Roses in the Moonlight

Chapter 12

James POV

For probably the first time ever, the marauder's table at breakfast was completely silent. Sirius is pretending Remus doesn't exist, and Remus is just accepting it. James is at a loss for words. His best mates always fight, but this time seems different. All the marauders can sense it, and James has been brainstorming solutions for the entirety of breakfast. So far he has come up with three things he could say:

Did you guys hear about the new broom model?These eggs are delicious, don't ya think?You blokes think Lily would say yes if I asked her out to Hogsmeade?

He figured quidditch would be a sore subject, the eggs are obvious, it's a magical meal at Hogwarts for Merlin's sake, and he asks Lily out every Hogsmeade trip and they would probably be annoyed at this query.

After some more deliberation, James decided on the best option he had on hand... the eggs.

"Crackin' good eggs, huh?" Jame's pun was met with crickets. James tries again.

"Did you hear about the wizard who turned his friend into an egg?" James pauses for dramatic effect.

"He kept trying to poach his ideas!" James throws his head back in laughter and starts banging the table with his fists, which causes his plate of eggs to fly up in the air and land on Peter's head. This only makes James laugh harder and he falls backwards off of the bench with his legs in the air, still laughing.

After collecting himself on the ground, James opens his eyes to see Remus and Sirius looking down at him with stern expressions. He then turns to Peter to apologize, but the sight of him covered in eggs sends James into another fit of laughter.

The rest of the boys get up from their seats. Remus and Peter both leave, and Sirius lends James a hand.

"Feeling a bit like humpty dumpty, aren't ya Prongs?" Both boys begin cackling as Sirius pulls James to his feet.

"Ok let's be serious now, what is going on with you and Remus," James gets right to the point because he's tired of waiting.

"First of all, I'm always Sirius, second of all, you should know what's going on! You were there! You saw the carnage first hand!" Sirius explodes.

"Ok mate, let's go somewhere more private." James pulls Sirius out of the Great Hall full of nosy nellies and begins walking towards the Quidditch pitch.

"C'mon Pads," James continues their serious discussion once they reach the pitch, "you can't fully blame Moony, he wasn't himself."

"Well, I don't fully blame him Prongs, I know the Quidditch match was my fault, but he almost killed me, I was on the brink of death. I know that Remus and the wolf are separate, but every time I look at him, I see the wolf reaching out and clawing at me. I can't help but feel uncomfortable whenever I'm in the same room as him."

James was silenced. How should I respond to this? He's got some good points.

"Well you guys are my closest mates and I care deeply about both of you, and I want nothing more than for you guys to get past this."

"I don't know if we can."

"Well let's give it some time, and maybe the resentment will fade. I know you would still do anything for Moony, and you know how Remus gets. His guilt is eating him up inside."

Sirius lets out a sigh and slowly nods.

"Yeah I know."

"Alright let's go back to the dorm."

The two boys walk back into the castle and Sirius was deep in thought the entire way. Once they finally reached their room, Sirius opened the door and both boys saw something on Sirius' bedside table. As they got closer they realized it was a rose and a piece of chocolate.

"Looks like you have an admirer Pads," James smirks and gives Sirius a wink as he nudges his arm. Sirius just stood there staring at the gifts, dumbfounded.