! But don't expect my help in the future, I'm much too busy to be serving as both your personal nannies!" she said before she marched off haughtily.

Sirius grinned before going back to looking out for their friends, the crowd of students swelling as the fifth through second years arrived, milling around the Entrance hall or towards the common rooms, and Remus stood to help search the crowd as finally some of the first years began to come in. At the forefront were pockets of Slytherins and Ravenclaws, then a mixture of the Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors, until finally at the very tail-end of the dawdlers Sirius made a noise of recognition and rushed forward at the sight of glasses and messy hair, Remus on his heels as through the front doors they could see James and Peter!

The two of them looked like they'd been through Fiendfrye from the state of soot on their cheeks, but the two of them were grinning and holding in laughter conspiratorially, their heads together, and it was because of this that James' only warning was the startled look on Peter's face before with a large crack that echoed the hallways and startled the students and passing ghost alike, they were both engulfed in two colourful clouds of smoke and confetti.

"Welcome back,!" Sirius and Remus shouted happily amid the chaos, waiting until the smoke dissipated to laugh at the shock that was James' face! Remus gave Peter a friendly clap on the shoulder, laughing at the rubber chicken Peter'd caught while Sirius attempted to force the Stetson hat James had received over his head.

"You nearly gave me a heart attack!" James grinned before grabbing them both 'round the necks, Remus only giving a nominal struggle at the contact.

"What have you got there on your hands?" Sirius exclaimed with a disgusted look.

James and Peter looked down as if just realizing, before looking at each other and bursting out into laughter again.

"Just wait and see," James said looking back towards the front doors, "he should be coming any minute now! Come on!"

"Who is coming?" asked Remus as James darted around to lead the three of them to the hallway that lead off of the entrance hall, and ducked behind the arched wall, ignoring the stares of a few passing students as they squeezed around the narrow space.

"What are we hiding here for?" whispered Sirius with a ready grin, already being used to such antics by now.

"Hush! I think that's him!" James whispered back, peeking his head around the arch, the other three doing the same as Peter had to stifle a giggle. Down by the entrance hall doors, other students were looking back out onto the grounds and scattering, while others were looking around in confusion; a couple of first years were running into the entrance hall, holding their noses, and dodging out of the way as a tall blonde-haired figure stormed into the front doors.

"Oh sweet Merlin," Sirius said softly, the grin stretching on his face as he gawked because the prim, proper Lucius Malfoy was standing in the doorway covered in what looked like manure! Lucius' steely grey eyes skirted the entrance hall, the clear fury on his face scaring everyone else in the entrance hall into silence, daring anyone to say anything to him at all, before he swept across the hall to the dungeon's door and slammed it without another word.

The rest of the student body quickly went to gossiping, chatter filling the corridors as Sirius grabbed James' by the shoulders shaking him with maniacal hope in his eyes.

"You two did that?!" he hissed, as James tried to breathe from laughing, his glasses askew. "H-how? When?"

"Not here, come on, I'll fill you in on the way to the common room!" James said as he broke into a run up the stairs. On the way up the long hallways, he regaled them with how they'd spent the train ride before Malfoy decided to be a prat, skipping over what exactly the prefect had said, but giving Peter a chance to explain how he'd helped.

"And I felt just like James Bond! At first, I thought we were going to get caught when he hit me with the door, but then we went right inside right under his nose and your cousin didn't even notice! We had to wait for them to leave though before we could get to his trunk—"

"You didn't!" Sirius interjected.

"That one was for you by the way, since you never got avenged for him sharing those silly stories. Don't ever say I've done nothing for you!" James bragged, crossing his arms proudly.

"You're both mental," Sirius said, staring in wonder, but his smile was as if he was having second Christmas.

"But it was Peter's turn next! First, we had to wait behind everyone else so we wouldn't bump into anyone, so then we dunked out the train! And at first, we thought he'd already made it to the castle– we weren't sure how we'd get to him here since he's always surrounded by all those simpering stooges around here, but then there he was patrolling up at the carriages– by the way, did you know about those?"

