Don't you stop if it makes you happy

[nonmetus]

Who: James, Sirius, Remus, Severus, Harry, Suite 29 and perhaps Lily if she'd like to visit
When: Monday night
Where: Suite 29
Summary: James is back from seven months of his 6th year and getting his Head Boy badge.
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Sirius and James' mouths

Comments

[pleniluniumet]

"James," Remus comments dryly from his own bunk, curling over to peer at him with a raised eyebrow. It's clear how relieved he is to see him from the tiny quirk of the corner of his mouth.

Of course, he's also nervous because they haven't really... talked about what happened, much, and James seems angry, and...

Well. Remus isn't always the best at words. "...are you alright?"

[nonmetus]

"No! No I'm not fucking alright!" He groans from the floor, his hands firmly lodged in his hair. He can't look up at him, doesn't want to see the differences between this one and the one back home. It's all come back to him. He'd forgotten about this place, but now all the memories, the deaths are back and he doesn't want them, not at all.

[pleniluniumet]

Remus frowns, his hand twitching toward James in concern. "I would get up to help you up, but I'm sort of still confined to bed. Why aren't you alright? What happened?"

[nonmetus]

"What happened?" James looks up, brows furrowing. "How long have I been out? You haven't been-- been an idiot again, have you? This fucking place..."

[pleniluniumet]

"Been--" Remus cuts himself off to give James a confused look, twisting around to look at him better. "James, you've been gone since Saturday. We've only just gotten back from the... from where I died. How long were you gone? Where did you go?"

[nonmetus]

"Since Saturday..?" He stares at Remus for minute, expression blank. "How can if have... only been since Saturday? What day is it?"

[pleniluniumet]

"July 25th." Remus' answer is short. He's just as confused as James, clear in the way his fingers are tensing in the sheets still wrapped around him. "What day do you think it should be?"

[nonmetus]

"July 25th. It should be July 25th. I should be at home, in my room with my bloody Hogwarts letter! But, no, I wake up here and it's been... I don't know how many days! It was... was..." He's trying to do the math with his head trying to wrap around this. "Seven bloody fucking months! I was at school, got my grades, did those horrid exams and turned 17 all over again! I got my Apparation license and I-- I--" He shoves his hand in his pocket, taking his new badge out of his pocket and looking at it.

[pleniluniumet]

Remus blinks at him. He's heard about that, and seen it with Lily-- the time changes, timelines being twisted and confused and scattered-- but James went home? And came back, and he remembers everything and there's...

"Is that... a Head Boy badge? James?"

[nonmetus]

"Yeah. Mental, isn't it? Got it this morning..." He looks up at Remus, a tiny smile on his lips. "Apparently Dumbledore thinks I've matured or some bullocks like that."

[pleniluniumet]

"You have," Remus offers quietly, unfolding his hands to hold one out to James. "...are you alright? Really?"

[nonmetus]

"Can't say I'm all that trilled to be back..." He takes Remus' hand with a sigh, using it to uncrumple himself and face his friend. "Have I missed anything at all?"

[pleniluniumet]

Remus shakes his head, tugging more at James' hand so he'll come sit on the bed. "Nothing at all. Would you make some tea? The least you deserve is tea after something like that. I'd help but the last time I tried to get out of bed Sirius put a Full-Body Bind on me."

[nonmetus]

"Invite me to tea and force me to make it. Oh, Remus, such a charmer." But he does get up, ruffling Remus' hair as he goes over to the desk. "Haven't moved anything since I've been gone, have you?"

[pleniluniumet]

"I think Sirius put the sugar slightly to the left of where it usually is. Watch out for that."

And who knows if he's being serious or not, with that deadpan voice of his as he shifts to sit more upright (and fix his hair.)