Mysterious...

Sirius Black looked out of the train window dully. "Oi!" he said to himself. "Is there a need for school?"

"If you're respected sixth years... why not?" James Potter said coming into Sirius's compartment.

"James Potter a respected sixth year?" snorted old time buddy Remus Lupin.

"Haha Remus," James scowled. "Way to hurt a man's ego."

Remus smiled innocently. "Why, what are you talking about dear James?"

"Oh come off it," Sirius said lamely.

Remus lifted his eyebrows. "Since when does Sirius Black just sit around lamely?"

Sirius stared out the window. "School is boring."

"Boring? School? You have got to be kidding!" James said.

"And what if I'm not?" Sirius asked.

"I hereby ban Sirius Black from the Marauders Meetings," Remus said jokingly.

Suddenly a drawling, openly-smirking, oily voice asked, "What happened Black? Lost your girlfriend? Happened to misplace Quidditch talents? Suddenly discovered the world doesn't revolve around the famous Sirius Black?"

They all turned to look at the pale slimy face. Severus Snape was staring at them flanked by the usual Slytherin cronies.

"And what does the world famous idiot want?" Remus asked lazily.

"Only to mock at the now gloomy Sirius Black," Snape said almost pleasantly.

Seeing Snape had a positive affect on Sirius. He turned around to face the almost hungry eyed Snape.

"Ah, Severus, what a pleasant surprise," Sirius said in a biting tone but kept a pleasant face.

Snape looked at him, as if daring him to say a word more.

Sirius didn't do anything except give a yawn and glance casually at his fingers.

"Well is that all?" Snape gave a smirk.

James raised his eyebrows. "You think we would waste time talking to you?" he said in pretense disbelief.

"Let's go," muttered Snape.

"Sirius what's the matter? Do you need a health check up? Snape was in here for crying out loud! Why the hell didn't you do anything? What's the matter with you?" James asked exasperated.

"I'm," Sirius announced. "In love. Yes you heard right," he repeated in an announcer voice. "I, Sirius Black, eligible bachelor, Quidditch extraordinaire,-"

"Have you flattered yourself enough yet?" James asked.

Sirius paid no attention to James. "Famous Marauder, and dashingly handsome bloke, am in love. I love someone!"

"Let's hope this is a girl," Remus joked.

"You're sick Remus, don't say anymore!" Sirius demanded.

"Ooh? Who?" James asked.

"Not telling," A childish Sirius said.

"Excuse me? " James said indignantly. "We're you're best friends!"

Sirius considered this for a minute. "Still not telling," He said cattily.

"You sound like Peter! By the way where is he? Is he still being an idiot over that spat we had last year?" Remus asked.

James looked wildly about. He shrugged.

"Doth my ears deceive me? Did kindly Remus just call someone an idiot?" Sirius snickered.

"Erm." James was about to answer when the carriage door slid open for the third time that hour. In burst two girls, a raven hair, and a brunette. "We've been looking for you guys!" the brunette squealed.

"Hi Cynthia," Remus said.

"How was your summer?" Cynthia sat down and twirled her brown hair.

"Dismal," James said in his best imitation of Nearly Headless Nick.

"Fair," Remus waved a hand.

Sirius just stared like a fool with a dreamy expression on his face.

"Is he feeling all right?" Darlene asked.

"Our friend here has the love bug!" Remus said grinning.

"Ooh? Has Mr. Single actually fallen for someone?" Cynthia asked gleefully.

"Fallen? I would put it in more delicate terms," Sirius snorted.

"And how exactly?" Darlene asked.

Sirius though hard for a moment. "Erm... lessee. Err... The Soul Connection?"

"Sounds like a Soul Snatcher," James smirked.

The trolley lady interrupted them. "Anything for you dears?"

James looked at everyone. "Five boxes of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans please."

"Catch!" she said. Five boxes flew their way.

"Oh yum! James how much do we owe you?" Remus ripped the top off.

"Seven Sickles, Three Knutes for the whole lot," James announced. They all threw some change at him.

"Hey that smarts!" He scowled.

"Oh this is a new one!" Cynthia held up a transparent bean. "I'll split half with anyone who wants to be brave enough to try it."

"I'll do it!" Remus bravely raised his hand.

"Right here's half for you and half for me." Cynthia gave him a part of the bean.

"On three," James announced. "One...two...three!"

The both threw the beans in their mouth and started chewing. They made equal faces of disgust and leaned in either direction to spit.

"Oh that's horrible!" Cynthia sputtered.

"Awful," Remus agreed weakly.

"Well come on!" Sirius said impatiently. "What's the flavor?"

"Vaseline jelly," Cynthia said weakly.

"EEWW!" They all cried simultaneously.

"Yeah I know," Remus shivered. He cheered up when he found a chocolate bean. "See this is chocolate because of those little specs right there." He popped it into his mouth.

"Ew, mud!" He gagged. They all laughed heartily. The train ran to a stop.

