Ahoy! Nice day, innit? :)

Read if you want to, if you don't well..

Place: Hogwarts ( room and one particular space behind one particular armour statue in the dungeons)

Characters: Remus, Regulus, Sirius and Snoring James with Sleeping Peter

Mood: witty, weird

Okay, I do understand they don't want to study. Remus nodded. And I even get that they want to prank someone. The someone being the Slitherins, of course. But how did that get me here? Remus wondered seriously puzzled.

He carefully peered around the corner to see the hallway deserted. So he went forward.

He was just passing the potion classroom when his keen hearing caught the sound of footsteps. Remus didn't stop to ponder the possibility of Filch without his cat – those footsteps were from one person – because it could have been any other teacher or prefect as well and so he quickly squeezed himself into the small space next to one of those creepy armours and tried to blend with the shadow.

What he saw, when the footsteps neared his hiding place, however wasn't Filch. It wasn't a teacher either. It was some small student, probably third year and younger, because he surely wasn't older than Remus himself.

And when the boy passed a torch hanging from the wall he realized he knew him, even though the green tie didn't leave any space for doubts about the house of this wanderer.

Yes, Remus realized, he knew him. He had seen him few times, but had never been introduced. Something to do with me being a half-blood and a werewolf, I guess. Well the boy probably didn't know about his furry little secret, all right.

But most important was, that he had heard about him. And heard about him a lot – and nothing nice.

"Regulus!" Remus called loud enough for the first year Slitherin to hear him, but not too much, else he would wake up the paintings. Yes, there were far fewer of them down in the dungeons, but they were usually much nastier than those surrounding the upper stairs.

Remus saw Regulus jerk and hastily look around searching for the one who interrupted his midnight stroll. Remus pulled his wand out of his pocket – something the Slitherin hadn't done, yet – and flicked it.

His wand suddenly burst into blue flames lighting the whole corridor up.

"Here." he waved at his friend's brother.

Regulus blinked and took in the place where Remus was, his raised wand and most importantly his red and gold scarf.

"Griffindor." Regulus frowned and took a step back quickly patting his robes to try and find his own wand.

"Eh – I do admit I am up to no good, but I am not going to hex you." Remus promised and tried to send his friendliest smile at him. He guessed it wasn't such a good idea, because Sirius had told him that makes his scars more visible, therefor makes Remus look much more scary.

But Regulus smiled back with next to no hesitation and made those few steps to stand just in front of the Griffindor. If anyone walked the hallway, they would only see the back of Regulus's robes.

"I know you!" the Slitherin whispered upon examining Remus closer. "You are one of my brother's friends!" he looked very surprised and quite a bit funny, with his eyes wide and mouth hanging open.

Remus couldn't help it and snickered. Regulus frowned at him and the Griffindor raised his palm in a placating gesture.

"Sorry." he said when he managed to stop the laughter from escaping his mouth. "Just- sorry."

"'S alright."

They staid both quiet examining each other in the light of Remus's wand until Remus spoke up:

"So what are you doing – wandering around after the curfew.."

Regulus looked down at his feet sheepishly. "Didn't want to stay with the others.. so I went for a walk. And got lost." he admitted.

"I guess I understand that." Remus smiled and upon the questioning look he explained: "I got lost more often than not for the first several months. Even get lost now sometimes. Terrible, I know." he grinned and Regulus laughed.

"I almost ran into Filch at least five times." Regulus noted. "Shouldn't we move from here?" he questioned suddenly, looking around the corridor.

Before Remus could agree, Regulus continued: "I mean – before Filch spot us and- You would just want to get back, right- well shouldn't be seen with a Slith-"

Remus raised his palm once again to silence him. "You would be in much deeper shit being seen with me, than the other way around, you know."

The Griffindor took a look around himself realizing there was some space behind the statue – large enough for them to sit on the floor – noticeable only with light and only from a close distance in the gaps between the armour and side walls of the niche.

Remus immediately shuffled behind there to give Regulus some space to move as well, so he didn't notice the stunned expression on the youngster's face.

