Hello to anyone still reading this story and if you are just now discovering it welcome! As you can see, my posting is very sporadic, but do not worry because I have not forgotten about this. I haven't been feeling super inspired for the past year or so which has led to a drop in posting for this story, but my heart has been drawn back to writing over the last couple of weeks and I am going to aim to not put this on hiatus for such a long time as we move forward (a little early for a New Year's Resolution but I'm making one anyway). Hope to see you all soon and thanks again for reading!
It was September 1, 1977, and the Hogwarts graduating class of '78 were all handling the preparation for their final year with mixed emotions of fear and anticipation for the future.
A young woman named Lily Evans was dragging her heavy trunk through London (no featherlight charm in order to not look suspicious to onlookers). Her sister had insisted that she not do any of her "popping" in and out of her flat, and Lily had been too exhausted from a weekend spent in her sister's company to argue. That meant having to find an alley somewhere along the way to apparate to King's Cross or just hoofing it the rest of the way on her own (it's not like she hadn't had plenty of occasions to drag a heavy trunk before she was allowed to use magic). The year ahead was full of potential, good and bad, as she considered the blessing of her appointment to head girl along with the curse of having James Potter as her second in command. All things would be revealed in time, though; her mother had always said that. She blinked back the tears of having to arrive at King's Cross for the first time on her own, knowing that this time would be the last and trying her best to focus on the year ahead rather than the years to come.
No more than six blocks away Sirius Black was dragging himself out of bed to grab a shower and a shave before making his way down the street to King's Cross. Even though wizards could transport virtually anywhere there was something comforting about knowing just how close the train was and waking up in his very own apartment to head there. He had met a muggle bloke from Chester attending university in the city and offered him a 9-month lease in order to keep his apartment handy for after graduation.
"Don't burn the place down while I'm gone, alright?" Sirius called out as he moved towards the door. The young man, whose name was Jack, had moved in a couple weeks before when his term had started, opting to crash on the couch until Sirius left. "That all you got?" Jack asked, noticing the rucksack over Sirius' shoulder which he had cast an undetectable extension charm upon to contain his possessions. "Yea, I pack light." Sirius replied, and the other boy shrugged, head already deep in his books. If Sirius was glad about one thing, it was that wizards went straight into training for their occupation, no university required. School had never appealed to him other than as an escape, and now that he had his own flat, he found himself counting down the days until graduation when he could finally move out into the world and be his own man.
Peter was finding himself in a similar mindset to Lily, if not with added anxiety. For Peter, an average young man with average marks and an average family background, the idea of entering the wizarding world was a terrifying prospect. He had no chance at entering a respectable profession like his father, and being an auror was the last thing he wanted to do anyway with all the unrest brewing these days. He had heard James and the others talking about fighting for what was right, but all Peter wanted to do was keep his head down and make a decent living after graduation. Here he was facing the crossroads of his destiny, his final year before entering adulthood, and Peter Pettigrew was…to put it simply…scared shitless.
Remus was not feeling the stress of his peers, despite having far less of a shot at a decent living than Peter. He had always known his time at Hogwarts would eventually come to an end, and although the idea of moving forward was rightfully daunting, Remus felt confident that his best friends would remain by his side. That was more than he had when he had prepared to enter Hogwarts all those years ago, and that had been a far scarier event in his young life than leaving it behind. He had run a handful of missions for Dumbledore, quietly taking in his friends' discussions of fighting for their home, and he was ready to join alongside whoever else was preparing. Remus was not naïve. He didn't believe for a second that Dumbledore would trust the aurors to do what needed to be done. Remus certainly didn't. However, one more year remained until the group of them would be forced to emerge from the shadows. So, Remus sat against his window ledge, smoking his morning cigarette, still exhausted following a particularly destructive full moon, but ready to limp into Hogwarts, carried in by emergency broom if need be. He had ignored his mother's protests about his health, insisting on being there for the first day. He would enjoy his final year regardless of what was to come.
Meanwhile, James Potter was gathering his remaining belongings as he did a mental tally of everything he might need. As he grabbed a few last minute items from his desk, a familiar frame caught his eye, and he stared wistfully at a picture of himself and his friends from third year before dropping it in his trunk and clicking the lid shut. A wave of his wand added a feather light charm to the normally twenty-five kilo object as he carried it down the stairs, bulky but easy to transport.
