Amour
/əˈmo͝or,äˈmo͝or/ noun
1. a secret or illicit love affair or lover.

• • • • •

My trunk dragged behind me as I lifted it off of the luggage cart to bring it onto the train. I stood by my mum and dad as I waited for my two younger siblings, Henry and Beatrice.

The two fourteen-year-olds argued with each other as they attempted to push each other out of the way as they reached for their trunks.

Godric, I miss Sebastian.

Unfortunately, Seb graduated last year, leaving me to deal with our younger siblings by myself.

"I'm going to find my friends, they're probably looking for me." I announced, turning to face my parents.

Both of them smiled at me and pulled me into a hug.

As much as I love my family, my friends are more of a family to me than my actual family is. I hugged them back, "See you soon, I'll keep an eye on Bea and Henry."

"Goodbye darling, don't get into too much trouble with those boys." My dad joked, pulling away from the hug.

My mum playfully slapped his arm, "Don't be daft, tell James, Remus, Sirius, and Jolie that they're welcome to spend the holidays with us if they so please!"

I smiled, "I will, love you both!"

My parents said I love you back, and I turned on my heel and sped onto the train eager to find my friends.

The sound of my Mary Jane's was muffled by the bustling of the other students on the train. Compartment doors were opening and closing, friends were greeting each other and were catching up on their summers.

I walked to the near back of the train, peeking into compartments in search of my friends, which seemed nowhere to be found.

At least, that's what I thought until I saw the three boys, talking exaggeratedly in one of the very last compartments on the left.

I slid open the glass door, "Hello boys, nice to see you all."

Remus grabbed my trunk from my hands and secured it in one of the overhead compartments. He was always such a gentleman.

James and Sirius stood up to hug me, and I placed a soft kiss on each of their cheeks, before going to give Remus a kiss on the cheek.

The boys all blushed, well except for Sirius, who was pouting at me. "Really, Daphne? That's all I get?"

I hit Sirius in the arm, "Oh please, you have your lovers at Hogwarts."

James and Remus snickered, while Sirius rolled his eyes at me.

I took a seat next to Remus, and across from James and Sirius.

It was nice to be around the boys again. Normally I would at least visit the Potter's during the summer, but my family was on vacation instead.

My family and I spent the summer in the French Riviera, where we have a vacation home. All four of us kids were born in France, specifically Paris. We lived there for the first eight years of my life before we moved to Edinburgh, Scotland.

I hate Scotland compared to France. The accents are interesting, but not in a bad way though. However, people probably say the same thing about me since I kept my French accent

Even though I go to Hogwarts in Scotland, and my parents live in Scotland, we tend to spend our summers back in France. Either Paris, the French Riviera, or Lyon.

The squeaking of the compartment door opening snapped me back to reality.

Jolie Chance was standing in the doorway, holding her trunk. Her long dark blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail and her matching icy blue eyes looked excited.

I jumped up and pulled my best friend into a hug, causing her to drop her trunk. Jolie quickly wrapped her arms around me and hugged me back tightly. We hadn't seen each other since June, so it had been way too long.

"How was France?" Jolie exclaimed as she took turns hugging each of the three boys.

I grinned, "C'était très intéressant."

"Stop talking in French, I don't understand it!" Sirius groaned, slumping back into his seat next to James.

Jolie sat down, and I followed, seating myself in between Remus.

While Jolie didn't grow up speaking French, her crazy pureblood mum insisted that she knew multiple languages. So, she knows English, French, and Latin.

"Oui? Dis-le."

Jolie and I started up a conversation in French, strictly because we knew the boys had no idea what we were saying.

I guess her mum forcing languages on her did have a plus side.

James was uninterested and cleared his throat to get our attention. We all stopped what we were doing to look at the boy.

A few strands of his curled black hair hung in front of his brow bone, and his dazzling hazel eyes were deep in thought.

"Yes, James?" Remus asked, crossing his arms in front of his slim body.

James huffed, "This is her last chance. I am going to ask Lily Evans out one last time-"

"That's unlikely-"

"Shut the fuck up, Snuffles." James mumbled, causing all of us to burst out laughing. All of us except for Sirius.

He rolled his eyes at James but kept his mouth shut.

"As I was saying," James continued, "I'm going to ask her out one last time, and if she says no then I'm going to let her be and move on."

Jolie scoffed at him, "James, you say this every single time."

"This time I'm serious though!" James retorted.

Remus shushed them, and Sirius began laughing his arse off.

"Oh god, the girls are fighting!"

I rolled my eyes at Sirius, he always was one to shout out unhelpful things at the worst possible times.

After everyone settled down, I cleared my throat. "I believe you, Prongs."

"Well, are you going to go ask her?" Jolie questioned, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

James stood up and smoothed out his trousers, "As I matter of fact, I am. Be back soon."

Remus shook his head at the raven-haired boy, "Good luck."

James slid the compartment door closed behind him and ventured off to find Lily Evans.

