(Untitled)

[the_five_signs]

Who:  Harry Potter and Remus Lupin
When:  Saturday, January 31st, 3:03am
Where:  Remus' house.
What:  Harry's picking on poor defenseless Remus!
Rating:  As high as PG13, maybe!
Status:  Incomplete and closed.

Comments

[a_jade_phoenix]

Knocking would have been polite and thoughtful. Harry held his wand loosely by his side, casting a spell over the door to silence its hinges. Remus knew he was coming. There was no need to alert anyone else.

He'd never felt so miserably angry at Remus before. Frustrated, upset by, certainly, but never angry. Remus was Remus. Quiet, calm, introverted, but Harry'd never thought to add self-deluded to the list before. If Remus thought Harry would let him get away with that, he didn't know him very well at all.

The doorknob turned under its own power and the door swung open for Harry to enter soundlessly. Magic coalesced over his skin as he slowly identified the spells that had been cast around him. At least Remus had been thinking ahead.

His eyes flickered around the room, taking in every bit of furniture in case, well, in case something ended up falling over or getting thrown. He stored the information in the back of his mind as he set out to find his friend. Hermione's phrase 'emotional range of a teaspoon' came to mind as he set upon Remus.

"Hello."

[the_five_signs]

Remus glanced up from his book, slowly closing it and setting it aside, as if he hadn't known Harry had come into his house. Of course he'd known.

"Good morning, Harry.." He looked like his eyes had been wet, but there was no sign that he'd been crying. Remus Lupin didn't cry. "Please sit." He slid the book onto the table next to him and smoothed his other hand over the couch, to invite the older (younger) man to sit with him.

"I am sorry for what I said, if it upset you. I don't really like to talk about myself and remembering some things upsets me." Surely Harry understood that.

[a_jade_phoenix]

Remus Lupin didn't do a lot of things, Harry was noticing as he stood before him. Like feel anything normally. He twisted his wand between his fingers.

"Upsets you?" Harry could not have sounded more mocking even if he tried.

[the_five_signs]

That made Remus give him a flat look. "You don't have to make fun of me, Harry. Yes, it upsets me. What else am I supposed to say? I feel upset." Because that was the word he used for anger, frustration, sadness, confusion, and a multitude of other things. Upset and happy, for the most part.

[a_jade_phoenix]

Before he could think better of it, Harry's wand came down hard on top of Remus' head. He didn't regret it once he got over being stunned he'd done it in the first place.

His hand shook.

"Try feeling something else!"

[the_five_signs]

Remus was clearly stunned as well and looked up at Harry when he did it. It hadn't hurt too much, but it had been surprising. He lifted a hand to rub at the spot.

"And feel what? Anger? Hatred? I think the world could do with a little less of both of those. I've seen it, you've seen it. I'm not angry and there's no reason to be. Nothing done to me warrants that sort of reaction."

[a_jade_phoenix]

Harry's jaw worked for a few incomprhensible seconds when all he could do was stare. He could think of a few milder hexes that wouldn't leave much of a mark, but might achieve what he wanted.

"You're completely insane, did you know?"

[the_five_signs]

Now that made him let out a slow breath and he stood up, just an inch taller than Harry, so he could look (nearly) square at him. "Why? Because I don't want to be angry all the time? I could be like Greyback. I could be like the others. I could hate everyone because of what I am and what it's done, and will do, to my life. But I don't want that. Why do you?"

[a_jade_phoenix]

"I don't want you to hate people. God, you wouldn't be..." Here Harry sat down on the sofa. "You keep telling me I ought to grow up and act responsible. You need to grow down."

[the_five_signs]

Remus stared down at him a moment.. then slowly sat next to him. "Is something wrong? Really? Are you upset about missing your mother and Severus' birthday? You can still make your Godfather's birthday, at least." He smiled some then, tilting his head and letting that gray streak (mixed up with pale brown) fall into his face.

[a_jade_phoenix]

Harry's wand hit Remus' head again, gentler this time, but no less reprimanding. "Shut it."

[the_five_signs]

That tap made him smile some and he rolled his eyes up. "We're going to sit in silence, then?"

[a_jade_phoenix]

"Hopefully not," Harry mumbled, shooting an irrationally irritated glare in Remus' direction. "When was the last time you cried?"

Seemed like such a weird question coming from Harry, but he wanted to know.

[the_five_signs]

It was weird, and it caught his attention and he stared a moment.. then shook his head some. "I honestly can't remember. I imagine.. that I probably cried when they told me I was going to be a werewolf. But since then.." He couldn't remember a time he'd ever cried. Not even when he'd been hurt. It'd become almost a sort of game he played with himself. What could he handle without crying? Just about everything, apparently.

[a_jade_phoenix]

"Don't you think that's a little bit..." Except obviously Remus didn't, or Harry wouldn't be over here, ready to do anything in his power to make Remus just...release for once in his unfortunately miserable life.

[the_five_signs]

"A little bit what? Strange? Wrong?" He glanced away from Harry, then back at him. "What about me isn't? It's just the way I am." Strange. Wrong. Not quite right in the head. Take your pick.