Self Preservation
ImmortalFlick
Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine.
Thanks to:
c[R]ud[E]dly, Silice-Black, Beseeched by Locomotives and Snuffles2 (merci!)
This chapter we get to see Remus' view and how he helps the two come to their senses! Well, starts to anyway.
*
Self Preservation - Chapter 3
*
One person can have a profound effect on another. And two people...well, two people can work miracles. They can change a whole town. They can change the world.
Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider
*
Sirius, James and Peter are my best friends. I can tell when there is friction between us, I'm not oblivious. There is most definitely something. Sirius has been quiet. This is not normal by any standards. Sirius just isn't quiet. Never quiet. You hear something breaking, it's Siri. You hear someone shouting, it's him. You hear someone laughing, it's always him! So why not now? Because now Sirius has lost the something that makes him Sirius Black. He's lost James.
This can work both ways. James has lost what belongs to him as well. I'd like to say he's lost his life, but that's quite a statement to make. But he certainly has lost that zing. The zing that began the Marauders. It was safe to say that the whole disintegration of the group had begun with Lily. It wasn't her fault, I suppose. She is a bitch though. She takes a little more out of James everyday.
First, Lily had her eye on James. James had his eye on no one and never had any notions to the contrary. He was too busy living, it was what he did best. He valued freedom, he lived freedom, which was more than some people could say. And Lily can be persuasive, James went right into her lure. I make her sound evil and she is. She really is.
I say this because after that James just seemed to dull. He didn't hang around with us anymore, he didn't laugh as much as he used to. He laughed more than Siri back then, now neither of them are laughing and I miss it. I don't mean to be selfish. I want them to be happy because that's how they deserve to be. They make each other happy.
Peter has noticed too. Noticed that the Marauders are no more. I have to say, it hurts to know that. My friends have stuck by me no matter what, and as a werewolf, that means a lot to me. Now I have to stick by them. I have to fix whatever has gone so amazingly wrong. And it all began with Sirius and James.
Those two were best friends before the Marauders were formed. They were best friends the minute they saw each other on the train. Sirius' family were of the dark sort. Death Eaters, I reckon, though Sirius doesn't talk about them. The rumors say a lot, while most of it's rubbish, there is a speck of truth. Plus the bruises that I've seen in passing glimpses reveal the truth of his family far more than any words. I push him to tell someone, pretending I don't know and probably confusing Sirius to no end. He always has been secretive, it's what makes him such a great prankster. Then there's the smell. Not a bad smell, mind you, that was what set me on the right track.
As a werewolf I have acute senses. There is a light in every tunnel. My sense of smell is one of the most useful. For example, I could say whether Michael Freeman, a fourth year Gryffindor, was telling the truth when he swore he never played that prank on McGonagall. He wasn't, if it mattered. And I can also tell when pheromones are flying. At first, I thought it was just teenage hormones. But then Sirius always smelt strongly of them when James was around. That was what clued me in. It was what made me really notice Sirius' crush on James. And it was more than a crush. It was more than a crush long before I'd known about it.
I approached Sirius last week. I didn't want him to know I knew, but I needed to get him to do something. He was miserable. I needed to push him, but not too hard. I know I was too cryptic, he'll never get the message, and if he doesn't then I'll make him. I told him to move on. But only if he couldn't be happy. He can. He can try.
I may not have much of a future as a werewolf. I don't expect much of one. James, Sirius and Peter insist I would make a great teacher. I'm the one who helps them with their homework, for which they would receive better marks should they not do it the night before it's due. But how many employers would accept a dark creature? There is a lot of debate about the registration. There isn't an official one yet, but there soon will be. A list of every 'dark creature' in Britain.
As I said, I may not have much of a future as a werewolf, but I can aid others in their future. I have no intentions of letting James marry Lily, because I know he doesn't want to. Whereas I have every intention on making my friends happy. Sirius makes James happy. James makes Sirius happy. They make each other happy. What more is there to it? If they're not going to take the initiative and resign themselves to their 'fate' then I'll do it for them. Nothing to it.
