“Er ... can I come in?”
“You sleep here, don’t you?” Sirius replied rudely. “Unless you’ve decided to move in with Preston ... or pretty-boy Lysander.”
“Well, I would, but neither are my type, Padfoot,” James said, casting a quick glance at Peter and noting, with relief, that the other boy was hiding a smile. “I like my mates ... er ... rough!”
“Huh?”
“Ruff,” James repeated. “Ruff-ruff-ruff. You know, Padfoot, like a dog’s bark.” He got down on all fours and started to bark loudly
Peter stifled a very definite laugh, so James grinned and crawled across the floor to him. “Don’t even mind when they get ‘ratty’,” he squeaked, and sitting up in a begging position, he looked sorrowfully at the pair of them.
“You’re a jerk,” Sirius muttered and turned away. Sitting heavily on his bed, he picked up a magazine and began leafing through it.
“When did you learn to read upside down?” James asked sarcastically as Sirius continued ‘reading’.
In reply, Sirius threw the magazine across the room. As the cover ripped, James felt close to losing it.
“That‘s my bloody magazine! I haven’t read it yet.”
“Oh, keep your wig on, I can repair that easily!” Sirius retorted. “Or are you more annoyed that I was reading it? Yeah, I guess that as it’s about Quidditch, I’m not allowed to read it.”
“Uh... Padfoot,” interjected Peter, moving towards him. “I don’t think Prongs is saying that.”
“You’re a sodding Legilimens, now, are you?” Sirius said forcefully, turning his rage on Peter.
James had had enough now. He’d wanted to talk to them both, explain why they wouldn’t be in the team, but Sirius’ intransigence was infuriating him.
“It’s not Peter’s fault you tore my magazine!” he shouted, but they all knew this wasn’t about a magazine cover.
“Did I say it was?”
“Prongs, it’s okay,” muttered Peter. “I know Padfoot didn’t mean it.”
“Nah, he never does,” replied James rudely. “He’s allowed to say and do whatever the hell he wants because he’s Sirius Black and is allowed to get away with anything because of his sodding hard life. And none of us are ever allowed to forget that!”
He felt the hex before he’d registered that Sirius had picked up his wand. It barely grazed his ear, but it still hurt. Rapidly, he withdrew his own wand, preparing to fire back, but something made him pause.
Sirius was staring open mouthed at him, shock wrought over his face and his wand hanging loosely by his side. “S...s...sorry,” he stuttered. “I didn’t mean... Oh Merlin, Prongs, are you hurt?”
Slightly puzzled, James lifted his hand to his ear. It was bleeding, but the cut wasn’t deep. “It’s nothing,” he said softly and took a step towards him. “Padfoot, I’m okay ... and ... uh ... sorry, too, I didn’t mean all that crap about you getting away with things.”
Sirius sat back on his bed, but his attitude now was very different from earlier. Now he looked sad, defeated, and hollow.
“It really is okay,” James repeated and started smiling. “Look, it’s stopped bleeding now. That was a pretty good hex, mate, and non-verbal. What was it?”
“Sectumsempra,” Sirius admitted miserably. “That spell of Snape’s. I don’t know what came over me, I just reacted and that came into my head. Merlin, Prongs, I could have really hurt you!”
“You didn’t, though,” James replied, trying to show a bravado he didn’t quite feel. Sirius could have badly injured him. It could have been much, much worse, and all this over a game of Quidditch and a ripped magazine.
“Uh, Sirius,” Peter’s voice from the window interrupted James’ thoughts. “I think if you’d really wanted to hurt Prongs, then you’d have aimed better.”
James swivelled around to face Peter and grinned. “He’s right; your aim was lousy.”
Sirius lifted his eyes from the floor and stared first at Peter and then at James. “Thanks,” he muttered, “but it was still bloody close and such a stupid thing to lose my rag over.”
James shrugged. “I was winding you up.” Then he sighed and sat down on the floor between them both. “Look, I’m sorry about this, but I wanted to tell you both before I put the list up ...”
“We’re not in the team,” Sirius stated. He smiled lopsidedly. “We worked that much out, Prongs. You’ve been avoiding us since the tryouts.”
“Oh, well, no that ... uh ... yeah, I s’pose I have,” James replied. The reason he hadn’t seen them straight away was because he’d spent a very entrancing few hours behind Greenhouse Three with Sonia. “I’ll be honest here, guys. You were both good. Peter, I was amazed at how much you’d improved, but ... Carla Fenwick is too good not to use, and Preston might be a twat but I need his experience for the team.”
