Hey guys,

Thanks to bookwurm1612 and ebonbon for their reviews of the last chapter. As always made my day.

Chapter 39:

The Gryffindors quickly fell back into routine as November began. None of the muggle-borns had been badly injured at the Quidditch match; nothing more than a few broken arms. Classes had resumed as if nothing had happened and Lily hated James more than ever. Professor Slughorn still expected them to work together in potions but they mostly just sat in silence working alone. Professor Bartlet had begun teaching them about dark curses and hexes. The second years sat in his classroom paying him their complete attention. Defence quickly became their favourite lesson.

Two weeks into the month Professor Bartlet stood at the front of the classroom and began to tell his second year class a story; "about five years ago I was travelling across Europe, searching for an Egyptian dark wizard who was said to be hiding in Italy. The closer I got to him the more I noticed that the people I was trying to get information from didn't seem to be making sense. I soon realised that the Egyptian wizard had placed the babbling curse on them. He'd used it as a way of covering his tracks. If I couldn't understand them then they would be unable to help me in my search."

Professor Bartlet sighed, "well I performed the counter-curse and he presto I found the dark wizard and the rest is history. My point is that any spell, even the weakest of curses or hexes in the hands of a wizard can be used for good or bad. Never underestimate a spell. Please open your textbooks to page 348. You are going to work in pairs with the person sat beside you. Take it in turns to practice the babbling curse and its counter curse." James and Sirius set to work cursing one another. James could see Lily working at the front of the class with Snape, slimy git!

The marauders made their way out of the classroom towards the charms room. Snape and the other Slytherins pushed passed the marauders, "get out of my way blood-traitors!"

James pulled out his wand and aimed it at the slytherins, "what did you just say?"

"You heard me; I called you a blood-traitor," Snape replied, pulling out his own wand.

"You're going to pay for…" James began.

Lily and the girls walked out of the classroom and saw James and Snape surrounded by the Gryffindor and Slytherin boys. "Really Potter what are you going to do?"

Lily made her way through the group of students that had gathered until she was in the centre of the circle. "Potter, what are you doing?"

"Never you mind, Evans," James replied harshly.

Snape laughed, "Seriously Potter what are you going to do? You can't beat me!"

"Just because I don't make up dark spells in my spare times doesn't mean I'm not capable. I choose to use magic for good instead of evil. You're a fool. One day someone is going to use your own spells against you and you're going to regret ever making them."

"Are you threatening me?" Snape asked, brandishing his wand.

"I don't need to threaten you Snape. You've already signed your own death warrant."

Snape pointed his wand at James and cast a spell that James didn't recognise, "levicorpus!" James felt his feet fly from underneath him as he was hoisted into the air, dangling upside-down.

"Severus! Put him down!" Lily demanded.

"I'm fed up of him, Lils. He deserves it," Severus replied.

Sirius pulled out his wand, "Snivellus put him down or I'll hex you."

Snape laughed, "whatever. Hex me and you'll never get him down – I'm the only one who knows the counter spell."

James laughed, "well this is just swell. I'm perfectly at ease up here."

Several Gryffindors laughed at James' calm demeanour.

"Put him down Sev," Lily asked.

"What on earth is going on," Professor Bartlet asked coming out of his classroom.

Snape quickly cast the counter spell, "Liberacorpus."

"Mr Snape put Mr Potter down and get into my office!" Bartlet shouted angrily.

Snape made his way into Professor Bartlet's office. Lily turned on James, "what the hell did you do?"

"Nothing," James said, pulling himself off the floor.

"I don't believe you," Lily replied, offering him her hand to help him up.

"You never do," James replied, "thanks." James quickly dropped her hand.

"Are you ok?" Lily asked.

"I'm fine," James replied.

The marauders sat in there charms class on the very back table. They sat talking about their weekend plans. "We could break out." James offered, "It's a Hogsmeade weekend so we could do that."

"We're not allowed to go to Hogsmeade," Peter squeaked.

"Nope but we have the cloak," James laughed.

"Sounds like fun," Sirius smiled. "What do you say Remus?"

Remus smiled, "I guess we could."

The weekend came quickly. James and Sirius spent their Friday night practicing Quidditch with the rest of the team. On Saturday morning the four marauders made their way through one of the secret tunnels to Hogsmeade. When they made it out into the cool fresh air, James asked his friends, "where to first?"

"Three Broomsticks," Sirius replied, "I want a butterbeer."

The other boys nodded their agreement. They walked down the high street and into the pub. They were able to hide amongst the other students. No one seemed to notice that four second years had broken out of Hogwarts. They ordered four drinks and went and sat in the corner where they could hide from view if a teacher were to come into the pub. "We should go see Hagrid at some point," Remus remarked.

"Ah that would be good," Peter said quietly.

"We haven't been to Hagrid's in ages," Sirius nodded. The boys sat talking for some time. Sirius asked Remus, "how's your mum doing?"

"Fine why do you ask?" Remus replied.

"I just mean she gets sick a lot so I thought she might be ill," Sirius answered.

"She's fine at the moment," Remus frowned.

James looked across the pub and saw Professor McGonagall walk into the pub with a wizard that James recognised but couldn't place. The pair sat at a table a few metres away from the marauders. James sighed, thank merlin I don't think she has seen us. "Shh guys, Minnie is over there."

The boys quickly stopped talking so that McGonagall wouldn't hear them and put them in detention. They could hear her talking quietly with the older wizard. "I'm glad we arranged to see each other. I've mi-missed you, Elphinstone."

"I've missed you too, Minnie." Elphinstone Urquart replied. "How are you?"

"I'm good," Minerva replied.

"A friend of ours told me something interesting the other day," Elphinstone continued, "she told me that McGregor got married."

"Yes, he did." Minerva nodded, "I was invited to the wedding. I didn't attend but my family went."

"I see," Elphinstone took McGonagall's hand, "I don't suppose this changes things? Between us I mean."

"I don't know," McGonagall replied. "I'm guessing Dorea told you?"

"Well, I'd hate to get her in trouble," Elphinstone laughed.

Minerva smiled, "try again next year and maybe I'll be ready. I need a little bit more time."

"Very well," Urquart smiled, kissing McGonagall's hand, "I'll wait for you."

I wrote this chapter because Jannice Sace asked about McGonagall and Urquart so I thought adding another proposal might be fun...

Next Chapter...

The Marauders and Slytherins have a fight with terrible consequences...

The Marauders visit Hagrid...

Sirius becomes even more suspicious of Remus...

News from the world outside of Hogwarts...