James walked into the common room, whistling, and with a broad grin on his face. Being the newest person to make the Gryffindor Quidditch team, he was in high spirits. All around him people came up to congratulate him, slapped him on the back, and wished him luck.

However, three people did not seem to be in the cheerful mood that James was.

James spotted his friends sitting in front of the fireplace. They seemed to be conversing quietly, but when James made his way over they stopped talking, and began doing homework.

“What’s going on over here, lads? Why aren’t you joining in on the celebration?� James asked, as he plopped himself in his favorite chair.

Sirius looked up. “Oh yeah. Congratulations, mate.� He didn’t seem too thrilled though, and James thought he knew why.

“Yeah, it’s great. Sorry you fellows didn’t make the team. I don’t know what Finch is thinking, not taking you.�

Remus spoke up. “Well, obviously he knows what he is doing. He took you, didn’t he?�

James noticed just a hint of sarcasm in his friend’s voice and frowned. “What are you on about?�

“Well, don’t mind us if we aren’t exactly thrilled at your making the team and us not.� Remus sounded annoyed.

James was beginning to get angry. “Now, wait just a minute! We all tried out for the team. Yeah, it would have been nice if we all made it, but look at the odds. We were pretty stupid to think we could all make the team. Just because I happen to be the one who did doesn’t mean you have to be cross at me. Finch made a fair decision.�

Sirius shook his head and turned back to his paper, but Remus muttered quietly, “A fair decision, yeah, right.�

James slammed his book down. “Okay, spit it out, Remus. What the hell is bothering you?�

“I am a werewolf for God’s sake, James! Get that through your thick head. I will never have a chance at anything. A job, a place on a Quidditch team, nothing!�

“Well, yeah, you’re a werewolf, but that’s not why you didn’t make the team.� James was now thoroughly confused. “Finch doesn’t know about you does he?�

“No, but that’s not the point,� hissed Remus, so that no one else would hear him. “I’ve never had anything. I never will have anything. I have to work for every single thing in life and never got anything from it. Sirius here has mounds and mounds of gold—�

“Now wait just a minute, Remus! Don’t get me involved in this,� Sirius said angrily.

“Well, it’s true. Your family is rich, they can support you. Everyone in school thinks you are just brilliant, because you are a Black. What am I, though? A bloody werewolf.�

Sirius shook his head. “You really have no clue, do you? You think my life is a walk in the park. Why don’t you go live there? I’d rather be a werewolf than have to live with my family. Look at this,� he said as he lifted up the back of his shirt, revealing a nasty scar. The boys stared at it, shocked.

“That is from my father. It was my reward for getting into Gryffindor. You think those marks you get from biting yourself are bad? If I even mention my friends to my parents, or anything about Gryffindor – if I do anything to disgrace our family – then my father does that to me. Yeah, Remus, my life really is wonderful. If you want to talk about somebody having a nice life, look at James. He’s your man.�

James face turned red. “Now hold on, Sirius. That is rubbish. Yeah, my family doesn’t treat me the way yours does, but that doesn’t mean I have everything my own way.�

Sirius snorted, and turned to Remus and Peter. “You haven’t been to his house. There’s a gold fountain in the front of it, and a beautiful garden. It’s like heaven. You go inside, and his parents will tell you where your room is. Down the right or left wing. Imagine that!� He turned to face James. “Everything you’ve ever wanted you’ve got. Your parents love you more then anything. And you know why you made the team over me?� he said angrily as he shoved him. “Because you were riding that damn Nimbus 1500 that your parents bought you for your birthday. You know what I was riding? A school broom, because my mother refuses to buy me anything!�

James didn’t appreciate having Sirius talking about him this way. The broom had nothing to do with his making the team; the decisions were made based on skill. He turned to Sirius and pushed him. “You think you know everything about me, eh, Sirius? Well, why don’t you just shove off,� he said.

Sirius retaliated, and before they knew it, everyone in the Gryffindor common room had stopped what they were doing, and was chanting, “Fight, fight!�

Remus had joined in soon after, and the boys were almost open-brawling around the room, pushing each other over chairs and yelling.

Peter tried to step between them, saying, “Stop it! This is stupid, you’re just—�

The boys stopped for just a moment, and James looked at Peter, glaring. “Shut up, Peter. You don’t even know what you’re talking about. Nobody asked for your advice.�

Peter’s face turned purple. “Oh yeah?� he yelled. “Well, that’s because nobody ever asks for my advice! You think I like being shoved aside, while you guys strut around in your glory? Go back to the Quidditch Pitch, James. Maybe you’ll find someone who wants to listen to you!�

For five more minutes the boys fought, shoving each other around and making a terrible scene, until Professor McGonagall ran in and pulled them apart.

