The Marauders were more tentative than usual with one another the next morning. Despite how well the conversation the previous night had gone, in the light of day it was unclear how much James and Peter were really prepared for the fact that their best friends were now a couple. When Sirius kissed Remus goodbye before he and James left for morning Quidditch practice, Peter gaped openly at them, and James looked away, his ears reddening.

"For fucks sake, you two," Sirius grumbled. "It's not like we're not going to start shagging right here and now." Remus shrugged at him, not sure if he wanted to say They'll get used to it or You're the one who wanted this.

In some ways, things were better. Much better. They could now disappear to the Room of Requirement without hiding the Marauders Map or needing to answer questions later. They could hold hands and share knowing looks and exchange casual, flirtatious touches without worrying about being caught. Once, they took a long afternoon nap together on Remus's bed, and Remus was able to relax enough to actually fall asleep with Sirius's arms around him.

But still, as much as James and Peter insisted that everything was fine and nothing had changed, there was a new tension in the air that seemed to build with every passing day. Remus wasn't sure if it was discomfort with the physical aspects of their relationship ("Which is none of their business!" Sirius said hotly) or something else that might be more difficult to solve.

"I've signed up to stay here over Christmas," Sirius announced one day when the four of them were sitting together at breakfast. James looked up at him rather suddenly, his fork clattering to the table.

"You are?" Remus said, surprised and pleased. He usually stayed at Hogwarts over the holidays; it was far preferable to going home to face his family's nearly palpable fear and guilt over his "condition." At Hogwarts, he was usually alone in the seventh-year dormitory, which he didn't necessarily mind. Peter always went home to the Pettigrews, and Sirius had spent the holidays with the Potters every year since their fourth year, when he'd first begun to openly rebel against his family.

Sirius stared at him, grinning. "Are you an idiot? Of course I'm staying with you." There was a sudden scraping of chairs and James rose from the table, his face red.

"I'm going to the library," he said, picking up his bag and leaving rather suddenly.

Sirius watched him leave, his eyes narrowed. "What is his problem?" Remus didn't say anything, but as he watched James walk away, he suddenly thought he understood.

"I don't know what's going on with James," Sirius finally said to Remus one Saturday morning a few weeks later. They were laying together on Sirius's bed, Remus flipping through the pages of his Transfiguration textbook. Sirius stared up at the ceiling, a scowl on his face. "I mean, he was absolutely fine at first. I thought things went really well when we told them, and now—"

"Maybe they went too well," Remus said carefully. He rubbed the back of his neck and stifled a yawn. The full moon was the next day, and he was feeling particularly tired and sore. "James wants to be supportive, I think. But a lot of things have changed because of this, you know."

Sirius scowled. "We haven't changed anything. He's the one who became Head Boy. He's the one who started spending all his time with Evans. He's the one who's making this awkward."

"Well then maybe you should talk to him about it," Remus said, but Sirius just moaned and rolled over, burying his face in the pillow. Remus rested a hand on his back and flipped forward a few chapters in his book. "Do you remember what McGonagall said we needed to know about Metamorphagi?"

"Of course not," Sirius snapped. Remus sighed. When they were just friends, he'd been able to ignore Sirius's moods, avoiding him until James cheered him up or his sense of rationality returned. He wasn't exactly sure how to respond now that Sirius was his boyfriend. He decided to continue to ignore it, at least for now.

The door opened, and James entered. Remus flinched, trying to ignore the urge to push Sirius off the bed and hide. It's okay, he reminded himself. This is why we told them.

"Oh—sorry," James said, turning red at the sight of them. "I'm just—I just came by to get my coat."

"We're just studying," said Remus awkwardly. He held up his Transfiguration book and glanced down at Sirius, who was still facedown on the mattress. "Well, I'm studying." He rolled his eyes at James, and got only a sliver of a smile in return.

Sirius rolled over, watching James through narrowed eyes. "Where are you going?"

James hesitated. "I—a few of us are going to go down to the Quidditch pitch and try out Jerkins' new broom."

Sirius sat up, his face flushed. "Oh. And you didn't think I might want to come?"

