Gryffindors' Bet

When Peter decides to crawl out of his bed, he doesn't have to look at James' one to know he isn't there, but he does it, either way. He doesn't have to look at Remus' bed to know he sleeps soundly there, but he does that, too. And it's a familiar feeling of knowing how you're going to find things the way they are supposed to be. It's giving a sense of comfort to Peter, because he knows his friends' habits, without even thinking about them. He knows where to find them, without the need to search for them. It's familiar, it's comfortable, it's safe. Peter feels safe, when he knows what to expect. And it's funny that there are no more unpredictable wizards than his friends, and he just feels the safest with them. Maybe expecting the unexpected made him this way. Or maybe the smiles, the words of encouragements, lack of assessment towards him made him feel safe. Because why actually is he afraid of unexpected? Is it really a fear of something unpredictable, just like that? Or maybe it's more about the fear of the outcome? Of the shame? Of not knowing how to act when the situation occurs?

Peter isn't afraid of events and acts he can't foresee, because no matter what he would do, he wouldn't be shamed. Not by James, not by Remus. Not by most of his friends. He trusts them, and it's something that comes easily despite his fears, and doubts, despite the world telling him, that shy kids can only dream of feeling comfortable around so many people. But they're not just people.

What many can't understand is that a kid who was once shy, in some ways, will always stay shy, even if they act differently. It's not because they're not as they used to be. It's because they're still like they were, but now they have strength and courage to get out of their comfort zone and discover that if they meet the right people, their comfort zone will only get broader and broader. Or maybe they don't even need the right people. Peter was eleven years old when he met them, so he didn't really have time to make it by himself.

He looks at the time, and sighs, because in a few minutes, James will probably barge into a room, all happy, after quidditch practice. And Peter is not sure if he wants to wake Remus up or let James throw himself on top of him, while he is sleeping, and watch the situation unfold.

He doesn't really have the time to make a move, though, because James enters the room, in his loud way, pushing the door a bit too strongly, so it almost hits the wall, but James just goes straight to them, not noticing that his way of bursting into the room is quite dramatic.

He isn't smiling, so Peter guesses, there are things to surprise him even at the beginning of the year.

"We need to prank Slytherins," James announces, and Peter suddenly feels at home again.

"Practice?" Peter asks, and James nods.

"They decided to mess up with us, and it was our first practice of the year, so I'm not going to just sit by and watch them enjoying themselves." James throws his bag on the floor next to his bed and looks at Remus. A smile slowly creeps on his face. "Poor Remus, is he still asleep?"

And with a quick smile towards Peter, he throws himself on Remus. Remus gasps and his instincts hit him, so the first thing he does is trying to knock James out, but James tackles them both to the ground with a loud bang, and they are fighting playfully with each other on the floor.

Well, Peter isn't sure if 'playful' is the right word for Remus and his angry stares that he is throwing towards his best mate. Either way, James seems to have the time of his life, even if the boy he's fighting with looks one step away from hexing him.

"Next time I'll just hex your ears, so they will never stop twitching," Remus mutters, when he finally manages to push James away. James only laughs, not afraid of their friend, even knowing there were times, when he really did hex him.

"Having hard time waking up?" James teases, and it's kind of inside joke of theirs. Because Remus more times than not, has troubles with falling asleep, and when boys started to ask him if he has a hard time falling asleep, he would just tell something like, "No, of course not. I just like feeling half dead during the day and having troubles with focusing on my studies. It gives me some sense of adventure, you know?" or other sarcastic remarks.

Remus admitted once during somewhen around fourth year, that he envies James' ability to remember things fast, so he doesn't have to spend so much time with nose in books, when the exams are around the corner. Peter believes it's not really because James has better memory, but it's because Remus has worse focus. And that's not really his fault. It's just he sometimes sleeps so little, that his brain needs more time to acquire the knowledge that James' brain takes in easily.

It's Peter that is actually the stupidest one. He has no troubles with sleeping, he has no trouble with understanding what he reads, but he just… can't remember well. It's easier when it's Remus who explains things to him, but Peter has no heart to ask Remus for help, because Remus remembers information better, when he doesn't have to read it out loud. He sometimes comes to Peter himself, when he has everything learned and can just explain it to Peter in his own way. And it's actually the best way for Peter.

"You're not stupid, Pete," Remus once said, "it's just teaching at Hogwarts is not customized for everyone, and you have the misfortune of being one of the students that needs a different approach."

And Peter wants to believe that, really, but he doesn't think he's capable of accepting words from someone who would do everything to make him feel better.

And Peter used to be jealous, but he is not, not anymore. Because he still feels worthy.

