LONG STORY SHORT, james potter

𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐰𝐨.

James groaned, but didn't speak, instead picked up his fork and poked at the sausage. "It's . . . it's complicated."

"Complicated," Sirius parroted.

"It's complicated," James repeated resolutely. "We might have been . . . unlikely acquaintances before, but after the thing with . . ." James trailed off. Contrary to what Betty may have believed, the great and courageous lion hadn't the courage to tell anyone what they'd seen. 

"Yeah but then Dumbledore showed up and everything was fine." Sirius shrugged, but his eyes were still concerned.

"You don't understand," James whispered as he looked down and shook his head. Sirius narrowed his eyes, it was reminiscent of Betty, herself. "Hey . . . you didn't happen to find that Simon and Garfunkel record that I asked for, did you?"

"Oh, yeah. Andy sent it to me. Should be in our room."

"Thanks." James pushed himself up from the table and walked carelessly towards the entrance, leaving his plate. 

Sirius's eyes trailed after him, as confused as ever. "Okay what the fuck."

"What's going on?" Peter asked with raised eyebrows.

"James is going to get the Simon and Garfunkel record that he asked me for."

Peter snorted and his eyes shot to James's retreating figure. "Is that a joke?"

"I honestly thought it was."

"Hey!" Remus hissed. "I like Simon and Garfunkel!"

"Yeah, you do. James is a Rolling Stones and Elton John guy. He thinks that the Beatles are mellow." 

"Well, they do have mellow songs."

"We were listening to 'Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da'."

Remus was out of arguments as they all turned to face his shadow that was elongating with every step he took away from them. 

"Maybe it's a thing for Lily?" Peter asked as he looked between Remus and Sirius.

Remus shook his head. "She likes ABBA."

"Who doesn't like ABBA," Sirius snorted. "They're fucking great."

"She might like some of their songs," Peter suggested. "I mean, I like some of them."

They all shrugged it off as another failed attempt to get her, but Sirius's attention was grabbed at someone standing up from the Hufflepuff and moving down the table. He raised an eyebrow as he saw a boy nervously stand next to a sitting Betty Lupin.

"Well shit," he muttered as he stared.

"What?" Remus asked as he chewed on some baked beans. Sirius nodded forward, making Remus and Peter turn around to see Betty looking up and happily conversing with a madly blushing boy. 

"Isn't he the lad who lent us uniforms after her party? What was his name?" Peter asked as he shook his head.

"Freddie Abbott," Remus replied dreamily. "Had it ironed into everything."