"So where's the baby mama?"
Remus spun around so quickly he made himself dizzy. Only Sirius, he thought furiously, only Sirius bloody Black would think that surrounded by the entire student population of Hogwarts, on platform 9 ¾, is the perfect place to announce Melody's pregnancy.
"Subtlety never was his strong point", came a voice from Remus' right. "Or timing…or thinking before he speaks…actually, what is his strong point?"
"Surrounding himself with people that will put up with him?" suggested Remus, a small smile adorning his face, diminishing the lines and black circles around his young eyes. "How've you been Mads?" he asked the tall, blonde girl before him.
"Same old, you know", she shrugged, scrunching her face into a clearly discernable 'lets change the subject' look, which, after six years, Remus knew all too well. "Nothing as exciting as you, by the sounds of things!" she joked, elbowing Remus playfully in the ribs.
"I'm guessing this brainless git told you about Melody…before the big announcement a moment ago, I mean!" Remus said, pointedly aiming the last part at Sirius, who was now standing in front of the duo, a huge grin on his face.
"Actually, Melody told her, so ha! You can't blame me…I kept your secret, even from my amazing girlfriend" he announced proudly, wrapping his arms around Madison's waist.
"Well Pads, I would be grateful…if you hadn't just shouted across the platform about it!"
"Oh…shit!" Sirius' smile slid from his face, to be replaced with a look of guilt. "Mate, I am so sorry, I just forget that people can hear me sometimes…."
"…which is why he makes us suffer through him singing in the bloody shower" came the voice of James Potter, strolling towards them, completely oblivious to the adoring gazes following him across the platform.
He stopped at the looks on his friends' faces - Sirius, guilty and pleading; Remus, attempting stern, but achieving exasperated acceptance; Madison, amused and content. "What'd you do this time Pads?" James asked, shaking his head at his well meaning, but ultimately big-mouthed friend.
"Weee-eelll…" began Sirius, his look of guilt slowly being taken over by a look of relish at the thought of delivering a fresh batch of gossip.
"…we'll fill you in later", Madison interrupted, as she spotted her best friend Melody, who was now, thanks to Sirius, attracting more than her usual share of looks and whispered comments from fellow students. Ever the stoic, Melody simply strolled along the platform calmly, a carefully composed look on her face.
James turned his head from Melody to his friends, and back again. "Seriously, what have I missed?" he asked, a little too loudly.
"You mean the great James Potter is the last to hear?" came a sniggering response from behind him. James spun round at the sound of Snape's sneering voice, an undisguised look of loathing clearly evident on both their faces.
"Hear what, Snivellus?" James replied coolly.
"That bookworm Lupin over here is going to be a daddy…and thanks to her stupidity, your sister has decided to play the role of Mother!" Snape announced, a look of utter glee on his face, at the sight of James' rage.