I tried my best to mingle into the crowd as James had put it. But with Moony's specs covering half my face and everything getting kinda blurry, I just sort of attracted a lot of attention. Well of course I would bump into nearly anything and I knew people were staring at me sympathetically saying, "oh look, poor girl. She's so blind she can't even see with her spectacles. I feel so sorry for her." 

A very kind Hufflepuff (and I'm only assuming she's a Hufflepuff because her robes seem yellowish sort of) showed me the way to the Great Hall (I mean accompanied) and as an extra bonus she took me to the Gryffindor table as well. I felt so handicapped at the moment. I really have to do something about your reading glasses, Moony. I can't go about forever bumping into things. Maybe a spell...? 

But then I should probably wait and ask Moony since he must know something about fixing up the glasses for me. So there. I sat down at the table as if it was just normal and I also belonged there. Well partly it's true. I am a Gryffindor even though my time comes 15 years later. 

So what? Who cares actually? All I care about now is food. And lots and lots of food. I did mingle pretty well with the crowd because no one even guessed. In fact there was one girl (sitting beside me) who started chatting with me as if we were old buddies. So yeah staying undercover seems a lot easier than I thought. 

***

After breakfast I thought about locating my newly found friends but it's a lot difficult to even see with these glasses. So I just popped them up on my head like people do with sunglasses and then I looked around internally thanking God for having absolutely accurate eyesight. Aw crap, the four of them were nowhere to be seen. 

Let's look out for anything that's greatly upheaved. Oh I see. A row was going on at the Slytherin table. So probably the four of them are going to be quite busy there. I figured that they're a lot like Fred and George and since I know the twins inside out thankfully I won't have any problem in understanding them. I don't think I'll interrupt them in the middle of a fight so I decided that I'd go to the Library.

The Library was the only place I had seen up till now that was not changed in the slightest. The same numerous shelves upon shelves of books, the same librarian Madam Pince and the same neatly aligned tables. 

I was just looking around when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around to see Moony. He looked a bit off. Maybe like he had had a very bad last night experience and probably hadn't slept at all. But who am I to judge anyway? He must definitely be up studying for the NEWTS. I realized that I still had the glasses on top of my head so with a flick of my hand I flipped them back over my eyes. 

He immediately went out of focus and blurry. But soon I was relieved of the pain of trying to make out things from the intense blurriness as Moony took them off. "I forgot about setting the lens power," he touched them with his wand and mumbled something. "Here, now it won't bother you," he handed the specs to me still silently smiling to himself. 

Damn, he reminds me of Perce so much that I want to go hide away in a corner and pour my eyes out. I do miss him a lot. It's only been a day and I already miss everyone. But well, we can't fight fate, right? 

"Where were you at breakfast?" Moony asked. 

"Oh, you know, just bumping into stuff mostly," I replied. 

He shook his head, "I'm sorry. I should have thought about it earlier." 

I mumbled, "no it was totally worth it going about earning a lot of sympathy as well as unwanted attention." He was silent for a while. When I put the glasses back, I could see clearly and that's a big relief. "Thanks Moony," I flashed him a bright smile. 

"We got worried at first looking all over for you," he spoke as he grabbed a book and sat down on one of the chairs, "then Prongs picked up an argument with Snape and with Padfoot to ignite up everything... So yeah you get the point. All that resulted in a complete catastrophe." 

I took a seat beside him, "why would he pick up a fight in the middle of the Great Hall?" I mean, he's Head Boy, right? Percy would never do that and well he's the only Head Boy I've known in my time. Ah well, who cares? 

He sighed wearily, "he and Snape... Well you'll never hear the end of it." I can understand why though. Maybe that's why Snape bullies Harry a lot; just because he looks like James. 

"Any serious grudge?" I wasn't that curious but still (just to keep up the conversation, you know). 

"Yeah. One living breathing absolutely serious grudge," he mumbled still fully focused on his book (again reminding me of poor dear ol' Perce), "Lily Evans." 

Wait, what? Honestly? Lily Evans? I swear I felt like blurting out what Ron says so often: Bloody Hell! 

"You know Lily Evans?" Moony looked up observing my reaction. 

I nodded, "yeah. Heard of her." 

Of course he can see that I haven't just heard of her. But thankfully he reverted his gaze back to his book. 

"Oh there you are," we turned around to see Padfoot, Prongs and Wormtail. 

"Aw, Moony, you finally decided to make friends with someone," Padfoot smirked at us. 

"Someone's getting jealous," Moony replied but his eyes were still glued to the book. 

"Why would I get jealous?" Padfoot shrugged, "I'm already best friends with Kat, right?" 

I laughed, "well in that case I think you're mistaken." 

His eyes sparked mischievously, "changed sides now, have we?" 

I nodded, "seems like it." 

His smirk widened, "how mean of you." 

I shrugged, "well I just met you yesterday so I can't be so sure to declare you as a best friend that early." 

He pretended to be hurt due to my words, "how can you say that? My heart is breaking into a million pieces." 

Prongs banged his hand on the table, "Order! Order! Go get a room or a dorm or whatever. This is a public place." 

Madam Pince's hushes and shushes could be heard faintly in the background. 

"Stop it Prongs or you'll give him the wrong ideas," Moony muttered and finally put the book back, "and with that imagination which he has in plenty... God forbid. Come on now, you all are making enough noise in the library." 

He led us out and also apologized to Madam Pince. The way he has with teachers is quite adorable so that they can't stay angry at him for long. And I can perfectly imagine how his friends mostly use it to their advantage. 

