Chapter 6

James discovered that being Head Boy involved holding meetings with the prefects of the school; he also discovered that these meetings were mind-numbingly boring. Of course, he'd known this all along but actually partaking in one somehow overthrew his expectations of it being just 'plain boring' to 'incredibly boring' and 'for the love of Merlin, please, someone wet them selves to amuse me.'

"…and we both apologize," Lily told the prefects sitting before them in the empty classroom. She nudged James with her elbow, making him awake from his absent-mindedness and nod in agreement, though really he had no idea what she was on about. "I know we should have had this meeting yesterday but, er, there were certain, shall we say, complications, and we only just arrived last night-"

"'Cause you were doing it?" a Hufflepuff cut in.

Lily's fake smile of friendliness fell into a straight line. "Er… haha!" She laughed with gusto, thinking she had misheard. "I beg your pardon?" she asked politely.

"Because you were doing it," another prefect helped out. Lily remained blank until the boy did a handful of pelvic thrusts to elaborate, which she instantly stopped by putting up her hand. She couldn't understand why the professors had picked such students as prefects with such obsessions with libido!

"If you're referring to sex," she gritted through her teeth, "then no. We were unlucky to miss the train-"

"'Cause you were doing it-"

"There was no fornication involved!" shrieked Lily, making the prefects wince at what they thought was an impossible pitch to reach. Some had even scraped back their chairs because of the noise that had come out of the Head Girl's mouth. "And if you make one more pelvic thrust you'll lose a lower necessity that is needed for libido!" she glared at the boy who was half way in between the thrust, wondering why she kept oddly referring to intercourse as 'libido'.

"Tell them we weren't doing 'it'," Lily hissed to James.

He awoke from his daydreaming and quickly straightened in his chair under Lily's glower. "I, er…agree?" he spoke uncertainly, not hearing the enquiry.

Gasps and much cocky speaking of, "I told you so!" were made by the prefects.

A tired shake of the head made by Lily accompanied by a look which said 'you stupid prat' made James suppose that his answer did not best please her. "Can you repeat the question?" he asked.

"Drifting away from the subject of relations," Lily tried to steer everyone's minds, "Professor McGonagall said it would be best to discuss your duties and what we,-as Head Girl and Boy, promise to do this year…"

James instantly switched off again. Did the prefects really need reminding of how much they could boss around the younger students and—woop-de-bloody-do; they had access to the prefect bathrooms.

Wait a second, James thought. As he was now Head Boy, he also has access of the prefects' bathroom! He would now be able to experience those football-sized pink and blue bubbles and the purple clouded ones he had heard so much about from Remus!

"YES!" James stood up and punched the air. He instantly froze, realizing he had just interrupted whatever Lily was talking about and now everyone was staring at him in silence.

"Is there something you would like to discuss?" Lily asked in a sort of annoyed growl.

"No dear."

"Then sit down and hush," she ordered, with an added finger to her lips.

"Yes dear."

A few prefects snickered and James instantly felt his Gryffindor pride losing him. "I mean, you can't tell me what to do… woman!" He pointed a somewhat threatening finger at her and the prefects watched for a reaction.

Lily merely tapped her foot, as if she were waiting for something.

Losing his vigour, James mumbled a, "Sorry, dear" and sat down.

"As I was saying," Lily continued back to her perfectly eloquent speech.

And James was back to daydreaming. After all, he was good at that, and he was just there to look like the handsome sidekick to the redhead.

He had achieved quite a pattern when it came to daydreaming.

Look a bit at the ceiling tiles. Possibly count them. Give up after the number twelve (though he could count further than that but simply could not be bothered). Look outside the window. Compare clouds to actual people (the fat cloud with demented arms and a huge butt is Sirius). Look at the floor tiles. Possibly count them. Give up after the number twelve. Look and scrutinize the prefects (there is a girl with an impressive moustache and that boy should really trim his nose hair). Clean the dirt underneath his fingernails. Gaze at Lily's boobies. Drum hands against the knees. Stop knee drumming after receiving glare off beautiful girlfriend. Tap foot. Stop foot tapping after receiving glaring off beautiful girlfriend. Put left leg over right leg. Put both legs together. Put right leg over left leg. Put both legs together. Put left leg over right leg again. Decide letting a leg hang over another leg comes across as womanly and feminine. Gaze at Lily's boobies. Hum. Stop humming after receiving glare off beautiful girlfriend. Try and lick nose with tongue. Discover tongue is not long enough to do nose licking. Gaze at Lily's boobies. Gaze at Lily's boobies. Continue to gaze at Lily's boobies-

"Right, James?"

The boy redirected his gaze off Lily's chest and looked up into her green eyes with a guilty expression. "Uh, I didn't hear the qu-"

"Right, James?"

"Yes, dear," he nodded obediently.

Another prefect-snicker was heard.

James tried to find the source of the snicker but whoever the culprit was appeared to be hiding or looked tremendously innocent. "They might snicker," he scoffed, "but I don't see them getting any-"

"James, your mutterings aren't quiet enough," Lily whispered shrilly.

