The class of NEWT level seventh years sat slumped at their desks in the slanting afternoon light.
Heads lolled onto desks, books and neighbours' equally lifeless shoulders; every now and then a faint snore rang through the dry air. Professor Binns's translucent form floated, as if pacing, as he droned on endlessly about Goblin rebellions of the 16th century.
At the back of the room Sirius leant his face in his hand, drooling slightly with a glazed look in his dark eyes.
To his left Peter was sprawled across his desk and emitting loud grunting snores. The girl sharing his desk had pushed both herself and her belongings to the far end; every so often giving disgusted looks towards the drooling heap.
In front of them was a lanky broad shouldered boy with jet black hair; that seemed to stick up in gravity defying directions. James's glasses sat askew on his nose as he gazed longingly at the girl sat on the seat in front of him, his jaw hanging open as he stared openly at the long waves of flaming red hair that fell down her back.
Lastly, to Sirius's right was a tired looking boy with honey coloured hair; short-ish but slightly scraggly. He had propped himself up on a pile of books as he tried in earnest to listen…
He was failing miserably.
Sirius watched absently as, slowly, the caramel eyes drooped shut and Remus collapsed amidst the towers of paper and books on his desk. Following his friend's lead, Sirius attempted to get as comfy as possible resting his head on his copy of 'A History of Magic' and let Binns' droning monologue fade from his consciousness.
Sirius forced his eyes open. The lesson was finally ending.
Blearily he looked around at his friends, who, like him, looked as if they'd aged a few years during the course of Binns's lecture.
He surveyed the space in front of him- James was almost drooling as Lily bent over to pack her books away, and to his left, Peter had woken up and was now looking terrified as an irate Aline Patil yelled at him for drooling on her notes that she hadn't been able to save. Sirius sniggered inwardly, looked to his right… and froze.
An evil smile tugged at his lips as he saw Remus still snuffling in his sleep amongst his mountain of notes. All four of the Marauders knew it was each to their own when it came to protecting themselves from the other's pranks, and Remus had taken that risk.
"Psst! Prongs!" he whispered to his friend. James reluctantly drew his eyes away from Lily Evan's retreating form and looked towards his partner in crime.
"What is it Pads? Did Peter accidentally eat your notes on Gornuk the Greedy again? Because we all know it was Moony who wrote those anyw-"
James stopped speaking as he noticed his friend's urgent hand gestures. His eyes finally came to rest on the object of Sirius's pointing: their oblivious, sleeping comrade. He grinned in a way which would have put the Prewitt twins to shame.
As one, they stalked forward, drawing their wands, but both stopped at what they reckoned to be a safe distance: they had felt the somewhat painful consequences of waking Remus prematurely from his sleep.
Sirius raised his arm.
"Levicorp- aahh!"
Remus's precautionary shield charm blew both of them off of their feet and crashing into desks as he woke with a start; knocking all his notes to the floor.
Standing up and surveying his two best friends, Remus Lupin didn't look in the least bit regretful.
A low grunt came from the wreckage and Sirius's head came into view. He flicked the rock-star-esque waves of dark hair off his face; wincing at the bruise forming where his head had collided unceremoniously with James's copy of Quidditch through the ages.
"Moony!" he groaned as he unfolded precariously to his full height. "I could have broken-"
"A nail?" Remus asked innocently.
He laughed as Sirius's expression turned into a sulky pout and a rather Slytherin-ish glare.
"Just kidding Pads" Remus said with a smile. "And anyway-" he looked down at an unconscious James, who was sprawled haphazardly across the floor. "-I think I better get Potter here up to the Hospital Wing..."
He gave Sirius a mischievous smile. "Don't want him missing out on a double potions lesson now would we?" Remus raised his eyebrows mock horror. "He'd never forgive us."
Sirius snorted.
"You'd be surprised Moony. Prongs love being bossed around by Evans." He chuckled. "Even if she is telling him how much of an utter arse he is."
Remus let out a bark of laughter; almost dropping the prone body of his friend whom he had started to levitate.
"S-see you at lunch" he stuttered with a suppressed chuckle; before maneuvering himself and his floating friend somewhat clumsily out of the room.
Sirius looked up from the mounting pile of food on his plate as he heard a familiar voice whining copiously somewhere at the other end of the great hall.
His friends were walking towards him: Remus wearing his signature crooked smile followed closely by James, who was casting glances around him to assess his audience as he complained loudly about his injuries acquired in the earlier incident.
Many people heard, including a certain red head who exclaimed bluntly "Oh Potter stop being such a drama queen."
"But look!" James insisted pulling his shirt up to show the remnants of a nasty looking bruise.
Lily raised a thin, preened eyebrow and Sirius smirked mischievously.
"Well Evans, maybe if you kissed it better James might-" His sentence ended abruptly as he ducked a harsh blow from a seething Lily's direction.
"Dangerous waters Pads" Remus murmured as he sat down and started to load up his own plate.
Lily glowered at them and both boys hunched over their plates of food to hide their sniggers. She had become surprisingly infamous for leaving those who crossed her with a bloody nose… and not from a hex or curse. With a small 'Harrumph' of annoyance she got up and flounced away. James stared wistfully after her and collapsed into her abandoned seat.
"She's so…"
"Violent?" Remus offered.
"Evil?" muttered Sirius.
"…Amazing" James sighed; spooning jelly unwittingly onto his roast dinner.
His two friends shared a look of mild disgust.
"Well, if I want to get to potions on time I'm going have to go and throw up from that horrific display now rather than later" Sirius proclaimed as he rose to his feet.
Remus rolled his eyes but a smile was still playing on his lips. Sirius leant over his friend and mimed vomiting into the gravy boat which Remus had been reaching for and was promptly batted away by a protesting hand.
"Aww, Padfoot!" Remus groaned as he pushed away the now much less desirable gravy.
"You love it really Moony." Sirius chuckled; blowing a mocking kiss towards his friend. "And look after Prongs; he looks like he wouldn't notice a Werewolf standing next to him!"
Remus's gaze flickered sharply towards Padfoot; giving a warning glare to the other boy which soon crumbled with a glance at his infamous dark blue puppy eyes staring dolefully back. His lips twitched involuntarily
"He would if the werewolf had Evans' legs on it!"
James' head suddenly snapped up at the red head's mention and his two friends roared with laughter. Sirius leant on Remus's shoulder for support before finally staggering up to make his way towards the exit.
"W-watch out Remus, he'll be after you at this rate!" He yelled.
Moony sighed and shook his head at the ridiculously handsome boy's retreating back.
Ridiculously handsome? He thought to himself in surprise. Where did that come from?
Pushing the thought from his mind, he shook his head slightly before heading slowly towards the exit of the Great Hall and the path down to the dungeons.