We Were works as a prequel to both All in the Family and The Life that Never Lived, despite a few minor continuity things in between the two worlds, the main point is that this is the background to these characters for both stories and while it's of course not mandatory you read this fic first to follow along, it is recommended as you get plopped in the middle of All in the Family from the end of chapter five of this one.

I've meant to do this for years honestly, but it was always one thing right after another. Better late than never, right?

Some things will diverge slightly from my Life that Never Lived Series, and very much so from All in the Family. While the core of them have remained the same and the memories and stories I wrote during my reading the books fics are all going to be found in the following chapters, some things will be slightly off or vaguely different, I have changed a bit over the years.

In saying that, this is meant as an unofficial prequal to The Life that Never Lived and All in the Family, acknowledging some tiny continuity mishaps along the way.

I still hope you enjoy.

HPHPHPHPHP

July- 1971

Peter was sitting on his windowsill, watching the passersby in the street below attentively for no good reason he could ever give his mother. There were plenty of boys at the end of the square he could actually be running around with, but they had a tendency to get bored and start picking on him if he didn't keep up, the only reason he was sure they ever put up with him was because they knew who patched up their clothes. Still, he'd come away with a black eye last time and wasn't keen to repeat that.

There was a half done puzzle on the floor behind him he still wanted to finish before he went to St. Charlie's in the fall, he knew he should put away his folded laundry mother had left on his bed hours ago, but instead he sat and watched the busy afternoon traffic as a mother pushed a carriage along with one hand and harrassed expression as she held onto a toddling boy with the other, two teenagers on their front stoop snogging, and a squat woman appearing quite out of nowhere almost in the middle of two elderly gentleman's cribbage game, tucking something up under her strange outfit as she began looking keenly at the nearest house at the opposite end of the block.

Something swooped right up to his window, he squealed and fell off the sill as it seemed to be headed straight for him.

His alarmed face still had the odd, pointed features he loathed so much in his reflection, his watery brown eyes squinted suspiciously to see the owl now tapping at the glass separating him, or at least trying to, with something clasped in its beak.

"Mum!" He called, but she didn't respond, and he belatedly remembered she was with a client and wouldn't come running unless he screamed bloody murder. They needed the money he knew, this wasn't so odd to interrupt her, was it?

He'd never even seen an owl before, let alone in broad daylight, but this one was being oddly persistent. Even the rowdy boys stopped their game and were starting to look up and notice, so Peter eased to his feet and unlatched the window rather than this somehow escalating, imaging one of them coming to tattle to his mum he was doing it somehow.

The bird hopped in, and Peter quickly sprung away, but it merely dropped the envelope and swooped back out. Peter didn't realize his mouth was hanging open until his curtains nearly flew in, and he had to spit them out as his trembling fingers reached for it.

It was an odd, heavy sort of paper he'd never felt before, the red crest staring up at him even more strange, four animals all encircling a large H, the amount of detail in it was astounding, he could perfectly make out what each was meant to be, and the letter H looked like calligraphy.

He was starting to calm a bit when still nothing bad happened and he flipped it over, only to drop it and yell in such shock he was positive now his mum must have heard while his eyes tracked the green writing. It was the most unmistakably assigned letter to him in his entire life.

Snatching it off the floor and speeding down the stairs so fast he was liable to break his neck getting down first, he barged into their tiny living room, not even registering as a woman squawked and held her bustier closer to her.

"It's alright sweety, it's just my son," Sophie Pettigrew managed to say calmly around the many needles wiggling still in her mouth, barely looking up from where she was hemming up the skirt. Her stringy brown hair and pointed face always looked especially foreboding when she was working like this no matter the pleasant demeanor she had. "Peter love, I've told you not to interrupt-"

"But mum-" he waved it around, more sure than anything this would explain every odd thing that had ever happened to him than any book on optical illusions he'd ever tried to read. Mr. Higgens yappy old dog that had chased him around the block one day and vanished just as it was about to bite him, his favorite baby blanket somehow still covering him after all these years though mother swore she never added any length to it, that ugly old brickwork he'd turned purple when that new boy had struck him last week that still nobody had painted back, this letter would explain all of that, he could feel it in his bones.

His mother looked up to him, anger starting to spark in her exasperated blue eyes as she scolded, "whatever it is love, it can wait until-"

There was a knock on the door, and both of them groaned for yet another interruption.

"It's alright Sophie," the young woman was already hopping down from the stool, picking up her day clothes she'd come in and heading for the bathroom. "We can reschedule, I don't need the dress until next month."

"Oh, only if you're sure sweetie," his mum trailed after her, "I can give you a discount-"

Peter huffed and stomped to the door, determined to shoo whoever it was away so that he could finally have his moms undivided attention.

Plans changed when he opened it to see the squat lady from the street smiling down at him. She had dark black, massive bouffant hair and wore spectacles around a chain on her neck with plenty of girth, her smile cheerful as she eyed him.

"Oh, and you must be Peter," her voice was kind at least, but Peter couldn't get over her odd attire. He'd never seen someone wear such long, heavy looking clothes, even a cloak in the middle of July.

"MUM!" He called again with absolute determination she would answer him. There was a soft catch as the backdoor closed and his mother came around, looking as exhausted as ever.

"Yes love, let's see who's at the door, then we can see about whatever you, oh, Peter, I've told you about answering that," she groaned, bustling forward and placing a protective hand on his shoulder, drawing him slightly behind her as she smiled at the strange woman without batting an eye. "Hello there, how can I help you?"

"Actually, it's I who is here to help you," she smiled, clasping her hands in front of her. "Silkie White, with the Ministry of Magic, and I'm here to discuss your son's future at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

1

"Remus, Remus you need to wake up now," his mother could shake him until his hair fell out, Remus instantly decided, as he groaned and tried to burrow further into his pillow. She knew better than anyone he needed his sleep, today of all days.

"None of that now, come, your father's still away, and he's asking for you anyways."

"Who?" His voice slurred, nearly inhuman with exhaustion.

"Professor Dumbledore, Remus, he's here and he'd like to speak to you."

Remus' dark green eyes did snap open at that, his tousled brown hair that had a few gray streaks in the bangs looked a mess, and he hadn't bothered to sleep with any clothes on, the less his scars had to brush against the better.

"Clothes, downstairs, now," she insisted, hardly daring to leave him to it as she knew full well he was likely to just fall back asleep, but Remus had found the one thing that would drag him up, pulling on the first clothes his hands touched as he stumbled down the stairs, still rubbing his bleary eyes and half convinced this was a dream.

Albus Dumbledore sat in his living room, long beard nearly trailing to the floor as he sat in fathers old seat, a warm cup of tea already in hand as Hope continued bustling around, clearly flushed and uneasy, as wrong footed for the whole thing as Remus seemed to feel.

"Thank you, Mrs. Lupin," Dumbledore's voice was calming to them both, smiling at each of them as he took a sip of his drink and clearing his throat. "Hello Remus."

Remus swallowed and had no idea what to say back, this was the first adult wizard he'd ever met besides his father, and it was the headmaster of Hogwarts?! Had he come here specially to tell Remus why he wasn't getting a letter, as if he didn't know?

His mother cleared her throat in the awkward silence and gave her son a beseeching look, and Remus finally stuttered, "he-hello, err, sir."

Dumbledore beamed back, turning his head slightly back to indicate he was speaking to both of them as he said, "it is not in the nature of the school to often make such house calls, nor do we inquire as to the decline when their place in our castle is not accepted, bad manners you see," he chuckled for himself, but Remus' ears were ringing so loud he barely heard. Everything felt weirdly bright and his brain was moving so slowly, like it was already trying to shut down before the evening rolled in. "However, when Lyall sent me a letter personally requesting we do not send an invitation to Remus, well, I just wanted to come by and make our case. Those in my staff are as aware of young Mr. Lupin's lycanthrope condition, and we've all pooled our resources together to see to it he will harm no other student or member of my faculty, if that was the concern going forward. You say Lyall won't be back until the end of the month?"

"Ye- yes he, well, we really should discuss this," she tried to say casually enough, but Remus burst forward nearly onto the hem of Professor Dumbledore's robes as he shouted,

"Mum, I want to go!"

"Remus, we, that is to say your father," his mother so rarely looked him in the eyes, and certainly wasn't today, not even for this.

"I see," his beard pooled on the floor as he frowned for the scene, his eyes only on Remus now with a kindness he'd never known, let alone how casually he was looking right at him. "Well, I shall return then, shall I? Give you all a chance to, perhaps, gain a new perspective on the matter."

He stood and offered the empty drink back. "Thank you for the hospitality Mrs. Lupin, and I can't wait to see you again. I know you don't have much experience with your husband's way of life, but please know we at my school do wish the best for your son."

She took the china back with downcast eyes for him now as well, not even looking up as he left.

1

September

"Then maybe I won't be home for the holidays!" Sirius challenged, frowning up at his parents. It was not the first time, by a long shot, he'd felt so unsettled by their absolute determination of his future, but their blatant talks of his coming holidays and all the family he hated coming over to celebrate another Slytherin before he even got on the billowing train behind him was pushing on his nerves already.

"Don't take that tone with your mother," Orion barked at once. "You should be thanking her for planning such a splendid party-"

"Like all the other ones she's always planning," he muttered, this time for himself, which was just as much frowned upon.

"Don't mutter, you should never speak unless you are going to be heard," Walburga scowled at him. "Now get on that train and show your name its proper due."

Sirius was more than happy to be dismissed, grabbing the handle of his trunk and hauling it away to the nearest available compartment.

1

Compartments were full to the brim; Peter was convinced he wasn't going to find one before the train even stopped. He hesitated outside one with several rowdy boys his age, but then a red-headed girl and a boy with black hair went storming out, and he passed that up.

Finally, he found one with only two occupants, and already hating how he knew he was coming off as a red-faced and sweaty little kid, he asked the two who were at least in their teens if they'd mind his company.

They both gave him a dismissive look, but agreed and kindly helped put away his things. He found them to be fourth-years in Slytherin, but despite asking his name politely enough, they never bothered to include him in conversation after that, so Peter spent his first train ride alone and dreading everything to come.

1

"Come on! Firs' years, follow me!"

Remus stumbled right off the path and fell to his knees in the dirt, ignoring the snicker behind him as he got back to his feet just as quickly and brushed himself off, scowling at the brunet, who went jogging up the trail after his blonde friend. He didn't regret it, he kept telling himself. The fight with his father had been worth it, he'd prove he could go to school like a normal kid, and nobody would look twice at him.

By the time he'd caught back up, all the other kids were crowding into boats and he was the last one in with a group of three girls who were all tittering with laughter and taking in everything with eager eyes. He wished he could be as well, but he'd never been around so many people at once in memory, let alone such hyperactive kids. He'd stayed up late all last night in dread he wouldn't even make it to the school before someone took one look at him and suspected what he was; he'd only gotten out of his spot because the train had stopped so abruptly it knocked him right out of his seat. The compartment full of second-years had left him there when he'd nodded off, and he'd had to madly change clothes while darting out here, what a great start to the student body of this school.

1

School had been something he was looking forward to his whole life! He loved his parents, but had led a very boring existence up to this point in his eleven years, and that was going to change starting tonight as far as he was concerned.

James could not have been more excited as he stood in line along with the other first years, and things were already starting great! The lads that had joined him in his compartment were all good fun, especially that Sirius kid, though James was still half-convinced he was joking about that name. It was the way he said it, with a superior kind of smile that James just wanted to join in on straight away. The other two blokes, Hue and Henry, were going to be great fun if they all ended up in the same house, like he was now very much hoping. He could already tell they were all going to be great friends.

He just wished they'd get to that already! He groaned and was already tapping his foot in frustration, he hadn't realized they were going in alphabetical order! That Sorting Hat's song normally would have been a treat to listen to, but he was so eager to finally just get into Gryffindor he'd barely paid attention to a word.

He'd shoved to the front of the line for nothing as Dustin Avery was called first. The broad shouldered but dusty blonde haired boy with a twisted looking sort of face shuffled forward, and he'd swear the hat took an hour to put him in Slytherin. He was so impatient he didn't care it was a hats decision, he'd try on a whole wardrobe already if he could just go eat in his house already.

He turned to watching the green and silver, snake bannered house with a sneer he hoped every student saw as they burst wildly into applause, doubling only moments later as Aubrey Bertram joined.

Patricia Bishop was the first Gryffindor though, and he clapped right along as if he were already sitting where he should be as the girls wild brown hair seemed to chase her to the nearest seat. He'd swear the gold and scarlet banner was fluttering like a siren to call him over, the lion looking right at him. He almost would have felt bad for the girl, she looked so miserable with all the attention she seemed to want to jump under her seat rather than on it.

"Black, Sirius," McGonagall called next, and at least now he actually cared about this one.

"Good luck," he grinned as he gave him a fingered salute while swaggering up to the stool. James crossed his fingers while Sirius sat there for ages, the longest student yet, but finally when the brim near the hat ripped open again, it was, "Gryffindor!"

James actually jumped in the air with excitement, and he was sure it was only the guttering candles that had Sirius' skin rather sallow looking at the end as he strutted off to the opposite end of the hall from where all the whispers and dirty looks were coming from. Several older students were watching him the whole time and hissing to each other, and James scowled at one girl in particular with long dark hair.

