Not dead yet! But very nearly. Please don't hunt me down and avada kedavra me. Real life sucks and I literally have no time from getting up at 5am and arriving home at 10 every night. So sorry. I will get better.
Sirius yawned and passed the note lazily to James who looked at it and scribbled a reply. Professor Binns class was the easiest place to plan things properly because the ghostly teacher didn't really notice anything until he was asked something by a student. Even then, he'd always be shocked to see that there was someone in the room with. James passed on the paper to Remus, who looked at it for a second and wrote something back. Peter looked over his shoulder, his mouth hanging open slightly. Remus caught Peter's gaze and playfully closed his friend's mouth.
"Lily is staring at you," Sirius whispered to James. James grinned madly and ruffled up his hair. Lily rolled her eyes and continued to scratch notes onto her page.
"Pay attention"! Remus hissed.
"Nah," James replied. "I'm bored. Padfoot, do you want to get out of here?"
"You must be practised in occlumency," Sirius said.
"How?"
"Because you just read my mind."
"Oh that's pure cheese on a level that mice wouldn't be able to handle". Remus groaned, almost face-planting on the table in exasperation.
"Mice wouldn't be able to handle any sort of cheese coming from us." James said. "They don't react well when Padfoot takes of his socks."
"Are you saying that I have cheesy feet?" Sirius demanded.
"Let's just say that they give blue cheese a run for its money," James said.
Peter was frowning. "Cheese can't run though."
James and Sirius burst out into a snigger, biting their tongues to try and stop Professor Binns looking up at them.
"Oh Peter, you are so innocent." James said shaking his head. He put up his hand and waited patiently whilst, Sirius, Remus and Peter all looked at him confused.
Professor Binns looked up only after about five minutes. "Yes? What is it Porter?"
"Sir, Sirius isn't feeling to well." James said.
"I'm not?" Sirius asked. James stamped his foot hard on Sirius'. Sirius let out a dog like yelp.
"Really?" Binns looked at Sirius.
"Yes sir," James said. "Is it possible if I can take him to the hospital wing? Just to make sure he doesn't collapse and You know Die."
Biinns nodded. "Very well Perkins. You can take Mr Burns to the hospital wing."
"Thank you sir." James got up and grabbed his bag, Sirius got up too.
"You are a lying cheating skiving idiot." Remus said under his breath.
"Yeah" James admitted as Sirius left the classroom. "But you love us for it".
Remus rolled his eyes and looked back at his work, Peter was staring wistfully after them.
Once out of the classroom, Sirius hit James over the back of the head. "You do realise that we are going to get hell from Moony tonight?"
"Yeah. But it's really funny when he's angry," James shrugged. "It's not like we are not going to learn anything in that class."
"You're a bad, bad man," Sirius said shaking his head.
"Yes, but at least I'm never going to go to prison for it." James nodded, sighing slightly.
"Oh so that's my job is it?"
"Since you asked, yes, it is." James said, a big smirk growing across his face. "Are you really that bothered about what Moony says to us? What's he going to do? Scowl us to death?"
Sirius took a moment, as if he was contemplating a proper answer. "Fair point," He said. "So, what are we going to do?"
James grinned as he pulled the invisibility cloak from his bag.
...
Remus entered the common room and dumped his bag down beside the cushy armchair before pulling off his shoes and socks.
"OI!" said a voice. "At least warn someone if you are going to take off those socks and reveal your smelly feet."
Remus turned and saw James pull off the invisibility cloak from around himself and Sirius. He sighed and sat on the chair.
"Where have you been?" He asked, calmly.
Sirius frowned. "No yelling? No screaming? No going to report us to McGonagall?"
"James, Sirius, do you not think I have been threatening you with that for the last 4 years?" Remus asked. "When have I ever really went to McGonagall because I disapproved of something?"
Sirius opened his mouth as if to say something but James elbowed him sharply. Remus laughed. "Really? Guys, you've done a lot worse than skip class."
"Have they now?" Lily asked from behind Remus. He jumped from his seat slightly and cleared his throat.
"Lily, lovely evening isn't it?" Remus said.
"Moony, sit down and go back to your knitting," Sirius said, clamping his hand around Remus' shoulder and forcing him down onto the seat. "Let the big boys handle it."
"Evans, James said stepping forward. "Now, wouldn't telling on us be a bit mean?"
"After all the people that you have practically maimed?" Lily asked. "I don't give a rat's arse."
