Chapter 9; September 4th, 1974
They walked into potions and sat down at the table next to James and Peter, ignoring the dirty looks from James.
Regulus walked in and sat down in the back corner, mumbling something under his breath.
“He did that all yesterday too. No one can tell what he's saying though. He's always too quiet for anyone to figure it out.” Peter said loudly, making Regulus look up.
“He's speaking french. Too fast for me to translate though.” Remus responded, leaning back in his chair and manspreading as much as he could without bumping the table.
Sirius smiled to himself. Regulus was always really good at potions. He's good at everything, good enough to get moved up a year, but never good enough to please their mother, potions was the exception. Walburga said she was proud of Regulus for his potions marks, something Sirius never thought she’d say. But whoever got paired up with him, has to deal with him getting mad at them for not doing something completely perfect, and in Regulus’ eyes, nothing was ever perfect, there's no way anyone would escape pissing him off at least one time this term.
Slughorn walked in the room, slamming the door behind him. “Welcome to your first day of potions this term. You’ll be working in groups of 3. Mr Black, Ms Evans, and Mr Crouch. Mr Potter, Ms Meadows, and Mr Rosier. Mr Pettigrew, Ms McKinnon, and Ms Macdonald. And Mr Black, Mr Snape, and Mr Lupin.”
Everyone started moving to their groups. Everyone other than the Black brothers.
“Sorry sorry, Sirius with Ms Evans and Mr Crouch, Regulus with Mr Snape and Mr Lupin.” Slughorn corrected.
Sirius rolled his eyes and moved over to his group. They weren't terrible. He grew up with Crouch, but they stopped talking during first year, after the sorting. Lily wasn't terrible, but it felt like she was trying to psychoanalyze him all the time.
Sirius sat down and zoned out the rest of the lesson. Double potions was always hell. The first hour was explaining what the potion does and the second hour is making the actual potion.
He watched as Lily got up to gather the ingredients, Crouch probably told her she had to because he didn't want to get up or some shit, but Sirius couldn't bring himself to care. He still felt empty, like he was incapable of feeling anything, the way he was trained to be during the summer.
Regulus was leaning against the wall next to the ingredient closet, picking at his nails.
“Pads.” Remus whisper yelled from behind him.
“Hm?” Sirius mumbled back, turning around.
“He's scary. Been mumbling french the entire lesson and wont let us even touch the books”
Sirius laughed, spinning around fully so he was straddling the chair. “He knows this one. Made it all the time growing up. Let him take control unless you wanna get your ass beat.”
Remus nodded, looking back at Snape, who was staring at the two of them. He turned back around as Regulus came back, Lily returned a moment later.
“So, I think we have to chop all of this and then….mix it for 10 minutes?” Lily said, unsure of herself.
Barty laughed as Sirius shook his head. “The book tells you to do way more than you have to. You only have to chop this stuff.” He paused, splitting the pile of ingredients.
“And you don't have to mix it for that long. Usually just until it's all mixed together and it works the same.” Barty finished for him. Sirius nodded and looked up at Lily.
“How do you know for sure? Why don't we just follow the book? The books the safer option. That way we wont mess it up.” Lily said softly, looking between the two boys.
“No. It's so much easier doing it our way. We've been making this potion since we were kids Evans. Works great for a fever, though that's not the main use, just what we used it for.” Barty responded, getting louder. Lily flinched back slightly.
“Calm your tits Barty. You’re scaring her.” Sirius mumbled, detaching from the conversation, focusing on what was being said at the table behind him.
“Comment se fait-il que vous ne sachiez pas comment tenir un couteau correctement?” Regulus said loudly.
Sirius smiled and turned around. “Regulus. Be nice.”
“Fuck off.”
“What’re you even mad about?”
“Rogue et son abruti ne sait pas tenir un couteau correctement et il fout tout en l'air, il faut qu'il aille crever pour que je puisse réussir ce putain de cours.” He yelled, grabbing the knife from Snape and making the rest of the potion himself.
“Don't put that into the universe Reggie. Never know what could happen.” Sirius smirked, turning around again.
