Okay, this is a pretty long chapter, but I couldn't find a better point to stop. There's some violence in this chapter, and some hints at sexual stuff. Next chapter I'll stop hinting and start letting them have proper sex : ) But fear not, I doubt it'll ever become more than PG-13 or perhaps R.

Thanks for the reviews. I know the virus takes some time, but it has a pretty long incubation time : ) Now, on with chapter 4. Enjoy!

The purple beans being hallucinogens is taken from Cassie's Draco Sinister, and so is the idea of Sirius wearing leather : )

4. Music, leather and fights. Peter gets back on Sirius—in a way.

When Friday arrived, the whole of Hogwarts was buzzing, and even McGonagall gave up trying to get their attention. Every student from the third year to the seventh talked about one subject only: the gig in the Three Broomsticks. It didn't matter whether you liked Ed Zoë and the Weavers or not; on Saturday, the Three Broomsticks was the place to be. Not one single teacher would dare to enter that portal of hell, so they would all be unchecked. Three cunning fifth years set up a cannabis store, and had made almost a hundred Galleons when they had finally sold all they had. Honeydukes did great business the weekend before the gig, selling four hundred packages of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans—including the purple ones!, solely because those purple beans were hallucinogens, and the local wizarding shop had been crowded with third and fourth year girls who had all wanted to buy potions and charms to make their hair frizz, unfrizz, turn blue, yellow or black, lengthen eye lashes and enhance general pettiness. That Saturday afternoon the dressing and bath rooms resounded with the giggling, squeaking, moaning and humming of girls, all working hard to make themselves as desirable as possible.

Lily didn't need charms to look pretty, although she had done her hair up in such an intricate hairdo that James suspected that she had used a spell to keep it up that way. She wore a short jumper that left a charming bit of belly bare, and a knee-length skirt with many petticoats. James, Remus and Peter simply wore jeans, shirts and sweaters, and Sirius was clothed in a black shirt and black leather trousers.

It had taken him the better part of half an hour to wring himself into his trousers, and when he finally managed to do up his buttons James and Remus were falling off the bed laughing.

"This must be so incredibly uncomfortable," James hiccupped, looking at Sirius's red face. "Can you actually sit down without cutting off your blood circulation? Can you move at all?" Sirius grinned, and walked up and down the room. At first he looked as if he had two wooden legs, but after a few strides his usual swagger surfaced, and after a minute of prancing he moved just as he did when he was wearing jeans.

"It stretches a bit when it heats up. I'll be fine—unless it starts to freeze suddenly. But I don't think it will." He made a few deep bows, tipping the ground with his fingers, and groaned. "But it is just a tiny little bit uncomfortable, and I've no idea how I'm going to get my boots on."

William Deveraux, their fifth room mate, wandered into the room, obviously looking for his hair gel by the looks of his unkempt mop of hair, took one look at Sirius and cursed.

"Holy shit, Sirius! How'd you get into that thing?" he glanced at Remus, recalling his promise a few days ago, and grinned. "Did you really coat his legs with axle grease?"

"He did nothing of the sort," Sirius said, piqued. "All it took was a good squeeze and a single spell…" James burst into laughter, immediately followed by Will and Remus, "…and I have the sucking fit, as Remus so aptly put it." And suddenly a little unsure, "Do I look ridiculous?" James was too busy biting his pillow to answer, but Will told him to keep standing there and not move a muscle, and ran out of the door.

"What…?" Sirius asked suspiciously, but then they heard him calling down the stairs, "Emily! Lily! Come on up, we need your advice!" Will popped his head back in.

"It's okay if I call Lily too, right James?" James wiped tears from his eyes.

"Hm. I dunno. He's barely decent. Haven't you got a shirt, Sirius?" But Sirius had his eyes on the door and seemed frozen to the spot with apprehension.

            And so he was standing there when Lily and Will's sister entered the room: dressed only in tight leather trousers, flushed with the effort of getting into those trousers, hair still damp from the shower and sticking up in static tangles. James had to admit that Sirius had a good body, with nicely defined abdominal muscles, broad shoulders, narrow hips and long legs, but it still didn't explain why both Lily and Emily skidded to a halt just in front of him and regarded him with a flabbergasted-turning-to-absolute-admiration expression in their bulging eyes. Lily folded her hands in front of her breasts.