"You curse?" Regulus asked in surprise. He obeyed, however, and slid down onto the floor face to face with Remus, who was lazily leaning against the wall with his legs crossed.

"Yeees..?" Remus said with raised eyebrows. "I mean – I almost live with your brother. Did you expect me not to?"

"Point." Regulus mumbled. "I always thought you to be the decent one.. obeying the rules and- wait up." Regulus stopped mid sentence. "What are you doing out?"

Should have know this question would come up. "Marauding."

"Oh – off to prank some Snakes, Lion?" Regulus raised his eyebrow – a skill Sirius had been trying to learn for quite some time now. In vain. Probably shouldn't tell him his little brother can do that.. Correction: probably shouldn't tell him I even talked to his little brother.

"Right you are, Little Snake." Remus smiled. It was easy to joke with the small Slitherin, probably owing to Remus being friends with his brother.

"Good I stopped you, than, right?" the Black grinned teasingly and Remus couldn't help but laugh – seriously laugh, with his head titled back and his ribs hurting. After a while – of feeling like a lunatic, as well – he heard the silent cackles of the other and that set him off again, because Regulus sounded so joyful and free. When Sirius laughed it was harsh and loud and hysterical and James usually laughed with a cruel undertone – not laughing with someone, but at someone's else expense. And Peter giggled.

"Merlin you are funny, Black." Remus breathed out clutching his ribs.

"Of course, Slitherins are known for their sense of humor." Regulus commented sarcastically.

"That only means you shouldn't have been a Snake, but maybe a Raven." Remus gesticulated. He honestly thought that would suit the younger better.

"Can't." Regulus sighed.

"Not anymore, I guess." Remus shrugged. "Shame you weren't sorted differently." It would be better for Sirius as well..

Regulus just looked down a frown creasing his forehead. He was thinking. "When my brother got himself sorted into Griffindor.." the Slitherin started and Remus carefully watched him. "Parents didn't allow me to contact him. Not even to talk to him trough holidays."

"I know." Remus whispered, because he did.

Regulus nodded. "They were afraid I would want to follow him – and I did! Want to, that is.. I am not brave enough to be a Lion."

Remus didn't say anything. Not that he didn't want to assure the boy, he just didn't know how.

"They were careful to pay me more attention and.. I can't disobey them. I just can't."

"They are family." Remus said. "I understand. I would never disobey my family either."

Silence fell once more, but it wasn't uncomfortable.

"So.." this time it was Regulus to speak up the first. "I always thought you didn't agree with playing jokes at the others..?" he made the statement sound as a question.

"Once in a while I find it – difficult – not to give into your brother's enthusiasm." he said carefully weighing his words. He send a quick smile to the other. "And somehow it's always me who gets to plan the practical side of the joke, as well as to sneak where ever we need to. Donno how, actually."

"Guess you are good at sneaking." Regulus grinned and Remus lightly kicked his leg. But smiled as well.

"Sure I am – you should have seen yourself when I called you. Jumped three feet up, you did."

"Means you are destined to be a Slitherin. My brother would have been very delighted to hear that."

"Oh you are witty, you. I am sure I am Lion for a reason, though." Yeah, because being a werewolf and not ending it takes a lot of courage. As well as coming to the school with all the prejudices and all. As well as talking to a Slithering brother of his Griffindor friend.

"Are you? Looks more like you had been fighting one." Regulus pointed up vaguely gesticulating towards the werewolf's scars.

"Almost – we had a really big cat. And while cats usually like me, this one didn't." Better than the 'fell down the stairs' one.

"Cats are nice." Regulus yawned and quickly blinked his eyes.

"Sleepy?" Remus smiled. "I promise you delayed me long enough for me to be unable to carry my plan on, so you can go to bed now."

"I guess." Regulus let himself be pulled up onto his feet by Remus who had already stood up. "Thank you." he offered.

"Welcome." the older smiled and sneaked a look on the corridor. It was deserted.

"Should I walk you to your common room?" Remus asked while gesturing to the younger to walk from behind the statue. He was honestly afraid the boy would bump into some adult on his way back, he didn't have the sharp hearing of a werewolf, after all.

