Anthem for Doomed Youth

Chapter two

A week later, the four most popular boys of the school left their final exam and made straight for their favourite tree by the lake, laughing and joking. Easy though they found exams, or in the case of Peter, were too lazy to care, it didn’t mean that they were not delighted over their conclusion. Remus laughed out loud. “Wow. The way I’m feeling right now, I don’t even care that it’s full moon tonight.”
“You know, Moony,” said Sirius, his handsome face breaking out into an easy smile, “When you say things like that it ruins my favourite night of the month.”
“Your favourite. Not mine, arsehole.”
“So, Sluggy’s party tonight,” James put in. “Are we putting in an appearance or what?”
“Madam Pomfrey says I can go so long as I promise I’m at the hospital wing by ten to nine,” Remus said. “And you lot had better be out by then too.”
“Don’t worry, wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Sirius said. Remus smiled.
“You lot aren’t even invited,” Peter said. “I’m the Slugger, remember?”
“Yeah, well, you’re the only one who cares about that stupid subject,” Sirius said. “Bet I beat you in the OWL anyway.”
“What do I care?” Peter said. “It’s good enough for me that I’m getting just one Outstanding.”
“Too soon too soon!” James said.
“No it’s not. I know exactly how I did in those exams. Acceptables and Poors all round with one Outstanding. You couldn’t wish for cooler results.” They all laughed, knowing that Peter was probably right.
“You haven't answered my question,” James said. “You inviting us to the party or what? Supposed to be the coolest party of the year.”
“Yeah it is,” Peter said with a smirk. “I went last year.”
“WHAT??” exploded Sirius.
“You lie,” Remus said with a grin.
“I kid not. Gatecrashed. So did Evans, actually. Good night.”
“No way.” James attempted to scowl, but nobody could be in a bad mood on an afternoon like this, with the exams behind them and the entire summer ahead.
“Don’t worry. She’s going tonight as well.”
“How do you know?”
“Erm, she told me. But you’re wasting your time, Prongs. She hates you.”
“She does not hate me.”
“Sorry, but Wormtail’s right on this one, Prongs,” Sirius said. “Bad luck, but she thinks you’re an arrogant dickhead.”
“No, she thinks I’m the love of her life. She just doesn’t know it yet.”
“She aint ever going to know it, mate. But I wouldn’t worry. I doubt she’s as good a ride as your Nimbus 700.” Remus frowned, annoyed. Peter laughed. “Too far, Padfoot. You go too far.” Peter and Remus stood back, waiting for James to whip out his wand and curse Sirius’ grinning face. However his wand remained in his pocket. “Nothing is as good a ride as the Nimbus. Sorry, Padfoot.” As Sirius began to relax, his face falling back into its natural grin, James’ wand left his pocket so fast it was a blur, and the next second Sirius was hanging upside down in the air. “However, you ever say anything like that about Lily again and I will do to you what I did to Snivellus last week.”
“You’d never do that,” Sirius said, trying and failing to look as though blood rushing to the head was a perfectly natural state of being.
“Exactly what I did to Snivellus,” James said, slowly and deliberately. Remus pulled out his own wand, and Sirius crashed to the floor. “Not funny, Prongs.”
“It was,” Sirius said. “You have no sense of humour, Moony.”
“It was a horrible thing to do,” Remus said. “But we are not talking about this again, and especially not right now, all right?”
“But winding you up about Snivelly is almost as good as winding him up in the first place.”
“You did not ‘wind him up’,” began Remus, but at the look on Sirius’ face he stopped abruptly. “Not talking about it!”
“About Sluggy’s party,” Wormtail hastily broke in, “I suppose you can all come. It starts at half seven in his office. But I’m getting there at six. All the Slug Club have to get there early to help set up. And to drink all the butterbeer before anyone gets there…”
“Don’t care,” Sirius said. “We’ve got about three crates of fire whiskey up in the dorm.”
“Since when?” James said, frowning.
“Oh sorry, should have said, I’ve got about three crates of fire whisky up in the dorm. Not that you’re getting any. Not if you’re going to treat me how you treated old Snivelly.”
“So you agree it was a horrible thing to do?” Remus said sarcastically. “Wow, Padfoot, I really think you’re growing as a person.” Sirius laughed and slapped his leg. “Every time!”
“Damn it!” Remus said. “That doesn’t count!”
“Drinking myself into oblivion like you do,” James broke in to Sirius, “Is not the way in which I plan to persuade Lily to go out with me.”
“No,” Peter said. “There is no power on this earth which will persuade her to go out with you. Sorry Prongs, but you really are onto a loser there.”
“Yeah, I know you’re dying to say it, but I really don’t need another transcript from you about whatever she’s said at the last slug club, all right?” Peter shrugged, a smirk on his face. “Okay. So you don’t want to know who she’s going out with at the moment?”
“No, dammit! Er, who?”
“Well, I’d better not tell you,” Peter said virtuously. “The conversation between her and Lucy would definitely count as a transcript.”
“Tell me Wormtail or…”
“You’ll what?” Wormtail said challengingly. James pulled his wand out. Peter already had his wand in his hand, concealed within his robes, and next minute, James’ arms froze in midair. It took a moment for Remus and Sirius to realise what had happened. James might well have had nothing wrong with him; Peter’s jinx was subtle and unnoticeable to all except for James.