"O wow…"

"God, Sirius…" Emily purred, closing her mouth with a click. "You look…succulent." James bit down on his pillow again, and Remus and Will sank to the floor, rendered totally helpless with hilarity.

"Suc-succulent…" howled Remus, holding his head between his knees to get enough air. "You should've seen him trying to get it on!" Emily was unfazed. She was looking very pretty herself with her blonde hair curling in her neck and around her face, her slender figure wrapped in a short champagne-coloured dress and high-heeled boots of a matching colour on her feet. She was pretty, and she knew it.

"Let 'em laugh, Sirius," she breathed, stepping closer to him and running one red lacquered fingernail down his chest. "You look great. Don't bother with a shirt. And don't do anything with your hair either. Boots? Ah yes, would be nice, but not necessary either. If Lee hadn't promised to take me to see the Quidditch Cup next season I'd stand him up in a minute…" She growled at him, and pressed her body against his, then began to giggle as he regarded her with a mixture of amusement and distrust.

"So, what is it? Should I take them off?"

"No!" Lily cried. "Don't! Keep them on. It looks great. Very…tight, but great. I didn't know you had such cute buns, Sirius."
"Hey!" James warned, and she stuck out her tongue.

"Yeah, that's what I keep telling them, but they won't ever listen," Sirius picked up his shirt, shrugged into it and began to fasten the buttons. "Can't wear briefs beneath this; it'd look as if I were wearing a diaper or something."

"Sirius!" But Sirius was taking revenge for the merciless teasing he'd been subjected to, and flashed the girls an innocent smile.

"I sure hope I won't need to take a leak in this thing; it'd be hell to get all the buttons done up again once I've…"

"Sirius!"

"I guess I just can't drink too much. Which is a pity."

"Indeed."

"Hello?" James waved his hand in the air. "Can I have some attention too? My new shirt is at least as interesting as Sirius's old trousers."

"Oh my poor neglected honeybud!" Lily fawned, just as Emily said that she might pay him attention if he'd show her the shirt without any other article of clothing to spoil the view.

"Really?" James squealed, and began to fumble with his belt buckle. "Well, anything to stop you two from drooling all over our floor…" Lily smacked him on the hand.

"No sharing of the merchandise, James Potter. Speaking of merchandise, where's Peter?"

"Moping." Remus said, with a smile. "With Luncheon."

"Who?" Emily asked.

"Luncheon. His rat. They've grown quite close these last few days."

"Poor Peter…"

"Hell no," Sirius said impatiently, flopping down on his bed and attempting to get his boots on, "he's just being fussy. If he didn't like me asking Cynthia he should've told me. I don't know if I wouldn't have asked her if he'd said he didn't want me to, but he should at least have told me."

"Ah, Cynthia's the lucky girl?" Emily quipped, with just a hint of jealousy.

"Uhuh. Er, Remus, would you mind helping me? I can't get my laces done…"

At seven thirty, the great hall turned into a meeting place for friends to pair up, find each other and admire each other's attire. The Marauders found their missing link huddled near one of the moving harnesses on the left, still a little gloomy but determined to enjoy this evening—even if it didn't include a date. Peter's faint smile almost made Sirius feel guilty, but he pushed that thought firmly away when Cynthia joined them. She was looking great in plain light blue jeans and a lacy white top, and unlike most of the other girls she wore her long blonde hair loose, so that it almost reached her waist. Peter sighed. Sirius whistled. The girl looked him up and down, grinned and clicked her tongue.

"I love it when I'm right," she said, and allowed him to kiss her on the mouth. Peter hid behind Remus and cursed.

"Are we complete? Shall we go?" urged James, wrapping his right arm around Lily's shoulders. "We'll be late if we don't go now, and all the seats'll be taken…"

"Relax, James. We're ready. Come on!"

