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"Come on Evans show me the last one."
"No, you'll just make fun like last year."
"I promise I won't, hand on heart." Sirius crossed arm across his chest, resting his palm against it.
"Your heart's the other side you pillock." Remus jokingly jibed from where he lay on the sprawled out cushions on the floor, his head resting on the arm of the chair Sirius sat in. If Sirius reached out he could just about graze the top of Remus' sandy hair, of course he wouldn't do that though. Lily and James occupied the sofa next to Sirius and Peter was nearly asleep in the other armchair.
Sirius had been trying to get Lily to show him her muggle Christmas gifts for a solid thirty minutes. He did this every year. Her parents always sent some small presents in a stocking for her to open with her friends. It had become a ritual they had shared every year on that last day of term before the Christmas break. The four boys, Lily, Marlene and Mary would gather in the common room to open gifts and cards from their parents before heading to the station to go home. Mary and Marlene had already gone to bed after they had opened their gifts, leaving the five of them gathered around the hearth in the common room.
"Come on, did you get another one of those Ruben cubes again? I'm good at that one."
"It's a Rubik's cube and no I didn't. I told you Sirius, they are just stocking fillers they're supposed to be funny, muggles don't really use them." She explained for the third time.
"I just want to see if it's another puzzle, I'm good at them."
"Pad's I don't think using your wand to move the stickers really counts as solving the puzzle mate." James commented, his head resting in Lilys lap as she stroked his hair. They had been dating for about four months now but Sirius still found it odd to see. Not 6 months ago Evans had pretty much hated James. And now he'd often find them in positions similar to this. Comfortable and in tune. Although happy for his friend, when he thought about it too much it made his stomach feel empty so he tried not to.
"I solved the puzzle didn't I? As old Sluggy says, it's not always the method that matters, as long as the end result is what was intended that matters."
"That was actually Dumbledore who said that and I think he was talking to the first years about getting to class on time not sixth years cheating at muggle puzzles." Remus said gently, not taking his eyes off the book he was reading. The book was herbs in hidden places: a guide to the worlds least common plants. Remus had been telling him about it this morning when he had unwrapped it but Sirius had found himself staring into Remus' eyes and feeling somewhat lost before realising he hadn't listened to a word Remus had said.
"Please Evans just show me, it can't be that silly." Sirius turned to her, widening his eyes and pouting.
"Fine." She huffed, rolling her eyes, passing him a black ball. Sirius stared down at it in confusion.
"It's a ball." Not hiding the disappointment in his tone.
"It's a magic eight ball."
"Muggles do magic?" Sirius nearly shot up out of his seat in excitement.
"How does it work?" James sat up looking nearly as excitedly at Lily. Even Remus put his book down to look over sceptically. Lily looked exasperated for a second before a glint rose in her eye. "Well you see, it's a truth teller. You can test it if you like. Just ask it a question with a yes or no answer. One you know the answer to, to test it works. Say it out loud so we all know what it is too."
Sirius thought for a second. "Got it. Am I sixteen years of age?"
"Okay, now give it a shake." She looked a little more dubious now but Sirius shook anyway. "Now flip it over." Sirius did as he was told and suddenly a small white triangle appeared saying Yes, definitely. "Woah it got it right. How does that work."
"Can't tell you." she said, a sly gin spreading across her face.
"Hey, let me try." James beckoned over and Sirius passed the ball to him. "Do I love Lily Evans?" the ball read Without a doubt. Lily pushed his arm gently, shaking her head and blushing. "It actually works!2 James exclaims in shock, staring down in wonder at the object in his hands before planting a kiss on Lily's cheek.
"Get a room mate." Remus said, holding his hand out to take the ball from his friend. He paused for a moment, sceptically rotating the ball over and over in his hands. "Go on Moony, ask it a question." Sirius looked eagerly at him, practically bouncing with excitement.
"Do I have to ask the question out loud?" he looks to Lily.
"Yeah, it doesn't work otherwise." she grinned at him.
"Fine-" looking slightly disappointed. "Am I a werewolf?" It is certain.
