Four To The End (prev Shifting Lines) Book Three (Marauders Era)

Chapter Fifty-Six - Anything To Help

Author's note: In memory of Jay. Rest in peace, dear <3

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Officially, dating didn't seem much different than what Sirius and Cassie were doing before. A couple of days passed by and it seemed like nothing had changed between them other than them holding hands more, and at one point when they were all walking to class Sirius had his arm around her shoulders. Remus did catch them sharing a kiss in the common room on Monday evening, though they seemed to keep that part of their relationship under wraps, or so Remus assumed later that evening when Sirius boasted of a small snogfest the two had done earlier in the day. Peter hung onto his every word while James teased him, kissing his hand and swooning. Remus kept his head down in his book, only telling Sirius 'brilliant' when pressed by his friend.

"She doesn't mind the pranks," Sirius said on Tuesday morning as they left Muggle Studies and headed to do another prank. "Not really. She thinks some of the things we do are a bit much, like burning the effigies last night."

The previous day had been Guy Fawkes night, and the Marauders had set off loads of fireworks in the Great Hall, and James and Sirius had made a straw figure they had set on fire. The fire had been a little wild, Remus admitted, but it didn't get out of control, and besides Flitwick put it out fairly quickly anyway.

All the points they lost that night were regained that day from Professor Lewis, telling them that while doing something like that was a bit much she did appreciate their enthusiasm for embracing Muggle holidays. Remus thought that was a very bad idea for her to say that; it only encouraged James and Sirius.

"But she doesn't mind other things," Sirius continued. "She would probably think this prank is funny, if I told her about it."

Once near the lavatories, Peter and Remus took up positions as lookouts while James and Sirius rigged one of the bathrooms to dump silver and green glitter on whoever used the sink next.

"They'll still know it was you despite the colors," Remus said after they hurried away from the scene of the crime. "No one in Slytherin does things like that."

"Less likely to think it's us, though," James said with a giggle.

At lunch, Sirius wanted to sit with the girls and Remus decided to try to spend some time with Aegis. He told himself, as he walked away, it was because he hadn't spent much time with his friend but he knew part of it was because he didn't really want to see Sirius and Cassie flirting. Aegis gladly agreed to eat lunch together and the two took their food to one of the courtyards to sit on one of the walls.

As they ate their sandwiches and fruit, they talked about various things and joked, both of them laughing. It was good to hear Aegis laughing and see him smiling again. Whatever was going on with Malfoy seemed to have let up, and Remus wanted to ask about it but also didn't want to pry.

Family matters, he thought with a sickening shudder. As long as Aegis wasn't being hurt... but even if he was, what could Remus do without making things worse?

At about twenty till, they finished their food and headed inside, giggling at the idea of Malfoy covered in glitter since Remus had shared their prank, partially to warn him just on the off chance Aegis used that specific loo; though he figured by now it had been set off.

They rounded a corner and froze, seeing two figures ahead of them arguing. One was Sirius and the other was... his cousin? Miss Black? No, Regulus was there too, hovering a foot or so away, arms folded, shoulders hunched.

"—warning you!" Black was saying, her voice cold as ice.

"And I said I don't care," Sirius spat out. "They don't own me."