Chapter One:

The Time We Couldn't Find James..

We start with one simple, very important, very crucial rule.

1. Bored Marauders are dangerous Marauders.

Now that you know, you understand that on this particular September day, three boys of equal age, but certainly not equal personalities, loaded their bags onto the Hogwarts Express, all running out of things to talk about. It took only two minutes to say their hellos, ten to explain their summers, and their last member of the group to arrive so they could start plans for the new school year. However, without their friend, the chaps boarded the train.

"Right. I'll see about Hookum and Avery."

"You will not. You snog the girl at one party and suddenly we can't hang out anymore."

"Rotten luck—there's McDonald, we can chat with her."

"She's got that Carrow git with her. What's his name…?"

"Hang on; what does my snogging have to do with you and Daisy?"

"Just split up."

The boys, all in agreement, went off in their own paths to find the fourth.

In another carriage, not far from where they'd gathered, sat a pretty red-head and her friends. She contributed nothing to the conversation since they'd settled down in their seats fifteen minutes ago. If she were quizzed on the gossip of a brunette and blonde sitting across from her, she'd surely fail. The only test she could ever fail. However, her parents always said she had horrid listening. Her parents, matter-of-fact, held her thoughts now. What they must be doing every September 1st when their darling daughter hopped on the train that would take her to a darling school for darling freaks. Never had she believed in the prejudice name, but there you had it.

"Oh where art thou Lily?" The blonde chirped, obviously cheerful for Merlin knew what. "Mayhaps the land between reality and dreaming."

"Sorry?" Lily folded her legs underneath her, shifting her body against the window. She meant to give an open posture, to show she'd give them her full, undivided attention. Why her focus was put off more than usual today meant she needed to tell a story or two. The perks of having best friends were that they shared their food, and they knew when to expect details. Both girls leaned forward slightly.

"So, since we haven't seen you much this summer…" The blonde looked over at her companion.

"And we know you've seen an awful lot of Frank Longbottom when you were busy not seeing us…" The brunette went on. Lily smoothed down her Muggle shirt, a red and white plaid button-down, and deliberately took her time. She liked building the tension; she loved it. When did you ever read a book or text that went right to it, leaving you with just the answers and none of the mystery? It'd be like opening a book right smack in the middle and going from there. That was her motto; they both knew by now. And like good friends, they hadn't forgotten over the summer—as they might have forgotten their charms and over-the-summer homework. Lily cleared her throat.

"Frank just might be the sweetest—."

"And dreamiest-."

"And smartest-."

"—Boy in Hogwarts where I'm concerned," Lily cut in, giving them both looks of frustration. "Now you've ruined it, I—."

"Excuse me, ladies. Vance." At this, the darker-haired girl rolled her eyes. "Have you seen Potter? The git gave us the slip."

"What a surprise," Vance, as identified by the boy who'd just popped his head into their carriage, snorted. "He gives the professors the slip, the girls the slip—what he needs is to slip off his ego for a day." After giving her input-which no one had asked for-she resorted to happily reading the Quidditch magazine in her lap. No one said anything for awhile because, when they thought it through, 'Potter' was guilty on both charges. Being condemned to bitter talk behind his back seemed like a fair trade. The bloke bit his tongue, deciding this day would be the day he'd put forth an effort to be nice.

"Emmeline," Lily sighed as if she'd been apologizing for her friend's attitude all her life, which she had. She knew how her friend and he got into it within five minutes of each other's presence. Some could call it pent-up aggression that would later end in undying love. However, she didn't want a repeat of what happened to the last Hufflepuff who casually mentioned that to Emmeline Vance. Things just weren't pretty with the two five feet within distance of the other. He waited for an answer. "Sorry, Sirius. Better luck checking in with Mary?"

"He's not in our bloody pockets, Black," the third party sighed. She tossed her hair over her bare shoulders, the sun glinting off each strand. Her name was Dorcas Meadowes and the blonde never liked speaking to Sirius; only rarely when the situation called for it and, because he always pursued her, it always did. Then she gave him sort of a smile. "Why don't you check your cousin's? She's been dying to get him in her...ahem…pocket since fifth year and what Narcissa wants, she gets." At this, Sirius stood upright, and glared coldly at her. There's also something you should remember and whether it will be just as important as the first rule or not may well be up to you.

