EEK I didn't meet last nights quota of a chapter. SORRY! Exam preparation and Harry Potter COSplay took charge. Man I need a life.

Halloween was fast approaching and the boys threw themselves into research. Only they couldn't get the books that were required, many of what they needed being stowed away in the restricted section. James had suggested that he'd just sneak in and steal the books, until Remus pointed out that the books couldn't physically leave the library unless checked out by the Librarian. None of the boys were tempted to ask a teacher to sign a permission slip letting them pass into the restricted section for the main reason that none of the teachers probably weren't too fond of them always being in detention and cursing Snape at every chance they had. James had a brain wave which prompted Sirius again to have questions, James laughed this off and suggested Ariyamna the witch that he and Sirius had met over the summer. Sirius agreed that it was probably the best idea. She seemed to be cool enough to sneak in books without anyone noticing.

She contacted them after they sent their owl asking them where she should meet them at Hogwarts, knowing full well that they couldn't leave for Hogsemede. Sirius suggested the kitchens.

Ariyamna dumped the books into James' arms. "There," She said. "Every bloody book that you'd ever want on human to animal transfiguration."

James opened the top book and winced watching the moving picture of a young girl changing into a bird and having it go terribly wrong. He closed the book, frowning before putting the pile down. "How much do I owe you?" He asked, reaching into his pocket.

Ariyamna waved his hand away. "Consider it an early Christmas present." She said. She sat on one of the tables, her leather boots showing from her bright lime robes. In essence she looked pretty cool, but from a distance, the green was quite a shock to the system. She picked up a chocolate frog and bit its head. "So, should I ask what you want with these?" She asked, pointing at the books.

"Probably not," Sirius said picking up one of the other books and flicking to a page.

Ariyamna smiled. "Okay, I trust you guys." She leaned back, looking around the room. "Do the house-elves know you're here?"

"Yeah," Sirius said. "They're worried when we don't turn up."

"Cool." Ariyamna said.

"How did you manage to get in?" James asked.

"Oh, I told Dumbledore that I had important news regarding your Great Aunt Elise in St Mungos after an attack from several death eaters."

"I don't have a Great Aunt Elise," James said frowning.

"Well, you do know. She's 104, and slightly insane. So don't worry about it." Ariyamna replied. "Even if Dumbledore thinks I'm lying, he trusts me, implicitly."

"You're a ministry official." James said. "And you're abusing Dumbledore's trust."

"I'm bringing you books," She corrected. "Hardly illegal."

"Then why'd you lie?"

"Och," Ariyamna picked up a few Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans and chucked a bright orange one into her mouth. "Because, boyos, the content is strictly for fourth years and above. You're what, second year? I'm only doing this because you boys are smart, and I'm sure that the current reading list for Second years is as about as interesting as Giant Flobberworms eating a cob of sweet corn." She smiled. "I know you won't be doing anything stupid."

James and Sirius shared a look and at the same moment they both felt guilty. She caught their glance. "Okay I really don't want to know." She said. "Just leave me out of it."

Remus entered the kitchens and put his bag on one of the four tables. "Hey," He muttered not looking at his friends.

"Who's this?" Ariyamna asked.

"Oh, this is Remus," Sirius said. "Remus, this is Ariyamna,"

"She's our grown up friend," James said.

"But not in a creepy way," Sirius said.

Ariyamna got up and gave Remus a shake of the hand. "Hey sexy," She grinned. Remus didn't smile at her. He turned to James and Sirius.

"We need to talk," He said solemnly.

"Oh, no," James said. "You're breaking up with me? What about our love child?"

"I'm sure Sirius will be fine," Said Remus rolling his eyes and not smiling. James grinned stupidly.

Ariyamna checked her watch. "Bloody hell," She muttered. "I've got to go boys. Ministry stuff."

"Are you going to be stationed at Hogsmede?" James asked.

Ariyamna sighed. "No, not for a while yet. Alastor's stationed there for another few months before it hands over to another official. We don't get told until the morning before. I doubt I'll get stationed there for another good year or so."

James' face fell. "Oh... Okay then."

Ariyamna leaned down and gave him a kiss on the forehead. "Night boys," She got up from the table and bounded across the flagstone steps towards the portrait hole. She turned and blew them all a kiss and left. James stared at his feet.

"Someone's got a crush!" Sirius sang opening the books. "Bloody hell." He muttered. "We have to read these?"

"Yes, because your schedule is so full already what with the hours and hours you have not doing homework." James said. "Come on, they don't look that bad... Oh bloody nora." James pulled back from the book he was holding open in his hands. "Yikes. Is that a face?"

Sirius checked. "Technically I think it's a snout. What is that?"

"Look like antlers," James muttered looking closer.

Remus slammed his bag against the table. "No." He said firmly.

James and Sirius looked up at him. "No, what?" James asked.