Dirk Cresswell, a particularly baby-faced eleven year old, finally became the first Ravenclaw, though the large blue and bronze eagle banner hanging above didn't need much indication. Atria Day became yet another Slytherin, but then it was Evans, Lily's turn, and he watched her long red hair go past him with great curiosity. He could already tell she was a fiery one, and he'd love to come down to his common room every day and see her.

The hat at first didn't seem to agree, she took nearly as long as Sirius to be sorted, but finally the hat shouted "Gryffindor," for her as well, and she had the audacity to smile back almost apologetically to someone behind him as she went off to the best table.

He turned and glared at who it could be, almost missing that it was Hue Grakin going up next to see that Snivellus ponce was watching anxiously now, but turned back in time to see his other friend from the train be the first Hufflepuff. He sighed in disappointment and watched him lope off, guess he couldn't have everything. The yellow and black banner with a badger across wasn't that bad really, but now his plans were already in ruins.

Davey Gudgeon, Holly Harkin, and Corvus Higgs all joined Ravenclaw in rapid succession before Persephone Iken broke the trend and went to Hufflepuff as well, it wasn't until some skinny, pale faced kid with light brown hair finally edged forward like he thought the hat was going to bite him did Remus Lupin finally make Gryffindor before him.

James started groaning and bouncing in place with agitation once more, he'd swear it would be Christmas before this was done as a girl that had been whispering none stop behind him this whole time finally darted forward, and Gemma Macmillan went to Hufflepuff. Mary Macdonald, a pudgy blonde girl with patches of red on her caucasian skin like she had a permanent sunburn got yet another Gryffindor privilege, and he watched curiously as she went over and offered her hand to that Evans girl, who barely noticed she was still watching that idiot behind him.

Then it was Henry Miller's turn, and James actually cussed lightly when he went to Hufflepuff as well, he and Hue clapping high fives in congratulations, and earning a dirty look from some teacher who heard him all without caring one bit. He was a porpoise looking bloke with a large silvery mustache, and he didn't care if it earned him a detention whenever he stepped into whatever class this guy taught, this night was just getting worse by the moment.

A very tall kid with a scowl already in place, Reginald Mulciber, went off to Slytherin, and then two sets of twins in a row! James was about to give it up and just walk over to Gryffindor himself when Ersa Melano yet again got Gryffindor before him, smooth black hair and lustrous skin glowing, and her sister Zeta also went off to Ravenclaw after hours of deliberation. Dominic Noble* took forever to get into Hufflepuff, Terrance* was placed into Ravenclaw at the drop of a hat.

When a fat little kid with an oddly rat looking face, Peter Pettigrew, took the longest yet and still got sorted into Gryffindor, James had stepped forward to shove him aside and take his place when finally, "Potter, James."

He flat ran to the hat and jammed it onto his head before McGonagall had finished the r in his name, and barely had time to catch his breath before the hat had whispered 'oh, you're an eager one, there's no point in denying this' and shouted, "Gryffindor!"

James leapt free with pride and took a bow before finishing his mad dash to Sirius' side, who was laughing unabashedly at the display while McGonagall was attempting to fight off a very aggrieved look amongst the many snickering students. She called for silence before beckoning Bless Shilling forward, who also got Gryffindor with much less fanfare, the poor girl.

He'd just finally turned to properly introduce himself to the red head, but she was ignoring him as thoroughly as everyone around her when, "Severus, Snape," was finally called, and he crossed his fingers once more, clearly wishing for the exact opposite of her hopeful face.

Neither had to wait in anticipation for long, as James and Sirius hooted in pleasure and Evans sunk low in her seat as the hat had a very short exchange apparently before shouting, "Slytherin."

The last girl, Grace Wilkes, looked a little green around the edges as she forced one foot in front of the other, but came over without prompting and went into Hufflepuff. James ignored Dumbledore's welcome speech, already back to whispering excitedly into Sirius' ear as if nothing had happened in between, until finally the whole hall got to eat.

1

"Friends?" Sirius asked in surprise, but when he looked again at James and counted back the last few hours, he realized that could be exactly what they might end up being. At least his parents wouldn't disapprove of this, as he was sure they would when they heard the news of what house he'd wound up in...

"What do you call it when I've spent all night talking to you," he rolled his bright hazel eyes that flashed behind his glasses lenses in the poor light. "Now come on, you going to help or not?"

"Surprised you needed to ask," Sirius said while leaping from his bed, tossing the covers carelessly somewhere in the room, landing silently in the dark dormitory.

James quickly shushed him; the two other sleeping forms in here didn't need to know about this. Both boys had agreed they had no particular liking for either, that Remus Lupin had come right up to the dormitory and went to sleep first thing, purely a boring one. The other had watched them all in a twitchy sort of way, but as he'd made no move to interact with them, they'd reciprocated in kind.

"So, any particular reason for this excursion?" Sirius whispered after they were a whole corridor away from their common room, drawing their bathrobes tighter against their bare shoulders, only a foot of space keeping them more separate than a normal stroll asked for.

"You're not curious about the rest of this giant castle?" James protested the odd question, he'd seen Sirius eying the next corridor as well as him as they forced themselves to stay with the Prefect and their new crowd instead.

"But of course," Sirius rolled his eyes, "but why now? At night," he emphasized, the two freezing up anyways as they heard a draft that sounded more like a ghostly wail just out of sight.

The two stayed silent for what felt like hours, when it was really only seconds, before James continued on in an only slightly softer tone of voice. "Better to explore now and have the whole weekend to enjoy what we find, than spend the whole week looking for something fun."

Sirius snorted in soft agreement, uttering the most quietly yet, "you're going to be a night owl, I can already feel I'm going to hate you."

"Then you'll be missing out on quite a bit of fun," James heard anyways, and grinned in the faint moonlight. "Come on, let's at least find the Great Hall tonight!"

"Yes, alright," Sirius was quick to agree, though he'd never denied he was all in in the first place. "I won't deny I'd enjoy a bit more time eating breakfast than stopping Nearly Headless Nick for directions."

"That's the spirit!" James said enthusiastically while reaching over and thumping him on the left side of his chest.

It wasn't hard, or even a particularly note worthy gesture, but Sirius reached up and covered the spot in surprise. Nobody in his home used their hands for anything if they could use a wand to do it, so this was a new motion to him. He immediately liked it and returned the same to James, the two now snickering softly along in the dead of night.

1

Lily spent her first night in this huge castle feeling more alone than she would have thought at this time. She and Sev had been so sure they'd wind up in the same house, but no matter how she'd protested to the hat she wanted to be in Slytherin like they were so sure they were destined to be, it wouldn't budge.

The room itself actually exceeded her expectations. The wonderfully soft bed always seemed at the perfectly warm temperature without ever leaving her too hot, the lavishly done bathroom somehow had magical bottles that were the exact product she preferred, and they'd already tested the little shoot in the middle of the room when one girl had dropped her bandanna into it, and it came shooting back up moments later perfectly clean and folded.

Her dorm mates weren't exactly going out of their way not to talk to her, but she already felt a bit envious of them and wasn't sure what to say that didn't sound snide. Bless Shilling had a little sister, and an owl. The golden saw-whet, Rumples, had even waited patiently at the foot of her bed to arrive almost as if he'd known she'd want to send a letter the moment she arrived here. It's not like she expected Petunia to even get close enough to an owl on a regular basis to hope her own sister would like to hear from her.

Ersa Melano was a chatty one and had been giggling nonstop the whole way up here. She'd introduced her white cat with brown splotches as Bongo while swinging him around the room, the enormous beast purring the whole time and now at the foot of her bed, and now everyone knew she had a sister in this very castle.

Mary Macdonald seemed the most friendly, she kept trying to turn and include Lily in the conversations as Ersa went a mile a minute, but she'd already let slip she was a baby sister too, with three older siblings, and they were all muggles as well. She had a sleek black cat, Nyx, whom was still hiding under the bed.

Patricia Bishop was definitely the quietest of the bunch, she'd only reintroduced herself before bundling up under the covers with a diary, or a book she was taking notes in, but clearly lost in her own little world. Her toad was still zapping flies to itself from its fresh meal, and a picture propped up next to it showed a much older teenager giving her a hug, brother, one could easily deduce.

It felt like a mockery to her all of the girls she'd be spending the next seven years with had pets which she'd been denied, and a sibling they seemed on some passing terms with, so Lily would admit it was partially her own fault she didn't share her otherness and kept to herself.

1

"Directions are to be followed to the letter!" McGonagall tried to impress upon her impressionable first years. "Any foolishness in this class will not be tolerated, and those found to be doing so will be dismissed immediately. Do I make myself clear, Mister Black, Mister Potter?"

The two froze as they tried to sneak in eighteen minutes after class had started, and realizing the jig was up, chorused, "yes Professor," in the most perfectly innocent voice one could manage. The Head of Gryffindor merely narrowed her eyes at the pair before proceeding to turn her desk into a cow and back and shooed them to their seat. Neither of the boys spared so much as a glance at their matchsticks they were supposed to be turning into needles, but instead spoke in the softest of whispers.

"It obviously was something," James persisted from their interrupted argument, which Sirius had hoped to avoid by deciding to try and attend the last few minutes of their first Transfiguration class their first Monday morning. "Are you trying to tell me there's someone else who got a howler this morning, named Sirius in Gryffindor who's a sudden disgrace to his-"

"Alright," Sirius said through gritted teeth, "if you must know, it was my mum!"

James' mouth flopped open, before he slowly closed it and turned back to his desk without even seeing what was in front of him. He left it be the rest of class, but once they were back in the bustling corridors, he rounded a different tactic, muttering instead the injustice they were the only two given homework.

Sirius seemed more than happy for the change of topic, and the two kept an almost pleasant rapport the rest of the day. They were the last to make it to the common room that night, having been chased away from the shadows of the forest by Hagrid at last around curfew and deciding maybe it would be best to attempt homework, even if they hadn't a clue how to get started on their Transfiguration practice. Then they found the notes left out in neat, blocked writing, and smiled in delight for the layabout first-year.

1

October

"Years?" The girl laughed, "it only took me three months, she was lying-"

Peter began to shuffle closer, even though they were a year above him in Ravenclaw, he was admittedly curious and wanted to ask-

"Oof!"

"Watch it Pettigrew," his books went scattering along the corridor as a Hufflepuff in his year went sprinting by, and the two girls he'd been trying to listen to gave him a scathing look for his Charms book nearly smacking against one's ankle. They flounced off while he collected his things and they went along to their next class.

"Here," Remus Lupin offered him his One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi text back.

"Oh, thanks," he sighed, quickly stuffing that away as well. Realizing they had the next class together, and the walk down would be more awkward if he didn't say something, he blurted out the first thing that came to mind, "do you even know Juniper Carnell? She's not in our year, be hard to put a good word in for anyone, let alone that Ravenclaw kid."

Remus blushed faintly and began plucking at the sleeves of his school robes, which already had loose frays around the edges as he began walking down the corridor without glancing back. "Heard that, did you?"

"If you needed to borrow someone's notes, why not ask me? Or those other two, who are actually in our house?" Peter asked curiously following along just slightly a step behind. It's not like he'd told him to go away, yet.

"Didn't want to bother you lot," he said evasively.

"Why weren't you in class yesterday anyways?" He asked with a friendly enough laugh, he hoped. "It's barely been a month, even those layabouts have only been skipping History of Magic so far, let alone something as easy as Charms."

"Overslept," he shrugged, seeming rather fascinated by a portrait occupant chasing a dog rather than looking at him. Well, it certainly looked as if he needed it.

He seemed really keen on letting the conversation end there, and Peter took pity on him. "Alright then, I'll make you a better deal. Go give that Reginald bloke his notes back, and you can share mine. I'll even throw in my Potions notes."

"What's the catch?" He seemed surprised by the gesture, fair as this was the first proper conversation they'd had.

"Was hoping I could watch you closer this time actually, in hopes I'd figure out how you've managed to get your match to catch fire. I've yet to."

"Ah, saw that did you," he blushed even brighter than before, but his eyes shone with just a bit of pride. "Even Flitwick didn't seem to, I only managed it the last second of class."

"Well I did," Peter promised, "and if you don't help, then I'm likely to get a detention. At this rate, I don't think extra practice is going to cut it like Flitwick's hoping."

Remus pursed his lips as he hopped a trick step, they made it all the way to the Great Hall and crossed down into the dungeons before he finally began to answer. "Yeah, alright Peter, you've got yourself a deal."

Peter grinned and thanked him, but frowned when the guy still sat by himself in the back of the classroom as he had been the past month. James Potter and Sirius Black took the one across from him for themselves, so he once again sat next to a pretty Slytherin girl with ebony dark skin and even messier black hair than James, right at the front. She gave him the same polite smile before dutifully ignoring him as Slughorn got the ball rolling.

Remus felt bad for Peter, he clearly was trying to make friends, he just couldn't risk it for obvious reasons. His dad had stressed beyond anything else not to draw attention to himself, and so far during his first few weeks he was managing that quite well.

"-Mr. Lupin, care to answer?" Remus startled in his seat, not realizing he was dozing off again.

"Ah, no sir," he muttered.

Slughorn tutted disapprovingly and finally allowed Evans to answer, "Hector Dagworth-Granger."