"Let's get out," Darlene was starting to feel sick.

They all got out of the train and into the carriages. Someone else was pushed into their carriage. A very pretty red haired girl sat down.

"Hi." She said brightly and pulled Darlene and Cynthia into a hug. "Darlene! You lost your tan! You're all pale again!" the girl cried.

"Yeah," Darlene said a little regretfully. "But my hair is really silky and glossy." She added matter-of-factly.

"Yeah. And Cynthia! You colored your hair!" The red haired girl said.

The brunette smiled. "Blonde just wasn't me," She said in pretense sadness.

"Aha! That's what's new!" Sirius announced dramatically.

"Oh Lily, this is Sirius, Remus, and James," Darlene added ungraciously.

"Thank you for that wonderful and admirable introduction Darlene," Remus said sarcastically.

"We've met." Lily smiled ruefully.

"Unfortunately," Sirius said under his breath.

He saw the daggers in all their looks. "I was joking! You guys should know me by now! Even you Evans," Sirius said hastily.

"Say where's the fat kid you hung out with?" Cynthia piped up.

"Oh Peter? He's lost somewhere. I think he's on the wrong train," James said. "No worry."

The girls glanced at each other.

"So considerate."

"The best friends to have."

"Doesn't matter if y'know they're stranded at the station."

"All right already, stop all the complaining," Remus said in a mock American voice.

"Aw okay."

"So are we together this year?" Darlene asked holding up the schedule.

"I'm with you Darlene for two classes," Lily said eyeing all her class times.

"Let me see your list Lily," James asked. He looked at his and hers. "Yeah I'm with Lily, we have all the same classes. So I'm with Darlene for two classes too."

Sirius and Remus checked theirs. "We're together, but I don't think we have all the same classes as you guys."

Cynthia made a grab for theirs. "Oh no!" she moaned. "I'm stuck with these two idiots. And I have a lone class!"

They all gave her sympathetic looks.

Darlene gave her sympathies in Spanish.

"Somebody shut her up," Cynthia asked after several minutes of unsuccessful translating.

"Right then." James reached across and put the sleeve of his robe against her mouth. "This work?"

"Yeah just hold her there for, hmm thirty seconds more," Lily said.

Darlene bit James's hand. "Ouch!" he cried shaking his finger.

"Aren't you a charmer James?" Darlene said returning to English.

"Yep that's me!" James said shaking his finger fiercely.

Darlene gave him one of her famous scowling glares.

"Easy Spanish girl, easy!" James held up his hands in gesture of surrender.

Darlene Martinez and Cynthia Benning were Lily's best friends. Darlene loved Quidditch but didn't qualify for the tryouts on the Gryffindor team. She wasn't a bad rider. Darlene was Spanish. Cynthia was French. Or at least her mom was. So Cynthia spoke beautiful French with just the slightest bit of an accent. She was on the wilder side; she claimed she got it from being one of the stylish French. Lily was Lily. She was English with a bit of Irish.

The carriage pulled in.

"EVERYONE OUTTA THE CARRIAGES!" Hagrid hollered.

They all hopped out and went inside the castle to join the feast. At one end of the table the six of them sat three across for three. Darlene and Cynthia with Sirius and Remus, James and Lily. The Sorting began and there were tumultuous applause from their table for all the Gryffindors and Silent boo's for the Slytherins. Then they feasted.

"Great tuck in as usual!" Sirius said through a mouthful of chicken.

"Superb!" Cynthia agreed.

"Shut up and pass the corn!" Lily said.

They laughed and ate and then went upstairs to the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Who's got the password?" Remus asked.

"OH! I do!" Lily rummaged in her robe for a list. "Who's the other Prefect?"

"You mean me?" James asked.

"You?" Lily asked in surprise.

"Why don't you want me to be?" He said with pretense hurt.

"Well McGonagall told me it was Amarae Draconum!" Lily turned to the crowd of chattering students.

"PASSWORD'S Amarae Draconum!"

"Amarae Draconum," Several people said. The portrait swung open.

"Ah home again." Remus threw himself on a pillow.

"What do you mean?" Darlene asked throwing three pillows, which landed on James.

"Home again!" Sirius answered for Remus while pelting Cynthia with two fluffy pillows.

"Right then." Lily ducked for cover as everyone threw a pillow at her.

"PILLOW FIGHT!" Remus yelled a little unnecessarily.

The six people duked it out with the thirty pillows. They were all in the sixth year Dormies. They also had their own little common room. Everyone else was downstairs in the big common room.

Cynthia and Lily enchanted three pillows to chase Remus around the room. They all stopped to laugh at Remus who ran around the room trying hard to dodge the gaining pillows. He finally tripped and slid on the floor crashing into Lily who landed on Sirius.

"Ooof." She got up only to be pelted mercilessly by pillows launched by Remus, James and Darlene.

"A little help here?" she asked Sirius.

"Naw this is too fun."

Then he had to run to prevent being murdered by everyone.