Chapter 5
Remus Lupin was difficult to work out.
It was funny, because I had always considered myself good at working people out, but I was at a loss with him.
I could work out Sirius and James, like reading a book.
They both craved an equal, something i could never have been for James, so when coming face to face with the other, a friendship stronger than the one me and James had held for 2 years had been created in 2 days.
I was neither of their equals, I could never be, really.
I wasn't handsome enough, smart enough, careless enough.
I could be the follower though, I could be the person they depended on, because kings needed citizens to rule after all.
Remus, it seemed, didn't need anyone. He didn't need someone to follow or a follower.
He didn't speak for Merlin's sake.
He never said a word unless a teacher called on him, or he was required to talk to us.
It annoyed the other two as well, I could tell.
Both were so used to getting the instant gratification of conversation from whomever they pleased.
Not Lupin.
He was shut tight.
I always wondered why, what he was hiding beneath his face.
I began spending more and more time after school in the library.
Ironic, because I had found I wasn't very bright, 5 days in and already behind.
The library though, it was big and warm and comfortable.
I had found a table to call my own, one near the back besides a huge arched window.
When it was sunny, you could see the dust particles in the air.
James and Sirius were so wrapped up in the others' presence that they had forgotten i existed, and i found i didn't care.
I was alone again, but this time surrounded by people.
I didn't read in the library, instead I watched others, out the window and inside the room.
The librarian was a sad young woman, going by the name of Madam Pince.
She was only around 20, as if she had just left Hogwarts.
She seemed sad and lonely.
I felt sorry for her.
The day before my birthday I had said goodbye to James and Sirius and escaped into the library, waving to Madam Pince on my way in.
She gave me a resigned smile, but a smile nonetheless.
I was walking to my usual table when I happened to turn and found myself startled by a familiar face.
Remus was sitting in one of the darker corners, away from the window, and so had an oil lamp beside him to read.
I liked watching him, he was interesting. So finding him here, I was drawn to pick him apart once more.
He had a tatty too-big uniform (clearly second hand)
His books had coffee stains and were worn down.-
His cauldron had burn marks at the bottom and smelled faintly of tuna.
His wand was new though, and he held it like a piece of china, as if he wasn't sure how to handle new things.
I hesitated, did I really want to waste my afternoon of solitude on Remus Lupin?
It was the day before my birthday though, and I was moping already, so I decided that being sad with Remus Lupin was better than being sad by myself, so I walked towards his table, satchel gripped tightly in my right hand.
“Can I sit here Remus?” I asked, and he looked up, surprised.
“Yeah, ‘course”
I sat, but he didn't look back at his book, just at me, confused.
“Where are Potter and Black?”
I shrugged, “Dunno, I come to the library after school, and they go… i dunno”
He smiled softly, and I felt myself smile back.
It was the first time I had seen him smile since the sorting.
“I didn't think you were the type to come to the library”
“I like watching people”
He smiled wider. “Me too”
“Really!?” I exclaimed, excited now.
“yeah! I like making up stories about people”
I twisted my body to the left, and motioned to a girl studying on the table across from us, in a different cavern of books.
“What's her story then”
Remus put his head in his hands and tilted it in thought.
“Well obviously she's a hufflepuff.”
“Mhm”
“She's also a 6th year, she has lots of friends, but she can't find any of them right now, so she's hiding out here.”
He looked at me expectantly, so i carried from where he left off
“Her favourite subject is… transfiguration”
“Ok”
“And… and she's not very good at school, but she tries really really hard, and did well on her OWLs”
He suddenly laughed, ducking his head between his hands in embarrassment “It feels so much more intrusive doing this out loud, i can't take it seriously”
“Yeah i know”
We were silent for a moment, gazing at the girl who we now seemed to know so well, but really, we had no idea who she was.
I liked that feeling.
“When did you start like… people watching?”
“I would say the year before i met James, my sister had just left for Hogwarts and i was really lonely and bored, so i would like, stare out the window at the people who passed”
He smiled, “I didn't know you and James were childhood friends. If anything i would have assumed Black and him were''
I shrugged, “Yeah I know what you mean.”
He was quiet again, then smiled. “I used to do it with my Mum, you know, people watch”
I didn't say anything, so he continued.
“She used to take me to the park a lot. I think she wanted me to make friends with the other children, but I refused to leave her sitting by herself, so we sat on our favourite bench and people watched.”
“That sounds nice”
He nodded, “It is”
I woke up on my birthday to James opening the curtains with a huge grin.
Sirius stood beside him, a tired smile on his perfect face, and to my surprise, Remus stood behind them, his arms crossed.
“Happy birthday Peter!” James cried.
I noticed it was still dark and groaned, “James what time is it?”