            It was a cheerful train, the Hogwarts students, as they walked towards Hogsmeade in their colourful dresses and smart clothes, their voices rising up into the chilly autumn air. As it was quite dark already, many of them had their wands lit, and from a distance they looked like a cloud of fireflies. Of course there were they usual taunts and insults between the houses, and especially some of the more elaborately made up girls, Sirius and a few other boys in unusual garb got catcalls and wolf whistles, but on the whole everybody was too pleased with the party to start a serious fight. Snape was nowhere in sight, and even if he had been, James would have wished him a good night. His mood was that excellent tonight.

As soon as they reached the Three Broomsticks it became clear that apart from the young owner, Madam Rosmerta, and Ed Zoë no people over twenty were around. The building was already crowded with students and local adolescents who had just finished Hogwarts and wanted to see the gig; the common room was filled with smoke and light and many, many bodies. Ed was still tuning his instruments and his weavers, who obediently held out their hands so he could untangle their long fingers. James, Remus, Sirius, Peter, Lily and Cynthia crawled through the crowd near the bar and managed to secure a small empty table and five chairs in the back of the room.

"Packed, isn't it?" Remus said. Already he had to raise his voice to make himself heard. "It'll be a sucking fit when the band starts to play."

"What is it with you and sucking fits?" Lily wondered. "Some kind of childhood trauma?" Remus smiled.

"Traumas galore, but as far as I know sucking fits aren't part of those. I just…"

"Noted that it'll be crowded. 's okay, Remus," Sirius reassured him. "I think they charmed the window side to make it bigger. Don't worry, you won't be squashed."

"What relief flows through my veins."

"No need to be sarcastic."

"I was lyrical, not sarcastic."

"Remus, you wouldn't know lyrical if it sat on your quill singing 'muse is in the heart,' and bared her breasts at you." Remus glared at him. "Well, it's true, you wouldn't. Hey, where're you going?"

"You slighted me," his friend said sulkily. "I feel unwanted. Therefore I feel you should pay for our first round, which I will get now. What do you all want? Peter?"

"Vodka…"

"One butterbeer coming up. James—oh, sorry, where are my manners—Cynthia?"

"Me too, please."

"Vodka or butterbeer?"

"Butterbeer."

"All right. Lily? You too? James?"

"Beer. Just beer, no butter."

"Me too."

"That'll make four butterbeers and two butter-free beers. Sirius, hand me your purse."

"I don't think so. Here's two galleons, that should be more than enough."

"I thank you, sir, for your trust. Um. I need someone to help me carry the glasses." Peter dragged himself up from the depths of his depression.

"I'll help you."

"Right. We'll be back in…well, as soon as possible." Remus and Peter disappeared in the crowd.

"Hurray," James cheered softly. "The dateless have deserted us! Opportunity fest!" He grabbed his girlfriend around the waist and kissed her on the mouth. "Come on, Lily, don't be a prude. Sirius doesn't mind." Lily squeaked, but when she noticed that Sirius did, in fact, not even notice them snogging because he was too busy doing the same with Cynthia, she leaned into him and opened her mouth as she kissed. There was something secure about making out in a crowded room, she thought as she felt James's hands stroke her thigh and one side of her face. Everybody saw, but nobody noticed. And nobody cared anyway, even if they did notice. She gave a little purr of contentment, and lost herself in James for some time, until a soft chuckle against her neck brought her back to earth.

"What is it?" James lifted his head from her neck, laughing softly.

"Call me a pervert, but I can't help feeling for Sirius."

"What for?"

"If he feels the same way as I do right now, he's probably wishing he were wearing slackers instead of that torture device."

"Ah." She smiled, and trailed her fingers down his thigh. "Is that so? Pervert."

"Do I even want to know what's going on?" Remus's stoic voice made her pull her hand back, even though James had arched up ever so slightly and she'd have liked to continue. "Here, can you take this one too? Thanks. I lost Peter in the crowd somewhere, but I'd really appreciate if you'd disentangle yourself from Cynthia, Sirius, and behaved a little more considerately towards him." He actually sounded irritated, and Sirius reluctantly let go of Cynthia's thigh. He pouted.

"I wasn't doing anything."

