hey everyone, im back! im so sorry i havent updated lately, i dont really have a reason. im just lazy. no writers block, no vacation, nothing. sorry! anyway, heres the next chapter, finally, and i hope you guys didnt give up on me. (ugh, im such a drama queen, i mean it wasnt THAT long) id write more, but its a school day...you know the drill.

k, todays promotion: dazzling dames "the slam book". this is really cute, it basically has each character fill out a form about themselves. it can get really funny (with gred and forge, how could it not?) and at times a little more sobering (we miss sirius too, remus). really sweet, check it out. remember, tell me if you want fics promoted!

disclaimer: not mine, although if it was do you think people would wait three yrs for an update and wait in a bookstore from 10 pm with tape on their glasses to make them look more like harry potter...i mean, so ive heard people did ::shifty eyes::

Remus, James, and Peter rushed into the transfiguration classroom just before the bell rang. They took their seats quietly, trying not to look at McGonnagall. Her lips thinned, as she glared at them, opening her book without looking down.

"Changing inanimate objects into other inanimate objects is one of the simplest forms of transfiguration. For those of you who still have difficulty with the matches-to-needles excersise, I expect you to be able to complete it before the end of this class. Otherwise, you will be spending your free time over the next few nights with me. This is not a punishment," she added in reply to the groans following her announcement, "it is only to ensure that you do not fall behind your fellow students."

Peter gulped nervously. He leaned in towards Remus. "Psst! Hey, how do you make the needle look…er…silver and shiny?"

Remus smirked. "You mean, metal?"

Peter blushed. "Well, I was trying to be a little less obvious, but yeah, metal."

Remus laughed as he leaned in. "Watch me," he said, in that impossibly patient voice, brushing his hands through his light brown hair. .

James smiled as he saw Peter sigh in frustration at his wooden needle. Even though it took him longer than he might want, Peter was a good sport, and would try until he got it.

Just then, the class was interrupted by the door opening slowly and quietly. Sirius slunk in, staring at the floor, his eyes covered by his hair.

"Sorry professor, there was a…er, family emergency," he said quietly, and James detected the slightest bit of sarcasm in the boy's voice. James was an expert at detecting the undertones in someone's voice, seeing as he spent so much time thinking up his own excuses. He glared suspiciously at Black as he made his way to the back of the room, eyes still focused on the floor.

But as James turned his gaze back on Peter, Remus looked back just in time to see Sirius lift up his gaze. Their eyes met for a moment before Remus gasped quietly. Sirius was glaring at him through two cold grey eyes, one of which was turning black and blue. He looked like he had just been in a fight, and lost. Remus turned quickly back around.

"No, Peter, you can't just bring in silver paint, McGonnagall will notice if your needle starts to bleed on her…."

As the class filed out of the room (peter had managed to turn his match about halfway through class, and was now onto working on plates-to-goblets), Remus was slower about packing his bag then usual.

"Go on without me, James, I'll meet you two later." James nodded and left, Peter following him with a confused glance at Remus.

As Sirius walked by, Remus grabbed his arm. He flinched, but quickly covered it up and looked at the smaller boy next to him. "What do you want, Lupin?"

Remus stared right back at him, accepting the unspoken challenge that the wolf in him sensed. "We need to talk," he said simply.

"No, I don't think we do," Sirius replied calmly, careful to keep his voice quiet. He pulled his arm out of Remus' grasp, and walked out the door.

"Where'd you get that bruise?" Remus said without preamble when he caught up to the taller boy.

"None of your business," Sirius said sharply.

"It is my business if you're getting into fights; I mean you might lose points for Gryffindor, which affects the rest of us, too."

Sirius whirled on him. "Look, prefect, I wont get any of you Gryffindors into trouble. Happy? Now leave me alone."

Remus growled in frustration. "Was it a Slytherin? Did a Slytherin beat you up?"

Sirius stopped. "How come, whenever someone gets hurt, it's automatically a Slytherin's fault? I mean, everyone assumes that Hufflepuffs are too dumb to do anything wrong, Ravenclaws are too stiff, and Gryffindors are too noble. How come no one stops to think that maybe Slytherins are too ambitious to hurt their chances at power?"

Remus had the grace to look chagrined. "Sorry. Just, all the stuff I've heard about Slytherin, I guess. I mean, my parents were Gryffindors, so I kinda grew up in a biased house. Will you tell me who it was then, or what house, at least?"

"Slytherins."

A/N stupid jackass slytherins! aw, but i love them. ::makes out with snape...who of course is in her bedroom.... :/ ::

review replies:

brennqt14: well, siri didnt do anything to them...yet. MWAHAHA!!! ooh, im so flattered, im on an author alert thingy? im sure that if i knew what that was, id be even more flatterd, but i get the gist of it from the name, lol.

dazzling dame: of course you can add me to your C2, by all means! you're so nice, thank you so much for that amazing review, i live for reviews like that! lol, i love corny stuff. its too funny. sry the chaps not too long, but hey, at least its out, right?

kurtcobain4eva: thanks a lot, short but sweet. see, i updated, ur turn now....

amalynne o'hara: lol, i know what you mean about being a sucker and having to stay with fics til the end. happens to me too often, lol. i know this is kinda short, but ill do better soon, i promise!

thanks for reviewing! now do it again!