September 1971
They had Quidditch with the Slytherins as their last class.
James loved Quidditch, he really did.
He’d been practicing ever since his dad had bought him a broom for his 6th birthday.
He knew he’d want to do it professionally. Nothing else really stuck out to him. He had no interest in joining the ministry, whether it be a minister or an auror. Potions master was out of the question. He entertained the idea of teaching sometimes though.
But ultimately, he found his way back to Quidditch.
He was excited, as he, Sirius, Pete and Remus walked towards the field.
He and Sirius had been talking about their favorite players, commentating on their play style, weaknesses and strength. Peter occasionally quipped in, but Sirius always found a way to exclude him. Remus had only made peace with James, so he wasn’t too interested in conversing with the other two.
There was another reason why James was excited for last period.
Almost an whole week had gone by and he still hadn’t made good on his promise to befriend Snape.
He felt guilty but really, he found no time.
Hogwarts seemed to be very busy and James felt exhausted just from walking around. The portraits ignored the students, constantly screaming and talking, sometimes in the dead of night. He’d been late for almost all his classes because the staircases never stopped moving. And worst of all, McGonagall seemed to be keeping a watchful eye on James and his friends.
But James was sure that today, he’d right his wrongs with Snape. And the two of them would be civil atleast, if not friends.
-
They’d reach the field and were learning how to pick up their brooms.
James did this effortlessly, recalling how his father had taught him.
Sirius too didn’t struggle one bit, he used his finger to make the broom follow it’s directions, earning 5 points for grasping the concept so well.
Peter struggled a bit, but after James’s encouragement, he managed to get it atleast off the ground fir an few seconds.
Remus however, wasn’t doing anything.
He looked queasy, and any time he concentrated, he found himself gasping for breath after. James quickly realized Remus wasn’t fond of Quidditch, but still, he had to participate in lessons lest he wanted to fall behind.
The teacher noticed Remus unable to lift the room and went over to see him.
She was a short and stubby lady, with curls that were frizzy and stuck out in odd spots.
Somewhere along the way, as she was guiding him, Remus collapsed.
James ran over, dropping his broom to go see if he was alright.
By the time he was crouched over, all the kids had been huddled over Remus, trying to get an look at him. He felt clammy and warm, too warm, when James put his hand on his forehead. He was taking shallow breaths, and his eyes were hooded.
“Alright everyone! Get back to your brooms and try to ride them. Anyone else who stays here will be staying back to help clean up.”
Most kids scurried off when Sprout said that. Sirius tried to drag James back, but he stayed firm next to Remus. Sirius frowned, before mumbling something under his breath and walking away.
“Think you could take him to Madam Pomfrey?” James nodded. He stood up and hauled Remus and pulled his arm around his shoulder and snaked an arm around Remus’s waist. Remus was a tad bit taller than James, so it was quite an imbalanced stand. Nonetheless, James persevered and began the trudge towards Madam Pomfrey.
Remus was slipping in and out of consciousness.
Any time he awoke, he’d tell James’s he was fine and could walk alone to the nurse. And right after, he fells back right on James’s shoulder.
Luckily, the walk wasn’t too far.
James dragged Remus through the entrance, where Madam Pomfrey was thankfully looking through student records. She paled when she saw Remus and took him from James.
He followed her as she placed him on an empty cot. She fed him spoonfuls’ of a sparkly blue mixture, and it was doing what it was supposed to because Remus returned to a normal-ish state. He didn’t wake up though.
“Thank you for bringing him.” Madam Pomfrey whispered quietly. She stared at Remus with a twinge of sadness in her eyes.
“No worries. It’s what friends do.” James didn’t think it meant much, but he saw Madam Pomfrey clutch her skirts tightly. She stared at him, before gesturing him to sit down on one of the chairs nearby. She sat adjacent and offered him biscuits which James gladly took a helping off.
“He… He has friends?” The way she said it sounded odd. It was like she expected Remus to not have any, like he was a loner of some kind. James nibbled on the biscuit, which was a chocolate chip, “Yeah, he’s got me, and Sirius and Pete.”
Madam Pomfrey’s face lit up.
James was then bombarded with questions detailing from information about who each of them were to how they became friends. It was his hard for James to explain most of it, he didn’t know the boys that well yet, but he tried best.
By the end of their conversation, an tear had rolled down Madam Pomfrey’s eyes.
She noticed James’s panicked expression and waved him down. “No, it’s nothing. It’s just… Ever since he came to Hogwarts, he made no friends. He’d stay here, pretend to be sick. Eventually he told me how he felt as though he didn’t fit in. How no one liked him. Oh, thank you, Potter, for being his friend!” She held James’s hand, which had remnants of the cookie.
James’s didn’t really know what to say. The revelation wasn’t new per se, he knew Remus struggled to find friends. But still, it was painful to hear an adult have to thank a child for including another.
“I’m not so sure you should thank me. Maybe Remus, because he’s giving me a chance to be his friend.” He hoped it wasn’t the wrong thing to say. Madam Pomfrey nodded, before telling him she was thankful anyway. Then she shooed him out of the office.
Just before James could leave, he called out, “Will he be alright?”
Madam Pomfrey had that same solemn look on her face. “He will be. He just needs to stay overnight.” She whispered the last bit quietly.
“Shame. It’s a full moon and one of his friends wanted to look at constellations together. Maybe next month.” James’s turned around.
He never saw her face drop, or the way she had to force her tears to no fall.
He walked back to the common room, hands in pocket, as he thought of Remus. He hoped he’d be okay. Then, he slapped his forehead, remembering he had forgotten to befriend Snape. Come to think of it, he hadn’t seen the boy much. It was like he’d become invisible somehow.
They had DADA the next morning, with the Slytherins.
Maybe then.
As soon as he reached the common room, he was bombarded with questions.
He played it off, saying he was tired and had an 5 foot essay to do about Transfiguration.
Sirius didn’t ask how Remus was, nor did Pete.
But he briefed them anyway.
“Whatever. Makes no difference to me what happens to that bloke.” Sirius replied.
James wondered how could someone be both so hurt and hurtful simultaneously.