"Really? If you'd asked me you had your tongue stuck so far down her throat you were licking her kidneys."

"Excuse me for interrupting you, but why on earth should we be considerate towards this Peter?" Cynthia asked, irritated as well. "Sirius asked me out, not Peter, whoever that is. That's that smallish boy, right?" Remus nodded tightly, then sighed and sat down.

"Look, I'm sorry if I sound like somebody's father, but Peter…he's got a terrible crush on you, and seeing you with Sirius kinda hurts him, you know?"

"Peter? A crush on me? But…I'm at least three years older than him!"

"Er, no." Sirius corrected. "He's a sixth year as well. And even if he weren't, hell, I'd have a crush on you too."

"Sirius. Anyway, I don't ask you to, like, hold in or something, but…could you at least smile at him once? He'd…"

"Hi Peter!" Lily called loudly, shutting Remus up and waving at her friend. "Can you manage?"

"Sure," Peter muttered, handing Remus his butterbeer and James his beer. One of the butterbeers Remus had brought was sitting before his own empty seat. Cynthia looked up at him, raising her lashes so slowly she seemed to be moving in slow motion, and smiled.

"Is that one for me, Peter?" she asked huskily. Peter flushed bright red, and nodded. He placed the glass in front of her as if it were a diamond ring. "Thank you. You're very sweet." She glanced at the rest of her companions, who were all biting their lips and looking away to keep from laughing out loud, and made sure that she touched his fingers before he released the glass. Peter was now so red in the face that they all expected him to start steaming from the ears. "So," Cynthia shamelessly led him on, "Shall we toast?" James stopped pretending to drink, coughed and raised his glass.

"Yes. To, er…"

"To Ed and his Weavers!" They clinked their glasses together, drank, and raised them once more.

"To leather trousers and butterbeer!" Another swallow.

"To Saturdays!"

"Hail that!"

"And, of course," Remus added, "To friendship."

"No more alcohol for Remus," Sirius said, but he toasted just as enthusiastically as the rest.

"I don't drink alcohol."

"Why ever not?"

"Screws with my head."

"Like the purple beans?" James asked with a delicate grin. Remus shot him a look.

"So it was you!"

"Should I feel slighted this time?" wondered Sirius, and downed his beer. "Because if that is the matter I should get the drinks this time, and you can pay for them."

"That is the first sensible thing you've said all day. Here is your own change. It should be enough for another round."

"And you'd better hurry, because I think the Weavers're laid out on the stage. Ed's bound to begin in a few minutes." Sirius rose from his seat and tugged at his waistband.

"Damn thing…okay, who's with me?"

"I've already done my duty."

"Fine, but I will buy you a beer if you stay there." Remus gave him a wave.

"Do what you can't help. It's on your head if I start singing."

"We can live with that. James?"

"Oh, fine. I'll come along. Be good while I'm gone."
"But of course," Lily murmured, and draped her arm over Remus's back. "You won't make me scream, will you, Remus?"

"Can't promise you anything, Lily-love."

"How disgusting," Sirius said with a funny quirk of his nose, and pulled his friend along before James could start gibbering. The last thing they heard was Remus growling and Cynthia giggling. "I swear, Moony has hidden sides to him as well." James smiled, just a little too sharply to be entirely friendly.

"If he touches Lily, he'll also be having a major problem tomorrow morning." But Sirius laughed at him.

"You're one jealous puppy, Prongs. Relax. You know we all love Lily, that doesn't mean we want to hump her. Hell, it'd be like snogging with my sister."

"You don't have a sister."

"Exactly. You still want beer?"

They were lucky enough to make it back to the table before the band began to play. Fortunately for Remus Lily had removed her arm and was now sitting beside him without touching him at all, and they were discussing books when James slid in between them.

"Here's your beer."

"Thanks."

"One butterbeer for madame."

"Merci beaucoup, mon amour."

"And one for you too. Phew! It's thronged, absolutely loaded. You can walk on heads at the bar."

"Which you did admirably well." praised Sirius. "You must've done it before." He fell silent as a hush passed through the pub. Ed Zoë's magically amplified voice boomed through the room.

