The sun bared down upon the castle grounds and a light breeze played in the lush grass. For most, the exams were over and students could be found relaxing in the blazing heat, or else sheltering in the shadows cast by the trees that lined the Forbidden forest. The surface of the Black Lake shimmered in the balmy weather and the branches of the Whomping Willow stretched lazily, it's leaves shivering as though it had just awoken from a lengthy nap. The sound of excited chatter filled the air and not a single textbook lay in sight. However, there were still those trapped within the stone walls and the heat of summer taunted them maliciously.
Having opted for the Astronomy class, both Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew sat inside the Gryffindor common room, their minds being forced to focus on their studies. Their final examination was to be held that night, and as there was not a cloud in sight, the weather was optimal for stargazing. Remus refused to look up from his notes, knowing full well that his OWLs were only twelve months away and his entire future relied on his passing of the upcoming exam. In order to secure a career after Hogwarts, his grades had to be beyond the expectations of his teachers, and even if he managed it, given his condition, a career might be a very far-fetched dream. This fact, however, did little to stop his ambitions. Peter, on the other hand, simply wanted to pass. An Acceptable grade was good enough for him.
The two remaining Marauders stepped out into the summer grounds, both grinning after having just completed the last of their tests. Sirius gave a bark-like laugh and he threw his head back with joy. James ran his fingers through his scruffy, black hair and turned to grin at the open window that separated him from the Gryffindor common room. He knew well that his friends would be too preoccupied to be gazing out at him, but nonetheless, he smiled back at them as he continued to follow Sirius down the sloping, grassy hillside. Sirius pulled off his jumper and shook his head rapidly before tossing the discarded clothing towards the lake and planting himself beside it. He leant back on his elbows, letting them sink into the soft grass and waited for his friend to mimic these actions.
James wondered casually over to the water, but before he had a chance to sit down, a soft voice caught his attention. Lily Evans was walking a few yards away accompanied by Severus Snape. James' eyes widened at the sight of Lily, but soon narrowed and he glared at Snape's back. Fierce jealousy rose up inside him as Lily laughed animatedly and let her delicate fingers connect with the black robes of Snape's arm.
"Done," Sirius stated defiantly, his attention upon a large tentacle that belonged to the resident giant squid as it waved lazily in their direction. "No more work until September, at least if I can help it." Sirius turned to grin at James and James smiled dully back before taking a seat beside Sirius. "What's up?"
James shook his head, but glanced over towards Lily and Snape as they strolled around the castle edge and out of sight. Sirius lowered his head.
"Right. Anyway, I'm not really looking forward to another summer spent solely with my mother. Mind if I crash at your place for a while?"
"Yeah, thats fine." James responded half-heartedly.
"Come on, mate! Cheer up. After all, we are now officially on holiday." Sirius grinned once more at James, but this time the smile was forced. "Listen, if she's going to continue to be in the company of Snivilus, she's not good enough for you." Sirius looked hopeful.
James sighed, "I suppose you're right." He repositioned himself into a more comfortable position on the grass, but Sirius became agitated. His hand was resting beside him and his fingers twitched.
"As I'm spending the summer with you, I recon it's a good time to do more work on becoming--" His voice dropped to a whisper "Animagi."
At the excitement of this idea, James' mood seemed to suddenly improve. "Yeah! And we can get Peter and Remus to join us. Extra help wouldn't go amiss, and neither would the company."
"Actually," Sirius' face gained a slight colour that had nothing to do with the scorching sun. "I was hoping it would just be you and I."
"Oh," James looked taken aback. "Why?"
Sirius shrugged. "I dunno, I like spending time with you. You know, without the others."
A smile spread across James' face at these words. "Yeah? I'm just that great am I?"
"Well, yes."
"And you, Padfoot, aren't too bad yourself."
Sirius smiled to himself and his fingers twitched again as the back of his neck became a deeper red.
"The things we could get up to with just Padfoot and Prongs. I can just smell the mischief." James said as he closed his eyes, smiling.
Sirius winked at James and the latter blushed. Obviously the two friends had slightly different ideas.
"I would never be opposed to the idea of mischief." Sirius hinted, but James sat up.
"What about, you know-- Lily? Mate, you know how I feel about her and it's getting harder as the years go by to spend an entire two months without passing her in the hallways."
Sirius sat up, too. His face was now level with James'. "You never pass her alone, though. She's always with that Snape kid, and you're only hurting yourself pining over her. Maybe it's time to move on and give someone else a chance."
James knew where this was going, but he decided to give Sirius the benefit of the doubt. "Do you have a someone in mind, because you know I'm not into blind dates."
"I did have someone in mind, actually." Sirius responded, his fingers continuing to twitch. "You're being coy."
"I'm sorry, Sirius. It's just different, you know?"
"I know. But why settle for normality? It's boring."
James considered these words as he looked towards the lake, but his mind was so preoccupied he barely saw the shimmering waters. At long last, he came to a conclusion. "I've known for a while. You're not the most subtle of flirts."
"Neither are you." Sirius retorted, but his speech wasn't defensive. "Where do you stand in all of this?"
"At the beginning," James said, and in one swift movement, he rested his hand atop of Sirius', and although Sirius jumped as though he had been shocked, his fingers discontinued their twitching at James' touch. "We'll take this one step at a time, but every relationship has to start somewhere."
"Relationship? You mean you'll consider it."
"I think I already have. No, this is my final decision. I couldn't hide it forever, and besides, you're right. Lily isn't good enough for me if she refuses to stop hanging around with the wrong crowd."
"And the Marauders are the right crowd?"
"I don't need a crowd." James stated simply. "I just need you."
Together, their heads tilted until their black hair connected and they both leaned against each other, James' hand still resting on Sirius'. The sun beat down on their necks giving them a warm glow of comfort and companionship. The trees waved their branches happily as though rejoicing in a slow motion cheer, and the water rippled delicately across the Black Lake.
From inside the tiny window that connected the seventh floor to the grounds, Remus Lupin gazed dreamily down at his two friends, a relieved smile stretching across his scarred face. Finally.
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