Chapter One
The Hogwarts Express was filled with the cheers of excited students and wailing first-years as James made his way back to compartment he, Sirius, Remus, and Peter had claimed their second year.
James had always loved the Hogwarts Express. The anticipation of a new school year combined with the buzz of students excited to start their fall term had a way of creating an electric energy James loved. Everything felt fresh and new but like home at the same time.
As he walked down the aisle he saw Frank Longbottom and Alice Fortescue. The two had been best friends for years until last term they announced that they were a couple.
Alice had shoulder-length brown hair, a petite stature, and hazel eyes. Frank was the exact opposite, he was tall and strong, with blonde hair and honey-brown eyes. James wasn’t particularly close to either of them but he was friendly with Frank, continuously trying to get him to try out as a beater on the Gryffindor quidditch team.
“Hey James,” Alice said, uncurling herself from Frank’s side.
“Hey guys! Are you excited for the new term? Frank, we need to see you at quidditch tryouts this year,” James said walking up to their compartment.
“Yeah, yeah, we’ll see. I thought quidditch was yours and Sirius’s territory anyway,” Frank replied good-naturedly. “Speaking of which where is your other half?”
“I think the tosser is already off in our compartment. I’d better catch up with him. I’ll see you guys later?” James asked as he walked away.
“Yeah, we’ll see you around. Hopefully at quidditch tryouts,” Alice winked.
James had been made quidditch captain this year. As much as he annoyed McGonagall with his constant pranks she couldn’t resist a winning season. He was beyond excited to be leading the team, he already had plans for team bonding, morning practices, and the house cup secure in his hands. This was going to be Gryffindor’s year, he just knew it.
When James made it to the Marauder’s compartment he was surprised to see Lily Evans and Marlene McKinnon already sitting inside along with Remus and Sirius.
Although Marlene and James had grown up together, they had drifted apart like most childhood friends do when you're a boy and a girl. They were still friends though, they played quidditch together, Marlene was one of the team's best chasers.
He was about to acknowledge Lily and Marlene's presence in their carriage when Sirius came charging at James.
“Prongs!” Sirius wailed throwing himself into James’s arms. “I missed you so much, never leave me again.”
“Padfoot!” James wailed back, embracing Sirius back. “I haven’t seen you for ages, my life felt so incomplete without you.”
“Okay lovebirds, it’s been five minutes,” Remus said from his seat. “You literally spent the whole summer together.”
“Don’t be jealous Moony,” Sirius said, letting go of James and returning back to his seat next to Remus. “I miss you when you're gone too.”
“Yeah, Moony.” James chimed in, taking a seat next to Marlene. “Hello ladies, nice to see you,” he added, tipping his imaginary hat.
“Hey, James,” Lily said, making James’s heart somersault. Good thing he was used to the feeling, or else he would’ve turned embarassingly red. “You spent the summer with James? Did your parents finally let you loose for the summer?”
Lily and Sirius had had a tentative friendship following their fourth year when Sirius had found her crying over her sister Petunia. Sirius had regaled some of his own family’s tales and the two had been on good(ish) terms ever since, the carrot incident seemingly forgotten. The only snag was at end of last term when something was clearly off between Sirius and the rest of the Marauders, only she didn’t know the details of what had actually happened.
“This summer, the rest of my life,” Sirius said loftily. “Either way I’ll never have to see that dreadful portrait of my Great Aunt Dorea again.”
In truth, Sirius had shown up at James’s house a week into summer break with tear-stained cheeks, a black eye, broken ribs, and clear signs of a cruciatus curse. He hadn’t talked to anyone for three days, a feat for Sirius. But after James had brought him dinner the third night he had told James what had happened in a quiet voice.
Sirius was gay, something he hadn’t told anyone. But his parents had found a love letter Sirius had written to someone, James didn’t know who. Apparently, he had never intended to send the letter and was waiting to burn it in the Gryffindor common room. Long story short, his parents did not take the news well and Sirius was narrowly able to escape through his family’s floo into Diagon Alley.
