The Marauders: Upto No Good.

3. Feelings

They could see the petite town of Hogsmeade just around the turn, with little shops glistening underneath the evening sun. Remus had already left an hour ago to the perfect's carriage and James was all up and ready to start his fifth year. Sirius and Peter were both playing a game of exploding snaps which was nowhere to be over anytime soon. Sirius looked up to see James looking at him again, as he was doing for all the journey.

James Potter, or as the Marauder's  called him, Prongs, was tall for his age and had a slender body with hazel eyes and untidy black hair that stuck up at the back. He had broad shoulders like Sirius's and toned abdominals, that girls openly gaped at when he practiced Quidditch on his broom wearing nothing but a flimsy shirt, that practically showed everything underneath. Since his birth, James had an indefinable air of having been well cared for and even adored, and knowing Mr and Mrs. P, Sirius knew it was impossible not to be like that.

James was a clever and talented, and was the brain for most of their wonderful pranks and tricks. Though he had arrogance and boastfulness equivalent for that of an grumpy old man, he displayed an array of good emotions, which Sirius knew he rarely showed openly to public. Despite being a pure-blood, he strongly disagreed with the concept of blood purity and was disgusted with any prejudice towards Muggle-borns even as a kid, and that what it was that made Sirius and James connect like magnets back in their first year. What they had, was more than friendship, or even a brotherly bond. It was like they were parts of each other. One can finish the sentence other started and the other can guess whatever it was even at back of one's mind. And Sirius knew the moment he had left home, that he could go to James' and James would let him stay even without asking anything. And that's exactly what had happened. Sirius had very few things for which he was glad and James was one of them.

And it wasn't like he didn't like his other friends. Peter was the most wonderful person you would meet. He was selfless and loyal and trustworthy. You would look at his pudgy face and squashy body and you will never see a bone of evil or betrayal. Yes, he was a little quick to be afraid, but then he had Sirius, James and Remus to look after him.

And as for Remus, Sirius felt something knot deep inside him everytime he remembered Remus. Sirius and Remus shared another kind of bond which was very different than what he had with James. When they met in the train's hallway in their first year, Remus had looked like he was too afraid to let anyone near him. At that time, Sirius had pushed the boy with a scrawny and pale face, into talking to him. Sirius was like that. He could make anyone feel comfortable. And so he held Remus's hand and guided him into a compartment where they met James and Peter for the first time. But ever since then Sirius had seen Remus transform from the odd, out of place looking guy, into something the ickle firsties admired and people respected just out of their hearts. He had seen Remus grow out of his awkwardness into a young boy with the most beautiful chocolate eyes and warm blond hair, who towered above him. Their relationship and always been a silent one. Their friendship based on support and guidance. Remus was there when someone jibed at Sirius and he held his tears back in. And Sirius was there when Remus underwent the most painful days of his life. The full moon. The others found out about Remus's wolfy condition back in the third year. They were just clever enough to know that their roomate wasn't just visiting his sick mum every month and returning with a fresh scar. Unless his mother was a werewolf too. But Sirius wasn't scared of Remus after knowing the truth. Sirius's believed that no matter what Remus turned into from outside, he was still the boy who craved chocolate all the time and liked to read near the warm fire and drink tea, from inside. With a little convincing, even Peter agreed and the three friends became Animagi, to support Remus in his worst nights.

And now, when they were starting their fifth year, and Sirius saw Remus for the first time, he felt warm inside and a strange feeling passed all over him. He didn't know if it was caused by seeing Remus's broad chest and shoulders which had came suddenly out of nowhere this summer or from how tall he had become. Remus was now the tallest of the four, surpassing James. And every now and then, Sirius found himself staring at the way Remus played with his soft hair. All this was strange to Sirius Black, for whom, all the love he knew came from the Potters. No doubt he dated many, many girls. But that was because they threw themselves at him. Not that he loved any of them. He and James were known for all the girls whose eyes they can turn and make their mouths drool. But now, today, Sirius felt something he couldn't describe and he was sure that it wasn't nothing.

The train had just stopped at the Hogsmeade station, and the students were piling out of the train. James saw Lily ushering the first years towards the enormous body of Hagrid, who was frantically calling out the first years. The boys walked towards the carriages that would take them to the school, and waited for their prefect friend.

"Bloody hell! Who decided to make Remus a prefect? That boy doesn't give a damn about rules. Always maraudeering with us, getting caught! And now, he can't even be on time! A prefect!?" Sirius's exclaimed, dramatically.

"Oh Sirius. Stop being such a drama queen. There are only the four of you and Daniel and Eustace in the fifth year. Who was Dumbledore supposed to pick prefect? You or James?" Lily asked him, pointing a finger at the boys. Sirius solemnly shakes his head no, grateful that something like that actually hasn't happened.

"See, that only leaves Remus, seeing Peter doesn't want to be a prefect. And as for getting caught or pranking, he never gets caught, it's always you and James and same for  planning pranks. You just drag him along." Lily said, with a tome that said 'do not try to cross me'.

"What is it with you and defending Moony? Do you love him or something, Evans?" James asked, faking a hurt in his voice.

"Yes, I do. He's my best friend!" Lily said, snaking her arms around Remus's torso, as he arrived.

"Who loves me?" He asked, looking surprised.

"You are a traitor Remus! I hate you." James deadpanned, while Sirius burst into laughing and Peter looked around not quite understanding what was happening.

"Sirius! Where have you been?" Another person joined their little group, this time a girl. She hopped up to Sirius, dragged him to the farthest corner of the carriage and pushed her mouth onto his. Soon after, even before the others could get on the carriage, the simple kiss between Sirius and the girl called Marlene, had turned into a heated snogging session.

Marlène McKinnon wasn't like every other girl who threw themselves at Sirius. In fact, she was a lot like him. Sirius reprised in a female body. Both loved punk rock, both loved everything Muggle and both were incredibly sassy. Marlene wasn't the dating type anyway. She just liked to lay around. And that was what was going on between Marlene and Sirius. Just a one time thing. A lay around.

But no matter how much Remus Lupin said these things over and over in his head, he couldn't shake off the intense feeling of jealousy that was boiling inside him, seeing Sirius and Marlene make out on the carriage.

Unknown to Remus, he wasn't the only one who had realised his feelings for his best friend. Opposite to him, Lily and James could see the hurt in their best friend's eyes, as the couple snogged beside them.