"Trying to find our common room, are we, now?" Regulus grinned, but shook his head. He didn't need it, their common room was close.

"Got me." Remus was interrupted by a yawn himself. "Night, Snake."

"Good night, Lion."

"Rem? How did it go?" Sirius grinned at him from his place in one of those comfy and fluffy chairs. Remus smiled back at him and made himself comfortable in another one, the fire making him feel warm and even more sleepy. It had been cold in the dungeons.

"Downhill, actually." As much as Remus didn't like seeing his friend loose the joyful expression, he honestly thought it was worth it.

"Whoa! How come?" Sirius leaned closer to him with wide and curious eyes. Well, it is unusual for me to fail a 'mission'.

"Ran into a Slitherin down there and had to hide until he left.." Not a lie, actually. I don't think I would be able to lie to them, anyway.

"Really? That sucks.." Sirius frowned. "It's been at least hour, you were hiding behind those statues, right? Ain't you cold? Wanna go grab a hot chocolate?" the dark-haired Griffindor shoot one question after another with a look of absolute worry on his face.

"'m'key." Remus mumbled. "Just wanna sleeeeeep." he moaned and second later yawned, which just proved his point.

"You should sleep during the day more, you know.." Sirius smiled at him and stood up pulling his unresisting friend with him. It was slightly difficult, because while the werewolf was skinny, he grew up taller than the other. And it was difficult to maneuver him, even more in his almost-asleep state.

"We all would fail if I didn't pay attention." Remus reminded him and even managed to drag himself up the stairs without falling down. With a little help from the Black, who half-pulled him and half carried him.

"Met your brother, Siri, you know." Remus mumbled when he collapsed onto his bed, not bothering to take off his clothes. Why, when he will be getting up in less then three hours.

"What?" came the shocked response and the other stopped mid step in the middle of their dormitory.

"Yeah.. 's nice guy..were hidin' t'geth'r.."

"What?" but Remus was already asleep.

"Sooo.. what are you going to do if I win?" Remus asked the boy who sat facing him, but looking intently down at the chessboard between them. He quickly looked up and smirked.

"That's not important. You won't win." he informed smugly and moved his rook three free squares forward, making Remus's knight tremble in fear just one square left.

"What makes you say so? I always win when I play your brother." it was Remus's time to gaze down at their little battlefield.

"I do as well." Regulus said dryly and watched the Griffindor watch the board. Remus decided to move his bishop, so that if the younger decided to take his knight, his root would be taken as well.

Remus felt himself smirk as well – while he preferred the knights, Regulus himself usually built his strategy on his roots. Unlike James who would always try to use his queen and forget every other piece.

"I think I told your brother I met you." Remus informed him calmly almost making the other drop the pawn he had been holding in shock.

"Think?" Regulus repeated when he calmed himself and finished his turn.

"Hmm-mm." Remus nodded concentration by the board again. "Donno if I did or fell asleep before."

"Why would you even want to tell my brother you met me?" the Slitherin didn't look down, but looked straight into Remus's eyes, glinting with gold and blue from the conjured flames.

"I was half-asleep."

"That doesn't mean you should go and inform my brother that you met me!" Regulus obviously didn't want to drop the issue, even though his time for his turn was ending. "I didn't go and tell your brother we met!"

"Figures." Remus mumbled and gestured to the board.

"Oh, sorry." Regulus threw his way and quickly moved some random pawn. That's not a bad move at all. Remus thought when he searched for a way to retaliate.

"Figures? Do you have a brother?" the Slitherin asked curiously all previous anger forgotten.

"Yes. His name's Romulus and he's a vampire." Remus answered absently and moved his bishop to take Regulus's root.

"What?" Regulus asked incredulously. He didn't hold the eye contact this time, but looked down mournfully at his favourite piece which was being crushed into pieces.

"Just kidding. I am an only child." It's a shame, too.. But mum's from a pure-blood family, so they didn't really expect to have more then one child, dad told me.

"You have really twisted sense of humour, you know."

"I am a Griffindor." Remus shrugged as if it explained everything. And maybe it did.

