(21st June 1973)
Dear Sirius,
How are you, mate? Moony says he hasn't heard from you either. I'm getting a bit worried about you. Are you okay? Please reply, just so I know you're okay?
Love
James
(4th July 1973)
Dear Star-Face,
I'm nicking Jamie's name for you when you're being an idiot - because you're being an idiot. Neither of us have heard from you. Every letter we send comes straight back, Sirius. Every single bloody one. We're worried. Even Jamie's parents are worried.
He's going stir crazy not knowing what's happening with you - especially since you didn't show up at his the other week when you were supposed to. I presume your parents are keeping you locked up - so I guess I can't really be angry with you because it's not your fault. I just wish you would get these and reply.
Please.
Love
Remus
(29th July 1973)
Dear Sirius,
Please answer - I'm worried about you.
Love
Jamie
(10th August 1973)
Dear Sirius,
This summer seems to be going by so slowly. I just want to be back at school with you and Jamie, debating over the logistics of the parchment project and knowing you're okay. James has convinced himself that you're going to be on the train, and that your parents have just hidden you away for the summer trying to indoctrinate their pureblood ways back into you. I hope he's right. You're a stubborn bastard, (I can even hear you going "But my blood is pure, Moons" - Merlin, I need a therapist) but you'll be okay. I hope.
Merlin, I hope you're okay. Just please be okay, Sirius. Please.
Love
Moony
(29th August 1973)
Dear Sirius,
One more day (and a bit). Just one more day and we'll be back together again, and we can plan how we're absolutely not letting you go back to that house without a way of either breaking out or ensuring you have a way to receive post. This summer has been horrible. I've hated it. And I can't wait to see you.
Just one more day.
I miss you.
Love
Jamie
HN
1st September 1973
Remus stared intently at his book, attempting to ignore James's fidgeting on the bed next to his. But the longer he stared at the page, the less the words actually registered. After 'reading' the same sentence five times over and not taking any of it in, he gave up.
"James," he sighed, catching his eye.
James looked away.
"I'm just worried about him, Remus. We haven't seen or heard from him since the end of last term, and after what he said last year on the way back from Easter break," James shrugged, his mouth set in a slight frown, "I worry."
Remus nodded. He was worried too. Neither of them had heard from Sirius all summer, despite their plans. Adding to that, the third in their trio hadn't joined them on the train earlier and had missed dinner. Even if they ignored the lack of contact over the summer: he was their soulmate, whenever they could be together, they were together. For him to not have appeared on the train was odd, but for him to not be in the Hall for the Opening Feast at all was downright disturbing. Not to mention the conversation Sirius and James had had on the train back from Easter last year (relayed for his benefit at a later date by James) - the two had every reason to be concerned.
"Maybe he just missed the train, Jamie," Remus responded blandly - not at all believing the words coming out of his mouth.
James slipped off his bed and padded barefoot to the window that sat between their two beds.
"He wouldn't have missed dinner though," he said quietly, staring out at the grounds.
Remus hated this. He hated that Sirius wasn't here, and that he had a crap home life. And he hated that James was upset because of it. But most of all, he hated that there wasn't anything he could do to make either one of them feel better.
The door burst open with a bang. Remus glanced, relieved, at James.
Sure enough, Sirius stalked through the door before slamming it behind him, trunk in one hand, his wand in the other. His face was set in a deep scowl as he dropped the end of his trunk and attempted to kick it under his bed. It barely moved.
Sirius growled before abandoning the trunk and tearing his cloak from his shoulders. He leapt gracefully into his bed and closed the curtains with a flourish.
"Sirius, what happened?"
There was no response.
"Sirius?"
James moved away from the window towards Sirius's bed.
Slipping off his own bed and joining James beside Sirius's, Remus counted down on his fingers from three. When the last finger had rejoined Remus's fist, they pulled Sirius's curtains open.
The boy lay on the bed, shoes still on, head buried deep under his pillow.
"Why so serious, Sirius?" James asked, his mouth twitching.
