Author's Note: First of all, I want to say thank you. I forgot to mention that I had Lily's birthday changed for this story, and I was so afraid I was going to get reviews with people saying, "Lily's birthday isn't in September" and all of that. So, some of you didn't notice, and some probably decided not to say anything, so thank you, either way. James' birthday won't be changed. Please enjoy the chapter. Oh, and the beginning of this chapter seems a bit rushed because it goes from one point of view to another, but bear it. There's a reason for everything.

Everyone watched as James left the room. The small attention a few students sometimes paid for Binns was completely gone.

"Did you hear that?" asked one student, turning to his friend.

Sirius and Remus exchanged glances. "What do—" Remus started.

"I don't know," said Sirius. "I just…let's go."

Normally, Remus may have objected to the idea of leaving class early, but he felt there was a time and place for everything. "Wormtail, you coming?" he asked quietly. It wasn't like his volume mattered because the whole class was listening intently enough to hear every word he said anyway.

Peter nodded, thankful to get out of class. He picked up his books, and then followed them out.

Lily Evans was used to strange happenings when it came to the marauders. She might have gone so far as to say that most things weren't even odd to her anymore…but this situation certainly was. There was obviously something going on with James that not even his best friends knew about.

She bit her lip thoughtfully. "Alice," she began.

"You think I have any idea?" her friend replied, staring at the door as if she were hoping James would come back in to explain.

Lily frowned. She didn't think she'd ever seen him so angry, and about what? Hardly anything. "I'm sure he's just tired or something."

Alice snorted. "Keep thinking that."

The three marauders walked down any corridor and into any room that James could have possibly been in. Truthfully, not one of them had any idea what he'd say to James when met with him, but it was important that he was found. James was known to do stupid things when he was upset.

"Maybe he brought the cloak with him," said Sirius. "Maybe he thought we'd go looking for him."

Remus sighed. "Well, that's just great."

Sirius agreed. "Maybe we should check obvious places…the dormitory? Common room?"

"You think he'd go there if he were hiding?" asked Peter logically.

"Perhaps, he's not hiding, and he just wanted to get out of class. I don't know," Sirius replied, frustrated. "It wouldn't hurt to look."

Having already looked in the kitchens, and through almost every classroom, (determined as they were) they decided they had no other choice but to go to Gryffindor Tower and see if James was there.

James heard, from inside the bathroom, his friends come into the dormitory muttering about him. He didn't move from his spot, lying against the door the way he liked it. He felt that he was calming down from his outburst in History of Magic.

"James?"

There went that calm feeling he was beginning to have.

'Maybe,' James thought, 'if I don't answer, they'll go away.'

"Prongs, we know you're in there. Just come out of the bathroom," said Sirius.

James hated the way he spoke to him. It sounded as if he were talking to a little child that was frustrating him.

"No!" said James. He knew he was adding fuel to the fire. If he didn't want to be treated like a child, he probably should have stopped acting like one.

James heard Sirius sigh. He knew, even though the only voice he heard was Sirius', that the other two were standing right there with him.

"You know we can get in if we really need to, right?" said Sirius.

" If you want to invade my privacy," said James. "It's not like you seem to care much about that, after all."

Sirius surrendered. "Fine. Stay in there all day for all I care because, once you get out, we are going to interrogate you."

"Padfoot," said Remus gently.

"Don't even start, Remus," said Sirius, irritated. "He's being ridiculous, and we deserve to know why."

"We came all the way here to stare at the door while James sits in the bathroom?" asked Peter incredulously. "What has life come to?"

Though James knew that Peter was partly joking, it still hurt a bit to think about what they thought of him. He was ridiculous, was he? He led them on a goose chase, did he? James didn't ask them to follow him!

"Stop. Go away," he demanded.

James had resorted to whining to get his way. Peter was right. What had life come to?

James took a deep breath before speaking softly. "So, are you barging in or leaving me alone to rot?" he asked. "I really need to know."

He could practically feel Sirius rolling his eyes. "I'll do whatever I damn well please, and I don't have to warn you about it."

James didn't respond. There was really no reason to. All he was asking for was a polite, "I'm sorry, James, for bothering you in History of Magic. I know you're screwed up right now, and I don't care if you're taking things too seriously." Of course, James was pretty sure they didn't know he was screwed up.

