Expectant

[regulus_a_b]

Regulus' shoe tapped lightly upon the clean-swept floor to an oddly inaudible beat. The young Black stood just inside the closed aperture leading out of his parent's home, facing the extensive if obscured interior of the building - though not seeing it. His eyes were distant and unfocused as they stared out of an immobile mask.

"Waiting is only of

Comments

[howlsoftly]

Mrs. Lupin strode to the door with an oddly confident gait, which caused Remus to pause and wonder at her before scampering to keep up. She knocked thrice, firmly, and Remus had to sneak a glance at her. Ah, yes, there it was-- the tiniest wrinkle at the corner of her eyes, the slightest furrowing of her brows. She was nervous, then, but simply refusing to show it. Remus wished he could do the same. He fiddled with a fraying edge of his second-best robes, a plain dark brown with some curious gold embroidery around the cuffs, glancing from his mother to the grotesque door-knocker.

[regulus_a_b]

One might think Regulus was almost hasty as he turned on his heel and reached for the heavy handle that could free the dark wooden panel from the wall and reveal-

Slowly he breathed in and then let out the lungful of air in forced silence. His facial features twisted into a lighter expression as he fell into the old patterns of occlumency that he had written into his memory with the application of rigorous study.

The door came open with a single movement, swinging back to let the unfamiliar figure of Mrs. Lupin precede her son in just as Regulus' mother appeared from around the corner, her eyes searching the arrivals without simple shame or courteous restraint.

[howlsoftly]

Remus gave a half-smile, half-terrifed plea in Regulus' general direction, and Mrs. Lupin put on her best Pleasing The Purebloods smile, empty and brilliant.

"Oh, Mrs. Black, how are you?" she chirrupped, advancing on the formidable woman with her arms outstretched as if she were the one welcoming Walburga Black into her home, rather than the other way around. "I'm so pleased to finally see you in person-- owl post just isn't the same, of course, and it's been inconveniant in our travels. I'm just so thrilled that young Remus has been making friends with the right sort, you know, your boys are simply treasures from what I've heard, each in the top of their class..." She continued like this, maintaining a steady stream of high, clear, supplicating chatter

[regulus_a_b]

Turning to face Remus directly, Regulus raised an eyebrow in elegant silent query- which he then backed up with blunt verbal query.

"Hello, Remus. I trust everything is alright?"