Chapter Nine: Agenda
Back in the boys' dormitory, Mr.'s Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs were holding a meeting to discuss news of the new term. The boys' eager young faces were sharply lit by candlelight- Remus' overly tired one, the light throwing into relief a few grey hairs in the front of his head; Peter's slightly pudgy one, the firelight playing off of his small, bright blue eyes; Sirius' too handsome to be true profile, the shadow adding effect to his already perfectly molded features; and James' simple features lightened by his mischievous grin and the light reflecting off of his rectangular lenses in his glasses.
"This meeting of the Magical Purveyors to Mischief is now in session," Mr. Moony said. "All items that wish to be brought to the floor are to be done so in an orderly fashion, with the knowledge that all on the board will be able to comment and discuss them."
"What's this about a new passageway discovered, Mr. Prongs?" Mr. Padfoot began. Mr. Moony and Mr. Wormtail leaned forward to hear the news.
"From behind the old humped witch. I didn't have time to see where it led, but I noticed a slight hole in the wall," Mr. Prongs reported.
"Should we put it on the map yet?" asked Mr. Wormtail.
Mr. Moony shook his head. "No, not quite yet. I vote that after the next full moon a search party is to be led forward for further investigation."
"I second that," Mr. Padfoot said.
"Third it," said Mr. Wormtail.
"Good, motion passed," Mr. Moony said. "Gentlemen, any other news to be put forth to the table?" he asked. Mr. Moony was the group elected moderator of these meetings.
"There is the matter of general mischief making," Mr. Padfoot brought forward.
Mr. Prongs rubbed his hands together, his lips moving up into a broad grin, not much unlike that of a stag's. "Oh yes, of course. And there is the new batch of first years to mess around with," Mr. Prongs reminded.
Moony frowned. "Mr. Prongs, Mr. Moony wishes to remind you that we made a promise last year not to terrorize any more first years after that poor girl last year had a minor fit of hysteria to wake up with small bugs in her bed."
"This is most true, and Mr. Prongs thanks Mr. Moony for reminding him."
"What about the seventh years?" asked Mr. Padfoot.
"Mr.'s Wood, Johnson and Ms.'s Casey and Fitzgerald would have Mr. Prongs' blood on the Quidditch field," Mr. Prongs reminded Mr. Padfoot. "However, Mr. Prongs moves that on the last day of school a prank shall be made on them before they graduate. Something for them to remember us by."
"Mr. Moony shall put it in the records," Mr. Moony noted, scribbling something down on the parchment.
"Mr. Wormtail wishes to know who else Mr. Padfoot and Mr. Prongs have plans to prank this year."
"The usual, our dear Mr. Wormtail. Mr. Severus Snape, Ms. Bellatrix Black, those dolts Crabbe and Goyle, and Mr. Flint- with compliments from Mr. Wood on that last one," Mr. Padfoot replied.
Mr. Moony frowned. "Always Mr. Severus Snape?" he asked. "Mr. Moony thinks that Mr. Pafoot and Mr. Prongs are becoming too predictable. However, Mr. Moony knows that he cannot change their plans, so he will not say any more. Is there anymore business to be put forth tonight?"
No one said anything.
"Then this meeting is adjourned. Goodnight all," Remus said, getting up.
"Wait, Remus!" Sirius said. "James and I have some personal business we'd like to bring up with you.
"I thought no one had anything else to talk about?" Remus said, a bit nervously.
"Well, no more business. What we want to talk to you about is your affiliation with young Ms. Artemis," James said.
"What about her?" Remus said, raising an eyebrow. He started to change into his pajamas.
Sirius rolled his eyes. "Remus? Honestly, you can be such a dolt sometimes. Haven't you noticed how you've been behaving around her? After only two days, nonetheless."
"What do you mean? I've been acting towards her just like anyone else," he said.
"Yeah right," James scoffed.
"Quiet, James," Sirius said to his best friend.
"You may have been acting the same," Sirius said. Yeah right, he thought. Acting the same my arse! "But what about what you've been feeling?" he asked.
Remus, bare chested with just his boxers on, and a shirt halfway buttoned up stared back at Sirius, totally blank faced, as if his friend was speaking another language. A few minutes passed as Sirius patiently waited for Remus to reply. James fidgeted, and Peter walked off to use the bathroom.
Emer hooted from her perch before flying silently out of the open window. Finally, unable to hold it in any longer, James burst out, "Oh, Merlin's beard, Remus! It's so obvious you have a crush on her!"
Sirius groaned, slapping his forehead. "James, you are such an idiot sometimes!" he cried as Remus stormily walked over to his bed and drew the drapes around his bed with a snap.
"What?" James said.
"I'll tell you about it later," Sirius said, starting to change into his pajamas as well.
"No, tell me now!" James demanded, grabbing Sirius' shoulder.
Sirius sighed, then pulled his friend over to a corner of the room away from Remus' bed In a low whisper he said, "You know perfectly well how stubborn Remus can get," he said. "He'll even deny things to himself sometimes, like that he has any real friends, even though he has some of the best in the world- and I'm not just talking about the two of us and Wormtail," he said, giving James a look. "Also, you know how with his condition he's not letting himself ever get too close to anyone. If you had let him admit he liked her to us by himself, things would be much, much easier. However, like the tactless moron you can be, you had to do it for him." Sirius cast a look over at Remus' bed. "It'll be a miracle if he lets anyone know before this year is over that he likes her like that."
James just made a small "Oh," as Sirius walked over to brush his teeth in the small sink located in their dorm. James quickly followed him over, and whispered, "How do you know so much about Moony? I didn't know you could read people this well," he said.
"It's not hard, James," Sirius growled from around his toothbrush. He spat, then rinsed it down the sink, turning off the tap after he had rinsed his toothbrush. He took a comb and pulled some knots out of his glossy hair. He turned to look at his best friend. "All you do is just pay attention to how he reacts and behaves about certain things, and then all is good and well," Sirius explained.
"You should consider that Muggle practice of psychology," James said as he and Sirius began changing.
Sirius raised an eyebrow, then laughed. It sounded like a sharp bark to James' ears. "Oh my, James, but you are a riot sometimes! Goodnight!"
This was really fun to write! Although, a bit of a pain to decide how to have them talk, since I didn't know whether or not to have it be "normal" or "classy". I think it finished well though, and Remus reacted as one would expect him to under pressure.