A Siriusly Good Prank (Marauders/Jily/Wolfstar)

19-Stop Chugging the Amortentia

It was nearing the end of the week, of the month, and Remus was slightly on edge.

"It's almost Halloween," Marlene McKinnon informed him cheerfully as they met at the bottom of the stairs. "Perk up."

"I know," Remus snapped.

He felt awful, his head spun whenever he moved it. Sirius, usually in tune to these sorts of things, was completely oblivious. Pretending...what had happened...had never happened.

Even though it replayed in Remus's head every night.

He buried the thought, as he'd buried most of his thoughts his entire life.

He was "quiet" and "reserved".

More like, trying not to get ridiculed. Thrown out of society. Hunted down and killed.

He could hardly imagine if someone caught him and Sirius kissing. Not only would he be a werewolf, he'd be a gay werewolf. That would just be too easy.

No, better to ignore that entirely. After all, he was interested in girls too.

I'll just have to find someone I like more than Sirius.

The thought seemed more difficult than all his seven years' worth of essays for all his classes.

But he could do it.

"Remus?" It was Lily, bright eyes peering up at him from under a mass of silky hair. Before he'd found out about James's undying, dramatic love for her, he'd had a slight crush on her in first year. But after studying with her a few times, he'd realized she was a great friend but a terrible romantic match for him. He was glad she and James had hit it off. Finally.

"Morning."

"You look exhausted. What's the date today?"

"December 25th," he snapped groggily. "I don't know."

"Don't give me any of your sass, Remus Lupin. I've done nothing to deserve it." She was already checking her homework calendar. "It's October 30th, you're welcome."

"Mmmm."

"I believe the correct response was, 'thank you, Lily. I'm glad somebody cares about my well-being.'" She snapped the homework calendar shut. "Go to the hospital wing if you need to. I'll tell McGonagall."

"Yeah, I might do that," Remus said. "At the end of first class, if I need to."

"Good choice. Go eat something," Lily said. "Food is what you need."

Remus nodded sleepily, unwilling to force out any more words, and stumbled down to the Great Hall.

............

"Good God, he's a mess," James said. "Oh, there's Lily."

Sirius ignored the part about Lily, staring at Remus. He looked like he was dying, honestly. But then, he did this time every month.

"Morning," he said, attempting a casual tone. Remus glared daggers.

Lily slid in next to James. "Aren't you going to say good morning, Remus?"

Remus murmured something uncomplimentary.

"That's not very nice, Moony," Sirius tsked, spooning scrambled eggs onto his plate.

"I'm not eating anything," Remus said.

"You are if I say you are," Sirius told him. "Eat."

"Jesus." Remus took the tiniest bite, then immediately dropped his fork. "No."

Sirius sighed. "Go back to bed," he said. "If anyone has a problem with it, I'll fight them."

"No, you won't," Remus mumbled, ever Sirius's common sense. "I'm going up to the hospital wing.

"Sounds like a plan!" Sirius gave him a big thumbs-up.

"James will cover your patrol today," Lily called after him.

"Why James?" Sirius grumbled. "Why not me?"

"Or me?" Peter plopped down in Remus's recently vacated seat.

"Because James is Head Boy," Lily said.

"Oh?" Sirius wiggled his eyebrows. Lily, thankfully, was not paying attention.

"And as if you'd be responsible enough, anyway," Lily continued.

Sirius flailed dramatically. "Moi? Responsible? I am very responsible."

"Responsible for half the casualties in this castle," Lily muttered.

Sirius scoffed. "Nonsense."

Lily stood up, gathering her books. "I've got a free, James. I'll see you in Transfiguration."

"Wait." James scrambled to his feet, leaning in to kiss her. She set her books on the table, seemingly oblivious to the fact that her eggs were soaking into her History of Magic text.

"PDA," Sirius rasped, faking a coughing fit. Peter giggled.

"Oh, shut up, Sirius Black," Lily snapped, gathering her egged book and striding out of the hall.

"Enjoy your breakfast to go!" Sirius shouted. Lily hurled the bit of egg at him.

"D'you mind not antagonizing my girlfriend?" James drawled, sitting down again.

Sirius pretended to consider the question. "Mate, I think a girl like that needs a bit of antagonizing once in a while."

James snorted. "So, are we doing the pranks today?"

"Oh, that's right," Peter said. "The pumpkins!"

"If only Remus was well enough to help us," Sirius mumbled.

James glanced at him. You okay? he mouthed. Sirius nodded.

"Astronomy," Peter announced. "Shall we get to the tower?"

"You go ahead," Sirius said. "I'm going to the hospital wing."

"Padfoot," James groaned.

"I'm going, and you can't stop me," Sirius announced, pushing back his chair. "Or I'll be sitting around, worried, all day. You know me."

"Yeah, stop chugging the amortentia, hmm?" James whispered, a wicked twinkle in his eyes.

"Prongs, he is family. I'm pretty sure we swore a blood oath in third or fourth year. It's non-negotiable. I'm going over there." Sirius swept out the door in a flounce of Gryffindor robes.

James sighed and dropped his head onto the table. "This won't end well."

Peter swiveled his head back and forth. "What did I miss?"