Today was a strange day.
Remus only noticed it because James was being so exceptionally silent. Normally he was the spirit of the whole group that led them in pranks, jokes, and all their other fun. However, at Dinner he sat quietly, wrinkling his brow and occassionally reaching a hand to the back of his hair, ruffling it, as an unconscious habit. He completely ignored his environment (including his plate) Sirius was the only lively one, chatting with Remus. However, Moony wasnÕt giving him his full attention. Instead, he was listening to Sirius while watching James. Sirius was not even aware of this.
"Did you notice in Flitwick's classroom today?" Sirius said, eagerly shoveling food into his mouth.
"No, what?" Remus was picking the raisins out of a roll.
"Apparently he's into werewolves."
At the sound "werewolf" Remus quickly turned his to face Sirius, a curious grin played over his lips. "Oh, yeah?"
"THE IDIOT'S GUIDE TO OVERCOMING FEAR OF WEREWOLVES- I Saw it myself. Was one of the books he was standing on."
Remus chuckled lightly. "Do you suppose this might be reason enough for me to drop Charms?"
Sirius smiled, knowing very well that it was his friend's most detested subject.
Sirius, who was sitting on James' right gently elbowed him. "D'you hear that, Prongs?"
James suddenly looked up. "What?"
Remus good-naturedly retold the story. James laughed lightly but then went quiet again.
"So what happened to Wormtail?" Remus asked, obviously directing the question at James.
Silence.
"I think Professor Weldrip wanted to keep him for a while- you know how his potions have turned out the past week," Sirius muttered.
"Understandable," Remus answered tersely.
"So, James, still not thinking about what Evans said after O.W.L.'s yesterday?" Sirius said.
James shifted the weight on his chair and pushed his plate away. "No, I guess not." His tone was uneasy and distracted. Pause. "Maybe..." Sirius and Remus exchanged doubtful glances. James propped his elbows up on the table and rested his head on the backs of his hands. Pause. "Actually, I think I am."
Sirius and Remus knew right away that this had been hard to admit for him. He probably never would have confessed so if Peter had been around, but it was obvious that Lily had hurt his ego. Not only by her continuous rejection but also because she was critical of the way he had teased Snape.
"You don't think she meant the part about rather going out with a giant squid, do you?" he asked, turning his head to face his friends.
"No," they said in unison.
James sighed. "Why I am I letting this bother me so much? I should just forget it."
"Yeah," Sirius said absentmindedly. "Let's go look for something fun to do."
"Yeah, We could hex the door to Transfiguration- isn't that what we have first thing tomorrow?" James' eyes began to lighten up.
Remus confirmed his question by nodding his head.
"Wanna lock it so no one can get in?" Sirius asked.
"I'd love to see McGonagalls's face when she can't open the door. Coming Remus?"
But his expression was disapproving. "Let's not, just this once. You already got in trouble for picking on Snape after the O.W.L.'s yesterday. Why don't you let it rest for a while?"
"There's nothing else to do." They stood up.
"But Sirius, you could practice your Charms instead... Just this once why don't you let it go?"
James looked pensive. "Let's not, then," he said simply.
Sirius, astounded, turned to his friend. "James, you really don't look so good to me. That's the first time ever you've turned something like that down." Shrugging his shoulders he said, "Maybe you're right, Moony. Feels like a weird day anyway. Guess we're not up to it."
"Let's get out of here, then," Remus moved towards the door. The three of them left the great hall and wandered out to the greenhouses.
"Smells horrible," James remarked.
"What do you expect- herbology isn't about breeding pretty flowers," Sirius said, a little too severe. Remus knew he was cross that he had talked James out of playing the prank on Professor Fudge.
"Actually," Remus said, sniffing the air, "It does smell bad- worse than usual, I mean."
Sirius blushed. James noticed immediately, "Padfoot?"
Scarlet, and rather sheepish-looking he said," I just remembered- that was Peter and me yesterday before breakfast."
Remus raised an eyebrow, "Dungbombs?"
"Mhmm, forgot about it."
James laughed heartily for the first time that day. The whole group joined in and laughed until their faces were flushed. When the laughter had finally died down they simply stood facing each other.
"What were we laughing about?" James asked.
"Don't remember..." Remus and Sirius said unison, a grin still resting on their lips.
It was obvious that James' spirits had risen genuinely for a while because as they walked back there was a slight bounce in his step. Passing the Whomping Willow, he said, "I really wish it were full moon."
Remus sighed, "Me,too. But at least the O.W.L.'s are over and summer holidays are almost here."
"Maybe we could PRETEND it was full moon. We could transform and then go through the tunnel to Hogsmeade..."
"No classes..." James said.
"..No Snivellus..."
"Well even if you can transform, you know I can only transform during full moon," Remus said.
"Sorry, Moony. I forgot about that," James said, with a guilty look.
"Ne'er mind. Let's go..."
Moony, Padfoot, and Prongs walked up into the school just as the bell rang.
Lily Evans, red hair gleaming in the sun, stepped out from behind a bush near the Whomping Willow. Yes, she thought to herself as she headed to class, Today was a strange day.
