~Year Four~
(Note: French. Same as always. Sick of writing these notes, so no more after this. But always tell me if I'm wrong.)
'Silence, the sweetest silence of all my years, how I loathe thee...'
I didn't know why I was thinking that as Sirius and Remus, both heads of hair longer and back to their original colours. I was in a rather poetic mood, I suppose.
They walked in chuckling over something or other, matching each other stride-for-stride.
Why did these Marauders always come so early?
"Sorry that Mum had to drop us off so early. She couldn't get out of her meeting with the Auror. And it usually isn't wise to piss off an Auror, wouldn't you say, Moony?"
"Absolutely."
Well, that explained it this time.
Remus suddenly shoved his hand into Sirius' back pocket and dug out a small packet.
"Sirius, I thought you weren't going to Dungbomb the Slytherins this year!"
"What, and break tradition? Not bloody likely."
They surveyed the platform (Sirius adeptly pick-pocketing his Dungbombs back, though I'm certain Remus knew, considering his small smirk), soon sinking into a nearby bench. As if accustomed to the position, Sirius stretched out to lay his head on Remus' lab, the forever-smaller brunette soon idly stroking the black hair falling free.
In the silence, I heard their harmony.
And I knew - I just knew...
I knew that somebody had been reciting far too much poetry within earshot lately.
"So," murmured Sirius. "Are we going to try the map again this year?"
"Of course! The prototype was working rather well until it - well..."
"Disintegrated?"
"That's your opinion. I still uphold that it simply didn't live up to our standards."
"Moony, dearest, it didn't live at all. There was nothing left of it but ashes. Total disintegration. It went 'POOF' and wafted to the floor without another thought."
Remus chuckled, still stroking Sirius' hair. For a long while, they simply sat in contented silence, Remus' eyes glazing over in thought and Sirius half-closing his eyes. Both seemed loath to move.
"Remus..."
"Yes, Sirius?"
The raven-haired youth slowly shrugged, bringing a hand to capture Remus' unoccupied hand, and he twined their fingers together as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
"I-I - " Sirius stuttered slightly before sighing and averting his gaze from those soft amber eyes. "I think we should include secret passages in the map."
'Somehow, I don't think that was what he was going to say to begin with.'
Remus grinned, chuckling softly. "Yeah, Siri, that's an excellent idea."
And they stayed like that, connected as one, until the first students drifted in, and then Sirius only managed to disentangle far enough apart for the two to sit side-by-side.
It did not escape my notice that their thighs still pressed against the other tightly, dark blue jeans against light khakis like night sky meeting its sun-drenched counterpart at their horizon. Seductive darkness joined at that unbroken line with its brighter half, the sunny cheerful innocence laughing at the brooding mystery of the night.
The two counterpoints sat in delectable silence as blurred students swirled noisily around them as if they were the eye of a hurricane.
'Yup, have got to stop listening to that poet from now on...'
I could have laughed at myself.
As I wandered from the content pair, I saw Lily and James entering, laughing and joking around.
"So, you just thought that *any* broom would do? James!"
"What?" He put up his hands defensively. "I was *four*, Lil! I didn't know the broom had to be enchanted before you could fly on it! Luckily, it was only the second story window, so I only broke my leg."
Lily grinned. "No, I think you injured your head as well!" Sighing melodramatically, she grasped his arm. "Oh, James! Forsooth and alas that your grievous wound showed itself to be permanent!"
He laughed, eyes glancing to the pale hand lightly gripping his bare arm.
'Hm, have you finally discovered that girls aren't as gross as you once imagined, Jamie, my boy?'
When they calmed down, James glanced around my crowded platform, looking for the other boys who were hidden from his sight.
Suddenly, though, the other Marauders were the least of his thoughts.
Lily embraced the boy enthusiastically. "Oh, James! Thank you for this last month! It was absolutely wonderful!"
"Oh!" he yelped, startled. "Really, Lily, it was no problem."
He hugged her back, and I knew that the rocky teenage years had this boy in their long and desperate clutches.
The crowd was dispersing enough for James to catch sight of the couple on the bench. Seeing them, he seemed to decide to just walk to the train and allow them the mindless contentment they shared.
And more time alone with the redhead on his arm, perhaps.
The witch and her wizard started walking over to the train just as Remus leaned over and whispered to Sirius.
"Sirius, je te remercie pour ces dernières trois semaines. Ils étaient la magie."
Sirius simply grinned, instinctively guessing the gist of his friend's French. "I had a great time, too, Remus." He brushed at a strand of Remus' hair. "You know that I love it when you speak to me in French, so you could do it more often." He chuckled quietly. "One of these days, I may even understand some."