"What's the matter?" Remus added, sending James a pointed look. For someone who was so worried, James Potter had the sensitivity of a rhinoceros.
The pillow moved, revealing the head of a particularly disgruntled looking thirteen-year-old boy.
"Really? I storm in here, a complete mess, and that's what you lead with, Jamie? Why so serious, Sirius? "
James shrugged and threw himself onto the bed next to him, "Got you out from under your pillow, didn't it?"
Sirius thumped him over the head with said pillow.
James sat up, his face a picture of outrage. Then, before Sirius could move the pillow out of reach, James grabbed a corner and hung on.
Remus sat down on the other end of the bed, watching the ongoing tug-of-war. That was until the pillow exploded, showering the three of them and the bed-spread in feathers.
Closing his eyes briefly in mild disdain, he shook his head (dislodging a few feathers). These boys would be the death of him. Never mind the lycanthropy that tore him in two once a month; that was nothing in comparison to these nitwits.
When the feathers settled, Remus asked the question that had been plaguing them since Sirius had failed to appear two weeks into Summer Holidays.
"If you're quite finished: what happened ?"
Sirius looked up at him from where he was curled up with his knees drawn up to his chest and sighed lightly.
"They wouldn't let me out," he began, "She took my wand the second we were off the platform, then I was confined to my room for the entire summer with the fucking house elf watching my every bloody move. I was so useless !"
He thumped the bedspread angrily, feathers billowing into the air.
"I couldn't even get into the same room as the Floo powder, let alone near the front fucking door. I didn't have my wand, so I was bloody pathetic..." he trailed off, staring dejectedly at the pile of feathers on the bed.
James stared pointedly at Remus then down at Sirius then back up at Remus, who shook his head slowly. What was the idiot on about?
James rolled his eyes, and made the same head tilting, pointing gesture again. Remus fought the urge to put his middle finger up at him.
Then the wanker started mouthing something at him. Merlin knew what though. So Remus decided to change the subject.
"So did they see it?" he asked, ignoring James's heated glare.
Sirius shook his head, slipping his shoes off, before sitting up and shuffling so he could sit with his back against the headboard. But before he could get there, James tugged his shoulder so Sirius's head was resting on his chest in an awkward lying down hug.
He shot Remus a look as if to say: 'There, that's what I meant'. The tosspot. They'd be having words later about how completely not clear James's form of 'communication' was. Obviously, they needed to come up with a better system. One that both parties actually understood. Remus had said it before and would say it again - those two would be the death of him.
"No," Sirius stared contemplatively at the fabric of James's school jumper (both Remus and James having ditched their robes the second they'd walked in the dorm door).
"They know about us being friends though," he said, and sneered "Golden boy was all too happy to tell them of my ' indiscretions' ."
"Were they really mad?" James asked hesitantly, naivety colouring his voice.
Sirius paused before answering.
"More calculating. Like they're coming up with a way to stop me from being friends with you," he scoffed. "That's why I wasn't on the train today; they're doing all they can to prevent us from spending time together - not that there's much they can do when I'm here. Even if they talk to Dumbledore about it, I doubt there's anything he can do to keep us apart, or rather, would be willing to do."
Remus nodded. He was fairly sure that as McGonagall knew about their soul bond (they'd informed her after their house meeting with her in first-year), Dumbledore did too. If this was the case then he'd most likely do all he could to prevent them from being split up.
James smiled, his eyes twinkling madly, "We could always smuggle you to my house in my trunk…" His voice took on a mocking, overly posh accent, "Oh, Mrs Black. No, I'm terribly sorry we haven't seen Sirius since he went swimming with the Giant Squid last Thursday. They've eloped you see-"
Sirius prodded James in the side, halting his words as he squirmed. Sirius grinned widely, the shadow of his parents' oppression retreating, though still clear in the depths of his eyes and the tension he held in his shoulders.
"What's this, Remus? Looks to me like Jamie's ticklish…"
Remus didn't say anything but latched onto the red and gold clad foot nearest to him and ghosted his fingers up and down the sole.
