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

Chapter Eighty-Five - Dumb Savage

*

Remus didn't go to study group that night. He doubted they'd discuss the whole code of conduct stuff very much however he just didn't want to deal with it. Not when he felt this on edge. He stretched out in his bed to work on homework while James tossed a ball around, and Sirius and Peter were playing some sort of hand game that just looked like it involved hitting each other's hands. None of them were really talking mostly just listening to music. He needed to mention werewolves. He didn't want to... however... he needed to see Sirius's reactions.

His stomach hurt so bad.

"You guys sh--should be studying," he finally forced himself to say.

"I am," James said. "I'm studying to see if I can use magic wandlessly and silently by stopping the ball mid-air. S'not working though." He cracked a grin, tossing the ball again. "Nope. Better keep trying."

Remus sat up, pulling his History book onto his lap. His heart felt like it would just burst out of his chest with as hard as it was pounding. He was surprised the others couldn't hear it. "Come on, let's do a little bit at least. Binns threw a load of dates at us today. We can go over those."

"Boring!" Sirius said as he smacked Peter's hand.

Remus ignored him, pretending to look at the text in front of him. His vision was almost pulsing with each heartbeat. "What notable event happened in 1612?"

"Someone boring was born," Sirius replied. "Or someone boring died. Or else something boring happened."

"The Appleby Arrows is founded," James said, swinging his legs around to sit up.

"The...? N--no, the Goblin rebellion happened," Remus said.

"And the Appleby Arrows is founded," James repeated. "I'd love to learn the arrow spell." He pointed his wand, closing one eye as he aimed. "Shoot one right up Snape's nose."

"Not much of a difficult target," Sirius laughed then yelped as Peter got a particularly hard smack in on his hand.

Remus took in a deep breath. "What about... 1637?"

"That's when that Timmy Fidget guy made it rain fish for three days straight, right?" Peter asked.

"Tymmelius Finedge and no, that happened in 1645," Remus mumbled. His tongue felt like someone had put a swelling hex on it, and his throat was tight. "1637 is the werewolf code of conduct. Any of you even remember what that is?" He was looking as casually as he could at Sirius who was still smacking hands with Pete.

"Yeah, the werewolf code of conduct states that everyone has to do the Full Moon Howl," James said then jumped up to his feet, standing on his bed. "AWOOOOOOO!"

"Shut up, Jimmy, no one wants to hear you howl," snapped Sirius.

"AWOOOOOO!" James kept howling, ignoring Sirius. "What was the line? About being bitten?"

"Does it matter?" Sirius asked rather stiffly.

"It's a good song--"

"No, it's a crap song." Sirius had been looking at James but he shifted his gaze back to Peter. Remus froze when Sirius's gaze slid past him. On purpose? Or accidental? Had he just imagined it?

James stopped jumping, looking put out. Hurt. "What's got your wand in a knot?"

Sirius pulled his hands away from Peter, folding his arms. "I think it's a dumb song. I don't like it."

"Why?" James demanded.

Remus felt violently sick because he was 100% sure Sirius glanced his way before saying, "I just don't." Except... maybe not 100% certain. 99% for sure. 95%. Maybe. 85%? Okay had Sirius looked his way or was it just his imagination? It could have been his imagination. He felt dizzy trying to think, wishing he could go to Fawley right now and rewatch the memory so he could pay closer attention to Sirius's eyes.