Peter was not at breakfast however, and Remus felt worse for not having gone after the boy in the first place. Black and Potter did not seem to have noticed.

'Can you believe it,' Potter said happily as he helped himself to porridge. 'Only two days of school before the weekend.'

'Yeah, but have you seen what lessons we have before then?' Black moaned, studying the timetables they had just been handed by the sixth year Gryffindor prefect Gideon Prewett.

'I noticed we have a free period this afternoon, and two free periods tomorrow,' James said, enthusiastically.

'Yeah, but tomorrow we've also got double Potions with the Slytherins,' Black said, looking glummer than Remus had seen him thus far.

'What's so bad about that? Gives us a chance to show off against those Slytherin losers,' Potter shrugged.

'That assumes you've got skills to show off,' Remus pointed out to Potter.

Black and Potter exchanged a look. Remus wondered what they might do with him, but then Black laughed: 'He has his moments, our Lupin.'

'Don't you worry about me,' Potter grinned. 'Didn't I tell you my father is a famous potioneer?'

'A famous potioneer and a renowned duellist, I am surprised I've not heard about this fellow,' Black said, with a hint of sarcasm.

'Well, you wouldn't,' Potter said, raising an eyebrow: 'he's a blood traitor.'

'Touché.'

'But I bet you've heard about Sleekeazy's Hair Potion?'

'Have you?' Black asked, eyeing Potter's messy hair.

'Mate, my dad invented it.'

This seemed to have the effect Potter had been hoping for.

'Wait, what? Your dad is Fleamont Potter.'

Remus who had just taken a swig of pumpkin juice, nearly choked. Fleamont? What kind of name was that?

Potter clapped Remus on the back as he coughed.

'Aha, so you have heard about him?' Potter said with a wry smile. 'The name Potter didn't give you a clue?'

'I realised you must be related, but isn't he really old?'

Potter shrugged: 'So? I told you that already.'

'Yeah, but this is like really really old.'

'So what's wrong with double potions?' Remus asked quickly, trying to steer the conversation in a different direction. While Black and Potter seemed to have taken to each other, they also always seemed like they were only a couple of cross words away from a full-blown argument.

'Slughorn,' Black said, defeatedly.

'Horace - what's wrong with him?' Potter asked confused.

The two boys familiarity with the professors of the subjects they were being taught, reminded Remus once again how isolated he had been from the wizarding world.

'So you know him, do you?' Black asked.

'Well, dad and Slughorn were together at Hogwarts.'

'Of course they were,' Black muttered. 'Yeah, that adds up. Old Sluggy is ancient too.'

'And what's your problem with him?' Potter asked again, ignoring Black's remark.

'My family likes him,' Black said darkly, as if that explained everything, 'and he's head of Slytherin.'

'Blimey, he's kept that on the low. I had no idea. I just assumed he was a Hufflepuff or something, given he was a fairly decent bloke. I mean, he is no Gryffindor - I knew that much.'

'He probably knew you were a lost cause,' Black said, his lips twitching upwards. 'You've made it pretty clear you were a Gryffindor from before the sorting.'

'But it makes sense,' Potter said: 'I mean Horace is obsessed with my dad, and dad always said that's because he's famous - that they didn't really get on that well in school.'

'That's Slytherins for you,' Black said, then adding miserably: 'and he's going to want to know why I am not in Slytherin. He even came to our house this summer to tell me all about how he would look after me at Hogwarts.'

Remus couldn't quite muster any sympathy for the Black-boy. Compared to the problems Peter was facing, having to leave his mother less than a year after he lost his father, the disappointment of one professor hardly seemed to matter. And then there was the challenges Remus was going to face, trying to balance school with his condition.

Looking down at the timetable, Remus realised that he would miss his first ever herbology lesson. Furthermore, he was likely to miss so many lessons it would probably take him until the next full moon to be on top of things again.

Just then, there was a flurry of wings and feathers as owls started swooping in, delivering letters. All three boys looked up, and sure enough, three owls landed in front of them.

'Hello, Duchess,' Potter said affectionately as a grey Tawny owl landed in front of him.

'Duchess?'

'What, is she not imperious enough for the great Sirius Black?' Potter said, glancing quickly at the Great Grey owl in front of Black.