"Correct, five points for Gryffindor," he congratulated. Some part of Remus appreciated that Slughorn tried to give the rest of them a chance to answer, the rest of him glared resentfully he'd tried giving him a chance when this was arguably his worst subject so far. The room was so poorly lit, the air so warm its like his eyes were already begging to be shut for a good nap, and Slughorn only gave the most passable of interest to him in particular, far more enamored fawning over Evans and Snape, as well as trying to encourage James Potter and Sirius Black, though he often failed at the latter as they seemed to intentionally over boil their cauldrons in retaliation. Thankfully nobody had noticed Remus laughing at that though.

Thankfully class was dismissed without any other fanfare. Not thankfully, he'd once again somehow managed to attain an onlooker.

"It was a hard question," he looked up to find Lily Evans standing before him with a proud smile despite her kind tone. "Don't beat yourself up so much."

He just gazed blankly at her, nothing to say for that. She kept standing there though, so he blurted the first thing that came to mind. "Did you know lilies were bad omens?"

She took a step back, looking hurt and confused now, and he wanted to kick himself. He was spared any more of that though by a bloke with a hooked nose coming up and tapping her on the shoulder, and she thankfully left with him.

Things didn't get better the rest of the day when he skipped lunch and spent the time catching up on homework without that Peter's notes in hopes to discourage that from becoming a repeat performance, and then was almost late to Defense Against the Dark Arts. Professor Trocar was a creepy bloke, with his long dark hair falling in lank curtains, the pale, almost spider-like hands where the nails came to points, and his dark robes the exact same shade of black as he kept the curtained room. It also covered every inch of exposed skin the few times he'd left his classroom, with added gloves and a head scarf with only the tiniest slits left for his eyes. Rumors were already heavily circulating about him, Remus had already seen Peter twice now listening avidly to two Hufflepuff boys swearing up and down he was a runaway vicar.

Today he had them studying werewolf bites, and he wished he could just vanish already. Coming to school had been a terrible idea.

1

"Usually this doesn't happen until the second date," Sirius tried to say around the fingers.

"Shush," James pressed harder against his mouth with his hand. "I'm trying to listen!"

"What for?"

James didn't know why he bothered with his hand, Sirius hadn't shut up nearly since the moment he met him. Maybe if he asked about his Mum again he'd keep his trap shut for more than five seconds so he could hear this. "To know who's going to be walking the halls tonight, I'd think you'd know as well as I who's better to be caught by- damn!"

To late, over his own hissing whisper Professors Sinestra and Burbag had finished their discussion and were now walking off. James sighed in defeat and gave his mate the stank eye as he finally dropped his useless hand. "Are you actively trying to stop me from going out again?"

"And miss another sleepless night? The thought hadn't even crossed my mind," Sirius rolled his eyes. When James' stern gaze kept at him though, Sirius shuffled his feet awkwardly for a moment before muttering something.

"Come again?" James asked mock politely, heading down towards the staircase once more.

Sirius sighed obnoxiously loudly in his ear, before pulling back and saying just a touch more audibly, "I'm trying not to get into any more trouble for now, I'm already going to be in the thick of it come holidays."

Interest peaked at once, and James tried once more to cajole out of him just what Sirius wasn't saying. Considering they were heading down to their first flying lesson right now, he thought Sirius would be in a better mood. Certainly they hadn't stopped having chats about their favorite Quidditch teams and moves for weeks now.

"It's no big deal," Sirius again waved off. "I'm just on thin ice because I didn't end up in the house they wanted, don't want to cause more of a stir for now."

"Right," James noncommittally agreed. It was the most he'd yet said about it though, so he grudgingly let it drop, but he didn't really buy that. Sirius seemed more than happy to come along last night when they'd finally taken their first steps into the fantastical Forbidden Forest. They'd only managed to go a dozen feet along the first trail before hearing Hagrid approach and scarpering, but they'd both been eagerly whispering what there was to be seen the whole time there, inside, and back. Something was holding Sirius back from being his full self, and James was determined to get to the bottom of it. He had a feeling it would be more than worth it when he did.

For now though, the two made it onto the grounds with Madam Hooch at the waiting, her hands behind her back. It was an overcast day, the lightest of drizzles already trying to trickle down the back of their robes, but neither boy gave it even a second look as they got eyes on the school brooms.

They'd already snuck down onto the pitch, of course, and seen these in the school's broom cupboard storage area to see for themselves the travesty they were, but at least that also meant they knew which were the best of the worst and quickly aligned themselves across from that duo they'd seen on the train, Snivellus and Evans.

Sirius scoffed at the two trying to stand slightly apart from everyone else, whispering and clearly conspiring over something. He didn't see why James was eyeing the pair with such an odd look. The girl's hair was already plastered to her face like a wet cat's, and the bloke's long hooked nose seemed more protuberant than ever with his greasy hair pushed out of his face.

He'd seen Evans around the common room, with James even trying to chat with her on a few passes. She ignored him at every turn, like she actually expected him to apologize or something for that train scene before she'd talk to them again. At least, that was James' best guess, only making him laugh and try again. However, he eyed the Slytherin tie Snape wore with envy, his mother's cruel words still ringing in his ears from that first breakfast. He'd meant it when he said he wanted to break the tradition, but wouldn't deny he'd also had a pit in his stomach ever since it happened. The Howler was just the start, he was sure of it. What would his parents really say and do when he went back home?

More than that, why did he care so much? Why should he, when he hadn't really done anything wrong?

"Mount your brooms!"

Sirius came gratefully to life and swung his leg out of the small mudpuddle he'd been standing in, now crouched at the ready. The other first-years seemed far more reluctant to be doing such a thing. Even the ones who obviously knew what they were doing, judging by their grips and positions, didn't seem eager to show off. Only James, beside him, had his head tossed back, a smug look already in place; he knew he'd be the first to rise the moment Hooch's whistle touched her lips.

It never happened though, as the scrawny boy's grip tightened too much with nerves, and then the broom was bucking like a wild animal. Still mounted and now being shot off for the ride, Mary Macdonald burst out laughing as Snape went in a jagged path a dozen feet off the ground before finally losing his grip and falling arse back in the mud.

Sirius barely heard everyone was laughing hard for the display he was howling so loud, except Evans, who went sprinting to his side with a look of concern, though she was hiding well the twitching lips he'd seen in place moments ago. She offered him a hand up, and he took it with his head still bowed.

James was laughing hardest of all as he called out, "see that, Evans! Snivellus is now collecting his own slime to add to himself!"

She shot him a look filthier than the muck around them and stormed off with Snape while Sirius was starting to get a stich in his side. Madam Hooch seemed to agree and called for a close for now; they'd try again later. Then she went sprinting off after the wayward broom.

James was quick to follow after, and Sirius was quick to follow him, shaking the now dripping hair out of his own face with a genuine smile as he realized this was the most he'd laughed since that stupid Howler. It would probably be even more distracting from his own thoughts to egg on from behind, "would you look at that, Snivellus is leaving a trail of grease behind him now, I doubt that'll come out in the showers!"

James released his own bark of laughter beside him, though the two ahead refused to even look back this time. Sirius wasn't even tempted to follow them to see the Slytherin common room: for the first time, he and James were laughing the rest of the way up to their tower.

1

Lily had never been looking forward to a Halloween more than she was this year! Father always had to work on them, and mother never felt comfortable enough just taking the two of them out by herself past their own street and neighbors, leaving pathetic amounts of candy in their bags. This year though there was nothing stopping her from gorging herself silly, even if she was still getting used to all the magical sweets. The holiday even fell on a Sunday, so there were no classes, it was like her birthday had come early!

"Do wizards dress up for Halloween?" Lily asked Mary the week before the day just to check. Normally she'd just ask Sev, but the last time she'd asked him such an ignorant question around the other Slytherin lot he hung around they'd laughed so loud she hadn't heard his answer, and she hadn't been able to get an alone moment with him out of their company since. Usually she'd have her costume ready on the first, but she hadn't seen anybody else really mentioning such a thing and still felt her conversations sounded stilted when she tried asking any Muggle related thing.

Ersa and Bless were still babbling full speed at each other and didn't even seem to notice, so Mary was legitimately distracted as she answered, "err, no. Heard the school does something but- Ersa no McGonagall will give us detention for weeks!"

Lily didn't bother to listen in on what they were saying as Mary tried to talk them down from, something, and hid her disappointment as she finished her meal and missed Mary trying to turn back and say the rumors she had heard, she'd already left.

She awoke the morning of with a smile on her face and was not disappointed the entire day. Not only did Potter remain far to distracted with that Black kid pulling some ridiculous prank involving sizzling dragon boogies on some Hufflepuff boys, her and Sev had a great laugh all day about looking up some of the fun stories involved in the auspicious day, and she got to eat candy apples for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! This was definitely the best holiday she'd had in a long time.

1

November

Towers and classrooms and corridors became his new best friend as Remus strived to avoid fellow students. It's not as if he disliked any of them - that James and Sirius had actually made him laugh several times when they got started with their loud jokes in the common room that very clearly weren't just for each other judging by the crowd that inevitably formed around them.

Peter, too, had already shown he'd be a valuable friend, but he was far too vigilant for his own good. The twitchy way he watched everything made Remus nervous he'd pick out the pattern of his disappearance any day now.

So he took to going about the castle instead, convinced by Halloween he knew the area better than any other first-years, as he'd already discovered four hidden passages, one that even a fifth-year had been surprised to see him come out of.

It was nearing curfew when he heard a mad spitting and hissing noise like an angry vacuum, but he didn't even have the chance to round the corner when something streaked by so fast it was nearly a black blur. Stumbling around the last step, his brain finally caught up with him, that had been Mrs. Norris covered in ink.

His eyes immediately fell on the culprit. Lily Evans had her hands clasped to her mouth in horror, the broken bottle splashing the lower half of her legs as obvious as a trail of blood.

Her eyes locked on his, the two didn't even have a moment to exchange words before the soft hiss of return was all the announcement they got as Filch came wheezing out from behind a statue, looking murderous.

"You!" His popping eyes passed right over Remus to land on the poor redhead. "You've befouled my cat! I'll have you kicked out for this! Rotten degenerate first years, no respect for-"

He reached out to grab her shoulder and begin steering her to her doom below, so Remus finally darted forward and spat on impulse, "oh that cat deserved it, curfew isn't for another twenty minutes and she wouldn't stop following me. It's not the girl's fault the ink splattered on her."

Her green eyes went painfully wide, she had a split second to react. Remus mouthed run at her, and she only hesitated another moment before taking off, leaving splattered footsteps behind Filch didn't even blink at as he stayed locked on his target.

Filch was not as bad as his word, though he was sure his only saving grace was that expulsion was not in the caretaker's power. Mrs. Norris spent the entire time he received his ragging in the corner licking herself clean with a disgusted look at him as if he had been the one to do it.

Remus would swear it went on for hours, but finally he was released and indeed did not make it back before curfew, and felt near tears with exhaustion for trying to cajole the Fat Lady to accept his late password when he heard the second hissing noise for the day.

Looking wearily around and mentally calculating if he really could be in detention until seventh year for something already, he instead saw a hand flashing around the corner beckoning him back towards the shadows. He turned dismissively back to the portrait and tried one last time, "come on, you can't act as if Dancing Daffodils is valid during school hours only-"

"Remus Lupin!" Came an almost shout now, and bowing his head in defeat at the Fat Lady's unimpressed look, he finally shuffled off to his next catastrophe.

He found his summoners to be none other than his dorm mates James Potter and Sirius Black, looking delighted to see him - for the last time, he hoped.

"Yes?" He asked wearily, when they just kept grinning at him. He noticed for the first time he was slightly taller than both of them.

"We heard what you did to Mrs. Norris," James began eagerly.

"Just wanted to say congratulations," Sirius added on, "Nick told us about Filch bawling you out for a solid hour over it."

"Sorry we misjudged you," James finished with a knowing smile that Remus wished he didn't know.

"Oh, no, no, you didn't," he tried to quickly dissuade them of those looks, the sudden image of him being front stage with these two as the whole common room laughed at their jokes making him feel faint. "I, ah, just lost my temper," he quickly fibbed. Then he internally rolled his eyes at himself for even that, apparently lying was just ingrained into parts of his life he didn't even need it to be now, there was no reason they couldn't know the truth, it's not as if they were going to go back and tell.

"Well, we'll be sure to keep an eye out for your temper then," James said with a snicker. "How'd you like to come explore the grounds with us?"

His mouth opened with a sort of internal scream that had been staring in all of his nightmares, the werewolf inside of him breaking loose from the miserable shack and making it to the school, his three roommates somehow the ones caught-

"Oh don't act all high and mighty now," Sirius rolled his eyes at what he seemed to think was an exaggerated expression. If only he knew. "We're already out past curfew, and the Fat Lady won't take pity on us and let us in until at least midnight-"

"Or McGonagall, or a Prefect shows up and makes her," James agreed. "Then we'll lose house points anyways."

"So what's the harm?" Sirius finished.

Remus swallowed painfully, he really couldn't think of a way out of it.

"Come on then!" They didn't seem ready to take no for an answer, regardless, each grabbing an arm and dragging him back through the castle.

"Not that way," he finally whispered on the fifth floor, "the Prefect's bathroom is that way, come around here." If he was coming along, he may as well try to avoid getting caught.

With his direction the three finally made it onto the grounds, using a window in an empty classroom on the ground floor to go out, rather than the large, noisy front doors. He breathed the fresh air in deeply - the moon wasn't even half full yet, and he forced himself to keep remembering that as they left the shadows of the castle.

"So what are we doing out here then?" He finally asked at normal volume, no real fear of being caught out here so long as they stayed away from Hagrid's cabin.

