Everything to Me

34.

Sunshine was streaming through the high windows on to the bent heads, which shone chestnut and copper and gold in the bright light.

'"Five more minutes!"

The voice made Juli jump. Turning, she saw the top of Professor Flitwick's head moving between the desks a short distance away.

James was straightening up now, putting down his quill, pulling his roll of parchment towards him so as to reread what he had written. He yawned hugely and rumpled up his hair, making it even messier than it had been. Then, with a glance towards Professor Flitwick, he turned in his seat and grinned Sirius sitting four seats behind him.

Sirius give James the thumbs-up. He was lounging in his chair at his ease, tilting it back on two legs. A girl sitting behind him was eyeing him hopefully, though he didn't seem to have noticed. Juli frowned and cleared her throat loudly, making Sirius look at the girl and laugh at his girlfriend's possessiveness. And two seats along from this girl was Remus. He looked rather pale and peaky and was absorbed in the exam: as he reread his answers, he scratched his chin with the end of his quill, frowning slightly.

Peter looked anxious; he was chewing his fingernails, staring down at his paper, scuffing the ground with his toes. Every now and then he glanced hopefully at his neighbour's.

James was now doodling on a bit of scrap parchment. He had drawn a Snitch and was now tracing the letters 'L.E.'.

"Quills down, please!" squeaked Professor Flitwick. "That means you too, Stebbins! Please remain seated while I collect your parchment! Accio!"

Over a hundred rolls of parchment zoomed into the air and into Professor Flitwick's outstretched arms, knocking him backwards off his feet. Several people laughed. A couple of students including Juli and Lily got up, took hold of Professor Flitwick beneath the elbows and lifted him back on to his feet.

"Thank you, thank you," panted Professor Flitwick. "Very well, everybody, you're free to go!"

"Did you like question ten, Moony?" asked Sirius as they emerged into the Entrance Hall.

"Loved it," said Lupin briskly. "Give five signs that identify the werewolf. Excellent question."

"D'you think you managed to get all the signs?" said James in tones of mock concern.

"Think I did," said Remus seriously, as they joined the crowd thronging around the front doors eager to get out into the sunlit grounds. "One: he's sitting on my chair. Two: he's wearing my clothes. Three: his name's Remus Lupin."

Peter was the only one who didn't laugh. "I got the snout shape, the pupils of the eyes and the tufted tail," he said anxiously, "but I couldn't think what else--"

"How thick are you, Wormtail?" said James impatiently. "You run round with a werewolf once a month--"

"Keep your voice down," implored Lupin.

"Well, I thought that paper was a piece of cake," Sirius said. "I'll be surprised if I don't get 'Outstanding' on it at least."

"Me too," said James. He put his hand in his pocket and took out a struggling Golden Snitch.

"Where'd you get that?"

"Nicked it," said James casually. He started playing with the Snitch, allowing it to fly as much as a foot away before seizing it again; his reflexes were excellent. Wormtail watched him in awe.

They stopped in the shade of a beech tree on the edge of the lake and Snape had settled himself on the grass in the dense shadow of a clump of bushes. He was as deeply immersed in the OWL paper as ever.