Title: Pointing the Finger

Author: tarotgal
Fandom: Harry Potter

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: The Marauders belong to JKR and I make no money from this

Summary: James didn't get any sleep last night and wants to know who to blame.

Pointing the Finger

James sat down for breakfast at the Gryffindor table and gave an immense yawn accompanied by a dramatic stretch. He reached for a piece of toast and dropped it onto his plate as if the toast weighed a ton and moving it took great effort.

Everyone watched the display, but it was Peter who stated the obvious, “Tired, Prongs?”

James nodded. “Someone kept me up last night.” He turned his head and looked straight at Remus.

Remus shuddered nervously. “Why are you looking at me?” He glanced at Sirius. “Was I snoring?”

“Not that I noticed,” Sirius replied. “You didn't wake me up.”

James shook his head. “No, it wasn't snores; it was sneezes. One of you was sneezing his head off last night. All. Night. Long.”

Laughing, Remus shook his head. “So you automatically assume it was me.” He breathed through his nose to demonstrate that his nasal passages were perfectly clear. “I had that cold last week, sure, but I'm all better now. Not a single sniffle for days.”

James looked unconvinced. “Allergies? Another cold?”

Still laughing, “It wasn't me! I swear it!”

Finally, James shrugged. “I didn't think it was you anyway.”

“Bollocks!” Sirius said, stickling up for Remus, who was practically doubled-over at the table, laughing lightly. “You obviously thought it was Moony.”

“Wouldn't you have?” James asked.

Sirius considered for only a moment, and then he nodded. “Maybe.” Remus was definitely the one in their group who came down with every bug going around the school. It wasn't entirely his fault, as his condition made him particularly vulnerable at certain parts of the month. “All right, yes, I would have. But if he says it wasn't him, it wasn't him.”

“Then it was you.”

 “No way!” Sirius exclaimed a little too loudly. Several of the students further down at the table looked over at him. He smiled and pointed to his scrambled eggs, then gave everyone a thumbs-up. “Thanks for making me look like an arse,” he mumbled when the attention was off him.

James merely shrugged. “And thanks for keeping me up all night with your sneezing.”

“I wasn't sneezing,” Sirius insisted.

“Would you admit it to us if you had been?” James asked. “You're the one who always tries to cover up his symptoms, who refuses to go to the hospital wing when he's ill. It's just like you to sit in bed all night sneezing and keeping me awake.” This was true enough. Sirius certainly preferred for his friends to look after him when he was feeling under the weather. It was nice being the center of attention and having them getting him anything he wanted. The hospital wing was so cold and sterile in comparison. “Haven't you ever heard of a silencing charm?”

“Of course I have. I'm a pro at them. You didn't hear me… um…” He grinned, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “You didn't hear me this morning, did you?”

“Thankfully, no,” James said.

“Look,” Sirius continued. “I catch a lot of Remus' colds from him. Sometimes it's unavoidable. But this time I'm telling the truth. I feel fine and I slept straight through the night last night. The sneezing you heard was not coming from me.”

And then, all at once, James, Remus, and Sirius all looked at Peter.

Peter squeaked and jumped in his seat. His cheeks went flushed bright red. Then he rubbed his finger under his nose. “I… bay hab a little cold id by dose.”

“Wormtail!” James moaned, throwing a cloth napkin at Peter. “But you hardly ever get sick.”

“I'b sorry?” Peter tried. He rubbed his nose again and sneezed into the crook of his arm. “I did't catch cold od burbose.”  

Sirius, aware that Peter subscribed to the 'Feed a fever and feed a cold' theory, shoved one of the serving plates toward Peter. Remus, still laughing, put his arm around Peter. “Of course you didn't,” Remus reassured him.

“C'mon,” James said with a sigh. “Let's get you back upstairs and into bed before classes start.” He stifled another overpowering yawn. “At least one of us should get some rest if he can.”