Disclaimer: Everything you recognise belongs to J. ; everything you don't belongs to me, okay? JKR can have my characters if she wants, but I doubt she'll really want them.

A/N: Okay, this idea came to me while I was on an extremely long and boring car journey. I wondered what James' life was like when he wasn't at Hogwarts, who was in his family, etc. Also, James' life seems to be so perfect, until he gets killed off, but I don't think everything is as it appears, so this is the result! Also note that right at the beginning of this chapter, they all refer to something 'bad' that's happened; this is revealed later in the chapter! Please review!

"I'll see you around, Padfoot."

"I'll miss you." Sirius Black pulled his best friend, James Potter, into a tight hug. "Look after yourself, okay?"

James pulled back and smiled. "I'll be fine - promise; Marauder's vow."

"Yeah, well, look where that got us in the past; detention!" Remus Lupin grinned.

"Hey, I seem to remember that it was you who crashed into that suit of armour right outside McGonagall's office, and she.." James trailed off as he realised that Remus had been joking. He sighed. "I'd better go and find Rosie and Tom."

"It's all right, James, we're already here," a voice piped up from behind them. The three sixteen year olds turned to find James' younger brother and sister standing next to each other, each weighed down with numerous bags.

Rosalinda was fresh out of her first year at Hogwarts. Long auburn hair reached her shoulders, and her deep blue eyes glittered with mischief. A tabby cat, Paddy - a birthday present from James - draped itself around her shoulders, hiding her neck completely. She was small for a twelve year- old - both her brothers towered over her - but she made up for it by being very loud, and very cheeky. Professor McGonagall had not been pleased to discover that she had another James in her House.

Thomas Potter, or 'Tom' as James called him, was now thirteen years old. Completely the opposite of James and Rosalinda, he was quite a quiet, studious teenager, who could always be found in the library if needed. Not that he didn't like to have fun. On the contrary, he had taken part in a few of the Marauder's jokes, and had a curious knack of never getting caught. James didn't mind. He, Sirius, Remus and Peter had already decided to break the school record for getting the most detentions whilst at Hogwarts. And getting caught was a good way to get them.

"Seen Dad yet?" asked James hopefully. He hadn't seen his father since Christmas, and he wanted to check to see how his father was coping with- well, coping.

Rosie shook her head. "Nope - I saw Peter go off with his parents, though."

"That doesn't actually do us a lot of good, Rosie," James laughed. "I mean, I can see Lily's parents, and- Oh Merlin, I have to say goodbye to Lily. Almost forgot about her."

"You almost forgot about your own girlfriend?" Remus rolled his eyes. "You know Lily - she'd be furious if you forgot to say goodbye. You'd better go now, before she leaves."

James nodded. "Rosie, Tom, keep an eye out for Dad; I won't be long." He dashed off down the platform, leaving Rosie and Tom looking bemused, and Sirius and Remus laughing.

"You know, I really don't think Lily would be that angry if he forgot, after-" Remus sobered up immediately. He halted to a stop as he caught sight of Rosie and Tom still standing next to him. He cleared his throat. "Uh, hadn't you better go and look for your Dad, you two?"

Rosie looked around. "Found him!" she exclaimed in triumph. "He's coming over now."

Remus couldn't help but to notice the usually ruddy face of Edward Potter was now very pale, and there were circles under his eyes - so much like James. He seemed relieved to see Rosalinda and Tom, but he frowned at the absence of James, his eldest son.

"Rosalinda, Thomas, how was school?"

Tom shrugged. "It was okay."

"Rosalinda?"

"It was great!" said Rosie. "At least, up until Easter.." She turned away. Remus caught sight of her blue eyes filled with tears.

"Yes, well.." Mr. Potter suddenly shook himself and became all business- like again. "Where's James? I need to get his O. results before he blows them up, or something."

"He's saying goodbye to Lily," said Sirius, trying not to laugh.

"Ah, yes, Lily. And how she?"

"She's fine, Dad," James said wearily, appearing again. "Unfortunately, she doesn't think the same of me."

"Very well.. O. results, please?" Mr. Potter held out his hand. James silently passed him the yellow envelope. His father put it into his pocket without looking at it; James knew that he was going to look at them at home, in case they were as good as his father might hope. "We must be going, you three. Have you said goodbye to all your friends?"

His children nodded, and Mr. Potter started to stride off towards the exit. James turned back to Sirius and Remus. "I'll be fine - write to me," was all he said, before following his father down the station.

Sirius sighed. "He's really not okay."

"What do you expect, Padfoot?" asked Remus quietly. "He just lost his mother at Easter, and then straight after that he had to do his exams. It wasn't brilliant timing."

Both of them remembered the night James had been summoned to Dumbledore's office. He had come back in shock, his face white, and had gone straight to bed. The next morning, though, he had told Sirius, Remus, Peter and Lily what had happened. His mother had been taken by Lord Voldemort. She was suspected dead.

At first, everyone was very hopeful that she wasn't dead, just missing. But after two months of silence, they had had to accept the inevitable; Jennifer Potter was most likely dead. After that James had needed the support of his friends desperately. He wasn't sleeping well, Remus suspected, and he had started to lose a lot of weight. Then he had had to deal with his O. . Lily finally persuaded him to take a break one night, and had got permission from Dumbledore to let them visit Hogsmeade. James had come back looking a little better - Lily thought it was the butterbeer that did it. From there things had only got better. Soon he was pretty much back to being 'James', although he was still very tired, and was thinner than he had probably ever been in his life. But things were finally looking up. Sirius still wasn't sure about letting James go back home for the summer holidays, instead of making him come and stay with him. James had never been very close to his father; he had adored his mother to no end. And Edward Potter wasn't the warmest of fathers at the best of times.

"Sirius? Hello?" Remus waved a hand in front of Sirius' face.

"What? Oh sorry, what were you saying?"

"I've just seen my parents - they're over there."

"Are you going, then?"

"Don't you remember?" Remus looked exasperated. "They said they'd give you a lift home."

A/N: Okay, I'll stop there. There will be more soon - this was just a sort of explanatory chapter. What do you think? Is it good, or should I never write again? Please review!