Hey guys! Double post, to make up for not posting in a while! Last chapter was very short, so decided to make up for that by making this chapter quite long, at least compared to the last few chapters. Anyways, enjoy! Promise I will update this story more often and that this series will be finished. Can't wait for years six and seven of this story when the story gets extra interesting! Make sure you are following this story to be alerted about new chapters!

Chapter 14: Petrificus Totalus

Late January 1972

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry

"Ok…" Remus awkwardly tried to ignite conversation. They sat in the Gryffindor boys dormitory, Remus sitting in the middle of a small circle as James and Sirius sat across from each other, arms crossed and refusing to look at each other.

"Do you, do you want to er, apologise to each other?"

The boys each gave a side-eye glare at Remus, and then went back to staring fixedly at the wall next to them.

"Look, you'll never be friends again if you don't apologise. We're supposed to be friends, right? Please apologise! You two can't act like this forever! We're going to be in the same dormitory for seven years of our life!"

"Well, than I'll just move over to Slytherin dormitory, won't that make everyone happy?" Sirius spat.

"But you're in Gryffindor." James huffed. He quickly glanced at Sirius, and then looked back at his wall.

"Exactly," Sirius responded.

"What is your point?" James snapped.

Remus glared at James. "Don't use that tone, James! That's not making things better!" Remus cleared his throat awkwardly and looked at Sirius. "But, uh…what is your point, Sirius?"

"Nothing," Sirius grumbled.

Everyone shifted uncomfortably in their seats.

"I think it would just be better if I were in Slytherin."

"But you can't switch houses."

"Maybe I could, if it would really make everyone happier."

"What are you trying to say? None of us want you to leave Gryffindor! Right, James?"

James glared at Remus. "I guess."

"I'm not only talking about you guys' opinions," Sirius said. He shifted uncomfortably.

"Well then who are you talking about?"

"Nobody."

"Oh, please. Who is it?"

"Fine." Sirius finally made eye contact with everybody. "My parents."

James immediately felt a hand of guilt punch him in the gut. He had entirely forgotten that his best friend's parents were Slytherins, and that they might be disappointed that Sirius was a Gryffindor. James thought about how Sirius' Christmas break must have went.

There was an awkward silence. "I'm sorry," James finally said, his tone changing completely from sharp to gentle and sincere. "I forgot. Were they upset that you were in Gryffindor?"

Sirius scoffed. "Not just upset, they were furious. Everyone in my family's been in Slytherin. Done. Period. End of story."

"Really?" Peter asked. "Every one of them?"

"Every one of them," Sirius confirmed.

"Well, how did they take it?" Remus asked. "It couldn't have been a surprise. Didn't you write to them telling them your house before Christmas break?"

Sirius cringed.

Remus eyes' widened. "You didn't tell them what house you were in? How come they didn't ask?"

"They wrote once and I threw it in the garbage. Didn't bother to respond. I don't think telling them beforehand would've made it much better, anyways."

"Weren't they worried about you?" Remus asked.

"Dunno. Probably not, knowing them."

"I'm sorry," James said again. "That's horrible."

"Yeah, to say the least," Sirius grumbled.

"I'm sure they'll come to terms with it," Remus assured Sirius. "There's no way they could be disappointed in you forever."

Sirius didn't answer, but stared across the room out the window instead.

"Can we go to dinner now?" Peter whined.

All three of the boys turned their heads to look at Peter, confused at his unconcern for Sirius.

"What?" Peter asked. "Oh, yes. I'm sorry, Sirius. That really is horrible. I don't know what I'd do with parents like that."

"Er, thanks. That came straight from the heart, huh?"

Peter opened his mouth slightly.

"Anyways, let's get dinner. I'm starved," Sirius continued. He jumped up and ran out the door. "Race you to the Great Hall?"

James grinned widely, and stood up and darted after the sprinting Sirius. Remus jogged behind, smiling too, as Peter struggled to keep up with the boys.

The boys were fast asleep in the first year Gryffindor boys dormitory. Their chests gently rising and falling, with Peter's serene snores in the background, only James appeared to be awake. In his hands, he fingered the fabric on his invisibility cloak.

As he watched the swishy, shining material move between his fingers, he thought about his father, and his mother as well. How lucky he was that they both loved him so much. Except, he was sure that Sirius parents must also love him so much as well. James was sure that their anger would just be temporary. It seemed impossible to James that a child's parents could ever stop loving their child.

James turned on his side and looked at Sirius' bed. After all, James thought, if his child were to end up in Slytherin, he would be angry as well, wouldn't he? James thought about it deeply. Would he? Perhaps he would be disappointed for a second, but he didn't think it would be enough to be furious at his child. After all, it wasn't really their decision, right? It was the Sorting hat's. Nevermind, James thought. It's too complicated for me to think about. I'll figure it out later.