“Potter, Black, Lupin, Pettigrew – what is the meaning of this?� She looked shocked and angry.

“Sirius insulted my family,� started James.

“What? I did not – I just pointed out to Remus how my life is much worse then yours.� He made to grab at James, but McGonagall stopped him.

“ENOUGH! I don’t care who said what to whom. This is outrageous. I will not have Muggle fighting in this common room. Now whatever it is you need to say to each other can be said calmly, without fighting.� She turned to Remus. “How were you involved, Mr. Lupin?�

Remus shook his head. “It doesn’t matter, Professor.�

“I think you’ll find that it does. Fifty points from Gryffindor, and I want to see you all in my office, tomorrow evening. Good night, gentlemen.�

~*~

The following day was rather quiet. Without the boys performing their usual antics (pranking and disrupting classes), the day seemed rather dull. Certainly, lessons were not a fun as usual.

In Potions, Remus chose to sit with Lily Evans and Severus Snape (who didn’t seem very happy with this new arrangement), and Sirius sat at the opposite end of the table, as far away from James as possible.

You would think that being separated would make the boys focus better on their school work, but instead they seemed even more preoccupied then usual. They sat there, glaring at each other, or else ignoring everyone completely.

When it was time for the boys to leave the common room that evening and head down to McGonagall’s (each of them refusing to speak to the others), the Gryffindors were quite happy to see them go.

~*~

“Now, boys. I want us to sit here calmly, and work out a solution to our problem. Nobody,� Professor McGonagall said with a dangerous look, when Sirius began to protest, “is leaving until we have solved this.�

When the boys refused to say anything, she sighed and turned to James.

“From what I have heard from various people’s recaps of the story, this started off with your making the Quidditch team, Potter.�

James turned to his Head of House and said darkly, “Yes, Professor. I came into the common room expecting my friends to congratulate me, and instead Remus was angry because he didn’t think he was treated fairly.�

“And why don’t you think you were treated fairly, Mr. Lupin?� she asked, her gaze piercing.

Remus turned to her. “It’s not that I wasn’t treated fairly, Professor. It’s just that I’m tired of not being able to do things everyone else can, and…I guess I was just feeling sorry for myself.� He looked down.

“Understandable, Lupin. Your condition tends to make your reactions more…excitable. Especially at certain times...� She looked at Remus, knowingly.

“Now,� she said, turning to Sirius. “What was your part in this, Mr. Black?�

“When Remus got angry he started saying things about how my family was so great. I told him that if he wanted to be annoyed with anyone, it should be James, who beat us all out of the Quidditch team, and who has a really easy life. James got shirty with me, and the three of us got in a fight.�

Professor McGonagall eyes looked piercingly at Peter. “When Mr. Black says three of you, I take it you weren’t involved, Pettigrew?�

Peter shook his head. “No, Professor. I tried to stop it, but when James told me to shut up, I guess with everything going on, I got cross with him. I’m always being told to shut up, and when they do involve me in something, they usually just say, “Oh, look at Peter. He’s so useless.� I suppose I was just fed up with being shoved in the background.�

Professor McGonagall sat back in her chair, looking down at the boys.

“It seems as if this could all have been avoided if you had talked things out. Now, I know I speak for the rest of the professors when I say that we don’t like when the four of you disturb our classes with your antics.� There was a hint of a smile playing at her lips now. “But it was a little too quiet today with the four of you not talking. You have been friends for over two years; surely you’re not going to give that up over a Quidditch spot?�

Sirius looked at James. “Well, I shouldn’t have jumped down James’ throat. I was just jealous that he made the team over me.�

“Yeah, me too,� said Remus. “I was just was using my condition as an excuse, because I didn’t want to admit that James was better than me.�

“And I shouldn’t have got angry at you lot. It’s not your fault that people like you better,� started Peter.

“You shouldn’t be sorry, Peter. We are always leaving you out of things. I shouldn’t have told you to shut up,� said James. He took a deep breath. “And I suppose I should have realized that you lot wouldn’t be happy about not making the team. I was just so excited about making the team that I forgot about how you would feel.�

When the boys looked at Professor McGonagall, they couldn’t help but notice that her she looked almost amused.

“Well, I assume that it is safe to say that you boys are friends again?�

“Yes, Professor. Thank you.�

The professor looked down at them, smiling. “I’m pleased you were able to work things out between yourselves. You may go.�

The boys made to leave, but when they reached the door the professor called at them. “Oh, and boys, just because you are speaking again does not mean I want my class tomorrow interrupted. Bear that in mind, please.�

“Whatever you say, Professor,� said Sirius with a wink as the boys headed, laughing, out of the classroom.
~*~