Birthday, or the Lack of a Title
Chapter Two: A Fortuitous Conversation
By Romula
Rating: G
Warning: Slash. Remus/Sirius, Sirius/Remus, whatever.
Author's Notes: Words that are surrounded by asterisks are *stressed*. Paragraphs encased by slashes (//) are flashbacks.
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James looked across the table at his most recent crush. A fellow Gryffindor, Lily Evans was one of the smartest students in school. And one of the nosiest.
"So what was up with Sirius and Remus this morning?"
James, lost in the contemplation of the precise shade of her hair - he had decided that it was too light to be called auburn, but too dark to be strawberry blonde, although there were these strands of gold when the light caught them just so - noticed that she was speaking without actually hearing the words. He nodded mutely. That was his first mistake.
"James Potter!" she hissed. "You aren't listening to me! Have you heard anything I've said?"
James nodded again.
"Really? Well in that case, you won't mind at all that I've taken up with Severus Snape and am going to request a transfer to Slytherin, just as soon as I tell Peter that I can't go out with him anymore."
A few of James' brain cells were pulled back into the present, enough for him to hear a few key words.
"Sorry, Lily, what was that you said about Snape?" he asked, his brows creasing slightly. Why was Lily talking about Snape?
"Oh, honestly, James, you've been playing Quidditch far too long, your head has finally gotten lost in the clouds."
James turned slightly pink and cast his eyes down to the table. Lily decided he was appropriately abashed.
"I only wanted to know what was going on with Sirius and Remus this morning."
"Oh, nothing really. They had a row this morning. Nothing unusual. I'm a bit surprised at Remus, though, because, well, it is Sirius' birthday and all and it wasn't that big of a deal."
"What wasn't?"
"Their row."
"Yes, James, but what were they fighting about?"
"I don't know. Sirius woke Remus up too early, I guess. I don't know why they can't just apologize and get on with it."
Lily sighed. She knew she was nosy, in fact she prided herself on it, but she was never one to actually *interfere* in other people's personal business. But Sirius and Remus were good friends, her fellow Gryffindors. They fought all the time she knew, as they often did it in public (or at least the common room), but they almost never stayed mad for very long. Generally five minutes was the limit. Lily suspected that the reason for both their fighting and their quick apologies was something more than they were willing to admit - something more than friendship. There was also the fact that it was the middle of term and they didn't have another exam for nearly four weeks. Even their homework load, while difficult, was comparatively light. Lily was, in a word, bored.
"James, do you think they'll still be angry with each other tonight?"
"I don't know. I didn't think they'd be angry this morning. Why?"
A smile played at the corners of her lips. "Well, I was thinking that it's such a shame for them to be fighting, two such good friends. I was thinking that maybe they might need a little help apologizing, since they're both so stubborn. In fact, I was thinking that it might be fun to help them see what gits they're being, moping around mooning over each other."
James looked at her, his features settling into an expression of slightly horrified confusion. He couldn't speak. He blinked at her.
"Oh, come on James, you're blinder than a bat, true, but surely even you can see why they're doing this!"
"What?!" he managed to choke out. "What on earth are you talking about, Lily?"
Lily shook her head. Boys, they were all so. . . so. . . dim. They could never see what was right under their noses. "You've been sharing a room with them for five years now, and you are honestly trying to say that you've never noticed it?"
"Noticed *what*, Lily? They're friends, they fight! Hell, I fight with Sirius, too, he's a prat sometimes, does that mean -"
"That's different, James," Lily said calmly. "You and Sirius are like brothers."
"So are Remus and Sirius!" shouted James, jumping out of his chair.
"Calm down, James, you're going to get us kicked out of the library!" James sat down with his arms crossed. Oh, terrific, now he was going to sulk. "Look, haven't you ever noticed the way they are together?"
"Yeah," he said brusquely. "They're just like they are with me and Peter. They're friends, and I don't know what you're on about, but you should probably have your head examined."
Lily's eyes narrowed. James paled. Oh, gods, had he just said what he think he just said?
"I'm going to pretend you didn't say that. You are obviously under a lot of stress right now, and you aren't thinking clearly -"
James was saved from further remonstrations by Peter, who had left them when they reached the library, earning another questioning look from Lily. The brown-haired boy flopped down in the chair next to James and placed his books on the table. "Madam Pince says if you don't shut your bloody gob she'll kick your arse out of the library for the rest of term, James. She says she recognized your voice. Of course, she didn't say it precisely like that," Peter amended at James' widening eyes. "It was more like, 'Mister Pettigrew, tell your friend Mister Potter that if he does not cease this. . .this rude. . . noisiness immediately, I shall be forced to suspend his library privileges for the remainder of the school year!"
Lily tried unsuccessfully to stifle her laughter at Peter's rather accurate impression of the stern librarian; James sank down into his chair and turned a shade of red to match her hair. Peter looked back and forth between the two of them.
"So what's going on, why were you yelling?"
