Valentine's Day and Easter came and went and spring slowly turned into summer, the air got warmer, the wind eased, the April showers swept across the castles ground, and then the summer heat bore in through the windows during the long hours the seventh years spent cooped up inside revising for their NEWTS.
Sirius was leaning back in an armchair, stretching out paying no attention to the textbooks that were laid out across the tables in front of him. "Prongsie!" He moaned, visibly bored as he tossed a piece of crumpled parchment in the air.
James looked up from his notes and grinned. "Yes Padfoot?"
"I'm bored!" He pouted exasperated. "I hate revision!"
"You haven't actually done any revision," James laughed, "You've just sat there doodling," He threw a Transfiguration textbook across the table. "Read."
"Urgh." Sirius groaned and opened the book at random. "I want to play Quidditch."
"Well we've got training later." James said returning back to his notes, pushing his glasses back on his nose.
"I want to play now James! I'm bored."
"Stop being a child or I'll set Remus on you when he gets back." James tutted.
Sirius gave a bark of a laugh and rested his head on a pile of books and almost instantly drifted off to sleep, James rolled his eyes and continued revising.
Half an hour later, Remus arrived pulling off his cloak with a sigh. "How was Muggle studies?" James asked looking up from his notes briefly, enough to flash his friend a smile.
Remus sighed again and dropped his book-bag to the floor, "Tiring, I'm tired today!" He yawned, sitting down beside him. "Although, Sirius seems more tired." He laughed, nodding towards Sirius's slopping figure; asleep leaning on the pile of books, his hair flopping over his face, shading his face from the sunlight that was streaming through the windows. Remus opened a book and looked defeated, " Y'know I really don't want to study anymore," He said.
James looked up a shocked expression on his face, "Who are you and what have you done with my friend Remus Lupin?" He asked with a laugh.
Remus rolled his eyes, "Last month's moon really took it out of me y'know? And I just can't wait to actually start these exams, so that we can get them over and down with finally."
"Yeah," James agreed. "You know what you want to do next year?" He asked.
Remus shrugged and looked away. "Not decided yet, you?"
"Me and Lil are going travelling aren't we?" He grinned.
"Oh yeah, I saw Lily with some travel books the other day, I really can't believe you're going to do that. You're lucky, you two."
"Aw cheers Moony mate! But you know-," He paused, "You'll find someone soon,"
Sirius stirred from his nap with a yawn, he straightened up, blinking, and he brushed his hair out of his eyes and grinned. "Moony my man." He smiled at Remus, then looked at James. "Are you two being soppy?"
"Soppy?" James frowned. "No,"
"I wake up and here you talking about relationships!" He smirked.
"Oh be quite," Remus huffed. "You're all loved up with Katie, even though you keep denying it Padfoot." He said and with that opened a textbook to revise.
The portrait hole opened an hour later as Lily arrived from her last lesson of the day, James looked up and knew instantly something was wrong. "Lils?" He asked carefully, closing his textbook.
"Hi," She said tightly her voice strained, her face tired.
"You okay Dear?" James stood up, took her bag and books from her, put them on the table with his Remus and Sirius's books and then led her to an armchair.
"Yeah," She sighed taking his hand and pushing him into the chair first, she then sat on his lap and cuddled up to him. "I know you've got Quidditch later, but I really need some us time. I need to not think about exams or my sister. I just want to be happy."
"What's happened?" James asked kissing her lightly.
"Nothing," She sighed resting her head against his shoulder and closing her eyes. "I'm just stressed."
"Ah sweetie." James ran his hand up and down her back in a reassuring manner. "I know how you feel, I've been sitting here revising for hours. Its killing me, at least our exams start next week." He cuddled her close. "And as for the thing with Petunia, did you reply to her last letter? Don't worry about any of it. I'll be there at the wedding with you the whole time. By the way my mum brought me a muggle suit." He smiled.
"Really?" She looked at him and half smiled. "I bet you'll look so smart."