Remus only noticed it because James was being so exceptionally silent. Normally he was the spirit of the whole group that led them in pranks, jokes, and all their other fun. However, at Dinner he sat quietly, wrinkling his brow and occassionally reaching a hand to the back of his hair, ruffling it, as an unconscious habit. He completely ignored his environment (including his plate) Sirius was the only lively one, chatting with Remus. However, Moony wasnÕt giving him his full attention. Instead, he was listening to Sirius while watching James. Sirius was not even aware of this.
"Did you notice in Flitwick's classroom today?" Sirius said, eagerly shoveling food into his mouth.
"No, what?" Remus was picking the raisins out of a roll.
"Apparently he's into werewolves."
At the sound "werewolf" Remus quickly turned his to face Sirius, a curious grin played over his lips. "Oh, yeah?"
"THE IDIOT'S GUIDE TO OVERCOMING FEAR OF WEREWOLVES- I Saw it myself. Was one of the books he was standing on."
Remus chuckled lightly. "Do you suppose this might be reason enough for me to drop Charms?"
Sirius smiled, knowing very well that it was his friend's most detested subject.
Sirius, who was sitting on James' right gently elbowed him. "D'you hear that, Prongs?"
James suddenly looked up. "What?"
Remus good-naturedly retold the story. James laughed lightly but then went quiet again.
"So what happened to Wormtail?" Remus asked, obviously directing the question at James.
Silence.
"I think Professor Weldrip wanted to keep him for a while- you know how his potions have turned out the past week," Sirius muttered.
"Understandable," Remus answered tersely.
"So, James, still not thinking about what Evans said after O.W.L.'s yesterday?" Sirius said.
James shifted the weight on his chair and pushed his plate away. "No, I guess not." His tone was uneasy and distracted. Pause. "Maybe..." Sirius and Remus exchanged doubtful glances. James propped his elbows up on the table and rested his head on the backs of his hands. Pause. "Actually, I think I am."
Sirius and Remus knew right away that this had been hard to admit for him. He probably never would have confessed so if Peter had been around, but it was obvious that Lily had hurt his ego. Not only by her continuous rejection but also because she was critical of the way he had teased Snape.
"You don't think she meant the part about rather going out with a giant squid, do you?" he asked, turning his head to face his friends.
"No," they said in unison.
James sighed. "Why I am I letting this bother me so much? I should just forget it."
"Yeah," Sirius said absentmindedly. "Let's go look for something fun to do."
"Yeah, We could hex the door to Transfiguration- isn't that what we have first thing tomorrow?" James' eyes began to lighten up.
Remus confirmed his question by nodding his head.
"Wanna lock it so no one can get in?" Sirius asked.
"I'd love to see McGonagalls's face when she can't open the door. Coming Remus?"
But his expression was disapproving. "Let's not, just this once. You already got in trouble for picking on Snape after the O.W.L.'s yesterday. Why don't you let it rest for a while?"
"There's nothing else to do." They stood up.
"But Sirius, you could practice your Charms instead... Just this once why don't you let it go?"
James looked pensive. "Let's not, then," he said simply.
Sirius, astounded, turned to his friend. "James, you really don't look so good to me. That's the first time ever you've turned something like that down." Shrugging his shoulders he said, "Maybe you're right, Moony. Feels like a weird day anyway. Guess we're not up to it."
"Let's get out of here, then," Remus moved towards the door. The three of them left the great hall and wandered out to the greenhouses.
"Smells horrible," James remarked.
"What do you expect- herbology isn't about breeding pretty flowers," Sirius said, a little too severe. Remus knew he was cross that he had talked James out of playing the prank on Professor Fudge.
"Actually," Remus said, sniffing the air, "It does smell bad- worse than usual, I mean."
Sirius blushed. James noticed immediately, "Padfoot?"
Scarlet, and rather sheepish-looking he said," I just remembered- that was Peter and me yesterday before breakfast."
Remus raised an eyebrow, "Dungbombs?"
"Mhmm, forgot about it."
James laughed heartily for the first time that day. The whole group joined in and laughed until their faces were flushed. When the laughter had finally died down they simply stood facing each other.
"What were we laughing about?" James asked.
"Don't remember..." Remus and Sirius said unison, a grin still resting on their lips.
It was obvious that James' spirits had risen genuinely for a while because as they walked back there was a slight bounce in his step. Passing the Whomping Willow, he said, "I really wish it were full moon."
Remus sighed, "Me,too. But at least the O.W.L.'s are over and summer holidays are almost here."
"Maybe we could PRETEND it was full moon. We could transform and then go through the tunnel to Hogsmeade..."
"No classes..." James said.
"..No Snivellus..."
"Well even if you can transform, you know I can only transform during full moon," Remus said.
"Sorry, Moony. I forgot about that," James said, with a guilty look.
"Ne'er mind. Let's go..."
Moony, Padfoot, and Prongs walked up into the school just as the bell rang.
Lily Evans, red hair gleaming in the sun, stepped out from behind a bush near the Whomping Willow. Yes, she thought to herself as she headed to class, Today was a strange day.