The Marauders: Year Four

The Muggle Artefacts Museum

The Muggle Artefacts Museum

Sirius and Remus had their first Muggle Studies class the next day while James and Peter had a free period, which James was planning to spend collecting blankets from the laundry room to bring out to the Shrieking Shack for Operation Cheeremus. "This is gonna be brilliant," Sirius was saying as he walked backwards, facing Remus, headed for the Muggle Studies classroom. The room was near the library on the opposite side of the castle from Gryffindor Tower, so they'd left early to get there, carrying their parchment for notes. Sirius's quill was stuck up in his hair, standing straight up like he was Peter Pan or something, his Gryffindor tie tied 'round his head instead of his neck again.

"Watch where you're going before you hit a trip step," Remus said. He had the textbook they would be sharing for the class open across his forearm as he walked.

Sirius laughed and turned about, falling into step beside Rey, tossing his arm about his shoulders as he usually did. "We're going to know everything there is to know about muggles. We'll be muggle experts."

"I'm not entirely sure what we'll use the information for, but yeah," Remus answered.

"Well what if one of us gets into politics? We'll need to know about muggles then."

"Neither of us are planning to go into politics," Remus replied. "I'm far too shy and you're far too loud."

"I could be a politician," Sirius answered, "You dunno."

"You'd end up blown up by MACUSA within an hour with your big mouth," Remus replied, smirking.

"Bloody hell, is that a smile, Moony?" Sirius gasped in an exaggerated way, jumping in front of Remus and stopping him walking, his hands on Remus's chest. "It's been so long! Let me see it again." Remus smiled again, but this time it was clearly forced, more like he was baring his teeth awkwardly than actually smiling. "Oh bloody hell, no, not like that."

"Like how then?" Remus asked.

Sirius demonstrated. His was equally forced.

"That's what I've done," Remus said, doing the same grin again.

"No, no, see your lips aren't rounded enough," Sirius said through gritted teeth, keeping his fake smile on as he spoke, "You gotta do it more like -- like this." He curled his mouth around his teeth so it looked as though he'd had a hanger stuck up in there.

Remus smiled so hard he squinted his eyes like a grimace.

"Oi, it just keeps getting worse," Sirius said.

"Alright that's enough, we look foolish," Remus said, seeing a Ravenclaw girl go by with a funny look on her face as they glanced their direction. "We're attracting attention."

"So?" Sirius waved his middle finger at the girl and she turned her nose up and pranced away.

"Sirius!" Remus batted his hand out of the air. "Why do you have to be such a prat?"

"It's fun being a prat, Rey," Sirius replied, "You ought to give it a go sometime."

They reached the classroom and found themselves in a wide open room filled with muggle stuff. The ceiling was hung with dozens and dozens of lightbulbs from various time periods from long cords strung to the ceiling and covered with brightly colored glass shades. Remus stopped to look at a living room set up on a plinth with plastic people posed in actions that would happen on an ordinary muggle day. On the floor was a orangey-brown shag rug and and a chart depicting optimal distances muggles ought to keep from the telly for visual safety.