The Marauding Five - Year One

Lily felt her head spinning as she fell with a loud thud on the fireplace. She blinked, staring at everything before her.

'Hey, move off Evans,' Sirius called and Lily scrambled off, just as Sirius hit the gratings with a louder thud. He got up quickly as Remus and James follow suit.

'No one warned me about falling into another fireplace,' Lily muttered as she brushes the soot off her light green dress. Gram turned up minutes after, muttering something about leaving the fire burn before talking cheerfully at them.

'Okay, now where will we start from?' she asked, seemingly glad to return to the wizarding world. Lily, James, Sirius and Remus looked around eagerly before deciding to get their wands.

After all, Lily said to herself gleefully, we'll get more fun done with wands.

Gram opened her purse to check how much she had before sighing.

'You won't mind if I go to Gringotts? We need some money and I had hardly left in my purse.'

'Well, we'll wait at Zonko's as we want to see some cool tricks,' Sirius said hopefully.

'Yea, our parents won't let us touch a finger on them, so please?'

'Please, Gram? I want to look around, too.'

All four turned her their best puppy-dog look at Gram as she laughed heartily, leaving them at Zonko's before hurrying to Gringotts.

Four kids grinned happily as they walked into the shop, James jingling his pocket with his saved money. They looked around, pleased at everything they see. Lily gazed at the tricks happily.

'DungBombs, Invisible Paint, Filibuster's Fireworks… wow! Just think of all the tricks we could do!' Lily gasped happily as she went through the displays.

'How about getting some? I've some money here. Been saving them for a long time,' James said happily, pulling out ten galleons, fifteen sickles and twelve Knuts.

'I've some somewhere,' Sirius said, rummaging his pockets untidily before pulling out eight galleons, five sickles and five Knuts.

'Great! We could use them on these goodies as I'm sure my mum had given loads of money to Gram to spend on me!' James said eagerly.

Sirius nodded his head in agreement as they started piling up their arms with Dung Bombs, Filibuster's Fireworks, Invisible Paints ('Might be useful some day,' Remus pointed out), Rocketing Rashes ('Will shock ol' Petunia beautifully,' Lily giggled), Jumping Beanstalks, Fang Frisbees, Ever-Bashing Boomerangs, Screaming Yo-Yo and loads more.

They managed it to the counter and paid for them before Gram walked briskly towards them.

'Now, buying things, haven't you? Well, as your mother had given me the money to spend on you-'

James, Sirius and Remus smirked,

'-it'll be pretty fine. Lily, here's some extra money whilst in school. You might need it. I'd figured someone will be a wizard or witch, so I'd an account in Gringotts. Here's the spare key, Lily. How about going to the wands now?' the old woman said as she smiled at them.

Carrying the load of tricks in each other's hands, they staggered towards a shop where a wand sat on a purple faded cushion, dust gathering behind the window. Gram left them there, not before handing them ten galleons each, as she left a strict warning about playing jokes on people and turned to Flourish and Blotts to get their books.

James stared on. 'What's the fun if we don't play jokes?' he turned to the others.

'Well, we don't wanna hear Gram say, "I told you so" so I guess we'd better heed her warning, just for this shop,' Lily said eagerly, her eyes twinkling merrily.

'She didn't say we aren't allowed to play on others,' Sirius added in helpfully. 'Yep! She just said to don't play jokes on people. They're all wizards and witches here,' Remus grinned.

'Sure, but I don't feel like trying on the Ollivanders. I mean, if they sell wands, don't you think we'll be in trouble if we play on him?' James put in. Lily and the others nodded their heads in agreement before walking into the shop in - what Sirius had said - their grand way.

They threw the door open, clearly disturbing the peacefulness and silence in the shop. Mr Ollivander looked up from his copy of Daily Prophet as the little bell above the door tinkled their appearance in the sullen shop.

'Ah! How may I help you?' Mr Ollivander started.

'Please, Mr Ollivander, we'd like four wand, please.'

'And it has to be like Gram's. Good and nice.'

