The Marauders: Year Seven Part One

The Auror Centre for Training

James woke up on the day of the first disapparation lesson with a feeling of excitement coursing through him. 

First off, this would be the first time he'd seen Lily since the dinner and he was bursting to see her again. Some little part of him half expected to get there and find out that he'd some how hallucinated everything from the week before and he'd find her being just as adamantly stand-offish as ever. He even had a nightmare in which he'd tried to kiss her only to have her shove him off with a cry of what are you doing, Potter? 

Second, the training was to be held in the Auror Centre for Training where, if he got the marks he hoped to this term on his N.E.W.T.s, he would one day be training to go into the Magical Law Enforcement. He was excited to see what would one day be a place he would go to everyday in furthering his magical career. Plus, with a little luck, he might even get to say hello to Frank Longbottom, who was currently enrolled in the program. 

Thirdly, he was eager to learn the art of disappearing and reappearing anywhere he liked.

He sat at the kitchen table, antsy as ever, as Dora filled his plate with bacon and eggs. "Getting older... moving out soon..." Dora muttered, shaking her head, fighting back tears. She paused and hugged James's head and kissed his messy hair.

"When I get older and move out, mum, I swear I'll disapparate to you every morning for breakfast," James said, shrugging away the snuggles. 

"Oh sure, use me for fried strips of pig fat!" Dora said, letting go of his head, and turning about to continue cooking.

CRACK! 

"BLOODY HELL!" Dora yelled, the pan clattering on the stove as Sirius appeared at the doorway. She shook the spatula in her fist at him.

"Sorry mum," Sirius said, "Just fancied giving Prongsie here a little taste of what a licensed disapparator can do." Sirius blew James a kiss as he settled into the seat opposite him and leaning back in his seat, looking quite pleased with himself. "One day, you'll be as good at it as I am."

Remus walked in, hair still half sticking up on the side of his head and sank down next to Sirius, blinking blearily. "He's been up for hours planning that," Remus yawned.

James said, "Yeah, well. I remember you coming up to the dormitory, whimpering about getting splinched during your training."

Sirius looked outraged, "I did not!"

"Did so!" James argued. "Came back, practically in tears, all shook up like you'd had the scare of your bloody life."

"I've never splinched!" Sirius claimed. "Moonie, tell him he's fibbing."

Remus yawned, "I'm staying out of this." But the moment Sirius's back was turned he mouthed he's splinched loads. 

James laughed and started wolfing down his food happily, grinning at Sirius, who was eyeing Remus as though to figure out what he'd done behind his back... but Remus just smiled down the table.

Peter arrived to disapparation lessons on the Knight Bus using the remainder of the money James had given him when he'd left St. Mungo's from seeing Sirius. He wore a watch on his wrist, which he stared at all the way into the Auror Centre for Training. He was nervous, rotating the band around his wrist, willing himself not to think any of the terrible things that were vibrating in his mind every time he saw the watch on his arm...

The entrance for ACT was located through several telephone boxes on the embankment in front of Scotland Yard. It was appropriate, Peter thought, that the Muggle police force would have their headquarters just above ground from where the Magical law enforcement facilities were located. The river was calm, and Peter stopped to stare at the pretty reflection of the sunlight on the water as a woman with a baby and a little poodle walked past. When they were out of sight, he turned back around, ducked into the nearest phone box, pulled the door shut, and announced, "Auror Centre for Training please."