He murmured an apology and tried to look more alert, for Lily's sake, and continued back to his techniques of staying awake. He tried the Muggle method he'd heard Remus talk about which involved counting sheep… or was it goats? Whatever white creature it was (and James had got to the point of counting Father Christmas because he had a white beard), he had tried to count it jumping over fences, but for some odd reason only felt considerably sleepier. Somehow he thought he'd misunderstood the procedure…

Speaking of Remus, where the bloody hell was his werewolf companion? James thought he would have at least attended so could he could preoccupy himself by miming his grumbling to Remus, but the light haired boy was nowhere to be seen. If he'd known Remus was skiving then he would have joined him.

Examining the other students, James' eyes widened at the sight of the familiar top of a boys hair. Blonde spiked hair.

"Derrick," James' voice cut through the air.

The room instantly went into tense silence and heads turned back and forth between the two boys.

"James, I was in the middle of talking-" Lily began to hiss, but was talked over.

"I didn't know you were a prefect," James said, crossing his arms. In fact, James barely knew the boy was still alive. Last he heard the spawn of Satan was recovering in St. Mungo's because of a certain traumatic experience involving bleached hedgehogs. "What teacher did you have to bribe?"

Derrick didn't answer, and if James wasn't corrected, the boy was looking down at his feet in a Peter Pettigrew sort of manner, looking somewhat ashamed of who he was.

James had expected a rather witty retort, not such a pitiful response without words.

"Well-" Lily stood up "-I think we've discussed everything we needed to discuss in this meeting!" She laughed to lighten up the atmosphere but her nervous breaths in between were highly noticeable. "This meeting is adjourned! Back to your common rooms now!" She ushered the prefects out of the classroom and stopped James with a firm grip to the arm who was about to follow Derrick out the door. Shutting the door after pushing the last prefect out, she hissed, "What do you think you were doing?"

James glared pointedly at the door, imagining it was Derrick's face. "I cannot believe he's a prefect!" He perched on top of a classroom desk. "I'm talking this much disbelief!" he clarified by separating his arms apart as wide as possible. "Did you know he was a prefect? Don't I have the authority as Head Boy to maim him or something?"

"Authority never stopped you before," Lily pointed out, sighing.

James couldn't help but agree. "But-don't I have the power to un-prefect him? And yes, I do know 'un-prefect' isn't a word but I'm adorable enough to make up my own words and-"

He was hushed by Lily who walked up to the desk he was sitting on and began rubbing his kneecaps. "Don't make a big deal about this," she murmured.

"A big deal? That prick is an authority figure! After what he bloody did to you…"

"So you are going to make a big deal out of this," Lily muttered. James continued his speech on how much he loathed Derrick until he eventually began to calm down thanks to Lily's soothing kneecap rubbing. "Just… don't spend this last year of Hogwarts high strung and wanting revenge on Derrick," she pleaded. "Just forget about him… please?" She rounded her eyes and James eventually gave in to her with a nod. "Don't make this year sucky…"

"Sucky?" James repeated, a smile forming.

"You're not the only one who is adorable enough to make up words." Lily stuck out her tongue and James smiled, tucking an out of place strand of hair behind her ear.

Tugging the boy off the desk, Lily said, "Walk me home?"

"Uh…you are referring to our tower, right?"

Lily rolled her eyes. "Yes, James."

"Monkey say, monkey do, eh?" James reached for her hand and opened the classroom door for her.

"The phrase is 'Monkey see', but never mind."

Lily made a curtsey and stepped through the doorway. Walking down the corridor whilst playing with James' fingers in her hands, she spotted the watch on his wrist. She tugged his wrist forward to meet her eyes, making James shriek an almighty 'Ow!' because of his arm nearly being pulled out of its socket.

"You do realise this watch isn't working, don't you?" She observed the clock face and tapped it with her fingernail.

"Yeah…" James ran a hand through his hair in embarrassment. "I don't think it agreed with the Great Lake water last year."

"Then why do you still wear it?" Lily asked with a bemused expression.

James shrugged. "Force of habit, I suppose?"

"You're very odd, you know."

"I call it 'being quirky'," James retorted with an added kiss. "Now, do you have any idea where that Remus Lupin could be?"

"Moony? Can I talk to you for a sec?"

"Reading."

"Yes, I'm quite aware of that but-"

"Reading."

"But if you could just put the book down for a sec-"

"Read-ing," cut in Remus slowly, pointing to the book in his lap.

Sighing, Sirius took the opposite common room chair to him and put his hands together, looking forlorn. "Mate, I'm worried about you."

Remus decided not to ask the question of 'why?' and instead said, "I find this rather anomalous. I said that I was reading yet you are talking to me ask if I'm going to have a 'natter' with you."

Sirius got annoyed and kicked the book out of his lap. It was rather an impressive move, it involved an extraordinary boot of his leg somehow sliding the book of Remus' knees.

"Why don't you go pester Peter?" Remus whined.

