It seemed like James and Sirius would never make up again. They wouldn't even look at each other. Remus, after a few futile attempts, gave up trying to be peacemaker, and Peter stuck to James. Sirius started making himself scarce in the dorm and common room. During classes and mealtimes, they sat on either side of Remus.

This went on for nearly a week. Remus wondered what would happen when the full moon of February came. Their efforts on the Marauder's Map had come to a complete standstill.

It happened one evening in mid-February. Professor McGonagall suddenly came in to the common room.

"Everyone will please report to the Great Hall immediately," she said, looking extremely grim.

"Why, Professor?" asked several people.

"You'll find out soon enough. Bring everyone from the dormitory too."

As the Gryffindors trooped towards the Great Hall, they saw the other houses were also going there.

"What happened?"

"Professor Sprout didn't tell us anything!"

"Can you see something out place?"

"Really, the Dark Mark?" shrieked a girl of Hufflepuff.

"WHAT?"

When the school was assembled in the Great Hall, Professor McGonagall told them that the Dark Mark had been discovered hovering over the Hogwarts castle.

"But what is the Dark mark?" asked Lily, confused.

"It's You Know Who's mark," said Marlene softly. "After he has murdered in a house."

"Please check if all your friends are here," called Professor McGonagall. "If someone's not, report to me immediately. NO ONE WILL LEAVE THE HALL."

James was suddenly thunderstruck. He turned to Remus and said in a horrified whisper, "Sirius."

"Wha—don't be silly," said Remus loudly.

"Where can he be?" asked Peter, suddenly looking scared. Sirius had not been in the common room with them.

James turned and rushed among the hundreds of students for the exit of the Great Hall.

"Potter, where are you going?" shouted Lily. "Professor told us not to leave the hall!"

"Shut up, Evans." James didn't even look at her, and continued running.

Remus followed him.

"Remus—Remus!" screamed Lily. "Where are you going? You're a Prefect! We're needed to be here."

"It's urgent," said Remus shortly.

Out of the hall, Remus saw James glancing around in the completely deserted hallway.

"Where do we look for him, Moony?" asked James, and for the first time that Remus had heard him, he sounded truly frightened.

"We're panicking unnecessarily, James," said Remus firmly. "Why would—how could anyone kill someone at Hogwarts?"

"It's not like that has never happened before," said James quietly. "He has got so many enemies—his own family, and the Slytherins..."

"Prongs, no, he's all right—just somewhere around..."

"Oh, I wish..." But James couldn't finish the sentence, as his voice suddenly choked. "You check the left half of the castle. I'll do the right."

If Remus did think this was pointless, it couldn't be denied that he left at once.

James rushed to the dungeons, and found it deserted. He looked into every classroom up and down the corridor in the right half of the castle. Sirius was nowhere to be found.

Then James had the bright idea of looking in the Astronomy Tower. He climbed the long flight of stairs and threw open the door, and he suddenly felt weak with relief.

Sirius was crouched beside the window, peacefully reading a book.

"Sirius!" said James fiercely. "Did you think it was funny to scare us out of our wits?"

Sirius looked up quickly, and the wistful look in his eyes was replaced by one of confusion.

"What did I do?"

"We've been looking for you everywhere," said James thickly. "And you've been sitting here, absolutely fine..." James flung his arms around Sirius and hugged him fiercely. Confused but extremely glad, Sirius hugged James back.

"Care to tell me what happened?"

"Yeah." James told Sirius about the Dark Mark and the gathering in the Great Hall.

"Sometimes I swear I want to kill you, Sirius," added James, glaring at Sirius.

"Was I supposed to know that you and Remus would be this thick headed, Prongs?"

Sirius was wearing his familiar wicked grin, and suddenly James was hit with the powerful realization of how much he had missed his best friend.

"You're not angry with me anymore?" asked Sirius.

"No, I'm not. But it's just that you never think, Padfoot, and that's going to get you into so much trouble one day."

"Already done that, don't you think?"

James grinned at Sirius. "I missed you, Padfoot...a lot."

"So did I, Prongs," whispered Sirius.

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

Casually they made their way back to the Great Hall. Remus stared at them, shaking with relief.

"Where were you?" he demanded. "You were gone for ages, James—you said you'll only search the right half!"

"Potter, Black!" said a cold voice. Professor McGonagall was glaring at them. "Breaking rules seem to be your existence, but this was too much, even for you two. Potter, you were specifically told not to leave the Hall. Miss Evans tells me that she tried to stop you..."

Sirius glanced at James triumphantly, as if to say he was right about Evans all along.

Professor McGonagall docked 70 points from Gryffindor.

"We'll win it back next week," James assured the gaping Gryffindors standing around. "Gryffindor vs Hufflepuff."

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

The source of the Dark Mark was not uncovered, but once the teachers confirmed that there was no Death Eater hiding in the school, the students were told to return to the common rooms.

"One of the Slytherins," was the general feeling in the Gryffindor common room.

Lily went towards Alice and Marlene. "Where's Mary?" she asked.

"Wasn't she with you?" asked Alice blankly.

"No."

They stared at each other, feeling a sense of foreboding.

"I should go to inform Professor McGonagall," said Lily reluctantly.

As it turned out, there was no need.

Their House Head entered the common room with Mary just then. Mary looked terrified and close to tears.

"Miss Evans, Miss McKinnon, Miss Lynn—please look after your friend," said Professor McGonagall and she left immediately.

"What happened, Mary?" asked Lily gently, as they helped her into an armchair.

"It was Mulciber and some other Slytherins," said Mary in a petrified whisper. The entire common room was silently listening to her.

"They locked me in a room and...suddenly I couldn't see anything—and then I saw horrible scenes in my head..."

There were sounds of outrage in the common room.

"That group of Slytherin is just repulsive," said Alice fiercely. "Mulciber, Avery, Snape, Lestrange—all of them."

She saw Lily looking at her.

"Well, they are, Lils, you've got to face it. I know you think your Severus is perfect, but he is not. He is just as evil and fascinated by Dark Magic as his friends are."

"That's true, Lily," said Marlene. "You know they call you and Mary...Mudbloods. I know Snape uses that word too. Maybe not in front of you, but he does."

"Someone seems to agree with us that Snape's a greasy git, Padfoot," said James loudly.

"Greasy git is putting it mildly," said Edgar.

Lily looked disconcerted at the attack from all sides. "I think I'll go up now. Coming, Mary?"

As the two Muggleborn witches disappeared up the stairs, James turned and faced the people in the common room. "We'll deal with Mulciber and his cronies."

No one had any doubt that they would.