"Non," Remus responded. "C'est bon qui tu ne comprens pas tous je dis." (*1)
Sirius leaned close. "Or maybe I won't learn. This is more fun, just trying to guess what you're saying."
Remus opened his mouth to respond when they both heard James yell at them.
"C'mon, you two! Or the train'll leave without you!"
They both looked at the bespectacled boy hanging his head out the train.
"Well? Do you want to stay rest of the year?"
Both boys on the bench glanced at each other before jumping up and running across the emptied platform at the train.
The whistle blew, the train leaving the platform.
***
The whistle blew, the train approaching the platform.
'And the silence shatters like sweeps of swans on ice.'
I mentally slapped myself for that. I really had to stop it. I thought that the absence of people would cure me of this poetry, but it almost seemed worse. I shrugged without moving and watched the people swirling around.
Five people emerged from the train, and I laughingly read the words painted on each forehead with bright green...something or other.
Crabbe: "Greasy..."
Goyle: "Oily..."
Snape: "Evil..."
Narcissa: "Stuck-up..."
Malfoy: "Snake."
'Ah, my favourite five are at it again.' I furrowed a forehead that wasn't really there. 'But how did they manage without the five Slytherins' knowledge?'
"I'm going to pound that Potter and his little gang when next I see them." Malfoy slapped a fist into his other hand for emphasis.
"But how'd he do it without us waking up?" Narcissa whined.
"And how'd he get in?" Crabbe added.
"Through the door, idiot." Goyle smacked his counterpart upside his head before he asked, "But how'd he get the password?"
"If we knew that," Snape snapped, "then we wouldn't be here wondering such questions."
And Snape stormed off, presumably to find a way to rid himself of his "Evil..."
The other four muttered their way to the entrance of the platform.
Once they had left, a blonde head tentatively stuck out and looked around before saying behind him, "'S alright, guys. They're gone."
One by one, four more heads stuck out.
Dirty blond was at the bottom, followed by golden-brown, fiery-red, mussed black, and jet-black.
"Fantastic," James crowed, disengaging from his fellow Marauders, all five walking onto the platform. "We've managed to get away without them knowing!"
"Averted horrible maiming, you mean?" Remus inquired.
"Now, now, Remmie. You know I would have protected you."
"Of course. But what about everyone else?"
"Ah, Lils can protect the other guys."
"Hey!" James protested.
The girl patted his cheek condescendingly. "I know that you're big and strong and can take care of us all by yourself."
He smirked. "Gee, thanks, Lils. Not quite the uplifter I'd wanted."
Peter grinned and muttered in James' ear, so that Lily could not hear, "Are you sure you're not *up*lifted, James?"
The other boys broke out laughing. Lily rolled her eyes, not even bothering to ask what the hilarity was caused by and started walking away.
"See you guys next year!"
James suddenly got back his wits. "Wait, Lily!" And raced after her, then turned around, running backwards now, and yelled back, "Later, guys!"
The other three watched them walk off together, and Sirius sighed.
"Five quid says they're married by graduation."
Peter and Remus both nodded solemnly.
"We mourn the loss of our brother," Peter intoned somberly.
Remus snorted. "And this is a surprise for whom?"
Peter shook his head and walked off. "Have a good summer, guys."
Sirius and Remus were left alone in the emptying platform, slowly walking their way toward their separate destinations, knowing they would be parted, if only for a short time.
"So, you'll be coming over?"
"July and August...with two returns to home for...you know."
"Fabulous. I can't wait. It's too bad, though, that we can't come back to school together again. That was nice."
"Moi, aussi, Siri. Me, too."
"You do realizing you'll be teaching me some French while we're together, right?"
"Sure. I'll start with the most pertinent information. Repeat after me: Je suis très desolé."
"Jay swee tray dezolay."
'Sweet mother of Pearl! (**2) His accent was *atrocious*!'
Remus visibly winced. "We'll...have to...*desperately*...practice."
"Alright." Sirius glanced almost shyly over at his friend. "Why's it the most important? And what's it mean?"
Remus grinned without hesitation and laughed his answer. "It means 'I'm very sorry'!"
Sirius couldn't help but join in his merriment. "I guess I'll have to perfect *that*!"
And with Sirius' arm slung in its position over Remus' shoulders, the two walked out the entrance.
The train whistle remained silent.
(*1) French translation: "Sirius, thank you for these last three weeks. They were magic." "No, it's good that you don't understand all I say."
(**2) I've heard this quote somewhere. Tell me where, and you get an electronic cookie! Or just a congratulations on the next chapter.
Note: Yup, I actually was in a deliriously poetic mood while writing this chapter. Expect a little more like this because it seems like the Wall is as poetic as I am. Go figure. Anyway, email me if it's too much.
