A/N: Here it is folks, chapter Twenty Three, the penultimate chapter of Third Year :D

I'm so sorry I didn't update yesterday, I was at a friend's eighteenth, and suffice to say, it was bloody odd! I saw my ex from about two years ago, and we used to hate each other, but last night we were chattering away like old friends! It was mad! But lovely, I'd forgotten how nice he was, and it really made my day to know we're friends again, and reminisce on the good times. It's made me happy, and my happy mood has influenced the chapter, as you can see at the end :D

Review responses:

Vampfromthemountain: Here it is!!! Enjoy, won't you! Thanks for reading :)

evershort: Glad you liked it, and the idea too! Yeah, Andromeda is really brave, and so is Sirius! Thank for reading, and I hope you enjoy this chapter. Glad you feel better :)

genjutsumaster: I'm glad you liked it :) although I hated writing the part about Chris...and it's only going to get worse :( I know! I'd kill to have a broomstick!!! (a real one, I mean) Thank you very much for reading, and please enjoy the next chapter!

Fairywolf: Thank you :D Glad you liked the part about the fireworks too :) Thank you for saying I'm a good author too *blushes*. Your my little idea factory haha, I stole a little part of your idea for this chapter, see if you can see it :D Thank you for reading, and I hope you like this chapter too!

MissCanada: Thank you! I know, it's so sweet! I love Remus and Tonks! Poor Chris, but deaths have to happen, unfortunately :( I love Snape too, it is sad to see the friendship break. Hmm, I'm not sure about that actually. I know it will be when they're older, but I might pop it in while they're still at school it sounds like a good idea :D Thank you for reading, as always, and please enjoy the next chapter :)

CwamBeta: Thank you very much, I was never fantastic with foreign languages tbh. I'm glad you liked the Sirius/Andromeda part too, he always said she was his favourite cousin. There'll be more deaths too, as much as I hate writing them, you're right. Not everyone can survive. About the one Marauder per girl thing, well I wasn't planning on having them all pair off anyway, but I don't want to give too much away, you know. I know it seems cliché (no idea how to do accents either) but it won't end up that way. Thank you for reading, and please enjoy the next chapter.

Bookworm315: Thank you! I know, it was why I wrote her Christmas separately, 'cause I'd planned their deaths early on (I'm awful, I know), but that's the tragedy of war I suppose. It's okay :) I couldn't even update yesterday, I felt terrible! Thank you very much for reading, and I hope this chapter is worth the wait :)

MissWendyBird: I love your pen name, it sounds so 'fairytale-ish'. I'm glad you liked the prank :D I always feel like I don't have enough in. Yeah, I think I've written Fabian as a mixture of the Weasley twins and Lee :) Lupin's death devastated me, I read it and my jaw just dropped! I was a bit annoyed that we didn't see him much in battle, he deserved a real heroes death, you know. Haha, I'm not telling *grins evilly again* but I hope it's worth the wait! Thank you for reading, and please enjoy this (late) chapter :)

TheMaraudersaremyhomies: Thank you very much :D and welcome to my story! I'm glad you're enjoying it so much! We'll have plenty of plot twists coming up, I promise, and I hope they'll be worth the wait! Thank you very much for reading, and please enjoy the chapter :)

Starr22: Thank you, and welcome to the story :) Glad you liked it, and neither can I haha. Thank you for reading, I hope you like this chapter :)

splatteredpaint: Thank you! I'm glad you liked it. Oooh, that's a good idea. I think I might have something along those lines in my notes...I'll go have a check haha. I know, next years we'll be seeing a lot more of Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs peeking through, I promise. :D I'm glad you liked the Quidditch match too, I always love writing those :) It's your birthday tomorrow, wooo. I'll make a dedication for you as a present :) Thanks for reading, and I sincerely hope you like the next chapter!