'Don't forget; it has to work!'

'Yep!' The four chorused together. Mr Ollivander just chuckled merrily as he walked up to them.

'Well, certainly! The Ollivanders are the best wand-maker in centuries. Now, let's see which will be your wand.' The four kids stared at him as four measuring tapes hopped over and start measuring while Mr Ollivander rummaged through the boxes. The boys and girl began to wonder how will he be knowing what their measurements are, as he had his back turned to them.

'Ah! Try this. Mahogany, eleven inches. Pliable. Quite powerful and excellent for Transfiguration. The wand chooses the wizard, not the other way round. This, you must remember,' Mr Ollivander said as he tossed a wand towards James, who caught it deftly. He gave it a little wave as bright green and red sparks shot up into the air, forming a small fountain. Lily, Sirius and Remus gasped happily as James grinned.

'I'll have this, Mr Ollivander. It's the one for me,' James said as Ollivander handed him a box to keep his wand.

'Now you'd seen your friend there has his wand, why not try and find yours?' Mr Ollivander said as he bent over to pick more wands for tryouts. The other three didn't hesitate, but instead, walked towards the pile of boxes, pulling out wands of each kind and start waving them around before passing it to the other.

'Well, I never! You had saved me loads of trouble, but you're the most interesting customers I'd ever had,' Mr Ollivander said, smiling cheekily at them. Lily and Sirius just grinned as Remus waved a wand, which shot out of his hand and hit Sirius hard on his head. Grumbling, Sirius picked up the wand as he waved it in a small circle, twirling it around his fingers doing so. Brown-black sparks flew from it, forming a small string of stars.

'Ah, that is a good one! Swishy. Oak. Fourteen inches. Perfect for powerful counter spells. Take that,' Mr Ollivander said as he watch Remus and Lily, still sorting out for their wands.

'I'll try this,' Lily said, holding up a wand.

'That, is ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. A good one for charms.'

But Lily was paying him no attention. She brought it over her head and gave it a simple wave; emitting rainbow colored stars and sparks from it. She smiled happily at it before crying, 'This, is mine. Mine, mine!'

'Hey slow it, Lily! I'm still in search for mine,' Remus called from under a pile of magical wands. He was unseen, as the wands had pile themselves over him. Remus sighed. 'Can't seem to find it,' he said sadly.

'Here, we'll give you a hand,' James said as they turned most boxes around, right to the bottommost one.

'If you can't fine it on the top, it'll definitely be at the bottom,' Lily said knowledgeably.

The opened the bottom box as Remus pulled it out and gave it a small wave, expecting it to shoot out of his hands again. To his delight, it sent yellow-green sparks from its tip in a small type of fountain, like James'.

'I'd found it! At last! I'd found my wand!' Remus said happily, jumping about in the room as Lily, James and Sirius stack back all the boxes.

'I'm glad for you, Remus. Don't you think you could give us a hand here?' Lily asked as she topped the boxes and arranged them neatly.

'Huh? Oh, sure.'

Once done, they apologize for their rudeness and paid Mr Ollivander 28 Galleons (it's 7 galleons each) for their wands as the old man watch them with an amused expression on his face, his silver eyes twinkling happily at his young customers. They thank him once again and turned to leave, just before the door was opened. Gram walked in casually, casting warning glances at the four marauders.

'Good morning, Mr Ollivander. I hope they are no nuisance to you,' she said turning to the man behind the counter. Lily rolled her eyes. James pretended to pull out a few Dung Bombs as if to bomb the shop into pieces.

'Gram! How could you think so? Don't you know that we're the most innocent saints in this shop? We are no trouble, are we Mr Ollivander? If we're nuisances, how could he have put up with us? I mean, look! Mr Ollivander is still alive, uninjured and smiling!' Sirius ranted cheerfully.

James put in, 'Yea Gram. Mr Ollivander even praised us! Didn't he, Lily?'