"Because I'm talking to you," said Sirius. "Wormtail said he saw you reading that Dream Oracle again." Remus turned abruptly pale and tapped his fingers agitatedly on one of the chair arm rests. "I thought you were over that dream thing."

"Of course I'm over it-" Remus' finger-tapping gradually got faster "-I was never bothered about it in the first place."

Sirius sat back, remaining unconvinced.

"Remus," Peter walked through the portrait of the Fat Lady, looking surprised at his friend's presence. "Aren't you supposed to be in the prefects meeting?"

With widened eyes, Remus jumped from his seat, his arms flailing in quite a comical fashion. "Bugger!" He checked his watch and saw that he could probably still catch the end of it.

"See, this is exactly what I'm talking about!" Sirius followed Remus who ran up the stairs to the seventh year boy's dormitory. "You never forget about prefects meetings! Your memory is exceptionally perfect to the point of it being abnormal! That dream has messed you up in the head." He twirled a finger to his noggin. "And—are you putting on a scarf?" he asked oddly.

"It's cold in the corridors," Remus insisted, whipping the piece of the scarf that was hanging in front, over his shoulder. His eyes searched around the dorm until he spotted his school robe spread across his bed. He ran across the room with Sirius trailing him. Whipping his robe off the bed, there was a sound of a thud as a book fell from beneath it.

The Dream Oracle lay on the floor.

It took exactly three seconds until both boys dived to the ground and seized for the book. They both stood up, their fingers mutually gripping either side.

Remus could see the page of the book in his mind. The lines, 'If you are homosexual in your waking life, then the dream is simply a reflection of your own self' and '…suggests some fears/anxieties about your masculinity' especially stood out to him. He could just imagine Sirius having a field day after reading that.

"Let go, Padfoot." Remus tugged the book towards him.

"But I want to read what it says about your dream." Sirius pulled the book his way.

"But it's not in there." Remus tugged again.

"Liar, liar, trousers on fire," Sirius replied immaturely, pulling the book his way once more.

It took exactly another three seconds before each boy began violently wrenching at the book, each with a determined face on winning the paperback.

"Let go, Sirius!" Remus resorted to stomping on the boy's toe to get his own way.

"Ow! But I want to read it!"

"Oh, so now you take a sudden curiosity in reading but when I try to get you into Shakespeare you aren't the slightest bit interested!"

With a hard tug, Sirius pulled on Remus' scarf and he fell to the floor. Sirius smiled a triumphant grin at his dirty tactics, holding the Dream Oracle in his hand. Immediately opening the book, Remus tackled Sirius to the ground and both boys began scrambling to snatch for the book underneath the hair yanking and scarf pulling.

"Ow! Sodding hell!"

Together the boys stood up again, heaving for breath. Almost instantaneously, they began pulling at each side again.

"Stop it, Sirius! You'll rip it!"

"Books can't rip! They have literature fibre!"

Unbeknownst to Sirius, books can rip and the Dream Oracle had no said 'literature fibre'. With a final pull, the book ripped in half with a painful sound to Remus' ears.

Remus gaped at the ripped side of his book he was holding. "Look what you've done!" He wagged his half of the book at Sirius where pages began to drop to the floor. He was on the verge of weeping. "You'll get sent to hell for this!" he pointed a finger at Sirius. "Along with the people with library fines!"

Sirius forced himself not to laugh. "It'll be good for the fireplace now, eh?"

Remus could not control his jaw dropping to the floor. "I don't think you've realised the full magnitude of what you've done!"

Sirius dropped his side of the ripped book to the floor, clearly not bothered about the possibility of being sent to Hades. "Well, the ripped book decides it, then."

"Magnitude!" Remus wagged the dilapidated book at him. "Hades!"

"We're going to see the Divination professor," Sirius announced.

"Condemned, that's what you'll be—what? What do you mean 'we', and who now?"

"We're going to see the Divination professor about your dream," Sirius explained. "Professor Cockett—aharharhar-"

"Don't be so childish. Yes, her surname 'Cockett' has the word 'cock' in it." Remus rolled his eyes. "How side-splitting. And I don't want to go see her."

"But she'll know more than anyone what your dream means!" Sirius protested.

"The woman's barmy. Not to mention Divination is complete rubbish-"

"Just because you failed the class…"

"I do not fail classes!" Remus cried. He finally remembered again the prefects meeting he was missing; Sirius was undoubtedly right about his poor memory lately. "Great, you've made me even later now! I bid you good day!" He put on his school robe and ran down the stairs to the common room, two at a time.

"Where are you off?" Peter asked Remus, getting up from his chair.

"Prefects meeting," Remus said hurriedly, crossing the room.

"No he's not!" Sirius smirked.

The portrait of the Fat Lady opened and Remus stepped through with Sirius quickly following him. As the portrait began to shut, Peter watched as Remus began to go left but was instantly tugged right by Sirius by the scarf with an accompanying wail of 'AAAARGH!'

Scarf pulling should be disallowed.

"Wipe that scowl off your face or Professor Cockett won't help us."