"Seventh year already." His mother said as he approached her and planted a chaste kiss on her cheek.
"Yup."
"How are you feeling?"
"I really don't know, mum" James said, blinking away the water in his eyes as he considered (not for the first time) that he was about to climb onto the Hogwarts Express for his very last year. Hogwarts was the thing young wizards spent their entire childhoods dreaming of, and yet none of the adults he spoke to spent much time on what came after, insisting on enjoying it while it lasted. James hadn't thought much of life after Hogwarts. He knew many of his peers were already set up with internships or jobs or at least plans on how to move forward following their education. Hell, Alice wasn't even coming back, eager to start auror training. Even though he had the marks for it, James really didn't think the structure of the aurors appealed to his irresponsible sensibilities. So, what then? Join up and fight the darkness that was creeping across his country? How could he do that without joining the aurors or some other governing body working to fight? So, he would go into the family business, then? Running a business for haircare? Not bloody likely. James had gone through his options and come up with…nothing as usual. He had no future beyond Hogwarts, no goals to achieve, no plan as to where his life was going. He swallowed that pain, that fear, and remembered that he still had nine months of schooling left, nine months of trouble and comradery and time to plan…endless time. And so as is the way of most 17-year olds, he smiled and brushed off the future, focusing on the vast ocean of possibility that the present had to offer.
When James arrived at King's Cross, his parents behind him, Sirius was already leaning out of a window in the Hogwarts Express calling out: "Oy! Prongs! Best seat on the train, nicked it from some fifth years. First ones to see the trolley lady and closest to the toilets. What do you think?"
"Brilliant Pads, say hi to mum and dad!" James called back and Sirius gave a nonchalant wave as Mrs. Potter moved forward to grasp his hand and whisper something that James couldn't make out. Sirius smiled at her with guarded eyes, pretending that the words meant nothing to him as usual. Euphemia and Fleamont then turned their attention to their first son, eyes gleaming with pride as they pulled him into a tight embrace.
"Have a great term, dear. See you at Christmas." Euphemia said kissing his cheek as her eyes grew teary.
"And stay out of trouble." Fleamont completed Euphemia's usual goodbye, as he and his son pretended not to notice the wetness in each of their eyes. James turned away to see Peter and Remus saying final goodbyes to their respective families, catching a glimpse of a dark-haired boy just a year below them making his way onto the train clad in emerald green. James glanced at Sirius, unsurprised to find him staring before turning to brood alone in the temporary privacy of the compartment before the other boys joined him.
The group of three hopped on the train to join Sirius, not taking time to dwell on last moments with each other. Without having to say it, they decided to revel in the joy of it all rather than falling down the pit of despair that discussing the future would lead to. Instead, they talked about classes and quidditch and the feast, James focusing particularly on how to make sure the Gryffindor team was up to scratch to take the cup back this year. After they had gotten their things settled and the journey was underway, James turned to the others with his typical cocky grin.
"If you'll excuse me, lads, I have a certain Head Girl who I need to meet with." He said, not noticing Remus' sour expression.
Sirius glanced between them, pulling out a deck of exploding snap cards before tapping Remus on the knee.
"Oi, Moony? Up for a game?" Remus snapped himself out of it at Sirius' words. After all, who was he to judge Dumbledore's choice? There were bigger forces at play these days, and Remus just hoped that he had made the right decision giving James such an honor, especially considering the poor girl who would have to deal with him for the year.
James left the compartment, strutting down the center of the train past his fellow students, some of whom called out greetings to him as he walked, others (mainly Slytherins) jeering at him over the previous year's quidditch failures. He let it all brush off his back, laser focused on the girl who waited for him at the end of his stroll.
"Potter."
He heard her before he saw her, hidden behind a group of older students in a variety of house colors waiting for instructions from the person they had known without a doubt would be head girl.
"Evans."
James said, smiling widely at Lily's already exhausted expression, making his way into the compartment as he was met by confused glances and muttered chatter regarding his surprise appearance.
"I believe you have something for me." He said, smirking all the way as Lily rolled her eyes.
