𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗥𝗜𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗥 𝗢𝗙 𝗔𝗭𝗞𝗔𝗕𝗔𝗡 [𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚝𝚎𝚍]

Chapter Eighteen: Alas! Earwax

‾‾‾‾‾‾‾ ･⋆✵⋆･ ‾‾‾‾‾‾‾

Remus still wasn't very comfortable with having Sirius around him these days. He wouldn't be found anywhere near Sirius unless he didn't have a choice. Like today in Herbology class.

James had decided about two minutes into the class that whatever it is Professor Sprout had to say can't be more important for his life than Lily Evans' face. Peter, meanwhile, was busy doing something that involved a toffee wrapper, a pebble and his wand (Sirius can't explain that in more detail for the life of him).

Sirius would be lying if he said he, himself, was paying any more attention than James or Peter. The greenhouse was bloody freezing and Sirius's back felt like it was being stabbed by tiny frozen needles. He tried to think of warm fireplaces and hot cocoa to make himself forget the cold, with little to no success. He still couldn't feel his fingers.

And Remus kept looking at him from the corner of his eye, as if he expected Sirius to start interrogating him about the scar again.

Sirius sighed. "Remus?" he said.

"Sirius?" Remus tried to pretend like he didn't even know Sirius was there until he called his name.

"Are you Okay?" Sirius whispered.

Remus nodded, eyes still fixed on Professor Sprout. "Yeah. I'm great."

No point in beating around the bush then, Sirius thought. "Then why are you avoiding me?"

"Avoiding you? I'm not avoiding you." Remus stammered. "Why would I avoid you? I can't even if I wanted to. We live in the same dorm." he added and gave a small nervous laugh. "Not that I'm trying to avoid you."

"Listen, Remus." Sirius sighed. "I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable in any way." he offered.

"Thanks." said Remus and smiled.

"So . . . are we good now?" Sirius asked.

"Mr. Black and Mr. Lupin." cut in Professor Sprout. "Sorry to interrupt the moment you're clearly having over there but I think whatever it is you have to say to each other can wait until after class." she said, followed by a few snickers.

Remus gave her an apologetic smile. He then turned back to Sirius when Professor Sprout wasn't paying them attention and said, "We've always been good."

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So it's fair to say life went back to normal after that. Well . . . as normal as life at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry can get anyway.

Winter faded slowly until one day the castle woke up and there was no snow. The grounds were clear and the owls couldn't have been happier since now they came back from their deliveries with all their feathers pointing in the right direction. Hagrid's pumpkin patch was showing signs of life too.

Remus continued to disappear regularly but Sirius didn't ask why. A promise is a promise.

The second Quidditch match of the year was held a few days before the Easter break was supposed to start. It was between Hufflepuff and Slytherin.

Those Hufflepuffs put up a good fight and the game lasted much longer than the last one between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. But at long last, the Slytherin Seeker caught the snitch (Sirius is ready to swear that a bit of foul play that went unnoticed by the majority was involved) and they won.

There was a party of sorts in the Gryffindor common room afterwards, celebrating the victory of Slytherin. Not because they were happy for the Slytherins. But because this meant it was their bum they'll get to kick in the finals.

At the party Sirius, James, Remus and Peter sat lazily around the common room fireplace, sharing a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans while some of the older kids were gathered at a corner of the room and playing a drinking game Sirius would have gladly joined if it wasn't for the fact that they would have kicked him out heartlessly.

James was munching a bean as he stared across the room at where Lily and her friends were having a game of Exploding Snap.

"Why does she hang out with Snivellus?" he asked out of the blue.

"Some people just have questionable taste in friends." Sirius said, trying to decide if the bean he was holding was avocado or cabbage flavored. "A lot of people would wonder why I'm friends with you."

"What is that supposed to mean?" said James, turning away from Lily long enough to glare at Sirius.

"It means you're a creep." Sirius said, popping the bean into his mouth. "Stop starting at the poor girl. You'll burn a hole in her face."

"I don't stare at her."

"Oh, yeah? Tell him he stares at Evans, Remus." Sirius turned to Remus who was sitting on the floor cross legged, a copy of One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi open in his lap. He wasn't reading. His eyes didn't move and he kept tapping his thumb against the cover of the book absentmindedly. "Remus?" Sirius repeated.

"Yeah. What he said." Remus said, abruptly looking up.

"See? Remus agrees with me." Sirius said, turning back to James.

"No, he doesn't. I don't stare." whined James.

"You want me to go ask Evans too?" Sirius said, making to get up.

"No. That won't be necessary."

"That's what I thought." Sirius sat back down, relieved because he didn't really have the guts to go up there and talk to Lily. "Then I guess I win this argument." Sirius was going to check on Remus again but was interrupted by Peter making gagging sounds.

"Urgh. Earwax." Peter said and spat out a half chewed yellowish bean covered in spit.

"Merlin's holey wrinkled graying underpants, Peter." James exclaimed as he averted his eyes. "That's bloody disgusting".

They decided to call it a day and go to bed before Peter regurgitated anything else and end up scarring them for life.

Little did they know that Remus would give them the slip. Again.

‾‾‾‾‾‾‾ ･⋆✵⋆･ ‾‾‾‾‾‾‾