"Going to have another poke around the Forest," James said casually.

Remus gazed blearily at the two like they were ink-covered cats streaking about in the dark. "Why?"

"Why not?" Sirius snorted. "Can't hardly call it Forbidden when it's right over there, it's like they're challenging us to have a look!"

"Oh yes, can't argue with that logic," he muttered under his breath snidely.

The two seemed to hear anyways, and snorted in surprised laughter, exchanging another grin and looking back at him with winning smiles he finally tentatively returned. "Wait, another?" He caught up in surprise. "How many times have you two been doing this?" He was almost amused now, clearly they had more subtlety than he'd initially thought.

"Oh, what'll this be Sirius, the fifth time?" James said casually.

"Yeah, we didn't last week because we wanted to go watch the Quidditch tryouts instead, and that's the best birthday present I've had in ages! I'm hoping something really good comes of tonight to keep it going," Sirius nodded, and he began jogging ahead.

James immediately joined his pace, adding, "Sirius, you can't pretend the whole month is your birthday, it's not relevant after twenty-four hours!"

Remus wasn't so reluctant to go along anymore as curiosity began to get the better of him.

The two picked up on a path almost straight away, giving credence to their claims - as if Remus had needed it - they had indeed been at this before. The two admitted after about thirty minutes in here this was as far as they'd gotten in the past though, as Hagrid always seemed to be somewhere nearby.

"You're not worried about that though, surely," James added with a faint smirk.

"Well, I've already got detention till Christmas, I'm sure he can't do worse," Remus shrugged.

Stumbling slightly through a spiderweb to keep up now, he almost lost sight of them at the fork in the next path. It only then occurred to him this could all be some elaborate joke to the pair, getting him in here only to lose him on purpose so he'd be lost and have to get caught to get out. Their first two months here and they'd already had a penchant for causing other sorts of trouble.

"Err, happy birthday!" He called to try and keep them in sight just a few moments longer.

"Right, yeah thanks," Sirius waved over his shoulder, only half glancing back before seeming to realize the great space between them. Rolling his eyes, he jogged back, and then did a little circle around Remus just to prove his point.

"You're not too fast, are you?" James called back in surprise, now waiting impatiently for the two to catch back up. "It's no wonder you didn't scarper before Filch caught you."

Remus had a snide remark for that as well, but he froze as he saw something up ahead on the trail.

Sirius stopped running circles immediately, turning expectantly on the spot, but James had started half walking backwards and frowning at them and nearly ran right into it.

"Stop!"

"James!"

He froze with one foot half off the ground, wobbling uncomfortably for a moment before very slowly turning his head to see his backside was only a dozen more feet away from an erumpent.

It was grazing along the edges of the trail, eating the shorter grass that had been well trampled without a concern for the three. Its explosive horn glowed a faint red in the dark light, otherwise it was just a massive blob of lethal shadow.

"What is it?" Sirius hissed beside him.

Remus explained for them, adding on, "they're quite friendly, but ah-"

"Don't pat the horn, yeah, got that part." James started backing towards them anyways, looking perfectly minuscule in size next to the large herbivore.

"I wonder what it's doing in here, I thought they were only native to Africa," Remus couldn't help the curiosity burning in him and made no move to continue the retreat.

"Maybe Hagrid's got one in here as a pet, heard Peter saying a mad rumor he likes to do stuff like that." James shrugged almost casually as he made it back to them, and then kept walking past now.

"Sounds like a good present for Snivelly instead," Sirius offered, grabbing Remus's elbow and towing him away as well.

"Who?" Remus asked distractedly, still trying to keep an eye on the fascinating creature, but then they reached the fork from before, and he found himself miraculously relieved when the two began heading back towards the school instead of taking the other path. At least these two knew when enough was enough.

1

"You saved my life you did!" Lily Evans said profusely.

Peter sunk even lower in the high back chair as he heard Remus respond, "it's alright, really, I'm not mad. You know how you can repay me though?"

"Anything," she said at once, and Peter was now fighting the urge every second to glance around his seat just to watch instead of listening. "I'll help you with your potions until then, you can sit next to me. I, ah, saw yours boiling over last class, and you probably-"

"No, no," Remus quickly waved off, "I just want to know, why did you do it?" He asked with what sounded like a genuine laugh.

"Oh," Peter didn't need to see her face to hear the blush in her voice. "It was an accident, I swear! I was practicing my hover charms out there because the common room was so crowded, and she came up right behind me and startled me, I dropped it on her."

"That's it?" Remus asked in sympathy, "here I thought-"

"Oi, Remus!" Sirius and James made a whole heard of noise running down the boys' staircase, and quickly cut off anything else. Now Peter really couldn't resist, and he turned as little of himself as possible around to see the two making their way over to the duo, James Potter still shouting at the top of his lungs. "Hey, last night I meant to ask-"

James stopped in surprise, and then ruffled up his hair with an even brighter smile. "Alright Evans? Finally stopped hanging around that mess of a guy and found some good friends?"

Peter was now certain he could have spotted that scandalized look from the dungeons below as she turned poisonous eyes back on Remus. "Is that why you did it? He put you up to it! Ugh!" She stormed out of the common room so fast he was surprised not to hear the Fat Lady scolding her for knocking her painting around.

"What was that about?" James asked Remus in surprise. Peter smiled to himself at knowing the answer to that at least.

"Nothing," Remus said, and he looked a touch contrite now as he still watched where she'd left rather than them. Maybe he really had wanted that Potions help.

"Well anyways," Sirius was clearly more willing to let it go as he tried, and failed to continue, "we wanted to ask - oi! What are you doing, you little snoop?"

Peter jerked back around in his chair as he finally realized he'd been caught, but too late. James and Sirius came around to face him, Sirius with a still very annoyed look on his face.

"Wasn't," Peter said at once. "It's a free common room, and you lot are being loud." That was true enough, Peter hadn't needed to be where he was to hear the end of all that, and several older students were rolling their eyes in annoyance and shuffling homework around very obviously. One redheaded sixth year seemed almost impressed five little first-years could make so much noise.

James seemed appeased as he glanced around and realized the same, then ruffled up his hair again with an almost smug grin at having so much attention without barely an effort. Sirius, though, was still eyeing him in a sideways look Peter wasn't so sure he liked. He turned back to Remus and beckoned him to follow, and then, surprising all three of them, James then offered the same to him.

Peter didn't even hesitate to go.

Remus trailed several paces behind with many a reluctant look back as if deeply regretting this, while Peter stayed right on their heels as they led the way only a corridor over.

"So, what's this about, then?" Peter asked eagerly.

"And since when do you two need us for anything?" Remus sighed. "If it's another trip into the Forest, I'd really-"

Peter did a double-take and tried to interrupt, sure he'd heard wrong, but was ignored.

"Not yet," Sirius waved off, "but we do need just a smidge of help with something, and we're going to be doing some planning in the dorm, as it's the most out of the way place from other students except you two, so you might as well know."

"I'm game!" Peter promised at once. He'd been wanting to offer help on every occasion previously, but hadn't wanted to come across as needy, now they were offering!

"I've already got enough detentions," Remus began to protest at once, trying to back away quickly now, "I don't think I need-"

"You won't get in a lick of trouble," James swore at once.

"Yeah, it's a one-time thing," Sirius promised.

1

December

"Promises are made to be broken," Sirius pointed out with a snide smirk.

"It's my own fault," Remus agreed with a little huff, "but what's to stop me leaving now, eh? James and Peter aren't here this time to gang up on me."

"Remus, there's no ganging involved?" Sirius' eyes went wide and innocent, but he kept his wand at the ready.

"Uhhu," Remus rolled his eyes, "and if I say no to this, I certainly won't find a dung bomb under my bed, again."

"That wasn't because you wouldn't help us get back at Aubrey Bertram for pantsing Peter," Sirius reminded, "it's because you made me miss breakfast that morning. Now either shush, or leave, they'll be here any moment."

"This is the last time I stay over holiday with you alone," Remus vowed, then did indeed keep his mouth shut as Snape and Evans came around the corner, laughing about something loudly.

Remus stayed at the corner in the shadows, ready to warn Sirius Filch was coming at a moment's notice, while Sirius cast his spell at the two. The armor came to life, and so many first-years suspected them to do this on their own, their attention was immediately diverted from Sirius to see the spectacle. The last time they would ever make such a mistake, as Sirius then ran forward and shoved dung bombs down both of their shirts before taking off with little spurts of laughter.

He'd barely made it back to Remus' side when they went off and the two could be heard yelling in disgust. They may not even have realized who'd done it, it all happened so fast.

Sirius had his chest puffed up and was all but strutting with pride, bragging all the way back to the tower. "Glad we finally got Evans, I've been wanting to do that every time she sucks up to Slughorn. I don't know why James is always trying to keep her out of it."

"Possibly because she stays out of it," Remus reminded him as they got the best seats next to the fireplace. Sirius pulled a whole candy shop worth of sweets out of his pocket, and Remus had long since stopped scolding him from stealing those out of random student's bags, as several were passed to him .

Sirius devoured two cauldron cakes on the spot without answering.

"You two are the ones always starting this mess," Remus kept going anyways.

"'M not!" Sirius protested around his treat. He swallowed the next one whole so he could continue better, "just last week he used the Jelly-Legs Jinx on James!"

"And who put porcupine quills in his potion the week before that?" Remus pointed out.

Sirius gave him a scowl and snatched a pumpkin pasty out of Remus' reach. "Who's side are you on?"

"Whichever side doesn't get me more detention. Filch has finally released me and I'm not eager to go back," Remus shrugged.

Sirius rolled his eyes, though he was still admittedly impressed by that enough he gave back the sweet, and changed the subject himself. "Speaking of going back though, why did you stay behind? As much as you're always skiving off to go see your mother, I thought you'd delight in spending the holidays with her without the cost of school."

Remus took his time chewing - the slowest he'd ever allowed his sweet tooth, Sirius noticed - before answering, "she felt bad all the school I'd been missing, she insisted I stay behind and enjoy this experience at least." He looked into the firelight the whole time he spoke. Before Sirius could offer any condolences, he was quick to divert, "and you? Peter told me before he left you haven't had a scrap of mail from anybody except that first day, shouldn't you be wanting to see them?"

Sirius didn't dignify that with an answer, not until he came up with his own, and instead leaped to his feet and proclaimed a game of gobstones was now needed.

1

Lily had already forewarned her parents she'd spend holiday at school with Sev, a decision she was even more grateful for when she received her present from them and didn't have to hide the annoyance in person. A medical journal this time. Were her parents ever going to get used to the idea she may not choose to go to some fancy college like they had? Nobody had ever pressured Petunia to be doing any such thing.

Despite having to pass by that Black and Lupin idiot every time she went to meet up with Sev, she found herself almost skipping around the nearly deserted castle, as all of the people he kept trying to bring along had gone home too! Both Mulciber and Avery had given her snide looks every time when Sev wasn't watching, and he had yet taken the hint when she'd asked him to stop bringing them, now it was just the two of them for another whole week!

She arrived for lunch in the Great Hall and smiled to see he'd shaken things up with so few students present and had grabbed a seat for the Slytherin's right by the Gryffindor's usual table on the far right, the green and silver banner the only indication she couldn't join him as she was the first to sit down at her own and ignored now the lion appearing above her table. He wasn't in as good a mood as her though, and she didn't dare ask if his parents had even bothered to acknowledge the holiday this year. It really was a toss up of her implied presents and his non existent ones who got the worse deal, so they usually didn't talk about that anyways.

"Hey Lily!" He finally stopped picking at his roast as she whirled in her seat and finally got his attention. To her surprise as much as his it seemed, he did in fact pull a wrapped gift from his cloak and waved it around with such a tight grip, she was already wondering if he'd ever let it out of his sight. "Mum sent me something, can you believe it!"

"That's great Sev, what is it!" She beamed, completely forgetting her chowder behind her as he began ripping into the messily wrapped gift. It had been so hastily done together, he barely had to tug to get it off. A battered, used book flopped out.

The two leaned forward curiously to find it said Advanced Potion Making by Libatius Borage. The cover was already frayed around the edges, but when Severus reached gingerly forward like he thought it would turn to dust at his slightest touch and flipped the first page open, they found a picture taped to the inside. It was of a skinny girl of around fifteen. She was not pretty; she looked simultaneously cross and sullen, with heavy brows and a long, pallid face. Underneath the photograph was the caption: Eileen Prince, Captain of the Hogwarts Gobstones Team.

"This was my mum's," Sev breathed in excitement, looking likely to explode any second.

"Wow, I can't believe she held onto it all these years," Lily whispered beside him, reaching forward gingerly and flipping to the first potion. It was so advanced it made her head spin.

"Ugh, really?" Black needlessly shoved between their two knees as he went strutting down to halfway up the table and stretched as far as possible.

"It's only for the day Sirius-" she rolled her eyes and turned back before she had to hear the rest of what Lupin said, but Sev had already snatched the precious object back into his lap.

She decided against asking what had him so upset when she'd first come in then, he was just too excited as the two gave up on their meal anyways and went sprinting off to the dungeons to check this out further.

1

January

James came bursting into the dorm, Peter right on his heels, snow still in both of their hair as they eagerly looked to tackle their friends after a fortnight apart.

Sirius hardly looked up from Quidditch Teams of Great Britain and Ireland, and Remus was asleep.

