It was the day after May's full moon. James, Peter and Sirius trudged to the Potions class. They got very little sleep on full moons, as they all felt so worried and miserable for Remus.

"Where's Lupin?" asked Snape's sneering voice.

"None of your business, Snivelly," said Sirius rudely.

"Why does he miss classes every month?" he persisted.

James and Sirius ignored him.

"Don't you think there's something...wrong with him?"

Sirius turned furiously.

"I'll show you what wrong means, Snivellus!" he shouted. He swiftly raised his wand and said, "Accio chair!"

A chair from the other end of the room flew towards them. Sirius flicked his wand. The chair crashed down on Snape's head.

Lily screamed. Snape lay on the ground, knocked out.

Just then, Professor Slughorn entered. "What's going on?" he called.

"Professor—look!" cried Lily hysterically. "Black dropped the chair on Severus' head! He deliberately did it!"

"And I'll do it again!" yelled back Sirius. "I'll do it every time he pokes his nose in matters that don't concern him—every time..."

"Mr. Black, that will do," said Slughorn.

Sirius turned towards him, his gray eyes flashing.

James saw at once that he was going to say something that would get him into deep trouble. He grabbed his best friend's arm and said in a low voice, "Calm down now, Sirius."

Slughorn gave him detention for two evenings. But it could have been worse, reflected James.

Sirius maintained a furious silence throughout the lesson.

"Don't go into a mood, Sirius," said James pleadingly. "We all know what Snape's like. Why are you getting so riled up?"

"Who d'you think I should fight for, except you and Remus and Peter?" said Sirius.

"Did you get a letter or something...from...y'know—your family?" asked James hesitatingly.

"No," said Sirius shortly.

"Then what's wrong?"

"Nothing, except that I see Regulus making friends with the worst possible people—and everyday I can see that he's...going to..." Sirius stopped speaking.

James put his arm around Sirius' shoulders.

"You don't have any control over it," said James gently. "Stop worrying about it. There's nothing you can do."

"There would if—those—stupid Slytherins—would stop—" Sirius spoke haltingly. "— brainwashing him—"

James saw the heartbroken look in his eyes which had replaced the anger.

"We're your family, you know that, Sirius," said James steadily. "And we'll never do anything to hurt you like this."

Staring down at his book, Sirius muttered, "I know."

--------------------

A week before the final exams, Gryffindor won their first Quidditch cup in a decade, defeating Ravenclaw. James was the best performer yet again.

"No matter what a troublemaker James Potter is, I can't say I'm not glad to have him in my house," said Professor McGonagall with satisfaction after the match.

And in spite of her reputation of being the fairest teacher in the school, she overlooked James' fight with a Slytherin third year in the corridor—in which he came off better, of course.

James, Sirius, and Remus were top in this year too.

"How do you manage it?" asked Marlene, wonderingly. "You two hardly ever study. Remus is the only one of you who seems to remotestly care about homework and stuff."

"Brains, McKinnon," said Sirius, grinning cockily.

"Lucky you," muttered Marlene.