Sirius burst into laughter and kicked, attempting to remove Moony from his foot.
"Noo! Go after Jamie, not mee!"
Remus laughed and released him; they were back.
They had to focus on the fact that Sirius was here now. Whilst the news about his parents' intrusion was troubling, they had a whole term, if not the whole year to discuss it to death and come up with an idea of how to keep their bond-mate safe during the holidays. For now, they could have fun and celebrate being back together.
James rolled out from underneath Sirius's fingers and fell off the bed, landing on the floor with a thump and a muffled, "Oof."
But before Remus could register anything more than concern, James had launched himself off the floor and on top of him, somehow wrestling Remus up the bed as he attempted to tickle him.
"Noooooo, I'm not ticklish! I'm not-" Remus exclaimed loudly before letting out a peal of laughter. He squirmed, trying to get away from the combined wiggling finger force of both James and Sirius.
"Aha!" James exclaimed triumphantly, shaking his head to try and dislodge the hair that had fallen in his eyes.
"He lies!" Sirius shouted gleefully and increased the intensity of his tickling.
"Stoooooop! Please! Meeeeeerrrrrrcccccccyyyyy!" Remus cried, tears of laughter rolling down his face and soaking into the bedspread beneath him.
James grinned at Sirius who nodded. They halted their assault before collapsing bonelessly. Unfortunately, in James's case, this meant collapsing on top of Remus.
"Oomph!" Remus exclaimed, winded slightly by the weight of James's head.
They lay in silence for a few minutes, catching their breath after the impromptu tickle fest.
Next time, Remus thought with an internal, slightly terrifying grin, next time he would get his revenge.
James sat up slowly, crossing his legs seemingly automatically. Remus moved up the bed a bit further so he could sit with his back against the headboard. Sirius immediately collapsed sideways to lay his head in Remus's lap, placing the werewolves hand on his head.
Remus chuckled; Sirius could be really quite demanding when he wanted to be. And as James and Remus had learnt in the past year, the boy loved having his head petted, and his hair played with. It seemed to calm him. Not unlike himself, Remus considered, after a full moon.
James smiled at the two of them, twisting the rucked up bedspread between his fingers.
"You know - you really do have a room each at my house," he paused, blushing deeply. "I told my parents about you guys being my soulmates. They were fine with it, but suggested that we wait until we're older before determining what 'nature' our soulmate relationship takes."
He looked up at them, his eyes lacking the humour they usually would've held.
"But they made it clear that you are both more than welcome to come and stay whenever you need it, or want to." The corners of his mouth twitched. "Mum, in particular, is quite excited to meet you."
Remus glanced away. He wasn't sure what to say. It was lovely of the Potters to give him an open invitation, but he knew there was a strong chance of their decision changing in regards to himself when they found out he was a werewolf. Both in regards to offering him a place to stay, and in reference to being fine with their son being soulmates with someone like him.
James's hand appeared directly in front of his face and flicked his nose - quite effectively removing him from his thoughts.
"Oi! Moon-face - my parents don't discriminate that way."
James grinned at the expression of disbelief on his face.
"Sorry to tell you, Moons, but your face is an open book. They don't believe in judging people that way - I sussed their stance on werewolves out over the summer."
Remus frowned; James was hardly the most subtle of people, his parents were surely going to put two and two together. Even if they were more open-minded in regards to werewolves than the rest of wizarding society, Remus wasn't sure he wanted them knowing his secret yet - he didn't know them.
James rolled his eyes, "I was subtle, Moony."
Sirius snorted, "You? Subtle? Do you even know what that word means, Jamie?"
James stuck his nose in the air, looking every inch the stereotypical haughty pureblood, "I'll have you know that I do. Thank you very much, Mr Black."
He dropped the act almost immediately, his usual sunny disposition and smile returning, "But I do think we should do something about your… Furry problem, Remus."
Remus groaned and rested his head on Sirius's shoulder, his hand pausing on his soulmate's head.
"We've been through this, Jamie. There's nothing for you guys to do. It's too dangerous!"