Regulus smiled his usual half-smile.

"So what would you want me to do if you win?" the Slitherin asked when he gazed down at the board and decided that yes, he was probably loosing. Both his roots were made into jigsaw and Remus still held both of his knights.

Remus's eyes shone with mischief as he leaned over the board close to the Black. "To tell me the Slitherin password."

"Will you tell my brother?"

"Of course I will." Remus smirked. "But I won't tell him my source, don't worry." he added quickly when he saw the frown appear on the youngster's forehead.

Regulus nodded. "I guess." he shrugged. He didn't really care that they would know the password, it changes every week, after all. They would have access only for four more days.

"And if you win? What do you want in exchange?" Remus urged him.

Regulus looked up and thought for a moment. His eyes lit up and he smirked and Remus realized he knew that expression. It was Sirius's I've-got-an-idea-for-a-prank patented expression.

That should be interesting.

"You help me prank my brother."

Remus chuckled. "That would be fun. Too bad you won't win – check."

"You are good." Regulus admitted and flicked his finger to make his – white – king fall. "The password's 'seed of greatness'. For this week."

"Thank you! It's a good business with you." Remus said cheekily.

"So what are you going to do?" Regulus couldn't help but laugh and watched Remus carefully pack the board and pieces into small sachet.

"The prank? You will see."

"C'mooon." Regulus whined with a smile still on.

Remus looked at him intently with one his eye almost closed to make the other laugh. Regulus cackled and Remus soon joined him.

"Can't see why you shouldn't know – dancing skeletons." Remus whispered with a wide grin on his face that looked almost crazy – at least to Regulus.

"Dancing skeletons?" the young Black looked in wonder at his companion. "Sounds interesting."

"Will look even more interesting. Look forward!" Remus said – it was him who came up with the idea, after all.

"I will." Regulus promised. "Wanna help me prank my brother?" he asked with a cheeky smile and stretched his legs in front of him, now that he could.

"Any idea how?" Remus asked. It would be nice to have Sirius be the one being pranked for once.

"I do." Regulus nodded. "Stole few dozes of polyjuice at home – accident, I swear." he added when he caught the delighted expression on Remus's face. "I want to polyjuice as him for a day – got enough to last – and make him polyjuice as some Slitherin."

"You can only polyjuice as someone who exists, and making him appear as someone who is there wouldn't be good." Remus pointed up.

"I can see why they always make you come up with the exact plan." Regulus told him before shaking his head and getting back to the prank: "Easter – I will get something from someone who is going home."

"That should work. How would you make Sirius drink the polyjuice every hour?"

Regulus frowned in concentration. "Well, he has to eat and drink. I think if he woke up in our dormitory, looking like someone of us, he wouldn't try to make a scene. If you would polyjuice as some other Slitherin, who is supposedly his best friend, you would be able to get him to drink it."

Remus smirked evilly. "So basically me and Sirius will be disguised as a Slitherins and you would be a Griffindor?"

"Yes." Regulus nodded and mirrored the werewolf's expression.

"Sounds good. Why though?" Remus asked amusedly.

"I want to freak my brother out."

"Than you should stay being yourself." Remus pointed out. "Maybe you could be the Slitherin's best friend?"

Regulus shook his head making his hair fly around him like some sort of black halo. "He would be suspicious."

That's right, but I can't take the polyjuice, mostly because it won't work. "I see.. Maybe I shouldn't be some exact Slitherin, though.. Wouldn't the others be surprised to see me acting weirdly?"

This time it was Regulus who was forced to agree.

"I have an idea." Remus said happily, because he wouldn't be forced to lie about the reason he couldn't take the potion. "I could just change my features with spells, that would work."

"You are a third year. You can't do that."

"I am myself. Of course I can." Remus shot back smugly.

"All right. Easter is it, then."

"Deal."

Sirius was – once again – seated by the fire, waiting for him to return safely. James was snoring next to him on the sofa, leaning against it's back and his head hanging over the edge. Peter was there as well, almost falling down from a chair with his head laid on a table in front of him.