Remus grudgingly manifested his scowl into a straight line.

Sirius always got his way.

"That's better."

The two boys finally reached the ladder leading to the trap door to the Divination classroom.

"You go first," Remus said, gesturing to the ladder.

Sirius stroked his chin. "Nuh-uh-" he shook his head "-one step on that ladder and you'll run off."

Remus rolled his eyes. "Don't be ridiculous. Of course I won't. I'm being courteous. Accept the courtesy, for Merlin's sake-"

"Alright, alright!" Sirius gave in. He stepped one foot on the ladder and straight away Remus tried to scurry to his escape - Sirius stopped this with a hard jerk of his scarf pulled his way. "You're so predictable, Moony." He pushed him towards the ladder. "Up you go now."

Remus took one step on the ladder but didn't go any further, looking hesitant.

"Jesus! I'm not gonna look at your arse when you go up! I only did that in third year with the girls wearing skirts!" Sirius looked him up and down. "And from what I can see, you don't fit the narrative."

Heaving a sigh, Remus finally climbed the ladder whilst Sirius followed.

"Nice butt cheeks, Moony!"

Remus booted him in the face.

"Bloody hell! I was kidding!"

They continued to climb.

"Uuuurgh, did you let one off?"

"Oh, for goodness sake!" Remus complained.

Sirius merely laughed. "You're so easy to wind up…"

Banging his head on the trap door, Remus realised they had arrived at the classroom. Pushing the door open, they climbed through the hole. They instantly waved their hands from the odd mist filling up the room, and the overwhelming smell coming from the copper kettle.

"Professor?" yelled Sirius, waving a hand in front of his face. "Professor Cockett? Aharharhar…"

"So juvenile," muttered Remus.

Suddenly a figure appeared out of the haze and they both jumped as the professor appeared in her brightly vibrant tie-dyed robes.

"Professor Cockett!" Sirius greeted her. Her afro appeared larger than normal and Sirius could not keep his eyes off of it or direct his gaze away. "Cockett, Cockett, Cockett,-"

"Yes, that is my surname, Black," the professor sighed. "I really don't know why you have such an obsession with reiterating it." She waved her wand and three pouffes appeared. "Take a seat," she told them, sitting down.

Sirius did not like pouffes. They confused him. He was never sure which way of the pouffe was the front or the back.

"It doesn't matter, Sirius," Remus muttered, as his friend had been turning the pouffe for four consecutive minutes now.

Finally settling for a particular side of the pouffe, Sirius sat down, legs elegantly spread apart for all to see.

The professor swished her wand and a tea set zoomed from the other side of the room and hovered beside her. "Five sugars, Mr. Black?" she asked, as spoons stirred and sugar cubes floated.

"I think six should do it, Professor."

"You and your sugar consumption," muttered Remus.

"So," Cockett leaned forward and crossed a leg over her knee. "What's troubling you boys?"

"We need your help," Sirius began.

"Oh," Cockett leaned backwards, looking a little miffed. "Everyone needs my help lately. 'Oh, Professor Cockett, tell my future!' 'Oh, Professor Cockett, what will the sex of my baby be?' 'Oh, Professor Cockett, how can I make Lily Evans fall in love with me?'" Sirius snickered into the cup of his tea; he would have to have a chat with James about that later. "'Oh, Professor Cockett, what do you mean what we are doing is against the law? We've been at it for six months now and I've thoroughly enjoyed it-'"

Remus spilled the entire contents of his tea onto his lap, leaving a wet patch around his crotch. "What, professor?" he squeaked, referring to her last statement.

"Er, forget that last one," Cockett batted a hand.

"So will you help us, Professor?" Sirius asked, fluttering his eyelashes.

Cockett crossed her arms, not softened by his charm quite yet. "Hmmm…"

"You're not still in a mood with us because we didn't take your subject, are you?"

The professor made a huff of indignation, slamming her cup of tea on the table. "What do you mean 'in a mood', Mr. Black! I am not a sulking teenager! Most certainly not!" She quieted her tone, realising she had been spit-shouting. "I am merely disappointed with boys with such remarkable skills in divination… well, maybe not so much with you, Mr. Lupin." She patted his hand comfortingly. "You seem to think too much; you cannot broaden your mind enough. Mr. Black, however!" Sirius smirked, puffing out his chest. "I was very impressed with you! I believe you posses the," she paused dramatically, "the inner eye!"

Sirius slightly frowned at the mention of the 'inner eye'. "Inner eye?" he said in puzzlement. He grabbed the spoon from his cup of tea and began examining his pupils in the reflection. "I have an eye in my eye?"

Cockett laughed sadly. "Astuteness isn't everything, Black." She patted his arm.

Remus had clearly had enough and sat up from his pouffe, but Sirius forced him back down again.

"Anyway, my friend here-" Sirius pinched Remus' cheek and the boy scowled and smacked him "-had a dream."

"Dreams are quite common, Black," Cockett retorted with a sip of her tea.

"Well, we were wondering if you knew what it meant," Sirius explained.