“And you don’t want me as Chaser,” Sirius said wearily. “I shouldn’t have hit Hughes.”
“Wasn’t just that, Padfoot,” said James. “He’s pretty good “ but then so are you “ it’s just“” Oh God, how did he put this? Sirius was too easily distracted. “I think you’ll be more worried about Martha getting hit by a Bludger than scoring goals.”
“She said the same thing ... more or less,” Sirius admitted. “Well, what she actually yelled at me, when she got back to the common room, was that she didn’t want me coming anywhere near her until I’d apologised to Hughes.” He snorted. “I s’pose I should get that over with. Which dorm is he in?”
“Two floors below us,” Peter replied promptly. “Do you want me to come along?”
“Nope,” Sirius replied. “I won’t hex him, although ...” He gave a wicked grin. “I might just spike his pumpkin juice with Amortentia. Shirley Flint would hex his bollocks off if he so much as looked at her.”
“Why was it so important to see me tonight, James?” purred Sonia.
They were in the library “ the Restricted Section to be precise “ and James had pulled Sonia into his arms and started to nuzzle her neck. “I like meeting you,” he muttered. “Do I need a reason?”
“Um, just that we spent most of the afternoon together, so I’m a bit surprised. Won’t the others get suspicious?” Sonia pulled away from him, yet kept her hands in his hair, her fingers caressing the nape of his neck.
“Uh, well, let’s just say I wanted to keep a low profile,” he muttered, drawing her back to him. But when she didn’t respond to his kiss, he tipped his head back and released her. “I’ve put the Quidditch team list up on the board. McLaggan’s going to be unbearable.”
“They didn’t make the team, then?”
James sighed; he didn’t have to ask who she meant by ‘they’. “Nope.”
“Do they know?”
“Yeah, I talked to them earlier. They’re okay about it. Lysander’s in, as well as Carla.”
“You’ve picked her, then?” she muttered, not looking him in the eye.
“She was brilliant, Son, so yeah, I’ve picked her ... for Quidditch.” James chuckled softly. “You sound jealous,” he murmured as he dropped a kiss on the end on her pert nose.
“Nonsense,” she said, but as he cupped his fingers under her chin, he could see her cheeks turning slightly pink. “Why would I be jealous of someone who looks so ... boyish?”
“No idea,” he replied, hoping to stop her rattling on about this so he could get back to the matter in hand “ namely snogging. “She’s not nearly as pretty as you.”
The compliment did it. Sonia giggled as he slid his hands back around her waist, and lifted her lips to his. It was times like this, when she held herself right up to him that James wondered how he could ever have thought about another girl “ even Lily.
Oh, hell, Lily!
“Why are we stopping?” Sonia hissed. “Have you seen Pince?”
“No,” he whispered. “But isn’t Lily on detention in the library this week?” Pushing Sonia away, he started to straighten his robes and then brought out a handkerchief, removing any trace of her lipstick.
“What does that matter?”
“Uh ... Son, we’re supposed to be keeping this a secret, aren’t we?”
She shrugged. “Oh, I thought you meant from your friends. Lily won’t mind, and anyway, she’s not serving her detention at the weekends.”
“Son ...” he began, and then stopped not knowing what he wanted to say. Was he relieved that Lily wasn’t around? Did it matter if Lily saw them? She’d made it clear she wasn’t interested in him, and it would be so good to show her he’d moved on. But then again ... that was using Sonia and that didn’t sit right. “It’s just that she might tell Mary, and then Mary’s bound to tell Remus. So ...” He bent his head, letting his lips touch hers very delicately. “Just between us two, yeah?”
“Sure,” she whispered as she drew his mouth towards hers, slowly and deliberately administering a kiss that sent his senses reeling. Then she released him and stepped away. “But I meant what I said. You have until Halloween to tell Peter.”
Dazed, James tried to pull her back, but she eluded his arm. “I think I should be getting back before Lily and Mary wonder where I am.” She giggled as she picked up her school bag. “I can’t keep saying I have a Muggle Studies essay to finish. Professor Nelson never sets us anything that hard.” As she hoisted her bag over her shoulder, she flashed James a smile. “Will I see you tomorrow?”
“Uh ... I have Quidditch practise in the morning and an Arithmancy essay to start ...” He stopped talking as he saw the smile fade from her face. Then he grinned at her. “Greenhouse Three at four-ish, okay? Or would you like to try out Greenhouse Five instead?”
