Four To The End (prev Shifting Lines) - Book One (Marauder Era)

Chapter Fifty-Four - Valentine's Prank

James mumbled something about Sirius before runnig out, going to find their friend to see how he was doing. Remus just disappeared behind his curtains, not sure what to do besides blaming himself. If he hadn't been under the bed, the fight probably wouldn't have started. He stayed up as everyone else went to sleep until finally James and Sirius returned. Remus peeked out a crack in his curtains, watching the two of them climb into James's bed. He figured they'd stay up talking but nothing else happened, so he closed his curtains figuring they had fallen asleep talking again--except, Remus would have heard them if they were talking. Even with the sound absorption on James's curtains Remus could still hear inside decently well. Did they just go to sleep? In the same bed?

Remus shook his head and tried to go to sleep despite the feelings of confusion and guilt.

*

"Feeling better today?" Peter asked at breakfast, since he hadn't gotten a chance to talk to Remus the night before.

"Uh-huh, thanks. I'm sorry for being--"

Sirius rapped his knuckles very lightly against the top of Remus's head. "No need to apologize, told you loads of times before, s'ok if you need to do that. Doesn't bother us."

"Not at all!" promised Peter. "I mean, I might not really understand it but, you know, it doesn't bother me either. It's okay!"

James nodded in agreement however he was too excited about their prank to waste time talking about something as boring as feelings. Instead he started going on about the possibilities to get the potion into the desserts, how they were going to get around the house-elves noticing. There was a lot of discussion and finally Sirius just said grouchily why not go into the kitchens right now to see what was going on? So after they finished eating, down they headed. There wasn't much preparation yet although Remus asked.

Ever since Remus had shown his friends where the kitchens were, Peter often disappeared into them and had a rapport with the house-elves as good as Remus did, and between the two of them they managed to get information that the elves would start their work around three pm. Bibble whispered she'd set aside some of the big cake just for her two favorite students, which caused both of them to blush gratefully and thank her, which caused her to squeak and bow and go into a tizzy over being thanked.

When they went into the Great Hall for lunch, they saw frilly decorations everywhere. Loads of pink and white and purple, and all four boys made gagging sounds as they found seats. Lily--sitting nearby--made a comment about the 'lovely decor' to Remus, and James pulled his bowl of noodles up to his mouth then made fake retching noises, dumping the noodles on the table as if he had thrown them up.

"You're SO disgusting!" Lily complained as he laughed.

James picked a noodle up and held it above his head, letting it drop down into his mouth. He made loud smacking noises then picked up another noodle. His eyes were on the noodle so he didn't notice Lily get her wand out. The spell shot out just as James dropped the noodle in his mouth and then he began gagging, making real retching noises as he spit the noodle out--except it wasn't a noodle anymore, it was a wriggling worm.

"EWWWWW!" several students around them exclaimed.

Lily grinned and Remus couldn't help but grin too. It was absolutely nauseating, but brilliant. At least Sirius was laughing, slapping the table, so he didn't feel like too much of a traitor to James. Peter made a sort of urrruping sound, running from the hall, hand over his mouth.

James began wiping a napkin across his tongue, glaring at Lily. "Why'd you do that for?!" He swept the worm off the table and began chugging at water. A tear was glistening on his cheek from the retching.