AN/ I LIVE! I promise I'm not dead! I have been having severe lack of creative activity lately, including my original works and other shit like that. It's kind of annoying actually and I think my muse took an uninvited vacation, the bitch. Anyway, here is my update and I'm sorry that it's so late. I'll try to update sooner, but with school and work I'm not sure how much time I'll have to write. Any questions, drop me a line. Reviews are highly appreciated! Enjoy the chapter!

I nearly sprint through the barrier in my attempts to get away from father. Since there's only one of us to bring to the station this year, only father is bothering to come with me. However, I soon feel his hand gripping my shoulder and follow his tugging. He ends up pulling me to a pillar and looks down his nose at me.

"Annalisa," he says, "I do not want to find out that you have been acting as horribly as you did in the previous year. I understand that all children go through a phase of rebellion. However, that behavior shall no longer be acceptable. Have I made myself clear?"

I nod, "Yes sir. May I now board the train?"

Father watches me for a couple of minutes. Probably trying to figure out if I am lying or something along those lines. He finally nods and I bow before leaving him, running so fast that I would swear that I apparated. There's a compartment that is completely empty in the back and I shove my trunk up onto one of the racks and flop down into a seat. Once seated, I look out the window, watching for the boys or Marlene. Marlene is easy to find and she's talking with people who I can only assume are her parents. James isn't that too far off from her and I notice that Remus is also by the Potters. He probably either stayed with them or found them at the station. I feel my heart tug a little for him. It's got to be hard not having his dad around anymore. A little more searching and I can see that Sirius is standing between his mother and father while they talk with his aunt and uncle. It's Andromeda's seventh year and I know that Narcissia is in her sixth year. Plus Regulus will be starting at Hogwarts next year with Rowan.

"Poor Sirius. He'll always have a family member at school with him," I mutter, grateful that I at least get this year by myself. I tear myself away from my thoughts and find Peter. He's tugging himself away from his mother, who looks like she's part octopus. I raise an eyebrow. Surely she's used to her son not being home by now? Then again, some people are different with stuff like that.

The door to the compartment opens and I turn to see Marlene pop her head in. She grins at me, "Hey Ann. Lily and I have a compartment and I was hoping you'd join us. I feel a little outnumbered between her and Snape."

"Yeah, but no thanks. I don't feel like having death glares thrown my way quite so early in the school year," I say, chuckling, "However, if you ever want to come in here and hang out, feel free. Though the boys ought to be here soon, so this is your only warning."

Marlene makes a face, "The only ones I can stand from that group are Peter and Remus. Though Remus has his moments."

"Chicken." I smirk at her and she makes another face before leaving. It doesn't take long for James, Remus, and Peter to walk in. From then on it's just a cacophony of noise and I can't help but smile. I've missed these boys over the break. They break up the quiet quite nicely.

"Ann, have you seen my git of a best friend?" James asks, a spark of mischief in his eyes.

"Saw him on the platform, but that was a few minutes ago," I say and turn to look where I'd seen the Blacks. Sure enough, they've all gone and no one is there, "And naturally, they're gone."

"Of course they're gone. They've got more important things to do," Sirius says, walking in with a huge grin, "Luckily for you, the best one of the bunch has arrived."

"And ever so humble about it too," Remus drawls from behind his book.

Peter shrugs, "That's Sirius for you. Never boastful."

"Always quiet," I gin.

By this point, Sirius has his arms crossed and is watching us with a raised eyebrow.

"And a complete and utter git!" James says, "Mate, why didn't you write over the summer? I sent about two dozen letters."

"Ah, about that," Sirius says, "I was completely bogged down with work. Mother decided that I needed some more etiquette and other useless lessons."

James makes a face, "That's completely rubbish."

"I completely agree." Sirius sits next to me. I see his jaw clench for a second before he continues, "But then again, that banshee is completely nutters."

"Well, she does have to deal with you," Peter says, grinning.

Sirius narrows his eyes and throws a piece of crumpled up parchment at the blonde boy. After that a mock fight ends up erupting between them and James is then somehow pulled into it. I grin, antagonizing each of them in turn while Remus just watches, his eyebrows raised and his lips twitching into a grin.

~*~AG~*~

"POTTER! Get back here and fix our robes!" Evans shouts down the corridor.

I grin at the black haired boy as the two of us run away from her, "Why does she always blame you?"

"Maybe because she thinks I'm the only one with the brains?" James suggests. He's just beginning to pant a little as we climb through one of the secret passages.

I snort, "Right. And I've got Merlin's fuzzy left slipper in my curio cabinet."

"That's got to be a nice conversation starter," James says, "You think that the other three are done yet?"

"Probably. Though why we had to turn Evans and Snape's robes bright pink, I still don't know." I point down another corridor and we follow that to another secret passage. It's only the second week into the new school year and we're already at it. The fact that we're doing a prank during the day seems completely mental to me, but I figured that there's got to be a reason. Especially with Remus agreeing and being the one to convince me into joining them.

"Because we could and because they were there. Plus, it should help in getting people to stay away from where the others are at." James huffs a bit, but still manages to keep pace with me, which is probably why the two of us are the distraction. We run the fastest.

My eyes widen when I see Professor Flitwick at the end of the hall. I push James into another secret passage, tumbling in after him. Unfortunately, I'd forgotten how steep this passage is and we end up rolling down to the second floor from the fifth.

James groans. "All right, next time I'll let you pick the color to change their robes to. It's nothing to try and kill me over."

I chuckle as I get up and then pull him up. I hear movement in the passage behind me and the two of us take off running again. We manage to make it all the way over to the west part of the school when we're cornered by Professor McGonagall. She just narrows her eyes and purses her lips before marching us to her office. She sits us in the chairs in front of her desk and starts to yell at us about turning other students' robes colours other than what they should be. When it seems like she's going to take a break, she starts lecturing about dropping water balloons from the top of the stairs and how that is highly dangerous and quite a few other things.