Put your keyboard where your mouth is! scarby13@hotmail.com
~Clamat, sed ubi asinus est?~
(Note: French. Same as always. Sick of writing these notes, so no more after this. But always tell me if I'm wrong.)
'Silence, the sweetest silence of all my years, how I loathe thee...'
I didn't know why I was thinking that as Sirius and Remus, both heads of hair longer and back to their original colours. I was in a rather poetic mood, I suppose.
They walked in chuckling over something or other, matching each other stride-for-stride.
Why did these Marauders always come so early?
"Sorry that Mum had to drop us off so early. She couldn't get out of her meeting with the Auror. And it usually isn't wise to piss off an Auror, wouldn't you say, Moony?"
"Absolutely."
Well, that explained it this time.
Remus suddenly shoved his hand into Sirius' back pocket and dug out a small packet.
"Sirius, I thought you weren't going to Dungbomb the Slytherins this year!"
"What, and break tradition? Not bloody likely."
They surveyed the platform (Sirius adeptly pick-pocketing his Dungbombs back, though I'm certain Remus knew, considering his small smirk), soon sinking into a nearby bench. As if accustomed to the position, Sirius stretched out to lay his head on Remus' lab, the forever-smaller brunette soon idly stroking the black hair falling free.
In the silence, I heard their harmony.
And I knew - I just knew...
I knew that somebody had been reciting far too much poetry within earshot lately.
"So," murmured Sirius. "Are we going to try the map again this year?"
"Of course! The prototype was working rather well until it - well..."
"Disintegrated?"
"That's your opinion. I still uphold that it simply didn't live up to our standards."
"Moony, dearest, it didn't live at all. There was nothing left of it but ashes. Total disintegration. It went 'POOF' and wafted to the floor without another thought."
Remus chuckled, still stroking Sirius' hair. For a long while, they simply sat in contented silence, Remus' eyes glazing over in thought and Sirius half-closing his eyes. Both seemed loath to move.
"Remus..."
"Yes, Sirius?"
The raven-haired youth slowly shrugged, bringing a hand to capture Remus' unoccupied hand, and he twined their fingers together as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
"I-I - " Sirius stuttered slightly before sighing and averting his gaze from those soft amber eyes. "I think we should include secret passages in the map."
'Somehow, I don't think that was what he was going to say to begin with.'
Remus grinned, chuckling softly. "Yeah, Siri, that's an excellent idea."
And they stayed like that, connected as one, until the first students drifted in, and then Sirius only managed to disentangle far enough apart for the two to sit side-by-side.
It did not escape my notice that their thighs still pressed against the other tightly, dark blue jeans against light khakis like night sky meeting its sun-drenched counterpart at their horizon. Seductive darkness joined at that unbroken line with its brighter half, the sunny cheerful innocence laughing at the brooding mystery of the night.
The two counterpoints sat in delectable silence as blurred students swirled noisily around them as if they were the eye of a hurricane.
'Yup, have got to stop listening to that poet from now on...'
I could have laughed at myself.
As I wandered from the content pair, I saw Lily and James entering, laughing and joking around.
"So, you just thought that *any* broom would do? James!"
"What?" He put up his hands defensively. "I was *four*, Lil! I didn't know the broom had to be enchanted before you could fly on it! Luckily, it was only the second story window, so I only broke my leg."
Lily grinned. "No, I think you injured your head as well!" Sighing melodramatically, she grasped his arm. "Oh, James! Forsooth and alas that your grievous wound showed itself to be permanent!"
He laughed, eyes glancing to the pale hand lightly gripping his bare arm.
'Hm, have you finally discovered that girls aren't as gross as you once imagined, Jamie, my boy?'
When they calmed down, James glanced around my crowded platform, looking for the other boys who were hidden from his sight.
Suddenly, though, the other Marauders were the least of his thoughts.
Lily embraced the boy enthusiastically. "Oh, James! Thank you for this last month! It was absolutely wonderful!"
"Oh!" he yelped, startled. "Really, Lily, it was no problem."
He hugged her back, and I knew that the rocky teenage years had this boy in their long and desperate clutches.
The crowd was dispersing enough for James to catch sight of the couple on the bench. Seeing them, he seemed to decide to just walk to the train and allow them the mindless contentment they shared.
And more time alone with the redhead on his arm, perhaps.
The witch and her wizard started walking over to the train just as Remus leaned over and whispered to Sirius.
"Sirius, je te remercie pour ces dernières trois semaines. Ils étaient la magie."
Sirius simply grinned, instinctively guessing the gist of his friend's French. "I had a great time, too, Remus." He brushed at a strand of Remus' hair. "You know that I love it when you speak to me in French, so you could do it more often." He chuckled quietly. "One of these days, I may even understand some."
"Non," Remus responded. "C'est bon qui tu ne comprens pas tous je dis." (*1)
Sirius leaned close. "Or maybe I won't learn. This is more fun, just trying to guess what you're saying."
