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Tap tap tap.
"Pads, it's really not going to be so bad."
Tap tap tap tap.
"Padfoot, I think if you just run through it how we talked about-"
Taptaptaptaptap.
"SIRIUS I SWEAR TO MERLIN IF YOU DON'T STOP POUNDING YOUR FOOT AGAINST THE FLOOR I'LL SHOVE YOUR FUCKING SHOE DOWN YOUR THROAT."
Silence.
"Thank you," James breathed, sliding his posture downwards and picking up his spoon again.
The sharp remnants, faded from a cool night, settled within the walls of the Great Hall. The morning air snuck under Remus's stiff robes and slid across his skin, running along the small bumps that jumped away from his arms and invading every piece of his exposed skin.
Remus wrapped his fingers around the glass mug in front of him and the heat from the coffee inside instantly slashed against his palm. It was too hot to drink, but the burning of his hand sent some of the cold air back through his robe sleeves, and so Remus kept the coffee cup between his hands and slowly inhaled the warm and quiet smell of caramel.
"What if she hates me anyways?" Sirius asked. Remus released the breath he had been holding and James slammed his forehead into the table.
"She won't," insisted Peter, half annoyed. "Syd hardly hates Theo, how could she hate you?"
Remus's hands wrapped tighter around the mug and his teeth pushed tightly against each other but he said nothing against the name.
"She could," muttered Sirius.
"We get it, you were terrible," groaned James. "Just tell her that and she'll get over it. I'm tired of hearing about this."
Sirius fell quiet and his foot resumed tapping, but everyone ignored it.
Remus lifted the cup to his lips and took a small sip, hoping to drown away the persistent cold.
"How's Valerie?" Asked Peter conversationally. Remus choked on his coffee.
"Brilliant," he coughed, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
"Yeah?" James asked amusedly. Remus glared at him.
"Oh," Sirius said, his eyes trained on the end of the table. "They're here."
Remus turned down the long Gryffindor table to find that Sydney, Marlene, Lily, and Alice had entered, all dressed in their robes and conversing lightly.
Sydney had her hair in a loose braid on the side, and a few strands fell loosely to frame her face as she fiddled with the fabric of her undone tie. She furrowed her brows slightly at whatever Alice was saying but then forced the expression away and picked up the pitcher of water.
