Out of Time

Remus stared from the crowd of students chatting with each other, happy to see their friends again after a long summer, to parents saying goodbye and animals running around on the platform 9 ¾, and finally his gaze fell on the scarlet red train.

Steam from the engine drifted over everyone and it was just a few minutes left before it would be on the way to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

He drew his breath, gave his trunk to the conductor and aimed for one of the doors. How he was looking forward to see Hogwarts and his friends again. Two months away from either equalized with torture.

He found himself a nice compartment, already occupied by two other boys who were chatting along. Both were rather tall and handsome with black hair, one of them was wearing specs and he also had messier hair than the other boy.

Neither had noticed Remus before he knocked silently on the door. They perked up at the sound.

"Remus!" the boy with specs exclaimed, leaped to his feet and over to Remus in less than two seconds and embraced him.

"Hey guys!" Remus smiled at the bespectacled boy and then at the boy sitting by the window.

"Hey Moony." Sirius nodded to Remus. "So how was France, guys?" he asked the two other boys as they sat down.

"Excellent! Never seen so many strange folks in my life though. Sheesh! You'd think they'd never heard how to have fun! But the girls! They were everywhere, I tell you!" James got a dreamy look on his face while Sirius nodded in agreement. Remus rolled his eyes and James soon caught up and straightened himself.

"He's right though, Moony. It was great." Then suddenly grinning, Sirius continued. "I've got great news though, Remus!" Remus looked at him questioningly.

"Drum roll please." His grin now threatened to split his face in two. Remus continued to look at him slightly confused now.

"I've got myself a house!" he exclaimed and Remus's eyes grew wide in surprise.

"What?! Are you serious? Where in the Forbidden Forest did you get gold to buy that?" he asked.

"Well, I haven't gotten it yet, but I will before this year is over. Remember my Uncle Alphard who died in April?"

Remus nodded.

"Well, he left me a bit of gold. I'm going to use them to get a decent place to live after Hogwarts. No way am I going back home again, ever."

Sirius had run away from home last summer, after his parents, brother and the house-elf had almost driven him nuts with their pureblood-nonsense. He had thought of nowhere else to go than the Potters' house, and they had been willing to let him stay over the summer.

"Have you seen your relatives since last year?" Remus asked quietly. Sirius just shook his head.

"Not unless you count the fact that I have to see my brother at school all the time." He sighed and straightened himself. Remus remembered Regulus Black clearly. He was a few years younger than Sirius, but still Mr and Mrs Black were quite clear that Regulus was a much better son than Sirius.

"So what about you, Remus? Been looking at the girls just like our Romeo here, or have you spent your time a little more useful?" Sirius chuckled at James and Remus nodded.

"I've visited historical grounds here in England, and I also went to Ireland for a week, to study the old Celtic and gothic arts of magic they have there." Remus smiled at the memories. Visiting Ireland had in fact been great, and he'd learned a lot from it.

"Did you guys get the time to vote this summer?" James asked, meaning the Election for a new Minister for Magic. Both Sirius and Remus shook their heads.

"Me neither, but I heard rumours that we will get the chance to do it on our first Hogsmeade weekend this year. I mean, I'm in no hurry. The Election is not to be held until August next year. Not that it will change my mind having that amount of time though," James continued.

"They've left us with some good choices, don't you think?" Remus's voice was full of sarcasm. "None of them are better than the other, when it comes to it. They just have different points of view, I think. Why are there never any good choices? Where are all the guys like Dumbledore? He'd do a great job as Minister," Remus muttered.

"They all have better things to do than to try to lead a Ministry bound to go the dogs anyway." Sirius sat watching James building a card-house.

"You're the right one to talk about dogs," coughed James. The next second he jumped in his seat, yelling, making Remus look up from his copy of The Quibbler. "Hey! What did you do that for?" He stared at Sirius who sat with his wand out, pointing it at where the card-house had once been. Now the cards were flying around the compartment, and the bishops, queens and kings were laughing at James who looked thunderstruck.

"Sorry. You know how dogs can have a bad temper," chuckled Sirius and stuck his wand inside his robes again.

"Yeah, and you know what they do with mad dogs..." muttered James, who had now begun to catch all the flying cards, but could hardly reach any as they were having fun flying around and didn't want to get showed back down into a package. Remus continued reading his magazine and Sirius was looking over his shoulder to see what it said.

