No Promises | Wolfstar AU

Four

"Remus, mate," James yawns.

"Hm?" Remus raises his head to look at his roommate.

James sleeps with his curtains open, claiming claustrophobia. He's tucked under the covers, glasses on the little table next to his bed. Around them, the room is dark except for Remus' desk lantern. It casts a haunting yellow light across the furniture.

"You're not gonna have nap before class?" James yawns again.

It's Wednesday, and at midnight sharp, they're both expected to be at the Astronomy Tower to learn about the stars. Astronomy is a bittersweet subject for Remus, who loves the stars but crumbles whenever he sees the moon. It would have been safe to drop it after fifth year, but he decided not to do that in a moment of determination where he vowed that he wouldn't let his condition rob him of one more thing he loves. 

"Is my light bothering you?" Remus asks.

"Nah," James sighs. "I can always just draw my curtains. Just... Shouldn't you get some sleep? I mean... I'm not trying to get in the way of your work or anything," he says, "I just... You've been studying very hard, you know. You shouldn't miss out on sleep,"

Remus looks at James properly, trying to see if he's teasing, but even in the dim light, he can tell James looks genuinely concerned. Sleepy, but still concerned. He's watching Remus from where he's now sat up on the bed, blanket pulled up to his chin.

"I... I just wanna do well in class is all," Remus tells him, because he definitely can't say 'Oh, I'm just trying to come first in class so that your extremely tactile best friend whose relationship with you is completely platonic can check his ego'.

"That's really cool—" James clamps his hand over his mouth as he yawns yet again. "Sorry," he gives Remus a sleepy grin and slides down the bed so that he's lying down once more. "As I was saying, that's really cool, but you know what's not cool? Sleep deprivation,"

Remus can't help the small laugh that bubbles out of him.

"I just need to revise this chapter before today's lesson," he says, "You know how Professor Sinistra is when we forget theory. And I'm almost done, really. Just a couple more pages,"

"You want me to stay up with you?" James asks, voice thick with incoming sleep.

Remus surveys the boy, momentarily rendered speechless. "I... Of course not. You should sleep. Unless you want to revise with me?"

"No way," James laughs. "People like me get away with not studying because people like you make up for it. But promise me you'll get some sleep?"

"You're starting to sound like my mum, James," Remus smiles.

"Still," James shrugs, "Do you promise?"

"Yes, yes, I promise," Remus rolls his eyes, but he's still smiling. "Now go to sleep before I come and hex you into it,"

James gives him a drunken smile. "Love that," he snuggles under his covers. "Good night then, Rem,"

Remus looks at him for a minute longer. Sleepy James is kind of adorable, he has to admit.

"Night, James," he smiles at the boy—who's already half asleep—and turns back to his books.

***

Sirius is the only sixth year Slytherin in Astronomy.

If one were to ask him what his favourite subject was, he would reply with zero hesitation that it's Defense Against the Dark Arts. It's not entirely false, because he does really enjoy it. It's the closest they ever get to real danger at Hogwarts. Other than Quidditch, obviously, which is somehow still not illegal after nearly killing at least one student every year. But Sirius has no desire to end up incapacitated at Pomfrey's mercy, thank you very much, and he's always been put off by the idea of flying around chasing a ball for others' entertainment, so he's limited himself to a spectator in that world.