Hey everyone,

Thanks to bookwurm1612, canterwoodgames, jolokas, Jannice Sace and Zebragirl5 for the reviews and for sharing your opinion on the fast forward idea... I've thought about it and I've decided to keep with the original plan - doing every year. This year will be coming to its end soon and then we can move onto the third year. So many people are going to die between now and seventh year and I really want to adequately tell their story. Also it means we have the chance to really know James and Lily's story. That's what made me start this story. I really wanted to know how they got to the place where they liked each other; how did Lily stop hating him, how did she fall in love with James... and I think to really understand that we need to know how she ended up hating him... I don't think we've reached the worst point in their relationship yet.

Chapter 61:

The marauders sat at the back of the defence against the dark arts classroom waiting for their teacher to arrive. "Rem, we've finished with those spells in that book. We really need to learn them non-verbally now." James told Remus in hushed tones.

"Ok – well I've done some research – I think I can teach you how to do it. Tonight?" Remus asked.

"Sounds good to me," James replied.

The boys turned to see Professor Kilmont walking into the room. He wasn't alone. A oily haired man followed him in, "Oi look Snivellus – it's your daddy!" James called across the classroom. Snape glared at him, his hand twitching towards his wand. The man was carrying a large box under his arm as he entered the classroom. He placed the box on top of Professor Bartlet's desk.

"Right class – this is Mr Borgin… He is one of the co-owners of Borgin and Burkes, a shop that sells objects of dark magic and other dangerous magical artefacts. Today Mr Borgin is going to show us some of the objects he sells. Mr Borgin…" He gestured for Mr Borgin to begin.

"I don't like him – his shop is down Knockturn Alley… He's not a good guy," Sirius replied. "Mum goes to his shop – you know that weird music box I was telling you about – the one that sends you into a deep sleep? That's a Borgin and Burkes product."

"Well at Borgin and Burkes we sell a wide variety of cursed objects. The first one I will tell you about is the Hand of Glory." He pulled out a creepy, shrivelled hand. "This hand gives light only to the holder." He placed it on the desk, "Next we have some cursed human bones." Mr Borgin put on a pair of gloves before touching the bones, a pack of bloody cards, a glass eye, a hangman's rope – they are all cursed for a specific purpose. Finally – my personal favourite – this cursed necklace."

James noticed how Snivellus was paying avid attention. He was fascinated by the cursed object. Mr Borgin looked at James, a terrible smirk on his face. Holly noticed the expression and stepped slightly closer to James. Harry felt incredibly uncomfortable in the room with all these cursed items. He could feel the suffocating darkness filling the room. The class looked at the opal necklace. "I recently bought this necklace – it has been said to have taken the lives of nineteen different muggles. Many wizards have cursed objects purely for the purpose of killing muggles. You shouldn't touch it with the naked hand as it will kill you…" The lesson went on and on. James couldn't wait to get out of the room.

Harry sat on his father's bed as the marauders practiced non-verbal spells. "Bloody hell this is hard." Sirius complained.

"No duh – we're not meant to learn them until N.E.W.T level," Remus groaned.

"Come on guys," James began, "quit moaning and get on with it – we can do it."

They heard a strange running up the stairs, "where the hell are they?" Alice was calling.

Alice, Frank, Marlene, Kate, Mary and Lily barged into the room. "We've been looking for you guys all over."

"We've been here the whole time," Remus replied.

"Right well – we thought we'd hang out tonight," Marlene smiled, "Tomorrow is a very special day."

"Don't be so gay Marley – Rem, we want to celebrate your birthday – that's what Mars is trying to say." Sirius spoke up.

"Ok – so we were thinking we could hang out in here," Mary smiled, going to sit on Peter's bed.

"We brought presents," Lily smiled.

"And I got firewhiskey," Sirius laughed.

The friends sat chatting for ages; passing the bottle of firewhiskey between them. Remus sat on his own bed. Frank and Alice were sat on Frank's bed. Mary and Peter were sat on Peter's. James, Sirius and Marlene were sat on Sirius' bed whilst Lily and Kate sat on James' bed. They talked about their defence lesson from that morning, "I really didn't like it," Lily complained, she was getting gradually more drunk. James kept transfiguring the firewhiskey so that the bottle never ran out. Sirius and Marlene were curled up at the head of his bed whilst James spread across the rest of the bed. "I can't believe how tidy this room is," Lily continued, "I expected you guys to be complete slobs."

"Sirius and Peter are," Remus explained, "but James refuses to live in a mess so…"

"You should see his bedroom at home," Frank laughed, "It's immaculate."

"Yeah – he makes Lily look disorganised," Alice laughed happily.

"Who wants to play spin the bottle?" Sirius suggested.

Everyone else groaned, "I don't think so Si," James replied.

"Truth or dare?" Sirius carried on.

There was silence. "I'm taking the lack of response as a yes," Sirius smiled.

"But Sirius," James cut across him.

"No James… come on it will be fun…" Sirius complained.

"We're not playing truth or dare," James replied authoritively.

"I've never?" Sirius offered.

"Yeah let's play I've never," Lily laughed, "I've got one… I've never played I've never."

The second years laughed as they all took a swig from the bottle of firewhiskey, "am I really the only one who's never played?" Lily asked.

"Looks that way," James replied.

"Kate's turn!" Lily practically screamed.

"I think I like drunk Lily," James laughed.

Kate smiled, "I've never made out with someone in a broom closet."

Most of the group allowed the bottle to pass them; both Sirius and James took a mouthful of firewhiskey.

Next it was James' turn, "I've never… had more than one girlfriend in a month."

Sirius took a large gulp from the bottle. "I've never borrowed a roommate's underwear," Sirius offered.

"EWWW! Noone's done that," Lily squeaked.

"My turn," Marlene laughed, "I have never passed out from drinking too much."

Sirius gulped, "pass the bottle."

Peter piped up, "I've never been caught at a party with alcohol."

"Pete – you idiot – we all have…" Sirius began, "do you remember the reason why we have to take all those extra-curricular classes…?"

"Oh yeah," they all drank some firewhiskey.

"I've never had a hickey," Mary offered.

Alice went slightly red as she took a gulp, Lily smiled slightly embarrassed as she took a large sip.

"I've never heard my parents having sex," Alice laughed.

"EWWWWWWWW – that's disgusting!" Mary complained.

Several of the group groaned as they drank from the bottle. James looked at his watch, "Guy's it's almost midnight…"

"Remus – IT'S ALMOST YOUR BIRTHDAY!" Lily screamed.

"Lily – people are asleep," James whispered.

"Who cares – everyone should be awake – it's Remus' birthday."

They all laughed happily at Lily's drunken outburst. "Right present time," Frank smiled.

James offered Remus his present. Remus pulled off the wrapping paper, "it's a pocket sneakoscope – it's supposed to spin and whistle if someone is doing something untrustworthy nearby."

Peter offered his present next. It was in a big box, "here you go, Rem."

Remus took the box and opened it to find a dark coloured cake with his face on it followed by the words 'Happy B'day Moony.' "Ah thanks Pete, I love it."

Mary passed her present across to him. He opened it to find a box of bertie bott's every flavour beans. Kate had given him a box of chocolate frogs. A tin of treacle fudge from his mother and a box of his favourite muggle chocolates. Lily gave him a beautiful eagle-feather quill. Sirius gave him a bag of Dungbombs, Frank gave him a box of drooble's best blowing gum and Alice gave him some fizzing whizbees.

"Thanks guys," Remus said. He was completely taken aback by his friends' generosity.

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Next Chapter is James' Birthday...