House: Gryffindor
Position: Transfiguration
Drabble/Standard: Drabble
Prompt: (Quote) "There is no point in being grown-up if you can't be childish sometimes." - Fourth Doctor, Doctor Who
Word Count.: 985
Beta: Copper's Mama, secretfanficlover
"I mean, can you even believe the NEWTs?" Sirius said as he took another gulp of Firewhiskey. He was on his third glass, maybe fourth, but who cared? It was right after graduation, they were in Three Broomsticks, there was no depressing news about the Death-Eaters and the Dark Lord and, all in all, it was a pretty good day.
"I was going to go insane by the end of it!" James added his two cents. As usual, Peter nodded along with him.
"Yes, but these tests are the foundations of our career. If we do badly in these, then there is literally no career for us," Remus said calmly, way too familiar with his friends' moaning and griping about exams even though it was easy for them. Why was he friends with them again? Right. Because he loved all of them like the brothers he never had.
"That's right. But, still. At least, Lily's happy that I didn't complain even once when she wanted me to study. And, if Lily's happy, then I'm happy," James said, "Not that it happens very often nowadays," he continued, as his face darkened.
Lily's parents had died in a car crash a few days before graduation. But, they all knew that a car crash wasn't the reason - it was Death-Eaters. They knew that Lily had been dating the scion of the Potter House - one of the families who had declined to side with Voldemort. They had decided to take revenge by killing defenceless, unknowing muggles. Lily had been hurting for days afterward.
"Well, what you're going to say is definitely going to cheer her up, mate," Sirius said, smirking.
James was going to propose to Lily.
"Yeah. I'm so glad that I was able to win her heart before the others did it. I mean, by the end of the year most of the boys would look at me in jealousy like, 'Why does she like you?' and 'Have you fed her a love potion or something?' Honestly, people. All of them know Lily's reputation for Potions and Charms and they think that I love-potioned-"
"It's not a word," Remus interrupted.
"Lily?"
"Yeah, well. People are crazy and they would believe practically everything to not consider the harsh truth," Sirius said in a moment of seriousness. It happens once in a blue moon.
"Like Snape," Remus said.
"Yeah, like him," James agreed.
"No, I mean, he is right there," Remus said as he discreetly pointed at Snape's direction.
"Brilliant. I think we could use a couple of...pranks. To teach who Lily loves," James said with an almost bloodthirsty grin.
"James, no! We are not in school anymore. There is no Dumbledore to save us. If you continue to do this, then you could be arrested for harming and humiliating and assaulting a citizen!" Remus said.
"Aww, c'mon Moony. There is no point in being grown up if you can't be childish sometimes!" James said and Sirius agreed.
"Fine, not today. I don't want to see my friends in Azkaban just because their pranks were misfired!" Remus said.
"Sirius, please. No pranks. I won't be here to watch over you and James has gone into hiding and Peter is doing who-knows-what. You have to be responsible for yourself. At least, until I come back from the mission," Remus said.
"Moony, you worry too much. Besides, there is no point in being-" Sirius started.
"-Grown up if you can't be childish sometimes. Yes, Sirius, I get it. But, please," Remus implored.
"Fine, Moony. Don't worry about me. And, come back with all of your limbs attached, okay?" Sirius asked.
Remus only snorted.
Sirius watched as Peter, their former friend, revealed himself to be the actual traitor. He watched as Peter blew up the street, killed twelve muggles, turned into a rat (and doesn't the animagus form make so much more sense now?) and escaped through the sewage. Sirius watched, mindblown, before he started laughing.
What a prank it was! A prank of epic proportions. Something he could make up only in his dreams because, come on, Peter was way too weak to kill twelve muggles - they had been with him for seven years! He should really be getting up from his sleep, going over to the Cottage and telling everything to James. What a laugh both of them would have!
And then…
Sirius suddenly realized that no, he was not having a dream and that Peter had really betrayed seven years of friendship - of brotherhood - and had killed twelve muggles. He could see the Aurors coming and the laugh increased ten-fold. This time, however, it wasn't out of amusement, it was out of hysteria. He kept on repeating, "It was my fault."
The Aurors saw the whole street, gave him a portkey - good, he would have a trial where he would be able to tell everything - which transported him straight to Azkaban! They didn't even give him a trial. Moody would've been so enraged. That's it, Moody would free him. He would tell everyone that there was no way Sirius could've killed the Muggles and let him go. Then, Moony would give him an hour-long lecture on 'why did you do this?' and 'I told you not to do anything stupid'. Everything would go back to normal. Yes, that's what would happen.
Hours turned into days which turned into months and eventually, years. Yet, Moody did not appear. The Dementors, however, were a constant presence - sucking the will to live and the happiness out of him. The only reason he was sane was because of thinking about revenge and how to get to his godson.
What a prank it was! The most brilliant prank any of them would have thought of. If only James were alive…
They would've laughed so hard at the prank.
After all, what point is there in being grown-up if you can't be childish sometimes?
A/N- Hope you liked it. It was originally supposed to go on until Sirius' death from Remus' perspective but it went over the word-count, so...*shrugs*. Have a wonderful day/night.
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