James just shook his head and covered his face with his hands. This sparked new bursts of hilarity from Lily. When she recovered enough to speak, she turned her gaze to Peter.
"Peter, dear Peter, friend-o-mine -"
Peter stood quickly. "Oh, oh no, I don't know what you're thinking but I want nothing to do with it -"
"I just want to asked you a question!" she said, her voice slightly petulant. Peter looked at her in vague distrust; Lily wasn't known for being mischievous, but Peter suspected that it was because she was far more devious than the Marauders and had never been caught out at anything. He also suspected that whatever she wanted now, she wasn't going to let him go so easily. With a resigned sign, he took his seat again. Lily smiled.
"Okay, James here appears to be blind -" Peter snorted. "- and can't see what's in front of his face. But you're more observant than he is, so tell me, have you noticed the way Sirius and Remus always are with each other?"
"What, you mean their goo-goo eyes and moping about each other? Hasn't everyone? Can't be in a room with them without drowning in the sap. It's sickening," said Peter, though his voice held only affection. James looked at him aghast, Lily looked at James triumphantly.
"You see? I told you so. I don't know why you can't see it yourself, it's obvious that they are -"
"Don't!" James cut her off. "Don't say it Lily. They are not. . . they aren't in. . . *in love*!" he hissed, his voice dropping lower than might have been necessary in such a setting. He glared at her and she held his gaze for a time, before shrugging slightly and gathering her books.
"Fine. Think what you want. Peter, I could use an escort back to Gryffindor Tower, would you walk me?"
Peter risked a glance at James. His forehead was resting on the edge of the table and his hands were clasped behind his neck. "Erm. . ." James waved his hand in their direction, Peter breathed in relief. "Sure. I just have to check out this one book first."
James listened to the sound of their footsteps until they faded away, not moving for several minutes. Then he sat up and sighed. He tried to concentrate on his Arithmancy homework, but his thoughts drifted back to what Lily had said - or rather, not said, at his insistence. In love. Remus and Sirius. Sirius and Remus. Two of his best friends. In love? Impossible. They were like brothers! Unbidden, his mind pulled up memories of the past five years. Sirius helping Remus with a particularly difficult Transfiguration problem, leaning a little closer to the other boy than friendship dictated; Remus telling Sirius about the craters of the moon, the two standing outside sharing a heavy cloak against the autumn chill. At dinner, their hands brushing casually and lingering a bit too long. The way they seemed to talk without talking, to know instinctively what the other was thinking to the point where it was unnerving for other people in the same room. Damn it! In love, indeed! James needed to speak to Sirius. He needed to do it immediately.
Chapter Two: A Fortuitous Conversation
By Romula
Rating: G
Warning: Slash. Remus/Sirius, Sirius/Remus, whatever.
Author's Notes: Words that are surrounded by asterisks are *stressed*. Paragraphs encased by slashes (//) are flashbacks.
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James looked across the table at his most recent crush. A fellow Gryffindor, Lily Evans was one of the smartest students in school. And one of the nosiest.
"So what was up with Sirius and Remus this morning?"
James, lost in the contemplation of the precise shade of her hair - he had decided that it was too light to be called auburn, but too dark to be strawberry blonde, although there were these strands of gold when the light caught them just so - noticed that she was speaking without actually hearing the words. He nodded mutely. That was his first mistake.
"James Potter!" she hissed. "You aren't listening to me! Have you heard anything I've said?"
James nodded again.
"Really? Well in that case, you won't mind at all that I've taken up with Severus Snape and am going to request a transfer to Slytherin, just as soon as I tell Peter that I can't go out with him anymore."
A few of James' brain cells were pulled back into the present, enough for him to hear a few key words.
"Sorry, Lily, what was that you said about Snape?" he asked, his brows creasing slightly. Why was Lily talking about Snape?
"Oh, honestly, James, you've been playing Quidditch far too long, your head has finally gotten lost in the clouds."
James turned slightly pink and cast his eyes down to the table. Lily decided he was appropriately abashed.
"I only wanted to know what was going on with Sirius and Remus this morning."
"Oh, nothing really. They had a row this morning. Nothing unusual. I'm a bit surprised at Remus, though, because, well, it is Sirius' birthday and all and it wasn't that big of a deal."
"What wasn't?"
"Their row."
"Yes, James, but what were they fighting about?"
"I don't know. Sirius woke Remus up too early, I guess. I don't know why they can't just apologize and get on with it."
Lily sighed. She knew she was nosy, in fact she prided herself on it, but she was never one to actually *interfere* in other people's personal business. But Sirius and Remus were good friends, her fellow Gryffindors. They fought all the time she knew, as they often did it in public (or at least the common room), but they almost never stayed mad for very long. Generally five minutes was the limit. Lily suspected that the reason for both their fighting and their quick apologies was something more than they were willing to admit - something more than friendship. There was also the fact that it was the middle of term and they didn't have another exam for nearly four weeks. Even their homework load, while difficult, was comparatively light. Lily was, in a word, bored.
"James, do you think they'll still be angry with each other tonight?"
