selenophile || remus lupin

chapter eighty six

7 July 1977

7:11 pm

"You bastard, James Potter!" shouted Sirius, running around the kitchen island at Potter Manor. His face and his hair, his oh so precious hair were covered in flour.

"Sirius!" scolded Euphemia.

"Sorry, Mia, but you should be yelling at your son, not me. Look at what he did!"

"You deserved it!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!" shouted James, still running from Sirius.

"I mean, you did crack an egg on his head," Euphemia said.

"Hey, when are the cookies going to be- oh," said Fleamont, walking into the kitchen and seeing the mess the boys made.

"It's okay, Monty. I already made a batch this morning. You can't trust these boys with anything, I knew something like this would happen," Euphemia whispered to her husband.

"Then why'd you let it?"

"Because they're having fun. Who cares if they make a mess."

"Where are those cookies? I've been craving some."

"In the pantry," she said and Fleamont beelined there.

"I'm going for your hair next!" shouted Sirius.

"No!" James shrieked.

"An eye for an eye, Potter!"

Sirius took the bag of flour, took a handful, and grabbed James' hair, shaking it into the scalp.

"Oh deer, what a mess!" Sirius mocked.

"That was bad. That was not funny," James said, trying his absolute best to not laugh, but ultimately failing as he threw his head back.

As Sirius laughed with him, he took his chance and tackled him to the floor. On top of him, James shook his hair out, the flour landing in Sirius' face.

"Ugh, get off of me!" Sirius kicked his feet and threw James off of him, running outside into the gardens. James quickly followed, not losing track of his best friend through the large gardens that Euphemia took care of.

He found Sirius on a bridge on top of a small, flowing stream. Trees covered their heads, letting in a little bit of light from the beginning of the sunset. He ran as fast as he could over to the bridge and pushed Sirius off into the water. Sirius screamed like a little kid as he fell, landing with a big splash.

"How dare you!" he shrieked.

James laughed so hard that he nearly fell in, and after a few moments, he stuck his hand out.

"Truce?"

Sirius swam over to him, holding his hand out to be pulled back in. As soon as James grabbed his hand, he yelled out, "You wish, Potter!" and pulled James into the stream with him.

The two splashed each other around and tried to dunk the other under the water. Soon, once they were thoroughly worn out, they got out. James took his wet shirt off and ringed it out into the stream, Sirius leaving his clinging to his chest. They both shook their hair like dogs and walked to a secluded fountain in the middle of trees. They lay down on the stone border, just enjoying each other's company.

It was nice to have a best friend who they didn't have to talk to, and instead be comfortable enough with each other to enjoy the moments where they just were. All they had to do was exist and the other would be happy. James and Sirius loved each other, loved being around each other, loved the fact that they didn't have to always be talking to know that they were loved. All they had to do was be, and they were satisfied.