Disclaimer: Nothing you recognise is mine!
Red by Rockinfaerie
Playing Cards in Fading Light
“Your deal, Mr Padfoot.”
Sirius grinned at James as he caught the worn pack of cards that sailed through the air, and the four sat down in a tight circle on the creaking floor boards.
Through the small window the last rays of sunlight could be seen, clinging desperately to the grubby glass panels. Below the narrow, peeling sill was a dusty armchair, decorated with faded floral embroidery. The cushions were badly ripped, and dark stuffing had emerged from the holes, now liberally strewn across the seat. It had a lopsided stance; the gait of a missing front leg, which generally took up residence in the next room.
Beside this chair was a short stack of newspapers, magazines (of the Quidditch variety), comic strips, and books - stolen long ago from the restricted section, but found to be far too interesting to be returned. The large wooden four poster had been stripped bare “ its pillows and blankets taken hostage by the youths beside it.
The game of poker commenced, but their minds were not on the growing pot of Honeydukes sweets before them. Something entirely different captivated them as they attempted to quicken the time, and when Sirius nimbly dealt them their hands, each cast hopeful looks towards the window, eager to see some trace of red light glare through, some indication that the sun was failing, waiting for the full moon to triumph.
James picked up the five cards in front of him, throwing mock looks of suspicion at Sirius as he examined them. His best friend lolled lazily on the hard floor, a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, and his hand tucked under his chin. A trace of a stinging hex could be seen on his cheek, courtesy of Snape, who had taken his chance when Sirius had his guard down. Of course, they got him back, to their great enjoyment.
“Maybe we’ll hex him again, just one more,” James said quietly to Sirius, who nodded vigorously. “For good measure.”
Remus’ face was pale, he was thinner at this time of the month than any other, and there were bags under his eyes. This unhealthy appearance however was cause for no concern “ it merely added to their anticipation of the fast-approaching night. He was not speaking very much, apparently lost in thought.
Once upon a time, he and Sirius would bewitch Peter’s cards to make him lose consistently, but in recent months, he had grown wise to that trick. It made the whole game a lot less fun, in their opinion, but it was the only thing that could contain them for the short period of time between their long, muddy trek through the low tunnel and their long awaited-for transformations.
“One more thing before we start,” James said, raising an open bottle of mead as they all gathered closer, tightening the circle. “I’d like to propose a toast “ ,”
“To Rosemerta!” they all chorused, clinking their bottles together before drinking deeply.
“Aaah, lovely Rosemerta,” Remus sighed, smiling as he wiped his mouth with his shirt sleeve. “Just as well she fancies the pants off Padfoot, otherwise we just might have to resort to robbery!”
“Like we don’t already,” laughed James, inclining his head towards the sweets between he and Peter, and they grinned mischievously.
“Rosemerta, getting my pants off me?” Sirius asked the ceiling, laughing. “In her wildest dreams!”
The rest echoed his mirth, Peter the loudest, as they too took up their cards.
“All in?” James asked, as each Marauder placed their bet in the centre of the circle. “Good.”
Sirius dutifully collected every player’s unwanted cards, and replaced them with new ones.
“Moony, you in?”
Remus nodded silently, and placed three sweets in the pot.
“Worm?”
“Yep,” he said, following Remus’ suit.
“Prongs?”
“No, I’m out,” James sighed, dropping his cards face down.
“Well, I count myself in, and I’m raising the stakes!”
The others groaned, and James grabbed Peter’s cushion from behind him and lay back on it, still intent on hearing the proceedings.
“It's mine now,” he said calmly, as Peter began to protest.
The ceiling was heavily lined; thin cracks flowed across the once smooth surface as though a bored hand had drawn them there. The plaster had fallen away in places, revealing grey slate, and the corners were dark with spider webs. The Shack was their hideout, which they used frequently, and as long as they had known it, it had always retained an unquestionably decayed look. At the centre of the ceiling was a dust-covered, broken chandelier, and the dull brass gleamed in the dying sun rays. His friends’ voices echoed on the empty walls “ chuckling and joking.
It was James’ favourite place to be.
In spite of this, James found the knot in his stomach grow tighter, and his friends’ comforting mirth was replaced by his uncle’s chilling words. It was a scene he strongly wished to forget, and his anxiety was unpleasantly accompanied by a huge weight of guilt for his mother, whom he had left with little explanation. His was wholly unlike Sirius’ situation. Sirius had unhappily maintained, since first year, that his family hated him, and in the past five years the feeling had grown mutual. These days, he never displayed any inclination or desire to speak to them. He refused to acknowledge his younger brother in corridors, and Regulus did not speak to him, and their parents made no effort to bridge the gap.
James had, more than a month ago, been unable to relate to this complex matter, but he currently knew what it was to hate a family member. Lucius had been in James’ life for as long as he could remember, longer than Sirius had. His memories of his uncle had once been fond, but now they were horribly tainted, and he would wake suddenly, in the pitch dark night, seething over the things he had said, and fearful of what would happen if he told anyone.
Since his return to school, he had tried desperately not to think about it, to occupy himself with other things, to forget it, or to find that it had never happened. Yet he could not help slipping into a dark, worrisome reverie, whereby he became uncharacteristically quiet. This behaviour did not go unnoticed by his friends, especially Sirius “ who (often correctly) would assume his sadness was about his father, and would do everything in his power to cheer him up.
“I’ll see you, Padfoot... and raise you one,” Remus said cautiously. “Padfoot?”
