thealmightybuttcake

James is always so loud. He's short, shorter than Sirius, but Sirius has always imagined that James is taller than him. James lacks a lot of common sense sometimes -- most times -- but Sirius looks to him for guidance. James always knows what to do. Sirius will never admit it to the other boy, but he has always considered himself a sidekick of sorts. They're partners, always. Best friends. James does not look down on him, Sirius has always been an equal. But James is the one with the plan. He is the leader. But now, putting on his dress robes, Sirius sees James, and he is so small. The night before, his eyes had been puffy and red. Now, his

Sirius can't quite believe that Remus's house is so quiet. No one is shouting. There are no house elves about, either. Remus's parents do everything. At first he thought that was the reason why they looked so tired, but now he knows there are other factors. When they saw Remus, he got hugs form both of them. Not just a quick embrace, either, but long hugs full of love that Sirius could plainly see on Remus's parents' faces. He had looked away. "Remus?" he says, now. He's in a fold-up bed that is set up in Remus's bedroom. "Are you awake?" Remus stirs in the bed. He blinks a couple of times, running a hand over his face before he looks at S

"This is it." James's voice wobbles the tiniest bit as they walk down the steps to the boats. None of them have seen these boats since the very time they saw them; their first day at Hogwarts. Remus remembers that day. He had sat on the train by himself and wondered just how long he would be able to stay at Hogwarts. Surely someone would notice that he was different, then the secret would be out and he would be sent home for more homeschooling and no friends. Sirius nudges Remus in his ribcage. "Come on, Moony. The boats'll leave without us." James and Peter are already in the boat, laughing about something or other. James keeps sneaking g

"James. It is a horrible thing we have not fully utilised our skills in all areas," Sirius says as he prods the fire in the Gryffindor common room with a poker. "What areas are you talking about?" James asks. "As we are highly proficient in most." "Potions," says Sirius, the word slow and delicate. "Potions," James repeats. "I'm not here," Remus says. He picks up his essay-in-progress, quill, ink and a small mountain of books. "I have to do this essay for McGonagall. I did not hear anything." He moves to a table on the other side of the room. "What did you have in mind, Sirius?" James asks. His eyes are wide, excited. He gets the couch h

Remus sits on the edge of his bed in the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey said he could leave a good half-hour ago, but he does not want to see his friends. Specifically, he does not want to see Sirius. "What are you doing, still hanging about? I've got students to take care of!" Remus jumps, mutters a quick apology and rushes out into the corridor. He glances at his watch; classes have finished for the day. He sighs. Sirius, James and Peter will probably be in the common room, coming up with some kind of prank. He sighs again. He contemplates whether or not he should murder Sirius. He probably shouldn't, he decides. James would be most upset.

Sirius is contemplating the rather odd object in his hand. He taps it lightly with his fingernail and he can faintly hear a springy noise coming from inside it. "Remus, I don't understand why we have to do this." "Sirius, we have to act like Muggles for the neighbours." Remus puts down the chair he appropriated from the kitchen and takes the object out of Sirius's hands. "And this is all part of being a Muggle." "Candles work just as fine as that ... thing. What was it called again?" "A light bulb. And we can't use candles, they're old-fashioned." Remus stands on the chair and reaches up to unscrew the old light bulb. "You should love the

It is a week until Sirius is due to go home for Christmas. It is snowing outside and he is glad he didn't make the Quidditch team; James is out for a last practice before the holidays and Sirius had teased him all morning about it. Remus is still asleep and Peter is doing detention for Professor McGonagall. "Remus," Sirius says, prodding Remus in the face while he sleeps. Remus stirs and swats Sirius's hand away. "Reeeeemus." "You sound like a mosquito," he mutters into his pillow. "Eeeeeeeeeeeeeh." Sirius moves in closer to Remus's ear. "Black!" Remus shouts and sits up in his bed. "Can't I sleep in one day of the weekend!" "No, obvio