The Marauders: Year Six Part 2 #Wattys2017

Perhaps It Wouldn't Be So Bad

Despite Sirius's persistence that "the rest of term would last for-bloody-ever", the last month of the Marauders' sixth year went quite quickly.

Lily and Remus buried themselves behind books, studying for the end of term exams, and, although James, Sirius, and Peter all revised, it was barely even half as much as the other two. No matter how much Lily Evans tried to invite James to the homework table in the common room, it nearly always ended up being her and Remus into the wee hours. She would watch as James would yawn and collect his things and lumber off to bed with a careless wave and a ruffle of Remus's hair, usually rousing sleeping Peter and-or Sirius to get them to come along to the dormitory with him.

James knew he should've worked harder - this being the year before their NEWT courses and all - but he was tired of putting in such effort to things and not getting the proper recognition for it. He was ready to get the bloody hell out of that castle and leave everything that had gone wrong behind him for the summer. He was ready to at least pretend to be carefree and escape the rubbish of having to think about everything. Besides, the professors were still all giving him a rather easy go of it, and he was feeling over confident - perhaps on the edge of cocky, even. And anyway, the N.E.W.T.s were next year, and therefore too far ahead to worry about now. After all, he often found himself thinking rather darkly, there wasn't even a guarantee that any of them would make it to the tests anyway.

Sirius, meanwhile, did study. After the term before and having to meet that dratted Umbridge woman he wasn't taking any chances. He would get up after the others had fallen asleep and go down to the common room and sit before the fire and read, practicing his magic and sipping glasses of firewhiskey in a responsible manner. The result was a groggy Sirius at the breakfast table each morning in the Great Hall,  but at least he was able to hang about with James as often as possible this way. Some part of him still felt responsible for what had happened. Having not noticed it wasn't James Potter there all that time weighed heavily on him, and he found himself randomly quizzing James, as though to confirm it was really his mate.

Such a quiz occurred on the Marauders' walk into Hogsmeade for the final weekend before the exams and the end of the term.

"Remember that time when I started P.A.H.W.F.A.H.W.D.G.A.F.A.J.P?" he would ask conversationally, walking backwards to see James's reaction as he answered.

"I recall you mentioning it but never really explaining what the bloody hell it is?" James replied.

"Well, it's been disbanded anyway now," Sirius said with a shrug, "The Evans situation being what it very nearly is and our arrangement and all."

"Our arrangement?" James questioned.

"Yeah, you know. Tuesdays and Bank Holidays and that lot."

James laughed, "What are you going on about?"

"Nothing darling," Sirius answered. Then, just in case, "You do know what Tuesdays and Bank Holidays are, don't you, Prongsy?"

"Our date nights, of course, my love," James replied and he grabbed Sirius 'round about the neck and placed a loud, wet kiss on the side of his face.

Remus, walking up, asked, "Should I be jealous then?"

James grinned, "Not at all, Moony, he tastes like he needs a shower."

"A shower won't help me," Sirius said somberly, "I'll always be dirty."

Remus chuckled, "And thank Merlin for it."

James smirked, "Am I leaving the lot of you at Madam Puddifoot's with Peter, then? You lot can double date with him and Wendy." James nodded ahead of them on the path, where Peter was walking with Wendy, holding hands.