The four of us made small talk while we waited for James to return. It was hard to believe that this really was the last chance he was going to give the red-headed prefect.

Lily Evans, by definition, was perfect.

She was absolutely gorgeous, incredibly intelligent, friendly to everyone, and very strong-hearted.

There was no question as to why James was so hung up on her. He's been pawning after her since first year, and everyone knows it.

The squeal of the glass door sliding back open halted our conversation.

James Potter had returned, with an unreadable look on his face. He ran his hand through his messy hair, "She said no."

"What a letdown." Sirius mumbled, unsurprised.

Remus gave James a pat on the back, "It's okay Prongs, she's not worth anymore of your time."

I reassuringly smiled at James, "They're right. Now you can finally move on."

Jolie stayed silent, her blue eyes wild with her thoughts. She tucked a stray hair behind her ear, "I'm sorry James."

James huffed at sat back down next to Sirius, "Padfoot, hold me."

Without question, Sirius pulled James close to him and wrapped his arms around his best friend's lean body.

Out of all of us, Sirius and James were the closest. Especially since the Potters took in Sirius last year. Sure, we were all extremely close, but Padfoot and Prongs were each other's platonic soulmates.

"I know what can take your mind off of it." Jolie announced, a devilish look dancing upon her a pale face.

"What?" James asked, finally sitting up from Sirius's embrace.

Jolie exchanged a look with Sirius, and he smirked.

"Our back to school party, of course!"

Remus groaned, "Not again."

I stifled a laugh at the mixed reactions coming from everyone in the compartment. It was no surprise that Remus hated parties, but on the other hand, James, Sirius, and Jolie love them.

As for me, they're okay. It really depends on the people. But I have a feeling that this party will be a good one.

• • • • •

"Moony, you need to do something." I muttered to the brunette boy who was sitting next to me at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall.

Remus finished chewing his pot roast before turning to me, "Why? Prongs looks fine."

I nudged him in the ribs, "He looks like a kicked puppy."

Sirius leaned across the table, "Daph is right."

The four of us were eating dinner in the Great Hall. The welcome feast had been quite boring, and James has had the same pouty face since we got off the train.

Speaking of James, he was sitting next to Sirius, completely oblivious to everything going on around him. He was pushing his food around his plate and occasionally taking a bite of his mashed potatoes and pot roast.

"Oi, Prongs!" Sirius yelled, waving his hand in front of James. His outburst had caught some of the surrounding people's attention.

Remus coughed, "Ignore him, as you were."

I tucked my blonde hair behind my ear and looked across the table at James, who had finally snapped back to reality.

"James, darling," I began, "You really should eat dinner, but you can't do that until you stop pouting."

He rolled his hazel eyes at me.

James' eyes often reminded me of winter. The hazel color of his eyes contrasted greatly with the icy blue flecks. However, unlike the winter, his eyes were never cold. James' eyes were full of warmth, kindness, and life. His eyes looked like the mid-winter sky contrasting with the trees.

"I'm not pouting," James stated, "I'm grieving. I practically wasted five years hung up on her when I never stood a chance."

Sirius clapped James on the back, "You didn't waste your time. Lily toyed around with you like a dog, and I would know."

The three of us laughed at Sirius's dog joke. Because, well, you know.

I really do feel bad for James.

"He's right, you're a free man now."

"I was thinking the exact same thing, Moony." Sirius replied, a smirk playing on his lips.

I smiled at the three boys, "You'll forget all about her by the time the party ends tonight and you blackout."

James chuckled, "I will literally forget about her."

"Bloody lightweight." Sirius mumbled, earning himself a smack upside the head from James.

Remus rolled his eyes, "I guess I'll babysit."

James and Sirius high fived each other and thanked their best friend.

At parties, James and Sirius would get absolutely wasted, and Remus would make sure they ended the night tucked into their beds.

Moony is too pure for this world.

"What if I just show up to the party in my animagus form, so that there's just a fox in the common room?" I asked, just to get a reaction out of the boys.

All three of them burst out laughing at my comment.

"Yeah, hate to break it to you Vixen, but that will not be happening tonight."

"Oh, boo." I pouted, messing up Remus's already messy hair.

Most people have a group of close friends. But we weren't just friends, we were family. We're the Marauders; Padfoot, Prongs, Moony, and Vixen.

We're blindly loyal to one another, attached at the hip. That's how we've been ever since first year, and that's how we'll always be.

Sirius stood up from the table, "I need to go put my party outfit on."

"Your party outfit?" Remus questioned, giving the raven-haired boy an odd look.

"Yes Moony, my party outfit."

I stifled a laugh, "And what exactly is a party outfit?"

Sirius sat back down, "Oh I am so glad that you asked. It's a-"

James groaned, "How can I party when my heart is broken."

"Firewhiskey, duh."

"Well thank you for that recommendation, Pads."

Sirius stood up again and pulled on one of James' curls. "Anytime, Prongs."

• • • • •

Note: I 100% believe that all of the French that Sirius learned went in one ear and right out the other. Sort of as a trauma response.