The Marauders: Year One | #Wattys2016

End of Term

End of Term

Detentions were the worst. The first year Gryffindors sat at desks in McGonagall's classroom, their textbooks spread out before them, not allowed to talk or pass notes. James spent a good deal of time staring off out the window or across the desks at the curtain of ginger hair that fell from Lily's head as she bent over her parchment, taking notes from her books. They certainly had no lack of reason to study, either, quite honestly.

The end of the term was coming up, which meant exams in every class, and the boys had spent the greater part of the last month studying spells that would've been suited for dueling in the forest, not what was actually being assigned in their classrooms. Consequently, Peter had become a nervous wreck, reciting bits of information from books no matter what time of day it was, or where they were in the castle. Even in the middle of the night, he frequently was woken up by Remus, telling him to shut it, for he'd been reciting potion ingredients in his sleep.

Moody continued teaching the Defense Against the Dark Arts classes for the rest of the term, and the Slytherins continued to complain about it in the Great Hall. Lucius Malfoy still sneered at Bilius Weasley, who sneered right back, and the Ravenclaw Quidditch team managed to win their final game against Slytherin, causing them to reclaim the lead in the running for the House Cup, which made everyone on campus quite happy - especially Gwen, the Ravenclaw Quidditch captain. She had indeed been picked up by one of the teams, she told Remus so during one last Slug Club in early June, celebrating the end of exams.

The Great Hall was decorated in bronze and blue for the end of year feast, and three of the house tables cheered when it was announced officially that Ravenclaw had won - all but Slytherin were quite pleased with the results.

Nothing more was said to any of the Gryffindors about the night in the forest with the Dark Lord, though Lily continued to implore Sirius to go to Dumbledore every opportunity she had. She wasn't exactly friends with the boys, but they were all on better speaking terms than they had been earlier in the year, when Lily had refused to talk to them at all. She even gave Peter some much needed help with one of the exam revisions.

On the very last day at Hogwarts, the sun was shining on the grounds and warming the grass and the boys went out onto the lawns to enjoy themselves in the sunlight. They stood at the edge of the lake, under the tree, where they'd had their rainy day picnic earlier in the year. James was skipping rocks across the surface of the water, while Peter sleepily daydreamed about his mother's hold made pork pie, which he'd be eating in less than a day. Of the boys, James and Peter were looking forward to summer most while both Remus and Sirius were dreading the break.

Remus said, "It's awful lonely back home, I haven't got any friends there. I'm going to miss you lot."

"Me, too, mate," said Sirius. "Even our house elf detests me back home."

Remus frowned, "My mum and dad are afraid of me when the moon's coming 'round," he sighed and dragged a stick through some loose sand before him, drawing a pattern. He forced an apologetic smile. "Being alone's just a part of this whole werewolf gig, though. I'm quite used to it, I suppose." He sighed.

"You could write me if you want," suggested Sirius.

Remus smiled ruefully, "I would, but werewolves lack the posable thumbs."

"So write me when you aren't a wolf, then," Sirius chuckled.

Next day, Bilius Weasley knocked on their door early in the morning to remind them it was leaving day and they all had to leave their bags behind to be brought down to Hogsmeade Station for the train back to London. James nudged Sirius and pulled him aside a little after breakfast. "I have something to show you," he said. Once they were alone, pulled over in an empty classroom while Remus and Peter moved along on the moving staircases. James opened his book bag and withdrew the hand mirror he'd found on the ground in the Forbidden Forest and showed it to Sirius.