"Test. Test. Can everybody hear me?"

"Yeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaay!" they shouted back. Peter and James had climbed on the table, Sirius lifted Cynthia on his shoulders and was steadying Lily as she balanced on her chair to see what was going on on stage. Ed Zoë was a tall longhaired Black man, who did not look like a celebrated rock star; he wore a suit of white linen, and both the suit and his teeth shone in the multicoloured light of the many enchanted glow bulbs.

"I can't hear you!" he called, and cupped his ear with one hand. "Can you all hear me loud and clear?"

"YEEEAAAAAAAAAAY!!" the crowd howled back, loud enough to make the windows quiver in their encasement. Ed grinned widely.

"That's better! I'm so glad you could all make it tonight! Now, you all know I'm a humble artist…" Laughter. "…but my Weavers'd like to have a little encouragement before they starts, so…can I have a great applause for Qurrk, F'naml and Deeljl?" A deafening applause almost flattened the Weavers against the podium. They chirruped contentedly. "Thank you, thank you!" Ed cried, bowing deeply. "Okay! Enough of the talking, more of the playing! I want to see you people move those pretty young bodies! This is our first song." He picked up his reversed guitar and nodded at the Weaver behind the drum-xylophone. It parted its tentacle fingers on one hand, creating two thick drum sticks to play the drum, and began to tockle the xylophone with the eight separate fingers of his other hand. The two sounds combined formed a rippling beat, not unlike the sound of waves crashing on the beach, and Cynthia clapped her hands excitedly.

"Oh! I know this one." Lily nodded.

"Yes, this is one of their most famous ones."

Now Ed nodded at the second Weaver, who shuffled over to a keyboard, hopped on his crutch and hit several keys in quick succession. A loud cheering arose from the crowd as one after the other they recognised the melody.

"This is Delirium!" Ed Zoë cried, hitting the snares of his guitar, and as the third Weaver joined the music with his pan pipes and cello everybody went wild.

"Delirium!" 

It didn't take long before the Three Broomsticks was filled with dancing, singing and bobbing youths, all milling through each other. James and Lily disappeared first, then, with a half-apologetic look at Peter, Sirius and Cynthia went after them. Remus and Peter sat at the table, humming along with the music but not feeling inclined to dance.

"Bean?" Peter asked, offering a package of Bertie Bott's including the purple ones!. His friend accepted, and soon they were munching away, complementing on the wonderful taste of the sherry, brandy, champagne and anise coloured jelly beans.

Delirium ended, and Fi Fi Fire began, driving the beat up another notch. A sweating couple fell down on the free chairs at their table, laughing and fanning themselves with their hands. "Great music!" the boy shouted over the din. "But man, it's hot!"

"You don't mind us sitting here, do you?" Remus said that he was fine with it. They made polite conversation over the noise for a few minutes, then the girl dragged her boyfriend back to the dance floor.

After Fi Fi Fire, Ed declared that it was time for a ballad, and the next seven minutes the raving crowd changed into a herd of snogging, cuddling, smooching teenagers. Peter watched them with envy, and kept popping beans into his mouth, including two of the famous purple ones. He felt very much abandoned, even if Remus was sitting next to him, equally dateless. But Remus, Peter somehow knew, did not have a girl because he had chosen not to ask one, while he, Peter, did not have a girl because no one would have him. It made him feel very depressed.

"I think I'll have a beer," he announced, and before his friend could react he had vanished in the crowd.

"Damn!" Remus cursed softly, and after a short hesitation dived into the mass as well.

In the meantime, Sirius and Cynthia amused themselves to the utmost. They had danced themselves out of breath on the first two numbers and were now moving slowly on the flowing sounds of With You. Cynthia was a tall girl, but Sirius topped her with two inches, and she could lean her head comfortably in the hollow of his neck. Her hair smelled of shampoo and some light perfume; Sirius stroked his with his free hand, marvelling at the softness of it.

This is bliss, Sirius thought to himself contentedly. Good music, good atmosphere and a marvellous woman like Cynthia draped around my neck. I wish this would never end. The romantic in him surfaced for a moment, although he tried to push him down, and he kissed the girl lightly on the top of her head.

