I want a perfect soul

It wasn't natural to be around this many people and feel like you were completely alone in this world. Well, it wasn't natural for Peter anymore. He had spent his whole life feeling extra. Feeling invisible. Feeling unneeded. So why did it, the sensation that should be comfortable to him, hurt like never before? Why did it feel fresh to him?

The answer was simple. He had had someone who genuinely cared enough about him to value him as a person. He had had someone who noticed when he wasn't in a room and when he was. He had been the number one person of someone. He wasn't extra, the optional, he was necessary to someone.

And not just anyone. Mary MacDonald. The beautiful. The kind. The divine. The perfect. The girl who was gone. His girl.

He understood why she had left, of course. It wasn't safe for her at school anymore. She had been raped. She had been taken advantage of. She had lost a part of herself. Her mental state wasn't healthy. Plus her family had decided to go into hiding because she was a muggleborn. The world was getting worse and worse for her kind, and nobody seemed to really care.

Okay, that wasn't true. But his Mary had gotten targeted because she was a muggleborn, and all Headmaster Dumbledore did was to expel the main person responsible, not even the other person which Mary identified. That was nothing compared to what she had to go to. Mary left the school, basically hiding under a cloak shivering, being comforted by McGonagall as they apparated away. Mulciber, even his name disgusted Peter, left the school with a spring in his step and a smirk on his face. He didn't look even the least bit apologetic. He looked proud. Avery, the one who had assisted Mulciber, had done a stupid looking grin and a salute at his friend.

It just wasn't fair and if Dumbledore was this great man that the other Marauders would die for, wouldn't he have done something? If Dumbledore led this Order of the Phoenix thing was it really such a good idea? He didn't know.

He still hadn't made a proper decision to join or not. Mostly, because he was morally conflicted about this. But what else would he do with his life? He wasn't smart enough to get an actual job. And he knew he had failed his N.E.W.Ts. Plus he would be able to protect what mattered most to him.

Mary.

He would do anything to protect her. He would die for her. Gladly. She deserved the world and he was nothing. He would sacrifice anything to save her. Maybe he was truly a Gryffindor. Maybe this war would prove that.

"Has anyone seen my robes?"

"I got them, James."

"Evans get out! I need my privacy!" Sirius squealed.

This was the definition of chaos.

"Don't worry Sirius, I'm really not interested in seeing you naked." She exited at this time.

"Lying makes you go to hell Lillianna!"

"Wormy don't forget to get dressed." James put on his own fancy ceremonial robes as he said this.

"Can you guys shut up? Some of us are trying to think." A Ravenclaw guy said. Peter didn't know his name but he definitely remembered his face. He was a very handsome guy. Objectively speaking as someone who was attracted to only girls, of course.

"I could but see the thing is darling, I don't want to," Sirius responded coolly. "Some voices aren't meant to be silenced. Unlike yours."

Remus put a hand on his lover's arm.

It was at this point Peter tuned out the conversation and got dressed. He slipped on the ceremonial robes that had the golden stitched Gryffindor crest over his heart. He then leaned over, wishing he was thinner and attempted to put on the shoes he had been given specifically for this occasion.

It wasn't that he was bad at putting on shoes, it was that James had ripped the shoes away from him.

Peter looked over at Prongs, wondering what in hell had possessed him to steal Peter's shoes. It was really weird. He made eye contact with a look of concern.

James just nodded towards his feet. He was barefoot. As were Remus and Sirius. Well, apparently they were all going barefoot.

It would have been nice to have had some warning about this. It would have been nice if someone thought to tell him. This was why he felt like an extra all the time.

"It's time to get a move on gentlemen! The time has begun for the ceremony..." Following this announcement from Slughorn were a couple of indistinguishable noises from the man.

Peter ignored them. Weird grunts and sounds coming from the professor was a usual occurrence.

He instead followed something he was rather good at, the rest of the Marauders out of the classroom that was used for a makeshift male room to get ready.

The girls were already out in the hallway, seemingly in alphabetical order.

"You look good, babe!" Sirius shouted obnoxiously loud across the room.

Marlene batted her eyelashes at him, smirking. "You too darling. Rock that look!"

How nobody realized they were extremely not dating, Peter didn't understand. But that was probably because he knew them extremely well.

Remus and Dorcas eye-rolled at the same time, shaking their heads.

"I'll be right back," James muttered from behind Peter before sprinting towards the front of the line.

Peter looked away from him, knowing what was about to happen. He felt so empty without Mary. Everyone else had their lover, but he was missing his. He was empty without her.

