Marauders: Dark Seeds

Notes: I got some lovely reviews on my last drabble that made me remember that I should probably say something about my plans. Yes, I do plan to work on my Marauders stuff again. These drabbles are to get me back into the swing of things and back into the characters' heads. I'm going to re-read and do some editing on my Marauders Years series and hopefully start updating again in the future. I know I've said that before, but... you know me. I'm a touch ADD. There's a reason why I can write Sirius and his spastic self, you know.

The quiet murmur of sound in the commons broke abruptly as Peter stormed through the portrait hole with the Fat Lady's picture slamming behind him to enunciate his rage.

James paused with his hand halfway outstretched to brush some stray debris from the chessboard as the short, slightly plump boy stopped beside their table. Peter clenched and unclenched his fist and James noted that he seemed to be trying to calm himself down as he took a few deep breaths.

"Are you all right?" Remus asked, concern lacing his voice. He had been leaning forward contemplating his next move, but at Peter's arrival he sat back on the couch (well… sat back as far as he could, anyway – Sirius was stretched out on the couch behind him, and Remus really didn't fancy trying to sit on the other boy's feet) and furrowed his eyebrows.

For a moment, Peter couldn't speak.

James waited expectantly for another few seconds before finally sighing. He didn't have the time nor the patience for this. Ignoring the warning look Remus shot him, James plucked one of the pillows from his chair and passed it over. "Here," he said shortly. "Have a scream in that if it helps, mate."

Peter stared at the pillow as if he'd never seen one before.

Maybe, James thought, Peter had gotten mad enough to finally short circuit what he had of a brain.

"Peter?" Remus asked, then winced as Peter jerked his arm back and hurled the pillow as hard as he could at Sirius's face.

"Hey!" James protested at the same time as Sirius woke up enough to get out a strangled profanity.

"You just couldn't leave her alone, could you?" Peter demanded, his voice shooting up a few octaves despite how much he was fighting to keep it under control. "You smarmy prat, you said you wouldn't bother her…!"

James looked back and forth between the two, somewhat bemused. This certainly wasn't the reaction he had been expecting.

Remus looked confused for a moment, but slowly realization dawned. He groaned, pressing a hand to his forehead. "Padfoot," he moaned. "You didn't…"

Sirius had recovered now and positioned himself into a bit more comfortable lounging position. Despite the pillow to the face, he seemed to be taking the supposed high road and letting it slide.

Likley, Remus thought darkly, because he knew he deserved that.

Sirius grinned widely and shrugged. "Merlin, mate. Take a breath. Don't have the foggiest what's got your knickers in a twist."

Remus only just refrained from smacking his hand against his forehead.

Sirius, he decided, had a death wish. Just because he was curious about how far he needed to push someone until they snapped didn't mean Sirius had any right to carry out that experiment. Constantly harassing Frank their first two years of school had been enough… did he have to alienate Peter as well?

"You…" Peter gestured helplessly in the air for a moment, at a loss for words. "You bloody well asked her out!"

Feigned comprehension dawned on Sirius's face. He put a hand to his heart and tried his best to look sorrowful. "…that? Look, mate – that wasn't me. She asked me. I couldn't turn her down, you know. It would have been rude."

James coughed, covering up a laugh with a snort.

"Liar," Peter spat.

Remus sighed, massaging his forehead as he moved to stand up. "We'll finish our game later," he told James quietly before shooting Sirius a dark look. "Don't forget we've got plans tonight."

"I'm off as well," James said, quickly getting up. "I heard Evans say she was going to study in the library today. Obviously that was a hint that I should nip over and have a chat with her."

Sirius rolled his eyes as the two headed out. "Sure, Jamesie. And kneazles fly."

James winked. "Course they do… when you strap them onto a firecracker."

Sirius barked out a laugh as James waved and jogged out of the commons. He stopped laughing abruptly as another throw pillow hit him in the face. "Bloody hell!" he swore, rubbing his nose. "Lighten up a touch, Pete."

Peter took a deep breath, stealing himself and ignoring that his face was an embarrassing shade of red. "You asked her out."

"I think I heard you the first time, you know," Sirius said, unconcernedly inserting his pinkie into one ear and twisting it back and forth a few times.

As a few more students drifted out of the commons to avoid the row, Peter snorted. "But you didn't listen, did you?"

Sirius grinned, and in that moment Peter felt for the first time the overwhelming urge to knock that self-absorbed expression right off of the other boy's face. "Nope."

Instead of answering right off, Peter tried again to calm himself down. It didn't work, exactly, but he managed to turn it into a sort of cold anger that he could keep under control more easily. When he spoke again his voice was calm, his expression neutral. "Right, fine. I don't care."

"What's that?" Sirius arranged his expression into an attentive one as he put a hand to his ear. "Did I just hear someone tossing their sour grapes in the bin?"

Peter gritted his teeth as he sat down in James's old chair. "Shut up."

Sirius grinned lazily in reply.

Again Peter had to stop to inhale deeply through his nose. After another second, he was calm again. "Bet you don't even know her name," he muttered almost under his breath.

Sirius adopted an expression of mock outrage. "That stings, Pete! Don't know how you could accuse a bloke of not knowing a girl's name. Of course I know her name!" He paused dramatically. "It's Flanders."

Peter rolled his eyes. "Everyone knows her surname. What's her name?"

Undeterred, Sirus rolled his shoulders in a shrug. "Ginger. Ginger Flanders."

"Congratulations. You know her hair colour."

Sirius waved the comment off and attempted to look threatening. "Don't make me come over there, Pete."

Peter shook his head as she shoved himself out of the chair. "Don't bother," he told Sirius. "I'm going to bed."

Sirius might have replied, but Peter didn't hear him as he turned and walked as quickly as was allowable to get up the stairs to the dormitories. Behind him, he knew Sirius would be going back to his nap without even the smallest twinge of guilt.

Off in the library, James was probably laughing his arse off about the entire thing if Lily hadn't hexed his mouth shut yet.

Remus wouldn't be off laughing, but he certainly hadn't been there standing up for him.

For the first time ever, Peter was truly coming to realize how alone he was. He supposedly had friends, but what did they see him as, really? Someone to gang up on when they didn't have Snivellus around?

Peter wasn't sure what his answers were, but he did know that none of the three had any idea how far they were pushing him ever time something like this happened. What he did know as he went to bed with his eyes burning, however, was that every time… his dreams of revenge became more frequent.