Twilight mist still hung in the air around them, and the deserted station left an odd taste in their mouth as the scarlet train hung behind them without moving off for once. Steam was still pumping out of it, there were even a few pets waiting on the ground cooing or hissing at them for their owners sudden departure as the eight of them landed in Hogsmeade station.

Peter had landed painfully on a bench and didn't feel up to moving. Regulus stumbled into seemingly nothing to him, though thankfully the Thesteral only gave him a look of mild annoyance and didn't take a snap. The dejected look he gave James and Sirius before stalking onto the train to be alone was heart wrenching to Peter, but he really didn't know how to help with this one, he still had his own issues to work out with those two idiots, even if he had thought the prank had its merits and could have been funny under better circumstances.

Spotting the book down in the tracks of the train, he swallowed uncomfortably and watched for several extra moments to make sure it wasn't going to spontaneously try to run him over as he eased himself down and darted back up with his prize in hand before following Regulus in even if he didn't know what he was going to say.

There was only one compartment with all the curtains drawn, and Regulus was sitting inside chewing on his cheek so hard Peter had to fight the urge to tell him not to bite through his face.

He sat down across from him and opened the book with a whispered, "thanks." Regulus smiled and nodded while Peter started, but kept pausing for extra breath than was needed just in case, offering company but silence at least for whatever Regulus wanted.

Things had been going so well there for a moment, Regulus wanted to sob on his new friend's shoulder like a child. He'd really thought Sirius was trying to rekindle some old familial bonds with the two games and asking after him, but he couldn't get the look not really Sirius had given him out of his head, and his brother hadn't even apologized! Like he should be laughing the whole thing off like Potter had clearly wanted to back in the shop, obviously annoyed as piss at him still. Even Peter had clearly found the whole thing funny, but at least he was restraining himself from saying so and acting normal.

Regulus listened as Harry's friends blew off Harry's aspersions of Draco being a Death Eater though and at least found that of some interest. Harry and his mates got into fights every year it seemed over something or other, maybe he really was still being a child hoping his brother would just go back to agreeing with him about everything. He could still get along with him even if they had a different idea of what was fun now.

He was not going to be like his parents, he genuinely regretted now losing his temper and he shouldn't expect Sirius to act exactly how he wanted him to at all times or he would be just like them. He'd either take his brother as is or not at all, and he still wasn't sure which yet.

Frank was still detailing for Lily exactly what the invisible horse looked like as she ran her hand in wonder over the silky main she couldn't see. They weren't covered in blood, so the thestral gave no indication it even cared they were there anymore than Trevor hopping past them.

They were blatantly ignoring Potter as he amused himself setting up some fireworks he'd filched from the last location, because setting those off was really the best way to make everything better apparently, even if none of them would deny enjoying the show when he did.

When they saw Alice coming over though from her landing, she gave Frank a careful look and whispered, "please try to talk some sense into her," and left them to it, going a few carriages over and then inside of one.

"Are you two really mad at me I don't agree with you?" Alice asked in surprise as she watched the display. They'd once even agreed with her to try interacting with them more before Snape's not too distant future hurt Lily so bad, and Sirius' future had imploded their lives again.

"No," he said at once, taking her hand. "She just has no confidence in herself, telling Snape off for so many years and him never listening to her, she doesn't think you can help them anymore than I do. I still don't understand why you bothered," Frank told her, aware of how harsh he sounded, but he worried his kindhearted girlfriend was going to be quickly abused by that arse. Agreeing to not avoid them didn't feel the same as involving themselves in their lives like she was now actively trying to do.

"What Harry said really bothered him Frank," Alice patiently explained, not letting his tone affect hers one bit. "Then, this future, it's really getting to him, and with his mates still all on the ropes, I think it wouldn't hurt to offer an olive branch. He listened too, he was quite polite back there in the kitchen."

"So he knows how to charm people, we know that from only getting half the detentions he should," Frank shook his head. "I'm still on Lily's side, if you keep indulging them they'll never learn."

"They're not exactly figuring it out for themselves at this rate," she smiled. "Going round in circles like they are, trying to make everybody laugh rather than talking it out. Regulus and Potter aren't shooting each other looks anymore, I think they cleared the air and that helped a bit. I don't regret it," she finished sincerely.

He sighed in defeat, he knew he couldn't really stop her nor was he going to actively try even if he did disapprove, but tried one last time, "thought you were staying out of it?"

"I am, as much as they ask me to," she shrugged. "James didn't, he was very attentive and open even if he didn't say much."

Frank kissed her temple and squeezed her hand but let it drop as he pulled her over to the carriage Lily had gone into, piling in themselves and listening avidly to the new Slug Club.

Sirius came over to lean casually against the same carriage as him like Remus wasn't obviously still pissed at him. Sirius clucked his tongue when he received no acknowledgment, he'd given up a front row seat to those fireworks for this, but said cheerfully, "Prongs thinks I slipped you a love potion, it's perfect right? You'd be a little grumpy if I did, and now you have an excuse for your excellent flirting and groping techniques."

"Flattery doesn't get you everywhere Sirius," he grumbled, even if he did turn his head around so he could see the eye roll that earned.

Sirius just preened at the attention, as usual. Why did he have to have a crush on the biggest prat at Hogwarts again? He smiled then, that one he only ever used in the dorms for them, and was still leaning against his shoulder. Sirius had done something he explicitly hadn't wanted to, just for him in all this, so the real question should have been what had he done to deserve such a kind hearted friend.

"Here," Sirius suddenly dug something out of his pocket and handed him a bit of parchment. "My bucket list. Would you relax and think about having some fun for once!"

Remus gazed down and felt himself flush just a bit, some of this was quite raunchy and he had no idea what at least one of those was. He meant to fold it up carefully and put it in his own pocket as a show of good fun at least, already trying to plan in his head how to subtly get Sirius off the idea he didn't need others. Padfoot really was doing his best to mature from just an impulsive hot-head, which had been endearing enough for how fun that unpredictable side could be even with the downfalls of it. This new mature thing he was trying was somehow even more- his fingers didn't finish the first crease as he realized there was writing on the other side and flipped it over. His stomach dropped.

"That's a list of others you could hook up with too," Sirius leaned casually against his shoulder and began jabbing at a few names, some of them even surprised him. "The ones I check marked I've personally been with, just in case that bugs you too for some reason, but the others I'm pretty confident about from reliable sources. I could give you a list of gals too, if you want."

Traitorous tears pricked at the corner of his eyes and he quickly crumpled it up, shoving it into his pocket without looking at Sirius or anyone. Merlin he was being such a nancy, Sirius had never been subtle in his life about his many hook ups and he'd never given one indication to Remus that would change just because they were doing it now!

Sirius did care about him, just not the way he wanted, and he would just have to live with that. It was more than he'd ever dreamed in his life he could even have friends when he came to this school, what the hell was he even doing risking that on a fling?

He cleared his throat and was very pleased with himself when he sounded perfectly normal. "Thanks Padfoot. Do you mind, I'm trying to pay attention to what Malfoy's up to?"

Sirius shrugged and left Remus to his thoughts, he had more than enough fun shouting abuse at the top of his lungs at what that Slytherin did to his godson anyways as he joined James to gaze up at the fireworks.