Howling Among Friends

Chapter Three - Blood Isn't Everything

This chapter is dedicated to my co-authors and dear friends — Iv, Dianne and Twinkle. Thank goodness for our dysfunctional compatibility because if it wasn't this whole thing would properly never work. Thank you for being my Marauders!

Mr. Padfoot resolves to present, Chapter Three: Blood Isn't Everything

"Please tell me you're not studying, Remus," Sirius groaned, gulping the pumpkin juice before grabbing a chicken and ham sandwich from the large plate. He bit a sizable portion of the sandwich, his striking grey eyes scrutinising his friend who's scribbling on a parchment and at the same time lunching off. "Why do you always have to be such a dull, prefect-to-be nerd?"

"One, Professor McGonagall only granted me extra time to finish this essay because of the full moon last week. I'm not going to exploit her kindness," Remus said, reaching over for his goblet and taking a sip of the pumpkin juice. He tapped the quill against the table and read over what he had written before smiling at Sirius, "two, nerd is not even an insult and did you just call me prefect-to-be?"

"No, don't smile at me, Moony; it wasn't a compliment." Sirius rolled his eyes, devouring the rest of his sandwich.

"Moony? " Remus didn't sound angry; perhaps mildly curious with an undertone of ambivalence at the moniker.

"It just slipped," he said with a sheepish shrug, gulping down the food he was chewing.

At that moment, James sprang up from beside him muttering, "I'm going to the library."

"Er... what?" Sirius spared a glance at Peter and Remus to make sure if they'd heard the same thing as he had. Peter's eyebrows had risen slightly, the sandwich stopped midway to his mouth. Remus dropped the quill on the parchment, the essay forgotten and looking much the same as Peter.

"Library." James repeated, shuffling a hand through his naturally windswept hair and messing it up even more. "You know, to read." 

It isn't unlike James to visit the library but only if Remus dragged him along or if he's got an essay due in the next twenty-four hours. Or... if he's up to something. Sirius would bet a galleon on the latter.

"What kind of mischief are you up to?" He asked, twisting around the seat to fully face James. The boy opposite to him scrunched his brows.

"You're acting all sorts of weird," Remus interjected, looking skeptical. "Don't think I haven't noticed you're visiting the library often these days. And, in Transfiguration today? Since when do you pay attention in class?"

"Were you trying to impress Minnie?" Sirius smirked, throwing back James' harmless insinuation from earlier.

"Or, Lily." Peter squeaked in, eliciting a slight pink-ish shade on James' ears and snickers from Remus and Sirius.

"No," James started, clearly thinking of an excuse, "it's just today's lesson was interesting than the usual boring stuffs that I happen to already know." He shrugged.

"I'll believe that when you can grow antlers on your head," Sirius countered, earning a half-amused half-annoyed look from James and a fit of chuckles from the other two boys. "What are you onto, James?"

Sirius caught the dark-haired boy's fleeting glance in Remus' direction. James tapped his foot on the spot as though contemplating his thoughts before he sighed and plopped himself beside Sirius.

James shifted closer to the table, and rested his forearms on it. "Uh, I've been doing some light reading on werewolves."

Sirius' mouth pursed together and his eyes drifted to Remus at the mention of 'werewolves '. He had noticed how ever since the secret about his furry little problem had been unveiled to the three of them, Remus seemed happier and more comfortable around them. But now his shoulders were stiffened and he looked visibly uncomfortable.