"Remember I don't sleep, when you do," Remus says, and Peter comes back to reality. James is grinning from the floor, and Remus looks at him, shaking his head.

"Leave your hexes for Slytherins, my dear friend, because we're starting early this year."

Peter laughs, earning a glare from Remus, but then he sits down on his bed and sighs.

"What have they done?" he asks, and James stands up eagerly.

And it's a very accurate question. Because them pranking Slytherins haven't started out of nowhere, like most wizards think. Or out of spite. The first time they did a prank on other students was when they saw another kid being bullied by a Slytherin, so they just… Took revenge for them. And at the same time, they didn't want it to be the same bullying-kind-of-way, so to make the difference they came up with a prank. It was later, that they started doing bigger pranks, more to make Hogwarts students laugh, than piss off someone. Then they started annoying teachers, but it wasn't really intentional. It kind of started to be a part of their Hogwarts personas. Pranks were entertaining, and fun, innocent enough to not feel bad about them.

They gained troublemakers reputation in no time.

"Hexed our brooms," James says casually, but Remus furrows his eyebrows.

"They did what?"

"No big deal, I mean, it could be, but no one was hurt," James replied, changing his position on the floor to one more comfortable.

"It's moments like this, that I want to hate them all," Remus grumbles and lies down, with arm covering his eyes.

"I'm more surprised they had willingness to wake up early. I don't think I've ever seen anyone from Slytherin having morning quidditch practice."

"Except for Regulus Black," Peter says, remembering a few times, when James went for an alone practice to come back a few minutes later, because the pitch was occupied.

"Except for Regulus Black," James admits, and seems to ponder.

Remus snorts, "They're such night creatures, these Slytherins."

Peter quirk his eyebrow. "Careful, you sounded almost fond."

James laughs at this, but Remus throws a pillow that lands exactly on Peter's face.

"That's the spirit boys, let's be fond of our Black fellows and other Slytherins, because they're our allies, now."

Peter can see Remus rolling his eyes, before he rolls himself on the bed to lie on his stomach and leans his elbows against the mattress. "So, I guess, we have to think of something quidditch related, so we make sure they know not to try it again?"

"I believe it never stopped them," Peter notes.

"And it stopped us?" James asks with a grin, so Peter can only snort.

"As if something could stop you, Prongs," Remus says, understanding what Peter's snort meant. They exchange amused glances and smiles, because it seems, the seventh year has officially begun.

---

James is excited. He feels so full of energy that he might actually explode at some point. He had shortened quidditch practice that he was looking forward to, and he is eager to ease some of this energy to prank his lovely fellows. Lovely fellows who could have made someone fall from a really high place, possibly from a high speed and hurt themselves a lot, maybe even irreversibly, to the point even Madame Pomfrey could have done nothing about it.

So he is actually quite angry and would love to know, who was responsible for such a sick plan, even for Slytherins.

But he still is excited, because he can't wait to see Slytherins faces, when they will discover that every time they touch their brooms, they screech. Inventing a spell that made a broom screech, took them all day, but it was definitely worth it. Much easier was inventing something to prevent typical counter-spells from negating the screeching effect, because them, the Marauders Trio, invented so many Anti-counter-spells that many of them just works for one another. Even easier was getting to Slytherins team brooms, since Marauders Map was a gem that no one would be wary of, and James is absolutely aware of the fact.

So while Peter stays with the girls in Gryffindor common room, and Remus is on his meeting with Lily, because they are supposed to plan out this year's study schedule, James sits at quidditch pitch stands. There are few places that are dimly lit, so when James occupies one of them, he can see Slytherins coming and going to changing room, without them noticing him.

It is a little bit too funny, when he hears the first shriek. There are a lot of muffled yellings then, and it takes Slytherins a lot longer than James expected, to discover that it is the broom, that is screeching. But at some point they do discover it, because there is no more shrieking, before there is a lot of it, at once.

James can't help himself, but laugh, imagining a group of bulky Slytherins, getting hold of their brooms, just to find out if there is everything alright with their equipment. Or is it just this one broom that something happened to. What James can't even fathom, is how loud the noise must be in this small, closed changing room, if he can hear it so well from afar.

So he quietly laughs to himself this whole time, because not only the screeching doesn't stop, but also the yelling of Slytherins. He didn't even bother to take the Invisibility Cloak, because they were sure that Slytherins wouldn't discover the counter-spell and would just quit the practice.

What James doesn't expect, is to, out of nowhere, he must add, hear a quiet voice just next to him.