"Marlene said I should've left it behind, but here."
She handed over the badge with Head Boy engraved on the front in scarlet and gold to represent the Gryffindor colors. Dumbledore tended to place the head boy and girl in separate houses, fair play and house unity and all that, but this wasn't the first time two young people of the same house had been given the titles, and it wasn't the first time the other houses were furious about it.
James approached the eager crowd of prefects feeling an unfamiliar knot tying up his stomach as they gaped at him in unmasked shock.
"Potter?"
"Are you taking the piss?"
"Yea, did you swipe it from Lupin or something?"
The group of overachievers stared at the consummate underachiever as if waiting for Remus' humble expression to emerge from out of James' smug countenance.
"Come on, you don't think maybe Dumbledore noticed my tremendous talent and figured I could shake up you jokers?" James said, trying to bluff his way out of the encounter as he had done so many times before.
"Not really, no." An annoyed-looking Ravenclaw who remained a seventh-year prefect rather than head boy said to James who felt his stomach do a flip. As fit as he was this boy was a beater on the Ravenclaw team and had the brawn to back up his height compared to James' slimmer build.
"Lily, is he being serious?" One of the new Gryffindor prefects spoke, breaking up the tension, if just slightly.
"I'm afraid so." She muttered under her breath. She then turned to address the befuddled group.
"For once I can tell you Potter isn't failing miserably at some stupid joke." She glanced at him before continuing. "Dumbledore is the greatest wizard of our age. If he chose Potter, I'm sure he had a good reason, so give him a chance, alright?"
"Of course, we trust Dumbledore Evans, but Potter, of all people?" The Ravenclaw boy spoke up, not quite over the sting of being passed over for the head marauder.
"I believe he will be more than satisfactory, but if you have any complaints, bring them to me." Lily said glaring pointedly at James who felt himself shrink slightly under her gaze. However, with Lily's blessing, the group dispersed with a few more grumblings about equity and James' odds of lasting in the role.
Meanwhile, for the first time in his privileged life, James found himself being looked at not with admiration or even envy or annoyance, both of which he could and had handled. He was being looked at with nothing short of loathing by his classmates who still thought the arrangement was supremely unfair despite having dropped the argument in the moment. The Ravenclaw boy bumped James' shoulder hard enough as he passed that James was sure he would have a nasty bruise the next day. For the first time, James Potter found himself in a situation that he was having a hard time putting a troublesome spin on.
"Merlin, tough crowd that." James said as he returned to the marauders' cabin, head boy badge pinned boldly on his robes.
Remus didn't answer, still somewhat sore for having been passed over by a man he thought had respected him. A knock on their door interrupted Sirius from trying to break the tension again as none other than Lily Evans paid the boys a surprise visit. She must have been following James from the prefect's cabin while he had been lost in his self-pitying thoughts.
"Hey Evans, thanks for the back up in there." James said, flashing a cocky grin before catching sight of her stern glare. She gestured for him to leave the cabin, and he obliged, ignoring Sirius as he shouted out a signature "Don't do anything I wouldn't do, eh, Prongs?"
The two young Gryffindors had to walk to the train's end before Lily was able to find an empty compartment in which to drag James. She moved past him to shut the door before facing him with that same stern crease in her brow.
"You know Evans if you wanted to get me on my own there are easier ways." James teased, leaning close as Lily pushed him back.
"You need to grow up, James Potter."
James couldn't stop his eyes from rolling. As much as Lily drove him wild, her lecturing was growing tiresome. He'd done his best to behave over the summer, but there was only so much his overactive mind could handle.
"Evans, what do you want?"
"I want you to take this seriously." She glared James' usual pun out of him before continuing. "These kids look up to me and by extension you. I'm not going to let you blow this off like you do everything else."
"That's not fair." James began.
"Isn't it? I know you make good marks, Potter, but let's be honest you've never had to try for them. Like in everything else in your life, you got damn lucky. But this is important to me, and I won't have you screwing it up."
James saw the determined glare and strong stance. He saw the pleading desire behind the false bravado. How could he disappoint her again?
"Alright Evans, I'll watch it this year. Promise."