"Bringing Peter into this isn't going to help your argument," Sirius said.
"Sirius be quiet." Remus warned darkly.
"What a way to talk about your friends!" Lily snapped."Calling them rats?"
"Well Evans," James said. "You don't really know enough about us to be making judgements like that. For all you know, Peter may like being called a rat."
"Like anyone would like to be a rat!" Lily said.
"Oi, don't bitch," Sirius said. "That's not very nice."
"You are idiots," Lily said.
"Lily", Remus said quietly. "Please drop the argument and leave. You tried to win battles like these before and they have never ended well. Usually with James and Sirius attacking Severus."
"Oh don't act like you're his friend, Remus," Lily turned on him. "Don't you dare think that you are on the path of righteousness because you're with the popular crowd."
"That may be. Remus said. I might not be with necessarily the good guys. But at least I know what I fight for. Do you even know what Severus says about muggle-borns when you are not around?"
"Like you would know." Lily said.
"Lily, please, you're picking an argument just because you can." Remus said massaging his forehead.
"Remus-"
"For god sake, are you on your period or something?" Sirius asked.
Lily's eyes widened in shock. She reached out and smacked him across the cheek before storming off.
"Probably shouldn't have said that mate," James said.
"Well, she must have been," Sirius said rubbing his cheek.
"Sirius, that was harsh," Remus said tiredly.
Sirius looked at Remus. "Yeah." He said, his jaw flexing. "Maybe it was."
Remus sighed and leaned forward. "Okay," He said. "You've been dying to tell me since you got into the common room. What did you do all afternoon?"
"Well" James said. "Wait – Where's our esteemed Wormtail?"
"He got a little bit tangled in Herbology," Remus said.
"And you're not there to help him out?"" Sirius said shocked. "Remus!"
"Sorry, that came out wrong," Remus said. "He got someone else tangled in Devil's Snare accidently of course and Professor Sprout put him in detention."
"Oh please let it have been Snape!" James said crossing his fingers.
"It wasn't Severus," Remus said.
"Oh," Sirius said sadly. "Who was it then?"
"Barty Crouch Jr." Remus replied. "I think he might have meant to when Crouch sat mocking the Gryffindors today."
"Bloody well right he should have." James said. "I applaud him."
"I bet you do." Remus rolled his eyes. "Okay, so what did you do?" He asked.
Sirius grinned and reached into his right pocket pulling out a bottle of clear liquid. "Look what we got."
Remus took it from them. "I hope you paid for this," He said. "Thestral blood is hard to come by."
James gaped at him. "How'd you know that?" He asked before pushing his glasses up his nose. "It took us nearly an hour and a half to work out what it was."
"That's because we were under the invisibility cloak, and supposed to be in class and you know Not meant to be in Hogsmede." Sirius was quick to defend. "Not because we're stupid."
"Mm-hm." Remus said. "Guys, this thing stinks to high heaven. You opened it. Your hands are covered in the stuff I smelt it as you entered the room. It's giving me a bloody headache as we speak!"
"Wolfy senses?" James ventured.
Remus gave him a look. "Yeah," He sighed. "Okay, fine 'wolfy senses',"
James leaned back and grinned. "Knew he couldn't be smarter than us."
"Obviously," Remus said putting the bottle down on the table. "But it's mixed with something else."
"Ah, that's the alchemist ingredient," Sirius said excitedly, sitting down. James leapt onto the couch, bending his knees and tucking them under his chest.
"It's said to be ink that writes itself in a predetermined way, if certain words are spoken," James said.
"Ah," Remus said. "For that bloody map that you are so desperate to make?"
"Oi!" Sirius said. "This is a serious endeavour! One that must not be taken lightly!"
"I'm not listening anymore." Remus said, pulling out the Daily Prophet and opening it.
"He's not listening to our amazing ideas." Sirius said turning to James.
"We'll just have to make him." James said getting up from the couch. He tucked his hands into his pockets and slunk around the armchair. Remus lowered his head.
"Whatever you're planning on doing Sirius, James, I would seriously consider the fact that we are surrounded by witnesses who can all verify that it was you two who caused my death."
"Kill you? Never kill you. Not ever. No!" James said. Remus just gave him a look before picking up his shoes.
"I've had enough." He said. "I'm off to bed."
"Its-" Sirius checked his watch. "Okay, older than Merlin's smelly sock, but we have stuff to plan!"
