The Marauders: Year Four

A Knot of Fur and Scars

A Knot of Fur and Scars

"You actually put humble? Are you mad?" Remus looked up from the parchment with a chuckle. "James Potter. Humble. Those are certainly antonyms, aren't they?"

It was first thing in the morning and Sirius was laying across his bed, still in his pyjamas, his head hanging off the side, "Exact opposites, those are." He held out his hand, "Let me see the list, you lot." Remus passed it to Peter who passed it to James who handed it over to Sirius. Sirius turned it over and read it over.

James sighed, "I dunno how to describe myself. I'm just me." He sighed and leaned over the fresh parchment on his knees. He was the only one of the four of them that was fully dressed already, robes and tie and all. "What do you lot think I ought to have on my list?"

"Brave," Peter said instantly before anyone else could say a word, tying his trainers.

"Definitely," nodded Sirius. "And I rather like impulsive. You're certainly that. In a good way. Also in a bad way. Impulsive is sort of why you forget your wand, isn't it?"

"Energetic," supplied Remus, rolling a pair of black trouser socks over his ankles, "You're never sitting still." Even at that moment, as he was balancing the parchment on one knee, James was playing a bit of one-handed catch-and-release with the snitch Sirius had stolen way back in first year that they kept locked up in the drawer of the nightstand. His fingers closed around it just as Remus said it and he smirked.

"I rather like sarcastic, too," Sirius said.

"Alright..." James looked at the parchment he was writing on. "That gives me brave, loyal sarcastic, impulsive, protective, determined, and energetic." He looked about at them. "Sums me up?"

"To a T," replied Sirius, grinning.

James stared at the words, repeating them over in his mind. Brave. Loyal. Sarcastic. Impulsive. Protective. Determined. Energetic. It wasn't a bad list, as far as lists went. He was rather proud of it, and he smiled, "Thanks guys."

Sirius sat up, "Alright. Do me now."

"Brave again," Peter said immediately.
"Frisky," laughed Remus, kicking his feet into his shiny black shoes.

"Rebellious," added James.

"Loyal," Remus said solemnly, then, "Trustworthy... Sacrificing."

James nodded. "That's Sirius alright. Tack on hilarious and that's the whole of him!"

Sirius grinned, "Well you're loyal, too, Rey."

"And thoughtful," added James.

"Patient," added Peter, thinking of all the times Remus had helped him with homework.

"Nurturing, rather. You help people grow," Sirius said. He kept his eyes diverted from Lupin as he spoke, using the moment to check out his hair in the mirror, running his fingers through each side carefully, then grabbing his Gryffindor tie from where he'd flung it over the nearest chair the night before, wrapping it up about his head. "And you're passionate and intelligent."

"Thanks," Remus said, pinkening in the cheeks.

"Grateful," supplied Peter, fumbling helplessly with his tie until James finally shoved the snitch in the drawer and got up to help him out with it.

"Oh forever grateful," agreed Sirius, nodding eagerly.

"I'd like to think I'm rather witty," Remus said.