Remus opened his mouth to respond when they both heard James yell at them.
"C'mon, you two! Or the train'll leave without you!"
They both looked at the bespectacled boy hanging his head out the train.
"Well? Do you want to stay rest of the year?"
Both boys on the bench glanced at each other before jumping up and running across the emptied platform at the train.
The whistle blew, the train leaving the platform.
***
The whistle blew, the train approaching the platform.
'And the silence shatters like sweeps of swans on ice.'
I mentally slapped myself for that. I really had to stop it. I thought that the absence of people would cure me of this poetry, but it almost seemed worse. I shrugged without moving and watched the people swirling around.
Five people emerged from the train, and I laughingly read the words painted on each forehead with bright green...something or other.
Crabbe: "Greasy..."
Goyle: "Oily..."
Snape: "Evil..."
Narcissa: "Stuck-up..."
Malfoy: "Snake."
'Ah, my favourite five are at it again.' I furrowed a forehead that wasn't really there. 'But how did they manage without the five Slytherins' knowledge?'
"I'm going to pound that Potter and his little gang when next I see them." Malfoy slapped a fist into his other hand for emphasis.
"But how'd he do it without us waking up?" Narcissa whined.
"And how'd he get in?" Crabbe added.
"Through the door, idiot." Goyle smacked his counterpart upside his head before he asked, "But how'd he get the password?"
"If we knew that," Snape snapped, "then we wouldn't be here wondering such questions."
And Snape stormed off, presumably to find a way to rid himself of his "Evil..."
The other four muttered their way to the entrance of the platform.
Once they had left, a blonde head tentatively stuck out and looked around before saying behind him, "'S alright, guys. They're gone."
One by one, four more heads stuck out.
Dirty blond was at the bottom, followed by golden-brown, fiery-red, mussed black, and jet-black.
"Fantastic," James crowed, disengaging from his fellow Marauders, all five walking onto the platform. "We've managed to get away without them knowing!"
"Averted horrible maiming, you mean?" Remus inquired.
"Now, now, Remmie. You know I would have protected you."
"Of course. But what about everyone else?"
"Ah, Lils can protect the other guys."
"Hey!" James protested.
The girl patted his cheek condescendingly. "I know that you're big and strong and can take care of us all by yourself."
He smirked. "Gee, thanks, Lils. Not quite the uplifter I'd wanted."
Peter grinned and muttered in James' ear, so that Lily could not hear, "Are you sure you're not *up*lifted, James?"
The other boys broke out laughing. Lily rolled her eyes, not even bothering to ask what the hilarity was caused by and started walking away.
"See you guys next year!"
James suddenly got back his wits. "Wait, Lily!" And raced after her, then turned around, running backwards now, and yelled back, "Later, guys!"
The other three watched them walk off together, and Sirius sighed.
"Five quid says they're married by graduation."
Peter and Remus both nodded solemnly.
"We mourn the loss of our brother," Peter intoned somberly.
Remus snorted. "And this is a surprise for whom?"
Peter shook his head and walked off. "Have a good summer, guys."
Sirius and Remus were left alone in the emptying platform, slowly walking their way toward their separate destinations, knowing they would be parted, if only for a short time.
"So, you'll be coming over?"
"July and August...with two returns to home for...you know."
"Fabulous. I can't wait. It's too bad, though, that we can't come back to school together again. That was nice."
"Moi, aussi, Siri. Me, too."
"You do realizing you'll be teaching me some French while we're together, right?"
"Sure. I'll start with the most pertinent information. Repeat after me: Je suis très desolé."
"Jay swee tray dezolay."
'Sweet mother of Pearl! (**2) His accent was *atrocious*!'
Remus visibly winced. "We'll...have to...*desperately*...practice."
"Alright." Sirius glanced almost shyly over at his friend. "Why's it the most important? And what's it mean?"
Remus grinned without hesitation and laughed his answer. "It means 'I'm very sorry'!"
Sirius couldn't help but join in his merriment. "I guess I'll have to perfect *that*!"
And with Sirius' arm slung in its position over Remus' shoulders, the two walked out the entrance.
The train whistle remained silent.
(*1) French translation: "Sirius, thank you for these last three weeks. They were magic." "No, it's good that you don't understand all I say."
(**2) I've heard this quote somewhere. Tell me where, and you get an electronic cookie! Or just a congratulations on the next chapter.
Note: Yup, I actually was in a deliriously poetic mood while writing this chapter. Expect a little more like this because it seems like the Wall is as poetic as I am. Go figure. Anyway, email me if it's too much.
Put your keyboard where your mouth is! scarby13@hotmail.com
~Clamat, sed ubi asinus est?~