"Don't care!" Remus called.
"Are you on your period too?" James asked and they fell about sniggering. Remus rolled his eyes and continued up the steps.
Sirius sighed. "What are we going to do now?"
James contemplated for a moment, his glasses sliding from his nose. "Well." He said. "We could go and help Pete get out of detention."
"Nah," Sirius said. "Give him the experience. Needs it."
"Fair enough." James said. "We could go piss off the Slytherins by shoving dungbombs into their common room."
"Or you know We could actually find the other common rooms." Sirius replied.
"We could do both." James said.
"Compromise," Sirius said. "I like it. We'd make a great married couple."
"No," James replied shaking his head.
"Sure? If Lily doesn't work out for you" Sirius smirked. James shoved him off the chair.
...
Peter was walking back to the common room, muttering slightly under his breath. He nodded politely towards Nearly Headless Nick before turning up the corridor towards the Fat Lady portrait. He bumped into someone, which considering that he was tiny in height, seemed quite a feat. Dorcas Meadowes looked up sheepishly.
"Sorry." She said. "I keep doing that. Bumping into people."
"It's not a problem," Peter said helping her up. She wiped her robes down and grinned. Peter felt his heart twinge a little. He couldn't help but smile back. "Where are you off to in such a hurry anyway?" He asked.
"Oh, kitchens," Dorcas replied.
"Isn't your common room right beside the Kitchens?" Peter asked.
"Yeah."
"Then what are you doing wandering near the Gryffindor common room?" Peter asked raising his eyebrow.
"That's why it was so unfamiliar!" Dorcas said excitedly. "I knew I took a wrong turn somewhere. Thanks Pete!"
Peter just stared at her. How someone be that insane yet so friendly? She gave him a tight hug before walking off down the stairs. She stopped and turned back.
"Before I forget," She said pulling out something from her pocket. "Give Remus this."
Peter took the tiny parcel and nodded, putting it into his robe pockets. "Can I ask what it is?" He said.
"Well That depends" Dorcas said. "Do you have the physical ability to do so?"
"Yes,"
"Then I think that answers your question." Dorcas smiled. "It's nothing. Just something I thought he should have."
Peter nodded and watched her skip away down the corridor a bounce in her step and her robes flapping around her ankles.
"Madness," He muttered before turning and bumping into somebody else.
"Bloody hell," Said a voice. "Didn't see you there Pete!"
James threw off the invisibility cloak and stood there grinning madly with Sirius by his side.
"What are you doing out here?" Peter asked.
"Could ask you the same question!" James said as he helped Peter up.
"I was just coming back from detention," Peter replied, wiping down his robes with dissatisfaction.
"We were just coming to bust you out of detention." Sirius said.
"Well you were bloody late in doing so," Peter said.
"Not our fault that Moony just told us." James shrugged.
"Mind you," Sirius said. "We were in Hogsmede the entire afternoon. We didn't get back until about five minutes ago."
"Ten minutes," James corrected.
"Sorry, 'ten', Merlin's beard you sound like Moony." Sirius muttered.
"I'm going to go to bed." Peter said. "Have a lovely evening. I hope you both burn in an eternal pit of damnation."
"I'm genuinely hurt," James said.
"You know I'm joking," Peter said turning to the Fat Lady. "Lorem aeterna,"
She swung open and he climbed in, closing the door behind him and making his way up to the dormitories. Remus was sitting on his bed flicking through some of his books and making little annotations at the side.
"Hey Pete," He said, not looking up.
"Hey," Peter went to his bunk and pulled off his shoes and socks before stretching out on the bed.
"Long day?" Remus asked.
"Longest yet."
"Ah."
"What about you?"
"Not as bad as I will be in the next few days."
"Why?"
Remus gave him a look and Peter clicked.
"Oh yeah." He said. "Sorry mate, forgot that."
"It's okay," Remus said. He pushed his books away and rubbed his eyes.
"Here," Peter pulled out the small package that Dorcas had given him and threw it at Remus who caught without so much as a glance.
"Who's it from?" He asked.
"Dorcas," Peter replied.
"Oh." Remus opened his drawer and pushed it inside.
"Not going to open it?" Peter asked
"No."
"Why?"
"Because."
"That's not a reason,"
"I don't like presents." Remus said.
Peter knew there was something else, but there was something dark and lingering in Remus' eyes that made him reconsider asking him anymore.