It didn't show, did it?

James rubbed his eyes, hoping to make them appear less red, wrapping his arms around his torso to warm himself.

James knew the way Sirius sometimes reacted. Sirius just didn't know how to show concern or compassion without anger and frustration. He felt that by yelling at James, he could help him…beat out whatever was wrong. James appreciated the attempt (even if it made him want to strangle Sirius to death), but Sirius had to learn that, more often than not, problems couldn't be solved that way.

Not that James had a problem or anything. But…supposing he did…

Not that he'd even want their pestering help if he did have a problem…

…but it might be nice if they made a generous offer, instead of deciding to yell at him.

James reluctantly opened his door. "I'll go back to class," he said softly.

Remus and Peter, as James had expected, hung nervously by the exit while Sirius stood right in front of him.

"Not so fast," said Sirius, crossing his arms.

James was too tired to try to get past him. "What do you want?"

"To know where the hell my best friend went," said Sirius crossly. "The way you've been acting—"

"Oh, you mean, you've noticed?"

James wasn't sure if he was pleased that he had been wrong about his friends' knowledge or worried that he was being confronted about it. And…didn't he say that he didn't want them to notice the problem he wasn't having, in the first place?

"Noticed?" said Sirius, raising his eyebrows so high that they disappeared under his bangs. "How could we not have?"

Suddenly, James was alarmed. How much had they noticed? "But I—I didn't—you didn't seem…"

James decided to go with the tactic that had never quite failed before. "You didn't seem to care then!" Making him feel guilty. "If you noticed I was being strange, and you didn't ask if I was all right, then obviously, you haven't been being the most wonderful friend, have you?"

"You know what you're acting like?" said Sirius, laughing to conceal the affect James' words had had on him. "You're acting like my cousin Narcissa. She doesn't know what she wants. She says one thing, says another…"

"Oh, really? Well, your cousin and--"

"Guys!"

James and Sirius turned to look at Remus. He cleared his throat. "Don't turn this into a fight about something completely different. I think he," said Remus, referring to James, "is leading you there."

Sirius nodded. Looking as though it was extremely difficult for him, Sirius lowered his voice, and laid a hand on James' shoulder. "We did care," he said. "We thought that if we left you alone for a while, you'd work out whatever was bothering you. Obviously, we were wrong."

"I'm fine," said James. "Really. Just stressed."

"You know what," said Sirius, again turning to Remus. "You two can go. James and I are going to have a long talk."

Peter didn't look thrilled about going back to History of Magic, but Remus certainly looked happy that something with James might have been on the mend.

"I'll see you two later," said Remus.

Peter waved good-bye, and they closed the door behind them.

James and Sirius stood for a few moments in complete silence. Finally, Sirius said, "You want to sit down?"

James glared. "No."

Sirius sighed. "Do you want to look up at me, James?" he asked.

"No."

"Do you want to go back to class or discuss this?"

"No."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Yeah, that answered my question. Do you think this is funny?"

"No."

"Do you want me to lose my tem—Yeah, I can't ask questions anymore. Sit down on the bed, look at me, be quiet, and act like a seventeen year old," Sirius demanded, pointing to his bed.

James raised an eyebrow. "Most seventeen year olds aren't told to sit and be quiet by friends."

"Act like James Potter then," Sirius corrected, practically pushing him down onto the nearest bed, which happened to be Peter's.

James, in the weak state he was in, knew that Sirius could easily overpower him. It was a silly thought, thinking Sirius would hurt him, but hey—he'd been having a lot of silly thoughts. Besides, when one almost knocks himself to the ground just by trying to walk in a straight line, he begins to fear the strong.

Whatever the reason, he was quiet enough to let Sirius speak.

"James."

"Yes?"

Sirius had just about had it. "What happened to you?" he asked, sounding almost hurt. "You're like a zombie all the time. I just…I want to know what the hell happened."

"Nothing," James said immediately, standing up. "I am FINE."

"Since when did we start hiding things from each other?" asked Sirius.

"That's funny…I remember you hiding something from me for a very long time," said James. "I had to find out accidentally."

"Don't even—completely different!"

"How do you know if this is different? You don't even know what it is!"

