It All Fell Down | A Marauder's Story

Thirty-One

"My heart talks about nothing but you." - Albert Camus, The Just Assassins

     "Five galleons it was a Hufflepuff," Sirius stated confidently over the breakfast table, looking at Peter with a smirk. 

      Peter shook his head stubbornly in response, sipping at his pumpkin juice. "It had to have been a  Slytherin." 

      Sirius smirked as Charlie entered the great hall in her red and yellow tie, strutting towards their spot at the table. She sat and promptly started reaching for the toast. 

      Lily sighed with a small smile. "What house was it this time?" 

      "What?" Charlie asked, spluttering a bit of her coffee. Peter gave her a small pat on the back as she coughed. 

     Marlene rolled her eyes. "You weren't there when we went to bed, and you weren't there this morning. So, what guy in what house?"

     Charlie pursed her lips. "How do you know I was with a guy?"

     "You've been on a bit of a roll lately," James commented, holding his steaming tea in front of his face. 

     His ex-girlfriend's eyes flashed as she turned to him. "And, what does that mean exactly?"

     The raven headed boy held his hands up defensively. "Not what I meant, Charlie. But, am I wrong? Nobody's judging, Pads and Wormtail just have a bet over which house it was." 

     Charlie snorted. "Slytherin," she stated with a stony tone, giving the two boys a side eye. 

     "Fuck yes!" Peter declared, thrusting his hand towards Sirius. "Pay up." 

     "Dammit," Sirius grumbled, reluctantly handing over a handful of galleons. 

      Peter made a show of putting the gold coins into his pocket with a cheshire grin; Sirius gritted his teeth and lifted his middle finger silently.

     James aimed a carefully placed kick at Remus' shin underneath the table. Remus jumped slightly and immediately turned his glare to who he knew to be the culprit. James raised his eyebrows and nodded at Charlie with a pointed look. His friend rolled his eyes. 

     The raven headed boy nearly came out of his seat. It had been over a month since James had had his talk with Remus, and his friend had done nothing. Nothing. Charlie was oblivious as ever, and Remus just sat back and watched in pain as she was with guy after guy but never him. 

     James decided he was sick of waiting. Charlie did it, he thought to himself. My turn. "Moony, you are being rather quiet." 

     Sirius took his eyes from Marlene, whom he had been in the midst of a conversation with. Remus glared at James. 

     "Yeah," Peter taunted. "Don't you want to comment on Charlie's sex life?"

     Lily's eyes widened, and James was convinced he was about to witness a murder. "Let it go, Peter," Charlie rolled her eyes, sipping at her coffee. 

     "Fuck off," Remus spit at the small boy and rose to his feet to quickly stalk off. 

     Everyone sat still, except Charlie who was looking at everyone wildly trying to figure out what the hell was happening. She watched his back as he exited the great hall in a few swift strides. 

     "The bloody hell was that about?" She demanded when nobody offered an explanation. 

     James sighed, lifting his cup of tea to his lips. "You should go after him, Charlie."