James isn’t sure what details the rest of the Marauders were privy to but they had all seemingly formed a protective bubble around him this summer after all was forgiven. James knows he will do whatever it takes to protect his brother. If that means he has to come face-first with a crazed Walburga Black, he’d do it in a heartbeat.
“Where is Peter?” Marlene asked next to James, breaking the silence that had followed Sirius’s comment.
“Oh probably off somewhere trying to convince the trolley woman to give him all the chocolate frogs on board,” Sirius said snarkily.
James snorted.
“He’s actually with Mary right now,” Lily said. “She’s been trying to get him to introduce her to that Hufflepuff in the chess club, Edgar Jones, for ages. I guess he finally caved.”
“Ha! I guess they won’t be back for a while Mary sure ca-”
“So Lily, how was your summer?” James interrupted, trying to change the subject. He did think the girls would take too kindly to whatever was going to come out of Sirius’s mouth next.
“It was good! Petunia was kind of a nightmare the whole time, going on about her wedding to Vern-dumb,” Lily said repressing a shudder. Vernon Dursley and Lily’s sister Petunia had gotten engaged last term and Lily was not impressed with her soon-to-be brother-in-law.
“Sounds brutal.”
“It’s alright. I kind of got obsessed with this coffee and record shop in town. They had all this muggle music on the wall. I brought my summer work and books there.” Lily said, leaning in closer to James.
“Sounds wicked,” James said leaning in as well. “I’ve been to one of those when I visited Remus in London.”
“Totally, I fell in love with this one Joni Mitchell record.”
“Joni Mitchell’s Blue record?”
“Yes, you know it?” Lily replied excitedly, she was so beautiful.
“Of course! My mum and I play it every time I help her cook.”
“Oh my god it’s so good. What’s your favorite song?” Her eyes were so sparkly.
“Hmmm good question. I think it has to be All I Want.”
“Okay, strong answer, however, mineis definitely A Case of You. It’s just so beautiful.” Gods, was it getting hot in here?
“Alright, Evans I see you. Agree to disagree.”
Vaguely near his ear, James heard someone clear their throat. It was Marlene. James only noticed because Lily had jumped a little when she did it. He quickly realized he was leaning halfway over poor Marlene; James had gotten so caught up in Lily’s glow he had forgotten there were other people in the compartment.
“Marlene, will you go to the loo with me?” Lily said standing up. Her cheeks were flushed and she had an indecipherable look on her face.
“Sure,” Marlene said with a bored tone. And they quickly left the compartment. James watched as Lily’s red hair flowed behind her as she walked out.
“I’ve never understood why girls go to the loo in hoards,” Sirius said after the door had shut.
“Probably to talk shit about you Pads,” Remus said not looking up from his book.
“Oi!” Sirius exclaimed, kicking him in the leg since his feet were already in Remus’s lap.
“Hey, lads!” Peter said opening the compartment door. “Anyone up for a game of chess on our way there.”
“Sure,” Sirius said sitting upright. “I thought Mary was with you. Weren’t you introducing her to Edgar Jones,” he continued fluttering his eyelashes as he said the name.
“I was but the girls intercepted her. Something about Lily and the loo.”
Eventually, the girls came back and James got the chance to observe his friends. Remus and his book across from James, his head in Sirius’s lap, Sirius with one hand in Remus’s hair and the other playing chess. James is so glad their friendship seems to be back to normal, and last year behind them. Peter next to James, concentrating on his game of chess, seemingly beating Sirius. Marlene and Lily on the other side of James animatedly talking about some book they had read. And Mary painted her nails next to Sirius.
This year was going to be a good year, James could feel it. There was a war looming, and careers to stress about, but this was the last year before they legitimately had to grow up and decide anything in that realm. For now they could just be dumb teenagers with no important decisions to make.