Yesterday is Tomorrow (Everything is Connected)

Nine: Choices

Yesterday is Tomorrow (everything is connected)

IX

*

"Sometimes the things presented to us as choices aren't choices at all."

-- 11/22/63, Stephen King

*

The boys' dormitory in Gryffindor was filled with a tense sort of quiet. None of them had attended dinner -- Remus was feeling too sickly to eat, with the oncoming moon; James and Sirius were too furious for hunger, and Peter had followed along.

Now, the four were in their room, hastily thrown up silencing spells layered through practice from four wands to blot the sound of the Common Room (and their room) out. Remus, pale grey in the face and sweaty, sank to the floor at the foot of his bed and cradled his head in his folded arms as his knees came up -- James sent him a worried look, swallowing thickly at the obvious display of nerves. His eyes then darted to Sirius, who, despite the toss of his head and the upturned, stubborn chin, kept glancing worriedly at Remus. Peter stood near Sirius, warily looking between him and James, and was slowly edging to his bed.

James, however, stood in the middle of the room, arms crossed. Finally, he inhaled deeply in the tense silence of the room. He tried to handle his anger -- his fear, his worry -- by counting his breaths.

In. One, two, three.

Out. One, two three.

In. One, two --

WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?" the worlds exploded out of James's mouth in a breathless rush, aimed directly at Sirius who flinched, his shoulders hunching just a bit like a shocked, misbehaving dog. "Oh -- I'll tell you -- you weren't! How could you, Sirius?! How could you do this to Remus?"

Bitterly, Sirius mumbled, "Don't you mean Hermione?"

James pinched the bridge of his nose, riding his glasses up a bit as he did so. "Sirius. You are putting our best friend in jeopardy because -- for some strange reason -- you have a grudge against a fourteen-year-old."

"She's not fourteen," he replied petulantly, "She had a birthday in September."

James stared at him, and even Remus wearily raised his head from the comforting protection of his arms to share in James's befuddled and exasperated look.

"I beg your pardon?" sputtered James, blinking.

Sirius's cheeks turned red. He then exhaled and cut a hand through the air. "Look -- it doesn't matter okay? I did what was right. And she's not going to show anyway, so who cares? It wasn't meant for her anyway."

Not meant for her...? James's eyes shut slowly and painfully as he squeezed them against the realization that there were a few others within hearing distance when Sirius had said that. And as far as I know, he wouldn't do anything to hurt his brother, and I doubt that he knows Crouch's name...

"Sirius. Please. Please tell me this still isn't about Snape."

The teen in question scoffed. "When isn't it about Snivellus?"

Remus groaned from his position on the floor. Peter's eyes were wide as they darted back and forth between the two black-haired teens.

James did his best to not launch himself across the floor and tackle Sirius in order to pummel him. His anger made his hands shake and he breathed deeply as he tried to maintain his composure. "Sirius. There is no reason to keep antagonizing Snape--"