"I don't find it as amusing," a familiar voice says, and James jumps in his place. He turns his face to catch the sight of the stranger, and sees short, wavy and black as night hair, just before his eyes meets the striking bluish one.

For a moment, James forgets where he is.

"Regulus Black," he says, because it's the only thing his brain decides to offer him.

Regulus gives James a death stare, scoffs, and then in silence sits next to him. For a while they take in shouting Slytherins on this peaceful (if not taking yells and screeching into account), windy evening.

Then Regulus sighs. "I want you to take off the spells," he says, and James gives him an incredulous look.

"Are you kidding?" he asks, and when Regulus looks at him unimpressed, James just bursts out laughing. "You're not," he shakes his head, because the younger Black sits next to him, after he found him… who knows how, and make demands, like he actually has rights to do it. "I think I would rather listen to you screeching more," he says then.

"It's not Slytherins that are making this sound, and you know it," Regulus says calmly. When James turns his head to him again, he can see, how the boy next to him sits in a poised way, looking straight ahead, not even sparing James a glance.

"How did you find me here?" James asks instead, because if Regulus tries to act civilised, then James won't just tell him to piss off. He can be cultural and play the same game, even if there are no pros for him, or just not as many as it is for Regulus.

Or maybe there are some benefits, that James can think of. Bet, James reminds himself. But it seems a little pale, now, when he tries to revenge his quidditch team. James has this luck, though, that he has never had problems with aggression or violence, so he can talk calmly about Slytherins not caring about work ethics with one of said Slytherins. He can talk, even when Regulus seems like he doesn't care.

"I would think you have a little more brain, since this is your last year, but I suppose I had too much faith in you?" Regulus asks, finally looking at James. It isn't such a great idea, though, because James feels more focused on discovering if Regulus' eyes are more blue or grey, though this dimmed lights may not be the best place to find this out. Regulus apparently interprets the silence from James as a lack of answers, which is actually true, because he rolls his eyes. "It doesn't take genius to understand that if you find some weird trick in Hogwarts, somewhere near there is also Potter, Pettigrew or Lupin, does it?"

And James agrees, because if there is mischief around, it is wise to search for them watching events unfold. He wants to ask then what about their petty scheme to hurt Gryffindors, but he is surprised, when from his own mouth comes out, "Are your eyes blue or grey?"

It is worth it, in some sense, because James has never suspected that he would ever see Regulus Black taken aback, and here he is, seeing not only his eyes go big and startled, but also him stuttering.

"My- My what?" he asks, before he quickly composes himself. "What the bloody fuck, Potter? What's wrong with you?"

And James had enough of rash decisions or impulsive slips, that he treats it as a part of his character. So he doesn't give himself time to fret, he just stands up, looks at Regulus and smiles at him. "I'm not going to do a thing about your brooms. You could think about it, before you decided to hex ours, risking something much more than a few headaches from loud noises."

When James walks away, he is actually relieved that Regulus doesn't try to talk to him.

His exit is too cool to mess it up.

What he doesn't expect is to sit peacefully with Remus, the next day, and get shadowed by Regulus Black himself.

They decided to go outside and make use of an unusual display of sun. Peter was nowhere to be seen, so the two of them went out, leaving the map in their room, so Peter could join them if he wanted.

Now, the sun is covered by a Regulus' silhouette and when James' eyes finally get accustomed to the sudden change of lights, he can see the boy in front of him is scowling.

"Everything alright Regulus?" Remus asks, making a small brim with his hand to cover his eyes from the sun, because it's only James, whose Regulus' shadow hides from the light.

James grins at the newcomer, and Regulus seems to scowl even more.

"I came, because I feel the need to apologize for a few people of my team, that hexed your brooms. It was irresponsible and misguided. We shouldn't let our quidditch rivalry out outside the pitch."

To call James surprised would be too little, for his state. He exchanges looks with Remus, who seems amused, and James isn't sure why. Isn't it lovely, that Regulus came to apologize? Does that mean he didn't know about it? Maybe that was why he didn't try to approach James earlier. Because he wanted to sort things out in his team.

Only when Remus lifts his hand to place it under James' chin, he realizes his mouth is open. He coughs, after he closes his mouth, and tries to brush off the intense stares he gets from Remus and Regulus.

"Yeah, sure," James says, getting a snort from Remus. He glances at him, but the amused expression is still there, so instead he looks at Regulus, and smiles.

"Let me repeat myself," Regulus says calmly. "We shouldn't let our quidditch rivalry out outside the pitch."

James smile fades a little, because he feels confused. He furrows his eyebrows. "Yes, I've heard you."

Then Regulus quirks his eyebrow. "Have you?"

