Weeks had went by now since Lyla had left the manor, and she was doing sufficiently better.
Over the course of the weeks, Euphemia and Fleamont had suggested that everyone should go to the small little cottage just outside of Cornwall to spend their last summer together.
And that's where they currently were at.
James, Lyla, Sirius, Peter, and Remus were all currently lounging around in the small little cottage, debating what they should do for the day.
"Ugh. It doesn't taste right!" Peter shouted as he threw the blueberry muffin against the wall.
"What the fuck is Peter doing?" Sirius asked groggily as he walked into the kitchen.
"Baking." James answered as he slowly took bite out of one of the muffins.
"Well, more like stress baking." Lyla hummed.
Peter sighed as he began mixing a new set of batter once again.
Sirius took a seat on the table next to Lyla and soon the three of them began watching Peter intensely pour and mix ingredients into a bowl.
After a few minutes of silence and fussing Remus walked back into the cottage and asked,
"What's Peter doing?"
"Baking." All three of them answered.
"Still?" He asked sitting down next to James.
"Yup." All three of them said once again.
"Muffin?" Lyla asked as she handed Remus a double chocolate muffin, her gaze still focused on Peter.
"Thanks love."
By now all four of them each had a different muffin in their hand and they were simply watching Peter intensely mix, mix, and mix.
"Pete, do you maybe wanna stop?" Lyla asked.
He shot her a glare and said,
"No."
"Are you sure?" James asked.
"Yes."
"Okay, just saying that if you keep up at this rate the entire cottage is gonna look like the bloody muffin man's house." Remus muttered.
"Like it doesn't already." Sirius added sarcastically.
Peter rolled his eyes and ignored all of them, and he continued to bake.
After awhile Sirius got annoyed and yelled,
"Peter!"
He huffed and set the bowl down.
"What?!"
"Oh good, we got your attention."
"If you won't stop baking, then can you at least tell us why you're stressed?" Sirius asked.
"I'm not stressed." Peter responded with a frown.
"Alright then what are you?" Lyla asked with a hum.
Peter looked around at each of their faces and he sighed defeatedly.
He wiped his hands on the apron and sat down in the empty chair, grabbing a banana nut muffin.
"We're supposed to get our Hogwarts letters soon." He answered dully.
"Oh yeah, I forgot about that." James answered.
Peter hummed as he looked down and then continued.
"And our N.E.W.T results from last year are supposed to come along with it."
"Oh Pete, I'm sure you did fine." James said with a smile.
Peter scoffed.
"No, I probably didn't."
"In case you haven't noticed I'm not exactly the smartest out of all of you. Never was, never will be."
"You've always been good at Herbology." Sirius tried to add hopefully.
"Right cause that'll get me a long way in life. Being good with plants."
Peter sighed as he said,
"Look it's just, I need the money, I need to get away from home, I can't— I just can't."
They all looked at him sympathetically and Sirius moved forward and wrapped an arm around his shoulder.
"Don't worry Pete." He said softly.
"And yeah, I've told you. You can always stay with me." James said with a small smile and shrug.
"What, so your parents can adopt another fucking child who's mentally unstable. I'll save them and myself the trouble." Peter said with a chuckled as he wiped his eyes.
They all laughed as they each embraced Peter and hugged him tightly.
"Thank you." He mumbled into the hug.
"Of course, what are friends for." Lyla said with a smile.
"And besides, I think I know something that'll cheer you up." Lyla added with a mischievous grin.
☽☽☽
"This is single handedly the stupidest thing we've ever done." Remus said worriedly.
"You say that about every stupid thing we do." Sirius responded with a chuckle.
"Okay, well this time I really mean it."
"You say that too." James said as he grabbed the bow and placed the arrow on it.
"Y'know Ly, when you said you have an idea on what could cheer me up, I wasn't expecting arrow roulette." Peter mumbled as he looked at her.
Lyla simply shrugged as she went to stand in between James and Remus ( who were already in the circle. )
"Oh c'mon Peter, we all know you love this game." She grinned.
"Last time we played the healer said the arrow had narrowly missed my heart and that I'm lucky I'm not dead."
Remus visibly cringed and Lyla chuckled at his expression.
"Yeah, but you still love it." James added with a smirk.
Peter's once deadpan face then morphed into a smirk that matched James'.
"Maybe you are kinda right."
James shook his head with a grin as he looked down at the arrow and then back up the sky.
"Alright Prongs! Hurry up, I'm tired of standing in the middle of the woods in a circle looking like we're in a cult." Sirius muttered.
"How do you know we aren't in one?" Lyla asked with a teasing grin.
Sirius' expression remained stoic.
"That's not funny."
Remus chuckled before he turned to James again.
"Are we ready?" He asked with a grin as he looked around the circle.
Everyone else simply grinned and nodded their heads.
"Okayy." He said as he pointed the bow and arrow towards the sky.
Every thing seemed calm and fun at first, but once James launched it, well...
"What the fuck?!" Sirius shouted.
"Where'd it go?!" Peter yelled.
"I don't know! I lost it in the sun!" James shouted as he dropped the bow.
"This is single handedly the stupidest thing we've ever done!" Lyla exclaimed.
"Oh hell no! Fuck this!" Remus shouted as he ran away from the circle.
Sirius soon followed, so did Lyla, and eventually James.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!" Sirius yelled as he ran away.
"Hah! You fucking pussy's I beat all of you!!" Peter yelled pointing towards them as he laughed.
"Oh you were right Ly this is so much fun—OW SIRIUS ORION BLACK!"
"Oh my god!" Lyla shouted as she saw the arrow coming out of Peter's foot.
"Why'd you yell my name?" Sirius asked with a frown as James and Remus began carrying Peter.
"Cause you're the son of a bitch, now help me get this fucking arrow out of my godamn fucking toe!
A/n: yes, the last bit was inspired by Grown Ups, don't judge it's my comfort movie, and no one can tell me otherwise that the movie doesn't give off MAJOR marauders vibes, like c'mon.
Also sorry for vanishing off the face of the earth. Let's just say school is a bitch and I'm struggling to find time for writing.
But anyways enjoy<3
-acciomoony