OH MY WORD! IT HAS BEEN FOREVER!

if you are at all keeping up with this story, thank you. If not, well, I'm writing this for my own amusement, nothing more.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story. well, maybe a few, but it's all Harry Potter and that is by J.K Rowling

J.K.-you rock my world!

on to whatever i have to do...

[:


"Wake up, Moony!" Remus groaned and rolled to his side.

"What now, Padfoot?"

"You want to be late for school, don't you?"

Remus shook his head.

"Did you drink? You couldn't have had too much! You never do."

Remus pulled himself out of bed and headed for the bathroom.

"The fact that I'm awake before you if pretty spectacular, if you ask me. Besides the fact that Peter's awake too."

"He is?" Remus felt like he'd been slapped awake now.

"Yeah, earlier than me. I think he just went to get food early, though. He said he'd bring something up if you didn't come down in about…" Sirius checked the watch on James' beside table, "Three minutes."

"Ugh," Remus splashed water on his face and brushed his teeth. Sirius tightened his tie in the other room only to loosen it up so it hung loosely around his neck. He then went into Remus' trunk and pulled out pants, a shirt and Remus' black robe. He put them on the bathroom counter. Sirius perched himself on the closed toilet bowl.

"So why're you late today? We didn't stay up too late last night. Did you have a bad dream?"

"Are you feeling okay?" asked Remus, rinsing his mouth, "You don't usually question my sleeping habits."

"Well, no, but since James isn't here to do it I figure that ought to."

Remus was surprised at his friend's response. Sirius was mature to an extent but this was beyond anything….

"Thanks but I'm okay. Honestly," he added at the look on his face, "Don't you trust me?"

"I trust you, Moony, but your dreams are another matter. Was it that bad?"

Remus shifted his weight to his other leg.

"It was a good dream then?"

The young werewolf nodded mutely; Sirius broke into a broad grin.

"About who?"

"I never said it was about anyone!"

"No, but you never said it wasn't about someone either." he winked then glanced excitedly at the door, "Food!"

Seconds later, Peter came into the room holding a plate of food, two plates actually. He smiled and set both plates on the counter.

"So, the Moonking has decided to sleep in for once, has he?" Peter laughed a bit, "This is definitely a surprise."

Remus smiled at Peter's light attempt at joking.

"Good morning, Wormtail."

"Morning, Moony. How are you? It's not like you to sleep in! Your alarm clock woke me up!"

Remus tousled his hair once.

"Sorry, Wormtail. Didn't mean it."

Peter sighed.

"I know." he handed Sirius and Remus the food filled plates, "Here, I know you want it.

Remus resisted the urge to drool. "Eat up then."

They did.

Peter told Remus and Sirius about breakfast. Luckily, he'd gotten there first.

Sirius ate in silence and Remus knew he was planning to question him about his dream. Peter hoped Remus was feeling well enough to go to class.

As it turned out, all three of them were well enough to go.

They momentarily put James out of their minds and headed for their classes that they all knew only Remus was interested in.

*M*A*G*I*C*

Transfiguration had always been James' and Sirius' forte. They were the best at it, compared to Remus and Peter. So, they tried to stay cheerful and 'normal' but it didn't feel right. Their friend was gone, not dead, just momentarily missing.

Remus felt terrible, and knew that James' ability to joke around drew them together.

This was one of the reasons that the remaining Marauders would orchestrate a prank on the infamous Slytherin Serverus Snape. Of course, he knew perfectly well that it wouldn't be complete without James but they'd need this act to be suspicion free. Nobody could know they were planning to leave.

But someone did know. Remus looked at the spot behind him. Tiffany had her head down, her quill rushing against her parchment. She seemed very focussed on what she was doing.

Then, she looked up, catching his eyes. After giving him a minute wave, she returned to her work.

Remus sighed and turned his attention to his own parchment, which was practically completed. It was an essay( A.N. I don't think they have essay's in Hogwarts, but I was really low on creative juice) on Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration*. Remus knew the theory but James was the master at the hands on activities . And that was next.

"Alright." said Professor McGonagall. "This is an easy test, if you studied. Ready?"

Remus was.

Sirius stretched widely, slipping his wand into his robes.

"Well, that was fun."

Peter grimaced, sure of his failure.

Remus began putting away his stuff, but stopped when he saw a paper airplane flying by. It swooped, curving gracefully till it landed on his book.. Curious, Remus scanned the room for people and found a streak of black hair curve out the door.

He opened the airplane and found what he suspected.

Remus,

Please meet me after dinner in the library.

Tiffany

Something was off about this, but he was too distracted to care. They had a clue. They were one step closer…hopefully.

*M*A*G*I*C*

Sirius was laughing so hard that tears were coming out of his eyes.

"Did you see his face?"

Peter laughed and nodded. Then he heaved a sigh.