"What on Earth have you two layabouts been doing?" James demanded in disgust.

"Enjoying the peace and quiet," Sirius snorted, before slightly looking over his book with a mischievous grin regardless. "Had a good holiday?"

"Absolutely," James agreed, before pulling a camera from behind his back, and snatching a pillow off the nearest bed.

It happened to be Remus', who nearly snorted and slept on without the feather prop. James chucked it across the room and timed the snapshot perfectly just as it swatted Sirius in the face and he fell out of sight.

Sirius bound to his feet and tackled James in revenge, the two now wrestling about the ground. Peter dived in long enough to save the camera, and then took a candid shot of Remus still sleeping through this ruckus with fists flying and feet kicking just on the edge of the view.

"It's a good thing we came back when we did," James grinned as he held Sirius in a headlock now. "You two would have likely died of boredom without us!"

"How can someone so scrawny be so-" Sirius' voice strangled off as he licked the inside of James' elbow, who squealed in disgust, giving Sirius the chance to wiggle free.

"Are you serious? Ugh, why would you-" before he hung his head in defeat as he realized what he said.

"Yes, yes I am," Sirius now stood to his full twelve-year-old height and smirked down at James.

James just shook his head and muttered his regret he'd let that slip.

"How many times can you make the same joke?" Peter asked with genuine curiosity. "No one's thought that funny for over a month now."

"My parents are idiots, I wish I'd gotten a normal name," Sirius sniffed. "Might as well enjoy the living joke they made of me." He then turned abruptly and tackled Peter next, who fell onto Remus's legs. Sirius took no notice, snatching his bag away while he spluttered and tried to heave himself back up while scrabbling around all over Remus, finally earning them all a grumbled response, though he merely tossed to the other side of the bed and tried to sleep on while kicking at him.

"So what did you guys get for Christmas?" Sirius asked as he perused the results himself.

"I'd be happy to show you," Peter rolled his eyes, snatching his bag back with ease enough, "but shouldn't we wake Remus first? It's almost dinner time."

"I don't know, I think we should let him sleep some more," James rubbed at the back of his next as he more closely inspected him. "Is he looking a lot more pale than usual to you guys?"

"He was up all last night," Sirius said with a shrug, "kept looking out the window and muttering to himself, was fine the rest of break before that though. Maybe he regretted not going home after all."

"I hope he's fine to go to classes tomorrow, Professor Sinistra said Neptune's going to have a planet cycle we won't want to miss for our final exam." Peter frowned, now prodding him in the ribs.

Remus groaned more audibly than ever, and finally pushed himself into an almost upright position on his hands, the rest of him seemed unwilling to move while he glared daggers. His voice slurred terribly as he said, "I tolerate you three at all hours and indulge your mischief that I want none of, does that not earn me sleep whenever I'd like?"

"Sure it does Remus," Sirius said with chipper, while James and Peter had backed away slightly as if they'd realized they'd awoken an angry bear instead, "but surely you need some fuel in between sleep? Helps the dreams, I'm sure."

His eyelids were already dragging back closed, he seemed no more willing to untangle himself from his covers than ever, but they'd swear his cheeks were hollow and there were dark circles under his eyes despite the fact he must have had almost twelve hours of sleep.

"We'll just bring you something up then," James grabbed the back of Sirius' shirt and began dragging him away, Peter needed no such prompting.

The three let it pass easily from their mind as they enjoyed the last afternoon of their own freedom before break ended. They did indeed bring him up a plate and left it by his bedside, but when they awoke the next morning, they found it untouched and him still snoring away heavily.

It took Peter threatening to burn his bed to drag him out of it the next morning, and he remained withdrawn and standoffish the entire day to all three of them, before he excused himself for another early sleep the moment classes let out that day.

"Perhaps he's coming down with something," Sirius offered with genuine sympathy.

"He got like this last month too though," Peter reminded, "first week of December, remember? Spent a lot of time sleeping, only time so far since we started hanging out with him he's refused to be our lookout and we got caught."

"Ah, McGonagall would have busted us anyways, we got that glue over us as well as the Slytherins," Sirius grinned.

"But he's been like that quite a few times since the start of the term year," James pointed out with a shrug of no concern. "Guy just likes to sleep I guess."

They went up to their dormitory after dinner to fetch him for the Astronomy lesson quietly for once, but it was not needed, he wasn't even there.

He remained absent until Wednesday morning, when he stumbled into the greenhouse and Professor Sprout hardly looked up except to assign him to work with Hue Grakin and Henry Miller across the room. Just from their surreptitious glances over they saw he quickly annoyed the other two by barely keeping up with what they were saying, and the moment the Gryffindor boys stepped away from their own Withering Weedgrass, they saw he looked worse than what a cat could drag in.

"You alright, mate?" James eyed him critically.

Remus seemed to shrink under their intense expressions, even though he finally looked more awake than ever, even if he was clearly still sick, but he hitched a friendly enough smile into place as he superseded any more questions. "Yeah, sorry I skived off, guess I was coming down with something. I slept it off in the Hospital Wing. You don't have to let me borrow your notes though, I can catch up-"

"Nonsense," Sirius rolled his eyes, "all we've got left today is History of Magic, and no one cares about missing that. We can grab an early bite and spend the day catching you up." He threw an easy arm around his neck and pulled him back to the school while James and Peter exchanged a look and tried to wrap up the rest of their whispered conversation quickly while Sirius kept him distracted.

"Think it might be him with some sickness instead of his mother?" Peter pointed out.

"If it was contagious, I doubt he'd be in school," James scoffed. He didn't seem any more happy to let it go though, even as he tried to say, "let's just leave him be I guess, it's not like he's hurting anyone," just himself, he mentally concluded. He did not like being lied to, his parents had never done such a thing and honesty was one trait he could value most. Yet he hadn't even gotten Sirius to say what his problem outside of their homework was, and he didn't think he could tackle this either, knowing Remus for even less time. He wanted to help, but clearly had to gain their trust a bit more. So for now, he'd let the two keep pretending everything was fine.

1

Lily opened the door on her birthday to a grin, finding a slide of all things to greet her. Patricia Rakepick went sliding past her head first, and she eagerly jumped down as well, giggling at the turns. When she got to the bottom though to see Potter bouncing anxiously in place with a small wrapped gift in hand and several older students barely having collected themselves from laughing at him, she looked back at the stairs, and scowled in understanding. The first month here a fourth year boy, Antonin Dolohov, had discovered what happened when he tried to sneak up to his girlfriend's room, and no one had enlightened him until he came sliding back to the bottom of the stairs what would happen. Apparently Potter thought he was an except to that rule as well, like common manners and personal space.

"Go away," she said at once as she went off towards the portrait. Only one of his little gang was hanging around this time, the smallest one, that Pettigrew. Despite the fact that he was the only competent one in Potions class that she'd seen, he laughed at every word that came out of Potter's mouth, so she didn't exactly have a better opinion of him than the others.

"Happy birthday!" She was ignored as he tried skipping ahead of her in the open corridor now, trying to put the brightly wrapped red present against her chest.

She refused to catch it, and he fumbled it back into his fingers before it hit the ground. "Oh don't be like that Evans! Here," he took the paper away and let it stream behind him, Filch would probably blame her for when he found that next. "Now it's not a surprise! I've seen how good at Charms you are, and I thought you'd like this! You might have seen it in Diagon Alley!"

He popped open a box and took something carefully into his fingers as he trailed behind her on the stairs. Her eyes betrayed her as she looked curiously to the little palm sized glass orange cat he had in his hand. She did recognize it, she'd been looking at it longingly as the advertisement offered an assorted number of charmed glass figurine animals that would come to life momentarily. How he even knew it was her birthday she didn't know, but she actually came to a stop in surprise as she realized he'd seen her taking every opportunity to pet the available felines in their common room who would come near her.

It was by far the nicest and most thoughtful thing she'd yet seen him do, for her? She even began to reach her hand out, a thank you almost on the tip of her tongue as she began to smile, when Sev appeared quite literally out of nowhere at the end of the stairs.

"Oh, are you okay!" She yelped, jumping the last two to find a tapestry fluttering still as he stayed sprawled at her feet.

"That corridor literally kicks you out at the end, got to remember that one," he groaned as he accepted her hand, and then held onto it tightly as he saw who descended the stairs after her. "Come on," he huffed at once, already trying to drag her off.

"Oh, but," she really did want that little thing, and still meant to thank Potter for the clear effort put into it, maybe he wasn't that bad-

"Oh look, even the castle's trying to kick Snivellus out of here!" Potter shouted at his back, hand clutched dangerously tight around her gift now as he watched her being dragged away.

Pettigrew sniggered shrilly behind him, and she flushed in frustration. All he had to do was just say hi to him, but the idiot couldn't manage a simple passing conversation! Clearly all he knew how to comprehend was being a halfwit.

"Come near me again Potter and I'll shove that up your nose!" She snapped as she went with him now.

"Happy birthday!" He called to her one last time, making a show of slipping it into his pocket.

"Happy birthday," Sev repeated when they were two floors down, the two finally slowing and breathing more evenly. "Err, sorry I, didn't get you anything-"

"Thank you," she smiled, not holding a grudge for a second, not everyone had to be so flashy. She'd only managed to get him a box of jelly mints for his birthday anyways at the beginning of the month, she never went too extravagant as she knew he couldn't return the same, the same thing happened every holiday.

She looked at the still frost covered windows in delight. "I've got all my homework caught up, want to go outside and make something in the snow!"

"Snow angels, yeah," he agreed at once, the two finishing their sprint outside. They'd done it every year on each others birthday, and there was nothing to stop them continuing this forever.

The next morning when she found the cat in her bag, with no clue how it could have gotten there as she hadn't been near Potter all day, she sighed and went up to her trunk during lunch. She couldn't really bring herself to break the pretty thing, but instead she buried it at the bottom of her trunk, wrapping it carefully in an old yellow sweater Petunia had once given her, promising never to bother activating it.

1

February

"Oh, finally," Lily spoke for the first time in days that Monday morning as her delivery owl landed in front of her, the Flourish and Blotts logo banner one one leg, her parcel wrapped carefully in the other.

She gave the bird the rest of her bacon in thanks and unwrapped her own copy of Advanced Potion-Making, missing Mary trying to ask her something as she went sprinting across the hall and taking a seat next to Sev as she showed proudly, "got my own at last!"

"Yes," he shouted just as loudly, immediately flipping open to the last page they'd been on. He'd only allowed his own cramped handwriting in the margins, and she couldn't even blame him, if her parents had ever sent her anything they'd once cared about she'd do the same. She groaned she hadn't brought any ink and a quill to breakfast, but still looked critically over the notes he must have finished in his own dorm, and nearly face planted the pages as someone shoved into her from behind.

"Oh, er, sorry Evans," Mulciber attempted to say without sneering, not quite managing it as he swung his bag much more carefully onto his back and left. She hadn't even realized she must have planted herself in between these two in her excitement.

"He apologized," Sev said at once to her still glaring at his back. "He didn't mean it," he added when she turned said glare on him.

"Whatever," she let it go for now, despite the fact she wanted to shriek how many times they could be a jerk right in front of her and he'd keep passing it off. "So this fluxweed, I was looking it up in One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi, and-"

"Ehhem," a much politer interruption stopped her, and she looked up only mildly chastised to grin at Professor Slughorn.

"Sorry sir, Sev and I were just going over some homework."

"Now Miss Evans, genius mind like yours," he chuckled at her, before already trying to shoo her out of her seat. "You'll have plenty of time to finish homework I haven't even assigned yet in your own time, let's not upset the balance of the castle in here for now, hum? You missed my Christmas party you know, if you'd like to come to the next, well I don't have a seating chart at my soiree!"

She got agreeably to her feet with a sorrowful look at Sev, and Slughorn took the chance to turn his round belly nearly into his face as he agreed, "oh and of course young Mister Snape is invited!"

"Thank you sir!" She said in actual excitement this time, "we'll be there."

She pretended she didn't see Sev's annoyed look at finally caving to this as she went off, he'd thank her when they finally got some uninterrupted time to talk.

1

Remus met Madam Pomfrey in the hospital wing right on schedule as the final bell for curfew dolled out once more. She smiled maternally at him and put a patient hand on his shoulder, offering him a bit of chocolate again as the echoes of the castle finally quieted.

"Your dorm mates still not giving you any grief are they?" She asked severely.

"No mam," he whispered, "I don't think they even saw me leave after dinner, I hid in a nook the rest of the night and had a nap, didn't even go back to the common room, just came over here when I woke up and saw how late it was. Sorry," he finished in such a whisper, the winds nearly carried it away.

"No worries, you made it, and we've still got hours before it peaks," she squeezed his shoulder, taking one last careful look around the grounds before waving her wand, and the always present stick went shooting into the spot. She still had to give him a little push for him to continue the rest of the way alone.

He swallowed and tried to savor the sweet taste on his tongue as he stepped into the roots, waiting until the woosh of the trees revival started above him before removing his clothing and setting it carefully down in the dirt for her to retrieve when she came up there after it was over. His hands kept tracing old familiar scars that would soon be marred by newer, fresher ones. No matter how much he anticipated the pain to come, he still knew he wouldn't be prepared for how bad it was going to hurt. Hot tears didn't ease the shivers that still traced along every limb as he went the rest of the way, pushing the hatch aside and full on sobbing as he got it securely back in place. He wished he could sleep again, his body already felt exhausted and drained for the transformation to come, but his cries wouldn't slow until they turned into howls.

