The Marauders are starting their fifth year at Hogwarts; Remus is starting with a massive scar across his face - a byproduct of the increasing severity of his furry little problem, which is a definite cause for concern despite his insistence that it it's fine. Sirius is starting with the memories of a certain morning at 12 Grimmauld Place in August: memories that he might not ever forget, yet is desperate to cloak underneath the facade that every is fine at home and that he and his parents just sometimes encounter minor disagreements. James is starting his fifth year, yes, but more importantly, he is starting phase five of his plan to woo Lily Evans: somehow his friends seem doubtful that he might succeed, but James, being James, is in no lack of confidence. And Peter, well, Peter is starting to wonder just why he puts up with these people, and if he should really be feeling sorry for Lily Evans, and maybe if he should have asked to have been sorted into Hufflepuff.

trigger warning It wasn't meant to end this way. It wasn't meant to end in yelling and throwing. It wasn't meant to end with Jessie storming out of the common room in tears. It wasn't meant to end with Sirius punching the wall until he bled. The anger wasn't meant to come crashing back into his head. The depression wasn't meant to creep back into hers. But what did they expect? What did they expect when they put two walking disasters together? Because they sure as hell didn't expect what they got: a time bomb. A bomb that exploded and took everything with it. Sirius Black short story, written in poetry.