"I am a seer, not a dream analyst. Don't tell me you've been thinking that for the past six years? Good grief…"

"Please, Professor Cockett?" Sirius pleaded and said her name just for the sake of fun and all that is silly.

Cockett eventually gave in. "Fine. Describe your dream, Mr. Lupin."

Remus was not keen to go into detail so explained very vaguely, "Well, we were married…"

"I beg your pardon?" The professor leaned forward, a little confused. "Who were?"

"Sirius and I," Remus said quietly.

"Oh… ahahaha! That is rather humorous!"

"Professor!"

"Sorry," Cockett apologized, realizing she was not being very sympathetic. "Do carry on."

"Well, er, it seemed quite, um, apparent they we were, er, sexually active-"

"Ahahahaha!"

"Professor!"

"I mean, very interesting…" Cockett tried to keep a straight face. "Anything else?" she asked.

"No-" Sirius began to say.

"Actually, yes," Remus revealed, his head now in between his knees.

Sirius furrowed his brow. "You what?"

"I had another dream last night," Remus mumbled to the floor.

"What!" Sirius hissed. "You never said!"

"You never asked," Remus gritted through her teeth.

"Yes I bloody did!"

FLASHBACK

"Hey, Moony. Have any more weird dreams last night?"

"No, Padfoot."

END OF FLASHBACK

"Reciting that short conversation was pointless, Sirius."

"Maybe," he agreed, "but it proves I did ask you!"

Cockett looked at the two with amusement. "Someone could easily mistake you two as a married couple…"

"I beg your pardon, professor?" Remus turned on Cockett with his arms placed on his hips. The professor gave him a look which said 'do not speak in that tone with me or do such a gesture' and Remus instantly dropped his hands to his side.

"What happened in this second dream, Mr. Lupin?" Cockett urged him on.

Remus downed the remainder of his tea and looked at the tea leave remains at the bottom of it. "Oh, for Merlin's sake!" He smacked the cup on the table after discovering what looked to be an outline that looked very similar to his friend's Animgaus form next to him- it was either the Grim or Padfoot, and Remus hoped it was the latter, even though he didn't believe in the Grim anyway.

"I don't think Sirius should be present to hear about the second dream."

"I think I bloody well should be!"

"Be quiet, Mr. Black. And stop fiddling with your pouffe."

"My what?"

"Your seat!" Professor Cockett pointed to what his arse was currently resting on.

"Oh, so that's what it's called! I thought you were talking about my-"

"Hush," Cockett shut him up from going no further.

Remus secured his fidgeting fingers in his lap, he was flushing a billion shades of red and he hadn't even begun explaining the dream. "It didn't last long from what I can remember. It was barely seconds. Seconds," he stressed. The professor inclined him to go on. "Erm, you see, the first dream involvedtalking about being, er, sexually active. The second dream however…"

"Oh God!" Sirius jumped up from his pouffe –which he now knew the name of- his face distorting in horror.

"Yes," Remus squeaked, hiding behind his hands.

"We were actually-"

"Yes."

"Oh God!"

"Ahahahaha!"

"Professor!"

Cockett tried to speak in between her hullabaloo of laughter. "Sorry! It's just you two make quite the pair, really." She noticed the glaring. "In a heterosexual way, of course."

Sirius circled his pouffe in confusion until he stopped, facing Remus. He debated asking a question as he opened and closed his mouth.

"Just ask me, Sirius."

"Did we, er… come across as, um, you know, enjoying it?"

"There were…noises," Remus told him carefully.

"N-noises?" Sirius fumbled. "Noises of pain-? Actually, don't answer that! Oh God" He ran up to the professor who jumped back, startled, nearly dropping her cup of tea. He kneeled before her and asked desperately, "What does it mean, professor? What does the dream mean?"

There was a dramatic pause as both Sirius and Remus waited for Cockett's eventual answer of, "I don't know."

"I told you she wouldn't know!" Remus said crossly. "I told you she was baa…" he trailed off, realising he was about to call the professor 'barmy' right in front of her. "Baaa-eautiful!" he finished, looking nervous under Cockett's suspicious gaze.

"You can't not know!" Sirius snapped.

"Do not bark at me, Bl-" Cockett cut off suddenly and Sirius wondered if she had just had a heart attack. Pushing Sirius aside, she ran forward to one of the small tables in the classroom, putting her hands on a crystal ball. "I see a premonition!" she revealed spectacularly.

"Oh, lord," Remus muttered, massaging the bridge of his nose. "Here we go." He wondered whose death would be revealed by the Professor today – him or the copper kettle?

"I think you're getting a bit distracted, professor," Sirius pointed out, but was silenced by her.

The professor's face looked graver by the passing seconds of stillness. Her eyes became rounder and more startled as she focused on the crystal balls mist. Curiosity getting the better of them, Sirius stepped forward and Remus reluctantly followed, peeking at the crystal ball.

"What do you see, professor?"