1

March

Fast as a Quaffle towards the face, Sirius didn't even have time to register what it was before it slammed into his nose and he toppled out of his bed, more disoriented than really in pain from having his face covered.

Peeling himself off the plush carpet and glaring daggers at James, he kept the object firmly in grasp without even looking at it as he glared up at his best mate still from the folds of his covers. "How is it you can't be bothered to laugh every time I make a brilliant joke, but I wish you a happy birthday and you maul me?"

"Because your name is not funny and you need to stop pretending it is," James pleasantly reminded him. "This however, is going to be brilliant! Would you look at it?"

Sirius did finally glance down at what he'd thought was a blanket or something, to instead find a cloak. A rather odd-looking one though, unlike one he'd ever seen.

"Bit of an odd gift for your parents to send you, it's not even going to be cold out much longer," he shrugged, running the odd material over his fingers.

"You idiot, try it on!" James was all but squealing at this point as he bounced in place.

Sirius kicked his covers to Peter's side of the room as he did as asked without any enthusiasm, until he glanced down at himself and dropped it in surprise. "Your parents sent you an invisibility cloak!"

"I can't believe it either!" James ripped it from his slack fingers and wrapped it around himself, all but prancing around the room. "I thought my dad wouldn't give this up until I was seventeen!"

Sirius ran to his side and ducked under James' arm so the two could both comfortably fit in it, then James lifted the rest and covered their heads. Sprinting to the nearest mirror, they only caught a glimpse of their bare feet before the cloak settled and there was nothing staring back.

"I say we don't take it off until we finally find the kitchens!" James breathed in his ear, practicing how much quieter he'd have to be now. There was no way he was going to get caught with this!

"I'm game!" Sirius said at once, not managing nearly as well.

"If we hurry, we can still catch Peter and Remus alone before they reach the Great Hall," James continued in excitement, but nearly stumbled right out from under the cloak as he tried to take off, but Sirius hesitated.

"I don't know about those two James," he shrugged defensively when James waved his hand impatiently. "Peter seems like an idiot, I swear he only goes along with what we say because he hasn't his own brain cells, and he reminds me of my house-elf, always creeping about. I think Remus is bipolar or something, he spent his own birthday weekend avoiding us any time we tried talking to him, then next week was all for seeing how far we could punt that Quaffle across the grounds."

"He even took the blame when it broke the supply shed and Madam Hooch caught us," James agreed, nodding in remembrance, "but you're right, I swear he's hiding something. They're both a bit odd," he sighed, hesitating himself now. "I've been wondering myself if they were going to make other friends and leave us back to a duo."

"Then we're on the same page," Sirius nodded resolutely. "Come on then, I'm all in favor of skipping breakfast and potions if we do find that place!"

"I finally got Hue and Henry to spill, it's definitely near their dormitory," James nodded, going back to the staircase and Sirius following along this time with ease.

Their decision didn't even last the weekend though. They'd finally found the kitchens in record time, what with not having to skirt confused looks from students when they shouldn't have been down there, and instead had turned to trying to use the cloak to sneak onto the grounds a few more extra times. Turns out this was an awful idea, as the majority of the Forest's teaming life seemed to sense them no matter how softly they breathed, and they felt even more exposed for it.

Late Saturday night, or early Sunday morning depending on one's view point, they found themselves making their way out, still underneath and trying to shake off the feeling they were being watched, only to suddenly be doing the watching themselves.

They'd come out right by the Whomping Willow, and saw Remus standing just out of reach of the innocent looking tree. He was muttering to himself and glaring at it as if it had done him some great personal wrong. The moon was just shy of a few days full above them, the grounds were a blanket of light thanks to the sparse clouds, making Remus look even more luminescent himself than usual in the lighting if that were possible.

He was still fully dressed, and they couldn't recall seeing him after dinner. Had he been out here this whole time?

James and Sirius exchanged a bemused look, and began inching closer without having to say a word. This was too good an opportunity to pass up.

They got right up behind him, so that his mutterings were finally distinguishable, "- should put my foot down about hanging around with them, they draw to much attention-"

Sirius leaned forward and spoke right in his ear, "I think the tree's on our side."

He made the most hilarious squealing noise humanly possible as he jumped away from them, causing James and Sirius to fall to the ground laughing, the cloak fluttering right off of them. They recognized their mistake seconds to late, as their rolling laughter put them right under the shade of the tree.

There was a groaning, creaking noise that made Sirius' blood chill over, it reminded him to much of his home on windy nights. He looked up in time to see a branch the size of a python coming straight towards him. He couldn't move, didn't even think to roll out of the way, just lay there with his mouth frozen open in a scream that would never come-

James tackled him out of the way, leaving only a crater and his snagged pajama pants instead. He tried moving now, scrambling on all fours, but no matter which way he looked another branch was coming right for his face!

A thin, whip-like bit of bark slashed him across the cheek, he heard James yell in either pain or surprise as he was suddenly flung away, then it all froze.

The tree itself simply sat there, mid-motion. His eyes finally adjusted enough to see James hanging upside down in a particularly twisted, thorny limb, face inches from the ground where he'd been about to be slammed down, his glasses actually hanging by one ear and touching the grass. Remus stood several, safe, feet away, but his wand was raised. His eyes still all that could move, he followed his line of sight to the trunk, where a branch was protruding from an innocent looking knot.

"Get over here!" He finally snapped at the two when they still stood there like they'd been frozen too.

Unsure how he'd been moving before, as he still felt cold and stiff all over, he made his way clumsily to James' side and gave a tug. He crashed to the ground with a miserable groan, and the two then found life as they sprinted, right past Remus. They didn't stop until they were back by the front doors, now panting with exertion.

He caught up to them only a dozen feet behind, and he looked so furious they almost, almost, wished for the tree back. A temper indeed.

"Still think the tree's on your side?" He snarled, his green eyes flashing in the light. "What were you two idiots thinking? How did you even creep up on me like that?"

James must have had the intelligence to grab the cloak, Sirius certainly hadn't the capability to do any such thing. He handed it to Remus without a word, who took it, scowl still lingering. It began to fade somewhat when he let the odd material float along his hands. "What is it?"

"Invisibility Cloak," James' voice still sounded pitchy, but the adrenaline was wearing off now, and he was straightening his glasses and grinning just a bit. "Got it for my birthday."

"It's an odd one," Remus' voice was calming now too as he held it up, only the castle's windows barely illuminated it from their current shadow. "My dad showed me one once, but it was made of demiguise fur."

"This one's been in the family for generations," he told pompously.

Remus' curiosity finally burned out the last of his anger as he handed it back, reluctantly. "It's really cool James, but ah, a little forewarning next time please? Snap a twig or something, don't just sneak up on me like that."

"What were you doing out here?" Sirius finally got his own voice under control. "How on Earth did you know how to get that tree to stop!" He added on far more importantly. "I heard Peter saying it was just planted this year as some kind of advanced Herbology practice."

Remus had a look on his face like he was repressing something, though neither of them had told a joke this time. After only one extra beat, he responded with a casual shrug. "Same reason I knew about those Egyptian bug-beetles Professor Trocar was talking about in class. My dad loves stuff like that. It's a good thing for you two I pay attention when he's talking about more than beasts though."

The reason made sense enough, and he did talk about beasts all the time. Still, as James offered him to slip under with them so they could all go back to the tower and scare Peter next, Sirius couldn't help but note the difference: he'd never talked about plants the same way he did creatures, so it seemed odd.

1

Of course, by morning, the whole thing had seemed like the funniest thing in the world to the two idiots. So James and Sirius being, well, Sirius and James, they immediately tramped down there the next available break time and began daring each other to try and touch the trunk without magic.

Remus wondered if you could measure how much stress you could live through before you vomited, he'd be a good candidate for that right now.

As these things tended to do, and them in particular somehow, they drew a crowd once others saw the two idiotic first years playing the deranged game. Neither had gotten even close to the trunk yet, but they were getting just a bit closer every time before the thick branches swatted them away.

Remus' brain felt like it was going to seize in a panic, he never should have shown them how to freeze the trunk! What if they finally managed to do such a thing by tonight?! He'd been up all night having a waking torment of this very fact, it was so far in his life the only time he hadn't been able to get a much needed sleep the day preceding the full moon, and he could feel every last draining bit of energy sapping into the ground for it.

"Relax Remus," Peter appeared at his elbow with a laugh, Remus wondered how long he'd been standing there while he'd been petrified. He was really that out of it. "I'm sure Madam Pomfrey can put together any limbs that tree takes off."

Remus just moaned, wishing his skin would just twitch right off already. He couldn't think of anything to do though except hope the tree squashed them before the two revealed such a thing before the whole school!

Peter went from watching them to watching him, and that was somehow still worse. He had to do something, now!

He wished desperately he could just go tattle to McGonagall, but it's not as if that would deter them for more than one detention, if anything it may just incite them to try harder! Remus considered freezing the tree again and refusing to stop until dinner and hoping they lost interest, the hole wasn't that noticeable, but the risk was too great someone would then want to have a poke around in the future. He had to nip this in the butt now!

"No way!" Hue cut in very loudly. Remus shot them a desperate look, imagining if he set the castle on fire would be a big enough distraction to get them all to go away. "Potter's going to make it first for sure, look how scrawny he is!"

"Black's got the upper hand though," Davey Gudgeon nodded needlessly to how he ducked beneath yet another limb as it caught James in the hip and sent him back several feet once more.

"Two galleons says Potter gets there first!" Hue insisted.

He watched the two boys shake on it, and an idea suddenly lit his brain that may work. If there was one thing he'd already learned about James and Sirius, it was their ego's.

"Oi!" He shouted just in time, the two were sent sailing back once more, Sirius sliding spectacularly through the grass nearly to Remus' feet. Remus forced a smile into place as he grinned down at the idiots. "I've just thought of something better."

"How do you know it'll be any more fun, you haven't even had a go," James scoffed. He was massaging his ribs with a very pinched face, they had to have broken some bones by now surely!?

"Because I know how to up the stakes," Remus added with superiority, casting an anxious look at the windows looking out at the lawn. He had no proof this would work... but he had to try something!

He had the two's undivided attention now and he went on breathlessly, trying to drag out every moment. "Why are you two trying to do it like Muggles, when you would have a better chance of getting through by flying." The branches could just be swaying in the wind to a passerby floors above, but surely a teacher would notice a couple of first years flying too close right here on the lawn...

Thankfully, or not, it seemed to work. They grinned at each other and took off for the broom shed for a couple of spares. Remus pressed his hand to his stomach and begged it to settle, but now when the two got hit they'd just land even worse from several feet in the air! He may as well just break their necks for them! Just because they got caught without someone tattling didn't even mean this would fix anything! It certainly hadn't deterred them from the Forest this whole time!

Peter watched them sprint out of sight, watched Remus swaying dangerously on his feet like the odd little worrywart he was, and decided he may relax some if he saw their two friends weren't the only two brave enough to try. "Let's see you lot try it then," Peter shot at the group at large. "I'll bet five galleons you can't even make it as far as James did!"

Davey Gudgeon puffed up his chest in protest, and then broke into a run without warning straight for the tree. Peter technically owed him five galleons, as he got only an arms length from the trunk in record time. However, it was likely he wouldn't even be alive to earn his winnings because a root cracked straight out of the ground in protest, tripping the kid up, and sending him face first into a swinging branch that struck him right across the face.

Blood splattered everywhere, he screamed for all his worth as he fell to the ground and covered his face, but another branch was already swinging in towards his very exposed neck-

James swooped in and caught him. It wasn't a particularly graceful attempt as he tried to tug him along on the very pitiful broom, but the tree caught the tail instead of exposed skin and sent the two sprawling into safety once more. The sharp snapping noise of splinters littering the ground still sounded like breaking bones to Remus' ears.

"Was goin' on!" Hagrid came tromping out of the forest, crossbow at the ready, just as Sirius landed beside the two. Remus nearly wept in relief as the gamekeeper stumped over to where James was already covered in poor Davey's blood.

Hagrid needed no explanation anyways, he scowled at the tree himself and caught the poor boy up in his arms and began running up to the castle, Remus caught a grisly sight on his way past. There were still little bits of wood all along his cheek and nose, and several deep in his eye.

Remus got his wish regardless, nobody seemed to want to continue the game after that day.

1

"Fine, fine. Yes, they can come along," Slughorn said with clear reluctance, causing James and Sirius to exchange quizzical looks. He must really want them along for this one, considering what just the two of them had gotten up to in the only other party they'd been at. "Only one guest each though!" Slughorn stressed.

"And Evans will be there?" James confirmed.

"Oh yes," their Potions teacher's face smoothed with delight at the mere mention of her. "It'll be her first one, a lovely girl, can't believe she's not in my own house!"

He went sauntering away still singing her praises while Sirius muttered in disgust, "him and everyone else." Then turned to James and said properly, "you really want to go to another one?"

"Not in the slightest," James said cheerfully, "but hopefully bringing Remus and Peter along this time will make it far more worth it."

"Uhhu," Sirius rolled his eyes as he trudged along with less enthusiasm now to dinner, the man had found one way to ruin a meal for him finally. "You just want to spend more time trying to talk to Evans, Merlin knows why."

"I don't think she's so bad," James said at once. "If we can just get her to stop hanging around that Snape idiot, I'll bet she'd be great fun."

