AN: This is THE LAST CHAPTER! I did it. I finished before the year ended. I am pretty proud of myself. So I hope you enjoyed the whole thing, and I hope you have a happy new year. See you next year! :D

Chapter Thirty-One: The End of the Beginning

The end of the year came rolling around rather quickly after the end of the Quidditch season. And before anyone knew it, June had fallen upon the castle. And with that, came the end of the year exams. The Gryffindor common room had become a place of no talking, where fifth, and seventh years were hoarding half of the libraries books and only leaving for a few minutes at a time at meal times. Sirius, James, and Carlee had quickly learned not to mess with any of them.

Kara Wise had given Sirius and James a detention for 'Breathing to loudly' as they walked passed her, and they hadn't even been trying to bug her.

What really got to them was Richard Smith. The happy go lucky fifth year that they had joked around with all year. He was the one who had taken the blame for James, Sirius, Remus, and Franks prank with the water bucket on the door. He liked pranks. But when Sirius and James decided to go around the room and put the stacks of books in different locations, Richard was yelling just as loudly as Kara.

"Can't you guys just grow up?" Kara yelled at them as she and Richard chased the lot of them out of the common room.

"I was just my home work." Remus said putting his hands up. "I wasn't doing anything."

"Me neither." Carlee added.

"You're just a bunch of marauders, you know that!" Richard shouted, grabbing Sirius by his robe and pushing him out the door into the hallway.

"We didn't take anything!" James shouted as the door slammed shut.

"I think you pushed it a bit too far dears." The fat lady said smiling down at them.

"But we didn't do anything." Carlee protested.

They had successfully gotten themselves banned from the common room. They now spent all their time outside under one of the trees by the lake. It was nice out now, so they didn't mind, but the fact that they couldn't go to the common room, made them want to.

"What are we supposed to do now?" Sirius asked picking up a rock and tossing it into the lake.

"Whatever we want." James said.

"Well, we can't go in the common room." Sirius huffed.

"We don't normally hang out in there anyway." Carlee said smirking at him.

"Whatever. I am bored."

"Hey Remus?" James asked.

"Yeah?"

"Did you ever ask your parents if it's alright for us to come over this summer?"

Remus looked at James with a blank expression. "Really? You still want to?"

"Are you kidding me?" Sirius asked sitting up straighter and looking at Remus with an angry sort of expression. "Three moons Remus. We have known for three moons. We have sat up with you in the hospital wing and played chess until our brains melted and you still think that we have a problem with your being a- you know." Sirius had a bit of a proclivity for saying a bit too much, but he caught himself that time.

"Well, I don't know." Remus said hugging his knees to his chest. "I can ask if you want."

"That would be appreciated." Sirius sighed. "I don't know what I will do if I have to be locked up at my place for two whole months."

"Yeah, I sort of want to get out too." Carlee said. "And the couch would be fine, as long as I get to come."

"Alright, I'll ask." Remus said smiling. He didn't know why he was still a bit doubtful when it came to Sirius and James' loyalty, but he couldn't help it. They were supposed to act like he had expected them too. That is what his parents told him. And because they had ground it into him that nobody would accept him if they knew what he was, he kept expecting them to change their minds. And that is why he hadn't told his parents that his friends had figured out that he was a werewolf.

"Do it now." Sirius said crawling over to lean on the tree next to Remus. "So I can see you writing the letter."

"Alright." Remus laughed pulling out a piece of parchment, and a quill. "But after this, I want to study for exams. They are in one week you know."

"Yes professor, I know." James and Sirius said at the same time.

After Remus had written the letter to his parents, asking if his friends could spend the weekend at their house during the summer, and Sirius had checked it over, they all opened their books and allowed Remus to quiz them with possible exam questions. Remus wasn't really surprised that Sirius and James were able to answer almost all of the questions he asked. They hadn't even cracked open their school books to study, but they had a way of retaining information even when they didn't appear to be paying any attention.

Carlee could answer his questions as well, but she had been studying with him and took school work a lot more seriously then the boys did. So Remus wasn't at all surprised that she could answer all the questions that James and Sirius could not.

When the studying came to a halt, due to lunch, the gang packed up their bags and headed into the castle. Remus and Carlee were still talking about a possible potion that they would have to brew for the exam when they spotted Peter walking down the stairs with Ian and Carl. He was trailing after them and looked to be having a conversation with Ian. Remus was quite sure that he was the only one who noticed the small boy.

It had been three and a half months since Remus' secret had come out and Peter had yet to form a coherent sentence around Remus. Actually, Peter hadn't even said two words to Remus.

About a week after Peter found out about Remus, James and Sirius decided that they needed to confront him to make sure that he wasn't planning on doing anything stupid. They never told Remus what exactly happened, or what was said, but he was pretty sure that they had made Peter cry and promise not to tell anyone that Remus was a werewolf.

