Disc.: Nope.

Author's Note: I'm tentatively posting this chapter. I am leaving in a week, so please read and review it and tell me if I should rewrite this upon my return. I'm still pretty proud of it, despite my reservations… Also, it has less journal entries and a lot more switching from James and Remus to Sirius, and back again. I think it's fairly understandable, however. :

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Thursday, October 30, continued.

I have to do McGonagall's detention in a few minutes. I just wanted to jot some thoughts down on the James situation. You know, I'm pretty tired of this too. But I still can't bring myself to just walk up to James and say, "Hey mate, let's be friends." But who knows?

Anyways. Enough about James. You would think that I'm obsessed with the guy, the way I carry on. On a different, happier note, there's this gorgeous blonde in Ravenclaw…

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Minerva McGonagall put Sirius to work writing out the addresses of next year's first-year students. She had Sirius work from a continuously updating list that was titled (in large, black script) "Hogwarts Students: To Be Contacted." As Sirius wrote out each address, the name would vanish from the list and he would move onto the next.

The work was mind-numbingly boring, so naturally Sirius mind drifted. He thought about the pretty Ravenclaw, Claudia. He thought about Remus and James and Peter, along with his other fellow Gryffindors. He thought about Quidditch and food.

As the night wore on, he settled into a pleasant daydream that involved Sirius himself soaring about on his new broomstick. He rescued Claudia from a menacing, messy-haired monster. Just as he was about to blast the monster, someone called his name admonishingly.

"Mr. Black? It will not do for you to fall asleep at your work," McGonagall said severely. Sirius shook his head and thrust the dream from his mind. He stretched his hand, and then wrote "Matilda McGoldie, 14 Partridge Way…"

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It was the eve of Halloween, and James and Remus were sitting by the common room fire. Sirius was off doing his last detention with McGonagall. Peter had just returned from the Hospital Wing, and he was bent over his books trying to catch up on the work he had missed.

Remus was reading a book when James began to speak. "So, Remus," James began casually. "How's Black?"

Remus sighed. "Use his first name. And he's fine. Why do you ask?"

James shrugged. "Well, I was thinking about earlier. When we were eating, I might have been a little… A little harsh on him, you know. I was just in a really bad mood."

"Yeah. So, what are you going to do about it?"

"Do about it? I guess I could…" James paused, thinking.

"Apologize," Remus said in a knowing tone. He really didn't think James would apologize to Sirius.

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Sirius yawned for the forty-second time that night.

"Mr. Black, I suppose you should leave, as it is late and you are obviously tired," McGonagall observed. Sirius stood to leave.

"Mr. Black, how are you doing with the journal I presented to you?" McGonagall asked in an almost tentative tone- not what you usually hear from Minerva McGonagall.

"Fine, Professor," Sirius replied tiredly.

McGonagall looked mildly surprised. "You actually use it?"

Despite his weariness, Sirius managed a sly smile. "On occasion."

"Hmm," McGonagall murmured. She looked up at Sirius and noticed that he was practically swaying. "You may leave now, Mr. Black."

"Thanks, Professor." Sirius left.

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"Okay, I'll do it," James said, standing up. He wasn't sure if this was the right way to go about things, but he felt full of excitement and possibilities.

Remus stared at James. "You will? You'll apologize?"

"Yeah, I will. We can even wait up for him, if you don't think I'll do it." James grinned. Remus' quizzical expression made the whole situation even more ridiculous. James had known the whole time that his "hatred" for Sirius was really an act, and that all he wanted was to be liked by the seemingly untouchable boy.

"Wait up for who?" Peter queried, raising his head from his parchment.

"Sirius. James is apparently going to apologize," Remus answered.

James laughed and said in a bemused tone, "You don't think I'll do it."

"No, I don't. Recent events haven't exactly proved me wrong." Remus was also slightly shocked at this turn of events. But he had always thought that James' good-natured disposition would eventually force him to make up with Sirius. And Remus knew that James was feeling guilty about the week's events.

"Only for you, Remus," James said. "It's because of the deep bond we share that I'm willing to sacrifice my dignity and apologize to that mutt!"

"I hope you're kidding."

"Possibly!"

"Be serious, James," Remus began. "He—"

The portrait door swung shut. "No, I'm Sirius," Sirius laughed. He looked around the room and took in the scene. There was Peter, half asleep over his books. Remus was looking dazedly at James, who was grinning like a madman. The grin dimmed a little as Sirius stepped further into the room.

"Hello, Sirius," Remus said.

"Hey, Remus." He nodded to Peter and James.

Peter yawned. "It's midnight, guys. Time to turn in." Remus nodded, and after sending James a meaningful look, he followed Peter upstairs. Sirius was about to do the same time before James cleared his throat. James was feeling some trepidation, but also a little relief. James wasn't sure if Sirius would even accept the apology. In fact, James almost turned back. But the sight of Sirius' tired, expectant face and the disbelief of Remus cajoled him to speak. This was a bit like a dare, and James Potter was not going to lose.

"Um, Sirius. Can we talk?"

"Sure. As long as you're not going to attack me," Sirius replied, slightly defensive. Despite his own doubts, he sank into a chair opposite of James.

After two months of quiet animosity, things had boiled up to the surface. Both boys were so proud and stubborn, but nobody wants to maintain a grudge for this long, especially James. He had never experienced the difficultly of being thrown into constant contact with someone he didn't get along with. This new, and unpleasant, feeling nagged at him. And Sirius, cut off from any of his childhood acquaintances because of his House, needed as many friends as he could get. With these feelings in mind, the two were almost ready to drop their differences.

"Look, I don't hate you…I mean, we could probably at least be friendly, because we do share a room. But when you threw me into a door!" James said, semi-incoherent.

"Stop harping on about that!" Sirius interjected, but James ignored him and pushed on.

"That ticked me off a bit. So I just decided I'd hate you on principle. Which was a mistake, but what else could I do? You didn't go out of your way to make friends.

"Plus," James added, "you're a Black."

"I know."

"They don't have the best reputations, Sirius!"

"I know. So? I'm not my parents, James. I'm in Gryffindor. Doesn't that mean anything? Even if we don't get along, you can't just chalk that up to my family's reputations. I'm not the same." This conversation was wearing Sirius out, and at the moment he was prepared knock James down in order to get at his bed. But Sirius decided to wait and see if James had anything to say that was worth keeping Sirius from his bed.

"I think I'm beginning to see that you're a bit different."

Sirius shrugged. "Okay. That's nice."

"See!" James exclaimed. "You make it so hard to be even polite! You have this defensive wall built up."

"And you don't?" Sirius questioned, raising an eyebrow.

James laughed and looked into the common room fire. "Point taken. I guess I'm sorry, Sirius."

"Cool."

"Hey, aren't you going to say something?" James demanded.

"Fine," Sirius sighed. "I'm sorry, too. I could have apologized early, but I just didn't want to. That good? I'd add some flowery language and perhaps a few cartwheels in celebration, but I'm pretty tired. In case you haven't noticed, it's already Halloween morning."

James nodded. "Yeah, well, that works for me... So where do we stand?"

"Friends, I guess."

The two boys stood up and made their way to the dormitories, ready to begin a friendship.

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What do you guys think? Implausible? Not up to scratch? Excellent, or permissible? Let me know- I may have to do a rewrite, but I'm not sure.

R&R, please.