“Ten to eleven”
“At night?”
“Yeah”
I buried my face into my pillow, “Go away”
“You're 12 now!”
“Not yet im not”
Remus suddenly spoke, making James go quiet
“I just had to get up in the middle of the fucking night i swear to God Peter get up”
“You know what I've been meaning to ask, why do muggles say God?” Sirius said, turning to face Remus.
Remus shrugged, “I dunno, it's an expression, why do wizards say Merlin?”
James grinned, he loved talking about merlin
“Merlin was the greatest-”
“OK I'M UP” I said, a little too loudly, jumping out of my bed.
There was one rule with James: Never, ever ask him about Merlin.
James blinked “But i wasn't-”
“Potter i dont think Lupin wants to hear your dismal ramblings about some demented old man” Sirius said, in that perfectly cool manner of his.
“Merlin was not demented-”
“Why exactly did you guys wake me up?'' I interrupted. I really didn't want to listen to James talk about Merlin again .
James perked up, “Wait and see”
I gasped.
“He actually gave it to you?! Why didn't you tell me?”
James grinned, flourishing the invisibility cloak, “Wanted to surprise you, i've been planning your birthday for a while now”
Sirius whistled “An invisibility cloak, Merlin's beard that's rare”
Remus blinked, “What does it do?”
Sirius looked at him dead on, smirking, “Lupin, its called an invisibility cloak, what the fuck do you think it does?”
Then with a swift movement he lifted it out of James’ hands and threw it over me.
I blinked, feeling the fabric press down on my body. “Did it work? Am I invisible?!” i asked, excited.
Remus stared at me, his mouth slightly ajar and eyebrows creased down.
“ What the fuck ” he whispered, narrowing his eyes and stepping closer to me. He reached out and poked me in the eye.
“Oi! That's my eye!”
He blinked and rapidly stepped back “God sorry Peter. Thats so fucking freaky”
James grinned, really really grinned.
He pulled the cloak back off me, “Alright lads. Time to go”
We all managed to fit into the cloak (with a lot of complaints from Remus).
The common room still had people in it, so we were quiet as we crept through, pushing open the snoring fat lady, and closing the portrait quietly so as not to wake her.
We followed James’ whispered instruction as we navigated our way down to our destination, eventually arriving at the astronomy tower.
“Why are we at the astronomy tower?” i asked
“Sssshhh” Sirius responded
“ Why are we at the astronomy tower ?” I repeated, quieter this time.
James did not respond, using his wand to open the lock before we all tumbled inside, pulling the cloak off us.
Remus rubbed his nose and yawned.
“On Peter's point, why are we here?” He asked, beginning to climb up the stairs.
James cackled, “For a wake up call, of course”
Sirius raised his eyebrows wearily, following him “I hope they aren't too wet, or they won't work”
“Well we had to make do with what spell my dad sent, we couldn't exactly go to the library or Pete would have known what was going to happen” James responded.
“Wait wait wait, how do you guys know I'm going there?” I scurried up the stairs behind them, not wanting to be left out.
James snorted, “Pete mate, you aren’t as mysterious as you think, we literally see you walk there everyday after school”
I blinked, “Huh”
We had reached the top now, and James stretched, yawned and went up to the balcony, he placed his hands out in a square, like a picture frame, one eye closed.
He nodded, “Perfect, i knew this would be a good spot”
“Thank Merlin it's not cloudy” responded Sirius.
They both stood by the balcony, talking in low voices about whatever was planned, so I turned to Remus.
“You didn't have to come you know”
He shrugged, embarrassed, and looked at the floor.
“‘S not like they gave me much of a choice, they practically dragged me out of bed.” He snorted, looking back at me, “I think i might have bitten Sirius’ arm at one point, stupid dickhead.”
I smiled lightly, feeling the cool air drift in from the balcony.
“Any idea what they’re planning?”
“No, probably something ridiculous”
“Its James, of course it's going to be something ridiculous”
We both laughed, and Sirius turned “Alright we’re ready! It's a minute to twelve so we better start the show eh?”
Me and Remus joined them at the balcony, stepping out into the night and leaning against the railings, pushing the telescope out of the way.
James bumped my shoulders, with Remus on my other side and Sirius beside him.
I was getting excited now, my face pink and shivering.
James and Sirius had their wands out, and began counting down.
“Ten, nine, eight…”
Me and Remus glanced at each other, before joining in.
Soon we were all shouting, “THREE, TWO, ONE-”
James and Sirius thrust up their wands, casting some unknown incantation.
Then the night burst into light.
Crackles and swirls, purple and pink and blue and every colour of the rainbow bursting out of the great lake, (i hoped the giant squid was ok) and exploded into light.