"Won't detention be boring?" he asked.

"Nah, it's only a few days. Which means, Friday? I'm off!"

"That's good." Remus nodded his agreement.

"It just won't be the same without Prongs."

"S'okay, Padfoot. I reckon Prongs would be proud to know that his old Lily prank went to good use on Snape."

Sirius grinned, remembering Lily's sea green hair on Snape. He burst into another fit of laughter.

"You never get caught, Moony." added Peter, taking a seat beside Remus. They had reached their House table. "How long will it last?"

"Until he says, 'James Potter is the best Quidditch player ever.'"

"Same principle applies, Wormtail." said Remus putting food on his plate, "Lily had to do it too."

"Yeah, but what if Severus doesn't want to?"

"Well, Snivellus will just have to live with it now won't he?" Sirius followed Remus' example and took a bit. "'Sides, if he were smarted he'd have taken it off himself."

"Perhaps."

Peter looked down the long table.

"You think Frank is happy?"

Sirius shrugged, but didn't bother to look that way, "He looks happy." Remus raised his eyebrow at his friend, then turned to Peter.

"Well, James tends to make people like that happy."

"People like that?"

"Mhmmm. Frank, if you've noticed, is very shy and clumsy all the time. He went to James for advice."

"Whoa, wait. He went to James? Not me? Why?" Sirius looked up, a hurt expression on his face.

"Really, Padfoot? You and Frank aren't exactly best friends, whereas Frank and James have been on good terms because of their interest in Alice and Lily. Now may I continue?" Sirius nodded solemnly, his attention directed back at his food. "James told Frank that when you care about someone, you have to be brave and let them know, because you never know when you could lose them."

"Wow, Moony. How'd you know that? You make Prongs sound so…"

"Mature?" Sirius took another quick bite before getting back into the conversation at hand. "Naw, James would tell anyone that. It's his belief. He uses it when trying to get Lily to date him, if you've noticed. Besides, this applies to Frank and, as you can see, appears successful."

Remus smiled. "I know all this specifically because I was there. And Padfoot is correct." He ignored the audible 'yes' from Sirius. "James isn't mature. He just knows what he wants and what he believes in.

"Mature or not, Prongs is pretty smart because his advice worked."

Sirius and Remus glanced over at Frank whom was eating with one hand and holding Alice's hand with his other. He had a dreamlike look on his face.

"I guess."

"You guys know how Lily's doing?"

"She seems depressed."

"Really?" Sirius glanced down the table again to see Cassandra and Lily talking animatedly to Frank and Alice. "She seems pretty happy to me."

"You don't get it, Padfoot. We all knew this would happen. That Lily would land up missing him."

"Doesn't look that way." grumbled Sirius. But he was lying. He saw that she was forcing herself to be cheerful. When she ran out of things to say, she'd eat food, but even from a distance he could see how tight she was. She looked sad.

Remus shrugged and finished his meal, speculating on the possible clues. Tiffany could have found out something. Perhaps she'd found out the exact location!

Then again, he probably shouldn't get his hopes up.

"Moony?"

"Huh?" Peter was waving a hand in front of Remus' face.

"You okay there, Moonshine? Not drunk on yourself, I hope." Sirius joked.

"No, I'm fine."

"Then why were you spacing out?" asked Peter.

"I'm not spacing out."

"Really?"

"Really."

Peter and Sirius sighed together.

"If you say so."

Another few minutes passed and Remus, though finished, waited for his friends to do the same.

Sirius ate slowly; Remus reckoned it was because he had detention. He was really enjoying this. Peter beat Sirius by a mouthful but all three finished and were ready.

"See you guys after detention."

"I m-might be asleep, Padfoot."

"S'okay. You need it. Moony?"

"I'm going to the library."

"Nerd."

The three walked Peter to the Common Room which wasn't too much trouble.

"Bye, Wormy." Peter waved.

"Good luck. See you later. Maybe." Remus and Sirius left Peter and proceeded to their destinations.

"Padfoot?"

"Yes, Mr Moony?" Remus laughed and smirked at Sirius' formality.

"Alright. Mr Padfoot? Mr Moony requests an absence of teasing towards Minerva McGonagall this particular evening. He would like to note to Mr Padfoot that she is also going through a hard time."

Sirius grinned wickedly, "Mr Padfoot would like to inform Mr Moony that he acknowledges what Mr Moony is saying but adds that there is no guarantee to the teasing that will take place."

Remus sighed. Perhaps nothing would ever change his free willed friend.

"Well, this is my stop." said Remus, giving Sirius with a wave. "I'd best be off."

"Indeed, you'd best be. Keep up with that research, Moony. Have fun."

He winked and Remus rolled his eyes before entering the silent book sanctuary.


And there we have it. hoped you liked that chapter.

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