Geniia: Thank you :) Haha, yes, I remembered you liked the familiar names, so I threw one in! I'd love to write some Lupin/Tonks, actually. Especially their wedding and about little Teddy! Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy this chapter too :)

000kayko00: Thank you! Here it is. Thank you for reading, I hope you like it!

appleeater123: Thank you, I'm glad you're still enjoying it. And no problem, I love hearing all your thoughts so soon :) Thank you for reading, and please enjoy this chapter too.

quirky-as-alice: Glad you liked it! The Black's are awful! I'm afraid more tragedy is to come, unfortunately. Thank you for reading, and I hope you like this chapter too!

AnotherCinderella18: Thank you! Here it is, please enjoy!

Disclaimer: I'm still lacking in money, so clearly this is no source of income for me...

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy....


The Marauders Tale: The Hogwarts Years

Chapter Twenty Three

Little Angels (and Little Devils)

"You know, I really think we need to start teaching Snivellus a lesson...show the school he isn't as wonderful as he thinks."

James pondered Sirius' proposition for a moment, looking over at the group of Slytherins, where Snape and his friends were cackling loudly. He glanced back down at the article in the Daily Prophet he had sneaked out of his bag, about the latest attack on the wizarding world. Yes, and show Lily he wasn't too, show her who was really worth spending time with, who was really better.

"Good plan; we've been laying off him a little, haven't we?"

Sirius nodded, quickly glancing to make sure McGonagall was still preoccupied with another student, "I found this book at my place, it's full of hex's and curses we could use, my parents never use it, apparently it's not evil enough for them."

James chuckled quietly, "They still pure-blood maniacs?"

"Of course, they'll always believe Voldemort and his ideals are wonderful," muttered Sirius darkly, "Nutter's, the lot of them!"

"Are we talking about the Slytherins?" whispered Remus with a grin, turning around in his seat.

"Sort of," laughed Sirius, "What's the answer to question seven?"

"Didn't you do the homework?" Remus asked quirking an eyebrow.

Sirius laughed, "Naaa, told McGonagall we've had Quidditch practice, and we all know how much she wants us to win."

Remus shook his head, "How do you get away with it?"

"My charm and stunning good looks, most likely."

Remus snorted, and turned back around. Sirius glanced at James, who in turn was staring at Lily.

"Give it up James; she isn't going to come around."

James shrugged, "You never know, so, what did you have in mind for Snivellus?"

Sirius' face broke into an evil grin, "Many things Mr Potter, many things."

"You know, the exams are coming up," said Remus with a frown, "Shouldn't you be studying?"

Sirius pulled a face, "Fine, we'll wait until after the exams, but mark my words, we will get him!"

Remus sighed, and turned back to his work. As if he had any control over them anyway.

~**~

"These bloody exams!"

Sirius snapped his potions book shut, and tossed it onto the grass. It was a stiflingly hot day, and the boys (well, Remus really) had decided to revise for their exams under their usual beech tree near the lake.

"It's a good job I'm brilliant at it," he muttered, picking up a charms textbook.

"Then help me, I haven't got a clue," pleaded Peter. Sirius sighed and took Peter's notes, scribbling here and there. James leant back against the tree and allowed his gaze to wander to the group of girls studying near the lakes edge. Lily stood out most of all, her long red hair glinting in the sunlight. He sighed, wishing she'd at least glance over...just once.

"James?"

"Yeah?"

He turned to see Sirius grinning manically.

"Slytherins."

James whipped his head around and spotted Snape, Avery, Mulciber and Wilkes charming stones to hurl themselves at a group of second years.

"Perfect," grinned James, standing up.

"Guys, what are you doing?" asked Remus warily. He looked extremely tired; tonight was a full moon.

The two boys ignored him and started towards the Slytherins. Remus and Peter glanced at each other, and jumped to their feet.

"Oi!"

The four silver and green clad students whipped around, wands already out and pointing at the Gryffindor third years.

"What do you want Potter?" Snape spat.

James smirked, "Taken to harassing second years? Have you been through the first years already?"

"Shove off Potter, if you know what's good for you," snapped Mulciber.

James narrowed his eyes.

"What're you gonna do, call your Death Eater pals and have them do your dirty work?"

"I don't need Death Eaters to teach you a lesson," smirked Mulciber, "Though I'm sure they'd be more than happy to pay a visit to your blood-traitor of a cousin and her mud-blood friend."