She laughed and agreed to try ‘Five’ for a change. As she walked away, swinging her hips, she smiled at him over her shoulder and blew him a kiss. Watching her go, James leant back against the shelves, accidentally setting off a barking book, which he could only quieten by stroking it just under the title. Returning the book to its shelf, he pondered Sonia. Sirius had said she was irritating. He’d said she was clingy and didn’t want him to be with his mates, but he’d not seen that. It intrigued him that one minute she would be kissing him intensely and the next coyly pulling back, elusive at the very moment he wanted to carry on.
“Potter!” Madam Pince screeched from her desk as he walked out into the main aisle. “Do you have permission to be in the Restricted Section?”
“I’m sixth year, Madam Pince. I don’t need permission,” he said, pulling out an old Arithmancy book.
“You still need to tell me which books you’re looking for,” she said, her chin quivering with indignation. “The same applies for Miss Slattery.”
“Oh... er ... was she here?” he asked innocently. He approached her desk and opened the book out so she could issue it to him.
Madam Pince lowered her voice. “Don’t try to fool me, Potter. I’ve seen more students trying to use my Restricted Section for a ‘tryst’,” she paused as she involuntarily shuddered at the word, “than there are books on potions. Do not come in here with her again.”
“Don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said blandly. “Didn’t even see Sonia because I was too busy trying to find this book. I don’t think your cataloguing system is quite up to date, Madam Pince. There was a barking book in the Charms section ...” He grinned at the horror on her face and started tutting as he picked up his book. “Just thought you should know.”
Ha! he thought. That’ll stop you thinking about me and Sonia “ nosey old hag!
He ambled back to the common room, thinking again about Sonia and how surprisingly easy it all was. When he was with her, he didn’t even feel guilty about Peter. Then his thoughts drifted to Quidditch. He hadn’t lied; he did have a practise session tomorrow and he was keen to try his new team together. Hughes, Fenwick and the other new player, Spinnet, were eager; James just hoped they’d keep their enthusiasm going. It was always hard fitting in new players, and three at once would be even tougher. Thank Merlin for Mary, who’d always been a strong player when she wasn’t injured. He just hoped the history between her and Preston wouldn’t make the atmosphere poisonous.
As he sauntered up the stairs towards the Tower, he heard a voice hailing him. It was Lily.
“James, wait up,” she called.
He hesitated on the corner, waiting for her to catch up with him. She was out of breath, her face pink from running.
“What’s the matter?” he asked.
“You’ve taken that Arithmancy book out of the library. Madam Pince just told me,” she said, joining him at the corner. “Only, I haven’t started my essay yet, and was hoping to read it tonight.”
“You can borrow it tonight,” he replied. “I’m not going to start until ...” He stopped talking as he took in what she’d just said. “Y...you were in the library? I ... uh ... didn’t see you.”
“You must have left before I got there,” she said. “I only remembered when I was on my way back from the Owlery.” She wouldn’t quite look him in the eye as she fiddled with the sleeve of her robe. “Snitch gets awfully huffy if I don’t visit ... often.”
“I can imagine,” James replied dryly. He smirked at her, wondering why she couldn’t just admit that she was sending letters to the flash git. James didn’t care; he had a girlfriend now and she was just as pretty as...
About to ask her if she was planning on sneaking out again, he was thwarted as the sound of shouts reached the pair of them. “Merlin. What’s that?”
“Sounds like a fight in the common room,” Lily replied and groaned. “I suppose I should get into prefect mode and sort it out.”
“I thought you liked all that sort of thing?” James said, amazed when she pulled a face.
“Only when it involves you lot,” she retorted. “But when it’s a few first years fighting over a chocolate frog, or something, it gets very boring. Plus they all think I’m too strict.”
“Let them off, then,” James said, yawning.
“What, and have them turn out like you!” she exclaimed. Lily began to laugh, and James joined in, but then the shrieks became louder
“That sounds like a lot more than a fight over sweets,” he muttered as they both ran towards the portrait door.
Without waiting for the password, the Fat Lady let them both into the common room where they saw Sonia and Mary shrieking as they hugged someone in a tight embrace.
By his side, Lily started and dropped her bag on the floor. “Phyllida!” she screamed. “You’re back!”
And from the centre of the crowd gathered around her, James saw Phyllida gently detach herself from Mary and Sonia’s arms. She stood tall, a good head taller than Sonia, and stared across at them both.
“Very astute, Lily,” she said softly, but in clear tones. Then she smiled. “What have I missed? You two aren’t arguing.”