Sirius grabbed Remus's hand and started stroking his own head with it impatiently. Remus resumed his previous activity, shaking his head at their resident drama queen, and at James's complete naivety.
"No, no, no. Don't you see Remus? What if we could find a way to calm the wolf down? Like, find a safe activity for it to do on the full moon? Or a way to calm it's temperament, make it less angry and frustrated."
Remus swallowed the lump in his throat and focused on the soft hair his fingers swept through.
Sirius sat up quickly, Remus's hand falling into his Sirius-warmed lap. The boy practically threw himself off the side of the bed nearest his abandoned trunk. Sirius rummaged through it vigorously without any thought towards the clothes and spell books falling on the floor.
"What are you looking for?" James asked.
Sirius ignored the question until he finally stilled and emerged, their transfiguration text for that year held aloft. He hurried back over to the bed, already flipping through it.
"Aha! I've found it! They made me read all of my textbooks when I was stuck in my room." He rolled his eyes, not needing to clarify who 'they' were. "I didn't think much of it at the time, but it's a known fact that Werewolves don't see other animals as prey unless they're hungry."
Remus's stomach dropped. He too had already read their Transfiguration text for this year.
"Animagi. We could become Animagi, Jamie."
Dread filled him from head to toe. He couldn't let them do this.
James nodded so fast, that by rights, his head should've fallen off.
"Yes. Yes, that's a brilliant idea, Sirius! Why didn't I think of it sooner? We become Animagi, then we'd be immune to werewolf bites, and the wolf would be entertained and Remus wouldn't get as hurt anymore!"
"No!" Remus snapped, fighting back the lump that had risen in his throat at his friend's display of selflessness. He would not have them risking their lives every month, just so he avoided a few scratches. No. Absolutely not.
James looked at him knowingly over the top of his glasses.
"Are you saying no because of the risk to us?"
He nodded - knowing that both of them were going to have something to say about it and dreading having to come up with counter arguments. All he wanted to do was say yes. Because he was thirteen, and he'd been dealing with this nonstop for nine years without a break and without help. But he just couldn't. He couldn't put them at risk like that.
"Because you love us? And you don't want anything to happen to us, or hurt us?" James asked, his face strangely unreadable.
Again, he nodded, resting his head against the wall.
"But that's why James and I want to do this, Moons. We love you. And we hate watching you come back from every full moon in such a state, knowing that we can do absolutely nothing about it." Sirius intervened.
"Tell me, Moons; if our roles were reversed and you had the power to reduce the amount of pain one of us went through every month - would you not take it?" James asked as Sirius began stroking circles on the back of Remus's hand with his thumb.
Remus nodded, still incapable of speech. He wouldn't give up just yet, but they made a compelling argument. Anyway, it wasn't guaranteed they'd even be able to achieve a transformation.
Sirius pulled him into an awkward one-armed hug.
"Let us take care of you for once, Moons."
They lapsed into silence as the lump in Remus's throat subsided.
James lay down diagonally across the bed, his head lying on Sirius's legs. He appeared to be deep in thought.
"What do you think your animagus form will be, Sirius?"
"Hmm, maybe a bear. Or a lion, a lion would be cool. Can you imagine how much that would piss my parents off?" he laughed.
"I don't know what I'd be. Animagi are supposed to be a reflection of who you are - I don't know who I am yet."
"Maybe that's a sign you shouldn't be doing this," Remus said quietly.
Both boys ignored him.
James turned his head to look at them both, his forehead furrowed.
"Hear me out here, but what if our forms are related to our soul marks? They're also supposed to be a manifestation of who we are, aren't they?"
Sirius nodded slowly, "That would fit with what we know about Remus's and his soul marks as well. That would make you something with antlers, Jamie."
James smiled softly, "And you a… cat, or, a dog, or something with paws."
Again they drifted into silence, but this time James had a wide smile on his face - clearly thinking about becoming an animagus. Remus couldn't bring himself to burst his bubble.
He was just drifting off to Sirius's heartbeat (long train journeys and dinner spent worrying about a soulmate's no-show had really taken it out of him) when James startled him into awakeness.