Noticeably gulping, Cockett faced Sirius with a saddened expression. "You…" She pointed a shaking finger at him and he frowned. "You will die…"

So it was Sirius' turn to die today, Remus thought. Wonderful. He sincerely hoped Sirius wouldn't take his death sentence too seriously. She was nutty, after all.

"Let's go," Remus said, walking to the trap door. When Sirius showed no signs of movement, Remus walked back over to him. "Come on," he pressed.

Somewhat dazed, Sirius took a step to exit but the professor suddenly reached out and grabbed his sleeve with desperation.

"You will die-" Cockett repeated.

"Yeah, yeah. You said already." Sirius looked down at her shaking hand, unsure what to do. "It happens to everyone, doesn't it," he laughed tensely, "Death, I mean."

Cockett shook her head. "No, you misunderstand, boy. You will die… alone."

Never had Remus heard the professor say such a death threat with so much overpowering emotion. 'You will die' was regular, but the added 'alone'? That was too strange…

"I think that's rather inappropriate of you to say, Professor," Remus said brusquely.

At his comment, Cockett pointed a trembling finger at him and Remus instantly groaned. He had to speak, didn't he? It had to be his turn eventually.

"You will mourn for him," the professor murmured, anguish across her face. "But you will find someone-" she nodded "-yes. A wild spirit also, but it will not be the same-"

"I think we'll be leaving now," Remus cut off the professor rudely. He turned to Sirius but discovered he was not by his side. "Sirius?" he called. He turned to the trapdoor and discovered the boy already disappearing through the hole in a flash.

"Padfoot, wait up!"

He ran up to the trap door and watched Sirius jump to the ground instead of using the ladder.

"For goodness sake! You could have busted your kneecaps!"

He quickly began climbing down the ladder to catch his friend up but slowly halted as he watched Sirius hurry down the corridor.

"Where are you going, Sirius?" yelled Remus. He watched his figure become smaller in the distance. "Sirius!"

James loved snogging Lily. He also loved saying the word 'snogging', but he loved actual snogging with Lily more. It wasn't just the snogging but the slow short kisses he loved too, any excuse to getting in contact with her. He was becoming more obsessed with her than before they were dating. It was infatuation.

"We have homework," she reminded James who was currently spread across the couch of the Head Tower with her.

"Homework should be completed at home," James said, kissing her neck.

"Then we have schoolwork."

"Schoolwork should be completed in class."

"Stop twisting my words!"

"It's very hard to kiss you when you're talking, you know. That's why it's very much focused on the neck at the moment."

"But-" Lily was cut off by James nibbling at her lips. "James, you're not a rabbit and my lips are certainly not carrot sticks."

"Sorry," he apologized, kissing her properly.

"Your hands are wandering, James," Lily said suspiciously, although with a not very hidden smile, feeling his hands tickle the skin of her back under her shirt.

"Might as well let them mooch, then."

The sound of the portrait of the Fat Man creak opened and James broke apart from Lily with a huffy expression. "Piss off!" he yelled to the unknown intruder.

Sirius tumbled in, hands covering his eyes. "I'm shielding my pure eyes in case you're both naked," he explained.

"We're not naked, Sirius," Lily informed, hitching up on her elbows.

"Whatever!" He pointed an unconvinced finger in the completely wrong direction to where Lily was standing because of his temporary blindness. "That's what Longbottom said too! But was he attired? I think not! Prongs, I'm gonna mope in your room for a bit. Don't mind me. Continue mounting one another. I won't listen through the walls. Just try and keep it down, kids. And don't disturb me. I'm angsty." He finished his speech and walked across the room, bumping into a chair and table on the way because of the shielding of his eyes. He entered James' dorm, shutting the door behind with a firm slam.

"Don't have a wank on my bed sheets, Padfoot!" James yelled after him. "Now, where were we?" He was about to launch a gigantic smooch on Lily but she moved her head away at the last second, making him lip attack the chair armrest.

"You told him the password again?"

"I told Remus the password. He must have blabbed to him."

"You shouldn't be telling any of your bum boys the password."

"Its Marauders," he corrected her for the hundredth time with a smile. "What can I say? They won't leave me alone, and they idolize me too much."

Lily rolled her eyes and ignored such an egotistical comment; she hoped he was just teasing. "The Head Tower is supposed to be private for us."

"Want me all for yourself, eh, eh?" James stroked her back.

"You're so arrogant… which is annoyingly rather attractive," Lily admitted. "Don't you think you should check on Sirius? He looked a little upset," she said, glancing at the bedroom door.

"Nah. He'll be fine," he reassured her. "The only thing he's ever got upset about was the house elves running out of marshmallows."

"Marshmallows? The pink ones or the white ones?"

"You're ruining the mood, Lils..."

"Sorry."

They continued kissing and James let off a satisfied moan as she gripped a hand to his hair.

For the second time, the portrait creaked open and an unwanted visitor stepped in. James reluctantly pulled away from Lily's lips and rested his forehead on hers. "Piss off, please!" he yelled again.

