Priori Incantatem [HARRY POTTER FANFICTION]

Chapter 13: Steps Forward

Chapter 13: Steps Forward

After the Valentine's Day incident, life at Hogwarts went on more or less as usual.

Sirius and Remus' friendship continued to gradually improve, and so the Marauders spent more time together than they had since the Christmas holidays, playing a few pranks and teasing a few Slytherins, but as a group they still weren't as close as they had been. This was depressing to everyone, especially Sirius, who knew he was responsible for the rift. Peter and James especially constantly attempted to help the situation in the hopes that someday it would be what it had once been.

Frank and Alice continued with the new stage in their relationship that the entire Gryffindor table had watched them begin on Valentine's Day and consequently were much scarcer around the Gryffindor common room than they had been. They were forever disappearing together to "walk round the lake" or "study in the library" and always came back from these sessions rather flustered and mussed up. Naturally the Marauders, Frank's four roommates, teased him endlessly about this, and Alice received her fair share of ribbing from her roommates, but neither of them seemed to care. They were by all appearances deliriously in love and though they were both a bit sheepish that their entire house knew whenever they were snogging, it wasn't enough incentive to stop.

"Studying again, Frank?" Sirius asked innocently one Saturday afternoon as Frank gathered together his bag and books in preparation to leave the dormitory, where the Marauders minus Remus were lounging and eating their way through Sirius' substantial stock of Valentine candy.

"Of course," Frank replied with equal innocence, but his ears were slightly pink, a sure indication that he was not telling the truth.

"Honestly, Frank," James snorted. "Why even bother with the bag and books? Everyone knows where you're going and don't they just get in the way anyway?"

Frank's ears reddened further but he shouldered his bag stubbornly and with a parting "See you lot later" was out the door.

"Where do they go, d'you think?" Peter mused thoughtfully as he unwrapped a heart-shaped toffee. "There can't be many places to snog where they wouldn't get caught."

"There're lots of places," Sirius shrugged as he popped a large chocolate-covered caramel into his mouth.

"Like where?" Peter, ever the voyeur, asked with interest.

"Mmmmumph," Sirius managed around his mouthful of candy.

"I know about the astronomy tower and the greenhouses," Peter ticked the places off on his fingers, "And I once caught Bellatrix and Lestrange in the trophy room - they were really going at it - but other than that - "

Sirius interrupted Peter's monologue by choking quite violently on his chocolate. James very obligingly whacked Sirius on his back until he regained the power of speech and his basic motor functions. His first order to business was to lean over and smack Peter in the head.

"NEVER mention my cousin and 'going at it' in the same sentence again!" Sirius exclaimed, still faintly purple about the face. "I'll never be able to snog in the trophy room ever again thanks to you and your fat mouth!"

"You mean other people - " Peter's query was effectively silenced by Sirius' withering look. "Well I was just asking," Peter said in an injured tone. "And it's not like you don't know that they snog, they must be the most exhibitionist couple in Hogwarts. I remember once during a Ravenclaw- Slytherin match - " Peter hastily broke off again at Sirius' dangerous expression.

"Just because you were once thick enough to fancy that demented bitch I am unfortunate enough to share blood with doesn't mean everybody is sick enough to pay attention to, let alone remember, the little shows they put on," Sirius said in a rather nasty tone.