Chapter 1:

Letters

It had been almost a month when the letters came. James, Alice, Frank, Marlene and Sirius had spent most of their summer together. It was official; Sirius no longer lived with his family. His parents had finally kicked him out and he had ended up at the Potters. James couldn't be happier. He loved having his friend with him; it was far better than being an only child. Alice and Frank seemed to be avoiding their mothers and so had spent a large percentage of their vacation with James and Sirius. Marlene was another kettle of fish; where ever Sirius was there Marlene was also. They'd become closer than ever. So when they received their letters, they were all together by the pool in the Potters' grounds.

Lily was in New York when she received her letter. It had been an amazing month and she was due to travel back the following day. Kate had returned from Jamaica to find her letter waiting for her. Remus was sat with his mother at the dinner table when his arrived but most importantly Peter was just waking up from an afternoon nap when he heard the tapping of an owl at his window. Although in different places, the friends read in unison and wept together as one. Dear…

I am much aggrieved to inform you of the deaths of Mr Alvinerz Macdonald (age 49), Miss Mary Macdonald (age 15), Miss Hannah Macdonald (age 12) and Miss Lauren Macdonald (age 10). Their home was attacked last night by death eaters and there appear to be no survivors.

I am writing to warn you as it will be in this evening's copy of The Prophet…

Peter sobbed, crumpling onto his bed; she's gone. He thought back to the time they had studied palm reading in divination and the teacher had commented that she had never seen such a short life line. Who knew she would be right?

The students had been expecting letters of a different kind that day and so when the other letters arrived, they were opened with less excitement than had been expected; they were in mourning.

"What did you get Lily dear?" Mrs Evans asked.

"All outstandings…" Lily murmured.

"Very good!" her father grinned, "that's my girl!"

James had gotten himself a handful of outstandings in transfiguration, charms, potions, herbology and defence. He had also just got one in muggle studies although her didn't honestly know how. He'd gotten exceeds expectations in care of magical creatures and an acceptable in divination.

Sirius had done almost as well; outstandings in herbology, charms, defence and transfiguration. He'd gotten exceeds expectations in potions and care of magical creatures and acceptable in muggle studies.

Remus had gotten all outstanding like Lily. Peter had managed to scrape through with all acceptables.

Frank had gotten exceeds expectations in everything except arithmancy where he had just managed an acceptable. Alice had gotten a complete set of Es. Marlene had gotten all Es and a few Os in care of magical creatures and charms. Kate had gotten Es in everything and had Mary received her letter she would have been pleased to find a happy array of one outstanding, two exceeds expectations, and six acceptable. However, she would never know of her own success.

Please review! I'm going to post this as the first chapter so you can all get following tonight for my next soon to come update...