This chapter is short (I'm sorry – but it has only been a few days since my last update) – I just wanted to try something out and get your opinions on it before I put it in my actual plan for this story.

Disclaimer: Owned by JK Rowling.

SIRIUS POV

It'd been nearly a week since James had been attacked. Marlene had returned to school yesterday, her face ashen but smiling nonetheless. He will survive, she'd said. Sirius didn't know how he felt about everything – obviously he was ecstatic that James was fine but was he pissed that maybe his brother had been involved, sad that maybe his brother had been involved or angry with himself that Regulus maybe had been involved.

At first he'd wanted to confront his brother – demand the truth from him. He'd tried asking the Slytherin portrait to let him in – even spent the worse half of thirty minutes guessing passwords – but it refused. Stupid blasted portrait. Sirius wasn't idiotic enough to start something with Regulus in the Great Hall, not when he was surrounded by his friends.

"Quidditch," Sirius grumbled to the Fat Lady.

The Fat Lady eyed him curiously. "Rough day?" She asked.

Sirius grumbled something unintelligent – he wasn't in any right mood to make small talk. The portrait swung open, look slightly hurt. Seven days without James hadn't just taken its toll on Sirius and the other two marauders, but the entire Gryffindor cohort. The first four days had been the worst, when people weren't sure if he was okay or not. After Marlene returned, people starting fretting over what was going to happen, what it all meant. One rumor – which was squelched instantly – argued that it couldn't have been a student since unforgivables weren't on the syllabus.

Sirius made his way over to Remus who was tucked on a couch, reading a novel.

"What are you reading?" He asked, plopping himself next to his friend.

Remus glanced up. "The Catcher in the Rye."

"Ah I love that book. The way he just," Sirius clenches his fist, "catches all that fricken rye."

"I'm quite sure Salinger didn't mean it literally," Remus continued, unfazed.

"And I'm positively sure that they're bugging me," Sirius said, pointing at a cluster of third year girls.

Remus raised an eyebrow, shifting his focus to Sirius' line of frustration. Five girls were crowded over a poster that clearly read GET WELL SOON JAMES, arguing whether or not James' favourite colour was red or gold.

"You're not the only one," Remus said, smirking.

Sirius glanced up to see Evans – hunched over a desk with a quill in her hand – glaring angrily at the girls. As if sensing the two boys, she looked over at them. Sirius smirked, winking suggestively. Lily blushed, hurriedly turning back to her essays.

"Do you think I should tell them," Sirius said, scratching his nose at the strangeness of Lily's behaviour.

"Tell them what?" Remus blinked.

"That James' favourite colour is green?" He glared angrily at his fingers.

Remus shrugged. He dog-eared his book and placed it on the table near his feet. Sirius shifted uncomfortably in his chair, having caught Remus' knowing expression and not liking it one bit.

"Did you find him?" Remus asked, lowering his voice.

"Find who?" Sirius retorted.

Remus raised an eyebrow. "You know you have no proof that it was him," he told his friend. Sirius looked at him incredulously, obviously not believing Remus' words. "He is a fifth year Padfoot. I've read about Unforgivables –

"You've what?" Sirius exclaimed. Lily sent the two boys a curious glance – which Sirius waved away irritated, leaning closer to Remus.

"Don't act so shocked," Remus said, rolling his eyes. "I overheard my parents talking about them in third year and got curious is all. You have to really mean them." Noticing Sirius' pointed look. "I don't think you get it Padfoot. You have to really want to inflict pain – every part of your core. And I don't think your brother hates James that much."

"But then why would he refuse to tell Marley who attacked him?" Sirius argued. He ran a frustrated hand through his hair.

Remus cast a worried look over at Lily. Sirius followed his friend's glance, instantly locking focus with a particular red head. Lily had a quill stuck between her teeth, another scratching angrily at a piece of parchment. Her curly hair was tied back in a knotty bun. Sirius had never gotten to know Lily properly, not as well as Remus knew her, and he'd never understood James' admiration of her. Sure, she was smart and wasn't bad looking (if you we're into skinny, freckly red heads) but seventh year had changed that.

He was surprised to find out that they had so many things in common, and was even more surprised to find out that she was more than a stuck up, goody too shoes prefect.

"You think James won't tell Marlene because it was Snape?" Sirius whispered, still watching Lily.

Remus nodded. "I know she won't ever admit it, but she blames herself for what happened with Snape."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "That girl places too much pressure on herself."

As if noticing that they were talking about her, Lily glanced up again, her frustrated expression turning into one of confusion when she caught both boys watching her. Sirius pointed to the cluster of Gryffindor girls then pretended to saw his own head off with an axe. Remus whacked Sirius over the head as he pretended to topple of his chair – gasping in mock pain – whilst Lily burst into energetic laughter.

"Get up you mutt," Remus tutted.

Sirius clutched his heart. "Don't get me when I'm already done Moony."

"Don't you have detention soon?"

"Again with the insults," Sirius whined, sending Remus puppy-dog eyes. The boy in question just pushed Sirius off his chair again. From his position on the floor Sirius added, "and no I don't. It was with Sprout you see."

"Ah yes the lust thing again," Remus said drily.

"I actually flirted my way out of this one," Sirius said, clambering to his feet. He sat on the sofa – this time out of Remus' reach – crossing his arms over his chest. "Whet for the good old sweet talking method. Did you know she as a particular liking for licorice wands? Luckily for her I had some with me."

"Only you Padfoot," Remus said, trying his hardest to still look cross with his friends behaviour but failing. Sirius caught the cross between admiration and humor in Remus' tone and smiled triumphantly.

"It means you get to spend more time with me," he said, poking himself in the chest with his thumbs.

"Lucky me," Remus drawled. "I actually have – unlike you – a desire to pass my NEWTS so will probably be studying tonight."

"Buzz kill," Sirius moaned. "Sure you don't want to raid the kitchens?" Remus shook his head. "See if the Room of Requirement will turn into an indoor pool?" Remus argued that it was too cold to swim – and pointed at the first specks of snow that we're starting to fall outside the frosted window. "A heated pool? With slides and music and food – and a pool party."

"You know, you might actually be onto something there," Remus teased.

Sirius brightened instantly, but scowled when Remus starting laughing. "James would've been up for it," he said, intending for the words to be hurtful, but instead they came out hesitantly. He threw another glance over at Lily, doubting his own words. James had changed this year – grown up, matured or whatever.

"Yeah well I'm not James," Remus said, feeling the need to clarify that.

Both boys glanced at each other – Remus daring Sirius to have a problem with that, and Sirius urging him to drop his "prefect façade." Sirius felt something shift inside him – it was tiny, barely noticeable – but it worried him nonetheless.

"Umm," a voice said, dragging them from their stupor. Peter was standing over them – looking uncertain. Sirius didn't know why but he felt a sudden irritation at the mousy haired boy before them.

"What?" Sirius snapped.

Remus scowled at him.

"McGonagall asked me to tell you that she's disappointed in your blackmailing of Sprout and wants you to apologize," Peter told Sirius. "Also you have detention with McGonagall at eight."

"What?" Sirius exploded.

Remus burst out laughing.

"Why do I have detention with Minnie?" He demanded, furious.

"For black mail," Peter told him, frowning as if the answer was obvious.

"Darn her," he muttered. "And shut up Moony."

OKAY question – I've been tossing it up (and this chapter was a kind of tester I guess) but would people be interested in wolfstar? I've always been a fan of that pairing. Tell me what you think and if u want it review saying YES!