"But I thought gebo meant gift." Peter hunched over his parchment, inking the rune carefully as Remus watched over his shoulder.

"It does, but when it's paired with naudiz like this it takes on a slightly different meaning. One that implies an obligation."

Peter still looked confused, so Remus cast about for a clarification. "Remember the broad context of the theme we're studying. Magical bonds."

"Well...naudiz is need. Need-gift. A gift that you're obliged to give..."

Remus nodded encouragingly. "You're on the right track."

"I suppose...it means a debt. A wizarding debt of some sort. Like a Life Debt?"

"Spot on, Peter."

Peter grinned up at him briefly before scratching out the next symbol.

"Good. So now, how would you complete the sigil if you wanted to lock in the binding force?"

His brow furrowed, Peter bent to the task, one fingertip tracing over his runic chart.

Remus sat back and sighed inaudibly. It was a over a week past the full moon, and he was at the best he ever got these days, though that was, admittedly, far below standard. He twisted his neck from side to side to work out the tension, catching a glimpse of James and Sirius talking in low tones together on James' bed.

Instead of looking at them directly, he watched them for a moment out of the corner of his eye. Ever since what had transpired between him and James that day at the lake, inwardly, Remus had been in a fairly constant state of fluttery anticipation and residual shock.

It hadn't been just a solitary aberration, and in the days following James hadn't pretended that what occurred had never happened. In fact, Remus had found himself with James' almost unrelenting attention whenever the two had any opportunity for privacy. Today that privacy was carved out of his History of Magic class-he was the only one of the four of them who had bothered to take it at NEWT level-and Remus hadn't been able to bring himself to care, not when James had pulled him into a hidden alcove and him pressed up against the wall for almost the entire hour, leaving him a disheveled mess at the end of it-shirt half undone, hair wild, and trail of red marks low enough on this throat that they would be reasonably hidden once he'd done up his tie properly again.

"You have no idea what it does to me, seeing you like this." James had said, brushing his thumb across Remus' swollen bottom lip. He smirked a little. "The good boy, all undone."

Remus had returned it, quirking an eyebrow. "Should've known you were in it to corrupt me."

James' grin had turned even more wicked. "You think I'm trying to corrupt you?"

"I hope so."

James had laughed and kissed him hard just as students started to spill out into the halls. His nimble fingers had made quick work of the buttons on Remus' shirt. He had done him up, fixed his tie, and even ran his fingers through Remus' hair, this time to tame it back to a semblance of respectability, all the while watching Remus with a strange expression on his face. Remus had stared back silently, his heart thudding as hard in his chest as it had when James was kissing him.

Peter's words pulled him out of his reverie abruptly.

"Remus? Moony?"

"What? Oh, sorry, Peter."

His neck heated up a little, and he leaned forward to avoid any view of James' bed.

"Is this right?"

Forcing himself to focus on the work Peter had done, Remus' eyes flickered over the parchment. "This is good. Excellent basic sigil. Just remember that for the final project you have to create a unique signature, charge it with your own will and intent."

"Thanks, Moony." Peter sat back with a sigh of relief, rolling up the parchment with satisfaction. "Do you think you could help me with Defense now?" His hopeful eyes peered up at Remus.

"I'll help you." Remus started as Sirius appeared beside them, and he looked up at him in surprise. Sirius hated helping Peter revise, and Peter generally didn't enjoy the experience either because Sirius had no patience for it, though he was as strong in Defense as Remus. "Come on, Wormatil. Let's make a kitchen run first, then we can use the old classroom on the fourth floor to run through some spells."

Sirius met his eyes for a moment, his expression unreadable until his mouth quirked into a grin as if to say: what? Then he clapped Peter on the shoulder and pulled him to his feet as Peter stuttered his agreement. In another few moments they were out the door.

When James' hands fell on his own shoulders, Remus couldn't help but sigh in pleasure as his thumbs dug deep into the muscle and circled slowly. "You should really learn to say no now and again."

Remus snorted. "You know I've never been able to say no to you lot, and don't pretend you haven't always taken complete advantage of that."

James' laugh tickled his ear, and a little shiver traveled down Remus' spine. Thoughts of Peter and his homework faded as James' teeth tugged at his earlobe. His hands had moved to Remus' chest, rubbing over the thin fabric of his school shirt to pluck at his buttons. One by one they separated, and James spread the shirt wide to smooth his palms over the exposed skin. James had propped himself against the headboard, settling Remus between his legs.

Now that he was pulled back against James' chest, Remus' neck was available to be sucked and bitten while James went back to his exploration of Remus' chest. His fingertips brushed over Remus' nipples, then traced the light trail of hair from his navel down to where it disappeared beneath his waistband.

Remus was quite obviously hard, and for the first time James slid his hand lower to cup the bulge filling out the front of his trousers. Remus sucked in a harsh breath.

"Can I take complete advantage now?" James was breathing in his ear again, and Remus thought he felt his mouth curve into what he knew must be a teasing smile.

Remus held himself rigidly in the circle of James' arms, and answered solemnly. "No, James."

James froze. "Remus, I..."

Pressing his lips together firmly, Remus struggled to maintain his control, but then he had to duck his head and a bubble of laughter escaped him.

"You..." Arms were suddenly squeezing him tightly, and Remus gasped for breath, still laughing. "Cheeky werewolf."

James pulled Remus' collar away to bite down hard on his exposed shoulder. "I oughtn't do this now, just for that." But his hands were already undoing the trousers and freeing Remus from his pants. "Christ, Moony," he breathed as he hefted Remus' cock in his hand, feeling him tense and shudder at his touch.

He couldn't tear his eyes away from the sight of James' large, strong hand stroking him to perfection. The heavy beat of James' heart was against his back and the proof of James' own need low against his hips. When James cupped his balls with his other hand, tugging and squeezing gently, Remus couldn't contain his moans any longer. His head lolled back on James' shoulder, and James mouthed wet kisses over his temple and cheek, hand flying faster over Remus' erection, coaxing Remus into an uninhibited display.

"You're so fucking brilliant," James groaned, rocking his hips up against Remus with frantic little thrusts. His thumb spread the fluid leaking from Remus' slit over the head, grazing every sensitive spot as his hand flew up and down.

Remus fisted his hands in the coverlet, his heels digging into the mattress and pressing him back hard against James as he came with a strangled cry. His come landed on his stomach, the last of it seeping out slowly to spill over James' knuckles, who was still grinding his hips against Remus and panting loudly in his ear.

James let go to wrap his arms around Remus' chest and hold him there tightly as he thrust upward with quickening effort. The embrace tightened suddenly, cutting off his air while James shuddered out his release before collapsing back against the headboard in a limp sprawl.

"Fuck, Remus. You made me come in my pants."

They both started laughing, giggling really, from the endorphins still making their nerves sing. Remus twisted around, trousers still halfway down his arse, to share a sloppy, sated kiss with James.