"Ahoy." the Black looked up from where he was going trough some of Remus's notes to greet him.

"Hey." Remus answered and took a seat in the armchair enjoying the warmth.

"Where were you?" Sirius whispered as not to wake the two sleepers. His grey eyes were for once serious and burning.

"Out." Remus said not meeting his gaze.

"It's not a full moon."

"No, it's not." Remus agreed and didn't even bother to tell his friend not to talk about things like this so openly.

"So why the flying fuck were you out?" the werewolf could tell Sirius was angry to the point of furious.

"Not out like out." Remus tried to placate him. "Still in school."

Sirius breathed out in relief. "Where?"

"The dungeons, marauding." he answered the unspoken question of 'why' even before Sirius asked it.

"Why didn't you tell us to go as well? We usually go together, you know.." Great – now he feel left out. Remus thought as the other looked down with a frown.

"I wanted to give you three some space-" Sirius looked up at him sharply, "'cause you were always whispering about something and stopped when I came, so.." he let the rest unspoken.

Sirius said a silent 'oh', before the common room fell back into the eery silence, interrupted only be the snoring.

"I am sorry about that." Sirius whispered looking at his friend. "We are trying to find something.. to help with the.. you know – furry little thingy of yours."

"There is none." Remus said a bit more sharper than he intended, but his friend didn't look troubled. "Don't you think I looked?"

"We think we found something. But I won't tell you what that is. Until we are all ready."

Remus watched him with wide eyes – Does he mean it? Did they really find something to help him? That would be..

"Impossible."

"Trust me. And let it be for now. We will tell you when we are ready." Sirius smiled a lopsided smile. "Now – did you, my dear Marauder, find something?"

"I did." Remus nodded and made himself more comfortable with his legs hanging over the arm of the chair and his head over the other. He sat so that he didn't face the others until he leaned back enough to almost hang upside down, but he could hear Sirius better, given they were closer to each other.

"Ooh!" Sirius looked as if the Christmas came early. His whole face lit up.

"Hm? You want to know what?" Remus frowned in mock-confusion.

"Of course I do! Reeemmuuus!" he whined making the werewolf compare him to his younger sibling – They are very similar in some ways.

"Okay, I guess you can know – if – if you bring me some good hot chocolate." Remus smirked evilly. He was surprised when Sirius mirrored the expression and pointed to the ledge above the hearth. There were four mugs standing so that what ever was inside wouldn't get cold.

"I realized it's one of those night you are sneaking out – again – and won't be back until long after midnight so I went to get some." Sirius smiled, which quickly changed into a grin when Remus leaped out to cradle one of the mugs in his hands. "Jamie there and Pete both drank their, so.." the Black explained the presence of two empty cups.

"If you would be that kind to bring me mine as well?" Sirius smirked and Remus did, because it was chocolate and one does not tease about chocolate.

"Cheers!" Remus said and took a large swallow of the liquid. It wasn't hot, all right, but it wasn't cold either.

"So what did you find out?" Sirius asked when he as well took a sip and his friend looked as if he stopped moving around in his armchair.

"Seed of greatness."

"What?" Sirius almost choked on his chocolate – which would be a total shame, Remus thought – and looked at him as if he had lost his mind.

"Seed of greatness." Remus repeated with a grin.

"Oh – OH! The password!"

"Yup!"

"How did you get it?" Sirius asked absolutely delighted.

"I asked." the werewolf gesticulated as if it explained everything.

"You asked who?" the Black wanted to know.

"Not gonna tell you." Remus finished the chocolate and yawned hugely. "Bedtime?"

"I guess." Sirius agreed, but Remus could still see him thinking about his source. He shrugged. It didn't matter – he had already decided he would let his friends know he was on friendly terms with Regulus.

But after Easter.

End of chapter 1.

It will be followed by chapter 2. Such a surprise, right? Not much is going to happen anyway, no plot this story has. Just a bit of pointless running around, marauding, pranking and making friends.

Comment if you liked it, don't read the rest if you didn't.

Donno when will the ch2 be up, probably sometimes around Easter (kidding).

Smiiiile,

me.