James sat up, his eyes wide, and his mouth in the grin Remus associated with increased chances of getting detention.
"Chaps, I have an idea for the best prank ever ."
Oh, fantastic .
HN
10th September 1973
Lily felt so stupid - it had been so blindingly obvious and yet here she was, in her third year of living alongside these people and she'd only just noticed.
Potter and Black were Remus's soul mates.
It explained everything: Why Remus put up with so much from the idiots; the overboard protective attitude towards each other; that utter surety all of them had for the continuation of their friendship post-Hogwarts - as her parents liked to remind her, her friends at thirteen were not likely to be the same at sixteen - people change as they grow up. Ordinarily, their approach and certainty would seem naive, arrogant, but having spent time around them, she couldn't help but agree. They would fight, often and loudly, but unfailingly made up with a round of back slaps and wide smiles, even when it had seemed doubtful that they would. The boys just seemed to get each other, undoubtedly so, and on a level she was hard-pressed to understand.
At times it was as if they spoke their own language, a mixture of nods and half-sentences no one on the outside could understand. Individually, they were their own people and easy to talk to (well, as easy as talking to Potter could be), but when in the vicinity of the three of them at the same time, their relationship was almost intimidating.
And then there were the tattoos.
They were what Lily was most frustrated with herself for missing. The evidence for their soulbond was right there in front of her, essentially staring her in the face. All three had a visible tattoo-like mark.
While Sirius's was usually hidden by the sleeve of his shirt, Lily did share a common room with him, and had seen him topless on a few occasions. (The most recent of which had been the result of a clothes-stealing prank played on Black - the following chase through the common room had been one towel slip away from scarring her for life and had ended only when Sirius had held Potter's broomstick hostage. It had been on this occasion that she'd noticed the strangely shaped mark. The mark had been far too dark to be a freckle, it's shape too specific.
Remus and Potter's marks were a lot more obvious and less hidden - which was utterly infuriating, looking back - both being on their hands. But Lily hadn't put the pieces together about them being a trio until she'd spotted the same pawprint mark she'd seen on Remus's hand on the side of Potter's neck (after a particularly fast-paced quidditch match when Potter removed his top to 'cool down'). Which suggested he had two soul-marks; one of which being the pawprint, and the other, a moon.
Given what she knew about Remus and his condition, it made sense that Potter's tattoos were, in fact, soulmarks, and the related soulmates were Remus and Sirius. So maybe the three were one of the elusive trio's Professor McGonagall had referred to in first-year...
It was a result of this epiphany that she was currently sitting with her back against a tree facing the lake, waiting for Remus to arrive. Whilst she hadn't told him what her sudden realisation had been about, she could tell from his expression when she'd asked to meet in this location instead of the library that it wasn't going to be for a study session.
As if her thoughts had summoned him, Remus propped his bag up against the tree and sat next to her, his legs crossed.
Without any preamble, Lily turned to look at him and asked, "Are Potter and Black your soulmates?"
"Yes," Remus answered hesitantly.
A weight slid off her shoulders. It was a relief to know for certain - the mystery solved.
Remus eyed her cautiously - maybe he thought she was angry at him for keeping secrets? Who knew.
She smiled at him, "You have my condolences for being stuck with Potter for the rest of your life,"
Remus laughed, shaking his head in apparent relief.
"He really isn't that bad, you know, Lils."
Lily thought back to her previous encounters with Potter, "I think we're going to have to agree to disagree with this one, Remus."
He laughed again, a deep chuckle she knew he only used when he was genuinely amused with something.
"What about Sirius? Not going to console me for being stuck with him for the rest of eternity?"
Lily shook her head, "Oh? You're living for eternity now?"
Remus laughed.
"Black's okay. Bit of a numpty at times, but he's not the prat Potter is. We might even get on… if he can stop being such a tosser towards Sev."
She could practically sense Remus's eye roll.
"I know you don't like him, Remus, but he's my friend, just like you are."
He smiled softly, his eyes kind, "I know, Lily."