"Er, sorry!" Remus stepped into the common room with a definite cringe on his face, reddening. "I'm shielding my eyes in case either of you are unclothed!" he echoed Sirius' words with both hands covering his eyeballs.

"We're not naked, Remus," Lily informed the second Marauder for the second time.

"Thank heavens," Remus dropped the hands from his eyes but almost instantaneously covered them again. "You might as well be though!" he said, seeing James straddle Lily on the couch in the flash of that second his eyes were exposed.

"If you're looking for Sirius, he's in my room," James said with imploring eyes, hoping his friend would take the hint and leave the room

"Right!" Remus nodded and began his difficult way to James' bedroom, still blind. "You two, er, have fun?" He finally came into contact with the door handle of the bedroom and quickly slipped inside.

"He went into your bedroom, didn't he," James said knowingly.

"Yes," Lily confirmed.

Barely seconds later, Remus appeared out of Lily's bedroom looking an extreme beetroot colour in the face. "You really shouldn't keep your underwear draw so open, Lily," he cringed.

Lily narrowed her eyes. "I didn't leave my underwear draw open…" She spotted James' guilty look. "You!"

"I like the ones with the teddies the best…"

"If I wasn't so into kissing you right now, I'd kick you in the balls."

"So you're into me? So when do you think you'll be into me, then out of me, then back into me again-"

"James!"

"I was kidding!" He put his hands up in defence. "That was my sex joke of the day."

"Erm, I'll be going now," Remus informed, slipping into James' bedroom.

"Hey, Fat Man!" James addressed the portrait and it swung backwards into the room to face him.

"You rang?" the Fat Man drawled.

"Don't let anyone else in here, alright? Even if they've got the password, we want some privacy."

The Fat Man nodded. "Right. I get it."

"Good." James went back to kissing Lily but after a few seconds, realised someone was watching them. Breaking away from her, he spotted the portrait of the Fat Man still open, watching them with a smirk.

"You can close now."

"Right."

"…Anytime today, please."

"You're lucky I didn't get the camera out yet," the Fat Man muttered, shutting the door.

Peter stood before the Head Tower's portrait, looking unaided and wanting company. He had hardly seen his friends all day besides in class and wanted to play Pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey with Sirius, Sirius being the donkey.

"The password is sugar quills," Peter recited eloquently what Sirius had told him –from Remus- and stepped forward, expecting the portrait to swing open. Unfortunately the portrait remained still and he banged his nose on the hard surface.

"Sugar quills," Peter repeated, holding his bruised nose.

"Does this look like a face that cares?" The Fat Man pointed to his flabby chin and sported an ugly expression.

"Erm… aren't you suppose to be letting me in right about now-"

"I said, does this look like a face that scares?" He pointed again.

"I'm quite certain the password is Sugar qui-"

"Answer the question, boy.

Peter bobbed open his mouth before answering confusedly, "No. It doesn't…"

"Exactly," agreed the Fat Man. "Now bugger off."

Peter grinded his jaw in quite a scary manner, "But I've just told you the password!" He huffed. "Why won't you just let me in?"

"Because the Head Boy ordered no visitors, so boo-sodding-hoo for you," the portrait teased unsympathetically.

"But I know the Head Boy! I'm friends with him!" insisted Peter. "He told me the password himself. He'll be expecting my company!"

The Fat Man sighed, annoyed by the boy's presence. "Fine, I'll go ask Four Eyes," he gave in. He swung open a fraction, enough for his voice to be heard in the Tower. Just as the portrait opened, Peter quickly tried to push past him but failed unsuccessfully. "Sneaky bugger!" the Fat Man pointed at Peter. "Oi, Four Eyes!" he addressed the Head Boy.

"Fat Man," James parted with Lily again, on the verge of looking wrathful if one more person disturbed them, "What did I say about opening?"

The portrait looked livid. "But there's some bloody chubby kid outside who's pestering me to come in!"

"Then tell them to go away!" James yelled.

"But he says he knows you," the Fat Man explained. Peter began to shout a, "James! It's me!" but was hushed by the Portrait's, "Shut it, chubby." Peter was a little insulted by this nickname when the portrait himself looked like he had one too many fourth helpings in the Great hall.

"I actually don't give a rat's arse!" James enlightened the portrait in a sarcastically cheerful tone. "Close the door now, if you will."

Mimicking James' order childishly with ugly expressions, the Fat Man shut the door once more, forbidding entry for poor Peter.

Remus stepped into James' bedroom and was instantly overwhelmed by the bitter aroma of burning socks. Coughing from the smell and waving his hand energetically to shoo away the greenish clouds of smoke, he spotted Sirius lying on James' bed, gazing up at the ceiling.

"You're smoking?" Remus spat with disbelief.

Sirius suddenly sat up, looking miffed. "I'm going to die alone. I think I have the right to, Moony." He sat back down and took a deep pull of the pipe, billowing clouds rising to the ceiling.

Rubbing his forehead, Remus sat on the edge of the bed. "You're actually going to take that woman seriously?"