He backed up, held out a hand, and offered a platonic shake. Lily's eyes stayed suspicious, but her lips quirked into the barest smile. James' knees went weak, but he stayed standing, waiting for her to leave before he collapsed into the train's cushy seat with a deep sigh. A knock at the door interrupted his musing as he glanced up to see a Hufflepuff boy, maybe third or fourth year, with dark brown skin and short-cropped hair.
"There you are. I've been looking for ages. Professor Slughorn sent me to find you, wants you to visit him in his private cabin up front."
"You sure you've got the right guy?" James asked, trying to think of what he could have done to piss off Slughorn before they even arrived at the castle.
"Even the Hufflepuffs know your reputation, James Potter. Put up more of a fight on the pitch this fall, though, would you?"
A connection was made in James' mind.
"You're the new Hufflepuff seeker." Whitticker had graduated last year, leaving the team short a seeker and a captain. James hoped to take advantage of the gap in leadership when they faced the Badgers in November.
"So long as tryouts go well." The other boy said, the thrill of competition that James knew all too well flitting in his amber eyes.
"Well, cheers mate. We'll see you at the match." James said patting him on the shoulder as he headed towards a meeting with the head of Slytherin house. This train ride was full of surprises.
"James Potter. I heard a rumor that you had been chosen as head boy for this year." Slughorn said, gesturing to the seat across from him which James took, leg already beginning to twitch with nervous energy.
Slughorn had always taken the train with the students in order to start recruiting early for his collection. It was a despicable practice in James' opinion, picking people out for their potential and casting them aside when they weren't up to scratch in Slughorn's view. James had spent 17 years learning that everyone's potential was dictated by their present, not their past mistakes or their blood or what some crooked old man thought he saw in them. Even if he didn't mind the affable professor on a surface level, the prejudiced old man had rejected Remus on the basis of his condition, and James could never forgive that.
"Yes, sir." James said, still having been raised to show a modicum of respect to even the stodgiest of professors.
"Excellent work young man. Please take something." He said, gesturing to the plate of sandwiches and jug of pumpkin juice as James begrudgingly fixed himself a plate, realizing that he was in for a longer discussion than the quick scolding he had prepared himself for. "Mr. Potter, I don't know if you are aware, but I do have a group that meets some weekends. We get together, have dinner, talk about plans for the future. I trust you have a plan following graduation, yes?"
"Yes, sir." James lied, trying to get out of the conversation as quickly as possible.
"Excellent, every young man needs a plan. Your father is quite impressive if I recall. I used his product in my younger days, not like I have much need for it now." Slughorn chuckled at his own joke as James glanced at his slick bald head and tried to smile politely.
"Well, anyway, given your recent wave in potential, I wanted to ask what you think?"
"About what, sir?"
"Well, about joining us at our little get-togethers"
James snickered, "Join the slug club?" The derogatory name slipped past James' lips before he could stop it, and Slughorn's face purpled slightly.
"Sorry, I just mean, it's not really to my taste professor." James said, knowing he had failed to recover but not particularly caring.
Swallowing his pride, Slughorn continued: "Well if you should change your mind the invitation stands. Miss Evans speaks very highly of you."
James looked confused at that, but he was already out the door. No way he was joining the club that had turned Remus away, but the fact that Lily had apparently recommended him peaked James' fascination with the girl even further.
Upon his return, the status quo had been restored with Remus offering a friendly smile as Sirius tapped his fingers against his knee in an irregular rhythm. James suspected Sirius may have had something to do with Remus' more relaxed demeanor, and he felt far better knowing that one of his best friends was no longer holding a grudge going into the new year. Meanwhile, Peter was reading one of his new schoolbooks in an attempt to prepare, and Sirius was glancing at him in frustration alongside the incessant tapping. His head shifted excitedly to James upon his best friend's return as he called out, "Prongs! Thank Merlin, I'm bored. It's about time to pay Snivy his annual visit, don't you think?" Sirius waited impatiently for the go ahead like a dog being told to stay while its master prepared a juicy steak right before its eyes.
James, however, thought about his conversation with Lily that afternoon and for once refused to throw his pal a bone, "It's our last year Pads, maybe it's time we give it a rest," he said. Remus raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Peter, for his part, looked relieved that he wasn't going to have to try and recreate his miraculous jelly legs jinx from the year before; going out on a high note appealed to him.
