Heart of Darkness

Chapter Twelve

Sirius was being moody and untalkative, so I took it upon myself to invite Remus, James and Peter to come.
The doorbell rang the next day. Sirius glanced at me, probably remembering the last time the doorbell rang.
It wasn't three in the morning, though, and I knew who it was this time.
"You wanna get that, sweetie?" I asked.
"Sure." He shrugged, and went to get it.
"Pads!" A chorus of voices yelled.
There was more talking and laughter before they all came in.
Pads?
"Hey, Aunt Angie." The three chorused.
"Hey." I smiled.
Remus kissed my cheek like a little gentlemen, then the other two tackled me in a hug.
That night, we sat in the living room watching Monty Python and the Holy Grail. It was actually quite amusing.
James sat behind me on the top of the couch, playing with my hair. Sirius laid on the couch with his feet on my lap. Remus sat on the floor, leaning against the couch. Peter laid on the floor facing the telly.
"Elbows are weird." Peter said.
"What?" Remus asked.
"Elbows." Peter sat up, turning to face us and holding his elbow up. "They're weird."
"What, mate?" James asked, stifling a laugh.
"Look at them. They're wrinkly and weird."
"Yeah, I guess they are weird." Sirius held his elbow up to his face for inspection.
We all started looking at our elbows, mumbling our agreement.
I was the one to start laughing first, and then everyone else joined in. We talked about elbows for the rest of the movie.
I was making cupcakes the next day, because why not?
James waltzed in the kitchen--he literally waltzed. "It smells delicious." He said. "What're you making?"
"Cupcakes."
"Can I lick the bowl?" Sirius yelled from the other room.
"Ooh, what kind of cupcakes?" Peter asked.
"Inside voice, Padfoot." Remus said.
Padfoot?
"Shut up, Moony."
Moony?
They all made their way to the kitchen. Sirius reached around me and stuck his finger in the bowl.
"Can you get the cupcake tins from under the stove, Remus?" I asked.
He did so without comment and put it down beside me.
"Thanks." I smiled.
"You're welcome."
"Can I throw some at Peter?" Sirius whispered in my ear.
"What?"
"Can I throw some at Peter?"
"Knock yourself out." I held the bowl out.
Sirius threw a handful of batter at Peter. It hit him right in the face.
Peter licked his lips. "Yum."
James dipped his hand in and threw some at Sirius while Remus looked on with dissatisfaction. So, naturally, I threw some at Remus.
He gave a surprised, amused look. "It's on now."
I snuck out of the room, leaving the fight to them.
I smiled as I watched from a distance.
So that's what it would have been like to have had friends. I really missed out on that one.
"C'mon, Aunt Angie." Sirius called.
"Nope, I'm good."
"Come on!" James called.
"Nope. I'm staying in the safety."
James and Sirius ran out, picking me up and carrying me in. Remus and Peter pelted us all.
When they put me down, I ran to the sink and sprayed them with the little part that came out, earning four screams.
"Look, now you're clean." I smiled brightly as they dripped with cupcake mix and cold water. "Wanna go outside, and I can spray you with the hose?" I offered.
"Oh, can we make water balloons?" Sirius asked.
"If you can find balloons." I said.
"Who leaves the house without balloons?" James asked like we were crazy.
"Everybody." Remus said. "Everybody leaves the house without balloons."
"Not clowns. Clowns have balloons." Peter pointed out.
"Good thing Prongs here's a clown. Go get them." Sirius said.
I set my brooms and mops to cleaning and herded everyone out back.
Just as the water balloon fight reached its climax, Minerva had the misfortune to walk out the back door and get hit right in the face with a water balloon. We all froze exactly where we were.
But then she smiled, picked one up, and pelted it at me.
"That wasn't weird at all." Sirius said once she left.
"Why? All professors have lives outside of school." I said.
"Well, yeah, but she's Professor McGonagall." James said.
"You aren't that different at school." Sirius pointed out.
"She is too." James said. "She got onto me for called Snape Snivellous."
"Because you were being an asshole. I'd do that anyways." I pointed out.
"You just got roasted." Peter laughed.
I went to pick up pizza while the boys sat outside around a fire.
Was leaving them around a fire really a good idea?
I thought not, so I hurried back.
"Food!" They chorused when I got back.
James offered me Firewhiskey, but I declined. I've never liked it, so I didn't have any, so I don't know where they got it, but whatever tickles their fancy.
But was I supposed to not let them?
They're old enough to know not to be idiots, right?
We'll go with yes.
"May I ask what's up with your new nicknames?" I asked.
They glanced at each other with silent questions.
"Animagi." Remus said finally. "Sirius is a dog, Peter's a rat, and James is a stag."
"Animagi are supposed to reflect the person's characteristics." I pointed out.
"How?" Sirius asked.
"You know how they refer to players as dogs? That's probably it." Remus joked.
Sirius bared his teeth and growled at him. I had to cover my mouth to try to keep from laughing.
"Dogs are loyal." James pointed out. "But you retaliate when you feel threatened."
"Stags are the kings of the forest." Peter said.
"And defensive." Remus continued.
"So why am I a rat?" Peter asked.
They were silent for a bit.
"Probably because you like cheese." Sirius suggested.
The others murmured in agreement.
I don't think one's food preference determined their animagi, but I wasn't going to say that.
Sirius reached over and playfully shoved Peter's shoulder. "Cheese is good, mate."