Without second thought, James lunged at Mulciber, completely forgetting about wands. Sirius growled, and jumped into the brawl, never one to miss such an opportunity. Wilkes and Avery soon joined too, whilst Snape looked on in glee. Remus and Peter rushed forward, trying to break up the fight.

"IMPEDIMENTA!"

James felt himself being thrown away from the pile of bodies. He scrambled to his feet, his wand outstretched.

"WHAT ON EARTH IS GOING ON HERE!?"

Lily Evans stood, wand outstretched, a murderous glare on her face. James glanced at Sirius, who was sporting a bloody nose. The Slytherins weren't much better off, and James himself felt a small trickle of blood from above his eyebrow.

"He called you a...a...," was his first reaction, trailing off and scrunching his nose a little.

Lily's eyes widened momentarily, then returned to a scowl.

"I don't need you fighting just because he called me a name," she hissed, "Bloody hell Potter I can take care of myself you know."

James mouthed wordlessly at Lily. He peripherally noticed Sirius struggling to get to the Slytherins, but being held back by Remus and Peter. His gaze rested on Snape, who was grinning smugly, his eyes occasionally drifting to Lily. He snapped.

"TARANTALLEGRA!"

Snape yelped as his legs began to jerk and dance uncontrollably. A crowd had gathered around the argument, and the onlookers burst into laughter. Holly, Chris and Bridget pushed through the crowd, hurrying straight to Lily.

"POTTER!" screamed Lily, whipping out her wand.

"Finite Incantatum."

Snape's legs stopped dancing as he fought to catch his breath, his face the picture of anger and his normally pallid face tinged with pink.

"Aww, now he has girls fighting for him," sneered Sirius.

"I don't need help from her," spat Snape.

Lily scowled, and lowered her wand. She wouldn't take it to heart; his pride was hurt, that was all.

"Potter, I suggest you leave now before I do something I certainly won't regret."

James opened his mouth to respond, but couldn't find any words. He turned on his heel and grabbed Sirius' arm. The four boys stormed back over to their tree and gathered up their things. Lily turned to Snape, "Are you alright?"

Snape nodded, glaring at Lily's friends. She seemed not to notice.

"I'll see you later Sev."

Snape nodded and watched Lily and her friends head back to the lake; the red heads voice still fuming. Avery came up behind Snape and snorted.

"Why do you talk to a mud-blood like her?"

Snape rounded on Avery, "Don't call her that, she's different."

"Whatever, she's still on the Dark Lords list; you'd do well to remember that."

Snape watched his friends turn away and head back to the castle. Snape sighed, torn between his love for Lily, and his loyalty to his friends....and the Dark Lord.

~**~

"CAN YOU BELIEVE HER!?"

Sirius paced back and forth, his hands balled into fists, "STICKING UP FOR SLIME LIKE HIM!"

"Sirius, calm down," said Remus soothingly. He looked to James for help, but he seemed too depressed to even hold his head up.

"I swear Remus, I'll get him, one of these days, I'll get him," Sirius picked up his bedside lamp and hurled it at the wall. Remus sighed, thinking of the amount of times that poor lamp had had to bear the brunt of Sirius' anger. He waved his wand and repaired the lamp, placing it next to his own and out of reach. Sirius lowered himself onto his bed, his chest rising and falling rapidly.

"Honestly Potter, I don't see what you see in her," hissed Sirius, "She's just as bloody bad as them."

James jumped to his feet, "DON'T EVER SAY THAT AGAIN BLACK!"

Sirius stood up to challenge him, "Oh, taking a leaf out of Evans' book are we," he sneered. James raised his fist, but Remus managed to step in between them.

"If either of you so much as look at each other angrily I'll hex you into next year, this is ridiculous, why are you letting the Slytherins get to you?"

Sirius and James continued to glare at each other until Peter had the sense to drag James over next to him.

"Sit," hissed Remus to Sirius.

"Make me," challenged Sirius. Remus pulled out his wand and Sirius begrudgingly sat down. Remus was far too good at Defence against the Dark Arts to challenge.