“Yeah Moony?”
“I raised you one.”
“Oh. Sorry,” Sirius said. “I was just thinking...”
“That’s surprising.” Peter quipped, and James heard the crackle of sweet wrappers as he subtracted from the pile.
“Shut up Worm,” he said irritably, as Peter laughed. Sirius exhaled slowly, and James smelt the smoke as it drifted over him. “Prongs, are you listening? Because I think it applies to you more than the rest of us.”
“Yeah,” replied James, who still stared fervently at the ceiling, following the creeping journey of a tiny black spider from one side of the curtain rail to the other. As it reached the centre it slipped down, dangling from its invisible web, before climbing back up, not stopping until it reached the safety of the rotting wooden bar.
“Evans dumped Alexander Chambers today.”
This, it turned out, was one of these times.
“What?” he asked quickly, shooting back up to sitting position beside his best friend, who he found was laughing at his sudden reaction.
“’Knew that would get you up! But yeah, it’s true. Shame, I know,” he grinned, seeing the delighted look on James’ face, the dark cloud that was Lucius drifting to the back of his mind.
“Yes, I agree… they were so sweet together,” James said sarcastically, laughing. “I never knew why she went out with him “ he’s a conceited brat!”
“So are you,” Sirius reminded him, taking another swig from his mead.
“Exactly. She went out with him; why not me? Anyway,” he continued, as Sirius' words registered, “I may be a brat, but I’m way, way better at being one than Chambers is.”
“Maybe that’s the problem,” Remus said thoughtfully.
“But I thought you had given up on her, Prongs,” said Peter. “You went out with Rosie Miller in January, and “ ”
“Ms Miller had a head of air,” he debunked.
“Good-looking head, just nothing in it,” Sirius elaborated, as James lay back down on Peter’s cushion.
“And you snogged Jane Aldrige at that Quidditch party, when you beat Ravenclaw “ ”
“He was under the influence,” Sirius explained, “and she had the same outlook as Ms Miller - ooh, look, it's the Quidditch captain!”
“Nice to know that's my only redeeming feature,” James joked.
“I can’t believe it! I actually thought “ ”
“Yeah I know, Worm. I’m surprised too. It’s hard to believe the obsession has lasted this long. Don’t get me wrong Prongs - she has terribly attractive qualities, but…”
“The sun is setting.”
They all looked at Remus, and followed his gaze to the window. Red beams shimmered at them, and the blank walls painted scarlet. They all stood to attention, silently watching as the sun made its last bloody descent behind the hills, its light streaming outwards like arms outstretched. The red faded from the sky and the sky turned greyer, tints of blue appearing, the shadows creeping towards them as their excitement mounted.
“So, where will it be tonight?” asked Peter.
“The forest,” said James determinedly.
“The forest it is then,” agreed Sirius.
Remus nodded, but he looked worried, as he always did before the transformation.
“Don’t worry Moony,” said James, standing beside him. “It’s really cold tonight “ no-one will be out “ especially not in the forest!”
He grinned, and a look of adventure gleamed in his eyes.
“Ok,” he agreed. “Look at him,” he said, gesturing to Sirius.
“And he’s off!” laughed James, looking to where Sirius had leapt onto the old armchair.
“Ladies and gentlemen!” Sirius announced to the non-existent audience, “May I introduce to you… Wormtail!”
Peter screwed up his eyes in concentration, and drew a breath. There was a flash of light, and the other boys cheered loudly as a small rat appeared on the wooden floor, scattering the cards everywhere.
“And of course the star of tonight’s performance, without whom none of this could have happened… Moony!”
Of course, Remus could not yet transform, but the sky outside was blackening. He laughed along with Sirius, his cheeks turning slightly red at being caught in the limelight, if only for a second.
“And who could forget our deer friend Prongs, and I am sure,” he said to the imaginary crowd, “that he needs no introduction?”
“Nor Padfoot, the beloved doggy “ sorry “ fanged beast, who roams the grounds,” James said with a flourish, taking to the stage as naturally as Sirius. “Make sure you catch Mrs Norris tonight!”
“So without further ado…” said Remus, laughing at them both.
“Lead the way, Worm!” cried Sirius, and the three chased the rat across the landing, their mirth echoing against the dull walls, down the rusting staircase, and into the tunnel.
When they emerged, their backs ached from the stooped climb and their robes muddy, but the cold air refreshed them. Peter was barely visible beneath the frozen limbs of the Whomping Willow, and they were quick to come out from under it before it began to move violently once more.
The sky had deepened to a velvet black, and the trees of the Forbidden Forest were sharp silhouettes, moving slightly in the slow breeze. Their breath came out in white vapour as they walked in the shadowed protection of the tall pines. During their outdoor pursuits, James and Sirius always transformed outside, as there was simply no way either would fit, in their animal form, through the tunnel.
They weaved through the narrow trunks, leaves and branches cracking under their feet. No-one dared to light a wand. They could all hear Peter scuffling on the forest floor, keeping up with them as they paced.
Finally, they had reached their spot, a small clearing where the trees surrounding it were sufficiently thick to hide their activities from prying eyes.
James smiled, his emotions matching his face for the first time in weeks.
Remus stared up at the sky, licking his lips nervously, waiting for the moon to make its appearance.
“Here we go,” whispered Sirius.
“Freedom,” added James.
He closed his eyes, steadying himself, and together, he and Sirius transformed.
Hello everyone, sorry this has taken so long. Well there it is, you've read it, now review it!