Black rolled his eyes.

'Don't listen to him sweet-heart,' Potter said, turning back to his own owl and pushing his glass of pumpkin juice towards her. 'You are my silver diamond.'

'Technically, diamonds aren't silver,' Remus said, before he could stop himself.

Black laughed, but whether it was at him or with him, Remus didn't know.

'What have you got there?' Potter asked, ignoring this and looking at the Barn owl with interest.

'It's not my family's,' Remus said quickly. Even if owning an owl was something they could have afforded, which they couldn't, it would have been wrong of the Lupins to own any animal. They had their hands full already.

'Shame,' Potter said, still eyeing the owl. 'Usually, I don't rate Barn owls that much, but you're a majestic one, aren't you?' Potter stroked the Barn owl, and Duchess hooted, as if to get her master's attention again.

'No need to worry... Thank you.' Potter took the letter from Duchess. 'Do you want to stay in the owlery tonight?'

Remus stared. Potter didn't really think the bird could answer, did he?

But the Tawny owl seemed to understand Potter and gave him a sharp look - or was Remus imagining it?

'Alright, alright, I was just asking. Keep your feathers on.' Another pointed look between owl and owner, before Potter smiled indulgently: 'Give my love to mum and dad, won't you?'

The grey owl nibbled Potter affectionately and took off. Potter turned his attention to his letter. Remus noticed it seemed to be a rather long one.

Quickly, Remus pocketed his own letter. The Barn owl ruffled its feathers and took off.

'Are you not going to read it?' Black asked, curiously. Remus mentally berated himself. He had seen Black opening his own letter, and had hoped that neither Black nor Potter would notice that Remus wasn't prepared to read his.

Remus had recognised the handwriting on the envelope as his mother's, and unsure what she would - and wouldn't - put in a letter, he had decided it was safer to view it in private.

'I... erm... she tends to write rather long letters, I thought... I'd read it later,' he said lamely.

'Wise choice,' Potter said, folding his own letter. 'There's no way I am getting through all of this now. I mean, it's great to know that they miss me, but I knew that already. Mum doesn't have to go on and on about it for pages at the time.'

'Well, my mother seems to think a couple of lines will do,' Black said, grimly. He held out the note for both Remus and Potter to see. The handwriting was an elegant one, but that didn't quite make up for the content.

I hereby confirm receipt of your letter from September 1st.
Be advised that you are expected for Christmas.

'Well, she didn't send a Howler,' James said.

But wasn't that what Sirius Black had asked his mother to do? And what did Black expect from his mother after writing such a rude letter the previous night? Remus studied the boy that sat across the table.

'As if Walburga Black would send anything that could publicly humiliate our name,' Black said darkly. 'No, my dear Mother would rather die than have the world know what a bitter disappointment I am. Mind you, by now the whole family must know I am in Gryffindor.'

Potter bit his lip, and Remus realised he was searching for something to say.

Finally, Remus understood. Black had deliberately provoked his mother for a response. If he had ever sent a letter like that to Hope Lupin, he was certain he would receive more than two lines in reply. He would probably never hear the end of it. But Black's mother seemed barely to care, merely ignoring her son's request to stay at Hogwarts during the holiday.

Potter had understood.

Remus had thought Potter devoid of empathy, but wasn't it he, Remus, who had felt no great sympathy for Black, because Black was healthy and had both his parents? Remus felt ashamed, he should have known better. Everyone's life seems perfect, if you don't look too closely, his mother had always told him. And Remus hadn't listened, because he had been busy feeling sorry for himself. He didn't have the perfect life James Potter seemed to be living, but looking down at the note from Black's mother, Remus suddenly felt extremely grateful that he had two parents who loved him for precisely who he was. Which, under the circumstances, was a miracle.

'Listen,' Potter said finally, 'we're done early today. Why don't we go and check out this new Whomping Willow after History of Magic? Should be fun.'

Remus' heart skipped a beat as Black grinned: 'That's an excellent idea!'

A/N

Not sure whether Fleamont and Slughorn were together at school, but according to the internet, Fleamont was born pre-1909 and Slughorn was born between 1882 and 1913, so I thought, why not.