"Yes, I forgive you," James says, and though he doesn't know what else could someone expect from apologising, Remus definitely does, because he is fully laughing now. "I don't understand, do you expect something else from me?"

"That's fine," Regulus answers, and he looks at James like he's a small child who needs something explained to him in a less complicated way. "Let me rephrase that. I've apologized for someone in my team hexing your brooms. You, casting spells on our brooms is something that has nothing to do with our games and I would like our teams to live peacefully with each other, when we don't play. So I fulfilled my part, by apologizing, then you…?" he leaves the question unfinished.

And when James understands that Regulus wants them to undo the spells, he feels a little disappointed.

"Look," he starts with a sigh, his smile left his face long ago. "Do you think apologizing for someone, who could have put my friends in a hospital wing, is equal to some stupid prank with screeching brooms? I mean, you're not even person responsible. I believe they're not even remorseful, are they?"

Regulus stars at him a bit blankly, before he says, "You're right."

"I am?" James asks, taken aback, because he didn't really expect Regulus to be so straightforward, and there is a small, quick twitch of Regulus' lips, but his expression remains neutral.

"Yes, and I believe, I will have to make a better offer next time, then," Regulus declares, and it doesn't really sit well with James.

"Hey, I don't want you to misunderstand me. It's not about us being Gryffindors and you being Slytherins," James speaks.

"I know," Regulus says.

"It's about respect," James continues, but then understands that he doesn't have to explain himself. He looks up at Regulus. "You do?"

"You smile too much," Regulus clarifies, as if it explains everything, and just… just walks away.

James watches him leave, and can't really fathom what happened, until someone put a hand on his arm and when James turns his face, he sees Remus.

He completely forgot Remus was next to him.

"What has just happened?" James asks, because it's Remus, and who would have answers to his question if not his best friend.

Remus smiles at him fondly, and it's all it takes for James to melt a bit. "You shouldn't be so surprised, you know?" he says, standing up and hooking James' arm with his to help him raise to his feet. "You literally smile all the time, and you're kind to everyone, including Slytherins if there is one brave enough to actually have conversation with someone outside their House. I don't think you're even capable of being biased." And James thinks about it more, because that means Regulus notices him, and sees him, and actually pays attention to him. And why is that? James is aware of his surrounding most of the time, too, but would he notice that someone he is unacquainted with smiles all the time? James knows he is more known in Hogwarts than a typical student, but is he really that noticeable, beside his pranks and disturbances during classes? His thoughts are interrupted by Remus' silent chuckle.

"What's so funny?" James pouts, because it's often that Remus finds something amusing, but then doesn't comply, when asked.

This time, he apparently wants to share.

"I can't believe you don't even have to approach a Black because one literally declared he's going to come to you later," he says and looks at James with affection. "You're a wonder, James Prongs Potter."

James grins and pulls Remus closer, so he can take him in a bear hug. "I love you, too, Moony John Lupin."

---

When Remus wanders around the castle later, he can feel that this year is going to be a bit different. Because in some senses, it is the same. He sees Lily and Marlene whispering conspiratorially in the corner of the Gryffindor common room, then Dorcas and Mary laughing about something or blushing, sitting somewhere they can't be heard. He notices Peter and Emmeline bickering, then Peter noticing him and waving his hand. Remus is strolling through the castle, and though he is surrounded by his friends, the familiar ambience of Hogwarts as well as the calming appreciation of his relatively carefree last year, here, there is something different. It's the Slytherins sneers, that are common enough, but then again, this year there is something more hostile about them. Probably because of his sudden interest in Sirius Black. Also, he has been away from Black family until now, so the cold stare of Narcissa that was passing him by, gives him shudders. There is something specific about the Noble House of Black that they seem more distant and unapproachable than most. Maybe the blood supremacy that they believe in, or the dark, antagonistic aura that surrounds them, makes them the way, that Remus would be afraid for them to lay their eyes on him. Or maybe he is afraid. Maybe that's why he notices them more, now. He even pass Regulus with Evan and Barty, Barty talking about something animatedly, and his friends looking at him with amusement.

Remus walks into the library and stops only when he spots Sirius.

Sirius is surrounded by books and looks truly sick. Like he wants to be over with whatever he is doing. Remus thinks that he has never seen Sirius reading his books or doing any assignments, with a face showing something other than disdain. So he chuckles a little with this thought, imagining the perfect heir of the House of Black, having a heated relationship with studying and struggling to force himself into learning.

