Chapter 3: Of Possible Significance

Third Year

"Hey Lily" James swaggered up to the red haired girl. It was very clear to those that knew him well that James Potter was now fully in his suave mode.

"Potter." The aforementioned redhead gave a curt smile and strode off in the opposite direction in which James had come. The messy haired boy stood there miffed watching after Lily Evans as she rounded the corner of the greenhouse and swept out of sight. Just because James was in suave mode didn't mean it was going to work.

James trudged back over to his friends who in the case of Remus, tactfully stifling giggles or in the case of Sirius howling with laughter. James gave Sirius a punch in the arm and Peter seeing the frustration etched in James Potter's thirteen-year-old face smiled as comfortingly as he could. Despite the Evans mishap the four boys continued to amble towards the lake.

"She's falling for me you can't deny it." James said in the moments of silence after Sirius' laughter had died down.

"Oh yes she was all over you," Remus said lips twitching, threatening to betray him and smile. James narrowed and muttered a string of angry half-sentences under his breath. While James was not in the best of possible moods after this most recent defeat, his friends were feeling not quite so sympathetic. Remus turned to Sirius,

"Oh James I love you so much!" Remus batted his eyelashes at Sirius who, along with Peter burst into furious laughter. James grumbled and although he would not admit it at that moment, was impressed with Remus' ability to maintain such a high pitch.

Remus made a show of taking one of Sirius' hands in both of his own.

"Oh James I worship you!" Peter stopped laughing feeling slightly uncomfortable with the situation, however Remus and Sirius continued to laugh unperturbed. Sirius was once again hysterical and little could be done to quell his merriment now. Sirius and Remus were leaning on each other for support. After a lung full of air and despite the tears of laughter in his eyes Remus continued his award winning performance:

"Oh Jamsie-kins!" Remus winked with seductive deliberation in Sirius' direction while twirling a finger through his hair. Such behaviour was not custom for Remus and so Sirius laughed harder than he otherwise would have to encourage the mischief flowing forth from his friend.

"Yeah, yeah very funny you bastards." James tried maintaining a serious tone but his smile had ideas of its own.

"Yeah Remus, Sirius stop. It's getting… weird." Peter looked at them with a scrunched up face.

"Ah Pete, you can't say it isn't funny." Sirius put an arm around Peter who cringed at the contact. Regardless he still begrudgingly nodded his agreement at Sirius statement and gave a half-arsed grin. Then as if his thoughts gave a sudden chance of course, Peter frowned and bit his lip.

"Remus, do you really like James?" Peter asked earnestly. Remus and Sirius who had reduced their mirth to giggles froze and exchanged a glance. Laughter roared across the stillness of the lake, through the silence of the forest and shook the very bricks of Hogwarts itself. Sirius and Remus had collapsed into the grass struggling to breath. After a draw of breath they looked up at their companions. On seeing James frowning down at them they both exploded into new laughter.

"Hey what's so funny about liking me?" James gave his incapacitated friends a glare.

His question however went unanswered as Sirius waved him off, cleared his throat and returned Peter's earnest expression, "Don't worry Pete," was all he could manage before he caught a glimpse of the glaring James Potter and began chuckling.

"Me really like James!" Remus sighed in the wonder of the statement. Sirius threw an arm a round the shorter boys shoulders and they staggered together towards the lake. Peter watched their backs with concern. James on the other hand was only slightly irritated by the whole thing. The worst part about all this was James knew they weren't going to give this up for at least a week.

The Marauders staggered into the Gryffindor common room and collapse on the nearest sofa. After ten butter beers warmth was rolling off each one of them. While they were not drunk – butter beers are not alcoholic – the euphoria induced by the drinks had taken its toll on the boys and after ten drinks silliness had set it. Peter simply sat basking in the feeling, while flopped his head against the armrest, growing quite sleepy. Sirius was giggling absently mindedly and leaning against a slurring James who was recounting a story.

"An' so I says to the guy…" James slurred as he sat down, voice filled with purpose. Peter didn't so much as squeak when James landed rather heavily in his lap. It was only after a moment of ranting about what James did say to the guy that Peter came to his senses.

"Hey mate, you're sitting on me." Peter looked up at James with glazed eyes.

Sirius fell against the back of the sofa sniggering. Remus smiled groggily from where his head rested against the sofa. Initially he had been buzzing with warmth but this had slowly dissipated leaving Remus with drooping eyelids. He felt himself drift off but only realised he had been asleep when someone nudged his arm.