"Whatever, I'm just starving. How much longer do we have anyway?"
"Another hour or so I'd wager." Remus spoke up.
Sirius groaned, so James devised a compromise.
"Keep your hair on Pads. How about this? If we stay out of trouble now, we can plan a prank to kick off the year, can't we?"
Sirius perked up at that, thinking on it.
"Yeah, alright."
And so, the boys discussed a number of options that would effectively quell their need for mischief while not bringing too much harm to the student body overall. Better to not start the year off with being locked in dual detentions until they graduated. Finally, the train creaked to a stop at Hogsmeade station, Remus and James rising first to help guide the first years to their boats for their first trip across the lake. James looked upon all of them, their wide eyes and nervous smiles glancing around at their new classmates anticipating the years to come. He couldn't help the joy that overtook him remembering everything that Hogwarts had given him. For the first time he was thrilled to be able to pass that on to the final first years he would ever get to share the corridors with.
Hagrid helped lead the first years to their places, noting in a gruff timbre that would sound unfriendly to anyone who didn't know him "James Potter Head Boy? Now there's something I thought I'd never see." Remus had the good grace to laugh along this time, most of his previous resentment forgotten as the prospect of another year at Hogwarts loomed overhead. They loaded groups of skittish eleven-year-olds into the prepared boats, Hagrid hopping into a boat all to himself at the front, the whole thing shaking and creaking beneath his weight.
"This Head Boy thing isn't so tough," said James.
Remus felt a sting of that resentment again at the statement, but it quickly shifted into satisfaction as he considered the hair-pulling responsibilities that James had so often ignored and would now be forced to confront. Maybe Dumbledore had been onto something.
Once the last of the stragglers were loaded up and the boats set off on their magical journey across the lake, the boys rejoined their companions in one of the last carriages by the station. They were dragged forward by what most assumed to be simple magic. The unlucky few knew the truth of what carried the students along the path from Hogsmeade to Hogwarts' iron gates, but the Marauders remained blissfully ignorant for now, concerning themselves with making it through the security checkpoint with their new charms developed over the summer, which they hoped would successfully conceal the illegal items in their trunks. Unfortunately, Mr. Filch had no love lost with the Marauders and completed a thorough search of their persons and their belongings before he was satisfied that he had found everything they had concealed.
"Humiliating," Sirius said as the boys pulled up their pants on the way up the hill towards the castle. "Honestly, you'd think we were common criminals. I'm at least glad I hid one thing where even Filch didn't dare look." He said, James laughing uproariously at that as Peter looked puzzled for a moment before his expression shifted to one of horror. That improved morale even further as the rambunctious boys made their way up the castle steps, through the entryway, and into the Great Hall. They took their seats among their fellow Gryffindors, making light conversation mainly involving hunger pangs as they dreamed of the delicious feast to come following the obligatory sorting.
"Honestly, the least they could do is start off us with some hors d'oeuvres while the sorting's going on. I've half a mind to summon the food up here from the kitchens myself at this rate." Sirius complained as there were mumbles of agreement.
Finally, when they thought they couldn't wait any longer the newest troupe of first years filed in, led by McGonagall with that same nervous energy that preceded every sorting before them.
And as always, once everyone had taken their seats, the sorting hat began its song:
In early days of history when I was newly sewn
Four founders joined together to build the greatest school we've known
Plans were struck and rocks laid down as prideful feelings swelled
Quarrels among the four filled the castle where they dwelled
"Great bravery we will need in darkest days ahead"
Gryffindor had long prepared for the pain division bred
"Ambitious and those pure of blood is who we should allow"
Said Slytherin
"A man who had the wisdom of a cow" Sirius called out to loud boos from the Slytherin table and a disapproving look from…the hat itself. An unknown feat up until that time, he had stunned the hat into silence. Its glare shocked even the snarkiest of marauders, and he fell silent as the hat continued from where he left off.
