/𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒\ [𝒔. 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌]

𝟏.𝟠.𝟥

"I'd rather have an enemy who admits that they hate me, than a friend who secretly puts me down." ~ Karen Salmansohn

~february 1972~ ((continued))

A week later, it was Valentine's Day and all four boys were sitting up in their dormitory, doing nothing. "I'm bored," Peter moaned for what felt like the hundredth time, laying back on his bed and kicking his legs up to the ceiling. "I wish the girls would talk to us."

"Peter!" Sirius scolded. "We're not talking to the girls, not the other way around."

"I dunno, mate," said Remus, sitting next to Peter and poking at his legs so they fell over to the side and Peter almost tumbled off of the bed. "I dunno about the rest of you, but I'm sort of over it. Things have been too quiet around here, anyways."

Peter didn't look at Sirius, who was shaking his head vigorously. "Maybe we should try and make up."

"No, no, no, no," Sirius groaned. "We can't give in this easily. And besides I like the quiet. Not talking to them has been so nice-"

Remus shook his head. "Liar," he said, a grin playing on his cracked lips. "You miss teasing Art. And anyways, I think we've frozen them out long enough."

Sirius opened his mouth to protest, but James beat him to it. "I have the perfect idea!" he said, springing off of his bed and pacing back and forth in front of the other boys. "Todays Valentine's, right? So, what if I ask out Lily? Then, if she says yes, things'll be fine between all of us!"

Silence filled the dormitory. "Well- James," Remus said slowly, "I think that might be the worst plan I've ever-"

"No, shut up," Sirius interrupted, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "It's perfect. I think you should do it."

"Really?" Remus said mildly, catching Sirius's eye and immediately getting the idea. "Hmmm, maybe you're right."

"I know I'm right," said James, sounding exasperated with how slow his friends were to support his idea. "Let's go."

"Wait!" Peter yelped, jumping up and shooting Remus and Sirius a scolding look before running after James. "Wait, James, I don't think it's a very good idea-" But at that second he was overtaken by Sirius and Remus.

Sirius grabbed Peter around the waist and tackled him to the ground in the hallway outside the dormitory and Remus leapt ahead of him. "Hold him down! It's for your own good, Pete- well, no it's not, but it'll be really funny-" He jumped down the flight of stairs down to the common room and watched in glee as James hesitated at the edge of their usual set of chairs. "You got this, mate," Remus whispered in his ear, and then went to join Artemis on a nearby couch.

When Remus sat down on the arm of Artemis's couch, she looked up at him in surprise. "Hey, Remus, I'm so sorry for-"

"Don't be," Remus said giddily. "Don't worry about it, we're cool. Just- something really funny is about to happen and I don't want you to miss it." He nodded to James, who was slowly approaching Lily with an air of over-inflated confidence.

Sirius joined them on the couch a few seconds later, a scowl covering his face. "He got away from me," he muttered, pointing at Peter, who was settling himself on the floor next to Mary. "Did I miss it?"

"Not yet," Remus whispered.

Peter watched with bated breath, hugging his knees close to his chest. "Uh-oh, uh-oh, uh-oh," he muttered under his breath, rocking back and forth ever so slightly.