James cuddled the cloak next to him, keeping it as close to his body as he could. He suddenly missed his parents greatly, and could not wait to see them again that summer. Until then, he would have as much fun at Hogwarts for his first year as he possibly could.

Peacefully, James fell asleep, ready for mischief the next day.

"Petrificus Totalus!" James chanted as a rat scurried past, only to be frozen by James' curse.

The other first years gathered around oohed and aahed, impressed by James' skill. Sirius was cheering in the back, Remus looking interested, and Peter squirming with what seemed a look of horror.

Earlier that day, the Gryffindor's had been in Defense Against the Dark Arts class, where they learned their first curse, Petrificus Totalus, the body-bind curse.

Now, James was demonstrating his new knowledge at the edge of the lake, during his free period. Happy with the looks of awe, James puffed his chest out slightly. He looked around at his small crowd with satisfaction. He saw a few students he recognized, but noticed some of his fellow Gryffindors were missing. As he looked around, he spotted his target sitting at the edge of the lake, pointing at something in the water as her dark red hair turned bright underneath the winter sun.

James felt a small pang of hurt in his chest. The girl never seemed interested in him. He was able to please all of his other classmates, well except for the Slytherins of course, but it was always Lily who simply ignored him. Suddenly feeling in the spirit to satisfy her, James shouted "Oi, Evans!"

Lily turned around, and as soon as she saw who was waving at her, turned back around and continued looking at the water with, ah, Severus.

Annoyance gripped James as he watched Severus observing the lake with Lily. How in the world does Snivelly please Evans, James thought.

James walked over towards Severus. As he paraded down the hill towards the lake, he felt the eyes of his classmates following his back. "Oi, Snivellus! How's your day going?"

Severus looked up, unsure what to do except glare at James.

"What do you want, Potter?" Lily demanded.

"What, Evans?" James asked, throwing his hands up as if surrendering. "I just want to have a simple conversation with Snivelly!"

"Go have a conversation with someone else," Lily snapped.

"Yeah, leave us alone. Or we'll feed you to the giant squid," Severus snickered.

"Yeah, it's real," Lily continued. "We just saw it," she said in a firm tone, pointing at the lake water.

"Did you?" James asked.

"Pretty sure."

"Well, that doesn't scare me. Of course, I don't know if I could say the same for Snivelly, here."

"Why would it scare me?" Severus asked loathingly.

"Oh, I dunno," James sighed, feigning confusion. "Perhaps it's because you're greasy, ugly, dumb. How are you brave if you're not in the House of Bravery?"

"Hey! That was not nice!" Lily spat as Severus suddenly got up and pulled out his wand.

"Sev-" Lily began, until she was interrupted by James shouting "Petrificus Totalus!"

Severus froze, his legs and arms snapping around his body and falling over on his back, his wand tumbling to the dry grass.

Lily shrieked. "Potter!"

"Ha! You thought you could make a move quicker than me, huh?" James asked Severus knowingly. He grinned with satisfaction and turned to answer Lily. "Yes, Evans?"

Lily's eyes widened in anger. "Undo it, Potter! Undo it! How can you just go around cursing people like that? Undo it, I tell you!"

"Or what?" James asked casually, still smiling.

Lily looked furious, her green eyes blazing. "Or, or I will tell McGonagall!"

James' grin faltered a little, but he pulled it back up almost as quickly as he had dropped it. "Go ahead, Evans. Tell Minnie. Won't do you any good."

"That was amazing, mate!" Sirius chortled, joining James.

"No, it wasn't!" Lily fumed. "We have to do something! Poor Sev, he's just lying there! Do something! Undo it!"

"You just told me to do it, and then undo it," James said. "Do fix your logic, Evans."

"That's not what I meant, Potter, and you know it! Now undo it!"

"What did you do this time, Potter and Black?" A severe voice came swiftly walking up to them.

"Professor McGonagall! Thank goodness you're here!" Lily gasped in relief.

"Professor!" James and Sirius said in surprise simultaneously.

"Yes, it is me," McGonagall hissed. With a flick of her wand, Severus' body unfroze. He looked around, stunned, and then turned his eyes furiously on James. "You!"

"Yes, me. Professor, I was only practicing Defense against the Dark arts!"

"And so you thought it alright to disregard our rule of no spell-casting outside the classroom?"

"I'm sorry, Professor. I must have forgotten. But clearly, I did no harm. Look, he is perfectly fine!"

"Yes, he is, but nevertheless you performed a spell - a curse, actually, outside of the classroom and you have yet again harassed Mister Snape. You are both to come with me to my office. Potter, is it ever possible for you to avoid trouble? Now, follow. Wait 'till Dumbledore hears you're at it again."

Reluctantly, James and Severus followed McGonagall. Severus wanted to open his mouth in protest, to say he hadn't done anything, but he knew better than to argue with McGonagall.

The boys disappeared up the hill, trudging along in the winter grass.

"Hey, at least I avoided detention this time," Sirius chuckled, only to receive an icy cold glare from Lily.