“ Fireworks ” Remus whispered, his eyes full of the light.
James hung his arm over me and shouted “HAPPY BIRTHDAY PETER”
“YEAH HAPPY BIRTHDAY PETE” Sirius called.
I laughed, big and full and incredible.
People were waking up now, opening their dorm windows, in awe of the fireworks.
And eventually, the last fireworks went off.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY PETER!!!!!!!!
Remus groaned, “We’re going to get caught now you added that ”
Sirius rolled his eyes, “Nonsense! There's no way they could know it was us!”
“I know it was you”
Mcgonagall was giving us her teacher eyes .
Sirius blinked innocently “Miss i really have no idea what your talking about”
She sighed, “Mr Black, there is no need for that, there is a lot of proof it was you.”
“Miss there is not ”
“As punishment the three of you” She pointed at James, Sirius and Remus “Will scrub out the practise animal cages in the transfiguration classroom”
She turned to me, “I have a feeling you did not know about this Mr Pettigrew, so there will be no need for you to be punished, however i will be keeping my eye on you. Now off you go boys, and happy birthday Peter”
“Thank You miss"
We had missed breakfast, but it was a Saturday, so at least we didn't have to suffer through six hours of lessons.
As soon as we stepped out of the office James turned towards Remus, “Sorry Remus really sorry”
Sirius joined in, “Yeah, promise we’ll do everything, you can just like, sit there, and read?! You like to read right?”
“Um… Yeah i do”
“You could read out to us Remus, keep us alive”
Remus shook his head “No bloody way”
He shook his head and turned to leave, “HEY!" I shouted, grabbing his arm.
He turned, alarmed, “What's wrong??!!”
I grinned, “No way your leaving me on my birthday Lupin”
“Yeah you're one of us now”
“Pleeeease Remus” Sirius pleaded and Remus looked at him incredulously
“Fine, but Sirius has to shut up for at least an hour, i'm still recovering from this morning”
Sirius mimed zipping closed his mouth and Remus finally smiled, “Alright you lot, where are we going then?”
We went back to the common room first, to grab the invisibility cloak (just in case) and plan on what we were going to do.
I was surprised though, to find Pandora sitting waiting in the common room.
“Pandora?” I asked, confused, “What are you doing here?”
She laughed when she saw me, “Oh Merlin Pete! You need to brush your hair!”
I touched my hair self-consciously, but before I could remark back she had me in a metal hard hug.
“I couldn’t find you this morning, so i assumed McGonagall was talking to you about the fireworks last night” she turned to glare at James when she said that, he smiled widely at her.
“Did you like ‘em?” he asked, and she smirked,
“Not bad Potter. Anyways heres your birthday present”
She pulled a parcel out of her robes, “Go on, open it”
I pulled out a maroon hat with a golden bobble.
“A Gryffindor hat?” I asked, feeling the textured yarn.
“Yes and No, it's in those colours, yes, but when you put it on the bobble changes colours based on how you're feeling!”
“Really?!”
She grinned, “Put it on then”
I pulled it on, it made a popping sound and Sirius and James burst out laughing. Remus shook his head in disbelief.
“What colour is it?” I asked, feeling like I did when I was wearing the invisibility cloak.
Pandora smiled, fishing out a card in her pocket, “Yellow, meaning you're happy…. Here this will help”
The card specified colours with emotions, and I tucked it into my jean pockets, so i wouldn't lose it.
I was wearing the jumper she had given me for Christmas the other year, which to my surprise grew as I did.
She looked at it approvingly “Nice jumper Pete” she grinned, and patted my cheek, “Anyhow i’ve got to go, love you”
Then, with a kiss on the head she was off.
We watched her leave, and then Sirius turned to me, grinning.
“Didn’t tell me your sister was hot”
I blushed, and James sniggered, “If she hates me she’ll detest you Black”
Sirius rolled his eyes, “I can charm any lady”
Remus shook his head, “Sirius, you couldn't charm a lamp post. Right, are we going to get the cloak or what?”
Armed with cloak and a map of the grounds we descended down the staircases out into the front of the school.
James had decided we ‘had to find a tree’
According to him we had to study every single tree that surrounded the great lake until we found the perfect one to claim as our own.
Sirius thought it was stupid, and Remus just wanted to sit and read.
But it was the perfect sort of warm, so it wasnt really problem walking around outside (though you could begin feel the autumnal weather creeping towards us.)
It took an hour of dragging our feet and moaning until finally James had found ‘the perfect tree’
It was a wide oak, with enough shade to cool us but enough light to keep us warm.
We were pretty far from the castle now, and i hated the thought of walking back (though i knew it would take us over half the time to go back than it did to get here, with all that inspecting James had been doing)
The three of us sat against the trunk, thanking Merlin for the break.
