TM Prompt 191 - Where Do You See Yourself In Twenty Years?
They're finally nearing the end of their seventh year. It should be a time of celebration and it is, to a point; they are proud, and excited, and stay up late discussing their plans and dreams. Even Remus dares to hope that his own might come true. He could be an auror, a professor, an explorer… Even gather the courage to be an advocate, go down a pioneer like Oswald Beamish.
Always, however, a quiet dread hangs over their heads, thriving in their silence and haunting their dreams.
More and more people are disappearing, or being tortured, or being murdered. Everyone in the castle worries about their families; owls are constantly in flight. Everyone takes DADA more seriously; the older students are learning to resist the Imperius curse.
Remus lays awake, turning over the present and past and future in his mind until they're twisted and blurred and nonsensical. He can't sleep, not with the grisly images the Daily Prophet had brought that morning.
In several weeks' time, they'll be leaving one of the few safe havens left to the world. He supposes they could go into hiding, but knows that none of them will.
He turns his head, gaze settling on the sprawled, snoring form of one of his best friends. Oddly, his first thought is that he needs a haircut.
In theory, Sirius has the least to worry about; he's a pureblood, even if he's been disowned for three years. Remus knows, though, that he can't stand to see the world ruined by the beliefs he grew up with. He will fight, use his rage and skill and determination until there's none left.
James is a Pureblood as well, but he's hated bigotry as long as Remus has known him, and the Dark Arts on top of it. Besides, Lily's muggleborn, and they plan to marry as soon as possible. She, of course, has every reason to fight; somehow, Remus thinks she would anyway.
Peter, well, sometimes Remus suspected he only feigns fervour because of the rest of them - but that isn't fair. He was never cruel, and he knows what it's like to be disdained, to be ostracised. Maybe he won't be on the front lines but not everyone needs to be.
As for Remus himself, well. He's a halfblood, for one thing. A wry smile twists his lips. It amuses him, sometimes, that in Voldemort's circle this is why he'd be shunned.
Besides, he's tired of standing back and letting people be hurt, even just verbally, temporarily. Maybe he can't oppose friends but he can and will stand against murderers.
It scares him to death sometimes, when he understands the full extent of what he's promising, to himself, to his friends, to the world. He knows he'll have to fight, perhaps to kill.
He knows he could die, any of them could die horribly…
He closes his eyes tightly and shakes his head. No, he can't think like that. In twenty years this will be long over. James will be a Quidditch star; Lily will be the best thing to hit the Ministry in decades unless she teaches instead. They'll be happily married, and Sirius will be a bad influence on the kids, still riding about on his motorcycle. Who knows what career he'll be in, he still changes his mind once a week. Peter will have his own job, his own family. And Remus, well, he'll make his own dreams come true, somehow.
They'll all live through this, and they'll always be best friends.
Finally, he drifts off to sleep.
Always, however, a quiet dread hangs over their heads, thriving in their silence and haunting their dreams.
More and more people are disappearing, or being tortured, or being murdered. Everyone in the castle worries about their families; owls are constantly in flight. Everyone takes DADA more seriously; the older students are learning to resist the Imperius curse.
Remus lays awake, turning over the present and past and future in his mind until they're twisted and blurred and nonsensical. He can't sleep, not with the grisly images the Daily Prophet had brought that morning.
In several weeks' time, they'll be leaving one of the few safe havens left to the world. He supposes they could go into hiding, but knows that none of them will.
He turns his head, gaze settling on the sprawled, snoring form of one of his best friends. Oddly, his first thought is that he needs a haircut.
In theory, Sirius has the least to worry about; he's a pureblood, even if he's been disowned for three years. Remus knows, though, that he can't stand to see the world ruined by the beliefs he grew up with. He will fight, use his rage and skill and determination until there's none left.
James is a Pureblood as well, but he's hated bigotry as long as Remus has known him, and the Dark Arts on top of it. Besides, Lily's muggleborn, and they plan to marry as soon as possible. She, of course, has every reason to fight; somehow, Remus thinks she would anyway.
Peter, well, sometimes Remus suspected he only feigns fervour because of the rest of them - but that isn't fair. He was never cruel, and he knows what it's like to be disdained, to be ostracised. Maybe he won't be on the front lines but not everyone needs to be.
As for Remus himself, well. He's a halfblood, for one thing. A wry smile twists his lips. It amuses him, sometimes, that in Voldemort's circle this is why he'd be shunned.
Besides, he's tired of standing back and letting people be hurt, even just verbally, temporarily. Maybe he can't oppose friends but he can and will stand against murderers.
It scares him to death sometimes, when he understands the full extent of what he's promising, to himself, to his friends, to the world. He knows he'll have to fight, perhaps to kill.
He knows he could die, any of them could die horribly…
He closes his eyes tightly and shakes his head. No, he can't think like that. In twenty years this will be long over. James will be a Quidditch star; Lily will be the best thing to hit the Ministry in decades unless she teaches instead. They'll be happily married, and Sirius will be a bad influence on the kids, still riding about on his motorcycle. Who knows what career he'll be in, he still changes his mind once a week. Peter will have his own job, his own family. And Remus, well, he'll make his own dreams come true, somehow.
They'll all live through this, and they'll always be best friends.
Finally, he drifts off to sleep.