"What are you guys doing for Christmas?"

"Seriously Padfoot? We're not even half-way through October and you're wondering that?"

"I'm just asking. It's a normal question to ask."

"Not at the beginning of October, it's not!"

"Moving on," Sirius cleared his throat, "has anyone seen Moony lately?"

"Come to think of it, no. Wormtail?"

Peter shrugged. "I mean, I saw him near the willow in the grounds but when he saw me he got up and ran away."

"Okay, new mission-"

"Mission? What are we, Aurors?"

"Not yet. But anyway, let's find Moony and see why he's avoiding us."

Remus closed his eyes and tried to breath slowly. In for four, hold for seven, out for eight. And again. He shouldn't have run away from Peter. Or stormed away from the Gryffindor table. Peter, Sirius and James were his friends. They weren't to know about his lycanthropy anyway. Because what they didn't know couldn't hurt them.

"Hey Moony." Remus jumped and nearly fell in the lake before Sirius grabbed his arm, steadying him. "Sorry." He said, letting go of Remus. "Didn't mean to frighten you."

"It's fine. Just don't do that again or I'll hex you."

"Noted. Where were you? Today, I mean. You never miss lesson and then all of a sudden, a whole day of learning missed."

"Yeah, um, hah. Well, the thing is that-" Before Remus could properly think of a convincing lie, James ran around the side of the lake, nearly falling in.

"Moony! Thank Merlin you're alright. Where were you?" He asked at high-speed as he flopped down by Remus.

"I was just asking that."

"You missed a whole day of learning and you never do that." James said, completely ignoring Sirius. "We were all really worried about you and- where's Wormtail?"

"He's over by the Owlery." Sirius said.

"Oh. Okay. But really Moony, where were you?"

"I, um, I need to take a day off every month."

"Why?"

"Well, you saw what happened this morning. Everything was too loud."

"So you get overstimulated?" James guessed.

"Yeah, something like that. So I'm allowed to miss a day of school as long as I catch up on the homework. So," he pulled a little book and a pen out from his bag, "what did I miss?" He watched as Sirius and James' faces fell slowly. "Neither of you paid attention in class, did you?"

"Not exactly."

"Where did you say Wormtail was?"

"Over by the Owlery."

"Great." Remus shut his book with a muffled snap. "Maybe I'll get the homework off of him."

"Okay, this is not funny!"

Remus, Sirius and Peter let out a snort of laughter as James came into their dorm, a towel clapped over his head.

"Which one of you did it?"

"Did what, Prongs?" Peter asked, his innocent facade broken by the small giggles that escaped him.

"Moony? Padfoot? Which one of you did this?"

Remus looked back down at the blank pages of his book. "No clue what you're talking about, Prongs." He said, hiding a wide smile.

"Yeah, no clue. Maybe you should show us the problem, then we'll be able to help."

James glared at Sirius and pulled the towel off his head.

"I don't see what the problem is, Prongs. You just forgot to rinse your hair after you cleaned it."

"No, no I did not." James pointed at the suds in his hair. "These things won't come out." He glared at the three, who were all now laughing. "Which one of you did this?"

"Okay, okay, I own up!" Remus said, raising his hand and trying to stop laughing. "Ever Suds. My aunt sells them at her shop."

"Of course she does."

"Got them yesterday. Perfect for playing pranks. Now, to fix this." He grabbed his wand. "Aguamenti." Water sprouted from the end of his wand, drenching James' pyjamas but getting the Ever Suds out of his hair. He shook water out of his eyes and took his glasses off, wiping them on the cuff of his pyjama leg, the only part of him that wasn't soaked.

"Thank you for that, Moony."

"No problem."

Odd place to end, I know. Anyway... has anyone else memorised their wand's properties? Mine's laurel wood, 13 3/4 inches, dragon heartstring core and it's supple.
Bye,
Blaize