The Marauders: Year Seven Part One

Oi, Stop Hitting Yourself

Dear Mum, 
I have a bit of an odd request, but I hope you'll be able to help me out. Could you possibly stop in at a muggle bookshop and owl me some books? They are a part of a serial of them, stories about a muggle investigator called Apple Mackenzie. Evans and I have the first five books but we were hoping to get the others as well. I will, of course, expect it to come out of my allowance, or else will pay you back when I can get a job next summer. We would most appreciate it, as we've been reading them together and we'd like to keep on with it, but we're near to the end of the last book that we've got here at school. Thanks in advance.
I love you, and miss you and Dad. Sirius says hullo, and so does Remus, and now Peter does, as well. Evans isn't here right now, but if she was I'm sure she'd say hullo, too, so I'll just say it for her: hullo.
See you at holiday, looking forward to roast and cakes and such. Perhaps we could have the Evans around? Lily and her mum? And I suppose her sister as well if we must? Just a thought.
James Potter

"As if we don't know who he is," chuckled Charlus, shaking his head, looking over the signature at the bottom of the letter James had sent home.

Dora shook her head, "And as if we're taking a cent from him! Just imagine - James, reading a book! On purpose!"

"That's got to be Lily's doing," Charlus said. Then, "I hope he's keeping up with his quidditch training, rather than spending all his time reading books!"

Dora swatted Charlus's shoulder, "You sound exactly the opposite of a normal parent, Mr. Potter!" she accused.

Charlus grinned, "Whenever have I done anything that a normal parent would do? For that matter, when have either of us?"

Dora shook her head dismissively at this question, not even dignifying it with an answer, and as she waved her wand, with a spark of gold letters that faded to black ink, the Apple Mackenzie books were added onto her shopping list that hung on the refrigerator door.

The letter had been sent by owl timed so that Jame could pick the books up at the post office in the village of Hogsmeade, on the first trip of the year. James and Lily had agreed (rather, been coerced by their friends) to not spend the day together, and rather meet up to walk home after spending a good deal of time with their neglected mates.

"Were you always so specky?" Sirius asked, looking James over, inspecting him thoroughly as they walked toward the village.

"Always," James replied. "At least you've always said I was at any rate."

Sirius shook his head, "No, I suppose that's true... I can't put my finger on it exactly, but you've definitely changed since we last saw you."

"What, since last night in the dormitory?" James laughed, "Shut it, you see me every bleedin' day."

"In glimpses, yes," Sirius said, "But I haven't the opportunity to properly inspect you since you've gone and gotten yourself hitched to Lily Evans."

"Hitched!" James hooted indignantly. "It isn't as though we're married."

Sirius snorted, "Might as well be."

"I might not as well be," snapped James, rolling his eyes, "You bloody wanker. "

Remus pushed into Sirius's shoulder, "Stop picking on 'im."

Sirius ignored Remus's admonition, continuing, "Perhaps you ought to convert to gay, Prongsie. You can date Peter and the Marauders will be a complete circle."

Peter squeaked, "But I'm not gay. I'm seeing Wendy."

"I thought you lot broke up?" Sirius rounded on Peter in surprise, James's changed whatever momentarily forgotten as he twirled about to walk backwards and stare at Peter in surprise.