"No, I'm not letting you do this." Remus said. "I refuse to let you do this to yourself. It's illegal and... Dangerous and..."

"Remus," Sirius said, closing the book. "We've been through this before. And I'm not in the mood to argue with you and your self righteous pity."

Remus said nothing kicking his feet. "But why?" He asked finally. "I wouldn't even do it."

"Yes, you would." James said. "Of course you would. If you weren't... What you are and someone else was, I know you'd help them. Let us help you and stop being a prat."

Remus swallowed dryly.

Sirius rolled his eyes and chucked a packet of drooballs at his friend. "Cheer up, Moony." He said.

James rounded. "Moony?"

"Well I was gonna call him Moody but I doubt he wants to be referred to as a dark wizard catcher." Sirius said.

"Well, it's better than Lemmy," Remus muttered.

"There we go!" Sirius said pulling his friend into a bear-like grapple around the neck.

...

"Now, the key ingredient in this potion would be..." Slughorn looked around the class. Lily nudged Snape in the ribs.

"You know this," She hissed.

Snape stayed silent. Sirius was frowning at his book trying to make sense of it after James thought it would be a right laugh to spill some of the potion he had made onto the pages. Sirius' hair was sticking up messy even though he had tied it up at the beginning of the lesson. He frowned and tried to look over Remus' shoulder at the potion he was making. Remus looked at him.

"Can I help you?" He asked.

Sirius blinked. "Er... Yes... Swap potions with me."

"What?" Remus asked.

"Oh come on," Sirius said. "You're one is damn near perfect."

Remus let out a laugh.

"Okay, well more perfect than Peter's," Sirius said nodding towards their friend who was having difficulty trying to cut one of the daisies but it kept leaping up and dancing across the table, once or twice lifting its leaves as if it was mooning at Peter and making fun of him. Peter grabbed it pulling it back again.

"I hate flowers who outsmart me." He muttered.

"So that's every flower?" James asked, looking up from his book at last.

"Anyone tell me what the main ingredient in this potion is?" Slughorn asked, trying to be heard over the noise. "Mr Potter what about you?"

James shrugged. "Pumpkin juice?"

"Mr Potter, please take my class seriously."

"I am!" James said earnestly. "Is it... Mandrake root?"

Slughorn pulled a face before turning away. "Correct." He muttered.

James flashed a perfect grin before ruffling his hair. "I'm just too good." He said.

Sirius was tempted to hit his friend with the butt of his knife. "Yes," He agreed. "At being a knob."

"Thank you," James said. "I'm good at that too."

Sirius rolled his eyes. James sighed, closing his book. "You're really are a dick- I mean, frog you know that?" He threw a few ingredients in and stirred. "I'm so bored of this!" He cried.

"Really? We wouldn't have noticed." Remus said adding some clear liquid to the potion which was now giving off a stale odour. He pursed his lips and leaned over trying to work out where he went wrong.

James frowned. "You're doing that sarcastic thing aren't you?"

"What gave it away?" Remus asked pleasantly.

"The general way you said it," James shrugged. "You know, with that tone in your voice."

Remus frowned. "I have a tone of voice? Cool."

"Yes, it's bossy. Tell it to go away," Sirius asked. "Peter what are you doing?"

"Your hair's on fire." Peter said trying to get rid of the flame flapping his hands against a strand of hair that was burning.

Sirius yelped. "DID YOU SET ME ON FIRE?"

"NO!"

"PUT IT OUT PUT IT OUT!" Sirius bellowed.

"AGUAMENTI!" James bellowed pointing his wand at Sirius. Sirius stopped flailing around like an idiot, drenched in water. He spat out some of the water and rubbed his eyes, his woollen sweater soaked. The entire class burst out laughing.

"Enough!" Slughorn said. "Sirius, what on earth were you doing?"

"Fire. Hair. Mess." Sirius summed up looking grumpy. James was trying to suppress a laugh. Slughorn sighed.

"Class dismissed," He said. "Potter, Black, Pettigrew – detention with me tonight."

"Oh for FUCKS SAKE!"

"Black, you can have another week," Slughorn said. "Get out, go on."

Remus bit his lips to try and stop himself sniggering manically. Sirius was fuming soaked to the skin and James and Peter were laughing their heads off.

"The look on your face!" James laughed.

"Funny, har har har." Sirius said sarcastically wringing his jumper, as he picked up his books and headed out onto the stores leading to the dungeons. He tried to wipe down his robes but his attempts failed.

"Thirsty, Black?" came a cold hard voice from behind them. The four boys turned to see Snape with Lily trying to deter him from pulling out his wand.

"Severus," She was saying. "Don't be stupid."

"EXPELLIARMUS!" Snape bellowed.

