The Marauders: Year Four

Sneaking About

Sneaking About

The first week back from holiday was a rough one. The teachers were already focusing on the end of term exams, taking to reminding the fourth years that next year would be their O.W.L.s and they needed to learn how to study proper now before... There was an awful lot of reading assigned, which was always tasking for Sirius, who hated reading, but it wasn't so bad now that Moony had taken to reading the assignments to him... Now that James and Peter were back, though, it was harder because every time that either of those two walked in on Remus and Sirius sitting alone, they assumed the pair of them had been in the middle of a snog session and they'd run away, apologizing for interrupting.

Granted, they usually were in the middle of a snog session, but not always. Not every single time... (Although Sirius would've been alright with it if they just never stopped snogging at all, it's just that Remus seemed to think they needed to take breathers and do things like go to class and dinner and whatever, and all that stuff seemed so boring to Sirius now; but then everything seemed boring when compared to putting his lips all over his Moony's face). Sometimes they were just doing homework.

For example, one day, James walked in on them doing revisions and nearly broken his ankle. It was innocent enough, Remus reading the Defense Against the Dark Arts chapter they'd been assigned while Sirius lounged, as Snuffles, laying across Remus's lap while Remus used his furry back for a table to lay his book on. James, however, had walked in, covered his eyes and felt his way to his trunk, "Just gettin' my Herbology book, don't mind me... Not looking..."

"You can look," Remus said, laughing.

"No, no, not looking, it's alright, not seeing anything at - ow!" James had tripped over Sirius's ridiculously long Gryffindor scarf, which hung over the end of his bed and trailed off toward the door it was so long.

"Bloody hell, just open your eyes before you break something."

"Just... don't wanna interrupt... anything."

"We aren't snogging if that's what you're getting at," Remus said, "We're reading the Defense assignment."

James looked up and saw Snuffles looking at him with his big doggy head cocked and James laughed, "What the --"

Remus said, "He finds it easier to concentrate on the assignments as a dog. Apparently he's less flighty that way."

The dog nodded.

James laughed, "Whatever turns your knobs, guys... Seriously, not judging..." and he hurried off with the Herbology book.

Remus looked down at Snuffles, who stared at the door after James's retreating back. "We need to find some other place to snog; I reckon we've traumatized the poor bloke."

Snuffles let out a huffing bark that sounded a bit like a laugh.

"Oi, don't go laughin' at that, it isn't funny. You don't enjoy watching them sneak about us like that, do you?"

The dog's eyes twinkled.

"Well you're an arse who enjoys other people's misery for fun," Remus replied to the twinkle.

Snuffles let his tongue hang out.

"Bloody dog," muttered Remus. "I know all you want to do is snog 24:7 but, mate, life just doesn't work like that, we can't just snog and do nothing else or we -- don't you dare."

Snuffles had stood up with a playful look about his face and was coming closer, tongue lolling out over his jaw.

"Bad Sirius. Sit," Remus commanded, leaning away, knowing...