James turned rather red. "It just came up over breakfast," he said. "And I didn't know if you'd want to go. You're clearly busy."

"Yeah, really busy sitting here while Remus studies." said Sirius snidely, a glint in his eye. Remus gave him a warning look, but it was too late. "Tell me, what exactly is your problem, Prongs?"

"My problem?" James said, staring at him. "I don't have a problem. I just didn't think you'd want to come out today."

"Why wouldn't I? And what about yesterday when you went down to the pitch with the Ravenclaws? Or this morning when you went to breakfast without us? I don't spend all my time shagging Remus, you know."

"I didn't want to take up your time—"

"Bullshit. Is it that you think I don't want to play Quidditch, now that I'm gay—"

"Sirius," Remus whispered, putting a hand on his shoulder.

James' face turned red. "I didn't say that!" he said hurriedly. "I don't care that you're—that you're with Remus now. I told you that."

"So what is it, then? What's changed?"

James balled up his coat and threw it onto the bed. "Fine! I just don't know how to be with you now, okay? And I don't think you know either! Are you Sirius, my best friend, or Sirius, Remus's boyfriend?"

"I'm trying to be both! You're the one who spends all your time on Head Boy rounds or sitting around with Evans. You're one who changed things, not me."

"What about Christmas? You didn't even tell me that you're staying with Remus. You didn't even think I might care, or how I have to write and tell my mum you're not coming—"

"I—that's—" Sirius scowled at him. "Moony, where do you think you're going?" Remus had stood up, putting on his shoes. Sirius glared at him.

"I'm going to go find Peter," he said. "You guys need to work whatever this is out on your own." He bent down and gave Sirius a kiss on the cheek. "See you later."

Remus wandered down the shifting stairwells alone. He didn't have a clue where Peter was, but taking a solitary stroll through the castle was better than watching Sirius and James have a row. They'd fought before and always made up, but this felt different. It wasn't just about Sirius dating Remus, he thought glumly. This was their seventh and final year at Hogwarts. Things couldn't stay the same forever, and Sirius and James both hated change.

When Remus reached the main floor, he was surprised to see Peter standing alone with Corban Yaxley, a tall, smooth-talking Slytherin seventh year. In all their years together at Hogwarts, he had never seen Peter talking with the other boy. But today, Yaxley was talking animatedly at Peter, a hand on his shoulder, a thin smile on his lips. Remus walked more slowly, listening.

"Listen, you should be more careful with who you spend time with in the future, is all I'm saying," McNair said. "Purebloods who keep the right company will be rewarded in the future. And the rest, well..." He glanced up and spotted Remus.

"Lupin," he said with a sneer. Peter whirled around. "Hi, Remus," he said, his cheeks pink.

"Yaxley," Remus returned, trying to keep his voice light. "Peter, I was looking for you. I'm going to go to the, er, library. Want to come?" Yaxley watched him with thinly veiled disgust in his eyes.

"Yeah, all right," Peter said, biting his lip. "See you," he told Yaxley.

"Later. And remember what I told you, Pettigrew," Yaxley said. Peter nodded, a frightened expression on his face.

"What was that about?" Remus hissed once they were around the corner.

Peter hesitated. "Nothing."

"Didn't sound like nothing to me. Sounded like Slytherin bullshit."

"He's not all bad," Peter said quickly. "He, er, offered to help me with Potions."

"Really." Remus's chest felt tight, and he looked carefully at Peter. "Who did he tell you to stop spending time with? Was it the usual 'blood traitors and Mudbloods' bit?" Remus suddenly felt sick. "Or did he know that I'm—"

The words caught in his throat. Queer. A werewolf. The Death Eaters wouldn't accept either, and he'd been waiting for the latter to get out ever since Snape found out last year.

"No!" Peter said, horrified. "He just said that I shouldn't hang out with the wrong sort of people. That there's a better sort out there who can give me more than you lot can." He flushed, embarrassed. "I didn't tell him about—about you. I would never tell."

"All right. I believe you."

