Some Day | Wolfstar

Five

"James Potter is head boy?" Regulus Black spat out in disgust. Severus Snape sighed. Regulus had been one of the few tolerable Slytherins who had enough space in their heads to think beyond themselves. Had been. Not anymore, for some unfathomable reason. That, and the fact that he didn't constantly go out of his way to remind Severus of his lower status should've made them friends. But they weren't. He was Sirius Black's brother.

He had never liked Regulus Black all that much, but now, Severus found him insufferable. Regulus just rubbed him the wrong way.

But then again, everyone rubbed Severus Snape the wrong way.

"When there was a delay in announcing this year's head boy and girl, I knew something was off. But James Potter?" Silena Darkbloom huffed in response.

Severus stood up to leave. They couldn't even stay quiet at the library. Of course, every Slytherin ever had to break every rule ever.

On his way out, he saw none other than James Potter himself, sitting way closer than necessary to Lily Evans. Head boy and head girl. Lily was tapping on a piece of parchment with her quill, and James was staring at her. Of course.

At the table next to them were the rest of the Marauders;

Remus Lupin - hunched forward, elbows on the table, head down, book open.

Sirius Black - shirt unbuttoned at the top, tie loosely knotted, hair pulled back in a bun with his wand sticking out of it, eyes fixed on Remus. His book wasn't even open.

Peter Pettigrew - perhaps the most pathetic of them all - asleep on 'Hogwarts : A History'.

Remus Lupin looked up from his book, and his eyes landed on Severus. He gave Severus a small smile, and Severus glared at him even harder. The audacity, unbelievable.

He turned his head forward, long black hair flipping as he did so, and walked out of the library. He hated them all.

***

When James, Lily, and the Gryffindor prefects - including Remus - entered the house common room after a prefects' meeting, it was almost midnight. Students were supposed to be in bed by that time, and most of them were. But as always, there were few rule breakers. The prefects sent them back to bed, but two boys remained seated.

It was Peter and Sirius. Of course.

Bidding goodbye to Lily, James and Remus joined their friends. Peter was sleeping. Sirius was not.

"Stayed up for us?" James slumped into the chair next to Sirius, and Remus sat himself on the table, in front of them.

"I stayed up. Can't vouch for Wormy here," Sirius shrugged, sliding down along the seat of his chair, so that the nape of his neck rested on the edge of the chair's back. James tugged at a wisp of black hair that had escaped from his bun.

"You're gonna let it grow forever?" He asked.

"Not like Dumbledore. I'll keep it at this length, more or less."

"It looks good," Remus added quietly. James turned to him and let out a snort of laughter. "I'm sure you think so," he smirked. Remus rolled his eyes.

"Everyone bloody thinks so, Prongs." Sirius gave Remus a small wink.

Remus rolled his eyes again. He gave Peter a pat on the shoulder. "Peter, hey, Peter," he shook him. "C'mon, let's go to bed."

Groaning, Peter stood up, and stumbled up the stairs, muttering something about cauldron cakes. Remus hopped off the table. He started to follow Peter, but stopped when he noticed his other two friends were still seated where they were.

"Go on ahead, Moony. Padfoot and I will come upstairs soon," James gave him a gentle smile. Sirius looked dubious, but didn't protest. Instead, he too gave Remus a small smile. "Good night, Moony," he stretched himself and added, "do dream of me, will you?"

***

Unlike in Muggle London, the stars at Hogwarts were brilliant. On a night surprisingly dry for September with no clouds to hide them, Sirius could easily make out at least three constellations.

James sat down next to him on the rooftop, careful not to slip. He fished a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, and offered it to Sirius.

The two boys sat smoking in silence. Sirius jumped when James reached forward all of a sudden, and pulled his collar to the side. He opened his mouth to protest, but it was too late.

"What is this, Sirius?" He asked softly, eyes fixed on a sickly green patch of skin just below his collarbone. Sirius pursed his lips. "Nothing," he mumbled, knowing it wouldn't be enough.

"It's not nothing, Sirius. Is that a bloody scar?" James' eyes widened when he saw a long scar starting at the middle of the bruise and disappearing down Sirius' shirt.

Sirius sighed and pressed his cigarette on a rooftile, and it went out with a defiant hiss. "Leave it alone, James," he groaned, placing his head in his hands. He pulled his knees up to support his elbows.

"No, I won't leave it alone. You've been... so distant this year," James placed a hand on his back and added, "You know you can tell me anything."

"It was my mother." Sirius shrugged, and James felt his fists clench. Walburga Black was... a real bitch.

"I... why didn't you come home with me, Sirius? You know you're always welcome at my place," James said softly, pulling Sirius' hands from his face.

"I... I thought," Sirius drew in a shaky breath, "Actually, I don't know what I was thinking. Don't know why I would... I'm so stupid, James. I'm so damn stupid."

James scooted a little closer. He'd never seen his best friend so overcome by emotion. He looked so small in the dark, so vulnerable.

"You're not stupid, Sirius. You're one of the smartest people here. And you... You're so much more than your mother's anger. You have so much to give, and if they don't want it, let them walk away. Let them go. We're here with you. Okay?" James smiled at him, and Sirius felt like he could cry all night with James beside him.

"Okay." He cleared his throat instead. "I... I think... Regulus..." he took a deep breath. "I didn't even see him today at the dining hall. He's not talking to me anymore, James."

James closed his eyes. How could anyone treat their own blood like this? And Regulus? Out of all people. He put his arm around Sirius, who let out a sigh. "You have me. You have us. I know it's painful, but we're all here with you." He smiled at Sirius, who gave him a small smile.

For now, it would do.

The two friends sat in silence for a while. And then for a while longer.

Sirius' heart had finally stopped weeping when he woke up in the dead of the night, curled up next to James on the cold rooftop.