Moons and Mischief: Part 1
Author's Notes: Yay my Marauder's Era series. Read, comment, love it.
Moons and Mischief
Part One
“Dum de dum de dummm..”
“Bugger off, Prongs.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“Both of you.”
“Sorry, Moony.”
The weak, hoarse plead of their friend made both Sirius and James falls silent. What a familiar sight this was, Remus Lupin propped up on a couch in the common room, looking exceedingly exhausted, surrounded by his friends. Two of which kept up daily ‘arguments’ for the entertainment of the third, Peter Pettigrew.
“You’re excused,” whispered Remus with a slight smile. “But seriously, it’s goodness knows how early..”
Sirius chuckled, amused by something or another. “What are you laughing about?” asked James, eager to be in on the joke.
“Well he said ‘seriously‘-”
Remus made a weak gesture as if attempting to hit Sirius; Sirius grabbed Remus’s arm, and smacked It against himself. “Happy?”
“Very.” replied Remus, nodding as best he could.
Yet another ‘wild adventure’ (called as such by Sirius) had happened the night before, and so Remus, coupled with being very weak, also had several fresh cuts and marks; Madam Pomfrey, knowing his condition of course, had healed them as best she could. And so there they were, passing the time with random petty acts of mischief. Luckily, it was Saturday, and that meant no classes.
“Goal! Two points. Beat that, Prongsie.” stated Sirius, tossing a Merlin wizard card into the fire with ease.
“What’s the score?” James asked Peter, holding his rather larger pile of wizard cards carefully.
Peter, who had been watching, clapping every time there was a particularly good throw, started in surprise. “I was supposed to be counting? … oh, yeah. Um…”
Remus let out a noise that was supposed to resemble pity from behind his book, but it came out more like laughter. Sirius shook his head hopelessly. “Sorry.” squeaked Peter. “S’okay. We all know I won anyway.” said James smoothly, lifting his fist into the air in triumph.
“Excuse me, Mister Prongs, I believe you just told a lie.” objected Sirius in a dramatically theatrical voice, glaring at James as if he had two heads.
“Really? I don’t think so..” replied James, casually running a hand through his hair and glaring back.
“Oh the horror that thus befalls me! My friend knows not of which he speaks!” sobbed Sirius, putting a hand over his eyes in an impressive way; though perhaps this was just to hide the glint of laughter in them.
“Thus the horror continues, for my friend has fallen ill to the disease of stupidity!” continued James, his voice raised to near a yell as he fell sideways out of his chair for dramatic effect.
Remus shook his head, but Peter was clapping wildly as the two continued their stage antics.
“Avast! What knaves are these, that trespass upon my noble territory?” demanded Sirius, in a practiced medieval sort of way.
“You sound like that portrait of that mad knight, Sir Cadogan.” applauded James, laughing. He issued red roses out of his wand and threw them at Sirius.
“I’ve been practicing.” said Sirius, bowing impressively as if on a stage.
“Can’t have been much work. You’ve always been mad, Sirius.” said Remus idly, turning the page of his book - which got him a wizard card in the eye.
“How violent.” objected Remus, but the corners of his mouth twitched as he returned to his book.
“Why’re you reading anyway, Moony? It’s Saturday, we should be having fun!” insisted Sirius, plopping into his armchair again. Remus cast him a stern sort of look. “As soon as I regain moement in my legs, we can do that, Sirius.”
“Oh yeah.” said Sirius, remembering with a pang. “Well, we’ll just have to wait, then, won’t we?”
“Waiting isn’t my strong point.” harrumphed James in a little kid sort of way, crossing his arms.
“Well then, you’re out of luck.” stated Remus simply, laying aside his book and finally giving it up. How could he read Advanced Transfiguration with James and Sirius around, anyway?
“Ouch.” murmured Remus; moving seemed to cause him quite a lot of pain, considering the wildness of last night. Sirius watched him, and suddenly his mind was in overdrive.
“How long have you been a werewolf?”
Remus twitched slightly, and curled up into a tighter ball; but weak as he was, he couldn‘t stop the words from flowing. “Since I was seven.”
“Good God, seven?!” gasped James suddenly, wincing violently. Sirius stepped on his foot.
Remus’s face was unseeable, unable to read. His shoulders trembled in the gesture of a shudder, his always calm eyes closed as he fought back the desperate longing to unleash his emotions; to cry. This was it. He waited for the explosion, tensed, biting his lip. It never came.
Slowly, he rolled over to face the three who were standing at his bedside, and opened his eyes. All three were gazing down at him with looks, not of terrified hatred, but of concern. One of friendship, and one of trust. “Why aren’t you running? You know now what I am.. That I’m.. I’m a..” Remus couldn’t finish the sentence. He closed his eyes, shivering slightly.
“Remus, we’re your friends..” began Sirius, but James finished what he was going to say. “Yeah, we’d never run away from you..”
The word ‘friend’ made Remus look up, and something seemed to burst inside of him. They didn’t think him a monster; out of the prejudiced world of darkness and hatred there burst three lights; three, those that now stood before him, supportive, helpful. Forever.
“You’re all so..” Remus began, his choked voice hoarse, raspy; weak, but level. He couldn’t find a word to express his joy, his happiness; the loneliness that now dissipated from him, sliding away like water during a drought.
“Awesome?” finished Sirius, smirking slightly. “Yeah, we know.”
His mind abruptly returned to the present; none of the others saw him grin slightly as he rejoined in the conversation.
End Part One Wewt