"Look at Pete," Sirius murmured. Remus titled his head and saw that Peter was asleep and drooling on the deep red upholstery, one hand flopping at his side and the other was being used as a blanket by James. The other boy was also asleep and was determined to have Peter's arm around him as he did. Remus sighed more than chuckled and leaned into the sofa again.

"We shouldn't have had so many." Remus spoke through a yawn.

"Don't," Sirius began arranging his thoughts as he went, "Don't say that. I've had just the right amount."

Remus chuckled again watching Sirius make extravagant gestures with his arms. He knew what was coming next. After they had been buzzing from the butter beer, they would each come down from their cloud of warmth and joy. Most would fall asleep but Sirius was at his most curious in this phase. All Remus had to do was wait.

"So how's life?" Remus smiled to himself as the first question broke the silence.

Remus closed his eyes and sighed contentedly, it was good when you had things figured out, "Good I guess."

"Seen any good girls lately?" Typical Sirius question – Reus could feel him waggling his eyebrows.

"Ones you would be interested in? No."

"Damn."

"Why? Do you really want a girlfriend?"

Sirius shrugged, "Dunno I guess so."

"Why?"

"Well James has Evans so I guess I should have someone."

Remus snorted at the irony of the words but managed to have enough tact to response, "Doesn't mean you have to have a girlfriend."

"Stop sounding hurt."

"Am not sounding hurt." Remus was quick to defend himself, certain that he had not sounded like his was whinging.

"Are too."

"Not and shut up Sirius."

"Now you're sulking."

Remus couldn't win. He sighed and screwed his eyes up tighter, "I know what I'm doing! I don't need a playback of my emotions thanks and I am not sulking. Okay I'm digging myself into a hole so I'll just shut up."

"Whatever Lupin."

"Black."

"Remus."

"Sirius."

There was a pause. Remus lifted a hand to his temples, "My head hurts."

"Do you want me to kiss it better?"

Remus swallowed, "Err, no I'm good."

"Be a sport!"

"Sirius what are we talking about?" Best line of defence was a good offence.

"You not joining the Quidditch team! Keep up Remus, people will start to think you're drunk!"

"I'm going to bed." Remus restrained a giggle.

"Yeah I should go too."

Remus trudged up the stairs, now completely drained of any joyful butter beer related feelings. He couldn't help but grin at the thought of James and Peter waking up in the morning in their position. Remus had apparently stopped walking because behind him Sirius gave a grunt and a playful push.

"C'mon Rem it's a walk-way."

"Sorry." Remus shook himself and continued to climb the stairs.

However it wasn't two steps before he stopped again. This time it was not his fault; Sirius had thrown himself around Remus. The smaller boy stiffened while behind him his attacker laughed.

"Sod off Sirius." Remus pulled himself away from his friend tangle of limbs.

Sirius retreated, "Alright you git."

They stepped into the dorm both collapsed on their beds upon reaching them. Silence settled in the air and for a series of moments all that could be heard was the inhaling and exhaling of two people.

"So, mate see any girls lately?"

Remus lifted his head wearily to frown at Sirius, "Sirius we've been through this, the answer's no."

"We have?" Sirius had glazed eyes.

"Yeah. And Sirius?"

"Yeah?"

"In case you're going to ask no I'm not going to join the Quidditch team."

"Shame. I reckon you'd be good." Sirius stared up at the ceiling, hands behind his head. Remus mimicked the action.

"Oh you do?"

"Yeah!" Sirius gushed with whispered enthusiasm.

"Apart from the fact I have extremely bad hand eye coordination?"

"Yeah well I guess… Apart from that you'd be great."

"Of course."

The discussion waned and Remus felt his eyelids pulling closed. Just as his head rolled to the side, himself about to lose consciousness, Sirius' voice jolted him awake.

"Remus?" Sirius spoke with surprising clarity.

"No." Remus sighed as if he had just said the opposite.

"I can't sleep."

"Me neither, YOU'RE TALKING."

"No but, I'm really tired but I can't go to sleep."

"Oh. Why? Is something on you're mind?" Remus felt stilted concern fill his voice. He really was desperate to just sleep.

"No."

A sigh then, "Sirius. If you're going to beat about the bush here I may as well just go to sleep."

"Fine. Something is on my mind."

"What is it?" Obviously Sirius was really going to string this one out.

"Someone sounds curious."

"Oh? And who would this person be?"

