CHECK YES JULIET ▷ JAMES POTTER [1]

𝟏𝟕. 𝐒𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐄𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄

(17 : SOME CONSEQUENCE . . .
YET HANGING IN THE STARS)

✧࿐ ཾ✧

     THE MARAUDERS SAT CROSS-LEGGED on the floor of their dorm. All of the boys were watching in apprehension as Peter tested how long it took for an acid pop to burn a hole in someone's tongue. According to Remus, it wouldn't be safe for Honeydukes to tell something that dangerous, so Sirius made a bet on Peter's behalf. Within seconds, Peter's eyes began to water, but he took the challenge in stride.

"52 seconds," James declared, looking up from his watch when Peter stuck his tongue out. Sure enough, there was a hole.

"Ha!" snorted Sirius in triumph. "Pay up, Moony."

In a mixture of fear and amazement, Peter pulled at his tongue in attempts to get a better look. "Wait, someone heal my tongue first," begged Peter. Due to the fact he was still holding his tongue, this came out as more 'waht somwon hel meh ton firs.'

Unamused, Remus fixed up Peter's tongue and handed a few galleons to his other friend. As if only just remembering something, he turned to James and said in a very noncommittal manner, "I had an interesting conversation with Juliet Fawley earlier today."

"You spoke to Julie?" Remus nodded. "And she didn't run in the other direction?"

"I'm not the one she's avoiding," the werewolf reminded him. "Well, she might start. I reckon she thinks I'm half mad now."

James straightened, shifting closer to the sandy-haired boy. "What did you talk about? Did she mention me? How is she —"

"You don't have a crush by any chance, Prongs?" teased Sirius, wide-eyed and faking innocence.

Levelling his best friend with a glare, James stuffed a cauldron cake in his mouth — the four had made a Hogsmeade dash earlier that evening — and insisted, "I like Lily! That really hasn't changed. But Juliet's different. Special, you know. It takes a while but once you get past her hard shell, she's cool." In contemplation, he stared at the sweet in Peter's hand. "Like chocoballs! A little hard on the outside, but soft underneath."

"Are you saying she's your special friend then?" Peter wiggled his eyebrows. "And, to be fair, you haven't mentioned Lily in ages."

Smacking Peter upside his head, James blocked out the teasing and focused his attention Remus. "Go on. Finish the story."

"First, don't talk with your mouth full," Remus scolded. "Second, I caught her after Defence because something she said — actually multiple somethings — makes me think she's your mystery girl. I can't be 100% unless we show her the book and ask, but . . ."