The Marauders Era

A New Home

    James enjoyed the first week of the holidays with his parents, but wished he could see his friends again. Despite the fact that it was the summer holidays, the weather was miserable. James sat by the window watching rain fall down the glass, dark shapes of cars passing through the cold, wet, windy, miserable street. Another smaller dark figure arrived outside the house, dragging a large trunk behind him. He swept his drenched hair out of his face and James jumped up, he would always recognise that hair sweeping anywhere. He threw open the front door and ran outside into the storm. By the road stood a dripping fifteen year old boy, teardrops mixed with raindrops on his cheeks, his Gryffindor scarf, although wet was tied around his neck. James threw his arms around Sirius and his friend sobbed into his shoulder. James clutched his shaking friend and after a few minutes Sirius controlled himself. James threw an arm around his shoulders, picked up Sirius' trunk and led him into the house.

Mrs. Potter squealed when the two rain soaked boys re-entered the house. She pulled Sirius' cloak off and waved her wand over them both, warming them. "Come with me dear." Mrs. Potter said and she put a warm, loving arm around Sirius shaking shoulders and took him upstairs. James opened Sirius' trunk and pulled out one of the sweaters Sirius had stolen from Remus. He dashed upstairs to where his mum was filling the bath. He handed Sirius the sweater, clapped him on the shoulder and left to get changed.

Downstairs James found his mother and father discussing Sirius. "He's staying here Fleamont, he's not going back to that horrible house." his mother said. "Of course he's staying." Fleamont replied. Without a word James crept back upstairs and knocked on the bathroom door. "Come in." Sirius replied. James walked in and Sirius was sitting on the floor in the massive sweater, his hair still dripping. "I'm glad you left. I'm sorry you couldn't have left earlier." James said, sitting opposite him. "I'm just fucking sick of it, Prongs. Why do I have to be a bloody Black? Why the absolute fuck did I get such parents who treat me like shit?" Sirius shouted. "Sorry." he added quietly. "It's them who should be sorry Padfoot, not you. I can think of much worse insults than that anyway." James said. Sirius laughed and James got up. "Come on mate." he said, pulling Sirius to his feet and hugging him.

Three days pass, Sirius gets a bed put up in James' room and they're used to it already. It was half past two in the morning. Sirius lay awake in bed, his arms behind his head, lost in his thoughts. "James I don't know how you're going to react to this but I think I have a crush on Remus. Like it's just hit me. Fuck." Sirius muttered. "Chillax Padfoot, it's not going to change anything, well except for the fact that you'll probably start dating Moony." James replied. "Merlin, you scared the life out of me James, I thought you were asleep. I was practising telling you." Sirius replied. "Nope. I'm awake." James replied. Sirius sighed. "But Moony's definitely straight." Sirius replied. "I dunno, just talk to him about it." James said. "Yeah, sure, just bringing that up randomly will be totally chill, no questions asked." Sirius replied sarcastically.

The next morning Remus and Peter arrived at the Potter's house. James had told them about Sirius leaving. Remus hugged James then Sirius, rolling his eyes at the fact Sirius was wearing his clothes again. James grinned to himself.

After lunch the four boys went out for a walk, and before long, found themselves in a tattoo shop. James and Sirius had decided on tattoos, and there was no changing their minds, Remus thought that he might as well, and Peter was downright terrified, however he wanted to be a part of this.

They got their tattoos, each with a few footprints and the words 'I solemnly swear I'm up to no good.', the footprints acting like proof of them hiding underneath the Invisibility Cloak. They all decided to get them on their chests, and an hour later they left, with slightly red stomachs, bearing the ink of their identical tattoos.

On the Hogwarts Express the train rattled further north. Sirius and Peter got up to go and get snacks, and they left the compartment. James and Remus sat in silence for a few minutes then Remus said "What if I liked blokes?" really quickly. James looked up. "It won't change anything will it?" he replied. Remus sighed with relief. "Don't tell anyone could you?" Remus asked nervously. "Would I? But I mean you should tell Sirius." James replied. Just then Sirius bounded back into the compartment and tripped, sending sweets flying everywhere and falling onto Remus. Sirius lay across the three seats on the right side of the carriage, laughing, still lying on Remus. Remus hesitated for a second then rearranged himself so Sirius could lie more comfortably. Before long Sirius fell asleep, then Remus nodded off as well. James smiled happily at Sirius, his head in Remus' lap, as Peter told a long winded story about one of his latest dreams.

The next morning just before sunrise Sirius crept out of bed and down to the common room. He stood in front of the fire and stared into the flames, clenching his jaw and thinking about Remus. "Sirius?" a voice asked. Sirius turned, there was Remus at the bottom of the stairs in a baggy sweater that Sirius was yet to steal, his light brown hair messy. "How come you're up so early?" Remus asked, approaching Sirius. "I couldn't sleep. I had a nightmare about that fucking house." Sirius replied. Remus didn't need to ask what house Sirius was talking about. "I'm scared for Regulus. I don't think he knows how to stand up to my parents." Sirius mumbled into the fire. Remus sighed and sunk into one of the squashy armchairs. Sirius shivered, the hairs on his arms sticking up. He wasn't wearing a shirt. Remus pulled off his sweater, exposing his scar covered chest and passed it to Sirius. Sirius glanced down at it then pulled it on. If it was big for Remus it was massive for Sirius. It fell to his knees and he lost his hands inside the sleeves. Remus laughed and tugged Sirius over. Sirius collapsed in the armchair beside his scarred friend. He put an arm around Remus, he knew he was cold without his sweater, but he couldn't bring himself to take it off.

They sat there for a few quiet minutes, then Remus broke the silence. "Um, I'm not entirely straight." Remus muttered. "Neither." Sirius replied. They looked at each other and grinned. "So... are you into anybody?" Remus asked. "Well, sort of... you." Sirius replied. Before he knew what he was doing Remus had snuggled closer to Sirius, laying down across his chest. Sirius swallowed, and Remus reached up and pressed his lips against Sirius'. "Wait, you guys figured it out on your own?" a bewildered, familiar voice said. Remus and Sirius broke apart and turned to see James, his hair sticking up at every possible angle, watching them with a massive grin on his face. "What do you mean?" Sirius asked. "Well, you both confessed your feelings about each other to me, but I wasn't bloody allowed to tell the other." James replied.