"Isn't that Hogwarts' Divination teacher? What's her name? Trelawney? " he said pointing at a rather tall and skinny witch with long, wavy red hair. She had about 4 or 5 shawls hanging around her shoulders and massive earrings. She did remind them alarmingly of their Divination teacher.

Remus shook his head. "No, that there would be her mother, Cassandra Trelawney. She was a gifted Seer. Apparently she didn't give her daughter that gift." He sighed turning the page. Their divination teacher was, in their opinion, a completely mad woman who thought herself above all the other teachers at Hogwarts because she could apparently See. Remus doubted she'd ever be able to tell them the right weather forecast. Her daughter Sybill wasn't any better. She had been 19 when she visited the school, "just to see how things were done in school" as she had told them. Apparently she didn't think school was the place for her to learn new stuff.

Sirius and Remus looked up and James stared down at the door when an older lady knocked on it, pushing a large trolley full of sweets and drinks. "Anything off the trolley, dears?" she asked. Remus rolled his eyes at Sirius. She'd been saying the exact same words for 7 years now. Wondering if it was the only line she knew, he nodded.

"Yes please, I'd have a Chocolate Frog and a pack of Cauldron Cakes." He got 17 Knuts up and gave it to the lady, who handed him the sweets. James gave up his card-hunt and got down from the seats he was balancing on. Sirius got some Liquorice Wands and Bertie Bots Every Flavour Beans to go with the Frogs.

As the two others started talking about France again, Remus leant back and chewed on a cake.

This would be his 7^th and last year at Hogwarts. He sighed, but James and Sirius didn't notice. They were his very best friends and he couldn't think of living a life without them. What would he do when this year was over and done with?

Together, they and another boy called Peter had explored almost every inch of Hogwarts' grounds, in and outside the castle. The Marauders they called themselves. He smiled as he remembered some of their exploits. They had been sneaking off into the Forbidden Forrest more times than they could count, and playing some rather nasty tricks on the Slytherins were weekly, if not daily happenings. Many a night had they spent planning their next event.

But in the middle of pranks and adventures, they were all hard studiers. Well, all except Peter. He didn't pick up things as quick as they did, but they always helped him out the best way they could.

Remus remembered when they first met. Peter had been hanging around them for ages, having no other real friends. In the end, they had kindly asked him to join them on a prank aimed at a group of Slytherins, and after that he had stayed with them, growing into the group. And he had proved to be a funny guy, although not very bright.

Remus eyed the two boys unnoticeably. They really were great friends. Friends he'd never imagine he'd get. It wasn't his call to be that lucky.

He got out of his thoughts as his watch made a beeping noise. The two others looked at him.

"I've got to go to a meeting in the front carriage. For the Prefects and Head students," he continued, as the others didn't catch what he was talking about at first.

"Ah, of course. We'll see you later then," they said and continued their chat.

He walked up between the rows of compartments, all packed with students from all years and houses. Some first-years looked rather scared and nervous, as well as excited. A few students passed him in the hallway.

"Hello Remus. Had a nice holiday?" His fellow Gryffindor student Frank Longbottom had walked out from a compartment filled with Gryffindors. "Very nice, thank you Frank. What about yourself?" he asked. "Splendid! Alice and I had a nice few weeks in Costa Del Sol, or whatever it's called. Down south, you know," he said with a grin.

"That sounds wonderful! But listen Frank, not to seem rude or anything, but I have a meeting in five minutes. I'll talk to you some other time," Remus excused himself and carried on. A few seconds later however, he found himself stopping dead on his track again.

A girl with long, reddish hair was walking in front of him, apparently aiming for the same place as him.

"Hey Lily!" he called out as he quickened his strides. She stopped and turned around to see who had called and smiled as she saw him.

"Hi Remus," she said as he caught up with her. They gave each other a quick hug and continued to walk.

"How are you?" he asked her.

"I'm a fine thanks! Had a lovely holiday in Scotland with my parents. Visited my sister as well though. At that summer school for Muggles." She frowned at the memory.

Remus raised his eyebrows. "Petunia? Why would you visit her?"

Lily was Muggleborn, but her parents were very proud of her being a witch. Her sister however hated her and he knew that if she could, Petunia would never have anything to do with Lily ever again.

