Mischief Managed Y2 Part 2: The Truth of the Tournament

Chapter Fifty-Two: Not so Hypothetical

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Peter and James had played a few rounds of chess and then got some homework done. By curfew, they had started to get worried, and it wasn't for another two hours before Sirius and Remus walked through the door.

"Where have you two been?" James demanded, leaping off his bed, his tone one of scolding and worry all at once. Peter had expected Remus to be secretive and Sirius to laugh it off, probably starting some stupid row with James that would leave all of them going to bed at 2 am. But that wasn't what happened. Peter got off his bed as well, catching a glimpse of two pale boys in candlelight.

"What's wrong? What happened? Wait, first, both of you sit down, you look dreadful," James continued in a gentler tone, leading Remus and Sirius further into the room. The leader of the Marauders tried to get both of their friends to sit on his bed, but either because it was tradition or he was trying to be difficult Sirius evaded James' corralling and sat at their usual gathering spot.

Peter didn't miss how neither of the recently returned friends had spoken yet. Remus didn't even bother to roll his eyes or make some amused exasperated comment about them always sitting on his bed, instead wordlessly joining Sirius. Peter watched the two of them huddle together and looked at James for direction. The quidditch player was running a hand through his hair, visibly stressed. The youngest Marauder was pretty sure their friends were going to be the death of James one day. There was a tense silence that Elvis walked into the middle of, jumping on Remus' bed and then disturbing the quiet by letting out a hiss followed by an angry yowl. James spun this way and that, drawing his wand, but Sirius and Remus just shared a look and the former gave Elvis a good kick off the bed, muttering 'mental' under his breath. Taking confidence in the fact that one of the two tardy boys seemed able to physically speak at least, the other two Marauders joined their friends on the bed.

"What happened, mates?" James asked again, his tone tense. Remus and Sirius exchanged another glance then began explaining their trip to the forest and the inferi. James listened pensively and Peter personally found Sirius' story lacking. But the older boy didn't question why the two had decided to go traipsing through the Forbidden Forest and got to his feet still thinking deeply. "You two are clearly knackered. We can't do anything about it now unless you suggest we go to Dumbledore." When neither Remus nor Sirius spoke up, he pressed on. "So here's what we're going to do. We're all going to get a good night's sleep since the last of our spring exams are tomorrow. After that we'll be entering the start of summer term so we'll have some downtime before lessons pick up again and that's when we will concoct a brilliant plan to save the day as the Marauders always do." James delivered his uplifting speech with so much confidence that no one protested. Sirius hesitated to get off Remus' bed until James spoke a few more words of assurances they would get to the bottom of it which did the trick

Peter thought Sirius still looked very pale as he got into his own bed and couldn't help being relieved that he had missed this adventure as the unusually quiet boy fell asleep quickly.

"Are you alri...forget that you're obviously not. That's the stuff of nightmares, mate, it's alright to be frightened," James said kindly, apparently taking Remus' quiet as a sign of embarrassment. Peter knew better though, inferi were as dark of the dark creatures as you got. Even if Sirius hadn't said anything cruel to the werewolf, their sensitive friend was probably still worried this would make them all hate him again or some bollocks like that. 

Peter hesitated but when Remus didn't react to James' concern he spoke up, his voice shaking slightly at the mere thought of such dreadful evil creatures being on the grounds of Hogwarts. "You aren't like inferi, Remus. Sirius knows that now, otherwise he wouldn't have come near you," he pointed out simply, trying to be helpful. Remus flinched and nodded, not seeming cheered up.