"You."

"Sirius nothing would temp me to want to delve into your twisted mind."

"Oi!"

"Well go on are you going to tell me or are you not?"

"Maybe."

"Bloody hell! Goodnight." Remus rolled over as dramatically as possible and even shoved a pillow over his head for good measure.

"Okay!" Sirius said loudly enough for his voice to permeate the pillow. He plopped himself down onto the bed beside Remus. Not welcoming the intrusion, Remus, with one leg kicked Sirius off the bed. Sirius wasn't planning on going anywhere and at Remus' feeble attempt to get him to move Sirius laughed and pushed Remus back.

"Sirius you git! What do you want?"

"Nothing."

"Christmas Party is coming up who you going to take?"

Sirius was sitting on his haunches in the middle of James' bed. He had a wistful expression on his face, almost as if he was seeing something that James wasn't. James, who was sitting on the floor leaning against his bed, decided he didn't want to see whatever it was that Sirius saw. Adjusting his glasses James stared at his copy of Potion Brewing for Beginners 3 as if it would tell him who he was taking to the Christmas Party. He frowned at his own essay that was resting in the pages of the book. The essay was not going to well it had half a sentence about the assigned work and two paragraphs on Lily Evans.

Sirius's question was annoying. Everyone knew who James wanted to take and because he wanted to take her so much he couldn't bare to take anyone else. The door to the dorm opened and Peter came in and sat on his own bed. James followed him in with his gaze.

"Hey, what are you lot talking about?" Ever chipper Peter asked brightly.

"Sirius is asking me dumb questions. His dumbness is starting to make me dumb." James replied pointedly shooting a look in Sirius' direction.

"You were already dumb." Sirius beamed at James who made a face in return.

"Shut up Sirius."

"Oh you're asking about the party again aren't you?" Peter asked knowing the answer was yes. Sirius liked asking that question, about the party. Every boy and girl he knew had been asked if they were taking someone and who was that person going to be. Sirius kept asking because no one gave him a straight answer. Peter himself was not keen on parties because there was dancing and loud music and he wasn't so fond of that. The end of year party was student run, but had been received by Dumbledore as a fantastic idea. Peter was not so sure.

"Yeah." Sirius nodded grinning like a madman.

Peter paused considering whether or not he should proceed into certain territory. He did anyway, knowing James wouldn't like him for it, "Well who are you going to take?"

"Lily." James said unable to suppress a smile.

"Good luck. Got anything?" Peter sat down on Sirius' bed and suddenly James felt surrounded and interrogated.

He put on a brave face and waved his would-be potions essay in Peter's direction, "Yes I happen to be working on a plan right now."

Sirius snatched the parchment from James's hands and naturally started to read aloud, "Lily Evans. Those words mean beauty -

James launched himself at Sirius, face burning with embarrassment as he snatched at the piece of parchment. On retrieving it James made sure he gave Sirius a hit on the arm. Sirius didn't feel it because he was now in hysterics and so was Peter.

"God James have you been getting lessons from Remus?" Sirius laughed wiping tears from his eyes.

"What makes you say that?" James's face quickly recovered from mortification and saw his advantage. Sirius recognised this look and proceeded, wisely, with caution.

"Well Remus makes up that sentimental stuff and now suddenly you do."

"Oh! Does Remus read you his sentimental stuff does he?" James raised his eyebrows tip toeing slowly towards Sirius with a trap.

"Err. No." Sirius frowned and gave James a puzzled look.

"Sure." James grinned back.

"C'mon Pete! Back me up here!"

Peter was in no state to back anyone up. He hadn't stopped laughing since Sirius had read out the would-be potions essay.

Remus entered the dorm, which brought forth more laughter. James hammered his fist on the ground and Peter was rolling around on his bed. Sirius was sitting still apart from the occasional jab at James or Peter.

Remus sat down next to Sirius a question written all over his face. James paused in his merriment and saw the proximity at which his friends were sitting and was thrown into bouts of fresh laughter. Peter wasn't exactly sure what he was seeing but followed James' example anyway. Remus smiled and rolled his eyes. He turned to Sirius who, with clenched teeth, looked close to murdering both James and Peter.

"What are they laughing at?"

"Oh nothing." All murderous intent dropped from Sirius' face as he answered Remus.

Remus was sceptical, "Right."

James and Peter came out of their laughing fits; their stomachs couldn't take the strain any further. James sat up and wiped a tear from his eye as he turned to face Remus – a wicked smile growing on his face.