"I don't know. I didn't think they'd be angry this morning. Why?"
A smile played at the corners of her lips. "Well, I was thinking that it's such a shame for them to be fighting, two such good friends. I was thinking that maybe they might need a little help apologizing, since they're both so stubborn. In fact, I was thinking that it might be fun to help them see what gits they're being, moping around mooning over each other."
James looked at her, his features settling into an expression of slightly horrified confusion. He couldn't speak. He blinked at her.
"Oh, come on James, you're blinder than a bat, true, but surely even you can see why they're doing this!"
"What?!" he managed to choke out. "What on earth are you talking about, Lily?"
Lily shook her head. Boys, they were all so. . . so. . . dim. They could never see what was right under their noses. "You've been sharing a room with them for five years now, and you are honestly trying to say that you've never noticed it?"
"Noticed *what*, Lily? They're friends, they fight! Hell, I fight with Sirius, too, he's a prat sometimes, does that mean -"
"That's different, James," Lily said calmly. "You and Sirius are like brothers."
"So are Remus and Sirius!" shouted James, jumping out of his chair.
"Calm down, James, you're going to get us kicked out of the library!" James sat down with his arms crossed. Oh, terrific, now he was going to sulk. "Look, haven't you ever noticed the way they are together?"
"Yeah," he said brusquely. "They're just like they are with me and Peter. They're friends, and I don't know what you're on about, but you should probably have your head examined."
Lily's eyes narrowed. James paled. Oh, gods, had he just said what he think he just said?
"I'm going to pretend you didn't say that. You are obviously under a lot of stress right now, and you aren't thinking clearly -"
James was saved from further remonstrations by Peter, who had left them when they reached the library, earning another questioning look from Lily. The brown-haired boy flopped down in the chair next to James and placed his books on the table. "Madam Pince says if you don't shut your bloody gob she'll kick your arse out of the library for the rest of term, James. She says she recognized your voice. Of course, she didn't say it precisely like that," Peter amended at James' widening eyes. "It was more like, 'Mister Pettigrew, tell your friend Mister Potter that if he does not cease this. . .this rude. . . noisiness immediately, I shall be forced to suspend his library privileges for the remainder of the school year!"
Lily tried unsuccessfully to stifle her laughter at Peter's rather accurate impression of the stern librarian; James sank down into his chair and turned a shade of red to match her hair. Peter looked back and forth between the two of them.
"So what's going on, why were you yelling?"
James just shook his head and covered his face with his hands. This sparked new bursts of hilarity from Lily. When she recovered enough to speak, she turned her gaze to Peter.
"Peter, dear Peter, friend-o-mine -"
Peter stood quickly. "Oh, oh no, I don't know what you're thinking but I want nothing to do with it -"
"I just want to asked you a question!" she said, her voice slightly petulant. Peter looked at her in vague distrust; Lily wasn't known for being mischievous, but Peter suspected that it was because she was far more devious than the Marauders and had never been caught out at anything. He also suspected that whatever she wanted now, she wasn't going to let him go so easily. With a resigned sign, he took his seat again. Lily smiled.
"Okay, James here appears to be blind -" Peter snorted. "- and can't see what's in front of his face. But you're more observant than he is, so tell me, have you noticed the way Sirius and Remus always are with each other?"
"What, you mean their goo-goo eyes and moping about each other? Hasn't everyone? Can't be in a room with them without drowning in the sap. It's sickening," said Peter, though his voice held only affection. James looked at him aghast, Lily looked at James triumphantly.
"You see? I told you so. I don't know why you can't see it yourself, it's obvious that they are -"
"Don't!" James cut her off. "Don't say it Lily. They are not. . . they aren't in. . . *in love*!" he hissed, his voice dropping lower than might have been necessary in such a setting. He glared at her and she held his gaze for a time, before shrugging slightly and gathering her books.
"Fine. Think what you want. Peter, I could use an escort back to Gryffindor Tower, would you walk me?"
Peter risked a glance at James. His forehead was resting on the edge of the table and his hands were clasped behind his neck. "Erm. . ." James waved his hand in their direction, Peter breathed in relief. "Sure. I just have to check out this one book first."
James listened to the sound of their footsteps until they faded away, not moving for several minutes. Then he sat up and sighed. He tried to concentrate on his Arithmancy homework, but his thoughts drifted back to what Lily had said - or rather, not said, at his insistence. In love. Remus and Sirius. Sirius and Remus. Two of his best friends. In love? Impossible. They were like brothers! Unbidden, his mind pulled up memories of the past five years. Sirius helping Remus with a particularly difficult Transfiguration problem, leaning a little closer to the other boy than friendship dictated; Remus telling Sirius about the craters of the moon, the two standing outside sharing a heavy cloak against the autumn chill. At dinner, their hands brushing casually and lingering a bit too long. The way they seemed to talk without talking, to know instinctively what the other was thinking to the point where it was unnerving for other people in the same room. Damn it! In love, indeed! James needed to speak to Sirius. He needed to do it immediately.