Sirius groaned. He sat down next to James on the bed. He didn't tell James to look at him again. "You know I don't like to say it, but—"

"Then don't."

"—I'm worried about you," said Sirius. He pretended to wipe sweat from his brow. "That wasn't enjoyable."

James shrugged, too annoyed to recognize Sirius' obvious attempt to lighten the mood.

"You told me just a few minutes ago," said Sirius, "that you were angry that we didn't care how you were because we left you be. Now, you don't seem to want my attention. I'll make a deal with you. You tell me what you want, I'll oblige."

James remained silent, looking down at his shoes with contempt. He couldn't bear to face his friend.

Sirius nodded. "And that's what I thought. You don't know what you want."

"I hate you," said James furiously.

"You wish you did."

"I wish you'd get out of my sight."

"So do a lot of people," Sirius answered easily, picking at his fingernails.

"I—I'm disgusted by your…interest in my cousin," he said, unable to come up with anything else.

"You're really trying hard to make me mad, aren't you?" said Sirius. "It was working when you weren't trying, mate. Right now, it's rather amusing."

"Why would I be trying to make you mad?" asked James innocently.

"It's pretty obvious that you are. As for why, well, you're anxious that I won't leave, otherwise."

"Not true," James denied.

"Definitely true."

"Do you want to be depressed and self-deprecating for the rest of your life?" asked Sirius, throwing his hands in the air.

"I'm not depressed, and…self-deprecating? I thought I was arrogant! How the hell can I be both?"

"Get up," Sirius demanded.

"Excuse me? I believe I was told to sit down, Sir."

Sirius ignored him, grabbed him by the wrist, and took him out of the dormitory.

"Where are we going?" asked James when he realized they were going nowhere near the History of Magic room.

"Outside."

"Why?"

"To take a walk," Sirius answered simply.

"Why? Do you think I need a walk?" James accused, taking two deep breaths. "Is that what you're saying? I can work this out right here. I don't need to walk. Maybe you think I…"

"Woah, calm down, James," said Sirius, stopping before the door. He gently shook him. "This is why you're scaring me. You shouldn't be afraid of a little walk."

"I'm certainly," said James, opening the door, "not afraid. I just don't think it's necessary exercise. I mean, perhaps it is, but I don't need you telling me that I need…okay."

James stopped complaining, realizing that Sirius neither cared nor understood a word he was saying.

"I'm done."

"Good," said Sirius, keeping a bit of space between them as they walked around the grounds.

Sirius knew they wouldn't be interrupted. All students were in class, and, at least, for a little while, they had the grounds completely to themselves.

James and Sirius both stayed quiet for a while. James concentrated on his counting. He'd walk twenty steps, adjust his robes. Walk ten more, do the same. It looked and sounded odd to others, but it helped him keep calm, and, after all, that really mattered the most.

James caught Sirius watching him out of the corner of his eye. "What?" he asked self-consciously, adjusting the robes on the eighteenth step by mistake.

Sirius shrugged. "Nothing," he said, perfectly content with the silence.

James, however, decided to push the matter. "You know what's funny?"

Sirius was sure that whatever James said, it wouldn't be very humorous. "Hmm?"

"That everyone in the world is allowed to have a problem except for James Potter. Maybe if you can't accept me, I shouldn't accept you."

Merlin, there was something wrong with him. He felt fury boiling up inside of him. He could barely breathe.

"I told you I hate you, so go."

Sirius didn't react, knowing that James' main goal was to be left alone, and he would try as hard as he could to hurt him.

"Maybe I do have a problem with gay people," said James.

Once again, Sirius didn't react. Dealing with the lack of reaction made James even angrier.

"And there are other things that bother me about you," James went on. "What about your arm? Beautiful artwork."

Evidently, James' plan had worked because Sirius couldn't take it anymore.

"Go to hell, James."

James crossed his arms, watching Sirius walk away from him, back into the castle.

What really made him angry was how hard he tried to get Sirius to leave when, in fact, he actually wanted him to stay. He'd never been so confused in his life.

James felt dizzy again. He balled his hands into fists, as usual, ready to walk straight back inside. Only…he couldn't do it. He tried to walk even a step further.

Before he knew what was happening, the dizziness took over, and he fell.

Author's Note: Review. :)