A green spark shot from his wand and hit Sirius square in the chest sending him back against the stairs. His head against the stone made an interesting crack. James whipped out his own wand and pointed it at Snape.

"OPPUGNO!" James roared. A light flashed towards Snape sending him rocketing backwards. "DENSAUGEO!"

Snape's face began to contort as his front two teeth began to expand over his bottom lip. He stared down humiliated. Lily pushed past and pushed James away.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" She shouted.

James stared at her. "Are you kidding me?" He asked. "Are you bloody kidding me? He attacked Sirius!"

"Only because your 'friend', put that swelling potion into his pumpkin juice!" Lily said. "And mocks him on a daily basis. Black would have attacked him first if he had the chance."

"I don't believe you," James said shaking his head. Lily was staring at Sirius who was being helped up by Remus. Peter was standing defensively with James.

She sighed. "Is he alright?" She asked.

Remus nodded, checking to see if Sirius had cut his head. "He'll survive,"

"Dirty mother fuc-"

"Sirius," Remus said calmly. "How many fingers am I holding up?"

Sirius squinted. "Three?"

Remus sighed at the single finger he was holding up. "Close enough," He said. "Come on. Severus? Are you -"

"Piss off!" Snape said.

James raised his wand. "Apologise, right now."

"No!" Snape spat.

"Severus," Lily said, pulling him away. "Severus, for god's sake, stop it."

Snape stared at her. James turned towards Sirius. "Oi, Sirius,"

Sirius looked up, his eyes glassy. "Hey it's my good friend James... And my other friend... Moony!"

Remus shot James look. James sighed. "Come on."

...

Madame Pomfrey had tutted angrily when they had entered with Snape tailing behind them.

"Why is whenever there is a serious injury, it's always you five boys?" She asked.

Remus and James looked at each other over Sirius' head as he tried to fight against them.

"I'm fine," He muttered.

"Sit!" Madame Pomfrey said. Sirius smiled up at her.

"Poppy! It's Poppy Pomfrey!" He grinned. "Poppy, Poppy, Poppy... I'm... What a strange name... Poppy..."

Madame Pomfrey looked at James. "Are you sure he's hurt or has he been at the Firewhiskey?"

"Please," James said. "You count me as that irresponsible?"

"Yes," She replied without hesitation. "Mr. Snape please take a bed and stop your whining, I'll be there in a minute."

Snape stared at James with pure loathing and hate before Lily pushed him towards one of the empty beds. Madame Pomfrey bent down and looked at Sirius.

"He has a mild concussion," She said lightly, walking over to her office. Remus heaved Sirius onto the bed where he sat admiring his shoes.

"Oi, brainbox," James said. "Talk to us,"

"About what?" Sirius asked. "If you haven't noticed, I can't exactly hold a candid conversation at the moment."

"That's alright," Peter insisted. "Just talk about anything,"

"Okay..." Sirius licked his lips. "Have guys noticed how McGonagall is just plain hot?"

"Okay, I'm weirded out now," Peter said. "Stop talking."

Sirius grinned stupidly as Madame Pomfrey returned with a small vial of purple liquid. "Here," She said. "Make sure he takes only a drop. One drop. Every hour onwards."

Sirius was uncorking it and was about to swallow the whole thing before James pulled it off him and handed it to Remus. Remus corked it.

"Best you boys keep it," Madame Pomfrey said. "Otherwise he might cause himself further injury. Is he cut?" She didn't wait for an answer and pulled Sirius forward examining his head. "Why do young men insist on having long hair?" She asked. "It's bad enough trying to locate a head wound without getting lumps of hair in the way."

"Would you rather we were all bald?" Peter asked.

"Of course not," Madame Pomfrey said. "Don't be silly."

"I'll cut it professor." Sirius mumbled pulling out his knife and flicking the blade open. James grabbed it.

"Nope, no haircuts today," James said. Sirius gave a pout.

Madame Pomfrey gave Sirius a glare before returning to her work. "There is a small cut." She took out her wand and tapped it thrice on his head. Her wand gave a whistle before the wound sealed itself leaving a scar. She then handed ointment to Peter and put a bandage over the cut. "Every four hours," She said.

Peter nodded tucking it into his robes.

"What on earth were you doing?" She asked silently. "Or do I want to know?"

"You really don't." James said, helping his friend up. "Thanks Poppy,"

Madame Pomfrey rolled her eyes as Peter stood to Sirius' right making sure he didn't fall over. "Oh, Mr. Lupin, with me, please."

Remus looked over at his friends, who stared at him. "Okay, I'll er... See you back at the common room," He said gloomily.

James nodded, before looking up at Madame Pomfrey. "Right, yes... See you then."

Remus handed the vial of potion over to Peter who stuffed it into his robes and together, slowly, James led Sirius away, Peter following behind.

"This has not been my day," Sirius muttered.

James agreed.