Serendipity (S. Black)

FIFTY-TWO

"I mean, it doesn't look like an engagement ring, exactly," Peter stammered. He held the ring up to look again and it sparkled in the moonlight. "It's not a big diamond or anything."

"Right," James said, deadpan. "Right, It's definitely not an engagement ring! You know why? Because A: Sirius can definitely afford a bloody diamond, B: Eva definitely wants a bloody diamond, and C: There's some other occasion coming up that warrants a super-fancy piece of jewelry. Oh, wait."

"There's no need to be condescending," Peter shot back. "At least I'm thinking, not just freaking out."

"I'm not freaking out!"

"Your voice sounds like a girl. You are freaking out!"

"Am not!"

"You are!"

"Am not!"

"You are!"

"AM NOT!"

"What are you blokes yelling about?" Remus, who had finally drifted off while James was digging through the wrong trunk, sat up in his bed. "It's what - one in the morning - and we have exams tomorrow! If you two don't shut up and go to bed right now, I swear - oh shit."

It was then that he took in the scene: James and Peter staring back at him with guilt all over their faces, a small ring box in Peter's hand, and a sleeping dog at the foot of his bed.

"How did you find that?"

James' mouth fell open. "Holy cannoli, Moony, you knew?!?!?"

"Put it away, he'll absolutely lose it if he knows you found out!" Remus climbed onto the bed and lunges for the ring, but Peter dodged him and he ended up falling on top of James' lap.

"We're safe! He sleeps like the dead!"

A rapid knocking at the door startled all three boys. James shoved Remus off of him and ran across the room to get it before Sirius woke up. Peeping through the hole they drilled in the door, he muttered, "It's not McGonagall. Lily," before unlocking the door and letting her in. He barely had time to dodge out of the way before the redhead stormed into their dormitory wearing pajamas and a murderous expression.

"What in Merlin's name are you all yelling about? Just our luck we share a wall with you! I wouldn't be surprised if half Gryffindor House is awake!"

"Evans, your raised voice might wake up the other half-"

"Shut it, James." Lily looked apprehensively from her boyfriend to the other two. "What's going on?"

"NOTHING!"

"NOTHING AT ALL!"

"NOTHING TO SEE!"

Lily frowned. Standing in front of her was the very picture of suspicious. First, there was James, who kept ruffling his hair, then nodding vigorously, then grinning at her like a maniac. Next to him was Peter, who began to nervously whistle the school song, his hands fidgeting at his sides. To round it off there was Remus, who just stood perfectly still like a deer caught in the headlights, patiently waiting for death.

Yep. Nothing suspicious at all.

"If I fail my Transfiguration exam because I didn't get any sleep, I-"

"LILY! DID THEY KILL YOU? IF THEY DID, I'LL AVENGE YOU!"

Marlene burst into the room next, a robe thrown haphazardly over her pajamas, wand in hand.