"Know about what?"

"Well, you know how we had to go by boat the first time we came to the castle? Well, this time they had these great big stagecoaches instead! But get this, there was nothing there pulling them, they just knew where to go! It was spooky." James said with a shutter.

"I don't think I've heard of them, but I've ridden in something like that once," said Sirius, "Anyway, don't distract me! Tell me what happened to Malfoy!"

"That was me!" Peter piped up, "So, first we spotted him, then we had to figure out how to get a dungbomb on him, so we snuck up with the cloak and I thought he'd hear us but he didn't! So I just slipped it right into his pocket when he wasn't looking!"

"Is that right? Well, good show all around!" Sirius said as they approached the Fat Lady portrait to give the password. "I just wish I hadn't missed it!"

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll get a chance someday, after all, this isn't going anywhere," James said patting his pocket. "But anyway what did you get up to while we were gone? I thought you were going to go discover everything in the school without me?" James said with a cheeky smile that Sirius returned.

"Ha, you just got lucky since Remy here didn't want to leave you out," Sirius replied, "And besides we were busy ourselves," he said as they entered the common room, and into the throng of other Gryffindors who were settling back in.

Remus grinned as they passed the comfortable chairs that just days ago had been his and Sirius' to hog, but alas were already being reclaimed by the upper years, such as Fabian and Gideon. Still, at least they could relinquish their ownership with a bang! He and Sirius tried to keep a straight face as when the twins sat down and then the other Gryffindors howled with laughter as there was the tell-tale clap of Zonko's Exploding Balloons, and the startled twins went sprawled on the floor. "Was that you two?!" James whispered as the boys quickly went up the stairs to their dorm, and Remus grinned, "That one was my idea," he said, smiling proudly as they opened the door to their room.

Everything looked mostly the same as they'd left it, meaning chaotic but strangely homey, but Remus stood close to the door as James went to wash his hand and then made a beeline to his bed. He'd just jumped onto it when there was a bang, a crash, and a yelp as more of the exploding balloons hidden under his bed cover went off. Remus bit his lip in laughter at the helpless look James gave them both hanging upside down over the side of his four-poster.

Sirius smirked. "And that one was mine," he said while James picked himself up, grabbed his pillow, and flung it across the room. "What? I'm just getting you in advance for all the tricks you plan to spring on us now that you have that cloak!" he laughed as he was pummeled by both James and Peter who'd joined in. After their first surprise, James and Peter proceeded around their tower more cautiously after that, testing that no more traps were awaiting them in their beds or nightstands.

Sirius smiled happily as he made his way over to his own bed. "I reckon we've given you lot enough of a welcome for today," he said, and Remus backed up towards the door, his hand reaching out towards the knob as Sirius went to fall back into his mattress, yawning when there was another bang and explosion that sent him sprawling on the floor as well. Sirius sent a startled look toward James and Peter, clearly wondering just how and when they'd done it without him noticing, but then spotted Remus clutching his sides by the door and immediately corralled the other two to go after him as he darted out the room, his friends quick on his tail. The four boys made a commotion as they caught Remus in the common room, being only faintly scolded by Prefect Alice for pillow fighting, but nothing could dampen any of their enthusiasm because the boys were all together again.

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Hello again! Here I am once again years later, and so very sorry that it took me so damn long to update! Sadly I had some major life events that took away most of my time to do leisurely writing, but I'M BACK BABY!

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter! It originally looked completely different, but I'm actually very happy with the direction this chapter took me! We're finally getting to develop Peter and James, whom I know have kinda just been running around being the quiet inspiration and drive of the not-quite-Marauders-yet friendship, but I really wanted to give them their own voices in this story. I think it's interesting that the thing that really brought them all together was a different flavour of loneliness. Anyway, sorry I'm babbling! I'm just really excited to be able to get this out.

So thank you to anyone reading this now. It's been the amazing support and comments that keep me from wanting to give up on this fic.