"You're an idiot," Sirius told him pleasantly. "Is that why you wouldn't let me dump that mulch on them last week during Herbology?"

"No, I stopped you because Sprout threatened you with detention if you ruined any more of that," James patiently corrected as they made it inside and easily found the other two amongst the horde, quickly pulling all manner of food to both of them while continuing. "You're the one who said you were trying not to get into any more trouble."

"Couldn't tell that by the way he carries those dung bombs around at the ready," Remus chuckled while drizzling gravy over his chicken. "You'd think he was at war."

Sirius denied answering to that, he was still successfully avoiding James's probing questions and would be until he found what his welcome home would really be like. He'd only had a dozen detentions this year, and all for rather minor things. He was quite proud of himself. If his parents even did still have anything to complain about. He certainly hadn't done irreparable damage to the family name just by having a little fun and not being in the same house as every other sheep in his family.

James explained for the other two what they were going to be doing this weekend, and both seemed far more enthused than Sirius thought they should be, but they'd been hearing of Slughorn's parties from all of the elder students and hadn't actually attended the dull things yet. They'd learn fast.

1

She ignored Mary's very confused, and warranted expression as she went stomping past her into the library and went right up to their table, slamming her book bag down. At least those other two weren't there this time.

"I know you're mad," he cringed into his seat without looking up, "but he didn't even want me to go, he just invited me because-"

He stopped in surprise when a feather floated across his nose, and looked up to see her covered in them, still fighting off giggles while trying to scowl.

"What-" he began, but she stopped him herself that time.

"Potter is what happened! Him and those idiots caused mayhem at Slughorn's party, and you weren't there!"

"I'm even more glad for it now," he said, still blinking at her visage.

She huffed in frustration he couldn't even apologize, snatched her bag back up, and turned to leave, ignoring Madam Pince's shriek of outrage as she came around a corner and spotted her trail.

He at least went chasing after her, leaving his own bag behind in his haste as he kept up with her. "I really am sorry Lily, I promise, I just didn't think, I mean, Avery's always going on about what an idiot Slughorn is, and you know who his dad is, so if Slughorn can't even pick out him as a decent person for his stupid club-"

"So what, if Avery went you would have!" She shot without looking at him.

"Hey, that's not what I meant," he nearly tripped over his own feet, but finally he got himself in front of her a step up to make her stop. "I was just trying to tell you there's no need to go to those parties, they don't mean anything, it's just Slughorn trying to show off. Look, come hang out with us this weekend-"

"Us?" She challenged at once. "Sev, we've barely been able to talk the whole time we've been here, I can never get a word in around those two. Can't we just hang out this weekend?"

"Okay, okay," he looked so eager to appease this he instantly agreed. "We, then, just the two of us can, I don't know, I'll sneak you into my dorm-"

"I'm not allowed in," she shot down at once, "we already tried and that Bellatrix girl made it clear I wasn't to come back. She's a seventh year, and a Prefect! I thought she was going to eat me!"**

"Don't be so dramatic Lily," he said in exhaustion, but when he saw she wasn't kidding, he changed the subject. "Fine, we'll find something else to do, play gobstones in the courtyard, or Merlin, just study the whole time in the library, but it'll be just us this weekend, I promise."

She contemplated if she was still too mad at him to give in so easily or it was that stupid gas easing her up, but he really did look sorry, and finally she smiled and let the giggles envelope her full force as she agreed.

1

April

"Odd? I think you need grounds for poisoning a teacher more than, 'he's odd!'" Remus told in mild concern.

"I'm game," Peter said at once.

"So you both admit he's a vampire?" Sirius asked with superiority.

"What, no, don't change the-" Remus tried to splutter.

"The way I look at it," James said casually, "is it'll either work and we won't have to deal with him again next year, or it won't and no harm done except some extra garlicky dinner."

"You haven't denied he's an awful teacher," Sirius pointed out, as Remus had moved to pushing his food around his plate rather than the gusto he'd been showing moments ago. "You fall asleep in his class half the time, as dark as he keeps it!"

Remus spoke to his plate as he said, "I thought you were trying to stay out of trouble Sirius. I think attempted murder counts towards trouble."

"It's not like you've a problem messing with a teacher," James pointed out when Sirius denied answering that, though he didn't look particularly remorseful either. James gave Remus an obvious 'look,' before continuing. "You barely waited an hour into Slughorn's party to pop those balloons and spray giggle gas over all of them."

"Yeah, we'd barely gotten a bite of the main course," Sirius snickered in remembrance.

"I-" he broke off, and clearly changed his mind of what he was actually going to say as he fixed a smile in place, "would rather be left out of this one." Then he stabbed a bit of beef with enough force to break the plate beneath.

The two exchanged an exasperated look, but then Peter cleared his throat and didn't do a very good job of changing the subject, "have you heard about the curse on that job?"

"No," James blinked in surprise.

"What are you on about now?" Sirius asked around a mouthful of cream cheese pasta.

"Apparently there hasn't been a DADA teacher two years in a row since the school was built or something, Slytherin cursed the whole thing in revenge for not doing it his way, I heard." Peter elaborated with a happy little grin he always got sharing the latest gossip. "If you two manage to chuck out the wannabe vampire, you'll be helping along tradition."

"Cool," the two chorused , before standing abruptly and vanishing out of the Great Hall far earlier than ever before. Peter watched carefully, but though McGonagall frowned suspiciously as dessert only just now began to appear, she nor any of the teachers seemed willing to chase after them, this time.

When Remus just continued scraping his now empty plate without so much as a glance at the chocolate ganache biscuits, Peter went from thinking he'd finally reached his limit, to real concern. "You're not going to tell, are you?"

"Of course not!" Remus looked genuinely offended now, but he still wouldn't quite look at Peter.

"Then what's your problem?" Peter asked shrewdly.

Remus flushed, putting some color back in his usual gray pallor for once. His voice turned snappy as he said to the ceiling, "didn't realize I had to have one, I've said no plenty of times-"

"But always gone along anyways," Peter interrupted with an eye roll. "You pretend you don't think they're hilarious, but I can tell-"

"Yes Peter, congratulations, you have me all figured out!" Remus snapped, finally pushing away and storming out of the hall himself now. This time, McGonagall watched him go all the way up the staircase before slowly returning back to her meal, and Peter began twitching with nerves.

With only ten minutes left of the meal and the majority of the hall having cleared out, James and Sirius finally came back. Peter took a bite of his long melted ice cream and watched eagerly as the two made their way to the staff table, now only housing Slughorn having a last minute chat with one of his Slytherin students, and Professor Trocar.

Hands stuffed casually in their pockets, they made their way over to their Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Peter swallowed another bite to hide his smile, there was an odd whiff as they walked past.

1

'Great, so now instead of inviting them, you're just not going to show up to them!' Lily continued the mental tirade in her mind as she went stomping back up to her tower, it was almost curfew and she doubted she'd even make it in time. Even still Madam Pince had to literally pull her from the library, she'd been so convinced he'd show any second.

It was the first time he missed a study session, but she had a feeling it wouldn't be the last. The next time she'd see him was if she skipped her History of Magic class on Monday morning to run to DADA before he went in, and she stood impatiently in the doorway for just this with no regrets. She'd just spotted him trying to shuffle in and avoid looking where she was obviously standing, as he stayed by Avery and Mulciber, and she began to stalk after him to demand he at least acknowledge her when McGonagall came in.

"Class is dismissed for the rest of the semester," she said curtly to their very surprised looks.

"Yes!" Aubrey Bertram shouted, though immediately quailed at the look McGonagall shot her.

"You would do well to remember though you all still have a final in this class, so independent studies will be expected. Thank you." She turned on her heel and walked off, hands behind her back, calling out a deduction of five points for Lily as she left.

She barely acknowledged this, she was just grateful McGonagall wasn't berating her to get going as she stalked over before Sev could vanish back into the crowd like the other two did.

"Have anything to say for yourself?" She demanded.

"What, I don't know why Trocar left," he protested.

"Sev," she rolled her eyes, and he sighed.

"Okay, I'm sorry, I was helping the other guys with this cool idea, they're trying to invent a spell to-"

"I thought we were supposed to be studying for transfiguration, we both got really poor marks on that last assignment!"

"I would have invited you," he kept going, talking a bit over her head now, "but you keep saying no."

"Okay, fine," she snapped. "I'll stop butting in then!"

"You're not!" He yelped, grabbing her bag before she could leave. "Lily, listen," he stopped there though and sighed as he looked longingly between her and his long gone friends. "Can't we, just the two of us be friends? I'll stop bringing them up if you do, deal? The two of us can just be, us."

It didn't feel like a compromise that would last, but she was already feeling at her wits end, so she agreed she'd try.

1

May

"-Past nine months we can't get a read on the guy, I say we've politely waited long enough," James was scowling into his potion, which was on the opposite color spectrum of what it was supposed to be, and throwing sideways looks at the once again empty seat.

"And you think you can just barge into the hospital wing and ask him do you?" Peter shook his head. "What's the point? So the guy's sick all the time, he's friendly enough when he's not."

"He's barely spoken a word to us since Trocar vanished," Sirius sniffed as he held a bottle of frog spawn up to the light for inspection, beyond Peter as to why as that was not involved in their Babbling Brew.

Peter just sighed and clicked his heels together under the desk, he knew he couldn't really stop them from jumping the poor guy and doing this, but he was thinking about warning Remus it was coming at least.

"Hey Peter, what's this stuff?"

"It's Armadillo bile Sirius, we've been using it since the start of this class." Peter answered in surprise, and weary confusion.

James hung his head, took a deep breath, and then got up to leave without another word.

"Potter?! Mr. Potter, where are you going-" Slughorn tried to call after him.

"To get Madam Pomfrey," Peter had barely had time to watch him go before answering, now plugging his nose and looking determinedly at the ceiling instead.

"Now why would he-" the poor man couldn't even finish before Sirius was retching, and then vomiting spectacularly. Nearly clear across the room. Sirius never did anything halfway.

Several kids wretched as well, Atria Day even ducked into her own cauldron to do the same, while Sirius began stumbling towards the door, despite his green coloring looking quite triumphant.

1

Well, it definitely seemed to be working out for them, Lily smiled to herself as she got her next transfiguration marks back. They still weren't as good as she was hoping, but as she stepped out into the corridor she saw Sev already leaning there waiting for her.

"Skived off the end of History of Magic," he grinned before she could scold him leaving an important class early.

She didn't care anyways, as she flourished her paper.

"Congrats!" He shouted, even leaning forward and hugging her, and she clung back for several moments before the bustling crowd nearly trampled them, and they were forced to break apart.

"What shall we do then to celebrate!" Sev asked cheerfully.

"We could go to the Quidditch match this weekend," Lily offered. "It's Slytherin versus Hufflepuff, so there's even a chance Potter won't be there to bother me like the last one. I even heard there was going to be some scouts there, that Bagman's supposed to be some pro-worthy beater-"

"I really don't care much for it," Sev shrugged, and it was true enough, he'd barely looked twice at a broom since the beginning of the year, and she shrugged agreeably, she didn't see the fun of watching it much either, she'd only suggested it to show support for his house.

"We could try nicking some supplies from Slughorn's cupboard to have a go at that doxycide solution," he suddenly offered, "surely that idiot's got to be useful for something-"

"Sev," she cut off in exasperation. "How many times do I have to tell you, we're not stealing from a teacher! We'll make do with what's in the student cupboards, and you and I will buy our own supplies from the Apothecary this summer."

"It's too bad they don't mail order that stuff," he sighed, "ruddy worry warts, nothing's going to explode-" he stopped in surprise though as they turned a corner, and she groaned as she immediately saw why.

Potter and his gang were talking to Peeves for whatever reason.

She turned to just go, but only made it three steps when she realized her friend wasn't following, but already had his wand trained on the wild black hair.

"Don't-" she tried, but too late, the curse landed right on his ear, causing it to start enlarging nearly to the size of a small elephants in moments.

Pettigrew grabbed him for support before he could fall to the ground while Black pulled his own in record speed, throwing a curse back that hit the wall and ricocheted down the corridor.

She drew her own wand then and shot tarantallegra, and he was left to fall to the floor, his feet spasming in all directions as she grabbed Sev and pulled him away while her friend was still laughing.

She only made it far enough to be sure nobody else was pursuing them before releasing him, and to her fury he was still snickering away like an idiot. "What did you do that for?" She demanded. "You can't stop them conspiring with that Poltergeist!"

"You're defending them!" His face flushed red with anger. "Those arse holes finally figured out how to do a boils potion at the end of the year, and they put it in my drink! I almost suffocated while Pomfrey got the cure down my throat!"

"I know, I heard about them laughing about it this morning," Lily sighed, "but Slughorn gave them detention for that when he found out, why did you have to retaliate? Can't one of you just stop."

"He's never going to just stop!" Sev snapped, looking truly angry at her now, "and I can't believe you won't just back me up, you shot a curse at Black!"

"I got us out of there before it escalated, how about thanking me!" She snapped right back.

"Thanks, but no thanks," he huffed before storming off.

She watched him go with a headache, for a moment considering just letting him stay angry with her, but then tears pricked at the corner of her eyes as she realized she'd just have to go back up to Gryffindor tower and be alone the rest of the night. "Sev, wait!"

