"What the hell are we supposed to fill Divination with?" Sirius asked, plonking himself down beside Remus and staring at his timetable with a frown curved into his tidy forehead.
"Dunno," Remus replied, yawning and stretching out, pushing his books away from his lap. He rubbed his eyes. "What about… Care of Magical Creatures?"
"I look after you, don't I? After dealing with a werewolf I think flobberworms will come as a step down," Sirius said.
"Fine, then don't take it," Remus shrugged. "I suppose you want to help Mithradates in Muggle Studies,"
Sirius pouted and leaned forward staring at his timetable again. He grabbed Remus' quill and scribbled down something on the parchment. He tickled his chin with the end. Remus rolled his eyes and grabbed it from him.
"So what are you taking?" Sirius asked.
"Arithmancy," He said calmly.
"You're gonna be on your own," Sirius said.
"Not entirely," Remus said. "I like being alone. Besides, I have Frank,"
"Fine, I guess Peter and I shall just leave!"
"That's not what I meant." Remus argued.
"I know, I just joke is all." Sirius said. "Oi! Wormtail, are you taking Care of Magical Creatures?"
Peter's head snapped up from his book. "I'm up!" He cried, rubbing his eyes, his face blotted with ink. He looked down at his work and let out a groan. "Oh for –"
"If you're about to swear," Remus said mildly. "Don't, that's Sirius' job."
Peter stared at his ruined transfiguration essay. "Know any good spells?" He asked.
Sirius got up, throwing the parchment at Remus who put it to one side. He looked over Peter's shoulder before deciding on a particular spell. He pulled out his wand and gave it a tap, muttering under his breath. The ink seemed to disappear from the parchment leaving only Peter's scrappy hand-writing left over. Peter looked almost overjoyed and was about to thank Sirius when Frank and Mithradates walked in talking earnestly about something.
"The Minister's got a lot on his mind right now," Mithradates was saying.
"Well, my mum calls it… Well I won't repeat what she calls it," Frank said. "But she's right… The Minister is a fool."
"We'd be better off with Dumbledore for a minister," Mithradates replied, sitting down, not noticing the other three boys.
"Well, Dumbledore was offered the job as far as I know," Frank replied, hovering beside Mithradates bed.
"Would you really want anyone as your head master, other than Dumbledore?" Asked Sirius. "I mean Dumbledore was the one wizard that Voldemort has always feared. Where better to put him than a school of Witches and wizards?"
"But if he was minister, there would be no need for him to be there to protect Hogwarts." Frank pointed out. "Voldemort wouldn't dare and he could take his battle somewhere else."
"I know that there is a lot of young witches and wizards, who wouldn't have gotten into Hogwarts had it not been for Dumbledore," Sirius replied.
"Well," Mithradates said, pondering the thought. "We can't exactly let in any old rif-raf." He said. "I mean, I think parents would go mad if they found out their children were sharing a dormitory with a… Troll, merely because they have magical properties."
"There are about several thousand magical beasts out there that look more human than a troll," Peter said. "You could have picked on any of them,"
"Standing up for your species, eh, Wormtail?" Sirius shot him a grin.
"Shut up," Peter pouted, folding his arms.
There was a clicking at the door and James entered, looking dazed. His black hair was a mess and stuck up everywhere. His cheeks were glowing and his hazel eyes were twinkling.
"Oh no," Sirius said.
"Something's happened," Remus observed.
"What?" Peter asked confused.
"Did you and Caitlin finally kiss?" Sirius asked.
Mithradates jumped up. "WHAT?"
James didn't say a word. He gave a small nod before rolling onto his bed, not bothering to take off his shoes. Sirius, Peter and Remus got up and moved around to him.
"So, has Sirius finally proven that he has psychic powers, or is he talking bumfluff?" Remus asked.
"Bumfl – oh, never mind," Sirius said shaking his head.
"What about Lily?" Frank asked.
"What about her?" James said at last.
"I thought you've been after her since you met on the train." Mithradates said.
James was shaking his head. "I never liked Lily like that," He said.
"Okay, have you been lying to me the whole time I've known you?" Sirius asked. "Are you really poor and just live with your grandparents?"
James shot him a look. "It was to annoy her more than anything. And you know… To be the big man."
"But this… Caitlin… Girl." Frank said. "You like her, yes?"
James nodded.
"And she likes you," Sirius continued with the train of thought.
