Clair de Lune

All three boys crowd under James' prized Invisibility Cloak.

"Peter you're stepping on my toes!" James whispers.

It was difficult, trying to move about together without making noise. They managed well enough, but they clearly needed some practice.

"All for one and one for all," James reminds his mates. "Now... If I were Remus where would I be?"

James suspects there is a logical explanation. Remus didn't like breaking rules. "Hospital wing?"

"All right, all right, keep your shirt on."

Sirius pushes James off his bed and pulls on robes.

"Well? Let's go!"

"No," says Sirius, and pulls his hangings closed.

James rolled over in bed as the pillow Peter threw collided with his rump. "What?" he said sleepily. "Remus's still missing?"

He sat up in bed and tore the blankets off.

"Sirius, wake up, tosser," James ran across the room to Sirius's bed, tore the curtains open and shook him.

"Peter, grab my cloak will you? It's under my bed."

James was next. The hat barely has time to touch his head before shouting, "GRYFFINDOR!"

James beams, feeling very self satisfied.

...

Besides, any minute now, those dung bombs he'd planted ought to be going off.

James jumped into the seat next to Sirius. "This is brilliant! We're all together!"

---

After James was sorted it was Alice's turn and she was sorted Gryffindor as well.

James abruptly stops laughing. Who died and made HER boss of all everything?

James decides to ignore the girls.

"Babayaga," he flips over his latest chocolate frog card. "What an old biddy. Oy Peter, have anything to trade?"

Lily frowns and shoves her things into her robes pockets (she had gotten dressed ahead of time so she wouldn't have to change later), then follows the black head of hair.

"That's the same boy who dropped his glasses earlier," she says aloud, then unceremoniously opens the compartment door where James, Peter, Remus, and Sirius are sitting.

She turns to James with a raised eyebrow and a glare, just like her mum does when she's mad at her da. "You pranked a chocolate frog that my friend Severus opened, and now he's going to be miserable all day. I think you ought to apologize," she states clearly, lightening up on the glare a bit. He is an eleven-year-old boy, after all.

"It'll be worth it!"

Apparently Sirius actually had to say that Remus and Pete could take what they want. James already knew or would just do it anyway.

"I put the lot on the seat for a reason you know."

He is at once haughty, petulant, and grumpy.

Sirius pulls out a small silk sack with a green 'B' emblazoned on in fine embroidery. He tosses six galleons to the snack lady and loads up. He's not stingy though, and puts his heap on the seat between he and Remus and sort of shrugs at the others. They can take what they like. His mood is still about sour because in his future is that smarmy bugger Lucius Malfoy, his new best pal.

At this point the snack lady comes by with the trolley. "Oh yes!"

"Anything from the trolley, lovelies?"

"Chocolate frogs... four pumpkin juices...er... some sugar quills..."

James looks over at Remus and Peter. "You two want anything?"

"My name is Remus Lupin," he replies, and sets his book to the side (it's all wet too).

"Fair enough," James blushes.

"So, swat, what's your name?

Sirius falls back, wet, clutching his sides with laughter.

"You girl, you absolute screaming girl, and you were on fire, and saved by the swot."

Sirius is laughing so hard his sides are aching.

Remus does not find Sirius's behavior so amusing. In fact, it hits a little too close to home. He tries to ignore the other boys, but suddenly James's head is on fire.

Remus gasps and pulls his wand from his pocket. "Aguamenti!"

Water spills from the wand, drenching James. But at least his hair is only slightly singed and he isn't burned.

James shrieks, sounding less than masculine. "Get off! Get off! You win!"

He looks over at Peter. "Peter, help!"

Sirius, still holding James down quite effectively, tips back his head and howls like a hound which breaks apart into giggles.

"That's all right by me. If I'm the dog, that makes you prey!"

Sirius makes his point by attacking James with more tickling.

"Me?" Remus asks. "I'm okay. Never better."

He carefully wrestles his book back from James and hides behind it.

This was a very bad idea. Still on the train, and people already notice...

Remus pales (more so than he already was). Oh no! "I'm not weird!" Except yes, actually I am. I am very weird... Not having a book to hold on to, Remus folds his hands together on his lap, twiddling his thumbs.

"I'm R-"

Swoosh! Out of nowhere there is a tall dark haired boy attacking the one messy haired one. Remus moves over, making room.

Remus blinks, wide amber eyes starring back at James. "No. I'm not home. I'm sitting on the Hogwarts Express. Actually, so are you."

Remus looks around the train car. He doesn't mind the blonde boy. He's quiet.

This boy in front of him, is... rather in his face. Remus swallows. Just act, normal. Normal. Normal. Normal. Normal.