BAD TIMING

PART 10

The Hospital Wing.

"Show true bravery?" said James, in regards to the Task. "That's easy! All you have to do is find a Dark Wizard, kill him, and bonus points if your life is at stake!"

"No the Grim Reaper said that won't do," said Remus.

"So I guess you will have to stick your head in Slug's wardrobe and pretend Narnia is something else," said Sirius.

"That's not it either, apparently."

"Well, you always have those kissy things in the Old Folks Home, I guess."

"Nope."

"Well, so what did he mean, then?" James asked. "Does he have his own doolally definition?"

"Pretty much. He said that true bravery is doing what is difficult, risking what is important, because it's right."

"Ohhhh," said Sirius, getting it now. "That's the poor man's bravery. You know, for those who don't have the balls to come face to face with a proper Dark Wizard in a fatal battle. Got to give the weakly spined something, too, so they can feel good about themselves and think that they're the truly brave ones."

"Oh, right," said James. "What was that quote now?"

" 'It takes courage to stand up to your enemies, but it takes more courage to stand up to your friends' !"

The two shared a massively roaring laugh at the nonsensical twaddle. Tears gushed from their eyes and their tummies hurt.

"Well, at least the Grim Reaper wasn't too specific," James thought. "Just looking for something difficult, risky and right. Hmmm..."

"Oh I know!" said Sirius, simultaneously tending to his runny mascara. "Horse betting! It's difficult, risky, but money is right!"

"Quidditch is difficult and risky, as well as very right."

"Could you take this seriously, please? What else? Cosmetic surgery, in some cases..."

"You want to take this seriously, Padfoot? The answer is pretty obvious, don't you think?"

"... Is it?"

"Yes it's obvious! I can't believe you can't see how obvious it is!"

"And it's not horse betting, or a make-over?"

"You're close. I mean, the solution is not getting inside the closet, yeah? So, ergo, it must be...!"

"Oh. I've actually never really believed that he was a puff!"

"Who are you talking about?" Remus asked.

"Hey, it takes courage to come out to your enemies, but it takes MORE courage-"

"'To your enemies'?"

Shrug. "I imagine."

"I'm not a puff!"

"If you say so. I'm still glad we had this talk. Hey, maybe that was it!"

Alas... It wasn't.

"That's not what I was suggesting," said James. "It's just a figure of speech."

"Uhm I get that I've never actually encountered any puffs in a closet, except that time Moony decided to have a go at weed."

Medicinal, 'though.

"We'll attend to your compulsory wise-cracking and mum dreams some other time," said James. "I'm just laying it out on the table, what I think. Let me know if there's an appropriate show tune to accompany it, but it's time to come out!"
"Heeeeey wooooorld heeeeere IIIII Aaaaaammm!"

"He's coming out, not you."

"Who told you you're allowed to rainnnn on my furraaaaaaaaaaaaaade!"

"What are you talking about?" Remus asked. "Just what? Just what? Just what? Just what?"

"Oh no! He's stuck in some kind of loop!"

Happened all the time.

He was already wheezing into a paper bag and rocking back and forth.

"You can't be serious," he said, but really he was talking to himself at this hysterical point. "After everything I worked for? Coming this far? Just a few more years... Throwing it all away. Inquisitors, inquisitors everywhere. I smell smoke. Where's the smoke coming from? Is there a fire somewhere? Happy place, happy place, happy place..."

"Time to slap him, here I go!"

"Well, sorry to be the messenger," said James. "But the time has come for-"

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Remus cried out.
"-Shishi to go. But it's just what I think!"

"Happy place happy place- Shishi?"

"Yeah. What did you think?"

"Well you said 'come out'!"

"I know! To McGonagall, with Shishi!"

"What would be the point of that?"

"To show courage, try to keep up!"

"How would that be right in anyway?"

"Well he wees in my shoes, can't say I'd miss him."

"But we need Shishi!" said Sirius.

"I know we all knew this was going to be difficult!"

"Well blasted you're right."

Remus sighed. He didn't want to give up Shishi, nor could he believe that could be the task. But just whatelse could it be?