Remus couldn't believe how lucky he was to still have three of his friends after the truth had been said, but he still wished that Peter had been as understanding as James and Sirius. But they were right; Peter wasn't as brave as they were. Maybe he wasn't brave enough to have a monster as a friend.

But both parties walked by, neither noticing the other.

After exams finished, Remus found it harder to be upset about Peter. The fifth and seventh years were elated. They had finished their O.W.L.S and their N.E.W.T.S and couldn't be happier. The seventh years were almost carefree as they were done with school now and getting ready to enter the wizarding world as adults. Though there are those like Joyce Camry, who hadn't forgotten what was going on, or what had been going on. There have been no more attacks, kidnappings, or murders since the last. Were some found that comforting, Joyce found it concerning.

She did put on a happy face, but everybody knew that as soon as she got out, she was going to be looking for grandfather. She, Gideon Prewett, and Kara Wise had already signed up for auror training.

But the general atmosphere of the Gryffindor common room, was much lighter than had been. Now everyone was done studying and with only a week left before school ended, everybody was happy just relaxing.

James, Sirius, and Carlee were currently sitting in the corner of the common room, with James sitting in the only chair that came with their territory. It was four days before the train would come into Hogsmade and take them to London.

Sirius was just about to start throwing bits of paper at Kara's head, when Remus came jogging in through the port hole. He was smiling and holding a piece of parchment in his hand.

"It's come!" He shouted, running the last few meters between himself and the gang. None of them had any idea what he was talking about, but the smile on his face was infectious. "My mom, she has written back!" He clarified. "She said that you can all come over!"

"That's great!" Sirius yelled jumping up and pulling Remus into a bear hug. "I don't have to stay home all summer!"

"It is great." James smiled. "I can't wait to see where you live."

"Well, it's not much." Remus assured him.

"It'll still be grand." Carlee laughed, getting up and joining the hug. "Wait, they did say that I can come too, right?"

"Yes, yes. Of course. My mum said that we can set up the spare bedroom for you."

"This summer is going to rock." Sirius said letting go of Remus so that he could show Carlee the letter.

The next four days went by faster then any of them could have thought possible. Soon they were all walking down to Hogsmade to get on the Hogwarts express. Their things were already brought down while they were eating their last meal as first years. They got to the train where they saw that Hagrid was one of the teachers helping direct the students onto the train. They were really there to make sure that all of them got onto the train instead of wandering off into the small town.

"I don't think it would be too hard to slip out of sight." James said cheekily patting his pocket, where they all knew the invisibility cloak was, ready to be whipped out at the first sight of possible mischief making opportunity.

"Yeah, the problem would be getting back home without our parents realizing that we were missing in the first place." Carlee said shaking her head. " Not that I wouldn't mind delaying this some more, but I don't think that we would get away with that seeing as how they are going to be waiting for us at the station."

"I was only joking Carlee. I have to be on my best behavior for a while so that I can go over to Remus'." James said. Carlee wasn't sure that his parents would really deprive him of going to his friend's house if that was what he wanted to do, but she didn't think that she needed to voice that opinion out loud.

"Yeah, I am going to have to behave too." Sirius sighed, as if he had just realized it.

"I don't know why that is such a problem for you two." Remus laughed. "But you better make sure that you don't do anything that would make them not let you come. It would be awful if one of you couldn't make it."

"I mean, mind you, Remus and I would still find something to do if I am the only one that can make it," Carlee said in serious voice. "It will just be best if all of us can be there."

"Peter won't be there." Remus whispered under his breath. None of the others heard him. And if they did, they acted as if they hadn't.

"We better hurry up and find a compartment before they are all full." James said jumping onto the train. Carlee, Sirius, and Remus followed him to the back of the train. The last compartment was empty, as they had hoped, and they all got in put their school bags on their seats before going out to get their luggage into their compartment.

When the train finally started to pull away from the station, Sirius had already pulled out a bag from James' trunk that was full of yet more baked goods from Mrs. Potter.

"You do know that we just got done eating lunch, correct?"

"Yeah, I skimped out on dessert." He said smiling at Remus.

"You had two pieces of chocolate pie, a hand full of pumpkin pasties, and you were still eating licorice wands as we walked down here." Remus said, counting off the sweets on his hand.

"I don't know why you guys act so surprised still. I have come to the conclusion that Sirius' doesn't have a stomach. He simply has a black hole." Carlee said reaching a crossed the compartment to take a sweet out of the bag.

"That makes sense." James said.

Again, time seemed to be slipping through their hands, for the ride to London seemed to be much shorter then they remembered, and soon they were hugging each other goodbye, and telling everyone to write.

"We'll see you real soon." James said as Remus' parents were the first to be spotted. "Just let us know the second we can come over."

"I will." Remus said hugging them all one more time. "I can't thank you guys enough, for everything you have done for me this year." Remus had been given more then an education, he had been given a chance to make friends. He had found somewhere that he belonged.