"Sirius," She looked up, saw his face and stopped. He looked very vulnerable suddenly, and very young, his dark eyes shining with dreams. An odd throbbing sensation manifested in her stomach—a feeling she hadn't felt before, not even when he had asked her out.

God, but you're beautiful, she thought, and wondered why she had not noticed how handsome he actually was. But something in her eyes seemed to shake him out of his thoughts, and the beauty was replaced with his ordinary mischievous expression.

"Hm?"

"Shall we go and get something to drink? I'm parched."

"Sure." He led her through the throng, deftly avoiding Slytherins and exes, and halted near the bar. "It'll take some time before we're…"

"Cynthia?" A large young man a few years older than them walked up to them from another table. "It really is you!"

"Shit!" Cynthia muttered, and tried to duck back behind Sirius. "Hector."

"Old boyfriend of yours?" Sirius whispered.

"My first. Bad case of love-hate relationship. I hated, he loved." Hector seemed oblivious of her hatred, for he ignored Sirius, grabbed her by the upper arms and kissed her hard on the mouth.

"Long time no see, Cynth. Wanna drink?"

"Excuse me," Sirius interrupted him. "The lady's with me. And you're hurting her." Hector released one of the girl's arms, leaving five red prints on her pale skin. She tried to pull herself lose from the other hand as well, but he kept a firm hold on her.

"Oh. Sorry. I didn't see you. And who might you be?" Sirius frowned.

"I'm Sirius Black, and Cynthia's with me. If you'd care to look at her face, you'd notice that she doesn't want you to buy her a drink, and that you're still hurting her. So let her go, piss off and leave us alone." A few people around them had noticed that something was going on and had turned to watch. Their attention made Sirius swell with confidence, but Hector flushed deeply and squared his broad shoulders. He was only a little taller than Sirius, but much broader, and the fact that a sixteen year old boy dared to tell him off made him gnash his teeth with rage.

"Slytherin scum," murmured a girl from the side. "It's time someone taught him a lesson." Sirius smiled.

"Let her go," he said. "She doesn't want you." He held out his hand to Cynthia, and she immediately pulled herself loose and let herself be pushed behind his back. "Do you, Cynthia?"

"No. I don't."

"You heard her. She doesn't want you. Now go away before you make a fool of yourself." He turned around, placed his hand in the small of Cynthia's back and gently pushed her towards the counter. "Let's get something to drink, love."

A sigh of relief or perhaps disappointment echoed through the crowd before Ed's following number, Explode in Dalby, drowned out every other sound.

"Sirius…" He gave her a little push.

"Just keep walking. He won't try anything here, it's just too…o fuck, man, are you deaf or something?" Hector the graduated Slytherin had grabbed him by the arm and spun him around, his hands balled to fists. His pupils were the size of galleons. "What do you want?"

Hector shouted something he didn't understand, and he shook his head impatiently.

"Why don't you get lost?" He reeled back as a violent shove almost sent him flying into the other students. "Heeey! What's your problem?"

"It's a fight!" A circle cleared around them. Several girls Sirius knew began to cheer.

"Come on, Sirius! Hex him! Make him eat your fist! You can handle him!"

A small round head popped out between one of the by standing boys' legs; Peter sucked in his breath as he saw what was going on in the circle.

"I don't want to fight." Sirius said firmly, refusing to draw his wand. The crowd jeered.

"Oh come on, Sirius! He can't hurt you! You know you can beat him!" A few Slytherins gathered behind Hector and cheered him on as well: "Sucker punch him, Hec! He's just a puny Gryffindor! He doesn't want to duel, just kick him instead!"

"No." Sirius said, and turned around. He looked straight into Remus's face, which was smiling proudly.

And then Remus's eyes opened wide.

"Sirius, watch out!" and he was spun around once more, and right when he finally balled his own fists to smack the annoying bastard on the chin, Hector took one step back, balanced on one foot, leaned forward and kicked him as hard as he could between the legs.