"Oh dear lord," Remus said rolling his eyes. "If I need to get a quill and a bleeding piece of parchment out and draw you a diagram, I will."
James started up. "Not a bloody diagram." He said.
"Well answer them!" Remus said.
James sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Men shouldn't have these sorts of conversations." He said gruffly.
"Yes," Sirius agreed. "But half the people in this room aren't real men, so don't worry about it."
"Yourself included?" Peter asked.
"Shut up Wormtail." Sirius said.
"I'm going to bed," Remus said turning away.
"Wait, don't you want to hear this?" Sirius asked.
"Nope," Remus replied. "I'll hear it tomorrow when James can form words and not blubber like a two year old."
"Give him some credit," Peter said.
"Yeah, I mean, he's at least three years old." Sirius said. James didn't even move in reaction. He just stared blankly.
Remus sighed and threw a pillow at him. "You don't react the normal way men should react when they get kissed. Get over it the pair of you. You're not getting married to these women so grow up."
James flopped back onto the bed and sighed.
….
"Stop moving,"
"I have!"
"Then stop breathing!"
"I stop breathing, then I'm dead, James!"
"A corpse would make less noise." James muttered, holding his wand out in front of him, the tip touching the edge of the invisibility cloak.
"Quiet, the pair of you!" Remus said from behind the pair of them. "Or you'll get us all in detention."
"Okay, around here," James said.
"And besides, it's you who will really get it in the neck, Moony," Sirius replied. "You're supposed to be the good boy."
Remus said nothing.
"Sirius, will you hurry up?" James hissed.
Sirius pulled out his knife and slid it into the lock and turned it waiting for the satisfying click. He let out a little grin of satisfaction before opening the door. The four of them scuttled into the potions cupboard and closed the door behind them.
"I still don't know why I'm here." Remus said.
"We need you to mix everything up," James summed up.
"You could do it," Remus replied.
"Yeah, but we're lazy bitches," Sirius said. "Besides, you know where everything is."
"Here," James shoved a piece of parchment under Remus' nose. "Where do we find them?"
"Blackberry leaves," Remus said. "Third shelf, to Sirius' right."
Sirius looked around and pulled open the drawer, stuffing a few of the leaves into a small pouch.
"Next?" James prompted as Sirius tucked the pouch into his pocket.
"Mermaid blood," Remus said. "Top shelves, you'll need Sirius' knife to get into them. They're locked."
Sirius handed the knife to James and he climbed up the ladder and unlocked one of the drawers. He pulled out a tiny vial.
"Careful," Remus warned, pointing Peter to the selection of raven eyes. "Drop that and the floor will melt."
"What?" James cried.
"Honestly, pay attention in class." Remus said.
"Melt the floor?" Sirius said. "Remus, you've been taking crazy pills."
"Listen to me, mixed correctly it won't do any harm, but the blood alone is extremely dangerous. Why else would Slughorn put it up at the top shelves?" Remus said. "Stay up there James, and get the… ash mixed with cinnamon and mahogany tree sap. It's labelled A.C.M-"
"Found it!" James said. "Anything else before I come down?"
"No, I do – "
There was a faint banging across the hall, Remus, Peter, James and Sirius stared at each other for a moment. James skidded down the ladder and grabbed the invisibility cloak, pulling over them just in time as the potion cupboard doors opened.
"Well," Slughorn said calmly. "I can't see them Lily,"
Lily's face poked out from behind him, unlike the professor, she was not wearing her dressing gown, but rather her robes.
"But, Professor, I saw them!" She said earnestly. "Severus said –"
"Oh Lily," Slughorn said turning to her. "Come now, you can't honestly trust Mr Snape after he did that thing to that poor Longfottom boy."
"Longbottom," Lily corrected.
"Hm? Oh… Yes… Whatever." Slughorn said. "Back to bed before another teacher spies you and takes all those points you earned for Gryffindor in class today."
Lily made a face before stalking off. Slughorn watched her for a minute before turning back to the cupboard. He sighed and leaned forward, forcing Sirius and James to go back and tread on Remus and Peter's toes. Peter squeaked, but Remus clamped his hand around his mouth. Slughorn did not seem to hear.
A/N
I'm sorry it's so short! I promised myself I would write an amazing chapter when I got back and I failed… URGH! Stupid jetlag. Okay, I'm going to go to bed now because I've been up since about 2 in the morning and haven't slept since.