"I think I've gone past taking it seriously, Moony." Sirius wagged the pipe at him. "I'm pretty freaked out. Can't you tell?" He showed his hand to Remus. "I'm shaking!" he declared.

Remus observed his fingers. "You're moving your hand deliberately," he scoffed.

Sirius cursed under his breath and carried on blowing puffs from his pipe.

Remus was partly glad Professor Cockett had predicted Sirius' death because now the boy was completely focused on that and not on the disturbing dream he had revealed. "So smoking Merlin knows what illegal and poisonous substance that's emitting those green fumes, thus, damaging your lungs, is helping the situation."

"Oh, shut up," Sirius snapped. "You're not my mother." Remus refrained himself from answered 'I'm good as' and watched him puff clouds. "I really wish my mother would die already."

"Sirius! Don't say that!" Remus scolded him.

"I'm not kidding! That woman is a witch… in an insulting way. I wouldn't be surprised if she ate babies for breakfast."

"How did we get onto the subject of your mother?"

"I dunno," Sirius shrugged. "You brought her up."

Remus was about to snap with 'You did' but saw Sirius looking quite vulnerable and lost, deciding against it.

"I can't die alone," Sirius told the ceiling. "I mean, the birds love me! I'm always with people!"

"You can be surrounded by as many people as possible," Remus spoke in a hollow tone, "but still feel alone."

Sirius arched an eyebrow. "You just got awfully philosophical all of a sudden."

Remus reddened but it wasn't noticeable because of the smoke clouding up the room. "Must be the fumes," he excused. "Just ignore what the professor said, Padfoot."

Sirius ignored him. "But everyone dies alone, don't they?" He contradicted himself. "I mean, couples rarely die together. There's always one that goes before the other." Remus remained silent, just listening. "It's just the way she said it. Alone," he mimicked the professor's voice. "She said it as if I'm never gonna find someone."

"Not everyone finds someone," Remus said sombrely.

"You're not fucking helping, Moony!"

"Sorry." Remus winced. "I mean, of course you'll find someone." He clearly looked uncomfortable, not an expert on matters of finding partners. "Just ignore Cockett." He realised Sirius did not laugh at the surname this time. "Cockett," he tried again. Sirius did not laugh; Remus was worried by this but eventually gave up trying to cheer him up.

"I'm going to the library," he announced, standing up.

"What?" Sirius hitched up on his elbows, trying not to look bothered. "Why?"

"I've got Arithmancy homework to finish."

"Can't you just stay here and listen to me angst?"

"I want to pass my NEWT's, Sirius."

"Fine," he said in a tone which clearly stated he was not. "Fuck off, then." He glowered at the ceiling.

Remus reached for the door handle but stopped himself, whipping around with an annoyed expression. "You're mad at me because I'm leaving you to do my homework?" he spoke in incredulity.

"No, you're just so incredibly studious sometimes that it pisses me off."

"Not everyone can charm their teacher into believing that their pet Niffler ate their homework," Remus answered sharply.

For a second it looked like Sirius was going to fling his pipe at him, but then he realised who he was talking to and relaxed his irritated features.

"I'm not mad," he told the ceiling, looking expressionless. "Just go already."

Remus looked hesitant. "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Sighing and taking one last look at Sirius sulking on James' bed, Remus exited the bedroom. Again, he shielded his eyes.

"Go away!" an automatic shout was heard from James as he heard a door open.

"I'm going to the library," Remus informed the couple on the couch. He crossed the common room, bumping into various objects on the way.

"Wait, what's up with Sirius?" James asked him.

"You talk to him," Remus said, looking defeated. He stepped through the portrait, muttering, "I give up..."

Just as James was about to resume kissing Lily, she stopped him by touching his chest and pushing him away slightly with a reprimanding look.

"What?" He was confused to why he receiving such a glare. "He didn't say to talk to him now." Lily remained silent, ordering him what to do with his eyes. "Oh, bloody hell! Fine!" he gave in moodily, standing up.

Lily stood up and rubbed his shoulders. "You're such a good friend," she cooed in his ear.

"Sometimes I wish I was hermit," James admitted. He gave Lily a departing kiss and found it very hard to let go of her. With a bashful grin, he said, "God, you give me heart palpitations…"

Those words hit her like a smack in the face and she instantly recoiled. "W-what?" she quivered.

James didn't register her panic stricken face and only laughed embarrassingly at his own words. "Ignore that last comment. So cheesy." He reached for the door handle of his bedroom and gave her a smile. "This better not be about bloody marshmallows," he warned about Sirius' bad mood. "Night, Lily."

"Night," she whispered, forcing a smile.

She rubbed her goose-bumped arms as she stepped into her dormitory. Crossing the room, her eyes locked on an object on her bed.

Another letter.

With trembling hands, she picked up the envelope and slipped out the parchment.

There was no address to her, nor any occupant. Only the words:

Through their kisses and caresses they experienced a joy and wonder the equal of which has never been known or heard of,
But I shall be silent, for the rarest and most delectable pleasures are those which are hinted at, but never told.