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LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND

"I just picked up the last-minute necessities from the market! Toothpaste, mustard, forks, sunglasses, water balloons, maps, chocolate, chapstick-"

"Who put you in charge of shopping?"

"Hopefully Future Mrs. James Fleamont Potter, thank you very much. She must think I'm responsible or something."

"Responsible? Do you think that there's a fork shortage in the States? You bought a two hundred pack of forks!"

"Not to interrupt, but has anyone seen my glasses?"

"You lost your glasses? They're supposed to be on your face! Are you serious?"

"No, I am."

"SHUT UP, PADFOOT! I CAN'T SEE ANYTHING!"

"Rude. I found the spectacles, Prongs my deer, but perhaps I'll just keep them for myself."

"Mates, Marlene's gonna be here soon, and if we're not ready, she'll kill us all to death. Don't even get me started on Lily, she'll be worse..."

"How exactly would one kill one to death?"

"Science, that's how!"

"How is it that you're missing a sock?"

"How is it that you are not missing a sock?"

Remus rolled his eyes at his three roommates. Normally, he'd find their frantic shenanigans rather amusing, but considering Dumbledore had told them about this little trip over three months ago, he thought that packing procrastination was the epitome of stupidity, and this coming from someone who had seen quite a lot of stupidity in his eighteen years of life. Besides, they kept distracting him from his book.

His own trunk was fully packed and sitting against the wall in the small living room, right beneath the David Bowie poster. He'd been ready for days now. The others, unfortunately, could not say the same.

Remus turned his attention back to his current read, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. The series came from recommendations by Lily. On the last day of school, they'd exchanged lists. He was about halfway through it and intended to finish by the end of the year, even in America. There had to be at least one good bookstore in all of New York City. If not, the next few months were going to be awfully long and dull.

He flipped the page. Peter's ferret, Chewy, crawled up his arm and made himself comfortable on his shoulder. Chewy tended to prefer snuggling with Remus to anyone else. The boys had two theories: one, he was a werewolf and animals seemed to like him in general; and two, Chewy really liked sleeping on sweaters. Remus reached up and absentmindedly scratched the ferret's head as he read.

"Oi, Remus." James leaned over the couch and over his friend's shoulder. A brief glimpse of concern crossed his face. "You feeling okay?"

Remus rubbed his forehead and nodded. "Aren't I always?"

"I know we've still got a solid three days, but there's still some chocolate in the kitchen that we didn't pack, if you're feeling moony-"

"Oh, shove off."

James grinned widely and ducked as Remus attempted to whack him in the head. "Toodles."

Flipping the book shut, Remus yawned widely and glanced around the apartment. After graduation, the Marauders all agreed on sticking together, so they found a decent place and split the cost four ways. Liverpool had been Lily's idea (something about a Muggle band), and she shared an apartment with Marlene two floors below. All in all, it worked out quite well.

The summer of 1978 had been a whirlwind of motorcycle rides and Muggle cinema, beach trips and poker tournaments, rock concerts and Quidditch games. Remus couldn't believe how fast the months flew by, but September loomed on the horizon, and with September came responsibility.

A half-drunk mug of hot chocolate sat on the coffee table, neatly on its coaster. Remus sometimes wondered why he bothered with the coasters. No one else used them, and ring marks covered the wooden surface. He'd miss their little home base, he realized.

"Hey, hey Moony! How do I look?" Sirius jumped up onto the table and posed. Atop his coveted locks sat a baseball cap embroidered with an American flag. "Like an American?"

"Like an idiot," wisecracked Peter, snatching the hat from Sirius as he passed and placing it on his own head. "Did you know football isn't football over there?"

"What is it, then?" James asked, winking. "Elbow-ball?"

"It's a different sport altogether, genius," Remus yawned. "Maybe we can see a game or something while we're there."

"Tut tut, Rem," Sirius said patronizingly. He patted him on the head. "This is a mission, not a vacation."

James tapped his chin, a mischievous smirk spreading across his face. "That sounds familiar. Who says that every single day? Oh, I remember..."

"MOONY!" The other three shouted, collapsing onto the couch around him.

The four boys started swatting each other with throw pillows, and an all-out war ensued, complete with haphazard forts and teams that constantly betrayed each other. This drove Chewy into a frenzy, and he began weaving in and out of the chaos. Soon, feathers were flying through the air, James' glasses were missing in action for the second time that morning alone, and Remus had forgotten all about his headache.

