Chapter 14: Truths that Should be Told

James' POV:

I'm glad Padfoot and I are friends again.

It was as if our friendship was a missing part of me that I didn't know was missing until it came back, and when it did a great load was taken off my shoulders. Not that that makes any sense. I mean, if something is missing and you find it, shouldn't it be adding weight?

Ah, me.

And yet, there's still a part of me missing, still a part that could be replaced.

A part that I shouldn't try to replace, as I have no right to do so.

A part named Lily Evans.

Moony is still worried about me; I can tell by the way he studies me, the way he still tries to feed me more food, the way he acts around me: as if I were a wild animal, afraid, about to run away.

Wormtail's just Wormtail; oblivious as usual.

And Padfoot is… well… less big-headed than he was a week ago. However, he can still be annoying, and was somewhat surprised when I declined his offer to do the Inquiro curse on Vivian Kurtiss during Potions. But he shrugged it off and got Wormtail to do it instead. I did laugh along with the pair of them, though, once Vivian had declared her undying love for Professor Slughorn. It took a little while for everyone to calm down, but Slughorn was impressed with their wandwork and awarded them 5 points each.

Padfoot grinned at me, and I grinned back until I realized he was grinning at the person two seats in front of me.

The grinned dropped off my face and my stomach flipped over twice. I swallowed a lump in my throat and busied myself with the Sleeping Draught we were making.

Any guesses who it was?

Sirius' POV:
I can't quite tell if Prongs is feeling any better.

Yes, he's been grinning and laughing, but he still gets that haunted look sometimes.

Usually when Lily is around.

I've been trying to tell myself that he should be used to it by now, but deep down my subconscious is telling me, "You know he loved her. You know he still does. You know they are almost certainly made for each other. You know that you need to let Lily move on. You need to let go." But I push that voice away. I don't want to hear the truth right now.

James' POV:
I need to tell Sirius.

I need to tell him about why Lily had yelled at him.

About the night I had found her in the hallway.

About Regulus.

But not, I think, about the kiss.

Still, I need to tell him. It's been nagging at me ever since Padfoot and I made up.

So I've made up my mind. After all, tomorrow is a good a day as any for a detention, right?

AN: reviewslove. A really exciting part's coming up in the next few chapters. Yayness!