James however was still staring at the tree, a curious look on his face.
Remus opened his book, then realising James hadn't sat down, stared up at him, “James sit down, your blocking my view-”
“We have to make a mark”
“No we don't Potter, stop being a girl” Sirius drawled, picking his teeth
James rolled his eyes, “Shut it you twat”
“Alright, I Surrender, do what you want, yeah?” Sirius put his hands up, then he flopped onto his back and covered his face with his jumper.
It was an ugly thing, stark and black, I wasn't surprised Sirius didn't want to wear it.
“What kind of mark were you thinking?” I asked politely, sitting crossed legged.
“Like a name or something”
“A name?”
He didn't respond, instead put out his hand towards Remus
“Pass me your book a sec Lupin”
“No”
James sighed, then leant over and snatched it out of his hands.
“HEY!”
James flipped the book over to the blurb, careful to keep Remus’ page.
“Robin Hood is the classic story of the brave bunch of lawless marauders who stole from the rich to give to the poor bla bla merry men…”
“Yeah no shit James, now give me my bloody book”
James passed it back to Remus who moodily sat back and continued reading.
“Lawless Marauders…” James mumbled “I like that”
“We aren't exactly Lawless James” Sirius said, his voice muffled from beneath his jumper.
“He's right, i don't think that works” i piped up, and James looked at me thoughtfully, his arms crossed.
He nodded “I got it”, then crouched beside me, pulling out the muggle multipurpose ‘swiss army knife’ he was given for his 11th birthday, his most prized possession.
He used the blade to carve something into the trunk, it took him about ten minutes, and by the time he had finished we were all crowded around him.
THIS TREE
IS THE PROPERTY OF
THE MARAUDERS
“The marauders, is that what we are now? We set off one batch of fireworks and we’re marauders ?” Remus said indignantly.
James smirked at him, “We aren’t right now, but mark my words we will be!”
“Um James” i said
“Yeah Pete?”
“I dont think it's possible to like, own a tree right? Cos trees are living? It would be weird if we like, owned a living thing”
James roared with laughter, “Merlin no Pete, we’re borrowing this tree, it’ll live much longer than us”
He sat back against it, and we all followed suit, “Maybe one day our children will be best friends at Hogwarts, and will go searching for a perfect tree too. Maybe their perfect tree will be this one, and the tree will watch over them, as it watched over us”
“Jesus mate, your such a girl”
James looked slightly taken aback, then straightened up, glaring at Sirius.
“One: shut up, I was having a moment. Two: Since when do you say Jesus?”
Sirius smiled coyly, “Just trying it out, recon if i use it at home Mother would blow a fuse. Maybe she’ll send me another howler, like she did on Monday”
We all remembered Sirius’ howler, his mother screaming at him for not getting into Slytherin, for being useless and not trying hard enough. Sirius had laughed it off, but the pain on his face had worried both me and James to a great extent.
We were silent for a moment, watching people in the distance feed the giant squid.
“I liked that James,” Remus said quietly, breaking the silence.
“Hm?”
“The thing you said about the children, i like it”
James smiled, “I'm glad you do Lupin”
At lunch, Remus sat with us, which was a first.
Sirius cocked an eyebrow but said nothing as the boy sat on the bench and grabbed a cheese sandwich.
We ate quietly, with only a few words back and forth between Sirius and James, until a female voice broke the silence.
“Peter!”
I looked up to see the girl from the book shop smiling widely at me.
“Oh! Mary!”
She grinned, “You remembered my name, I thought you’d have forgotten.”
I shook my head, my face was bright red and I knew it.
“I just wanted to say happy birthday and stuff, by the way, which one of you idiots set off those fireworks?”
James and Sirius smiled giddily and raised their hands.
Mary gasped, pointing at James
“You're James Potter! The one who winked at Lily on the express!”
James raised an eyebrow (which I had seen him practise in the mirror) “Why… is she talking about me?”
“Yeah, just about how much of a twat you are”
James looked unfazed, if anything happy.
“Still hanging around Snape is she?” He asked, and Mary’s face twisted in disgust
“God yes, wish he’d just bugger off y’know? He’s such an idiot.”
Sirius laughed, pointing his knife at her “That's slytherins for you!”
She smiled at him in a polite kind of way, then turned back to me,
“See you around Peter! Might come and join you in the library, saw you in there yesterday with Lupin”
“You should”
She waved and walked off.
Sirius rolled his eyes, “Look at Pete, give us some of the pretty ladies eh?”
Remus snorted, “Black, no pretty ladies want to be given to you”
“Oh piss off Lupin”
“Watch the language”
James rolled his eyes at me and I laughed.
All that laughter, it could have lasted me a lifetime.