A Mate

Chapter 3: Reactions

Remus had at first found his friend's speechlessness amusing, but now after finding an empty carriage on the train with Sirius as the only other occupant, he was starting to get a little annoyed.

"Sirius!" Remus snapped, exasperated.

"Wh-"

"It's not that much of a difference. Honestly, you're looking at me as if I've grown a second head!"

"Well, you do look different Moony. Anyone can see that," Sirius said defensively.

The door was suddenly flung open and James and Peter rushed in, laughing.

"I thought I heard you tw-" James stopped his cheerful greeting at the sight of Remus, and when Peter saw the other boy he also stared.

"Er... Remus?" James asked hesitantly, looking between Sirius and Remus.

Sirius gave Remus a smug smile of 'I told you so', and Remus miserably put his face in his hands.

"I don't want to talk about it," Remus mumbled.

"Remus... you haven't been playing with any special potions, or some new charms lately have-"

"James, believe me, I don't want this. I'd be perfectly happy to go back to being me," Remus said, looking up at his friend.

James smiled and nodded understandingly.

"So why the change? Is it because you're a werewolf?" Sirius asked curiously.

Remus had always liked Sirius' blunt way of talking. He had never been afraid to say 'werewolf', he never shied away from Remus, unlike his parents... Yet Remus realised Sirius' curiosity in his 'change' had to be stopped. Remus didn't really think it fair if his friends found out about the condition. They would just worry and try to help, and this was something Remus had to solve on his own.

"Um yeah, a growth spurt is all, it's kind of frustrating. By the way, Sirius thanks for the help with Rosier," Remus said, changing the subject rather swiftly.

"What about Rosier?" James asked quickly, his eyes narrowing at the name of the Slytherin.

"He was just bugging Remus. Those Slytherins had better watch out this year, Rosier has already got me angry enough for another term," Sirius growled.

Remus' heart jumped a little at Sirius' growl and he wondered at his reaction. He looked at Sirius and noticed that he too had changed a little over the Christmas holidays. Of course, the change was not as extreme as himself, but it was enough to set his heart pounding oddly.

Sirius had grown, something that Remus was a little annoyed at – wouldn't he ever stop growing? Remus had thought he'd be the same height as his friend, but the other boy was still a little taller. Sirius' dark hair was longer and wilder– looking as it hung down around his handsome face, complementing his lean figure perfectly... handsome? Remus flushed slightly at the strange thought.

"You okay, Rem?" Peter asked Remus suddenly.

He nodded quickly to Peter, when the boy knocked him out of his dream-state.

"Sirius is right, no holding back this term." James grinned.

Remus rolled his eyes in amusement at James' enthusiasm, and smiled when Sirius whooped.

-

Remus entered the great hall with his eyes locked to the floor, the pink tinge of embarrassment still colouring his face. As the four friends sat down at the Gryffindor table, he quickly glanced up to see if the horrible situation was the same.

It was.

Almost everyone was staring at him. The Hogwarts' students were giggling and whispering as they looked in his direction – some even pointed! Remus shifted uncomfortably and sighed. He could easily hear his name echoing around the hall even without the benefit of his lupine hearing.

Sirius grinned at his friend's obvious discomfort.

"What's the matter Remus?" Sirius whispered innocently.

Remus just glared at him, while James and Peter laughed.

"Aw, come on, don't be like that. It was a great prank!"

Remus carried on glaring as Sirius pouted.

"You'd just have gotten as much attention if I hadn't done it, and besides when all those people started asking who you were on the train, it got annoying."

Remus silently agreed with that, but still ignored Sirius.

"Please forgive me? Puhleeeeeeaaase? Please Moony?" Sirius pleaded with his puppy eyes, using his friend's nickname to try to win him over.

Remus softened slightly. How was he supposed to stay mad when the other boy was doing, doing that? Sirius was pulling the most adorable expression, batting his eyelashes and pouting sadly as he tried to get Remus to forgive him.

"Alright, but next time try to have a little more self control?" Remus begged softly.