"Ambitious and those pure of blood is who we should allow"
Said Slytherin who threatened now to take his final bow
Twas Ravenclaw who begged of him to seek the wisest few
And Hufflepuff who still believed that they could start anew
But Slytherin and Gryffindor held firm on either side
And so it came their stubborn heads created a divide
I was an early witness to this tale of sorrow and woe
The founding few had now become each other's greatest foe
Fear among the four led those early days
Through devastating losses, they retreated their own ways
Said Hufflepuff, "With this hat we will divide those whom we trust
It will remain to keep our school long after we are dust"
And yet for Slytherin this plan was not enough
He left to seek his own path, and no one called his bluff
And so I leave this warning at the feet of students new
Although division marks our souls, we are still the chosen few
The feast was a subdued affair given the nature of the sorting hat's song. It had been even darker than the year before. Sirius had the good sense to feel embarrassed by his outburst although he showed it through incessant tapping and brooding which made Marlene move to sit with Lily across the table.
"I already miss Alice." Lily said, giving Marlene's hand a squeeze as she joined the group in lamenting the loss of their long-time friend.
"She would normally be gushing about classes and rushing in with some big news," said Mary as the group seemed to silently agree to hope that she was staying safe in their own minds rather than voicing the fears that all of them held within.
"Well maybe I can take on some of that burden." Susan said as she rushed in taking her seat next to the girls just in time for dessert. "Mulciber and Avery left."
"What do you mean they left?" Lily said, a spoonful of apple crisp falling from her spoon as she gaped in shock and glimmered with hope.
"They're gone, dropped out. I had to take care of something before the feast and overheard some Slytherins talking on my way back."
Setting aside Susan's cryptic activities for later, the girls all took in the wonderful news, Lily starting with: "Well, the slug club should be more pleasant this year."
"Undoubtedly," quipped Marlene.
"And it will really be nice to be able to walk through the hallways without getting jeered at and catcalled." Susan joined in.
"We can actually go to the library without having to hear Mulciber's ugly laughter." Lily said.
"At least you two never had to smell Avery's hideous breath. Remember when Slughorn paired us up in potions last year?" Marlene finished with a gagging noise as the girls all giggled and chatted about all the ways their seventh year would be improved before Mary worked up the courage to address the elephant in the room.
"Where'd they go?" Mary timidly spoke up before the joy could carry any further, the reality of the news sinking in for all of them as Susan said, "Well, those two Slytherin blokes were saying that they joined up."
She noticed Lily's expression change instantly and said, "Lily, relax, it's just rumors after all. They don't actually know anything."
"Yea just rumors," Lily replied. "I'm not very hungry. I think I'm going to turn in." She said, turning quickly to James and saying "Potter, do you think you can help the prefects give the opening speech to the first years? You don't have to say anything specific. In fact, it's better if you didn't." She said sternly. "Just introduce yourself and me."
James nodded, curious at Lily's sickly expression, but before he could ask what was wrong, she had swept out of the hall. The sound of a fork tinkling against a glass pulled him out of any musings he may have had as the headmaster stood before the group to give his opening remarks.
"Good evening. It is my privilege to welcome all of you back for another year at Hogwarts. For those who need reminders, our forbidden forest is not falsely named. Please stay out of it, if not for your own sake for the sake of those who would have to go in after you." He glanced at the usual suspects before continuing. "The list of Mr. Filch's forbidden objects is, as always, pinned on the bulletin board in all common rooms, and he wishes for me to remind you that spell casting in the corridors is strictly forbidden." James smiled at the little twinkle in Dumbledore's eye whenever he tried to discuss Filch's rules seriously. His smile deepened into a thoughtful frown, though, as Dumbledore continued, addressing the newest members of the student body.
"First years. We are so glad to have you with us, and congratulations on your new housing assignments. Here at Hogwarts, we tell you that your house is like your family. And that is mostly true. After all, you dine with them, sleep with them, and the first four years of your education your classes are shared with them. You share certain personality traits that make you compatible," he paused for a moment, catching the eye of any students who seemed to be lacking focus before continuing, "but as those of you who were listening to the hat's song this evening may have heard," he once again scanned the room to make sure he had the attention of any wandering minds, "without the traits of all four of our houses we wouldn't be the school we are today. The boldness of Gryffindor, the kindness of Hufflepuff, the wisdom of Ravenclaw, and the aspirations of Slytherin," he pointed to each table in turn as he spoke, "are the reason that our school is standing today. This school has produced thousands of young witches and wizards who began their journeys just like you. They sat in those same seats staring up at an old witch or wizard much like me, thinking about lying cozy in their beds rather than listening to another word from their stodgy headmaster," the twinkle returned briefly, all students chuckling slightly before focusing every ounce of their rapt attention on Dumbledore's final words.
