Silent Screams | J. POTTER

12 | the truth behind the animagus

And there was most certainly a next time. And a time after that, and after that, and after that, and well...you get the point, don't you? Because Remus, Sirius and Peter certainly did.

"How long do you think they're going to keep going for?" Peter inquired curiously, his head cocked to the side as they watched the couple from across the common room.

"Not sure," Remus replied as he turned a page in his book. He didn't care much to watch his sister make out with his best friend, "But they haven't taken a breathe in awhile so any minute now, most likely."

"What I don't understand is why do it in such a public manner?" Peter asked yet another question. "I mean, Romi's never been shy about doing things out in the open but James? I'm not sure I've ever seen him kiss someone before."

"That's because he hasn't," Sirius said and as soon as he said it, his eyes widened. Both Remus and Peter focused their attention on Sirius. "In public, I mean. Obviously."

"No, no, no," Remus tsked, "You already slipped up, you can't take it back now."

"Take what back?"

"That won't work."

"What won't work?"

"Padfoot."

"Moony."

"What's going on?" James asked and Sirius jumped up from the couch.

"Nothing, absolutely nothing," he said, placing his arm over the back of his friend's shoulders. "Where's your girlfriend?"

He cleared his throat, "She's not my girlfriend."

"Not yet," he countered, "But seeing as you guys are attached at the hips, it's bound to happen soon enough."

"More like attached at the lips," Peter countered and Sirius grinned at the boy.

"That's a good one Peter," he said before turning back to James who looked far from amused, "He makes a very good point. Do you guys ever not make out?"

James shot Sirius a look, "You're a right idiot, you know that, don't you?"

"I'm just saying," he raised his hands in self defense, "We thought that when you guys finally got together, it would be like, official or whatever. Not some fling."

"Maybe that's all it is," James shrugged and the three boys stared at him in shock. "What is it now?"

"Just a fling?" Remus asked cautiously and James was suddenly nervous. "And you're both okay with that?"

He nodded, "It was her idea."

"Hmm," was all he said.

James let out an exasperated sigh, "What is it, Moony?"

"Nothing," was all he said and then, in a very Remus fashion, his sight fell on some random point in the room and he disappeared into his own mind.

"I'm gonna head to the Quidditch Field," James informed his friends, "Prep before practice."

Sirius rolled his eyes, "You are so unbelievably weird, you know that Prongs?"

"I'm not weird," he countered, "Just dedicated. Anyway, I'll see you in an hour." James wasn't sure how he felt about the situation himself and hearing his friends vocalize the same line of thoughts that he was having didn't bring him much comfort.

He wanted to be with Romi, of course he did. But he had a feeling that he wanted more than Romi was willing to give him. But something was better than nothing so he would deal with it. No matter how much it sucked. And it did.

"Sorry, I know we agreed to meet up earlier but I-" Romi's sentence was cut short as she saw that James, Peter and Sirius were in the Shrieking Shack with Remus. "You guys can't be here."

"That's actually why we wanted you here earlier," Remus explained. "We wanted to talk to you about something."

"We don't exactly have a lot of time to delve into one of your plans," she pointed out. "It can wait for tomorrow."

"It can't, actually," Sirius countered.

Romi huffed, "Fine, what is it?"

"We became Animagus so we could be with you both when you turn." He was far quicker to explain than she had expected. She didn't think he'd jump right into it. "I know what your thinking-"

"That you guys have absolutely lost your minds?" Romi informed them, shaking her head. "This is a horrible idea."

"It's not," Sirius countered, "We've thought it through and we've tested it-"

"Hang on," she cut him off, "What do you mean 'tested it'?"

"Padfoot," James hissed under his breath.

"I'm waiting," she said crossing her arms over her chest.

"Er," Sirius began warily. "I- uh- we, hmm..."

"Spit it out, Sirius," she requested. "We really don't have all day."

Sirius cleared his throat, looking to his friends for help but it was clear he was on his own. "Well, you see..." he trailed off and her eyes narrowed. "Okay, okay!" he surrendered, "We've been joining you guys for the past few months." Romi stared at him for a moment, as though the words weren't fully registering. "Romi?"

"All of you?" she asked after a beat, her sight landing on James. He swallowed heavily and her heart dropped in her chest. "Hang on," she shook her head. "All four of you decided - without consulting me - that you were going to make our turns into some sort of Marauders event? Like a hang out but at night and as animals?"

"It's not like that," Remus spoke quickly. "It helps, Romi, I swear it does. It's...it's not as lonely."

Romi watched her brother, "We could kill them."

"No, no we won't," he shook his head. "The wolf...it knows they're friends! It won't hurt them." He frowned, "Romi, you have to trust that-"

"Trust what, exactly?" she cut him off. "That it's safe? That it's not a huge risk? We aren't predictable in wolf form! Especially me."

"You won't know until you try."

"I'm not going to try," she practically spat. "I am not going to risk their lives because I don't want to be alone during the turn! You know what I've done to you, imagine what I could do to them?" She looked at all of them, "You guys are a whole other level of stupid, you know that?"

"This isn't about you, Romi!" James exclaimed. "This is about Remus. If this makes the change easier on him, how could you expect me not to do this?"

"James, I swear, if you do this, you will never hear from me again," Romi informed the boy, the look in her eyes making it very clear that she wouldn't waver on that.

He hesitated but replied, "I stand by what I said."

Romi shook her head slightly, "Fine." She turned away and James resisted the urge to pull her back. He didn't want her to walk away but he also couldn't do what she wanted.

"James," Remus said warily and James turned to find his friends watching him. "You don't have to do this."

"Yes, I do," he countered. "It's not just about her, it's about you too." Remus couldn't help but smile at this, "We're the Marauders, man, you come first."