A/n: Sorry about being late once more. I've got up to chapter 19 written I just forget to post. Anyway, here's the latest chapter, thank you so much for reading!
Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine, but they belong to JK Rowling (sadly).
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As the winter months creeped closer to spring, you would notice the four boys' names being used as a group. But even if they appeared on the outside to all be best friends: they weren't.
Remus and Sirius wouldn't ever hang out alone, Peter couldn't fathom the idea of hanging out with just James, and Remus didn't want to be friends with Peter until he was friends with Sirius.
The strongest bond however still was Sirius and James, every little secret or hardship they had was spilled to the other. They truly were brothers from another mother.
But with that strong brotherly bond came times when it would just be the two of them, and Remus and Peter would wait awkwardly in the common rooms.
It would be a surprise when they would just randomly hang out alone. Remus was still pretty meek, but at least a few people spoke to him. One being Lily Evans whom James still hated with a passion. Unfortunately the hate went both ways, so Remus had heard both sides of the stories that occurred between them.
However on this one night, the two brothers (Sirius and James if you haven't picked up yet) were sitting in detention. Getting in trouble for hexing a first year Slytherin, Avery if I'm correct.
Peter was sitting by the fire studying for the Transfiguration exam tomorrow. Unlike the other marauders he wasn't too good at Transfiguration. Or any subject for that matter.
They were too difficult to understand for him. The answers weren't clearly in the book, and the majority of the demonstrations that he had to do failed miserably. One resulting in him losing an eyebrow.
Remus on the other hand was reading up on DADA. His time of the month was coming up soon, so he was stressed out on that. His favorite thing to read was the lycanthropy section of the DADA books, it made him laugh.
A heavy sigh came from Peter. Remus's eyes followed the book in his lap. The furrowed eyebrows and dead look in his eyes. Remus began to pity the boy, he knew Peter wasn't the best at any subject. In fact he was on the list for tutoring that hung in McGonagall's class.
Lupin closed his book before standing up and walking over to the red sofa that Peter had claimed. He plopped down, his eyes readjusting to the dim lighting, he scanned the page that Peter was on.
Peter's head shot up when he felt the sudden weight shift. He noticed Remus's awkwardness and saw his eyes shift to the book on his lap.
"Hey Pete, what are you studying?" Peter's eyes flipped back down to the book, a reminder of his dropping grades.
He sighed before responding, "Transfiguration, but don't worry Remus you don't need to teach me."
Another beat passed before Remus connected the dots. He realized even Peter didn't think of him as a friend. There was a twang of sadness, the poor stubby boy didn't have anyone else in the group to talk to aside from Sirius.
"Peter, we're friends. And friends help each other. So when I'm struggling, I'll expect the same from you." Remus assured the uncertain boy. Peter looked back at Remus with a pure joyful smile.
Now Peter didn't just have Sirius but Remus too. Which meant he just got even more closer to James, who knows maybe even he'll become friends with James. Well, we do know. But for plot convenience let's act like we don't.
"Alright, it's transfiguration. But I've been studying for hours and am rather bored. So could we just chat?" Remus didn't expect Peter to be straightforward also. It was even a surprise to hear his squeaky voice, it sounded reminiscent of a little mouse. (Or should we say rat.)
Remus laughed a bit before patting poor Peter's back. A comforting feeling that went between friends. Pettigrew closed the book and placed it on the coffee table.
"So Remus you met Potter first." Peter began the conversation. The response elicited a deep sigh from poor Lupin.
"Yeah, but now Black hates me or something. How is he anyway? Like as a friend?" Remus asked, his memories still fresh of his first encounter with James Potter.
"He's decent, a little moody. But nonetheless humorous. How did you meet James?" Peter was able to keep the conversation going some ease. Mainly due to picking up habits from Sirius.
"Library, whining about the first potions exam. It was quite funny. It's like he's brilliant when it comes to every subject then he becomes an infant when it comes to potions." Remus reminisced upon the countless questions that had obvious answers.
"Even better when you know the fact that his father was the inventor of Sleekeazy's potion." Remus had turned to the fire, thinking about how James had been so proud of his A on that exam. He hasn't gotten an A since in that class.
Yes, James Potter was bloody brilliant. How else did the marauders create so many genius pranks? They were made up of geniuses, each in their own way.
