Breakfast at Hogwarts

The Great Hall of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was bustling with activity. Another morning, a new day, and hundreds of students who came to have their breakfast before returning to their seats for lessons. With the holidays just a few days away, the young wizards and witches were particularly spirited. However, many were merely masking their nervousness about upcoming exams, whether they were ordinary end-of-year exams or the crucial N.E.W.T.s and O.W.L.s, taken in the fifth and seventh years.

The most noise came from the Gryffindor students. Their table had been the loudest throughout the school year, and today was no different from the previous mornings. Students were shouting over each other, passing around pitchers of pumpkin juice or tea, tossing bits of bread at each other, and occasionally, a wand would flicker, changing someone's hair color or length. They didn't even notice that today was somewhat different from the usual mornings – no professors came to reprimand them. After all, the staff table was empty today! The only present teacher was the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, who, instead of supervising, was reading The Daily Prophet, probably perusing the job opportunity section. He wasn't the only one completely ignoring the mischief of the youth.

Remus Lupin pushed scrambled eggs around his plate with a fork. He rested his head on his left hand, lost in thought. While this behavior wasn't unusual for him, today he wore a frown instead of his usual calm, dreamy expression. At times, he nervously bit his lip, and an occasional sigh escaped him. He hadn't eaten a single bite yet. However, his contemplation was abruptly interrupted as his fellow student repeatedly tugged at the sleeve of his robe.

"I'm telling you; you owe him a debt for life now! Isn't that great? First James, and now you!" Peter chuckled gleefully. "If he comes back, we'll have to come up with something so that he owes me and Sirius too."

Remus looked at him with a perplexed expression, trying to articulate what he felt, but he couldn't find the right words.

"Remus, you don't need to look like a ghoul," Sirius interjected. "It's not our fault that Snivellus couldn't stand himself anymore."

"Not our fault?" Remus whispered incredulously.

"And is it? Did we stab him?" James added.

"No, no, we didn't stab him," Remus sighed disgustedly. "You just stripped him naked in front of almost the entire school, and..." James interrupted him with a wave of his hand. "He shouldn't have insulted Evans! He got what he asked for, if he..."

"James, it was just a word, just an insult. And by that time, he was disarmed and head down. I should have stopped you. Yesterday, no, not yesterday, I should have stopped you, us, all of us much earlier. It should never have gone this far."

He gripped his head with both hands, desperate, full of a sense of guilt, but hesuspected that none of the remaining Marauders would perceive it the way he did.

"He's a racist! A damn racist! Pure-blood purity above all! Yes, just a word, but a pretty nasty and vulgar word," Sirius scowled. He couldn't believe that Moony intended to defend that slimy snake.

"Yes, alright, he's a racist, has stupid views, but they're still just views. We can't retaliate with violence for opinions!"

"JUST, just? Just opinions, Moony? I've been listening to these 'just' opinions my whole life, and when I hear my cousin Bellatrix gossiping about my mother... And look around, what do those with these 'just' opinions do! Can't you see what's happening outside the castle walls?"

"Sure, Sirius. However, Snape hasn't done anything to anyone yet. If you condemn him for the actions of others, it's the same as if you approved of attacks on me, because I..."

"You can't compare this, Moony! You didn't choose this voluntarily, you're nothing like Snivellus." James halted his outburst again. "Let's not spoil such a beautiful morning with these talks about Snivellus and all that. We practically have a day off, more exams..."

"A day off? James Potter! A day off? I think we all need a lot of revision! Especially you, if you want to pursue a career as an Auror, you must successfully pass the Potions exam, you know!" Remus snapped.

James smiled triumphantly; he managed to change the subject. "I'll ask Evans to give me some extra tutoring today and tomorrow. Potions is her specialty."

"I don't think she'll be in the mood," the werewolf whispered quietly. "She found Snape with me... Poppy must have given her a Calming Draught." He glanced around. "And I think she's still in the hospital wing."

The smile disappeared from James's face. "She was with you? I thought you just went for a walk to clear your thoughts. Do you often wander around with Evans at night?"

Remus swallowed; he knew James loved Lily, that he was obsessed with her. The shadow of jealousy that flashed across Prongs's face now wasn't new; Remus had noticed it several times. An inner voice whispered that one of the reasons why the Potters constantly went after Snape was precisely this jealousy. And now, with Snape essentially out of the picture, he might become the target of James's resentment.

"She couldn't sleep either, you know, upset by what Snape said, and she just needed to talk to someone. I was the only one awake, so we just wanted to have a prefects' chat," began the Gryffindor prefect to explain when suddenly, the gong rang, the first strike marking the end of breakfast. A warning for students that the first class would begin in half an hour.

The Potters rose from the table, and last of all, Peter, angrily kicked the edge of the bench. He was annoyed that none of the other boys reacted to his brilliant idea about life debts. It was as if they didn't notice him at all.

Wormtail stopped at the entrance doors and gazed toward the Slytherin table. The snakes were oddly calm. No one had yet left their seats, and it seemed they were discussing something among themselves.

"Do you think they know about it too?" he turned to Remus.

"They know, for sure. Regulus was in the hospital wing last night. With all the chaos and everything, he woke up. I saw him sitting on the bed. And I doubt he'd keep this to himself."

"Reg was in the hospital wing? Why?" Sirius exclaimed. Although he understood his brother less and less, he was still his brother.

Remus just shrugged. "How should I know?"

"Come on already, it wasn't anything serious if he's at breakfast," James laughed. "We can't be late for the last Transfiguration lesson!"