"If you don't mind me asking - how did you figure it out?"
"I had my suspicions: your friendship was - is - just a bit too assured? I don't know - it sounds weird now I'm saying it out loud. Sirius in the common room last week - with the towel? His soulmark was showing, and then Potter after the quidditch match had two?" Lily paused for a second, thinking. "Where is Sirius' second one? I assume you all have two?"
Remus nodded with a small smirk, his eyes twinkling.
"Are you sure you want to know where Sirius's second one is?"
Lily felt her eyes widen. Nope. Not with the tone Remus had used, she didn't.
Remus laughed.
They stared out at the lake, watching the Giant Squid's student-juggling attempts.
"What does it mean, Remus? Beyond that your souls are compatible? Professor McGonagall's explanation was a bit... abstract."
Remus leant back against the tree and closed his eyes. Lily wrapped her arms around her knees.
"A soul-bond can mean lots of things; but yes, primarily that our souls are compatible. I've read it varies between people as to what attachment they feel. Ultimately it's up to the couple, or trio, as to how to act on it - if they want to act on it."
Lily blinked. It was a choice?
"What does yours feel like?" Lily asked, but quickly realised that might be a bit personal, "If that's not being too nosey and you're comfortable telling me?"
Remus smiled softly and opened an eye lazily to peer at her.
"It's fine, Lily, you're my friend. One of my best friends," he paused, before continuing.
Lily just watched his face, enraptured by the obvious depth and intensity of emotion playing out in tandem to the words that came out of his mouth.
"It's like they're my best friends, they see me for who I am, and love me for all of my traits, good and bad. It's inevitable and unconditional. I never feel judged when I'm with them. And that means that if someone does judge me, I know it doesn't matter because the people who know me best know that it's not true, and they're the ones whose opinions matter. We have different tastes, different approaches, different likes and dislikes. But at the end of the day, they always know what I need, and I know what they need."
His eyes glistened a warm golden brown in the light of the setting September sun.
"At the very least we will be the best of friends for the rest of our lives. Anything more than that will either happen when it happens or... it won't. Either way, we'll always have each other."
He met her eyes briefly; she was somewhat moved to see tears sitting unshed. It was obvious he'd meant every word.
She slipped her hand into his and squeezed. He'd always have her too - soulbond or no soulbond.
Without even thinking about it, her crush evaporated. This was a boy who was already dealing with some very adult emotions; it didn't feel right to have something as silly as a crush on him. As Remus had said, either it would either happen when it happened or it wouldn't. In the meantime, she would live her life.
There was no point in waiting and hoping for something that was never going to happen.
HN
17th September 1973
James bounced down the corridor. He loved it when they pulled school-wide pranks. They were always popular with the rest of the school - even the Ravenclaws and upperclassmen - because the hijinks were always designed to not interfere with classwork but still make the day more entertaining. The chances of being caught were so much lower, and even if they did get caught (like during the end of year exams last year), thanks to Remus's planning skills the school wouldn't have the evidence that they needed to give them punishments. Which was just excellent.
It was the anniversary of the day they pulled their first-ever prank. Which, despite the sleep deprivation, had been a momentous day: it had been the day they'd truly cemented their friendship and become the Marauders . A mysterious group of pranksters most of the school thought were probably in 5th year, and the 5th years thought were probably in 6th year.
The staff were a little bit less convinced that the students involved were that old, but following the boy's discussion with Minnie the previous term after their dancing prank (the YMCA upon leaving the library had been James's personal favourite), the boys were fairly certain the staff no longer suspected them. Not after both Sirius and Remus had very convincingly failed to perform a charm in their next Charms lesson that was very closely related to the one they'd used to create the music element of the mischief.
The genius of this idea was the lack of magic involved. They'd pre-soaked the key ingredient in the potion and Sirius had already completed the time-delay charm-work. So all they had to do was wait for the prank to start.
James bounded enthusiastically into the Entrance Hall, followed closely by his bond-mates, but made sure to tone his excitement down before they entered the Great Hall. It wouldn't do for him to tip off any of the Professors.