"Now you're both going to calm down, I'm leaving again tonight, and if I so much as hear a whisper that you two have been fighting, you'll be very sorry."

James and Sirius looked incredulously at Remus; he never spoke like that to anyone.

"Yes mum," James and Sirius glanced at each other and grinned, tickled that they had both attempted the same sort of humour.

"Good, now Peter, watch them for me, and for the love of Circe, keep James away from Lily."

Peter mock saluted and stood up with his wand out, causing the others to burst out laughing. Remus sighed, and ran his hand through his slightly greying hair, "I'll be back in the morning, Pomfrey's been letting me out earlier," he picked up his overnight bag and bade the boys goodbye. Sirius turned to James and held out his hand.

"Sorry I said what I said, it was out of order."

James waved his hand away, "You were angry, don't worry about it."

Peter grinned, "Now that you two have kissed and made up, can we get to the Room of Requirement, I'm pretty sure something'll happen tonight."

James and Sirius laughed again, and James pulled out his invisibility cloak.

"We'll get some dinner then head off, come on."

~**~

At dinner, the boys became quickly aware that Lily and the girls had decided to boycott them. Normally, Holly, Chris and Bridget would smile and wave over to them when they entered; this time they completely ignored them. James was sure they were probably angry about the tussle with the Slytherins, which because they had not seen the Slytherins picking on the seventh years, seemed unprovoked.

"Take it none of them are speaking to us," James said lamely, sitting a few seats down from the Gryffindor girls.

Sirius shrugged, seeming awfully unperturbed by the entire thing, and set to finishing his dinner in record timing. Peter didn't seem to have noticed at all, so James dropped it, and started piling stew onto a plate.

After a hurried dinner, the boys raced out of the Great Hall back to the dormitory, to collect James' invisibility cloak, then head down to the Room of Requirement.

The boys turned a corner on the fifth floor, and spotted the girls slowly walking towards them; although they of course couldn't see them. James glanced at Sirius, who was grinning, and apparently had some sort of idea.

"I know it was unprovoked, but I really don't think ignoring them completely is going to help," Bridget sighed, twisting a lock of sandy hair around her finger.

Lily shook her head, "Bridget, they attacked them for no reason. I mean, yes, I can't stand Avery and his little cronies, but what about Sev? Just because he was there, he was hexed? I don't think that's fair at all."

Chris chewed her lip, "We know, Lils. But we didn't see the whole thing. And like James said, Avery called you a you-know-what; James would hex anyone who even thought that!"

"I don't care, I don't need anyone sticking up for me!"

Holly chuckled, "No one's doubting that, Lils. I for one am all for ignoring Black, it's a lot of fun, but in all fairness, they don't deserve it."

"You're no angel yourself, Lily," Chris giggled.

"Ugh!" Lily threw her hands in the air, knowing she was fighting a losing battle.

"Fine, be friends with them! Marry them for all I care! But I am not speaking to them. Not until they give up this vendetta they have."

Bridget laughed, and patted Lily gently on the shoulder, "That's all we ask. How about a trip to the kitchens, I could use something sweet."

As the girls nodded, and agreed, they did not notice the three invisible boys watching them with matching grins, wands out and at the ready.

A few whispered charms and a fit of silent laughter later, the boys and girls went their separate ways, the girls blissfully unaware that they had just been subjected to some Marauder Mischief.

~**~

"POTTER!"

James winced as he heard pounding footsteps growing closer, and the bang of a door being thrown open. James glanced at Sirius, who was already doubled up with laughter, to Peter, who had gone an odd shade of red whilst fighting his own mirth, to Remus, who merely looked confused.

Lily Evans stood in the doorway, her face almost as red as her hair, eyes narrowed and glinting dangerously. However, in addition to her normal anger, was a small glowing halo hovering a few inches above her hair. She did not look pleased.

"Get. It. Off." She ground out, looking from one Marauder to another. James screwed his eyes up and tightened his lips, willing himself not to laugh. They snapped open, however, at a second voice sounding in the room.

"Get off me! I'll murder the insolent little –."

"Holly calm down, we need to torture them before we murder them," said a third voice.