Sirius gave Remus a brilliant smile, and Remus rolled his eyes while he tried to hide his blush.

He was still a little irritated at Sirius' 'announcement' of him though. They must have made quite a spectacle when - complete with fireworks and a loud Singing Charm - the students of Hogwarts had watched gobsmacked as Sirius Black suddenly leapt out of the carriage the four had been travelling in, with Remus Lupin in his arms. Remus hadn't had any time to struggle out of his friend's hold on him, when the dark-haired boy had picked him up with a roguish grin. Remus remembered there had been that odd little jolt in his chest again at that. He'd been so concerned with it, he'd forgotten that this was Sirius Black who was carrying him, and that nothing the boy ever did was without some kind of mischievous purpose.

Sirius, always the centre of attention, had jumped in front of the crowd of returning students and abruptly announced: "Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my deepest pleasure to introduce you to the post-pubescent Remus Lupin!"

That was when the fireworks and the Singing Charm had gone off. Remus suspected James for the fireworks but the other boy had kept an almost innocent expression on his face the whole time (as he was always up to something, James could never have a fully innocent expression).

All in all, it had been quite embarrassing, especially because of the rather blatant lustful looks some of his schoolmates were sending him. He'd silently cursed Sirius and his obsession with gaining people's attention, and had quickly dragged his friends into the Great Hall.

Remus looked around and finally relaxed when he saw everyone was now watching Dumbledore, who was about to make his welcome speech. Remus grinned at the cheerful headmaster. He liked the man despite his seemingly eccentric attitudes; after all if it hadn't been for Dumbledore, he'd never have been accepted into Hogwarts.

"Welcome back students to another term at Hogwarts. Now first as always, I'd like to remind you that the Forbidden Forest is out of bounds. Also students should be in their dorms by the curfew – Mr. Filch has kindly reminded me of recent past events and thought it would be a good idea to warn those of you with the inclination to wander about the school, that he will be on constant guard." Here Dumbledore glanced at Remus' small group, his eyes twinkling as all four boys sank down guiltily in their seats. "I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!"

Dumbledore sat down cheerfully and the food appeared. Soon the students began to eat and chatter excitedly.

"I told you Filch wasn't going to let that go," James pointed out as they started to eat.

"Well, it was a hole in the wall James," Remus said a little reproachfully.

"Yeah, but we didn't mean for it to be that big of an explosion, if Sirius had-"

"Don't start that again James, you said we had to use ten of them," Sirius said.

"Well, yeah... but it was fun wasn't it?" James grinned manically at Sirius who laughed with the same deadly mischief shining in his eyes.

"Even though we got a month of detention, the Zonko's-Extra-Explosive-Filibuster-Fireworks-Incident was the best thing we did last year," Peter added excitedly.

"And the most stupid," added a female voice.

James suddenly stiffened before he smoothly ruffled his hair and smiled at the redhead who looked at the four with guarded amusement. Sirius sniggered at his friend's reaction and exchanged a knowing smile with Remus.

"Hullo Lily, enjoyed your Christmas?" James asked politely.

Remus carefully watched Lily's reaction to James. The boy had fallen for her in their first year, but she had always looked down at him and refused to even talk to him (unless it was an insult). Before the end of last term, Remus had gently advised his friend that it would probably be best for him not to call her 'Evans', and be a little more polite with her, if he wanted to win her over. James had blinked and smiled at Remus, looking a little unsure if it would work.

Remus wasn't surprised to see his advice working, he'd watched the two long enough to know that they both genuinely liked each other. The only thing getting in the way of their inevitable relationship was their misguided approach. Lily looked a little startled at James' sudden change of attitude but recovered quickly.

"Why yes I did James thank you, how about you?"

"It was great, I got a new broom." James grinned at her, surprised when she replied.

Lily hesitantly smiled at the excited boy.

"Well done Moony," Sirius murmured under his breath.

Remus gave a little smile. His friend finally had at least a chance of getting the one he loved. Now if only he could find someone before it was too late...

-

To be continued...