The Marauder's Tale [MOONY, WORMTAIL, PADFOOT, & PRONGS]

VI. Christmas

VI. Christmas

"Remus is leaving again."

"When?" Sirius looked up as James sat down next to him in the common room.

"Tomorrow."

"Is his mum still sick?" Sirius realized he hadn't registered when James said Remus was leaving, but chose not to ask again. Maybe it would come up naturally in the conversation.

"That's what he said." James sighed. "I'm worried about his mum, Sirius. I mean, he's left once a month ever since we got here to go visit her. She must be really sick."

"It's only November," Sirius pointed out. "And next month, he'll be home for Christmas. Maybe that will help her get better - you know, having him home for awhile, instead of just a weekend."

"It's not a weekend this time, though. He's leaving tomorrow, Sirius."

Sirius' eyes widened. "Tomorrow's Tuesday." At least it came up again in the conversation, he thought.

"I know! That's what I've been trying to tell you."

Sirius ran a hand through his hair. "You're right, James. She must be really sick." He glanced around the common room. "Where is Remus? Packing?"

James shook his head. "He's in the library with Peter. That's where I talked to him."

"Ah, tutoring Peter again?" Sirius asked, glancing at James' hair.

James reached up, rather self-consciously, and ruffled his hair. "You know, I never worried about my hair until I started hanging out with you and Remus."

"Oh, yeah, like you worry so much now," Sirius laughed. "You only want to make it messier."

James smiled, but didn't reply.

Classes weren't the same on Wednesday without Remus. Sirius and James tried to stay focused, but it was harder without Remus there to give them a pointed look, or to set a good example by taking notes. Peter was, as usual, no help at all in the motivation department. He was content to follow James and Sirius' lead. Unfortunately for the three of them, that nearly got them detention as they goofed off in Charms, deliberately trying to set things on fire.

For James, it wasn't even Professor Flitwick's anger, or the twenty points he took from Gryffindor that stung. It was Lily's disgusted look as she watched them.

"You'd think someone who was so bright would be a bit more mature," she muttered to Olivia, who was sitting next to her.

Olivia shook her head. "Nah, I don't think so. I mean, they can act that way and still make good marks. Why bother working harder than you have to?"

Lily gave her own head a shake. "Honestly, Liv, sometimes I think you're as bad as they are."

Olivia smiled. "I'll take that as a compliment. I think they're rather amusing."

"Now I know you're as bad as they are."

"Miss Evans! Miss Alexander! Please stop talking and work on the assignment!"

Realizing that James and Sirius had pushed Flitwick to the breaking point, Lily and Olivia fell silent. They had no desire to lose any more points for Gryffindor.

"Twenty points!" Sirius exclaimed as they left the Charms classroom. "And it's not as if we didn't achieve something!"

"We nearly set a desk on fire, Sirius," James laughed. "I don't think Flitwick felt that was a constructive use of our time."

"But we did achieve it," Sirius argued. "I mean, we had the flames on the desk already, and were about to try to contain them. Isn't that a constructive use of our time?"