"Slow torture, we need to make them pay, Chris," a fourth voice had now joined the throng. James opened his eyes, and couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Aside from Lily with her rather pretty halo, Chris and Bridget were given the same, whilst Holly had been lumbered with a pair of bright red devil horns.

"Get them off Black, or I swear you'll regret it," Holly stepped towards Sirius, who funnily enough, flinched a little.

"But you are a little devil," Sirius smirked, winking at the dark haired girl. James jumped quickly between the pair as Holly whipped out her wand.

"How do you even know this was us?" he asked innocently. Holly rolled her eyes, and tried to shove James out of the way.

Lily growled from behind Holly, "Don't insult our intelligence, Potter. We know it was you lot! Now bloody take them off!"

Sirius ducked around James, grinning like a complete idiot, "But Evans, you three are our little angels, you should be –"

Sirius clutched his throat, looking half annoyed, half amused at the sneaky silencing charm Holly had placed on him.

"James take them off, we can't go around school like this!" cried Christina, pushing Lily aside and sticking her hands on her hips.

James smirked, "And why would we do that? You four have done nothing but ignore us after we saved those second years yesterday, what makes you think we would help you?"

Chris turned an interesting shade of pink, and whipped out her wand. Bridget saved the day by quickly rushing over and grabbing the blonde's wand arm.

"Remus, help us," she begged, her amber eyes resting on Remus' tired form. The light haired boy, who had sat through the entire exchange with an amused expression on his face, merely shrugged, and picked up his book.

"I wasn't there when these lot did this, so I'm afraid I can't do anything...Marauders code."

Lily raised an eyebrow, "Marauders what?"

"Code," Sirius turned to his trunk, rifling through the mess of clothing, socks, Dungbombs and quills, before pulling out a rather tattered looking piece of parchment.

He cleared his throat, and unfolded the parchment, his grey eyes twinkling, and handed it to Holly. The dark eyed girl quirked and eyebrow, and walked over to the other girls, who began to read.

The Marauders Code to General Tomfoolery and Waywardness

Number One: A Marauder never lies, unless to save themselves from the wrath of one Minerva McGonagall, or to cover up for an ingenious or illegal plan.

Number Two: A Marauder never blames another Marauder, it's always everyone's fault.

Number Three: A Marauder must swear to uphold the good name of said Maraudery by pulling at least one prank a day, be it large or small scale.

Number Four: Should a Marauder not participate in a prank, for whatever reason, be it ill health or otherwise, said Marauder cannot reverse the effects of the prank without permission of the prank pullers.

Number Five: No matter who, a girl shall never come between the Marauders, a Marauder must always put his fellows first. This excludes snogging in a broom closet.

Number Six: A Marauder must always know when they have gone too far. We don't any deaths now, do we?

Number Seven: A Marauder never betrays. Should a Marauder betray one of his fellows, the penalty shall be public humiliation, casting out of said group of Marauders...perhaps even death. Depends on what mood we're in.

Number Eight: A Marauder must always uphold the honour of Gryffindor, and defend those who need defending.

Number Nine: A Marauder must never wear green.

Number Ten: A Marauder must vow that if ever he crosses paths with Voldemort, he must find Peter and get him to tell Voldy his joke about the hag and the warlock...said Dark Lord is sure to die of boredom by the time it is finished!

Hey! That's a good joke!

Sure it is, Pete, sure it is.

The girls glanced up at the four boys who were grinning foolishly, obviously very proud of their little 'code'.

"You lot are complete idiots, you know that?" Lily snorted, handing Sirius the piece of parchment.

Sirius shrugged, "We try. Now be off with you! We have classes to attend!"

"Not until you get rid of these," hissed Holly, jabbing a thumb at her glowing red horns. The four Marauders glanced at each other, then smirked identically.

"No," they said in unison. The four girls uttered cries of fury, then stormed out of the room.

Just as Lily was about to leave, she turned back to face James in particular.

"We'll get you back," and with that, she left, slamming the door in her wake.


Like it? Don't? Let me know :)

I'm off to attend another eighteenth :D Have a good weekend everyone, I know I will!!!

Grace ~