"Alright, Sirius?" Remus asks, after approaching the table, and he sits next to the Slytherin boy. An annoyance flickers through Sirius' eyes, but instead of saying a thing, he decides to ignore Remus. Remus shrugs, then place his parchment on the table, and tries to focus on his Potion assignment, but is fairly distracted by Sirius wiggling in his seat and being clearly distressed.

Remus only glance at Sirius' books, but recognizes the subject to be Astronomy. He observes Sirius for a short while, and what is surprising him, is that Sirius truly seems to be struggling with whatever he is doing and Remus ponders if the subject is difficult, his concentration sucks, or maybe it's about Sirius' difficulties to focus on something possibly as boring as studying.

Remus weights his options. He could help Sirius. He doesn't take Astronomy, neither does James nor Peter, because they didn't want to attend the classes that have lessons about lunar phases in the sixth-year, but he is half-Muggle. And what he surely knows is that Muggle science is far more advanced than the wizarding perspective on Astronomy. So he actually can help Sirius, but him, trying to aid the Slytherin boy in any way, would probably only repulse him to do as he is told.

Remus sighs, and Sirius glances at him, so Remus grins at him, given the chance. Sirius is back to ignoring him, but Remus is sure enough he is considered annoying, already, by the boy next to him, so he doesn't care. And he actually wants to help, so when he sees all these books opened and with seemingly not much useful information, he gathers his courage to act like his comments are as casual as his personality allows him to.

Remus leans his elbows on the table to look at the open book, and though he already knows what it's about, he still says, "Oh, Astronomy. I've forgotten they cover this in Hogwarts." Sirius clenches his hand on his quill. Remus sighs again, "Are they even teaching something interesting? I, Peter and James decided not to sign for this. It's actually a bit of my fault, because I told them it's too boring for me, and when asked why, I answered that Muggles are way more advanced about the sky and everything that is beyond it, than any wizard or witch could claim."

And though Remus knows he must have acted like a pompous arse, he can see in Sirius straightening his back, that he achieved the wanted result. He implants the idea of searching also in Muggles books in Sirius' mind, so he waits a little for Sirius' comeback, before raising his eyebrows.

"Is it a new strategy of yours?" Remus asks. "Telling me to piss off hasn't worked so far, so you decided to ignore me?"

Sirius finally looks at him, and Remus feels weirdly relieved by it.

"As much as it's repulsive to admit it, I haven't perceived you as someone so self-centred, Lupin," Sirius says, before looking back at his hardly started notes.

But because Remus knows that Sirius won't do much, before obtaining some Muggle books, he keeps talking.

"I didn't know you perceived me in any way, actually," Remus admits, and it's the truth. Before their Potions lessons, Remus didn't even expect Sirius to know his name, however silly it sounds.

"I hate to break it to you, but we've been having shared classes for 6 years, now."

"And I hate to break it to you, but you don't look like someone trying to get a glimpse of the personality of every person you had classes with."

Sirius opens his mouth to answer, but it's not his voice that says, "Didn't except someone from Blacks to fraternize with some Gryffshits."

Remus and Sirius both looks up to see Avery watching Remus with a contempt.

"What?" Sirius asks, sneering. "You're telling me, you're such a coward that you're afraid of a little bug, that is somewhere here? I didn't even notice, where it is, get a grip."

Remus rolls his eyes, because of course, comparing him to a bug is something that someone not very creative with insults would say. Remus finds it actually amusing that prince of Slytherin is so used to being in the centre of attention that he didn't really need to make up insults himself, because everyone around him did it for him. So many times he saw some Slytherins acting like they are standing up for Sirius or Regulus, and waiting for some approval, that he forgot that he never really saw Sirius insulting anyone without being provoked.

So Remus just snickers, and when both Slytherins look at him, likely forgetting they were supposed to act like he doesn't exist, he raises his eyebrows.

"You are aware," Remus speaks, "that we're the same species, so by calling me a bug you're telling me you're a bug yourself?"

Sirius scowls at Remus, but Avery looks like he wants to spit on him.

"I can't stand you," he says with a disgust.

Remus smiles, "Then sit down?"

Avery swivels on his heel and quickly slips out as far from them as possible, but with a last look of disdain, as if he wanted to have the last word.

Remus rolls his eyes, seeing this, and shakes his head a little. Then he feels a motion next to him, and when Remus looks at Sirius, he is surprised to see him trembling with stifled laughter. When Sirius sees the look on Remus' face, he fully barks out a laughter.

Remus quirks an eyebrow.

"What in the Merlin's beard?" Sirius laughs, "We're so lame."

And before he knows it, Remus smiles.

Because they were both awkward. But it's still nice to know that it's not only Remus that can admit it.