Disclaimer: J.K. owns Harry Potter. IcyPanther owns the original story line (and was kind enough to let me change it and run with it. Go icypanther!)
A/N: This fic takes place in the Marauders' seventh year. Yes, I do know that Peter is not in this story. He suffered a tragic coughnotcough accident and has to spend his time in St. Mungo's. Anyway, enjoy!
Chapter 1: Surprises, Surprises
The three Marauders and Lily were sitting in the Great Hall. It was the first day of term. Dumbledore stood up to make an announcement.
"As of this year, all seventh years are required to participate in a course that is to teach them about parenting and children. All seventh years will therefore, stay behind in the Great Hall after breakfast for explanations." The three Marauders looked open-mouthed at Dumbledore. Lily however looked excited.
After breakfast, the younger years filed out of the Hall and the seventh years milled around. Then Dumbledore stood up in the front of the Hall once more.
"Silence, everyone please. Thank you. Now this class is to teach you responsibility and to help you prepare to deal with children. You will be put into groups of three, and each of you will individually be turned into a four-year-old child. Then for two weeks the other two group members will be the guardians of this child. Beware, however, to reveal that this is their future could drastically change the present. Each of you will remember the events of your brief time as a young child and so group members must proceed with caution. I will assign your groups. But first I need to have a small conversation with Remus Lupin."
Remus made his way quickly to the front of the Hall. Dumbledore held a whispered conversation with him and then Remus left with Madam Pomfrey. Dumbledore clapped his hands to regain order. Everyone looked up at him with bated breath.
"And now, to announce the pairs." A list appeared in his hands. "Severus Snape, Lucius Malfoy, and Narcissa Black. Lily Evans, Sirius Black, and James Potter." Lily's jaw dropped. Sirius and James exchanged high-fives and then went over to stand with Lily.
Dumbledore finished reading off pairs and then spoke to the students once more.
"On your way out, you will receive maps to your new group common rooms. They will be your residencies for the next couple months. A teacher will be along shortly to explain to you the de-aging process. Toddle off now." James and Sirius each slipped an arm around one of Lily's. Then they proceeded to the direct her to the exit, where they each received a map. They exited the Great Hall and set off for their new common room.
"Turn left here." James read off directions. The three came to a halt at the portrait of Cleonus Patrelus, the famous inventor of the cure for brain freeze and hangovers.
"Totina." Sirius said triumphantly.
"Right you are dearies!" The jolly witch swung forward to let them enter. It looked a lot like Gryffindor tower in their new common room, except for the bedrooms. Their bedrooms were what their ideal bedrooms would have been when they were four.
"But how could they possibly have known?" Lily breathed rushing into her room. It was filled with toys and dolls and fluffy pillows. There were hundreds of colorful books on the large white bookshelf, and a big canopy bed sat in the middle of the room. There was a little set of white and pink steps leading up to it for when she was de-aged. She jumped on the bed and found a large lace covered pillow that had "Princess Lily" sewn on it in bright, colorful letters. She lay on the bed, perfectly content.
James, meanwhile, was playing with the Quidditch stuff his room contained. There were dozens of toy brooms, safety bludgers, play quaffles, and child snitches. There were hundreds of books on Quidditch stacked on the green and blue bookshelf. His bed was in the shape of a Quidditch pitch, with miniature goal posts at each end, and the grass-green bedspread had all the boundary lines drawn on in white. He flopped down on his bed, ecstatic and content.
Sirius was in a bright and cheery room that had a jungle-ish scene painted on the walls. There was a large assortment of stuffed animals and little action figures of animals. The bed was actually hung from a large tree that was in the room. There were boards nailed to the tree that served as a ladder that went up to the bed. Sirius jumped up on the bed and lay there peaceful and content, as it rocked back and forth.
A knock sounded on the portrait. All three children walked out of their rooms grinning and came face to face with Professor McGonnagall. She was holding three vials of a milky white liquid.
"I trust you found your rooms in order?" All three of them nodded. "Good. Now in my hands I hold three identical vials. Two are filled with milk and one is filled with the potion. It is completely random who is chosen. All of the child's clothes and belongings will shrink to fit them. Also, the two guardians will have your schedules modified so that you go to all of the same classes. Make sure you take the potion right before you go to sleep, and tomorrow when you wake up one of you will be a four year old. Sleep well." She handed each of them a vial and walked out of the common room. Lily yawned.
"Well, I'm off to bed. Night all." Lily walked into her room and closed the door behind her.
"Me too. Night Sirius."
"Night." James and Sirius walked into their separate rooms on either side of Lily's and closed the doors behind them. All three climbed into their beds and quickly took the potion. They snuggled down under the covers and drifted into a peaceful sleep.
A/N: Did you like it? Please review! I'm going to continue with the story even if everybody hates it, but I'd like to hear from you if you didn't! Hate it, that is. Anyways, review please!
Bee :)