Too Little Too Late

Chapter 3 | Edited

After making her way back to the compartment, Layla was granted a surprise.

"Uhm... Why are they in here?" She asked Alice, knowing that out of all of her friends Alice was the most likely to have a comprehensive explanation of this phenomenon.

"I wish I knew." Was the solemn reply.

Well great, thanks for that Alice. Layla thought.

She just sighed and took one of the remaining seats, next to Lily. Unfortunately, seeing her placement, Sirius decided to move seats so that he was sitting on the other side of Layla.

She rolled her eyes.

It was about five minutes of both James and Sirius trying to make conversation when Remus arrived, sending a smile in the direction of Layla, which she returned.

"So why are we in here?" He directed at his friends.

"Lily's here." Was James' answer, which made the redhead sigh and roll her eyes.

"Why can't you just leave me alone, Potter?"

"I will if you agree to date me." He implored.

"You wish." She huffed, not noticing the slight crack in James' smile. He covered it well in the next second. Layla, however, did see the crack and sent a sorry glance to the boy.

It was in that moment that Layla decided she would help the boy woo her best friend, he was a good person after all, only a little childish.

Peter arrived not too long after this, squeezing himself between Remus and the door and further squashing Alice and Marlene towards the window.

Conversation continued for another few minutes, nothing too serious being discussed, instead stories of the holidays and wishes for the school year and upcoming NEWTs.

This was interrupted by a small boy entering the compartment, looking flustered.

"You alright?" Remus said, worriedly.

"Uh ye- yeah." He mumbled, eyes fixed on Layla. He reluctantly pulled his eyes away, "you" he paused slightly to let his eyes focus on James, "and you" his eyes found Lily, "You're both needed in the Head's compartment."

And then Layla, Alice and Marlene burst out laughing. Having already been informed of Lily's new position, they were aware that she would be called at some point in the journey. However, they hadn't known who the Head Boy would be. Alice and Marlene had placed their bets on Remus but Layla, having stayed at his house for the majority of the summer, already knew this to not be true. She had thought that a Ravenclaw, Jacob Boot, was the most likely candidate. None of them had expected marauder extraordinaire, James Potter, to be head boy. Especially considering that he hadn't even been a prefect for the last few years. Head Boy's and Girls were always previously prefects.

Alice, in lieu of Lily's placement, was made the 7th year female Gryffindor prefect along with Remus.

He's the freaking head boy. Was the only thought in Lily's mind. Cursing her luck she rose to her feet and exited the carriage, followed by her partner for the rest of the year.

James.

James Potter.

As the freaking Head Boy.

Dumbledore is losing his marbles.

The young boy, slightly startled, looked around the (now slightly emptier) compartment as if not sure what to do, his eyes still automatically fixing on Layla.

"You can leave." Sirius said impatiently, for some reason annoyed at the boy and his lingering eyes. Plus the boy needs to learn that third years don't linger around seventh years, Sirius reasoned.

"He means: 'thank you for letting us know.'" Remus amended for his friend.

"If I meant that then I would have bloody well said it." Sirius snapped back. The boy was still in the compartment so Sirius glared at him, making his departure much sooner than it otherwise would have been.

With one of the marauders already gone, the girls found themselves wishing that the others would leave too.

It was Alice who voiced this opinion, Marlene not wanting to offend Sirius due to her ongoing crush on him and Layla not feeling comfortable telling Remus to leave after everything he had done for her over the summer and even before then.

"Uhm, could you please leave now?"

"No." Sirius replied automatically.

Layla sighed and looked at Remus imploringly. He smiled back, understanding what she was asking, he was her confidante in most things and therefore knew why she was uncomfortable spending more time than necessary with certain people (*cough* person *cough*) in their compartment.

"Come on Padfoot, let's go talk about our summers." He then slightly motioned with his head towards the girls next to him, reminding Sirius that they couldn't talk about his summer, or specifically how he handled one specific night per month on his own, around them.

"Sure Moony." Sirius rose, as did Remus.

However, as Remus was heading towards the door, Sirius turned around, picked Layla up and threw her over his shoulder in a fireman hold and only then headed towards the door.

"Coming Wormtail?" He asked nonchalantly.

"Uhm Sirius-" Remus began.

"PUT ME DOWN."

"I don't feel like it."

"PUT. ME. DOWN."

"Hmmmm nah."

"I SWEAR BLACK, IF YOU DON'T PUT ME DOWN THIS INSTANT I WILL SHOVE YOUR WAND SO FAR UP YOUR ARSE THAT NOT EVEN MERLIN COULD GET IT OUT."

"Well for that lovely image I think I'll hold onto you more."

"BLACK!"

He was about to retort, angering the blonde even more, when Remus interjected;

"Sirius, put her down."

Sirius just pouted to the werewolf. "Please." Remus sighed.

Sirius beamed and put Layla gently back on the seat, "see, all you had to say was 'please'." He shot the girl one last smile before exiting the compartment, followed by Remus and Peter.

They made their way to an empty compartment, setting their previously shrunken and pocketed trunks on the racks above them.

"So how was your summer?" Peter asked.