1

June

"What's the point of exams anyways?" Sirius groaned as he copied down Remus' neat, blocked-lettering Transfiguration notes he'd missed during the last class, too busy snickering away at the idiots commentary! He was a snarky little shit, it was all his fault. "We prove we study enough all year by having to practice in class, testing us is just cruel."

Remus barely looked up from his potions book, a strained look on his face, though it didn't seem as pale as usual, he was having one of his good weeks, with the most rotten of timing being locked up studying, the poor bloke. It was only that pity that had allowed him to grab some toast and marmalade and agree to come up here and start an early studying and miss the majority of breakfast, the bugger owed him enough he could live through the complaints.

Peter and James finally arrived, James' bright orange screech owl Click still perched on his shoulder, both of them with gifts in hand to appease their tardiness.

"Here," Peter dropped a whole pile of brightly colored, squared papers that didn't look like parchment. "I had mum mail me some, they're flashcards, it'll be easier than memorizing old notes."

"Best thing Buggle's ever mailed," Sirius grinned as he picked up a red one and bent the material curiously.

"I figured your owl would like the exercise," Peter agreed with yet another thanks. Not that there was anything wrong with the school owls, but his friend had very obviously appreciated the request for his bird to have something to do.

"I could kiss you," Remus said in relief, scooping up a green set towards him and immediately loading up a quill in ink to write out bezoar on one side, and asking eagerly where to find it, hand hovering on the other side.

"Mum and dad sent us studying snacks," James also offered, ignoring whatever answer Peter gave Remus while throwing some sherbet-lemons down to scatter on the table, three already lodged in his mouth and blocking his voice, but not the spittle. He spotted Madam Pince heading this way, and though tempted to let himself be kicked out to avoid studying a bit longer, his owl took the option away and zoomed out the nearest open window regardless. He took the telling off for bringing him in here with an eye roll and mouth firmly shut to hide his sweets his genius friends had already hidden away, and finally took his own seat as he swallowed his bounty and reached for more.

Peter slapped his hand to the table and challenged, "and what is the properties of a bezoar?"

"Err, something to do with poison. It either heals you, or kills you, one of those."

"You get one for effort," he sighed, releasing his hand.

None of them actually wanted to be held back a year despite their jokes, and the exams turned out to not really be that bad because of their actual last minute studying.

With Trocar gone, Dumbledore himself oversaw an exam where he had them play almost a quiz like game. He'd thrown open the curtains finally, plopped himself on the desk while going over all of the teachers notes for the class this year, and had them line up in teams against the wall and charmed a little bell in the middle of the classroom. He'd call out a question, and one from each side would come running forward, the first to touch the bell and get it to ring answered. If they were correct, the team won a point and the student could sit down. This pattern continued until the whole class was laughing and buzzing, and the four boys were beaming with pleasure they'd all made their wins.

McGonagall's wasn't too bad, James and Sirius had even found when they concentrated long enough the Transfiguration spells came almost naturally to them and they whizzed right through turning their mice into a snuffbox, Sirius even added a flare of decoration that gave him full marks, earning a rare smile from their head of house.

None of them were particularly proficient in Charms, and Evans made her pineapple do such a silly dance Flitwick didn't notice anybody else anyways.

Peter was the only one who even got his Forgetfulness Potion the right shade of orange, the others all turned a weird blue color to some degree, but they were reasonably sure they didn't flat out fail, at least Remus' cauldron didn't explode this time.

Remus had expected that to be his worst, but it turned out the majority of his missed Astronomy classes finally caught up to him no matter how many charts he'd tried looking over, and he winced as he handed Sinestra barely a third of the page covered in.

Herbology turned into a bit of a spectacle for Sirius. He wasn't quite sure how he'd done it, and Sprout wouldn't believe those grapes hadn't been stuck up his nose on purpose. The whole thing had to be halted while he got himself untangled from the frondosa they were supposed to be pruning.

They were all convinced there wasn't a person alive who could pass History of Magic, and the school as a whole just got a pity grade for even attending. It was all the comfort they could give themselves, but they were reasonably certain they'd done well enough in the end.

1

Her and Sev carried a chessboard down to the lake for a bit of exam celebrations and played long into the afternoon, and when they finally called it an even match when they both won a game, they flipped open their books and began looking over each others notes again to see if either had come up with a solution to the runniness of their hair raising potion.

"I'm telling you, if we set it to boil just thirty minutes longer, the effects will last twice as long," he kept assuring her.

"Without it boiling over? We'll have to add more-" only as she squinted in the fading sun did she realize how late it had gotten, and she stopped to just smile up at the sky for how at peace this felt.

Sev shared her grin and the two finally agreed to see if there was any dessert left, already discussing how to get her parents to take them to Diagon Alley the moment they got off the train. She stepped into the great hall to see barely a dozen students left, but that at least two of them were Sev's friends, who hailed him cheerfully as he went to join them. The only Gryffindor at her table was one of the Prewett twins, burley fifth year boys whom she more than happily avoided as she helped herself to some treacle tart at the opposite end of the hall alone.

1

"Triumph if you dare!" Sirius bellowed at the top of his very impressive lungs across the entire common room, causing nearly every student present to yelp his name in surprise. Sirius took careful note of those who didn't before darting out of the portrait hole at mach speed.

"He's really going for it huh?" Remus chuckled as he gave Peter a mock bow.

"High stakes you've set," James sighed. "I'm still not sure the reward is worth the outcome."

"He can't do it," Peter insisted, "there's just no way."

The three headed down to breakfast at a far more normal pace, not remotely sluggish by their late-night wanders of the grounds once more. Remus, as usual, kept yawning and shaking himself vigorously to remind himself he was awake, but per James and Sirius's demands, he stopped pretending otherwise. At least when he'd promised to stop freezing them out, they'd agreed to stop asking where he was going, apparently his lies had gotten flimsy when he'd fibbed about swallowing a worm or something, he didn't even remember that one. He was convinced they'd yet given up wondering about him, he knew he couldn't put them off for the next six years.

Dare he continue enjoying their company while they'd have him, or should he really go through with it and break off this budding friendship now? He'd been asking himself that for a month, and with the threat of Sirius sending himself to the hospital wing again to corner him and see something he shouldn't, he'd prefer to indulge them for now. That's what he'd keep telling himself, not that he actually liked them or anything...

They made it to the Great Hall to see pandemonium, many students who were wailing about Sirius at the top of their lungs, and said mayhem maker was standing in front of the staff table taking the lashing from Professors McGonagall, Kettleburn, and even Dumbledore's disapproving frown all at once. He caught them coming in and mouthed, "113."

"I may have underestimated him," Peter said miserably as he flicked the crying leech away from his eggs.

"For the first and last time," James agreed with a scowl.

"I'm honestly surprised he went through with it, we've only got a week of term left, yet this is most definitely not staying out of trouble." Remus pointed out.

"Maybe he'll be in such a good mood when he wins he'll finally tell us what's the real problem with his parents," James tried for a jovial tone as he drowned his waffles in more syrup than should have been possible, yet the container just kept refilling itself.

"I never really got the impression he hadn't," Peter shrugged. "There's not much to read between the lines of, his parents want him to be something he clearly doesn't."

"You don't think it's more than that?" James asked in surprise.

"We can't all have parents that send weekly notes of love and more homemade fudge than possible," Remus pointed out as the Potters' owl Perky flew off with said treat.

James couldn't answer, he'd already dipped a quarter of his second breakfast into his bowl of waffle soup and was chewing with relish.

It had to be some sort of record, Sirius managed to disrupt every single class that day in such excess, he set the entire corridor he was on into saying his name in sheer exasperation. He even managed the occupants of the hospital wing by being sent there himself when some older students tried to retaliate on the petulant first year.

When he finally sauntered into the dorm that night, swaggered more likely with only five minutes to spare, there couldn't have been a more smug person on Earth.

"Well, I did it," Sirius stood with his hands on his hips and shoulders puffed out as if posing for his statue of honor.

"All of them?" James asked in resignation.

"Every single living person in this school," Sirius agreed, "said my name. I think I even got all of the ghosts, that should get me bonus credit!"

"That's nice," Remus managed, while exchanging a heartbroken expression with James. This was going to be a long six years.

"Now, just so we're serious about all this," and he paused with a very expectant look.

Remus and James gave their obligatory laugh as per their agreement, but then Sirius turned his scowl on the one who'd started all of this. "Ahem, I said-"

"Oh I heard you, I'm just ignoring you for the next three minutes so I don't ever have to laugh at your idiotic arse again." Peter shrugged as he rummaged through his trunk for something.

The smile finally faltered from his face, and he glared at his backside. "My word not proof enough for you? I said I did it!"

"Oh, I believe you got every person in this castle to say your name today," Peter finally looked over his shoulder with a grin he could only have learned from the master himself, "except us."

Sirius opened, then closed his mouth, looking very much like someone had just dumped every single instance of what he'd done to others all day, on himself, all at once.

"What, no but-"

"We count as people alive in this castle," Remus' eyes brightened at once, sitting on the edge of his bed and leering at him.

"Ha!" James laughed of his own free will this time, as Sirius glanced anxiously at the wall clock.

"Okay, hang on, I can-"

"You've got a minute left, Ssss," Remus trailed off obnoxiously with the noise.

Sirius swore colorfully at the top of his lungs, getting his desire in the end anyways as they all laughed.

1

The scenery was flying past the window at breakneck speed, in reverse order from how he remembered, with the opposite feelings he recalled since that time. The other three boys didn't seem to realize it at first, they were too busy enjoying their last few moments of magic by tossing a hexed ball amongst each other. If you held it too long your hands would change texture to crocodile's scales.

James was having too much fun to ask who Peter had stolen it from, but when the ball landed in Sirius' lap and he didn't even flinch, James decided that was a case for alarm.

Their friend had his face pressed to the window, practically trying to curl himself into it, looking for all the world like he wanted to melt through and be anywhere but here so James took it upon himself to poke his seatmate and demand, "what's gotten into you, you've been getting quieter all week."

"Which honestly I hadn't thought you capable of," Remus added on in light tones, clearly looking for a rise.

Sirius blinked a few times like he was coming out of a daze and rubbing at his shoulder from his leaning for so long before pasting on a smile and saying, "eh, just not looking forward to spending the summer is all."

His tone held some sincerity, but what little truth they felt from this seemed to hold in itself as much of a fib.

James and Remus exchanged a curious look, but Peter was the first to say, "oh, what rubbish, who doesn't look forward to the longest holiday. No homework!"

"Peter," Remus began in exasperation, "we do have essays due - " but Peter cut him off with an elbow to the ribs, still eyeing Sirius and continuing like Remus hadn't interrupted.

"That of course means that I'm going to be bored out of my mind all summer, you'll have to come around to my place and entertain me."

Sirius only hesitated for a second, then a real smile did appear and he was as quick as ever to shoot back, "think I could bear that for a few weeks, assuming your mum doesn't smother me."

James couldn't help but snort as the two started taking friendly shots at the other, jesting at who was going to kill whom before the first week was up. James couldn't help joining in before long, happily adding in that they all had to come to his place, so he could die of laughter as they got lost in his mansion.

Joking aside, Remus was still considering, as were all three of them as they returned to their normal conversations, wondering if there was something Sirius wasn't saying about his home. Guess they'd just have to make him a new one.

HPHPHPHP

Hope you enjoyed! First-year wasn't nearly as exciting as poor Harry's, but don't expect that to last.

Now I have a question for you lot, do you want this to be Wolfstar, or as canon-compliant as possible? Nothing of it either way would pop up until sixth year, so you have four chapters to make your view clear. There's a poll on my fanfiction profile or you can just message me in any way you like in general.

Apologies for not showing what their first epic mass prank was, but believe it or not mischief and trouble makers are not my go-to forte' when writing for these guys. I like coming up with random stuff that happened because of it, but not particularly the execution. I have hundreds of other interactions that'll be going into the next six chapters, but very few involving their actual pranks outside of causing some general trouble. If you have a prank idea you'd like to see implemented, let me know and we can talk about fitting it into the next few chapters, it's not like I'm actively avoiding it.

I'm following in JK's footsteps by pretending the days of the week don't have to correlate to our real-world dates. September 1st, 1970 was a Wednesday.

Random fun fact I have to say here because divination isn't going to be an option third year but it made me laugh regardless. Peter was born in 1960 (August 23rd), and that means he was born in the year of the rat. Merlin I hope JK did that on purpose. Sadly Sirius' birthday is canonically Nov 3, 1959, year of the Pig, not dog, but one out of two is still funny. The lucky flower for the year of the rat is a lily though, so that's worth another laugh, as James' birthday is the 27th of March, 1960. Remus' is the 10th of March, 1960, Lily's is January 30th, and Snape's is January 9th, just FYI going forward. (Also, last thing of note, it deeply annoys me we have canonical birthdays for everyone except Peter, so I made one up for him. That is all.)

*If you actually recognize these names, it's my favorite youtuber and it made me laugh, hope you get the joke. If not, then go look up the Harry Potterathon, Lost in Adaptation, you won't be disappointed.

** Why is Bellatrix there when her birth year puts her at 1951/ already graduated. Because Sirius literally referenced her being there in Padfoot Returns. "Snape knew more curses when he arrived at school than half the kids in seventh year, and he was part of a gang of Slytherins who nearly all turned out to be Death Eaters... The Lestranges - they're a married couple - they're in Azkaban." So let's just pretend she got held back, probably for getting caught torturing some first year, it's the most severe punishment Dumbledore's probably ever given.