All the Young Dudes ( Sirius' Perspective )

Fifth Year : Sweet Sixteen

Tuesday 9th March 1976

Despite Remus’s concern, none of them were caught—Sirius resisted the urge to say I told you so, as Moony still seemed a bit peeved when they got back to their room; he went straight to bed and drew the curtains without saying more than two words to any of them.

When Sirius talked to James about Remus’s strange behaviour that night, the other boy simply shrugged.

“I dunno, mate. He’s always been a bit moody, yeah?”

“Yeah, but it’s different this year,” Sirius huffed, “Isn’t it?”

James scratched his chin, thoughtfully. “Well, I reckon it’s all the girl stuff, innit.”

“What?”

“You know. Girlfriends and that. Seems like it makes him uncomfortable.”

Sirius sighed, flopping back onto the pillows. “I already asked him if he fancied Mary, though, and he said he doesn’t.”

“Yeah, well…maybe he fancies someone else.”

“Someone else?”

“Maybe you haven’t noticed, Black, but there are other girls in the castle.”

Sirius frowned, considering. Could that be it? Had Remus been so distant just because he fancied someone?

“But why wouldn’t he talk to us about it?”

James laughed, poking Sirius in the ribs. “Not all of us like to overshare as much as you do.”

“Oi—you should be thanking me! I’m helping you prepare for the far-off day that Evans breaks down and snogs you!”

“A-ha! So you admit that it’s going to happen!”

“Yeah,” Sirius snorted, “Probably when you’re ninety-five and on your death bed, making your last wish.”

Still, he considered James’s theory, turning the idea over in his head. Sirius supposed it wouldn’t be entirely out of character for Remus to keep something like a crush secret, and it would help explain why he was so touchy about all the girl stuff. Maybe James was right, and the odd behaviour didn’t have anything to do with Sirius at all—he knew that he had a tendency to blow things out of proportion; perhaps he really was exaggerating the extent of the distance between them.

Either way, there didn’t seem to be much he could do about it, other than carry on as usual. James thought that if they didn’t push him, and tried to be supportive, then eventually Moony would open up to them. Sirius didn’t normally have the patience to wait for results, but Remus wasn’t exactly giving him much say in the matter.

Besides, there were plenty of other things to take up Sirius’s attention. Their prank went exactly as planned the next day, forcing Dumbledore to cancel lessons for the morning while Filch ran pell-mell about the castle, trying to get rid of the stench. Their afternoon classes were moved outside to the grounds, which the marauders considered a win—listening to their professors drone on was much more enjoyable in the early spring sunshine than it was cooped up in the castle walls.