"Believe it works now then boys?" Lily asked, raising her eyebrows. "Hell yeah. How do they do it?" James asked. "Now that would be telling. Just let it be magic." she giggled. With a shared look between the group they silently agreed to not question it any further and as Lily said, let it be magic. "Ask it something we don't know the answer to." Peter said excitedly grabbing the ball from Remus. "Will I fail potions?" Once again the ball was shook and he looked to the small window for the answer. My sources say no. Peter grinned excitedly, a look of relief crossing his face.
"Starting to doubt it works a bit more now." Remus muttered.
"Oi!" Peter chucked a cushion at him which he caught smoothly, smiling at the other boy.
"Just joking Wormy." but as he looked away he caught Sirius' eye, grinning. Sirius' cheeks grew warm.
They spent the next hour asking the ball questions from "Will I become captain of the English Quidditch team" Outlook not so good. To "Will the kitchens have cheese and bean melts on the menu for breakfast tomorrow?" Most likely (to Peters delight).
"Right, I'm heading to bed I have rounds tomorrow morning." Lily stood up from the sofa and began collecting her things.
"Hang on I'll come with you too. Night boys" James stood up with her, helping to grab Lilys books for her and making their way up the stairs to the dorms.
"I'll head up too I need to go to the library before class tomorrow." Peter stood up too, making his way towards the stairs after them.
"I'm surprised you're bothering to study Wormy, now you know you're passing potions and transifguration." Remus jested, standing up to leave too. He paused when he saw Sirius still staring at the ball which now lay on the table.
He leaned his head over Sirus' shoulder from behind, having to bend down significantly. "You coming pads?" This snapped Sirius out of the daze he was in feeling Moonys breath on his neck. Shocked by the proximity he shuffled over slightly. "Yeah I'll just be a minute."
"Don't be too long, you know you get grumpy in the morning when you don't have enough sleep." Remus smirked, patting Sirius' hair as he stood up. "I'll take your stuff upstairs, If you're not up in ten I'll come and get you." Sirius still wasn't used to his friend doing this. It had become routine in the last year or so. Sirius paid more attention to studying and often found himself falling asleep in the common room and on the odd occasion this would happen, Remus, without fail, would always come and get him to bring him back to bed. On one occasion he had found himself back in bed, with no recollection of being woken up. Most likely a levitation charm Remus had used to get him to bed.
Still it didn't stop the heat that rose in his chest at the kind gesture. "Sure thing, mom." Sirius rolled his eyes sarcastically, feignng annoyance. "Okay fine I promise I'll be ten minutes." he quickly rushed out after seeing Remus' gaze turned more serious. He always knew how to make him cave.
"Good boy." Remus winked and headed up stairs after the others. Sirius wouldn't evaluate the feeling that crossed over him after those two words were said. If he thought about it too much he didn't think he would be able to go back to the dorm without combusting.
Idly toying with the ball between his fingers, Sirius sat debating to himself for most of the ten minutes. He hadn't mentioned to the other boys he had figured out that there was just a tiny oddly shaped object in some goo inside the ball. He wanted to keep the magic alive. He was pretty sure they had all worked it out after the first few questions that it was pure chance but it was fun to pretend.
Looking around the empty common room checking a few times to make sure it was definitely empty. Nothing but the crackle of the dying fire in the hearth joined him. He turned the sphere over one more time in his hands. He took a deep breath. "Does Remus Lupin love me?" The question was barely a whisper, so much so he wasn't sure if he had actually said anything. He nervously shook the ball and turned it over. It is decidedly so. A wide grin spread across his face as he stared at the ball in his hands. He didn't want to move it again, for the words to change.
"You know I heard it stops working if you overuse it." Moonys deep voice carried across the common room from where he stood leaning against the doorway. He had already dressed for bed in a white tee and his baggy, plaid, pyjama bottoms that hung low, revealing the sharp edges of his hips. The sight made Sirius' mouth go dry.
"What were you asking it?" He could feel Remus' eyes on him from across the room but couldn't bring himself to meet his gaze.
"Asking if you would actually come down after ten minutes to get me like the mum you clearly are." Sirius jibed, grabbing his things and standing up.
"You doubted me?" Remus clutched his chest in mock horror.
"Nah, never. The ball just confirmed it."
"What did it say?"
"It is decidedly so."
"I guess that proves it then. The muggles really have cracked magic." Remus winked at him and they trailed up the stairs together, Sirius still clutching the ball in his hand.