Spilt Milk

Chapter one: All night

Remus peered over James's shoulder and read the first paragraph of his friend's essay.

"Whadda yah think?" James asked, watching the light-haired boy's pale eyes scan the paper.

"It's all right… I'm not sure about the date though. You should check it out, but I'm pretty sure the giant wars ended then – not began then." Remus replied turning back to his own bit of parchment. The two sixth year boys were sitting in the Gryffindor common room by the fire and awaiting the arrival of Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew. It was late and all of the other students had gone to bed. However, James, Sirius and Peter had all left their essays to the last minute and Remus had sportingly agreed to help them at it – even if it did take all night.

The portrait door swung open and there was the sound of people whispering and moving forward. Suddenly, out of thin air, Sirius and Peter appeared. Peter was short and plump with a small, boyish sort of face. He was holding an armful of goodies snatched from the kitchens. Sirius on the other hand was tall, dark and handsome. He dressed like a wizard rock star and moved with a playful swagger. He was holding James's invisibility cloak in one hand and a tray of butter beers in the other.

"Good morning gents!" Sirius beamed at them, it was actually early morning now. James smirked at his best friend and leaned back in his chair, looking relieved at the interruption and delicious snacks.

"What took you so long?" Remus asked, casually selecting a cauldron cake from the treats Peter had dumped unceremoniously on the tabletop. The plump boy sighed and dropped into the chair next to Remus, tearing open a chocolate frog as he spoke,

"Filch was wandering about being a pain. We had to wait for him to leave the corridor- " Sirius interrupted him,

"- and he was there for ages! Kept muttering to himself and that bloody cat! Going on and on about being tipped off 'students out of bed coming to the kitchens!' he finally decided to go elsewhere. I think that was peeves' doing."

"Maybe he just got tired." James said halfheartedly.

"Sirius also had a quick – chat – with that Ravenclaw girl – the one with the long blonde like hair? That made us later too…" Peter said rolling his eyes.

"The prefect?" said James again, he still seemed only half there as most of his attentions were focused on the refreshments.

"Yeah. Her." Sirius said looking smug.

Remus glanced across the table at his friend. Sirius and James were both handsome, talented and charming fellows. The girls all swooned over them and the two best friends used to make a game of it. Flirting with all the girls and dating more than one of them at a time, each trying to out do the other and neither getting too involved. But since the end of their fifth year James just hadn't been as into as Sirius. Remus thought it was because of Lily Evans, a pretty Gryffindor girl in the same year as them. Sirius had dated her for a short time, but then for some reason they broke up. Most likely James had his hand in that – and Sirius didn't seem to mind.

Remus, thinking of all of Sirius and James's previous 'relationships', make a small sound something like a laugh and a 'tsk'.

"What?" the two of them said automatically.

"Nothing." Remus muttered, still smirking at his parchment.

"Did you like that Ravenclaw girl?" Peter asked. Remus's smirk spread into a grin, as much as he might love Peter – the kid was often clueless.

"I think Moony has a problem with my girlfriend." Sirius stated loudly, giving Remus an imperiously daring look with one eyebrow raised and the corners of his lips turned up. Remus put down his quill.

"She's your girlfriend now is she?" he said with mock surprise, "Sorry, it's just so hard to keep up with you and all – what with a new girlfriend every day…"

"Ah! I am offended!" Sirius clutched at his chest and tried to look indignant, which might have worked if he hadn't been grinning so very much. "Are you suggesting, good sir, that I might be a womanizing bastard who breaks the hearts and virginity of all that is female!"

James and Peter dissolved into laughter at this, but Remus sat up very proper like and replied, "I think you're ego is a bit too big – breaking the hearts of everything female – tsk! Hardly, I say!" The truth was that Sirius had a reputation for being casual, so most girls that got involved with him didn't expect the stay with him.

"Oh Moony that's cruel!" Sirius clutched at his chest some more and writhed around in his seat before finally being overcome by laughter.

It was sometime much later when Sirius cracked open an eye to see actual sunlight the table before him. Sure it was watery and pale, hardly anything more than predawn light – but it was there. Peter was snoring lightly and sprawled out across his essay. James had curled up in his comfy chair, glasses slipping down his nose. Remus on the other hand was up and awake and scribbling in a journal.

"Whatcha doin'?" Sirius asked blinking away sleep and sitting up a little more. Remus jumped slightly at the sound of someone else's voice.

"Oh… nothing… Just writing." he closed the book and put it away out of sight. "Have a good sleep?"

"Oh yes. Simply marvelous! I mean really, you simply must try sleeping on these wooden tables – terribly comfortable I do say!" Remus smiled half-heartedly, his eyes however were distracted and thoughtful.

"Why do you always make everything a joke, Padfoot?" he asked seriously.

"Wha – me? Make things into jokes? Pah! It's unheard of!" Sirius replied automatically. He caught a small look of disappointment on Remus's face before the other boy could hide it with a polite smile. "Sorry, couldn't help it I suppose…"

"Yeah. You've been doing it for a long time. Ever since the end of our first year really…" Remus mused, "I figured it was just your way of… not facing something. I mean, everything's easier to face if you can laugh about it."

"So what's the problem?" Sirius asked with an attempted grin.

"Well it's also easier to hide from…"

Remus and Sirius stared at each other for long moments, both reaching a sort of understanding of the other. Finally Remus stood up with a sigh, "we better wake up the others before everyone else starts coming down into the common room – we have a potions test today."

Sirius nodded mutely, wondering just how much Remus knew.

AN: O.o;; maybe it's to be continued? I'm tired. I didn't plan this. It happened… *stares at it curiously* yeahh well sure… enjoy it then? No idea where the title of this story came from… but I'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with anything.

Disclaimer: don't own anything.