"We brought bagels!" A cheerful voice called as the door creaked open. "And cream cheese and butter and homemade strawberry jam and- oh."

"Don't act surprised, Lils," came another, this one exasperated.

Lily and Marlene, bearing coffee and bagels, stared at the boys. They could only stare back. There was no hiding the situation.

Marlene slowly removed her sunglasses and set them atop her head. Popping her bright pink bubblegum, she rolled her eyes and said, "top of the morning, gents."

Sirius swept his dark mane out of his eyes and winked. The suave move would have been more effective if he hadn't been covered in feathers and various bits of upholstery. "Hey there, baby."

"This place is a mess!" Lily huffed. She drew her wand out. With a few muttered spells, the pillows had re-stuffed themselves and the assorted casualties of the living room had set themselves right again. "You're supposed to leave in ten minutes! Please tell me you're packed!"

"Good morning to you, too, Ginger," Sirius said cheekily, grinning up at her from his current place sprawled out on the shag carpet. She pretended to kick him in the head. Ever the comedian, he cowered dramatically. "Will you miss me terribly?"

"You? Oh, tons."

"James, she's been hanging out with us too much. I don't like how sarcastic she's getting."

"Well, I think she's perfect." James pecked Lily on the lips while the other three pretended to gag. Secretly, Remus enjoyed seeing the couple's obvious affection, as he'd watched James attempt to woo her for seven years now. He liked seeing his friends so happy. "Hey there, Lilyflower."

Marlene walked into the kitchen, her violet sundress swishing around her ankles. She dropped a few shopping bags on the counter and poured herself a cup of coffee. "We have a few bon-voyage gifts for you, if you're interested. Lils, a little help, unless you'd rather be snogging?"

It is a universal thing to be interested in presents, especially when those presents are for you, and the Marauders quickly scrambled into the kitchen, lining up at the four bar stools. Lily stifled a snort behind her hand, but James caught it and smirked. Red shot up her neck.

"For Pete," Marlene said dramatically, "we present you with this beanie, because we think you look good in beanies and should wear them more often."

Lily tossed him a red and gold knit beanie. He caught it, grinning, and immediately pulled it over his mousy brown hair. Sirius reclaimed his baseball cap.

"For James, we give this book. May you find it instructive and useful in the coming months."

James frowned as Lily handed him a thick volume. "Thoughtful, ladies, but I don't think I've read a book since I was seven, so... oh, hilarious."

"Give me that!" Sirius snatched the book from him and grinned. "American History for Dummies. I applaud this choice with my whole heart."

"They drive on the wrong side of the road in America," Peter said, shrugging. "Says something, doesn't it?"

Remus leaned on the counter casually, attempting to act like he didn't need its support. As much as he loved the girls like sisters he'd never had, he just wanted to leave. The sooner they were settled in New York, the better. Then he could worry about the upcoming full moon and their recruitment mission with MACUSA and the million other things rushing through his aching brain.

"For Sirius, we offer this dog leash." Marlene looked Sirius dead in the eyes and she handed over the black leash. "NYC is a big place. Don't wander off."

"I... I don't know whether to be offended or flattered."

Lily reached into the bag a final time. "Drum roll, please!"

All inhabitants of the kitchen obliged, although no one simply stuck to drumming their hands. Remus wanted to ask them to stop for the sake of his pounding headache, but closed his eyes and let it happen. Not everything needed to be about him. The chaos continued to grow until James started whacking metal pans against each other and Marlene finally yelled, "SHUT IT!"

"Finally, for Remus, we present this camera. Document the best moments, because the rest of these idiots will forget by the end of the night and we want to hear all about it when you come home."

Remus found himself holding a Muggle Polaroid camera with a nice leather strap. He'd never really gotten into photography (it was Lily's thing), but he always liked looking back at the photographs, memories in tangible form. He ran a scarred finger across the top. As patronizing as the other presents were, they still meant something. Lily Evans, a girl who was there for him when it felt like his brothers weren't, never gave a gift without thought.

He looked up and smiled. "Thanks."

this chapter made me smile so much. it felt so light and carefree and summery. the marauders are so fun to write :) it felt right to open the book like this

i can't wait to see pam, clem, and phoebe again... 12 years have passed since the prologue. also, i'm loving all the love you guys are giving to these original characters

time to brush up on the history of MACUSA and ilvermorny ;)

what did you think? like i said, this book will be different than any i've written before.