the cadence of part time poets

Chapter 91: The Flour of Youth

But life goes on, you know it ain't easy,
You've just gotta be strong, if you're one of the six teens;
And life goes on, you know, you know it ain't easy,
You know you'll never go wrong 'cause you're all part of the six teens...

- "The Six Teens" Sweet, 1974

Thursday 30th March 1978

As fond as Remus had become of their shared time alone at school, he was excited to welcome his friends back. Mary did so with the most vigour, throwing herself over Marlene and crying as though she'd been tortured all week without her presence. Remus, feeling distinctly as though it was the other way around, tried not to take it personally, and Sirius, who had been missing James just as much, crowded in among the chattering group of returning students and slung an arm around his best friend's shoulders out of glee.

"So, Prongs, how was it meeting the in-laws?"

"Great!" Said James. "Lily's dad is champ. He's got this whole collection of records. He could actually talk about music for hours, and get this—in the garage? A 1949 Vincent motorbike in pristine condition. Said he was just housing it for a friend, but still."

Sirius' mouth practically began to water. "I swear—first purchase after the flat!"

"Good luck navigating London on a motorbike," Remus scoffed. It made Sirius smirk, before he reached up and pinched Remus on the earlobe. Pain instantly shot through him, and Remus quickly batted him away with a sharp smack.

"Don't, bloody dickhead... Still hurts."

"Oh? What's this?" James raised both brows. "You put an extra hole in your head too, Moony?"

"Blame Mary," he grumbled. "I still can't sleep on my left side."

James leaned in to admire it. "Well, I like it. Very rock and roll. Maybe I'll get mine done when we finish school."

"I'll do it!" Sirius declared. "This wimp wouldn't let me do his."

Pushing Sirius away by the cheek, Remus turned back to James. "How was the rest of Lily's family then? Did her sister bite your head off like you thought she would?"

"Let's just say that if I had to choose between charming a king cobra and Petunia Evans, I'd pick the snake."

They broke apart snickering, as Peter wordlessly passed behind. He had his trunk in one hand and there was a distinctly solemn look on his face, but he didn't spare his best friends a second glance.

"Hey, Wormy," Sirius called anyway; "How was the old bird's place?"

"Don't wanna talk about it, Black," Peter grumbled, nearly fumbling his trunk. Undeterred by the cold shoulder, Sirius reached for Peter's actual shoulder and gave it a tight squeeze.

"Aw, don't tell me there's trouble in paradise?"

"Just fuck off, alright!" Peter lashed, shoving Sirius hand off before carrying on in the direction of the dorms on his own. Sirius turned back around after he'd gone, looking disgruntled.

"What crawled up his arse and died?"

"I think he and Moira broke up," James answered reproachfully.

"They did?" Sirius gasped. "Fucking finally!"

"Wow. Maybe try for some decorum, Padfoot?"

"Go on, what happened?" Sirius asked giddily, ignoring him. In answer, James rubbed the back of his neck, using the gesture as an excuse to glance around and make sure no one was listening.