***

Apparently it seems like we are headed to the school grounds. And yes I'm right. These are the school grounds. Before we were out, James handed me a mysterious looking fabric. It was almost translucent and seemed to be some sort of a special magical object. I looked at him as if asking to explain why he gave this to me. 

"It's my Invisibility Cloak," he replied, "since we are going out to the school grounds and nearly everyone knows us (oh you know being the Marauders and all) so you'll wear this and it will make you invisible. Or else there will be some complications at people wondering about the new redheaded girl with the Marauders. You'd make quite a cover story, though." 

No, thank you. I have already attracted much unwanted attention during the catastrophes at breakfast. I did as I was told. 

"But stick close to us or else you'll get lost again and on the negative points we won't be able to see you," Padfoot remarked. 

Okay... 

"We're going to the Quidditch tryouts," Wormtail spoke up (and believe me it's quite rare if he does), "Prongs is Captain and a Chaser as well while Padfoot is Beater. You know what Quidditch is, right?" 

Of course I do, what does he think I am? A Muggle? "Yup, I am a Chaser at my school team," I replied (in a low voice so as not to raise suspicions about a voice coming from thin air. 

"Marvelous indeed," James remarked. But then he must have seen something (or rather someone) because he stopped abruptly and me and Moony would have knocked him right off down on the ground if only we had not slowed down at the perfect moment. 

"Hey Evans!" 

Oh, I see. 

Moony shook his head and mumbled so that only I could hear, "there goes. James always acts like an idiot around her. Despite being a continuous flirt, he always loses the nerve when she's around." 

Oooh, quite ironic. I never expected that. But then if course one can never be so sure. 

"I'm not an idiot, shut up Moony," he snapped back but we could all see how smitten he was at the moment that he wouldn't really care if we even called him a moronic retard. Yeah yeah I know it's rude. But then I'm definitely not saying it. Just mentioning a possibility. 

Lily Evans came towards us. She had long red hair and green eyes exactly like Harry's. "What do you want, Potter?" She had that sarcastic *don't really care* attitude about her. But then I knew she was nice and kindhearted (as heard from Mom). 

James scratched the back of his neck slightly as if nervous, "I... Uh, coming to the Quidditch match?" 

Aw, that's so cute. Always ends up saying something that doesn't even make any sense at all. 

"Yeah, coming. But not for your sake though," she replied. 

He nodded, "of course. But it would be lovely if you would cheer up for the team... Y'know... Nothing, never mind." 

But then unnervingly though she was looking at me (no I mean right through me but I still had that weird feeling that she had sensed something). "Who else is with you, Potter?" 

Prongs spoke, "just my friends, you know. So, it would be great seeing you on the Quidditch pitch." 

Nice try changing the topic. But seems like it wasn't any use here. 

"Why were you talking to thin air?" Lily asked Moony. 

He backed off, "I... Just... Talking to myself." 

She narrowed her eyes, "isn't that a bit weird? You never do that, or rather I've nevr seen you do that earlier." 

She must have fitted perfectly in Ravenclaw. I was right behind Moony and seriously I do not want Evans coming right over here poking around to check. Maybe she knows James has an Invisibility Cloak. 

I clutched his arm out of nervousness (I definitely do not want getting found out so early). "Ow," Moony let out a yelp. Oh please, I didn't squeeze your arm that hard, Moony. 

"What's wrong with your arm?" Not again. 

He placed his hand on top of mine making it look like he was holding his arm to relieve the pain or whatever, "I just... Bumped into a tree... perhaps." 

Padfoot took matters into his hands immediately, "we were practicing Quidditch yesterday and I accidentally set off a Bludger in his direction. I didn't mean to, of course. But yeah it hurt him a little and he bumped into a tree." 

Such a convincing liar, indeed. 

She nodded finally, "okay. I'll see you guys around." 

James spoke up, "take care, Evans." 

She was walking but turned around slightly smiling. I could imagine the effort it took for Prongs not to start jumping right there from joy that she acknowledged him, "I will. Oh and by the way, Potter, I would personally like to meet whoever is under that cloak of yours... You don't easily let in a recruit into your famous Marauders group, do you?" 

All of us (and I literally mean all of us) were gaping at her in amazement. How could she guess? She surely was smart. 

***

After she had gone and all of us were still standing in uncomfortable silence Moony finally spoke breaking the ice, "we'd have to do something about it, Prongs." 

He looked back at us, "do what, exactly?" 

Moony mumbled, "we'd have to let Lily in on the secret." 

I was still clutching his arm and to let him know that I didn't approve of it, I twisted it. 

"Ow it hurts, Kat," he yelped again. 

"You promised not to tell anyone," I gave him the final answer. 

Padfoot looked kinda thoughtful and after a while he spoke, "no, but I'm sure she'd understand. We could definitely do with both the Head Boy and Girl's help in hiding you. Will make you more undetectable by the teachers or students of the other houses." 

Honestly? I don't think so, "don't tell me, are you planning to blurt it out in front of all of the Gryffindors?" 

He smirked, "we are the Marauders, Kat. No one would dare go against us and if we told them to shut up, they would." 

Well I think you also need that sort of treatment. 

"But right now, I want you to shut up," I retorted. 

He laughed, "as you wish, love." 

What? 

Well that earns him a smack on the shoulder from dear Moony. Tell you what, by every passing moment I'm beginning to think of Moony as actually a great friend... And exactly like a brother to me. A lot like Perce (but in all the good ways).

***