"Mr. Potter! Stop it! That is not appropriate right now! Back in line." McGonagall's strict voice carried throughout the hallway.

"Or what? You'll give me detention?" James walked back anyway, full of confidence. Like always.

"Min-G would probably. She'll miss us so much she wants to keep us for as long as possible." Sirius offered a smile to her.

"I can assure you, Mr. Black, I have no desire to keep you in this school longer than you have to be."

Sirius merely winked in response.

After everyone was in the proper place the ceremony started.

"Today we see goodbye to several of our students. And I see no reason to prolong the inevitable so I'll leave you with a couple of words. Spourmo, catined, onelay, gog! To the boats!" And that was the end of Dumbledore's speech.

Even though Peter kind of despised Dumbledore right now, he appreciated the old man's memory. Those four words were the ones that Dumbledore had said at the very first welcoming feast of this graduating class. It was special to hear them again right before leaving.

"Two per boat!" McGonagall announced.

It was four when they had first arrived, but since they had grown a lot, four people in a boat would tip it over now.

Peter assumed he would be left alone as James would obviously choose Lily, Sirius would choose Remus, and Marlene would choose Dorcas. Therefore, he was pleasantly surprised when Sirius grabbed him by the elbow, pulling him into a boat with him. Sirius and Peter were not that close, but Peter still considered him a brother.

James and Remus were in a boat together leaving Lily and Dorcas in a boat and Marlene and Greta in a boat together.

Sirius leaned in close to Peter to whisper in his ear. "Remus came up with a brilliant idea. I enchanted the boats so that all of the boats except the ones we four are in are going to slowly sink. Remus enchanted the shoes. They have this powder thing that when it gets wet will turn everyone's feet into webbed feet like ducks. James set up a charm that when he says the keyword everyone's hats will turn into hair dye and dye everyone's hair a nice red mixed with gold. It'll be great. On my cue, the four of us will throw our hats. It's going to be our last hurrah. Our last prank. Everyone's going to be wet and have red and gold hair." Sirius pulled away, revealing his expression, which was beaming with joy.

Peter couldn't help feeling disappointed that no one had told him about this, but he pushed it away, putting a smile on his face.

"Shh..." Sirius leaned back in the boat.

Now all they could do was to wait.

"Graduates. I consider it a great honor to speak to you today. But it is also a great responsibility. Professor Dumbledore has entrusted me to impart to you the last knowledge you will ever receive from this school. Today marks the end of an era in your life and the beginning of another one. You are no longer children seeking wisdom from your elders. You have a new life to begin, and in these uncertain times, all we know is that it will be difficult. Teaching you for seven years has taught me something though. All of you can handle what is coming your way. As you say your goodbyes to this school, remember all that Hogwarts has taught you. I sincerely hope your future is bright and that you will always keep with you the life lessons Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has taught you. That is my greatest hope in this life. That this school has impacted your life in some sort of way. This is the end but the beginning, so I shall not say goodbye. I shall merely say, welcome! Welcome to your new life." Minnie turned away at this moment, covering her face. Was... Was she crying?

She was.

Everyone clapped, but no one clapped louder than Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs. It was physically impossible to clap as loud as they did.

Peter felt himself tearing up. He felt ashamed for a moment before he looked over and saw Padfoot balling.

"I'M GOING TO MISS YOU MIN!" James suddenly yelled.

"I'M GOING TO MISS YOU MORE!" Sirius yelled in response.

"MINNIE LIKES ME MORE!"

"THAT IS BULLSHIT! FIGHT ME PRONGS!"

"Enough." Headmaster Dumbledore said calmly, waving his hand over everyone in a cue to settle down. Once everyone was silent again, he spoke. "Minerva likes me best."

Most people just looked annoyed, but a couple of them laughed at this remark. The laughing had settled down when the screaming began.

People had noticed their feet webbing up and their boats sinking.

"Mr. Potter. Mr. Black. Mr. Pettigrew. I take it you are responsible?" Min didn't even include Remus, probably because he was pulling his 'I'm innocent my friends are crazy' face that he had perfected.

"'Course we are!" James winked at Sirius. Sirius nodded at Peter. Peter looked at Remus. Remus nodded. They all threw their hats at a couple of Slytherins before James continued. "Marauders forever!"

All of the hats, including the ones that the teachers wore, exploded into the dye.

"Deten...." Minnie stopped halfway through the word. She instead just shook her head. "I should have been expecting this."

During the chaos that happened next, Peter had the time to look back at what he was leaving. He was going to miss Hogwarts, but he was going to be able to see his Mary and that was all that mattered. She was his everything. He was nothing without her.