Lily put on an innocent face and started, 'Gram, don't you believe us? We never once touched those jokes we bought! Look, you can count them if you want. We bought about 80 Dung Bombs, 50 Filibuster's Fireworks–'

Remus cut her 'And how could you suspect innocents like us, the most innocent around, to cause trouble to old Mr Ollivander here? He's such a great help, so kind of him to help us getting our wands and all. We could never play a joke on him, can we guys?' Remus turned to his companions, who nodded at each word and with the most innocent face they could muster.

Gram looked like she's about to faint.

'Now, now, Turner. They didn't do anything but choose their own wands. I must say they are a bright lot, likely to be really clever. You shouldn't suspect them being a nuisance. They are, clearly, the most interesting and amusing customers I'd ever had in all these centuries!' Mr Ollivander said, patting on Gram's shoulder.

'I guess so. They can be really mischievous sometimes. Thank you, Ollivander, for your help. We must leave now to Madam Malkin's.' Gram led them away from the Ollivanders' as they headed to Madam Malkin's Robes For All Occasions.

'Really, Gram, why didn't you believe us when we said we were innocent?' Sirius asked, an annoyed expression on his features.

'I don't trust you four. You may have done something to him and maybe put a charm or two on him. I'd half expected you to blow up the shop at any moment, or set those fake wands on work,' Gram said in a curt voice.

'Hello Turner! It's been some time, hasn't it?' a stout lady in mauve robes glided over to Gram and hugged her.

'Yes, Malkin. Now, now, do you mind helping my granddaughter and her friends here,' Gram said, waving her hands towards the four who grinned broadly and bow, 'to get their robes for Hogwarts? They're starting this year. Ollivander says that they'll be pretty good, judging by the chosen wands.'

'Well Turner, I clearly remembered your daughter coming here. She was a good witch, wasn't she? Lily, I'm sure you have a sister – Petunia, wasn't it Turner? – is she a witch too? I hadn't seen her before, though Turner told me about her,' Malkin said as she started measuring their sizes.

'Oh yes. Is Petunia a witch? Dear, dear, I don't think so, Madam Malkin. See, she didn't seem to do anything when we played our infamous tricks on her,' Sirius answered cheerfully, clearly glad that Petunia wasn't a witch.

'So she's a squib?'

'A squib?'

'It's a person without magical powers even if they were borne in a wizard's family.'

'Oh. So dad's a wizard?'

'Yep.'

'How come I never knew about all this?'

'It's to be kept a secret. No muggles are supposed to know that witches and wizards exist.'

'Oh.'

By now, Madam Malkin had already finished measuring all four and had set out to find the perfect robes for them. Gram had taken into talking with her old friend as the Marauders busied themselves talking about Hogwarts.

'Mother says that it's the best school ever!'

'Dad told me that there are secret passages! We'll really be marauding this time!'

'Which house will we go, I wonder. Dad says that they'll set this sort of test for us.'

'A test? Oh no! I don't even know any spells!'

'Nah! Remus, your dad's just kidding. Mother says that we'll just put on a very battered, old hat.'

'It'd better be so…'

'Calm it! We can learn over the holidays, can't we?'

'We're smart, remember?'

'Or so what Ollivander says. I mean, we could get ourselves in trouble.'

'Remus, what's fun without trouble?'

'Right. With our genius, Lily, here, we'll be so smart we can't be beaten.'

'Oh I'm so flattered Sirius. Sorry, no can do. I won't be the only one doing all the reading for four.'

'I'll help.'

'Thanks, James.'

'And we'll just set up a list of things to do there, okay Remus?'

'Deal.'

Madam Malkin walked over. 'Here kids, try this on,' she said, handing them a robe each.

'Not kids. Marauders,' Lily said as she draw her arm through the sleeves.

'Marauders? Are you going to maraud my shop?' Madam Malkin asked with a shock pretence plastered over her kindly face.

'Nah! We'll rather ransack Hogwarts. We hear loads of it from our parents,' James said as he tried pulling his head over.

'Except me. How come I'm borne in a wizarding family and not hear a word about it?' Lily grumbled.