"Oowwwwww!" the male clientele groaned, involuntarily clapping their knees together, and then everything went very fast.

Sirius turned chalk white and sank to his knees before falling over without making a single sound.

"Sirius!" shrieked two furious boy's voices, and two boys, one tall and lanky, the other small and rotund, launched themselves at Hector and knocked him to the ground. "You bastard! You fucking bastard!"

At the same moment a calm but outraged voice said, "Stupefy!", and a ray of white flew into Hector's chest. The force of Remus hitting him in the side and Peter crashing against his legs sent him skidding across the floor, where the students stepped aside to let him through and then filled the empty space up again. It was Will Deveraux, who fought himself through the bystanders and dropped to his knees next to Cynthia. From another direction, James and Lily, both sporting drinks in their hands, came running and gathered around Sirius as well.

"What happened? What's happened to him?"

"Is he unconscious?"

"Solid kick to the groin," informed Will with a grimace. He was a little pale himself. "I swear my own balls pulled up all the way to my guts in reaction. Christ."

"He's bleeding," Cynthia remarked. She gently shook Sirius's shoulder. A thin trail of blood trickled down his chin onto the ground. "Hey Sirius. Talk to me." The boy groaned, and curled up further, his hands clasped between his legs.

"Bit his tongue, I suspect," James said. Even though Lily found the situation rather funny, all the boys were highly serious. Apparently it really did hurt as much as they always said, getting kicked in the balls. She stifled a giggle.

"Maybe I could heal you?" she proposed. Sirius opened one dark eye.

"Touch me and I'll bite you," he said hoarsely. He pushed himself up on his arms, assisted by both Cynthia and Will, but grimaced when he tried to stand up and remained huddled on his knees instead. A few other students asked whether he was okay, but most didn't pay attention to him now he was awake and talking.

"But you might have burst something," Lily argued, still fighting a smile. She'd never seen Sirius so quiet and helpless before; it was quite refreshing. "You don't want your scrotum dripping down your legs, do you?" Sirius snarled at her, and a great uncontrollable guffaw bubbled up in her throat.

"I'm sorry…I'm sorry…I'm not laughing at you…"

Cynthia raiser her eyebrow, but a small smile played around her lips as well.

"She does have a point, you know." Sirius wrapped his arms tightly around his stomach.

"The first who tries to touch me I swear I'll turn into a sandworm." He was slowly swaying to and fro with pain, showing preciously little of his usual cockiness. He didn't even look up when Remus and Peter joined their little circle.

"Hey."

"Hello, Remus. There's blood on your hand." Remus carelessly flexed his fingers.

"I cut myself when I broke the man's nose. It took me a while to notice he wasn't fighting back. I think Peter bit him in the calves, didn't you, Peter?" The smaller boy nodded. He was looking down on Sirius with a satisfied smile—the first real smile he'd displayed that entire evening.

"Tasted awful, too. How's Sirius?"

"Suffering." Sirius supplied. Peter's smile widened. He looked vaguely psychotic.

"I'm so sorry for you."

"You are such an utter bastard."

"But we can't stay here," James said. "They'll trample us if Ed starts rocking. Can you stand up yet?" Sirius tried, and turned so white they thought he would faint again.

"Er. No."

"Right." Remus sighed. "I'll carry you. No, James's right, we can't stay here. Especially with you doing a credible impersonation of a wounded chicken."

"You can carry him?" Cynthia eyed his thin arms doubtfully.

"I'm stronger than I look." He lifted the protesting Marauder in his arms and swiftly carried him through the room to the table where they'd been sitting before, and deposited him on the only free chair. "There you go. Shall I get you something to drink?"

"Yes please," Sirius said quietly, and curled up on his chair. "And please, please get Peter away from me, before I hurt him. If I see him smile that way for one more second I'll commit homicide."

"Sure," Remus said, and pulled his friend along with him. Peter looked back at Sirius one more time, and began to laugh. And even though Ed and his Weavers made enough noise to make talking all but impossible, his gleeful laughter could be heard for minutes after he had gone.

To be continued…

Next chapter: Sirius gets…healed, Remus snogs, and the virus spreads…