You Cant Just Say Goodbye

4

As Mira and Remus made their way to the table where James, Sirius, and Peter sat, Mira's gratitude for Remus's presence grew stronger. The shy girl within her still lingered, and the thought of approaching the group on her own was daunting. She relied on Remus's steady presence to help her navigate this social encounter.

While attempting to maintain a calm and composed demeanour, Mira couldn't help but notice Lily's surprised expression as their eyes briefly met. Lily, who typically occupied a seat not too far down from the boys, seemed taken aback by Mira's decision to walk past her usual spot beside Lily and continue on with Remus. Mira wondered what thoughts might be running through Lily's mind in that moment.

As Mira and Remus reached the table, James, Sirius, and Peter looked up, their conversation momentarily halted. Mira's heart raced, her palms growing slightly clammy. She took a deep breath, summoning her courage.

"Hey," she greeted the boys, her voice steady but tinged with a hint of nervousness contrasting the screaming inside her mind.

Hey!?? You could have said anything, and you choose 'hey'!!???

James, always quick with a smile, grinned at her. "Hey, Mira, right? Aren't you friends with Lily?" he asked, glancing toward the red-headed girl further down the table. Mira couldn't help but sense a hint of curiosity in his voice, wondering why he was showing an interest in her, considering the animosity between Lily and James. She nodded, acknowledging their connection.

As James continued, his tone playful, Mira's cheeks tinged with a faint blush. "How come you're sitting with us today, anyways? Couldn't bear to be left out of the fun?" His grin widening.

Mira's gaze shifted between James and Remus. "Well, I thought I'd join Remus for a change," she replied, casting a grateful smile in Remus's direction. "And it's not about being left out of the fun, but rather exploring different perspectives."

Sirius, always ready to stir the pot, arched an eyebrow with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Remus, huh? So, our resident bookworm has found a new companion?" There was a subtle undercurrent of jealousy in his tone, though he tried to mask it with humour.

Mira's lips curled into a knowing smile. "I guess you could put it that way." she said choosing her words delicately, "Why are you feeling a tad bit envious?"

Sirius feigned indifference, a playful smirk dancing on his lips. "Envious? What's there to envy," he replied, "I was merely remarking on your wonderful newfound friendship, besides im above such petty emotions".

Mira sighed "if only your ego had a height limit."

Sirius leaned back in his seat; his expression mockingly offended. "Why, thank you for recognizing my remarkable self-possession," he replied with a theatrical flourish of his hand.

Just as she was about to respond another piped up. Peter Pettigrew. "Hey, guys, let's not get too carried away. We're here to eat lunch, not start a war." His voice was filled with a touch of nervousness, as if he were always wary of being caught in the middle of any conflict.

Sirius turned his attention to Peter, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Oh, don't worry, Wormtail. We're just having a friendly banter here. No wars today, I promise," he said, emphasizing the word 'wars' with a playful tone.

"Wormtail?" she questioned, her eyes flickering to Peter. The nickname struck her as rather cruel, even if it might have been accurate based on his current appearance.

Sirius, sensing Mira's discomfort, shrugged nonchalantly. "Ah, it's just a harmless nickname we've had for him since forever," he explained with a dismissive wave of his hand. "We're friends, you know. Friends tease each other."

Mira nodded, her gaze shifting between Sirius and Peter.

Peter, though slightly taken aback by Mira's curiosity regarding the nickname, offered her a grateful smile. "Thanks, Mira. I never really thought much about it. It's just a silly nickname." he explained, his voice tinged with a hint of relief.

The conversation continued as Mira, Peter, Remus, Sirius and James delved into various topics, finding common ground and sharing laughter. The Great Hall buzzed with activity around them as students enjoyed their meals and chatted with friends.

As the lunchtime hour drew to a close, Mira excused herself from the group, feeling a sense of excitement and anticipation for the next part of her day. She made her way to the Gryffindor common room, where she knew Lily, Marlene, and Mary would be waiting as they all had a free period right after lunch.

Entering the cosy room, Mira spotted her three friends huddled together, deep in conversation. With a smile, she approached them, joining the circle.

"You won't believe what happened at lunch today," Mira exclaimed, her eyes shining with enthusiasm.

Mary looked up; her brown eyes curious. "What happened? Do tell," she urged.

Mira launched into a lively account of her encounter with the Marauders at lunch, sharing the banter, the teasing, and the surprising moments of connection she had experienced. Lily, Marlene, and Mary listened intently, their expressions shifting between amusement and intrigue.

"It's crazy," Mira exclaimed, taking a deep breath after her enthusiastic retelling. "I mean, I always thought they were totally insufferable but today at lunch they weren't even half bad."

Marlene raised an eyebrow; she hadn't considered Mira to be so fickle and change her opinion so quickly. Although she herself had few problems with the group she knew how Mira and Lily had shared a hatred for the group for a long time. "Are we witnessing a change of heart?" she asked her voice curious.

"I don't know," Mira responded, her voice tinged with defensiveness "I only spent one lunch time with them you know and im hardly the best judge of character."

Lily, who had remained silent throughout the exchange, decided to speak up. Her expression grew serious as she met Mira's gaze. "I thought we agreed they weren't the kind of people we wanted to hang around?" Her voice carried a hint of disappointment, causing the other girls to look down with dismay. "I mean, they're awful to Severus, and they're bullies. I don't get why you would even want to sit with them, Mira."

Mira's temper flared, her frustration evident. "Well, I don't get why you hang out with that creep anyways," she retorted, her voice laced with indignation. "He's just as bad, you know, hanging around those pureblood supporter weirdos."

A tense silence fell over the room as the words hung in the air. The girls exchanged glances, the tension between them palpable. It seemed as though the lines of their friendship had blurred, caught in the crossfire of their conflicting opinions.

Marlene spoke up in a calm tone in an attempt to create peace. "Alright, let's all take a step back here. We're friends, and friends don't always agree on everything. We can have different perspectives and still respect each other."

Mary nodded in agreement though she too sided with Mira though she would never voice this out of fear for hurting Lily's feelings.

Mira looked up at Lily wondering if she should become the bigger person or not. However, the opportunity was taken away from her as Lily, who had clearly reached the brink of her temper, stormed out of the common room.