Running With Wolves

Chapter 17: A Delegation of Fools

Chapter 17: A Delegation of Fools

Sirius stood by the window, staring at the sunset on the lake. Remus was probably sitting in the Shrieking Shack by now. It would be cold. A fresh blanket of snow had settled over the grounds overnight.

James sat on the bed closest to Sirius, reading a History of Magic textbook with his eyes closed. Sirius nudged him with his elbow, and he snapped awake, knocking his book onto the floor. Peter lay across the carpet at the foot of James' bed where he was struggling through an essay and nibbling on a chocolate bar. Sirius kicked him gently.

"C'mon, Pete. You have the cloak, Prongs?" James reached under his bed and held it up his invisibility cloak for proof.

Gryffindor Tower was still too crowded for them to sneak away quietly. It was after dinner and the cold had drawn everyone into their common rooms. Through the din and chaos, their passage went unnoticed by all but Lily Evans.

"James? Where are you three going?" she asked.

"That's none of your concern, is it?" Sirius barked. James kicked him.

"Remus is ill again. We were going to go visit him in the Hospital Wing."

"That didn't go well last time he was ill, did it?" Lily asked, eyeing Sirius. Sirius growled. James grabbed him by the arm, glaring and digging his fingers into Sirius' arm. "Is it alright if I come with you? Remus was supposed to have Prefect duties with me tonight. I want to make sure he's okay."

"Um, actually, Lily...we wanted... you sh—I, um, I don't think it's, uh..." James stuttered. Sirius rolled his eyes.

"Sorry, Lily, you can't."

"What? Why not?"

"He's our friend, so we're going to go visit him."

"I think at the moment, Black, he's more my friend than he is yours."

"Sirius!" James snapped, shaking Sirius' arm. Sirius unclenched his fist, releasing his wand clutched tight in his fist. It fell back into his pocket.

"I'm sure he'd love to see you, but we'd rather go visit him on our own first. I'm sorry Lily." James said, shrugging and shuffling closer to the portrait hole. They slipped out the portrait hole, Lily watching, eyebrows drawn and arms crossed.

"Nice going Prongs, that couldn't have been more awkward," Sirius snarled.

"Oh, and you were making it better by snapping at her, were you?" James replied as they walked, pulling the invisibility cloak out from under his shirt and letting it unfold to the ground. He flung it over all three of them and they crept forward, peaking around every corner and pausing to listen every few paces for the footsteps of teachers or the occasional passing ghost.

A crashing sound split the silence. Sirius jumped, rounding on Peter, who cringed with the noise, the helmet of the suit of armor he knocked over rolled down the corridor and fell down the stairs. With each crash Peter cringed, pulling tighter into himself. The noise stopped when the helmet hit the bottom of the staircase. Peter peaked up through his hair at Sirius.

"Oh, well done Pete, you've only gone and attracted the attention of the entire school."

"Sorry, Padfoot, it was an accident—,"

"Now we'll be lucky if we get through the castle without running into trouble--,"

"Oh, lay off, Sirius. Can't you give it a rest for one damn second?" James said sharply, rounding on Sirius. "I get it, you're frustrated, but stop taking it out on your friends, okay?"