"Don't even get started on Sleekeazy's, Sirius uses it like it's water. Always saying that maybe I should use some." Peter laughed recalling the day when James stole some of the potion and hid it. Another Sirius tantrum broke out, it ended with James rolling on the floor in laughter with a tail sprouting from his rear end.
"James calls me Mr. Piano because I mentioned playing piano when we first became friends." Peter's eyes widened, a brilliant idea forming in his head.
"Hey, I played drums for my old school's band. If we could teach the two idiots instruments then we could make a band. I'm already teaching Sirius about music." Peter's idea rattled off his tongue, his voice rising from the whispery squeaky voice he had into a deeper, louder voice.
Remus thought about it, the four boys playing together. He could just imagine Sirius with a guitar, however nothing came to mind when he thought of James. No instrument seemed to fit him.
"Sirius could play the guitar, but what about James? He's not the most patient guy." Remus still was thinking about what instrument he could possibly use, when Peter found the answer.
"He could sing! Unless of course he has a horrible voice. Does he?" Remus thought for a moment the idea never crossed his mind.
It was strange, James absolutely adored music but never hummed or sang anything. Remus didn't know if James could sing, but it seemed fitting for him to have a voice.
Then again, boosting James's self-esteem could be a dangerous tactic. If he did have a good voice, and he realized it then he'll be singing his paragraph long answers.
"Oh I know something about James that makes me want to wrangle his neck." Peter's thoughts stopped dreaming about the band and now focused on Remus's words.
"James doesn't have simple answers. Ask him a yes or no question and he won't respond with yes or no. The other day I asked him if he wanted some ink, he didn't say yes or no but responded with the most complicated answer I had ever heard. It's like he went into all of his thoughts and spilled them out, then when his thoughts would diverge from the topic he would go with it. One time we went from asking a question about the Sleeping Draught to talking about the Chudley Cannons."
Peter found yet another thing to admire from that fact. The idea of speaking your mind no matter who you talk to. Peter's image of James was on a pedestal, he believed that Potter was the ideal human being.
"Well, Sirius got all frustrated over some music joke you and James made. In fact that's why he always gets tantrums because he wishes he knew music jokes." Peter was once again fiddling with his paper. Remus paused, if he had known that the jokes upset Sirius he would've stopped.
"Is that really the reason?" Remus was facing Peter's side, the statement had appalled him.
"Yeah, that's why I'm teaching him about music." He had said it so nonchalantly, but it was news to Remus. Who had just realized he would need to do something to make Sirius feel included.
"Hey Pete, do you have any ideas how I could make him become my friend?" Peter pondered for a moment before answering reluctantly.
"I don't know, maybe ask him." A point-blank look appeared on Remus's face, he blinked a few times before doubling over in laughter.
Peter had genuinely thought the idea wasn't bad, which it wasn't. But Remus wasn't simple, even though his answers may be. Remus was a big gesture kind of guy, always proving to be better than his best.
A smile was present on the boys' faces, they stared at the fireplace. The hazy oranges and reds of sunset protruding through the windows. The already dim-lit room became more dark as the oranges faded into deep purples.
An almost full moon reflecting across the room. The reminder for Remus to make up the excuse for his absence. Now Remus heaved a heavy sigh, Peter's eyes looking at the stressed out boy.
"What's got your wand in a knot?" Pettigrew asked sincerely, his eyes trying to find Remus's.
Remus let out a light chuckle, the saying was funny to him. The original metaphor was already stupid, but of course someone wizardified it. And it seems that James was a proud supporter of the wizardified saying, never once asking what's wrong but instead asking "what's got your wand in a knot" before biting back a smile.
"Nothing, Pete. Just school, and James stuff." Remus stretched a bit before standing up. Peter's eyes followed him as he squatted in front of the fire.
His hands extended getting closer to the fire. The warmth felt nice against the cold air of February. His mind wandered to the exams in a week. Then to the increased idiocy of James Potter who was proud to get a detention for the stupidest of pranks.
The grin Remus felt coming on finally appeared on his face. He recalled the prank and the look on the faces of those involved then of course the chasing. Then McGonagall's glint of humor before turning into a look of disappointment.
Lupin had a feeling it wouldn't be the last time he saw that look, and he even thought perhaps she would give him that look soon. Then the thought of giving Peter that look made him grin wider. He knew that Potter and Black had a strong bond, and so did Remus with Potter. Pettigrew and Black had this little brother-big brother vibe around them.