'Because your sister's a squib. She'll be jealous if she knows she isn't a witch, Lily,' Gram explained.

'There, they all fit perfectly! A little taller one of Sirius, though, but the rest fit just nice!' Madam Malkin said, beaming all over her round face.

'Right. I grow extremely fast.'

'At least you're tall. I'm short,' Remus muttered. He was clearly the shortest of the four.

'Okay boys, I get your message,' Madam Malkin laughed as she went back to get a larger one for Sirius.

'So what are you talking about while we were gone?' Gram asked as she turned to them.

'Oh, we're talking about Hogwarts. How is it like there, Gram? They say there are secret passages and all. Also, how are we getting sorted? What houses? Tell us everything, Gram!' they pleaded.

Gram just laughed as Madam Malkin walked back in with more robes for them.

'Turner, here are the robes,' Madam Malkin said as she brought it over to the counter.

'Now, Malkin, what about charging the old friend? Surely you won't give me some discount?' Gram asked cheekily.

'Fine, Turner. Half price, is that fine with you?' Malkin said, laughing.

'Perfect, Malkin. Now, I must get them going. They need their cauldrons, potions ingredients, quills, parchments, inkbottles and more. Thank you,' Gram said, waving her old friend a cheery goodbye as they bustled out of the small shop.

'Gram, let's go to Eeylop's Owl Emporium! I want an owl!' James cried excitedly, pulling Gram's robes towards a large shop. Sirius, Remus and Lily broke into huge grins as they too, pull the staggering Gram towards Eeylop's Owl Emporium.

'Now, let me go, now!' Gram said sharply. They obediently let go of the robes, but Lily caught her hand and start dragging her Gram towards the direction that they had headed to. 'Lily! Lily! LILY!' Gram called furiously at her granddaughter.

Lily paid no attention and let go of her calling grandmother as soon as they were in from of the emporium.

'Lily, I'd never seen such behavior!' Gram started.

The four paid her no attention as she continued ranting on about manners for elders. They were staring at the owls happily, who hooted in excitement. Realizing that her audiences aren't listening, Gram gave in to them.

'You kids are the worst I'd ever met in my years!' Gram grumbled as they pulled her in.

'Thank you, Gram. We'd tried our best,' the four chorused together before bowing, much to the amusement of the shopkeeper, owls and customers.

'If that is your best, I'd certainly hate to see the worst. It must be terrible!' Gram said shuddering. 'Go on and choose your owls. My treat. You need owls to carry your post home, so I don't see why you shouldn't have one each,' Gram said, smiling them her kind smile as they went scattering, looking for an owl.

After hoots and cries, the four emerged with four owls placed on their shoulders.

Grinning broadly, they held out their owls to Gram. Lily had a snowy white one, James has a tawny brown one, Sirius chose a brown-black owl (looking as though it has gone through an accident), as Remus picked a screeching red-brown owl. Gram almost fainted.

'Do you know what sort of owl you'd picked?' she asked faintly. They shook their heads in response, still grinning as they pull her to the counter.

'Lily, yours is a snow white one, probably from foreign places, but definitely not here. James, that tawny owl has some sort of – er – mischief brains in it; I wouldn't want another mischief-maker after you four. Sirius, are you sure that owl's okay? It seems as though it had gone through some serious accident. I don't think it'll fly nicely-'

'Gram, this owl will fly fine! I know it.'

'Remus, I don't think your parents would appreciate screeching owls,' Gram said disapprovingly as she paid for the owls. The kids were certainly sure with their chosen owls.

'My mum says a screeching owl would be just fine as I often slept in,' Remus replied casually.

'I really have no idea of what to do with you,' Gram muttered as they went to buy their potions ingredients (at the apothecary's) and cauldrons.

Lily was fascinated by the sorts of cauldrons sold and she pointed to a brass gold one, 'Gram, look! It's nice, isn't it? It won't melt either. Can I have it? Please?'

'Now, Lily dear, the letter says pewter, didn't it? We should heed the items needed, including their specifications; a pewter one,' Gram said as she chose four pewter cauldrons. Lily grumbled in response.

