Ah, your best friends love pulling pranks on everyone, including you. But sometimes, their ‘jokes’ hurt. Like now, bloody hell. It's not funny anymore; it's just painful.

You sit on the dusty stone path leading to Great Lake, the gritty surface pressing into your palms. Tears, full of resentment, slide down your face, leaving salty, stinging marks on your cheeks. The throbbing pain in your scraped knees and elbows feels like fiery needles poking your skin, making every movement a struggle.

James runs his hand through his tousled hair, looking quite ashamed. “We really messed up this time, especially me,” he says, his voice surprisingly quiet and timid, to everyone's surprise.

Sirius shifts restlessly from foot to foot, kicking a pebble lying on the ground. “We never meant for it to go this far, sweetie, ya know?” His gray eyes look intently at you, and you see in them the look of a puppy who knows he did something wrong and is waiting for forgiveness.

You rub your cheeks, movement of the injured elbow causes burning sensation. The roughness of the sleeve against the raw skin makes you grit your teeth, trying to bear the pain. Each movement brings a fresh wave of stinging heat, and you take a shaky breath, trying to calm yourself.

Remus snorts at the mates' apologies, clearly not convinced. He steps forward, his brow sullen with worry. Without a word, he pulls you into a comforting hug, his arms wrapping around you like a shield. His embrace feels warm and sturdy, momentarily easing your pain. “Oh, darlin',” he murmurs, his voice full of care as he tries to calm you. With a gentle touch, he leads you to the nearest bench, and the other lads gather around you.

Peter squats down in front of you, regret is written all over his face. He digs into his pocket and pulls out a handkerchief, his fingers moving carefully but gently as he wipes away the tears from your swollen and reddened cheeks. “We ain't gonna do this no more. Promise on it, yeah?” he murmurs, looking sideways at the fellas for confirmation.