“Let me go!” James whinged.
“Don’t worry, it’s not that good,” Peter said. “Only lasts five minutes. Gives me time to run.” He got to his feet and began to walk quickly away as Sirius and Remus roared with laughter. When he was a few feet away, Peter turned and said, “Gideon Prewitt.”
“What!” James laughed. “He’s a seventh year. Why would he be going out with her?”
“Maybe cos you’re not the only one who thinks she’s the sexist girl in the school?” Peter laughed at the look on James’ face. “His sister’s just about to have her third baby. Turns out baby pictures just do it for her, y’know?” Peter shook his head and carried on walking towards the school. After a moment Remus ran after him.
“When they’re in a mood like this a little of James and Sirius go a very, very long way,” he said.
“Know what you mean,” Peter replied.
“Clever charm. Where did you learn it?”
“Oh, some book in the library. When you’re best friends with the biggest bullies of Hogwarts you need to make sure that you are never going to be their target.”
“Good point,” Remus said, and sighed. “I know I shouldn’t let them get to me but what can I do? Why else did Dumbledore make me a prefect if not to persuade them to grow up a bit? At least you know not to take them seriously.”
“Well, what they did to Snivellus was quite funny at first, you’ve got to admit. They just – took it too far.”
“They always take it too far. It was a horrible thing to do. He is never going to get over it.”
“I don’t think anyone would.” They walked in silence for a while, and then Peter said, “So how did the exam go?”
“Not all that great,” Remus said. “I just can’t seem to make anything in Potions that doesn’t turn into some big green blob. I tried to remember everything you told me but it just went out of the window when I saw that exam paper.”
“Well, same here with Defence. Everything you told me seemed to evaporate out of my head. Why am I so bad at practical? I seem to be just about okay at remembering the spells; it’s just when it comes to reacting against someone who’s got a wand to my face. I just freeze.”
“Well, not everyone’s good at duelling,” Remus said comfortingly. He enjoyed these conversations with Peter. James and Sirius could never comprehend the fact that other people were simply not as good at schoolwork as they were.
“Transfiguration, now that was a nightmare,” Peter said. “But I always knew I was going to fail that one.”
“And that's got nothing to do with your absolute hatred towards McGonagall?”
“Hey, I don’t hate her as such. I just think she’s an appalling teacher. When James and Sirius are in her immediate vicinity she never seems to realise that there just might be other people in the classroom. And if she does, then she can’t accept that maybe they’re not as good as them.”
“Tell me about it.”
“Not that I care. Even if I was as good as them she still wouldn’t like me. She’s hated me since she first saw me.”
“I’m sure that’s not true.”
“Hey, cats have always hated rats. Didn’t you know?” Remus laughed. “If she knew you could transform yourself into an animal aged fifteen she would be forced to revise her opinion of you. I bet she would have blasted herself into oblivion if she’d tried it at your age.”
“Maybe,” Peter said, slightly comforted. “Haven’t done it in a few weeks though. Looking forward to tonight. Such a great feeling when you transform.”
“Wouldn’t know.”
“Sorry, Moony. Lack of sensitivity there.”
“It’s okay. Hey, maybe you can actually get a look at me this time?” Remus said with a sly grin.
“Oh, you know I only said that as a joke,” Peter said, and sighed.
“I know. That’s the problem with James and Sirius. Can’t see a joke unless it’s them with their wands out hexing some poor sod who got in their way.”
“Tell me about it.”
They had reached the great hall by this time. Several students lounged around on their house tables, waiting for dinner. Over at the Slytherin table was Severus Snape, sitting on his own. There was a group of fifth year students sitting just two seats away, yet he was not a part of that group. He was always like this, Remus reflected. For the past two years, ever since his gang of older student friends had left the school. Well, that’s what you get for treating your entire year with distain for three years, thought Remus. No-one to blame but himself. Remus often found himself thinking thoughts such as these. Somehow it made it easier to bear just who he was best friends with…and what they were capable of. But it was not easy to ignore the nagging feeling of relief that James and Sirius were not present at that moment. He didn’t think he could stand to watch (and fail to stop) another round of heartless torture.
At that moment he saw them in the entrance door of the castle. James’ arms still looked distinctively stiff.
“Got to go bye,” said Peter quickly, and ran in the direction of the Gryffindor common room. Remus smiled to himself, and stood in any line of sight which James might have had with Peter, to give his friend the chance to make himself well and truly scarce. However James didn’t notice Remus or Peter; at the foot of the staircase he said something to Sirius and they parted. James began the walk up the stairs; it looked very much as though he was going towards the hospital wing. Remus’ grin widened. It was always good when someone managed to get one up on James or Sirius, or preferably both, especially when that person was someone they were so used to completely underestimating. He waved towards Sirius as he came towards him, but he seemed not to notice. Instead he was walking towards the Slytherin table. Remus’ grin disappeared as he frowned. A swift mental decision was made and he began to follow in Peter’s footsteps to the Gryffindor tower. As he began to make his way up the stairs he thought to himself, very noble. So brave. Exactly what old Gryff would have done.