Disclaimer: -points at chapter one- Don't own it; it's all Jo's.
Together Again
Part II: The Chain Reforged
Remus and Sirius's brief, contented silence was broken when Remus suddenly realized something. "Wait, Sirius, where are James and Peter? Didn't you all just have double Care of Magical Creatures together?"
"Yeah, Grubbly-plank kept them late because of some assignment they didn't do properly. They're probably in the common room by now… Come on, let's find them and go to dinner—I'm properly hungry for the first time in days!"
A slow grin spread across Remus's face. "Yeah… yeah, me too." Sirius promptly grabbed him by the arm and set off down the stairs, practically bouncing with exuberance while Remus staggered along, chuckling, at his heels. He still had a firm grip on Remus's arm when they came to the common room. Seeing the other Marauders across the room, Sirius cupped a hand over his mouth.
"Oy, James! Eaten dinner yet?"
Heads turned and whispering broke out at the sight of Remus and Sirius together and smiling once again. James looked up and immediately sprang from his chair at the sight of Sirius half-dragging the werewolf across the room. Peter, looking equally alarmed, stood as well. "Sirius, what do you—what's going on?" James asked.
"It's okay," said Remus evenly before anyone else could interrupt. "No, I'm not just saying that, James," he added at the telltale look of protest on his friend's face. "I… well…" He sighed a bit. He didn't often have many difficulties finding suitable words, but this was complicated. "Things still aren't perfect, but… well, they're getting better. Considering the circumstances, I'd say things are as close to normal as they could get."
Peter looked uncertain. "So you guys… you've just made up? Just like that?"
Remus gave a small laugh. "I doubt a week of hell would be called 'just like that.' But yes, I've forgiven Sirius."
Peter's face broke out into a watery-eyed grin, and James looked nearly as pale as he had when he'd visited Moony in the hospital wing a week before. With a gloriously relieved laugh, he hugged Remus tightly before moving onto Sirius, whose blue eyes sparkled tellingly. Peter clapped each boy on the shoulder. "I wasn't sure we'd ever get through this one. We had to eventually, I suppose—but I don't think I've ever been more relieved in my life!"
"Well, I keep on telling Remus I don't deserve his forgiveness, but he stopped listening after the first couple times." Sirius's words were humorous, but his manner spoke his awe and happiness. He gazed briefly at his friends as if expecting someone to spurn him, say that he wasn't really forgiven and never would be. Instead, James draped an arm around his shoulder.
"Come on, Sirius, you know Remus doesn't lie. He said he's forgiving you, and I believe him. Now, are you going to eat properly for once or what?" He grinned playfully, and Sirius's face quickly formed an identical expression.
"Of course!" He pulled a still wan but grinning Remus toward him, while James placed his other arm around Peter. "Let's go."
They were a chain, only as strong as their weakest link—strong as they were united, weak as they were divided. Yes, those were the sayings… The boys had never known how true they were.
Laughing, they sauntered away together, collapsing into the corridor in a tangle of limbs and robes when they attempted to climb through the portrait hole with linked arms. As quickly as it had broken, the line reformed. The Marauders were together again.
Author's Notes: Sorry this took longer than expected to get up - I've got no excuses, really, unless being lazy counts. This part is quite short; it just sort of came out one day at school when I was rereading the first part and I started to wonder how the other two Marauders would react. I hope it was at least semi-believable. It's been tweaked a bit since the original and I've reread it a fair few times (though not nearly as much or many as the first part), so I finally decided to stop second-guessing myself and post it. Please tell me what you think!
Laura
