James decided that he would have to confront Sirius about this date problem and their wager. He was hoping that instead of the wager, just to have some sort of competition to settle it. He had been trying to think of ways to find proof of the dibs thing but turned up with nothing. He had asked Remus but as soon as he said "Hey Moony? how do you-" Remus got up and left. Meanie. Since the ball was a week away, it was the prime time for asking girls. So he trudged up the stairs to the boys dormitory hoping to find Sirius and opened the door.
The sight that greeted him was not particularily unusual in the why, the how was suprising though. In the middle of the room was a giant grandfather clock and acting as its pendulum, hung upside down, was none other than Sirius Black. He was bound head to foot with a gag and was looking quite sick at the moment. His wand was hovering two feet away from his face and he was glaring at it. Remus was sitting calmly on his bed with a huge book in his lap studying for a potions test the next day.
James approached Sirius who was apparently shouting something, but there was a silencing charm on the whole clock so James had no idea what he was saying but had a pretty good guess. Sirius now turned pleading eyes at James, silently begging him to help, though the effect was ruined because he was swinging back and forth and couldn't keep eye contact.
"Sorry Pads, I really would like to help you but..." James glanced at Remus, " um...I would really like to keep all my limbs intact at the moment."
"Oh and um Pads?...assuming you do get out of there...eventually, we need to talk about this whole dibs and dates thing, kay?" Sirius shot his best friend a triumphant smile but then turned a sickly shade of green as James left the room.
After a couple minutes, Remus yawned, stretched and got up. He walked to the door without even glancing back Sirius, opened it and left. Sirius fumed.
Hours later, Sirius came stumbling down the stairs into the common room where James was snoring on one of the couches. He sat down to calm his spinning head and James woke abruptly. James blinked a couple times before scrambling away from Sirius' furious expression. It was silent for a few moments before-
"So...uh how did you get out?"
"Peter helped me, unlike you. YOU WALKED OUT ON ME! AND YOU CALL YOURSELF A GRYFFINDOR?"
"well...uh I couldn't help with Moony right there! I would've ended up just like you and then I wouldn't have even been able to help!"
James grinned, "but you have to admit, that was pretty funny."
Sirius sighed in defeat, "yea, you know it's times like these that I get reminded exactly why he is a Marauder, you wanted to talk bout something?"
"Oh yes, um well you see, I think a fairer way to decide who gets to ask Megan is a contest."
Sirius frowned for a moment "Fine, a contest? What kind?"
"Oh...uh didn't think of that yet, lets ask Moony, he can be judge."
They found Remus in the library studying for a huge potions exam the next day, figures. When the two dark haired boys approached him, Remus looked up and shot them an icy glare. Undaunted, James boldly walked to stand right in front of him. Remus' eyes narrowed. James grinned "Moony, we need you to think of a contest for me and Sirius and be judge." Remus stared at him blankly for a moment then smiled, Sirius suddenly began to feel nervous.
"How about you two compete on who can avoid my spells the longest, hmm?" Remus said as he got up and twirled his wand around in one hand. His books and papers tidied themselves up as he spoke and levitated themselves into his bookbag. He picked up his bag without breaking his gaze on his two best friends who were currently questioning their safety and backing away from the approaching werewolf.
"He wouldn't...would he?" Sirius muttered.
"I...don't...know" stated a wide-eyed James.
James placed his hands palm-forward in a placating manner,"Moony, we're in the library, Madam Pince will kill us..." he eyed the wand still twirling in the werewolf's hand.
Remus cocked his head and continued advancing on his friends, golden eyes murderous. "Well pointed out Prongs, shall we exit the library then?" his voice was calm and low with threat.
"Why are you so upset Moony?" asked Sirius, usually Remus was gentle and calm, unless-
"Did you forget about our POTIONS EXAM TOMORROW?" Potions was Remus' worst subject because of his super sensitive werewolf sense smell and all of the strange aromas in the potions room always made him nauseous and unfocused. So when it came to Potions, Remus was always a bit stressed.
"You'll do fine, you always do..." James tried to say but came out as an unintelligible squeak as the tip of the wand in Remus' hand began to glow. Sirius was currently trying to hide his tall form behind James, unsuccessfully.
"Oh come on Remus, you just hexed me two hours ago, can you at least just get Prongs this time?" Sirius pleaded. Remus stopped and without missing a beat said, "no."
At that point the two dark haired boys were practically shoving each other in front of the themselves. They rounded a corner and-
"Black, Potter? Mr. Lupin? What on earth are you doing running about the corridor like that? Put your wand away Mr. Lupin!" McConagall said in her sharp voice.
"Sorry professor McConagall I was just trying to show James and Sirius a new transfiguration spell," Remus said calmly while glaring daggers at his two best friends. McConagall softened slightly. "Alright but I would appreciate it if you would show them somewhere else, perhaps the courtyard, outside."
Remus nodded and blushed. He took a deep breath and looked at his friends, he sighed and let his arm and wand drop to his side. Remus rubbed his face tiredly and offered James and Sirius a small grin, "Bloody moon, always makes my temper flare up, and add that to a bloody potions exam...sorry, what was it you wanted me for?"
James and Sirius were by now feeling extremely guilty they had forgotten that the full moon was two days away. James also flashed a small grin, "nah never mind mate, s'not important." Sirius nodded in agreement and slung an arm over Remus' shoulder as they began to walk back to the dormitories.
Remus had neglected to mention the third reason he was all riled up. He had been wanting to ask a girl to the dance for a while now and was building up his courage and practicing what he was going to say. I'll ask her...tomorrow at the latest.