Shut Up, Padfoot!

22

Peter Pov

"Shall we take a picture?" Remus suggested.

I glanced over at Cry, seeing her nod but her eyes were away from us, her gaze on the horizon that bled oranges and reds from the sunset that didn't resemble her mood at the moment.

All day, she had been quiet.

Too quiet for Cry.

And maybe it was just because I was her friend, but I felt her pain.

Everything ugly that has happened to her seems to have altered her beauty in a stunningly cold way.

Her bright blonde curls were a no more.

They were now a somber brunette that seems to always be around for the past month.

There was no more bright baby blue.

Not in her hair nor her eyes.

They were both ordinary brown that never seemed to symbolize the Fawkes that has finally died soulfully after eccentric years which are now memories forever.

"Frank, would you mind taking a picture?" Remus asked when the boy had come walking by.

I tore my gaze away from Cry to see Sirius pulling Lily up in the air like a ballerina. She giggled at the height difference, outstretching her arms that mocked a bird in the air.

James pulled Moony away from Frank and pulling him into the frame of the camera view. I watched as the Quidditch star shoved his fist into the sandy blonde locks, ruffling the soft strands and giving him a noogie.

Remus let out a laugh, the scar on the side of his eye crinkling along with his smile lines. From my side, Sirius barked out loud laughter from the way Lily made caws. Her red hair coming undone from the messy updo she had pinned up with her pearly barrette.

In this moment, I feel like I didn't belong.

Everyone was so happy.

It makes me wonder how much happier they would be if I wasn't here.

I feel like a burden that everyone is too polite to brush off.

But if they didn't really like me then why would they befriend me for seven years?

I'm just being paranoid.

Cry turned to the camera, her distant expression changing from that to a fake smile that everyone knew was her greatest creation. Her eyes brimmed with overflowing tears as she tried to blink them away.

Everyone else was too busy with their happiness that they hadn't noticed her opposite.

Except for me.

Perhaps the feeling of being so secluded and outcastment has been so familiar to the both of us that we seem to understand each other.

She continued to smile, bumping her hip with mine.

She's always like that.

Faking her happiness to the fullest.

With a burst of confidence, I wrapped my arm around her shoulder, giving her a side hug. I squat down slightly to her height, coming level with her face.

She glanced at me, a single tear falling.

I smiled comfortingly, squeezing her tighter as she looked away to the side. She hadn't bothered to wipe her fallen tear, just let it sit there on her fair skin.

Flash.

The camera had taken a picture, relieving the tension of striking a pose that would hold for a while.

Sirius let go of Lily, setting her back on her feet as she howled with laughter. The other two Marauders released each other while James ran after Remus for swiping the snitch from his pocket.

Fawkes and I were all that's left.

She pulled away from me, running her wrist under her eyes to rid of the various oncoming tears. I sighed, not saying anything.

I never know what to say.

And if I had known what to say, I would've been a lot more assuring.

But I didn't.

When everyone settled down, she announced, "I'm going to the common room, I'm tired."

I'm tired, I'm tired, I'm tired.

Liar.

"Get some sleep, you had none last night anyways," Lily said distractedly.

No sleep?

"Goodnight."

The others replied with careless bids as she left.

Cry needed a friend.

Her best friend.

And Lily hadn't seen the signs to know.

She was too busy fooling around.

When Fawkes let another hint show, Lily hadn't seen it which let Cry make a decision. And it was for her to wallow alone.

"I'm going to bed as well," I declared.

Sirius looked up, his hair a mess with leaves after Lily ruffled it and drizzled the nature green in his brown locks nest. He nodded as if to show that he knew I'd be leaving too like I usually do.

I huffed, walking away from the grassy field. Slowly but surely, I made my way back to the common room. It seemed she ran when she left to get to her dormitory without any disturbances.

I muttered the portrait password and climbed in the red and golden home. Scanning the common room, I noticed she wasn't anywhere to be seen.

Making my way to the stairs that led up to the girl's dormitories, contemplating whether I should or not. Letting out a quiet 'screw it' I climbed up the stairs, blessing whoever took the hex off the stairs.

I pad my way up, memorizing the way to Lily and Cry's dormitory. I knocked on her door, waiting for a reply.

"Come in," a shaky voice commended from the other side of the door.

I turned the knob, feeling the cool metal under my hand as it made a squeaking noise as the door creaked open. I got a sight of the room, the same as it always is when the Marauders and I visited.

"Wormtail? What do you need?" she asked.

She was in the middle of pulling her heels off. She sniffled a little, running her hand over her face to calm down. Fawkes finally looked at me, her eyes swollen and red.

"Are y - - you okay?" I stuttered.

Her eyes widened, then her eyebrows furrowed as she tried to maintain her straight expression. When she couldn't, she let out a loud sob and screwed her eyes shut.

"No, no, I don't think I am, Wormtail," she admitted.

I strode quickly over to her, holding onto her shoulders awkwardly. She shook her head in her haste of letting out strangled cries.

To my surprise, she snuggled her head into my chest and fisted my shirt.

I could feel the salty tears dampening my shirt.

Clumsily, I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and held her. She kept shaking terribly, her hair getting messy as she hiccupped involuntarily.

"Wormtail, I don't think you understand the - - the feeling, but everything - - hurts," she spluttered into my shirt.

I know about the feeling.

I know the feeling all too well.

-Lana
so this used to be an extra chapter but i decided to put it here and add some spice