After all, the two aren't the quickest brooms of the lot. And neither has a clue when it comes to love. I'm not in any mood to express my thoughts on why. Personally, I think they're perfect for each other, this said with a fear of sounding very sentimental. They're halves of a whole, with James keeping just enough sense to balance Sirius, and Sirius having enough strength to solve any problem. It isn't that James is weak, exactly, just... take Lily for example, he didn't want to hurt her by dumping her, even though it would be good for both of them. Sirius could do that, he had more strength in fighting and in impulse.
James is going to ask Lily one day. He's going to pop the question and never going to mean it. I don't like Lily very much but she deserves more, as does James.
Sirius and James haven't spoken in days. Not on purpose. They just don't live in the same world anymore. Not even in the same universe.
Wait, the portrait's just been thrown open.
James looks like someone's hit him in the face with a broomstick. He's just wandered in, looking more lost than I've ever seen him. I'm not sure what's happened but it looks like something big.
James sees me and I wince at the look in his eyes. There are ways to read people. Better than any mind magic, better than words, it's all in eyes and body language. He's coming towards me.
"Remus?" Here it comes. He wants advice. "Can I talk to you?" This isn't normal advice. There's something... oh. I see.
"About Sirius?"
A shocked little glance. I'm not completely stupid.
"How did- what-" James Potter, lost for words.
"Less 'how did I know?' and more 'how could I not know?'." May as well say it outright.
"There isn't anything to know." So it's new to him after all. I don't think it's new to Sirius.
James does look flustered. I can't stop now, maybe give him a little shove. I put an arm around his shoulder. I whisper quietly. "How often do you pretend to be asleep just to feel him watching you?"
He pulls away, horrified. Oh damn it!
"I'm sorry, James. I'm really sorry. It's a little close to the-" I look around. Maybe here's not the best place. "Why don't we go somewhere else?"
*
End of Chapter 3
What do you think?
ImmortalFlick
Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine.
Thanks to:
c[R]ud[E]dly, Silice-Black, Beseeched by Locomotives and Snuffles2 (merci!)
This chapter we get to see Remus' view and how he helps the two come to their senses! Well, starts to anyway.
*
Self Preservation - Chapter 3
*
One person can have a profound effect on another. And two people...well, two people can work miracles. They can change a whole town. They can change the world.
Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider
*
Sirius, James and Peter are my best friends. I can tell when there is friction between us, I'm not oblivious. There is most definitely something. Sirius has been quiet. This is not normal by any standards. Sirius just isn't quiet. Never quiet. You hear something breaking, it's Siri. You hear someone shouting, it's him. You hear someone laughing, it's always him! So why not now? Because now Sirius has lost the something that makes him Sirius Black. He's lost James.
This can work both ways. James has lost what belongs to him as well. I'd like to say he's lost his life, but that's quite a statement to make. But he certainly has lost that zing. The zing that began the Marauders. It was safe to say that the whole disintegration of the group had begun with Lily. It wasn't her fault, I suppose. She is a bitch though. She takes a little more out of James everyday.
First, Lily had her eye on James. James had his eye on no one and never had any notions to the contrary. He was too busy living, it was what he did best. He valued freedom, he lived freedom, which was more than some people could say. And Lily can be persuasive, James went right into her lure. I make her sound evil and she is. She really is.
I say this because after that James just seemed to dull. He didn't hang around with us anymore, he didn't laugh as much as he used to. He laughed more than Siri back then, now neither of them are laughing and I miss it. I don't mean to be selfish. I want them to be happy because that's how they deserve to be. They make each other happy.
Peter has noticed too. Noticed that the Marauders are no more. I have to say, it hurts to know that. My friends have stuck by me no matter what, and as a werewolf, that means a lot to me. Now I have to stick by them. I have to fix whatever has gone so amazingly wrong. And it all began with Sirius and James.
