Disclaimer: Nope.

Here's chapter two. Please be patient, plot will arrive eventually. It's like the tortoise and the hare; slow and steady plot, erm, wins the race. I don't what race this is, but perhaps, with my slow and steady plot, I shall find out.

Anyway, ignoring that paragraph, thanks to my Beta, Larka.

Peter watched, satisfied, as his rook slid forward across the board. He hadn't taken any of Remus' pieces that turn, but you didn't always to take something to win. He leant back on his chair as Remus took his turn at considering the board.

Sirius and James were actually doing homework. It had been due in two days ago, but it was almost a surprise to see them doing it at all, especially at this late hour when they would normally be under the Invisibility Cloak, sneaking down to the kitchens. Sirius was struggling to come up with another paragraph, or even sentence, and James seemed to be drawing something that Peter couldn't make out.

'What's that, Prongs?' he asked cheerfully, and James looked up, startled, and quickly erased his doodle.

'Nothing, Wormtail, nothing,' he said, 'Only my Transfiguration homework.'

Peter didn't believe him, but nodded and continued looking around the room. A bunch of fifth-year girls were hanging about near their table, pointing and waving at Sirius and James. James was ignoring them, but Sirius waved back and winked at them. They squealed as one.

Then there were some second years stumbling over some Potions homework; the first-years had already gone up to bed, for the most part. A fourth-year sat at a table, reading a textbook, and a third-year boy had just tried to get up the girls' staircase alone. Peter almost snorted; silly boy, didn't he know you had to have a girl with you?

That was that for the right side of the room. On the other side, there were some fifth-year boys, who were obviously plotting some amateur prank, based on their hurried whispers and excited laughter. A seventh-year couple, making out, were leaning against the wall, with another seventh-year couple wolf-whistling at them, and by the fire were the sixth-year girls.

Hawling and Davies seemed to be arguing; they were standing up and yelling at each other. Although Peter couldn't hear the words over various other noises in the room, he knew it wasn't a serious argument. If it was a serious argument, they would be having it in their dorm, or Evans and Gibson would also be involved. The said Evans was looking irritated, but working diligently on some sort of homework, while Gibson was staring into the fire, a dreamy look on her face. Her blonde hair was in two braids, as usual, and even from the other side of the room Peter could see they were coming undone.

'Peter!' came Remus' voice, and Peter's head swivelled around to look at him, 'Your turn.'

'What did you do?'

'Take your pawn.'

Peter sighed dramatically and thought about his move for a while. He could move his rook there; that would check Remus' king… but no, the his queen could then take his piece. He could move his bishop… it would be safe, but it wouldn't really do much. Ah! One of his two remaining pawns could be moved further down the board safely now. He'd do that.

'Your turn, Remus.'

Remus tilted his head to look at the board, and was concentrating very hard. Peter just hoped he wouldn't move his knight. He resumed looking at the girls. Evans was packing up her stuff and was now heading towards the stairs, looking angry. Gibson was watching her with a sad look on her face, as was Davies, and Hawling was looking at her essay, and leaning back in her chair.

'Peter!' came Remus' voice again, 'Stop your daydreaming and concentrate! And anyway, check.'

Peter looked at him guiltily, and then down at the board. He had moved his knight. Peter needed to get his next move right, or he could lose the game. He stared at the board for a while. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Remus absent-mindedly tapping his fingers on the edge of the chess board, and then he saw his move. He moved his bishop to Remus' knight, checking him.

'Check!' he crowed triumphantly. Remus groaned and put his head in his hands.

'I'm an idiot.'

'No, you're not! You're –' burst out Sarah Davies, who Peter now noticed was standing there with Gibson, watching their game. Davies' cheeks suddenly went turned red, and she stammered out, 'I-I mean… Uh… Oh, Caroline wants us, come on, Suzie!'

She grabbed Gibson's arm and they went off to where Hawling was standing with Sirius. Peter vaguely wondered why he was there, and watched them talking. Davies and Gibson were merely watching, standing on the sidelines, as Hawling negotiated with him. Peter noticed him go pale, and meekly leave a few sentences later.

'What was that about, Sirius?' he asked, as Sirius returned.

'I'm getting a new girlfriend,' came the gloomy reply.

'I have two questions,' said Peter, 'Firstly, why is that bad? And secondly, is it Hawling?'

'What? Hawling, no!' said Sirius in one breath, 'And I'm gloomy because it's…' He looked at James nervously.

'Who, Sirius?' asked Remus, looking up from the chess game.

'It's… Evans,' he said quietly. James' head snapped up from looking at the floor, and Remus and Peters' mouths fell open.

'What?' they all said.

'It's not like I want to,' whimpered Sirius, 'Hawling is making me!'

'Surely you can stand up to Hawling?' said Remus.

'But she's scary!'

'Padfoot!' roared James, standing up dramatically. The common room was silent. James let out a low growl and stormed up the stairs.

'James!' called Sirius, running after him. All the Gryffindors in the room, except for Hawling, who was going up the girls' stairs, stared at Peter and Remus for a while, even after Sirius had left, as if waiting for an explanation.

'Yes?' said Remus eventually, raising an eyebrow, and everyone returned to what they were doing. Peter and Remus attempted to continue their chess game, but with their friends' drama going on, they couldn't really concentrate, so they packed away the board, and prepared to go up to bed. As they were about to go, Sarah and Suzie wandered over.

'Yes?' said Peter.

'Oh, we're so sorry!' burst out Sarah, and she continued, all in one breath, 'We didn't want you guys to fight! We didn't even think of it! It's just to cheer Lily up, you understand? Oh, please get it through to Potter that it's not going to last, because it isn't!'

'How –' began Remus, but he was cut off by Sarah adding more now that she had taken a breath.

'Look, Lily's been really snappy and stuff since her birthday, and Caroline thought Black would be a fun boyfriend, so she set them up, because we know Lily wouldn't go out with Potter, not when she's mad at him like this, and... and… don't let it break up your friendship!'

Sarah trailed off, and looked at Remus and Peter with an expression of pleading on her face. Suzie was standing behind her, absent-mindedly fiddling with her right braid; she twirled it round, and round, and round… Peter tore his eyes away from this and looked at Sarah.

'Since your mouths seem to have stopped working, I am going to bed. Hopefully your ears work and you've managed to register, or even hear, what I said,' she said irritably, when neither Peter nor Remus replied, and she walked off. Suzie stood there for a moment, watching her, and then followed, still twirling her blonde braid round, and round, and…

'Pull yourself together, Peter,' muttered Peter to himself, and he and Remus went up the stairs and to bed.

'Floppy Disks' is your topic: discuss.

Hepsa