James grinned. “She’s only after me for my Arithmancy, Phyll, you know that.”
He stepped towards her, noticing that Sirius and Peter were also there, standing just beyond the girls, smiles adorning their faces, all thoughts of Quidditch and hexes gone. “Good to see you,” he muttered as he embraced her. Up close, she looked drawn and he could see a faint scar running from her neck to her shoulder. Remembering the loud and confident girl from last year, he was shocked to see her hands trembling around her wand.
“Thank you,” she whispered as she held him close and laid her cheek on his shoulder. “It’s good to be back. I was silly to think I should stay away.”
“Sonia is going to be so pleased you’re back; she’s really missed you,” he continued, then swallowed slightly when he saw Phyllida’s eyes flicker with interest and dart across to Sonia. “And Lily and Mary, too,” he finished lamely.
“Let her go, Potter!” Lily said, an amused tone in her voice.
“You sound jealous,” Sirius called across. “Just what were the pair of you up to in the library?”
“NOTHING!” James exclaimed, causing Phyllida to startle in James’ arms. “Sorry, Phyll. I met Lily on the way back from the library. I have been studying,” he said, sounding martyred. “I’m quite frankly shocked at this baseless accusation from you, Black. I do occasionally do my homework with more than a day to spare.”
Releasing Phyllida, he glanced casually at Sonia who was looking distinctly annoyed, so he gave her a ghost of a wink and turned smoothly to Lily and handed the book to her. “Here you go, Evans. I’d like it back tomorrow after lunch, please. And don’t take it up to the Owlery, Pince won’t be at all happy if I return it covered in owl crap, or with a mushy love letter tucked into the fly leaf.”
He snorted with satisfaction when he saw her redden at his insinuation and grinned at Sirius.
“Nice one, Prongs!” he muttered.
“Occasionally, I get the aim just right,” agreed James as he moved over to Sirius and Peter. “Where’s Remus, by the way?”
Sirius shrugged. “No idea.”
“Got a letter from home,” Peter explained, adding, “From his dad.”
James looked at Sirius, the silent understanding between the pair of them passing before they were aware of it. Remus’ dad rarely wrote to his son, but left that to his mother, only adding a few lines at the end of each letter. The last time he’d taken it upon himself to write to his son, it had been a reprimand, after receiving an owl from Professor McGonagall following the incident where Sirius had told Snape about the Whomping Willow. Having been appraised of all the facts, Mr Lupin had urged his son to end his friendship with Sirius, and keep himself separate from all those around him. Remus had been silent for days, which they’d all thought had been because of a festering resentment towards Sirius, but instead it had been because he really didn’t know what to do for the best. Sirius’s ‘prank’ had unsettled the Marauders with the realisation that it was far too easy to go too far, but John Lupin’s letter had unsettled Remus because he’d never thought he’d have to face a schism between those that cared about him.
“Do you think we should find him?” James asked. He kept his voice low, seeing that Mary was looking across, perhaps wondering where Remus was, too. But as she smiled and waved “ obviously not at them “ James looked over his shoulder. “Ah, no need. Moony, come here! Phyllida’s back.”
Remus wandered towards them. In his hand, he clutched his letter, but on seeing Phyllida, he fixed a smile on his face and stuffed the letter in his pocket. “Good to have you back,” he said softly.
Phyllida inclined her head, acknowledging his words with none of her own, instead laying her hand on his arm and giving him a squeeze. She looked close to tears, and perhaps sensing that, Lily hugged her whilst Sonia scowled at the first years on the sofa by the fire to get them to move. Only Mary stayed where she was, holding her hand out to Remus and waiting for him to move to her side. He complied, almost half-heartedly, staring at James and the others.
“Letter from your dad, Wormtail said,” Sirius remarked in a low voice. “Are things okay?”
“Tell you later,” Remus mumbled, indicating Phyllida and the girls. “It’s not important, although ...” He shook his head. “Later, Padfoot.”
Seeing Mary staring at them, James clapped Sirius and Peter on the back. “Come on; let’s see if we can cheer Phyll up. Exploding Snap, anyone? First one out’s a sneaky Slytherin Death Eater.”
Phyllida gasped and the other three girls glared at him “ even Sonia.
“Oh sweet Merlin, I’m sorry,” he muttered. “Godric, I’m such a prat.”
“Got that right at least, Potter,” Lily replied waspishly. “You really don’t know when to keep your mouth shut do you?”