Next, Gram half dragged the kids to the stationery's, as they were staring at the broom models in Quidditch Supplies. Lily learnt everything about Quidditch, as the shop owner had explained her the rules, ways of playing and all, and was practically on her knees for a broomstick.

'Lily, first years aren't allowed to bring broomsticks! There's no point in buying it if you can't bring it to school. It will simply be used to sweep my floors clean whilst you're studying in school,' Gram had explained as James, Sirius and Remus begged her, too.

'Gram, can you tell me about Hogwarts? I mean, all about it?' Lily started.

'No need to. I'd bought you a book, Hogwarts: A History, from Flourish and Blotts. You can read it in the holidays.'

'Okay.'

***

'Have we got everything?' Gram asked the kids.

'Everything but broomsticks. Really Gram, you could have bought them for us,' Sirius complained as he browsed his textbooks in boredom.

'Sirius, I can't have Dumbledore expel you.'

'At least we have our funs,' Remus muttered, looking at his beetle eyes.

'Gram, how are we going back?'

'Floo Powder. Common way to save time.'

Lily wasn't quite sure on that idea. She didn't like the idea of being swallowed into the flames again, but if that is the only way to get back quick, she have to accept it. Her stomach's already grumbling about having not enough for breakfast and her legs were complaining of being walked on too much.

'Can we go now? Mr Tummy's being really upset at the moment, Gram'

'Oh, I'd forgotten all about lunch! Oh well, we'll make it. Here, take the Floo Powder and we'll go through Malkin's fireplace.'

Great. I'll be swallowed up by flames once again, Lily said to herself. She took a pinch of the powder for the second time of the day and they walked towards Madam Malkin's Robes For All Occasions. Gram asked permission to use the fireplace and they were ushered into a little room where red flames were cackling merrily and tiny sparks flew out continuously. Lily gulped as she listened to Gram talking.

'Now, say Bluebells Cup this time, as we're going home. James, your mother asked me to look after you as she'll be visiting your grandparents in Godric's Hollow. Sirius, Remus, you can choose to go home or come with us. Now off we go, Lily first.'

Lily took a deep breath as she walked bravely towards the fire, as if daring it to eat her alive.

She threw in the green powder as green flames burst, gobbling up the red ones, before stepping in and calling 'Bluebells Cup!' as darkness engulfed her.

***

She landed in a thud as she stared at the blur picture before her. She rubbed her eyes as they're still dizzy from the travel before recognizing it as Gram's room. She jumped up quickly, realizing that the next person might come hurtling down and knock into her. James shot out after her, hands flinging, as his books, his owl, cauldron and all scattered around the room in mess.

'One rough ride. Sirius and Remus'll be coming with us.' James muttered, brushing his shirt off soot and coals. True enough, Sirius and Remus come bounding after them, followed by Gram.

Gram got up and skidded towards the kitchen to prepare meals as the four carried their things to Lily's room to be sorted out.

Lily pulled out a copy of Hogwarts: A History before burying her nose into it. James is already feeding his owl with some owl pellets and feels him for a high temperature (it looked green). Sirius and Remus were rummaging through their goods from Zonko's before pulling out a parchment and start a list of things to do with them. Gram hummed herself a tune as she readied lunch.

An hour later, a delicious scent has already wafted around their noses as the four perked up and ran towards the kitchen, holding their cutleries in eagerness. Lily still had her nose in the book ('Finish this quick and I'll get to look up at spells to use') and was already towards the end as Gram came in waltzing into the dining, plates levitating in air again before settling down in front of the eager faces.

'Why didn't you use magic, Gram?'

'Yea left us to starve, didn't you?'

'Our tummy's grumbling…'

'Mine's eating my juices already!'

'I didn't use magic because I'm too used by cooking on my own, dears. Are you eating?'

The four had already attacked their lunch and was at Gram for refills.

'Really hungry, aren't you?' Gram said smiling. The four nodded as their plates were filled as they attacked it with relish once again.