"So Remus," James ran his hand through his hair characteristically, "Who are you taking to the Christmas Party?'

Remus considered. He has never felt the urge to dance before in his life and he wasn't to keen on loud music and the entire population of Hogwarts crammed into a small space. There were so many health hazards in the operation; Remus didn't know why Dumbledore had agreed. Maybe he liked dancing himself. Remus shrugged, "I dunno. No one I suppose."

"C'mon Rem don't be like that! You have to take someone!" Sirius said gestured wildly, limbs flailing as he spoke. This whole thing was such a big deal to Sirius but he couldn't see why taking someone was so damn important.

"Do I hear wedding bells Sirius?" James sat up and raised his eyebrows. He clasped his hands together and put them up to the side of his face in mock adoration. This comment earned him a hit over the head and a growl from Sirius.

"Go to hell James."

"So that's what you lot were laughing about." Remus grimaced as he caught on to their joke.

"Yeah, sorry Rem it's just it was funny." Peter smiled weakly. Remus groaned internally. Just because he didn't have girls chasing him like Sirius or charisma like James and he didn't want a girlfriend like Peter didn't mean there was anything wrong with him. The whole idea of girlfriends was gross to Remus anyway. After all they were only thirteen, why were people so obsessed with girls anyway?

Remus became lost in his own musings while James and Peter continued to jibe Sirius who was once again looking deadly.

Sirius hated being out smarted, out charmed and out grossed. He was still annoyed at James for teasing him and Remus. After his final lessen for the day, Sirius made a show of shoot James withering looks and grumbling. With some encouragement James had coaxed him into a conversation about Quidditch and while he was not resentful, he wasn't thrilled with James' behaviour either. With all his thinking about James' teasing his mind inevitably wandered back to Remus.

A weight on his bed brought Sirius back to the present. He sat up straighter and found himself looking at the very boy that occupied his thoughts. Remus' hazel eyes were watching him thoughtfully.

"How's life?" Remus said after an interval.

"Alright." Sirius offered rather lamely.

"About earlier…" Remus had a slight frown on his face, determined to see his thoughts through.

Sirius mentally sighed. Remus wore his heart on his sleeve and had no qualms with analysing his own feelings or even asking others for reassurance. Sirius was more than happy to share his good moods or his excitement with the rest of the world but Remus wasn't even afraid to show those things that might make him look a bit stupid. He had to admire Remus for that but Sirius himself would rather work those things out in his own head or just simply ignore them. Ignorance was bliss after all.

But Sirius' reasoning wasn't going to stop Remus so he helped him along, "What about earlier?"

Remus shrugged, "It was just really weird; you didn't deny it or anything."

Another Remus trait: analysing people. He loved probing people's brains, picking them apart and understanding every fibre in their being. Nothing would please him more than asking seemingly innocent questions to find out the thoughts inside the brain. Sirius frowned.

"Look I just didn't want to make a big thing about it," Sirius threw his hands up in defence, "I thought you were cool about it."

"Yeah I am."

It was less than convincing. Sirius swung his legs off the bed so that he was sitting next to Remus. If there was one thing Sirius Black could do it was fix Remus Lupin. It was the job he was born to do. He nudged Remus' shoulder with his own, "You don't sound alright."

"I guess I'm a little unnerved, I mean gosh it was kind of confronting." It was Remus' turn to throw his arms around and Sirius thought it was funny the way he mimicked him. He had the grace not to show his amusement.

"And it made you think?" He said instead

"Yeah." Remus lifted his head and looked at Sirius before smiling. Remus had one of those smiles that when he gave you one you felt like the most important person in the world. Sirius beamed in return. Remus quirked an eyebrow at him wondering when Sirius became an expert in telepathy.

"Everything makes you think Remus." Sirius replied simply.

"Stop reading my mind!" Remus said with a burst of laughter.

"Look," Sirius clapped Remus on the back and then lied – it was hard, "I haven't thought about it at all. We're good friends. Everything's fine. You'll be right."

Sirius nudged his friend with his elbow to show some sort of compassion. His smile dropped as Remus pulled away. He was running out of his 'make Remus feel better' ammunition.

"Remus I'm sorry. What's wrong?"

"Doesn't matter." Remus got up and walked out of the dorm.

Remus buried his "Doesn't matter" and thankfully it didn't come up again for some time. Years later however, under similar circumstances a great deal of things were brought into the light.