Authors note: Hello, I really hope you enjoy this, its been bugging me for quite a while. Just a little note, I don't really know if Second years can have Arithmancy, but Remus does so there. Ciao
The library was busy, far busier then it normally was, and this made for an annoyed Sirius.
"It's hard enough finding you in here when you're alone, it's near impossible when half the school decides to suddenly become smart." He complained, finding a seat next to Remus.
"Thank you so much for pointing out my lack of individuality." Remus said, pulling out a rather large, leather bound book called Magical Creatures: Which ones to beware
"You're welcome; now please explain to me why there are so many of you here." Sirius said.
"So many of me here?" Remus questioned, looking up from a page entitled Nocturnal Creatures.
"Yah, you book worm types." Sirius replied, pointing at a group of Ravenclaws that were huddled around a large, dusty, volume.
"Good question, it could be the weather, some freak alignment of the planets, or the fact that term finals are tomorrow." Remus said, his words dripping with sarcasm.
"Oh, right. So why are you reading that book? Second years don't have Care of Magical Creatures. And even if you managed to get in there at your age, I highly doubt the test would be on The deadliest creatures on earth." Sirius said, pointing at the page Remus had recently flipped to
"For you're information, I am not reading this book for an exam. It's for an extra credit report Professor Hichens assigned." Remus explained sounding annoyed. "And I would appreciate it if you would leave me alone." And with that, he snapped the book shut and walked away, leaving a confused Sirius in his wake.
"What was that all about?" A voice drawled behind him. Sirius turned around and came face to face with Severus Snape.
"Oh, hello Snivellus." Sirius greeted cheerily. "That was nothing, a simple fight between friends. But I suppose you wouldn't recognize that, seeing as you don't have any." Snape's eyes narrowed and Sirius got the distinct impression Snape wanted nothing more than to blast him across the room, only the fact that there were to many witnesses held him back.
"Hmm, interesting that Lupin seems to get rather touchy around this time every month, isn't it?" Snape asked; an evil glint in his eye.
"I have no idea as to what you might be referring to, Snivellus, and I'm sorry to say I must be leaving now." Sirius replied, and turned on his heal, not completely trusting himself to hold back from jinxing Snape on the spot. The fact was he had noticed Remus' routine mood swings and the family tragedies that happened regularly, so had James and Peter. They had decided not to pressure Remus into telling them, but it still stood that something was going on with their friend, and Sirius was dying to know what.
He contemplated Remus' sudden outburst in the library as he made his way back to Gryffindor tower. It didn't make sense for Professor Hichens, the Arithmancy teacher, to assign a paper on magical creatures. Sirius figured Remus picked a subject Sirius wasn't in as an excuse for his interest in creatures. Sirius struggled to remember exactly what was on the page Remus was reading, and all he turned up was that it was extremely fine print. He had never been one for books, his knack for spell casting accounted for him not having to reading them, and when you practically needed a magnifying glass to read something, it usually turned him off. He sighed and trudged up the stairs until he reached the portrait of the fat lady, he was about to give her the password when he caught something out the window.
The Whomping Willow, a devilish tree that would split you in half if you so much a stepped within ten feet of it, was being abnormally active, waving its thorn encrusted branched madly. He stepped closer to the window and peered out. Three students, appearing to be trying a shortcut to Care of Magical Creatures which was held in the large courtyard near the forbidden forest, were attempting to pass the giant tree. The tree itself, which was planted just at the beginning of last year, had been put in what had served as a main thoroughfare to many classes. Its presence was not only inconvenient, but highly dangerous. Sirius himself had almost been killed by it when he found himself late for History of Magic.
He watched as one of the students bolted past the tree, wand at the ready. They managed to get past the trees first attempts to hit him but on of the branches got them from behind and sent them sprawling. Luckily, they managed to crawl the rest of the way when the tree was distracted by the next student's attempt. This one was a girl, identified by her long brown hair that whipped wildly behind her as she rushed forward, running in a zigzag pattern. She apparently sensed the trees oncoming attack as she lunged forward and out of reach. The remaining student, looking apprehensive, hesitantly stepped forward and Sirius knew they were doomed. The Willow caught them from behind and whipped them across the lawn. They landed hard a few feet away, clutching their backside. Their friends rushed over to help them and dragged them away from the murderous tree.
"Bloody plant, I hope some one runs it over." Sirius mumbled as he walked back over to the portrait of the fat lady.
"'Bout bloody time!" She huffed. "Keep me waiting while you go sight seeing." She continued to complain after she'd swung open, letting Sirius enter the common room.