"I don't know. Mum and Dad know she hates when I visit her. Oh well, I don't care. Won't see her for another year anyway. How was Ireland?" she asked him as they passed a gang of younger Slytherins who all gave them dirty looks.

"It was wonderful. I visited an Irish Wizarding school, and you wouldn't imagine how different it is. They don't start transfiguration before their 5^th year, and they go 9 years instead of 7! And you should see the school grounds...."

At this point they had reached the front compartment and entered. The others were already there; two Prefects from each house.

He and Lily sat down next to the two Ravenclaw Prefects. They continued to talk about their holidays until Professor McGonagall walked in at precisely 12 o'clock. Everyone went silent as she greeted them.

After a while of speech from her to the new Prefects about their duties and responsibilities, she turned towards Remus and Lily. "...and this is our new Head Students, Mr Lupin and Miss Evans. They are both from Gryffindor and I guess you know them fairly well, as they've both been Prefects for two years already."

All except the two Slytherin Prefects smiled and one of the Hufflepuff prefects gave them the thumbs-up. Instead, one of the Slytherin Prefects, a rather pale boy with dark hair and a hollow face raised his hand.

"Yes, Nott?" McGonagall asked, turning towards the 5^th year boy.

"How come there are two Gryffindors being Head Students?" he asked sarcastically, nodding towards Lily and Remus.

"That is because Lupin and Evans both received more 'O's on their OWLs than anyone, and also did a wonderful job as Prefects the two previous years." She spoke in a voice that made no room for further comments. "And compared to other students, they are not notorious rule breakers." She continued, beaming down at Remus and Lily. Remus avoided her eyes, smiling slightly for himself. As McGonagall started talking about the Prefects as role models, Remus cast a glance over at the boy called Nott, who scowled back. Remus did not wince. He was not very pleased by the authority's choice of Slytherin Prefects, but on the other hand, none of the others from that house was very well suited for the job either. If it had been up to him, there wouldn't be any Slytherin Prefects at all.

He looked back at McGonagall as she continued to speak.

"You now know what to do and," at this point she turned to the Slytherins, "what not to do. Good luck!"

Everyone got up and left the compartment. When Lily and Remus got out, they saw Nott and the other Slytherin Prefect stand a few strides from the compartment door, waiting for someone. As they walked past, Nott and the other boy grabbed Remus and Lily's shoulders and held them back. Addressing Remus, Nott narrowed his eyes threateningly and sneered, "You will pay for your Head Boy title, Loony. Snape should've gotten it rather than you and that filthy Mudblood you hang out with." Nott cast a side-glance at Lily, whose face had become as red as her hair with anger.

"Snape wouldn't have got this job even if he was alone at school. Watch your mouth, or you'll know about it," she hissed, before the boy who still held her spoke. "Don't you think that you can come and boss us around, miss Evans." The other boy's voice was shrill. He was taller than Lily, even though he was two years younger than her.

"Watch me!" she whispered and before Remus had had time to react, Lily had smacked the tall boy right across his face with a flat hand. Both Remus and Nott stared at Lily and the other boy, both taken by surprise.

The boy released Lily's shoulder and swayed for a split second before looking at her in fury. "That will be reported to my Head of House," he said while trying to get his senses back but Lily broke him off. "There is no rule saying that a girl can't defend herself when attacked by two boys. You two better get out of my sight this instant or I'll have to report that the two newly recruited Slytherin Prefects forgot their duties in less than five minutes," she said in a mock serious voice.

Nott had let go of Remus who stood thunderstruck watching Lily handling the situation perfectly alone.

"Let's go, Avery. Or she'll explode, giving us a hell lot of stuff to explain," he said, grabbing the tall boy and they walked away and in to a compartment on the left.

"How can they choose such people as Prefects?" hissed Lily, watching their backs and so did Remus, who just shook his head. "No idea. Come, let's go."

"James and Sirius are there, I reckon?" she asked as they reached Remus's compartment.

"Uhm, yeah, they are. Why?" Remus said, as he grabbed the doorknob, but didn't open it.

Lily hesitated for a second. "Well, cause I'd ask to join you if they weren't." Remus looked down, slightly embarrassed. He knew Lily didn't have much left over for Sirius and James, as they had a too big love for pranks and jokes, which Lily didn't really like.

Remus also had a feeling that she was sick of James's constant tries to get her to go out with him.

