The Marauders: Year Four

When Squids Fly

When Squids Fly

Sirius missed Remus. The other two did, too, but not the way Sirius did. Sirius felt like part of himself was missing, and his anxiousness to tell Remus how he felt was building. He felt a bit like a bubble that might burst, that was just trying to keep himself held together.

One night, he lay awake, unable to sleep, and he'd looked over to see that James and Peter were really deeply out before he transformed into Snuffles and snuck over to Remus's bed, pressing his nose into the pillow, just to smell that comfortable jumper smell... only to find that a house elf had changed he bedclothes and they didn't smell like him. Disappointed, Sirius transformed back to a person and got up. He rummaged about in Remus's trunk, pushing aside all his high-graded essays and books 'til he found a small knot of clothes at the bottom. He took Remus's cardigan sweater and carried it back to his bed, laying it across his pillow, and was finally able to fall asleep.

"Wake up, Birthday Boy," James's voice echoed about in Sirius's tired brains the next morning and he felt a poke-poke-poke on his shoulder.

Sirius groaned, "Bloody hell, Potter, is it even dawn yet?"

"Only just, but I've got a surprise for you," James replied.

"Can't it wait until at least the owls are awake?" Sirius murmured.

James shrugged, "I mean, if you don't want to be there to witness the first students experience the greatest birthday prank ever pulled...."

"Wait, what?" Sirius was up now, mouth splitting with a wide grin, "Did you just say birthday prank?"

"Well of course," James said, smirking, "Who would be bloody stupid enough to give you a card when they could give you a prank?"

"What'd you do!" Sirius rubbed his hands together.

"Wait 'til you see!" James's eyes danced with excitement. "Peter, c'mon wake up, hurry up. Even Sirius is up already." He threw a pillow at Peter.

Peter shivered and turned 'round to look at them. He'd fallen asleep the night before trying to look at his crystal ball again. "I'm too sleepy," he replied. "I'll go later."

James stared in disbelief, "Peter, you know we're going to breakfast?"

"Yeah."

"There's food at breakfast," Sirius said.

"Shut up. I do things besides eat, you know!" Peter snapped.

"Oiiii, Pete, that's not anyway to talk to a Birthday Boy," James reprimanded him.

Peter turned red, "Sorry, Sirius, I'm just tired."

Sirius shrugged, "S'alright. Sorry I teased you."

Peter rolled back over, hugging his crystal ball to his chest as he did, staring down at it.

As Sirius and James headed down to the Great Hall, James said, "You know, all he does lately is stare at that thing. Can crystal balls be addicting?"

"I dunno," Sirius replied.

"Do you reckon he's even seen anything in it yet?" James asked.

"Peter? Peter's a dolt, of course he hasn't seen anything. I haven't seen anything. Have you seen anything?"

"My reflection," James said with a laugh.

Sirius snorted and punched James's shoulder. "So what's this prank you've done for me?"

"You'll see."