"Hey there Sirius," James greeted as he walked over from his place at the window, a grin plastered on his face. "What's up with Remus?" He whispered once he'd reached Sirius. Sirius looked up and saw Remus sitting at a table in the corner, his nose stuck in a book.
"I dunno. I asked him why he was reading that book and he flipped and stormed off. Drew Snape's attention and the git tried to get me to tell what was wrong." Sirius explained. James nodded and walked with him up to the second year's dormitories.
"I wonder which Lupin is going to die this month." James commented as he plopped on his bed. There was no malice in his voice, just concern. Sirius gave what could be considered a laugh, but was otherwise silent as he crawled into his own bed. It was true Remus seemed prone to death and illness in his family, and some members had even died twice, a fact no one pointed out, but Sirius wondered why Remus was lying about where he went every month. He would have thought, even though they'd only known each other not even two years, that they could trust each other.
Sirius thought back to when they had first met, on the Hogwarts express. James had been sitting in a compartment by himself, idly flicking pieces or parchment at the window, when Sirius joined him. They had met before, once and a while they're paths would cross in Diagon Alley or somewhere like that, but they had given each other nothing more than a polite nod as they went on with their business.
"Can I sit here? Everywhere else is full." Sirius said, and James happily agreed.
"You're Sirius Black, right?" James asked, and Sirius nodded, expecting an act of comprehension. The Black family name was a prominent pure-blood name that had either gained the respect, or struck fear, in the Wizarding world. Much to his surprise though, James didn't say a thing, but simply smiled warmly.
"I'm James Potter." He stuck out his hand for Sirius to take, which he did gratefully.
"Um…excuse me." A quiet voice said from the doorway. James and Sirius turned to see a short, plump boy with blondish hair. "I was wondering if I could sit here." He had obviously expected a no as he blinked in surprise when Sirius nodded and said yes.
"Thank you so much, every one else said no." He revealed sadly.
"Well, then everyone else is stupid." James said firmly. "What's you're name?"
"Peter Pettigrew." Peter told them softly, his voice didn't seem to go louder than a whisper. The three of them had sat and talked as they waited for the train to start, when Remus walked into the compartment.
"Can I sit here?" He asked, a hint of nervousness in his voice.
"Sure." James answered, scooting over to give Remus room. Sirius helped Remus with his trunk and then he had sat down silently.
"What's your name?" Sirius asked and Remus looked up.
"Remus Lupin." He said before staring at the ground again. James frowned and waved a hand in front of his face.
"Are we that ugly you can't even look at us?" He inquired.
"No." Remus replied shortly.
"Is it just Peter that's ugly?" Sirius asked, and James tried not to laugh.
"No." Remus said again.
"Well don't let us bother you then." James said, giving up on engaging Remus in conversation. It took Remus half the train ride to talk again.
"What a Chocolate Frog?" James asked, offering one to Remus, a couple of hours later.
"Sure." He answered and unwrapped the candy. The frog jumped out of the box and attempted to escape out the compartment door, but Remus was too quick and shut the door. The frog gave a croak of protest and hopped towards the window. James and Sirius went for it at the same time and ended up smacking heads, while the frightened frog jumped onto Peter, who tried to shake it off. The frog, having broken the usual 'one jump' rule, had no more energy and fell off Peter's shirt. James picked it up and handed it to Remus while he rubbed his sore head.
"Bloody thing." Sirius mumbled as he climbed back into his seat. Remus broke out into a smile which dissolved in to laughter.
"What?" Sirius asked irritably.
"That--was--hilarious." Remus managed between peels of laughter. After that, the four became inseparable.
"What're you thinking about Sirius?" James asked, bring Sirius back to reality.
"Oh…nothing." He lied and sank back on his pillows. It grew darker outside and Peter and Remus found their way to the dormitory to go to sleep, along with Gregory Perkins and Fredrick Flatt, the other two Gryffindor second years. Within minutes, soft snoring could be heard and Sirius slowly drifted off to sleep with the nearly full moon shining through the window, while Remus lay awake. Full moon was only two days away and the only reason he wasn't at the Shrieking Shack already was because of the exams tomorrow. He was exhausted, irritable, and nervous. He wanted to tell his friends about his 'little problem' but he was so very afraid they would shun him away like a freak. He sighed and rolled over; a beam of moonlight fell on his face. If only he could tell them he was a werewolf.
Note: Pease review!!!! If you review I'll update sooner!!! And give you cookies!!!!