Sirius is, and always will be, a Black.

Written on paper, designed on the back of his Quidditch jersey, and used by a fair amount of angry Professors. Being a Black meant being the cousin of three Slytherin girls, all as different as the previous mentioned boys, and the brother to a right git. If he could choose to be something other than a Black, he'd trade his arm, leg, and pack of smokes for the chance. For being a Black also meant being branded as 'them.' Whether he liked to associate with his family or not, it didn't matter to the general public eye. He was one of 'them' and 'they' never ceased to turn Hogwarts around from the floorboards to the ceiling. "Careful, Blondie, your jealousy's showing," he bit back.

"Bugger off, lady man," Dorcas retorted. She liked to think Sirius, and Sirius's hair, made him a candidate of absolute teasing. His jet-black mane came down to his shoulders as if not been cut since birth. Lily nudged Emmeline in her side and the two watched with amusement when the two—who neither knew nor might have cared—started to put on a show, throwing insults back and forth.

"Git."

"Priss.'

"Evil, vindictive, pranny!"

"Foul-mouthed snob."

"Bloody Hell, out already! I'll show you foul-mouthed you—you-."

Suddenly, before Dorcas could utter a curse, Sirius had disappeared and in his stead, a different boy popped his head in a few seconds later. "Alright, Meadowes?"

Looking miffed and not at all amused as her companions did, she snatched up her carry-on bag and began rummaging through it. To the stranger's eye, she looked like she was in search of something, but anyone who looked close could see a hint of red in her cheeks. "Sorry about him," the lad apologized, taking a seat next to Lily. "We try and keep him on a lease but you know, he chews right through it most every time." His warm brown eyes sparkled, giving them a helpless shrug and the red-head a pat on the shoulder. Lily gave him an easy smile, feeling the atmosphere shift from hostile hilarity to silent recognition. Somehow, with the two friends, that happened everywhere they want. Like Lily and Emmeline, this boy and Sirius were in constant contradictory of each other. Like Lily, he always went behind Sirius, cleaning up whatever mess and trouble he left. And sometimes, it isn't fair being friends to a git who jeopardizes your relationships, the girl thought as she looked at Dorcas from the corner of her eye.

"Are you planning to stay with us, Remus, dear?" Lily asked.

"Oh no, don't worry. I shouldn't be bothering you the whole of the way there. Has the bloke mentioned we're looking for James, by the way? Maybe he hadn't gotten the chance before…well...shaking things up a bit in here," Remus answered her, this time looking from the brunette to the blonde.

"He did, and then this happened. As long as you're here-how was your summer?"

Before he could reply, however, a fifth body with shocking blue eyes and a present frown on her face nearly stormed past, stopped, and crossed her arms at Remus from outside the carriage. She is Marlene McKinnon and from here on out, two things about the girl should be noted.

Remus Lupin fancied her.

Sirius Black dated her.

If you've ever had a friend, or been a friend, you know that this was a problem. If you've never been a friend at all, listen closely.

"What's he done?"

" 'Fancy a snog with me, McKinnon?' The idiot asks as I'm chatting with Avery and then he looks right at him and you know what he says? 'What am I saying? Look at this bloke, of course you do.' And just before I have the chance to tell him where he could put that wand of his, the sodding idiots are rolling around on the ground like—like—idiots!" Marlene crinkled her nose in anger. "Oh, hullo Lily, Emmeline, Dorcas." She added in and was met with a chorus of hellos back. At this point, kids rushed past her and not long after, chanting ensued. Marlene swore under her breath, grabbed Remus, and the two walked with hurried steps back to her booth.

"Five on Avery." Emmeline spoke up, getting to her feet.

"Ten."

"On Avery?" Dorcas looked at Lily incredulously.

"Marlene."

The three girls grinned at each other and made their way to the scene of the excitement.