Despite this, he couldn't help the smile that spread across his face as they sat down to breakfast.
"Hi, Remus. Why is Potter so cheerful?" Evans asked, passing Remus the brown toast rack.
Remus took it with a nod of thanks, "He spent last night reading a Quidditch magazine and has done nothing this morning but talk about how now he's on the team, he can help come up with strategies."
Evans blinked owlishly, before going back to her porridge.
James glanced sideways at Remus. This was Lily Evans; shouldn't she have shaken her head and called him an idiot?
Remus shook his head minutely - as if to say he had no idea why she was being less antagonistic - and subtly drew his finger across his lips.
Oh well, he'd take what he could get. It was better than being shouted at.
James was just stabbing his third sausage of the morning with the end of his fork when the ceiling seemed to open, and a soft, powdery substance fell from the sky coating everyone and everything in a fine layer of light blue dust.
Almost immediately, weightlessness seemed to spread through his body. His hair (in its usual untamable mess) drifted up off of his head and his knees hit the bottom of the table as he floated off the bench.
Across the Great Hall, people stared at their friends in wonderment as they lifted out of their seats and into the air, seemingly weighed down by their clothes.
Sirius grinned at him - grabbing a sausage before they all rose out of the sausage-grabbing zone - the implementation of the prank had gone almost perfectly.
It was fifteen minutes later (after an announcement from Dumbledore - who was hovering just above the staff table smiling indulgently - announcing that classes would take place as usual) that James had to correct himself. As students drifted towards the door, weighed down by their heavy bags, the places which had been touched by the dust-like powder began to turn an array of colours. Now it was perfect. It was time to have fun with it.
Remus propelled himself up towards where James and Sirius were doing backflips off the ceiling. He had their bags and robes (the boys had insisted on leaving anything which inhibited their floating on their seats) hanging over his arm.
"Come on, we have to get to class."
Sirius pouted, "Do we have to, Moony? This is so much fun! Look, come on, try it!"
James took their bags and robes from Remus's arm, and hung them over a nearby candle sconce before he could be pulled down to ground level. He kicked lightly off the wall and turned a few somersaults to get him back up to where his bond-mates were.
Without warning, Sirius took one of Remus's arms and pushed downwards.
"Siriiiiuuuuuuuuuuuuuus!" Remus bellowed, spinning arse over tit towards the ceiling.
Sirius just grinned wickedly, his grey eyes twinkling with mischief.
"Kick off the wall, Moons!" James shouted, managing to stop his own incessant spinning only a few feet higher than where Sirius hovered.
Sure enough, Remus kicked off the wall before impact and shot rapidly down in their direction. But instead of stopping near them as James had - he bowled right into them, sending them all towards the floor. The Billywig Stings intervened and slowed them to a gentle drift before they crashed into the almost empty hall floor.
"You three, stop behaving like chimpanzees and head to class please," McGonagall asked, giving them as stern a look as she could, given her face was a bright, luminous blue, and her previously dark hair was a respectable navy.
James bit his lip in an effort to not laugh. He could feel Remus shaking silently next to him. Sirius coughed - no doubt in an effort to not laugh in her face.
She peered severely at them over the top of her glasses, her jaw tight, "Now."
They nodded collectively and waited for her to leave the room before giving in to the laughter and pushing off the ground towards the ceiling where their bags still hung on the sconce. Minnie definitely wouldn't have appreciated their location and it was best not to anger her further when she was clearly already in a 'blue' mood.
"You know, Jamie," Sirius said as they forced themselves under the doorway into the Entrance Hall with some difficulty, "Lime green really is your colour."
A/N - Hi! Mwahaha! I updated without a month-long wait xD - you're welcome.
As usual, thanks to Li and Becky for reading this over and making it legible for yourselves.
Have an excellent dayyy :). (chapter 4 is a work in progress so I'm not sure when it'll be updated - hopefully soon? - again, poke me if it's been a while and there's no sign xD)
Ooo yes: Happy 1st of September everyone!