Those two were best friends before the Marauders were formed. They were best friends the minute they saw each other on the train. Sirius' family were of the dark sort. Death Eaters, I reckon, though Sirius doesn't talk about them. The rumors say a lot, while most of it's rubbish, there is a speck of truth. Plus the bruises that I've seen in passing glimpses reveal the truth of his family far more than any words. I push him to tell someone, pretending I don't know and probably confusing Sirius to no end. He always has been secretive, it's what makes him such a great prankster. Then there's the smell. Not a bad smell, mind you, that was what set me on the right track.
As a werewolf I have acute senses. There is a light in every tunnel. My sense of smell is one of the most useful. For example, I could say whether Michael Freeman, a fourth year Gryffindor, was telling the truth when he swore he never played that prank on McGonagall. He wasn't, if it mattered. And I can also tell when pheromones are flying. At first, I thought it was just teenage hormones. But then Sirius always smelt strongly of them when James was around. That was what clued me in. It was what made me really notice Sirius' crush on James. And it was more than a crush. It was more than a crush long before I'd known about it.
I approached Sirius last week. I didn't want him to know I knew, but I needed to get him to do something. He was miserable. I needed to push him, but not too hard. I know I was too cryptic, he'll never get the message, and if he doesn't then I'll make him. I told him to move on. But only if he couldn't be happy. He can. He can try.
I may not have much of a future as a werewolf. I don't expect much of one. James, Sirius and Peter insist I would make a great teacher. I'm the one who helps them with their homework, for which they would receive better marks should they not do it the night before it's due. But how many employers would accept a dark creature? There is a lot of debate about the registration. There isn't an official one yet, but there soon will be. A list of every 'dark creature' in Britain.
As I said, I may not have much of a future as a werewolf, but I can aid others in their future. I have no intentions of letting James marry Lily, because I know he doesn't want to. Whereas I have every intention on making my friends happy. Sirius makes James happy. James makes Sirius happy. They make each other happy. What more is there to it? If they're not going to take the initiative and resign themselves to their 'fate' then I'll do it for them. Nothing to it.
After all, the two aren't the quickest brooms of the lot. And neither has a clue when it comes to love. I'm not in any mood to express my thoughts on why. Personally, I think they're perfect for each other, this said with a fear of sounding very sentimental. They're halves of a whole, with James keeping just enough sense to balance Sirius, and Sirius having enough strength to solve any problem. It isn't that James is weak, exactly, just... take Lily for example, he didn't want to hurt her by dumping her, even though it would be good for both of them. Sirius could do that, he had more strength in fighting and in impulse.
James is going to ask Lily one day. He's going to pop the question and never going to mean it. I don't like Lily very much but she deserves more, as does James.
Sirius and James haven't spoken in days. Not on purpose. They just don't live in the same world anymore. Not even in the same universe.
Wait, the portrait's just been thrown open.
James looks like someone's hit him in the face with a broomstick. He's just wandered in, looking more lost than I've ever seen him. I'm not sure what's happened but it looks like something big.
James sees me and I wince at the look in his eyes. There are ways to read people. Better than any mind magic, better than words, it's all in eyes and body language. He's coming towards me.
"Remus?" Here it comes. He wants advice. "Can I talk to you?" This isn't normal advice. There's something... oh. I see.
"About Sirius?"
A shocked little glance. I'm not completely stupid.
"How did- what-" James Potter, lost for words.
"Less 'how did I know?' and more 'how could I not know?'." May as well say it outright.
"There isn't anything to know." So it's new to him after all. I don't think it's new to Sirius.
James does look flustered. I can't stop now, maybe give him a little shove. I put an arm around his shoulder. I whisper quietly. "How often do you pretend to be asleep just to feel him watching you?"
He pulls away, horrified. Oh damn it!
"I'm sorry, James. I'm really sorry. It's a little close to the-" I look around. Maybe here's not the best place. "Why don't we go somewhere else?"
*
End of Chapter 3
What do you think?