“I genuinely don't give a shit. He deserves it anyways”
Sirius tried to hide his laugh. “Fair point. Continue.”
They have history of magic after potions, which was arguably the worst class. Professor Binns was extremely monotone, and never made the lessons interesting.
Sirius sat in between James and Remus, hoping that this fight won't last too long. Usually James gets over things like this by now, they fight almost constantly, one of them says something, pisses the other one off, they don't talk for an hour, then everythings back to normal. He couldn't figure out what was so different about this time.
“You alright if I sleep through this class, I can't do this shit today.” Remus whispered as Professor Binns droned on. Sirius nodded, not looking away from the spot on the wall he decided he was gonna focus all his attention on.
Remus moved his chair closer to Sirius and put his head down on the desk, falling asleep almost immediately. Sirius rubbed circles into his back, a small act that Sirius started during a moon, Remus said it helped with the pain, though he didn't know if it was because he felt cared about, or if it actually made it better.
It was gonna be a bad moon. Sirius could tell without Remus having to say it. He's never in this much pain before a moon, he's always sore, but this time was different. Remus wouldn't admit it, he had too big of an ego, but Sirius isn't stupid. He's used to how Remus gets before a moon. This isn't normal, not that turning into a werewolf is normal, but Remus was acting differently, carrying himself differently, moving more slowly and cautiously, the way he would an hour or so before a moon, not 6 hours before.
“James.” Sirius whispered, elbowing the other boy.
“What?” He whispered back coldly.
“I'm worried about him. Tonights gonna be bad.”
James nodded and looked over. “I know. He can handle it, I promise. He's done this since he was 5. And he has us, we’ll make sure he's okay, it just might be harder than normal.”
Sirius looked down at his lap. He knew they'd be fine, the first moon back was always the scariest, always the chance that the wolf wouldn't recognise them, would smell the human on them, not accept them as pack anymore. And with Remus being the way he is right now, those chances get higher.
Remus twitched slightly, his back and hips popping loudly, echoing through the quiet classroom.
Sirius glanced around slowly, hoping that no one noticed, and waiting for the lesson to end.
They walked into the great hall, Remus trailing a few steps behind them. Sirius kept checking over his shoulder to make sure he was okay. They sat down at their normal spot and started filling their plates.
“You promise you'll tell me if it gets too bad?” Sirius whispered to Remus. Remus nodded, not looking up.
“I'm fine. Just tired.” He laid his head down on Sirius’ shoulder, bouncing his leg and picking at his food.
Sirius smiled, slowly pushing his own plate towards Peter.
Astronomy then Divination. James was right, Tuesdays do suck.
The rest of their classes went similarly to history of magic, Sirius was zoned out and not paying attention, and Remus slept through astronomy.
Sirius wanted to skip divination, and tried to convince Remus to skip care of magical creatures, the only classes they didn't have together, though Remus declined, saying he actually enjoyed the class and wanted to be there, and James dragged Sirius to divination anyways.
The common room was quiet, most people doing their homework outside, enjoying the last few days of summer.
Sirius was copying Peter's astronomy homework when Remus walked back in, collapsing on the couch behind them.
“You alright Remus?” Mary asked from the opposite corner. He mumbled something in response but it was too muffled to know what he said.
Sirius ran a hand through his hair and handed Peter the homework back. “I'll do the rest of it later. I should know this shit anyways. Thanks Pete.”
Peter looked up from his book and nodded, not saying anything.
James walked in a few minutes later, broom in his hand and his shirt sticking to his chest. “Its so fucking hot out holy shit.” He said loudly. Remus twitched slightly before flipping him off.
“Still pissy I see?” James asked, his tone changing.
Remus sat up and shook his head. “No. Still have a migraine. And you’re really fucking loud. I was enjoying the quiet.” He said softly, barely loud enough to carry through the room.
“Moony.” Sirius whispered.
“I promised, remember? When was the last time I broke a promise?” Remus whispered back, moving over to the window ledge and lighting a cigarette.
Sirius nodded and looked down at his lap.