"It's ok. I'll see you at school later." She walked away and gave a short wave before Remus had the chance to say anything.

He opened the door slowly and saw the two others playing Exploding Snap.

"Hey, you're back. How was the meeting?" asked Sirius. "Was that Lily you were talking to out there?" asked James.

Remus sat down. "Yes, I'm back, and yes, that was Lily. The meeting went fine, except for the two Slytherin Prefects being jerks." He told them about what had happened in the hallway. By the time he was finished, both the others had forgotten the Exploding Snap and it reminded them by exploding and sending the cards flying all over the place again, but they took no notice this time.

Sirius raised his eyebrows when Remus finished. "Seriously? Two 5^th year Prefects took on the Head Boy and Girl?" He turned to James. "What do you reckon? A Breakfast Jinx around the Slytherin table tomorrow?" He made an angry gesture as he catched a flying diamond ten and smacked it to the table.

Remus broke in before James got the chance to answer. Holding up his hand he addressed them both.

"Just forget it, ok? We don't need to fuzz it all up. They'll be taken care of if they do anything like that again, you mark my word," Remus said reassuringly to the others.

"Problems aside, what were you talking to Lily about out there?" asked James. Remus had waited for that question.

"Just our Head Student duties," hye said plainly, not wanting to go into more details. He had found himself getting annoyed every time James mentioned Lily or asked about her whereabouts.

James and Sirius started to talk about Quidditch after a few moments of silence. Sirius was a Beater and James was the Quidditch Captain and Seeker on the Gryffindor Team. James's favourite team was the Montrose Magpies, and he had in fact been asked to join their team when he was finished at Hogwarts. Remus enjoyed playing Quidditch, but rather on a hobby basis than actually playing serious matches. He had refused to become the new Gryffindor Chaser last year. He didn't have too much interest of getting bones and whatnot broken as a player. Also, he knew that being on the team required constant training sessions, and he wouldn't be able to attend all of them. It was unlikely that James as a Captain would have any objections to that, and neither would Sirius, but the rest of the team would and Remus didn't want any more special treatment than he was already getting.

It was dark when everyone got out at Hogsmeade Station. Remus saw a bunch of first years gathering around Hagrid, a gigantic man. He was twice their size and more with a dark moleskin coat and an impressive amount of hair and beard.

"This way, firs' yers, come now, follo' me! Watch the steps down here," he shouted as all the kids followed him down a narrow path towards the now very dark late.

Remus and the others went the opposite way. Those above first year were transported to the castle in carriages, all of them seemingly pulled by nothing but thin air. Not many knew that it was in fact invisible creatures pulling them. Or, invisible to all those who had not yet witnessed death. Remus shuddered slightly at the sight of the Thestrals.

He got into a carriage together with James, Sirius and now Peter.

"Hi Peter. Didn't see you on the train. Had a nice summer?" Remus asked. Peter just nodded. Remus looked from him to James and raised his eyebrows questioningly.

"Silencing spell," muttered James.

"By a gang of Slytherins. I think we might consider that breakfast-jinx after all, James." Sirius nodded towards Peter.

Remus frowned and looked out of the carriage window at all the other carriages. It wasn't always easy to be friends with the school's worst pranksters and at the same time try to make sure that nobody broke any rules in his presence. He kept staring out of the window as he muttered briskly, "You guys know you're giving me a hard time, right?"

The others looked at him, taking a second before it dawned for them.

"Sorry mate. You're absolutely right of course...." James looked down and Sirius nodded, but Remus saw the disappointment in their faces and felt a bit guilty. After all, their pranks were what had brought the four of them together in the first place.

"Listen..." he said, "what if... what if I didn't hear about this jinx?" They looked up.

"Deal! But does this mean that you can't join our pranks anymore?" Sirius asked seriously. Remus shook his head violently.

"No way! But you guys must restrain yourself from planning things in public when I'm around, cause I'm not supposed to know about this, remember?" James, Sirius and Peter grinned happily, making Remus smiled weakly, hating the fact that he had once again given in for pressure.

Authors note: I've written this one chapter and I have no clear idea where this story is really going... Ergo I don't really know when it'll be updated. All thoughtful comments and suggestions are most welcome!

A 1000000 thanks to my lovely beta-reader TheQueenoftheNight who've helped me out loads! Without her this story wouldn't have made it out of my Word-document!