As the night went on and the common rooms got quieter. Peter and Remus awaited the return of the two detention-goers.
Until the final wizards were left and the prefects were urging them to go to bed, then came the arrival. At this Peter was asleep, his head on Remus's shoulder, Remus was reading patiently in the dim-lit room.
Potter entered quietly, aware of the late time. Black not so much, he practically kicked open the portrait door and stomped over. James gave in to the loudness and laughed. Before running up behind Remus on the couch and doing a flip onto the couch.
Lupin's eyes drifted to Potter, a stern look set on his face. Black walked over peering at the unusual sight of Peter sleeping on Remus's shoulder. He sat down on the armchair still looking at Peter, the protective bond stopping him from pranking him.
"Really? You just had to come in here James and try to wake up people." Remus began to lecture the grinning Potter. His eyes alighted with glee.
"Oi, shut it Lupin." Remus's eyes quickly swept over to Black, who was sideways in his chair. His head leaned back and eyes closed.
Remus stifled a huff and turned back to James, who was looking at the stairs to the girl's dormitory. Remus was secretly praying that James was not thinking what he thought he was.
Unfortunately he was, he was thinking of ways to prank the know-it-all Evans. His mind was captured with ideas that all came from sneaking up those forbidden stairs. However the stairs were enchanted and he couldn't figure out how to get past it.
Then a swift flashing of red swept past the sofa. Remus noticed James's eyes widened, watching his prey. Evans hurried up the stairs throwing a look over her shoulders finding Remus and giving him a kind smile before noticing Potter's presence. Her kind smile then turned into a look one could only describe as pure hatred.
Lupin swiveled his head back to the fire. Peter was still sleeping on his shoulder. Black then began to whisper jokes with Potter but Remus was zoned out.
Potter and Black were whisper-laughing when the prefects came over. A look of dread and exhaust painted on their face. Before the prefects could open their mouths however, Remus quickly woke Peter up. Who in thanks of Remus, released a loud cry.
Black began to laugh his boisterous laugh, and Potter stifled his laugh. Remus shook his head before standing. The poor prefect that stood behind the couch looked frightened at the scene.
"I'll get them to bed, Sturgis." Remus reassured the puzzled and brain dead fifth year. The boy nodded numbly before walking away to the other side of the room where two couples were snogging.
Remus helped Peter up and threw Pettigrew's arm around his shoulder, Black did the same thing with the other arm. The two combined pulled him up the stairs to his dorm room, where two boys laid already asleep.
Pete's body made a crash onto the bed, and Black and Lupin released silent sighs. Black began to head out, noticing that Remus was headed to the last bed in the room.
"What are you doing?" James whispered before Black could. His eyes flipped to James who was peeking inside the room. Black then refocused his eyes back to Remus.
You could nearly make out the confused look on Remus's face. His eyes looked at the two boys by the door.
"This is also my room?" Lupin's voice came out just barely above a whisper, its cautious tone ensuring the sleep of the three other boys. Unfortunately the effort was futile when Black and Potter let out a loud what.
Groans escaped from two of the boys, and one shifted to slam his pillow onto his head, effectively blocking out the noise of the two boys.
Remus shushed them before undoing his bed, he slipped in quietly while the two other boys were flabbergasted.
"What's so surprising about Peter and I being roommates?" Remus asked, giving a final look at the boys before he would close his eyes.
"Well, it's not that. It's just— you two don't sleep in the first-year dorms. This is the second-years. " James answered finally, whispering properly. Black left the room before releasing the loudest yawn Remus had ever heard.
"C'mon Potter I'm tired, let's go back to the room. I'm sure Brad's already asleep and you know how annoyed he gets if he wakes up before 6 am." Black yanked James away from the door, and descended down the corridor to their room.
Remus heard the clicks of their feet before settling down and attempting to fall asleep. Peter's snores occupy his room, mumbling coming from the boy under a pillow, and finally the congested breathing of the final other boy in the room.
But Lupin laid awake, remembering the kind offer from the second-years. Asking if they wanted to sleepover and then that night morphing into two months then it was February. It always seemed like this was supposed to happen, but now. Now it was different.
Now he had James, and Peter. He had first-year friends. And his friends slept in different dorms. And it wasn't the Hogwarts experience he wanted.