Sirius patted his stomach with a satisfied expression. 'That was great, Gram. Now Remus and me have to leave now. Thanks Gram!' With that, Sirius and Remus left the house with their things and a full stomach. Lily turned her last page and had finished it as James pig down his food once again.

A satisfied grin plastered on her face, Lily went upstairs to collect her textbooks and start on them, hoping to come across a fine spell to use on Petunia, James bounding up the stairs after her.

The red head opened her one of her many books as she began to gobble up all the information the book has provided her with. James was staring at his owl (looking purple now) in amusement, wondering what happened to its brown color. Lily zapped through her books quickly (she's a quick reader) as she settled down to perform simple spells.

She grabbed her wand and muttered 'Lumos', giving her wand's tip a soft glow of bright light. James was too busy with his owl to notice her.

Lily ignored him too, as she went on to the next one. 'Wingardium Leviosa!' she called, pointing to the clock beside her bed. Nothing. She looked at it carefully before pointing her wand in the clock's direction, 'Wingardium Leviosa!' she cried, as the clock began hovering over her bed.

Walking over to her door, she locked it, only to tap it with her wand and said 'Alohomora' before the lock unlocked itself, opening the door to her.

Lily grinned. She'd managed a couple of simple spells. James was talking to his owl now, obviously trying to make a conversation with the purple-blue creature. Lily turned to him, stared at the owl, and sighed. She reached up to her book before opening it and turning it to a page full of spells and what it does. She walked over to the owl and tapped it softly with her wand, saying Curiosa. James was already moaning at the owl to return to its proper color when it turned brown in front of his eyes. He blinked at it. The owl blinked back.

'Lily! How'd you do that? I'd tried talking to it, feeding it owl pellets – loads, too – and it just wouldn't listen! Hey, you got those spells read up? How come you never call me?'

Lily stared at him.

'I tried to attract your attention, but it seems like you're more interested in this owl here. Thought I'd give you a helping hand with him,' Lily said slowly before opening her Transfiguration book again.

James heard her muttering 'mm… okay', 'worth a try' and lots more before looking around him. The clock on her bedside table had turned into a rooster. Her pencils are replaced by magnificent peacock quills and her table? It became a sleeping rhinoceros.

Not eager to lose, James grabbed up his book and began soaring through the pages, faster than Lily was.

Lily was in the midst of turning her covers into soft clouds when she heard James crying out 'Lumos'.

'Hey, no need to cry it that loud! I'm sure the whole village heard you and thought you were getting a bulb. Your wand can hear you, that's enough,' Lily said before turning her attention to her covers again.

'Humph! I know it alright, just wanna prove it to you that I can do it as well.'

'Thanks! I'm now, at least, glad that I am not the only one who'd done the studying.'

'You're most welcomed.'

'JAMES!'

Lily's Gram came bursting at the door.

'You are not- oh, my!'

Gram almost fainted at the sight that greeted her. James and Lily's owl were flying around, scattering feathers in process as things were thrown everywhere. On Lily's table, peacock quills stood on her desk and a proud rooster sat at her bedside table. Lily's covers were in process of turning themselves into pink clouds.

'What, Gram?'

'Nothing. James, you are NOT to call out your spells aloud. Sure, you can practice your spells, but we can't have everyone hearing that, can we? Minimize the volume, can't you?'

'Sorry Gram. I'll slow down. Just thought my wand wouldn't hear me unless I shout.'

'Excuses, excuses,' Gram tut as she closes the door after her.

'Well, getting the hang of it?'

'Sort of.'

'I'd memorized everything. Hopefully, I can pass the test easily. Just need to work on the practicals, but they seem fine,' Lily said, pointing at the hovering, fluffy cloud. She waved her wand at it as it return its shape back to her covers.

'Good for you. I wonder what Sirius and Remus had planned though. Must be outrageous, or I'll levitate them up high,' James said, grinning cheerfully.

'They'd better,' Lily agreed as she move on to open her Hogwarts: A History once again.