“I don’t think-” Sonia began, but James raised both his hands, palms raised as if in supplication.
“It’s okay, Son, I wasn’t thinking. My mouth moved before my brain had engaged.” He smiled ruefully at Sonia and turned to Phyllida. “Sorry about your mum, Phyll.”
Phyllida sniffed and stared straight back at him. He noticed she wasn’t trembling now. “Thanks, James,” she whispered, then she smiled wanly and sat up straight, her shoulders back and head held high. “Sorry you and Lily are still arguing. I thought for one moment you’d got together.”
He heard Lily’s shout of indignation, but was watching Sonia as she stiffened. “Ha, when McGonagall marries Slughorn! I’m sure Evans agrees.”
“Rather be with an Erumpent,” Lily muttered.
“Ouch, Evans, that hurts!” he tossed back, and then with a small sly wink at Sonia added, “I think I’ll find myself a witch who appreciates the full Potter experience.”
“Deluded,” Sirius said, laughing. “Prongs, was your pumpkin juice spiked with a Babbling Beverage?” Giving James a soft punch on the shoulder, he pulled him towards the door to the staircases. “Catch you later, girls. Oh, and Mary, if you see that sister of yours, can you tell her I have apologised to that soft twat, and she can stop ignoring me now.”
Remus and Peter followed as they walked up the stairs to their dormitory. “Didn’t you want to hear about Phyllida’s mum?” Peter asked. “I thought she might want to talk.”
“Doubt she’ll want to talk to us ... yet, and not in the common room,” James replied. “And I’d rather talk to Remus about his letter.”
“Thought you might,” Remus said, sighing. He sat heavily on his bed and waited for the others to settle on the floor around him. Sirius Summoned three pillows and arranged them in a semi-circle around Remus’ bed.
“What did your dad want?” he asked warily. “Is he still annoyed that you’re hanging around with us ... or rather me?”
“It’s nothing to do with that,” Remus replied as he brought out the letter. “It’s about someone he worked with. A clerk called Jeremy Flaxen.”
“Big, blonde guy in Hufflepuff?” Peter remarked. “I remember him. I didn’t know he worked for your dad.”
No one commented on Peter’s summing up. James could barely remember what Flaxen looked like, let alone his House, yet Peter had always had this ability to retain names and other details about people.
After a pause, Remus continued. “He disappeared over the summer. Dad was complaining that he didn’t return after his holiday and he’d been left with a lot more work.”
“Disappeared?” James queried. “That doesn’t sound good.”
“It’s not. They found his body washed up on a beach near a village called Brackenfen.”
“What?” All three boys were dumbfounded as they stared incredulously at Remus.
“Been dead about a couple of months, they reckon, which is about the time he went away, according to Dad.”
“Brackenfen?” murmured James. “I’ve heard of it ...” Automatically, he looked across at Peter, wondering if he had any ideas, but Peter looked blank, as did Sirius.
“Maybe you’ve been there, Prongs,” Sirius said.
James shook his head slowly. “Don’t think so, but it’s familiar for some reason.” He scowled, furrowing his brow in concentration as he tried to recall the name. But it remained elusive in his mind and he knew from past experience that the more he tried to worry it out, the more the memory would remain hidden.
“Do they know how he died?” he heard Peter ask, sounding tense.
“Body was badly damaged, so not sure yet,” Remus said. He swallowed. “Dad had to identify the body. Jeremy’s mum was too upset, and his other relatives were ... unavailable.”
“Unavailable?” Sirius asked sharply as he picked up the hesitation in Remus’ voice.
“ Jeremy’s dad died a year or so ago and his aunt is ... uh ... was Geraldine Flaxen. She married Hamish Avery.”
“Gus Avery’s parents!” James exclaimed.
“She’s his stepmother,” corrected Peter. He grinned suddenly, then his face fell as he realised it wasn’t funny. “Sorry, you know what I’m like. I remembered my mum talking about the wedding because she got a job on the day checking in people’s cloaks and things. Quite a grand affair, she said.”
Remus glanced back at his dad’s letter; then he paused and took a deep breath. Looking at him, James saw his skin had a grey pallor and his eyes were fixed and glassy. “Do you remember that Auror from King’s Cross “ the one with Frank?”
James tried to picture the station and slowly the image of a grizzled and fierce looking wizard entered his mind. “Alastor Moody,” he stated quietly.
Remus nodded. “He reckons it wasn’t an accident. Moody told Dad that Jeremy was murdered.”