"Good, because if you make me stay with my family to long, I will go crazy." Sirius said ignoring the 'thank you' like he normally did. They came rather frequently now.

"Be sure to write even before you know." Carlee said smiling. "I promise to write back."

"Thanks." Remus laughed. Then with one last goodbye, he walked towards his parents and disappeared through the brick wall.

"Well, there are my folks." James said motioning towards two elderly people standing against the wall and waving at James. "Are your guys' parents here yet?"

Sirius and Carlee looked around and shook their heads. "Doesn't look like it." Carlee said. "That's weird."

"Well, you can come wait with me. My parents won't mind. Plus, I kind of want them to meet you."

So they walked over to Mr. and Mrs. Potter.

"Hey mum, dad." James said as he gave each of his parents a quick hug. "I wanted to introduce you to some of my friends. This is Sirius Black, and Carlee Baker." Neither Carlee nor Sirius missed the look of surprise that crossed over Mr. Potter's face.

"I hadn't heard that the two of you were in Gryffindor." He said smiling at them as he shook Sirius' hand.

"Well, our families are trying to keep it on the down low." Sirius said smiling back at him.

"Well, I think it is nice to meet the two trouble makers that my son has befriended." Mrs. Potter laughed. "I think the letter I got from Lily mentioned your name at the very least." She said pointing to Sirius.

"Most likely." He said grinning up at her unabashed, causing James' parents to laugh.

"Carlee?" A voice came from behind them and Carlee turned to look.

"Oh hey Daddy." She said running up to him and hugging his middle. He wrapped his arms around her and when she let go, he bent down and kissed her forehead. James made a coughing noise and Carlee rolled her eyes. "I think James wants me to introduce you to him." She said leading her dad over to the Potter's and Sirius. "James, this is my Dad. Dad, this is James Potter."

"It's nice to meet you my boy." Tomas Baker said sticking his hand out and shaking James' hand. Then he turned to James parents and shook there hands as well. Finally he turned to Sirius. "And it's nice to see you again. I hope to be actually seeing you around the farm this summer." As he said this, Carlee hit hear hand to her forehead, a gesture that her dad missed. "I am sorry that I missed you last time."

"It's alright sir. I would be more then happy to visit again. The farm sure is an interesting place."

"Smelly as all heck is what it is." Tom laughed. "But interesting works too."

"Yes, we should probably get going dad. We don't want to keep mom waiting." Carlee said, trying to pull her dad away before he could invite James along as well.

"Yeah your right." He said shaking everyone's hands again. "But you know, you're welcome to come too." He said looking at James. Carlee rolled her eyes and bit down on her lip. Her dad was far too friendly of a person. "The more the merrier."

"Gee, thanks Mr. Baker."

"No problem. It was a pleasure meeting you." He said nodding at James' parents.

"You too Tom." Mr. Potter said. When Carlee and Tom were out of ear shot, he turned to his wife and she just nodded.

"Nothing at all what I was expecting." She said. Her husband agreed.

"What do you mean?" Sirius asked.

"What?" Mrs. Potter asked, looking down at Sirius as if she had forgotten that he was there.

"Never mind." Sirius said realizing that she was trying to kindly tell him that he wasn't supposed to hear what she had just said.

A few minutes later, Sirius' parents came to pick him up and James and Sirius said their last goodbyes.

"I am not going to ask you to write." James said to Sirius. "I'll see you at Remus'."

"Okay, but if I do write to you, you better write back."

"Okay, I can do that." James laughed. They shook hands and then walked over to their families. The image looking completely opposite. The Blacks and the Potters were nothing alike. As Sirius' mother grabbed him by the arm and started pulling him away, he looked back over his shoulder one last time to see James looking after him. He tried to pull his arm from his mothers hand, but couldn't manage it so just used his other arm to wave and glued a smile on his face that vanished the second that James was no longer in sight.

"Well?" James father said.

"Let's go home." His mother said pulling him into a hug.

James smiled up at them, but his head was spinning. For the first time, he was starting to understand why Sirius' expression had been so dark when he first met him. "Okay, but I think we need to have Sirius over soon. Like maybe later this week."

"You just said good bye to him." His father laughed.

"Whatever you want." His mother smiled at him. She too had noticed the more then harsh exchange that took place between Sirius and Walburga Black.

"Of course." James' dad said rolling his eyes.

"You're just jealous." James smirked leaning into his dad's side.

"Yeah, you're probably right." He laughed.

AN: And that is the end of the Marauder's first year at Hogwarts. I can't believe that it is over. I had to really kick myself to make this the last chapter. I think it turned out all right, as always, let me know what you think. I hope you like it and continue to read. The sequel will be up soon, but not to soon. It is going to be called, The Marauders: Year Two. No fancy title. See you on the flip side.

~Craz