"I'm sorry," Peter said, shaking his head. "I should have told him off. Don't tell Sirius, okay? I know I've been a prat lately. It's just—I'm not brave like you and Sirius and James."

"It's fine," said Remus, suddenly feeling overwhelmed. "But tell me if Yaxley bothers you again, will you?" Remus paused, leaning against the wall. "God, I'm exhausted."

Peter nodded. "Full moon tomorrow," he said in understanding, reaching to take Remus's book bag from him.

Remus sighed and let him take it. "It's worse than usual this month," he said. "All the stress, I guess."

Peter flushed. "Sorry. I know some of that is my fault." Remus shrugged. "Do you want to go back to the dormitory?"

Remus grimaced. "No. Sirius and James are in there having a row."

"Oh." Peter didn't seem surprised, Remus thought, as they entered the library. He wondered what Peter and James had talked about lately, when he and Sirius weren't around. Maybe James was right, he thought glumly. Maybe this would be the end of the Marauders.

He didn't see Sirius again until later that evening, when he was stretched out in front of the common room fire, nodding off in front of his book.

"Hey," Sirius said, dropping his backpack on the ground.

"Hi." Remus smiled up at him and picked up his legs so Sirius could sit down on the other side of the couch. Sirius caught his feet and pulled them into his lap. Remus didn't protest; he was too exhausted to look around to see who might be watching. "What happened with James?"

Sirius leaned back on the sofa, staring at the ceiling. "I dunno. We had it out." He sighed. "He's still my best friend—sorry—but I guess some things have changed. I didn't really consider that he might feel left out."

"Don't apologize," Remus said. "He can still be your best friend, even if I'm your boyfriend."

"Yeah," said Sirius, rubbing Remus's ankles. "I guess that's the thing we've all got to figure out. God, I could use a cigarette. I've never had to talk about feelings this much in my entire life." He looked at Remus. "Tired?"

"Just the usual," Remus said, waving his hand dismissively. "Maybe a little worse this month." He and Sirius looked at each other. This would be the first full moon since they had told their friends.

"James will come," Sirius said. "Prongs will be there tomorrow night."

Remus nodded. "Peter will be there, too." He briefly considered telling Sirius about Peter and Yaxley, but decided against it. He wasn't about to break Peter's trust. Peter had always kept Remus's secrets. "They'll both be there. I'm sure of it."

As if on cue, the portrait hole open and James and Peter entered. Remus waved and they walked over to the couch. "Hey," he said, smiling nervously at Sirius and Remus.

"Hey," said Sirius. "Want to sit?" He pushed Remus's feet onto the floor and made room for James between them. Peter sat on the floor by Remus's feet, leaning back on his arms. They looked nervously at one another.

"Full moon tomorrow," said James tentatively, looking at Remus. "I was thinking we could sneak out early, maybe go to the Three Broomsticks. If Moony's feeling up to it, that is."

There was a brief silence, but then Sirius nodded. "Yeah, I'm in." He looked at Remus with interest. "If Moony gets drunk before he transforms, does that mean the wolf will be drunk?" James gave a short, surprised snort of laughter.

"Won't we be drunk too? As Animagi?" Peter asked.

"That doesn't seem entirely safe," Remus pointed out, shaking his head.

"Let's try it," said James, grinning at Remus. "What's a bit of impaired judgment, when you're running about with a werewolf?" They all laughed, the tension suddenly broken. James looked over at Sirius. "I'm sorry," he said. "I've been a prat."

"Me too," said Sirius quickly.

"And me," said Peter from the floor. He met Remus's eyes, and Remus knew he was thinking about Yaxley.

"All right. I'm glad that's over," James said, breathing a sigh of relief. "Sirius, you've got to hear what happened to Jerkins at Ravenclaw's Quidditch practice last week." He launched into a story that soon had Sirius and Peter rolling with laughter. Remus closed his eyes. The full moon might be approaching, but there was one thing he could absolutely be sure of, he thought to himself. He was foolish not to realize it earlier. No matter who they dated, or where they spent the holidays, or whatever else in their lives might change, the Marauders would always find a way to stay together.