"Many of these witches and wizards have gone on to become some of the greatest of our kind, and there is not a single house not represented by the people in that number. Greatness can come from anyone, and unfortunately so can ruthlessness." He paused once more before making his final point. "But this year I implore you all to remember that greatness is nowhere near as powerful as goodness. I humbly request that you hold that truth in your hearts as you continue throughout this year. Strive for goodness and you will all be greater than even the founders of our beloved school. Good luck to you all. Goodnight." And with that Dumbledore stepped down from his podium and left the hall through the back entrance as all of the students began to chatter again, gathering up and moving towards the common rooms.
Older students took short cuts while prefects guided their first years along the easiest route. James recalled a time when he hadn't yet known even the simplest of Hogwarts' secrets, drinking in the moving staircases and talking suits of armor before considering that there might be anything more magical than what first appeared on the castle's surface. He followed awkwardly behind the first years in an attempt to keep his promise to Lily, letting the others know that he would see them in the dorms after he introduced himself to the new students.
They soon arrived at the portrait of the fat lady, the group of newly minted Gryffindors standing around with anxious uncertainty as the prefect at the front turned to address them. He was a fifth year who James recognized vaguely from sitting around the common room. He thought his name was Buxley.
"Alright first years, this is the entrance to your common room. Memorize the route, it will be your greatest asset in these first few weeks. This is the fat lady portrait. She will grant access to our common room when prompted with the proper password."
James stood awkwardly in the back for a moment or two, a new personal record. Growing impatient, he began to shuffle through the crowd of boys and girls to make it to the front. The prefect, Buxley, glanced at him, stopping for a fatal moment. Before he could continue with his prepared speech, James had turned to address the puzzled crowd.
"Hello all, so I just wanted to take a moment to introduce myself. I'm James Potter, and I'm going to be your head boy this year." The first years tried to shift their focus to this new older student, but James could tell that they were losing them. Good thing he'd stepped in or Buxley would have put the whole lot to sleep. "We won't keep you from your beds for long, just some quick housekeeping. Any questions or concerns can be brought forth to this bloke who brought you up the stairs or anyone else with the nifty little P on their robes." Not even a smile cracked among the group, but James had seen tough crowds before and so he soldiered on. "Lily Evans will be your head girl, and you'll find a picture of her on the common room bulletin board provided by me. She's rather hard to miss though you'll soon find…" Receiving nothing but blank stares from the group as he rambled, James faltered before continuing, "Er, the password changes once a month, so take a look at the common room board at the end of every month for that. Did I miss anything Buxley?"
"It's Buxton, and no you pretty much covered it Potter," the boy said seeming slightly annoyed that James had stolen his thunder.
Whatever, the guy had always seemed like a prat anyway, and James wanted to make a good first impression.
"Well, you can do the honors if you like." James said in a saccharine tone as the other boy stepped forward and provided the password, "Aqua Vitae."
The boys and girls with most of their heads nearly a foot below James' just rubbed their eyes and wandered up the stairs to find their new sleeping arrangements. They had no idea what was coming. For the next seven years, they would be each other's confidantes and comrades. They would live together, play together, and learn together. Dumbledore had a point that interhouse unity could use some work at Hogwarts, but James couldn't imagine building a bond as close as the one he had with the Marauders if they had been separated. Was it not destiny that a boy with extreme cunning, a boy with great wisdom, a boy with fierce loyalty, and a boy with intense courage would be grouped in the same house? Under the Gryffindor banner, the four of them were all able to find a new strength within themselves even if some of them were more naturally adventurous than others. As he collapsed into his four poster for his final first night at Hogwarts, James thought about all he had to offer his new position. As he drifted off to sleep, one thing was certain in his mind: this head boy thing was going to be a breeze.