Sirius Black's Twin

O.W.Ls

"Did you like question ten, Moony?" asked Sirius as he, Lyra, James, Peter, and Remus emerged into the Entrance Hall.

"Loved it," said Remus briskly. "Give five signs that identify the werewolf. Excellent question."

"D'you think you managed to get all the signs?" said James in tones of mock concern.

"Think I did," said Remus seriously, as they joined the crowd thronging around the front doors eager to get out into the sunlit grounds. "One: he's sitting on my chair. Two: he's wearing my clothes. Three: his name's Remus Lupin."

Peter was the only one who didn't laugh.

"I got the snout shape, the pupils of the eyes and the tufted tail,' he said anxiously, "but I couldn't think what else -"

"How thick are you, Wormtail?" said James impatiently. "You run round with a werewolf once a month -"

"Keep your voice down," implored Remus.

Sirius, Lyra, Remus, James, and Peter strode off down the lawn towards the lake.

"Well, I thought that paper was a piece of cake," Lyra said. "I'll be surprised if I don't get 'Outstanding' on it at least."

"Me too," said James. He put his hand in his pocket and took out a struggling Golden Snitch.

"Where'd you get that?" Lyra asked.

"Nicked it," said James casually. He started playing with the Snitch, allowing it to fly as much as a foot away before seizing it again; his reflexes were excellent. Peter watched him in awe.

They stopped in the shade of the very same beech tree on the edge of the lake. The sunlight was dazzling on the smooth surface of the lake, on the bank of which the group of laughing girls who had just left the Great Hall were sitting, with their shoes and socks off, cooling their feet in the water.

Lyra snorted at their behavior and rolled her eyes. Leave it to Evans to find the most boring things to do.

Remus had pulled out a book and was reading. Sirius stared around at the students milling over the grass, looking rather haughty and bored, but very handsomely so. James was still playing with the Snitch, letting it zoom further and further away, almost escaping but always grabbed at the last second. Wormtail was watching him with his mouth open. Every time James made a particularly difficult catch, Wormtail gasped and applauded. After five minutes of this, James was enjoying the attention.

James glanced over at Evans and rumpled his hair, as though to keep it from getting too tidy.

"Put that away, will you," said Sirius finally, as James made a fine catch and Wormtail let out a cheer, "before Wormtail wets himself with excitement."

Peter turned slightly pink, but James grinned.

"If it bothers you," he said, stuffing the Snitch back in his pocket.

"I'm bored," said Sirius. "Wish it was full moon."

"You might," said Remus darkly from behind his book. "We've still got Transfiguration, if you're bored you could test me. Here…" and he held out his book.

But Sirius snorted. "I don't need to look at that rubbish, I know it all."

"This'll liven you up, Padfoot," said James quietly. "Look who it is…"

Sirius's head turned. He became very still, like a dog that has scented a rabbit.

"Excellent," he said softly. "Snivellus."

Lyra turned to see Snape, who was stowing the OWL paper in his bag. As he left the shadows of the bushes and set off across the grass, Sirius and Lyra and James stood up.