"So what do you two have to say for yourselves?" Professor McGonagall asks.

I glance at James from the corner of my eye. The boy is grinning from ear to ear and seems completely unrepentant. Which is good because I don't think either of us are actually too bothered by what we've done or the possible detentions that we're going to get from it. I clear my throat and turn back to Professor McGonagall. "Well, I can't speak for James here, but I think that you might want to have folding chairs with our names on the back."

The transfiguration professor sighs and looks as though she's going to regret this. "And just why would I do that Miss Grimwood?"

"Because we're rather mischievous and I really don't think that we'll ever change. Might as well make sure that we always have chairs waiting for us for a good talking to," I say, trying to hold back a grin.

Professor McGonagall hands us detention slips and motions for us to get out. Once James and I are in the hall, I swear I hear the sound of something really heavy hitting the desk repeatedly. I hope the professor has a bottle of headache potion nearby, she may need it.

James and I make our way back to the common room, chatting about the last Quidditch match. James is crowing about Puddlemoore's victory and I just roll my eyes. If only the Falcon's seeker had been in better condition, they would have won. As it is, the beaters gave United a fair beating. When we walk into the common room, a couple of the first years run by, looking rather scared. I raise an eyebrow and glance around for the reason. The only thing I can come up with is sitting by the fireplace looking as though he wants the bricks to explode. Shrugging to James, I walk over and flop on the couch next to him.

"Is there a particular reason you felt like scaring the first years, Remus?" I ask.

He rolls his eyes and mutters something about them being annoying and loud.

"They're Gryffindors," I say, "They're supposed to be annoying and loud. Those are pretty much two of the unofficial house traits from what I know. Unless I got it wrong?"

James shakes his head, "Nope. You got it perfectly right."

Remus huffs and holds up a piece of wrinkled parchment, "I got a letter just a few moments ago. Mum's sister is sick again and I have to go home to babysit. Mum isn't sure if her sister is going to recover from this because she keeps relapsing."

"Did she tell you what the problem is?" James asks, concern tingeing his voice.

Remus shakes his head.

"I'm sorry Remus, that's horrible," I say.

Remus shrugs, "I'm used to it."

James and I watch as he stands and goes up to the dorm. I can tell that the hazel eyed boy is weary and trying to figure out something to do for our friend, but I don't think that there is anything that we can do. Unless we can somehow figure out what is wrong, then we can't do anything. I sigh and watch the stairs to the boys' dorm, hoping for the best for Remus. He's been through too much lately. He doesn't need something like this on top of it all.

~*~AG~*~

A week later at breakfast, I duck as one of the suits of armor dances by with its partner. Peter, Remus, and Sirius had been very successful in charming the armor in the school with random dance spells. The two that are going past are in the middle of a very impressive tango and across the hall is a small troop of suits doing the can-can. The teachers have been trying to round up all of the suits of armor for the last few days, but the things always manage to break out of the room that they're placed in. I have a sneaking suspicion that the headmaster helps with that. He seems to find them entertaining. I glance up and hold back a smirk at the sight of Professor Dumbledore clapping in beat with the armors doing the can-can while Professor McGonagall looks ready to strangle the man with his own beard.

"Hey, did you see this?"

I turn back. "Hmm? I'm sorry, I was elsewhere."

Sirius chuckles. "We can tell."

Remus throws a roll at the boy before flattening the newspaper he's holding. He then points to a small square of print and I lean forward to read it.

The Ministry is currently looking into the disappearance of a Ronald Dougland. Mister Dougland was last seen at his parents' house near Cambridge a week and a half ago. His parents(muggles) do not know what may have happened as they saw him leave in perfect health. A search of Mister Dougland's residence provided no clues for the Aurors and they feel that Mister Dougland was out at the time of his disappearance. At this time, no foul play is expected.

James shrugs. "So? People go missing all the time. Dad has to deal with quite a few missing persons cases."

"Yeah, but how many of those cases last for over a week and a half?" Remus asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Not too many, but I'm sure it's possible," James says. "Maybe he just ran off."

"Possible, but difficult," Sirius says, still staring at the page. He frowns before continuing, "It means having to use a disguise while in public all the time. Not necessarily glamours either because there are spells and other things that can remove those. And he would have to be careful to not access his bank account. That can typically only be done in public, though some things can be owl ordered. Then there's also the fact of doing magic. You'd never be able to do magic in the muggle world because you'd never know if a Muggleborn or some other under age student is nearby. The trace would pick up on that magic even if it isn't the child using the magic." When Sirius notices that we're all silent, he looks up and raises his eyebrows. "What?"

James shakes his head. "Mate, I swear, if you ever go on the run, the Ministry will never catch you. It's scary how much you know about stuff like this."

Sirius shrugs. "Occupational hazard of being a Black."

"No, paranoia is an occupational hazard," I say. "Working knowledge of how to avoid being detected is a hobby."

"Hey, some people knit." The grey eyed boy shrugs again and begins to eat the roll Remus had thrown at him.

"That being said, glamours would either take too much power for the average witch or wizard and items charmed to hold glamours cost a lot. It would probably be better to use something like Polyjuice," I say. Sirius pauses and then nods his approval at my comment. "At any rate, if this guy isn't just hiding out then that means that he's likely been kidnapped."

"But for what?" Peter asks. He's staring at the paper with raised eyebrows. "If it was ransom the family would have been contacted right? So it has to be knowledge. Or something else that only he can get for whoever took him. I think this whole thing is off."

The boys agree and I tap the article a few times before following them from the Great Hall and to class.