When the Marauders passed the Great Hall-the three of them having collected Peter who had been lurking behind some trees-Dumbledore stopped them.

"Mr. Potter, you are wanted in the Hospital Wing."

"But why?" protested James. Lily, who was passing, thought that she would not have dared to speak to the Headmaster in that way.

"You had the Cruciatus Curse tried on you, James," said Dumbledore, sounding amused. "You too, Lily-go to the Hospital Wing."

There were several other students there, being tended to by Madam Pomfrey. She told them to wait.

James stared at his feet, fiddling with his glasses. Lily felt bad that his demeanour suggested that he was almost scared of her.

"James...thank you."

James looked up at her. "Not at all. We fought together, you know."

"And I'm sorry too."

"What for?"

"For the other day when you asked me out...I am awfully sorry."

James stared at her.

"I've been sorry since that day itself, James-but I was too scared to own it. I am not brave like you and Sirius and Remus..."

"What? You fought about half a dozen Death Eaters at once!"

James raised his hand to his hair.

Lily smiled. "Won't you ever stop that stupid habit?"

Then she suddenly caught sight of his hand.

"What's the scar on your hand?"

James looked at it. He smiled.

"It's the mark that shows Sirius is my brother."

"I thought You Know Who had given it."

"Call him Voldemort, Lily," suddenly said Dumbledore's voice.

They looked around to see Dumbledore twinkling down at them.

"Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself," he said. Then he placed a hand on each of their heads and said, "I am proud of both of you."

--------------------

Every person of Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw who had fought in Hogsmeade was awarded points for their house. James, Sirius, Remus, Lily, Frank and Alice-who had fought and defied Voldemort were given 50 points each.

It had the result that in spite of Slytherin winning the Quidditch cup, they were bottom at the House Table, and Gryffindor came first.

OWLs for 5th years and NEWTs (Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests) for 7th years were rapidly approaching.

"Are you nastily exhausted yet?" Sirius asked Frank one day.

"Nah, that's Edgar," said Frank, cheerfully waving at Edgar, who was surrounded by at least twenty books, and who looked slightly hysterical.

"What're you going to be?" asked James.

"Auror. Got good practice last month," said Frank.

Alice looked at him nastily. She did not think it was a thing to joke about.

"And we're joining the Order, too, of course. From our year, it's me, Edgar, Hestia and Susan."

"Wish we could join now too," said Sirius longingly.

"Wait a year, Padfoot," said Remus.

--------------------

"Our Hogwarts days are over," said Frank sadly on the last day of the term.

"But you'll come back here, right? It's still your school," said Lily.

"It won't be the same," said Hestia, whose fighting skills had not marred her sweet and gentle nature.

Since the Hogsmeade attack, all the ill feeling in the Gryffindor common room had disappeared and they amiably sat in the train together.

"See you two monthslater, Moony, Wormy!" called James and Sirius, as they walked together to James'mother who was waiting for them at the station, just like they were brothers.