Title: Comfort in October
Rating: T
Couple: Sirius/Remus and James/Lily
Summary: Feelings were revealed during the fight between Sirius and Lily over Remus, after that things seem to change for the young Werewolf and his fellow Marauders.
Time: Marauder Era and pre-book1
Disclaimer: Harry Potter is owned J.K Rowling and all I own is the plot the one book title/author (that Moony reads to spark conversation with Snape) and the minor side characters that really don't have any part whatsoever.
Comfort in October
It was October at Hogwarts. The halls and stone sidings were adorned with large carved pumpkins and hollow squashes placed all over the Hogwarts castle. The halls were chipper with small conversations about costumes for the annual costume party of the night of Halloween. All the students are allowed to let loose and dress up in Muggle or magical costumes. And rightly placed, the Marauders entered the halls from the courtyard, walking side-by-side and being adored by peers.
James walked in the center, his shirt was untucked from his dress pants, his tie was loosened and the top two buttons on his shirt were unhooked. His robe flowed behind him and his ran his hand through his messy dark hair letting girls catch his eye as he smirked. He loved watching them shimmy away and blush.
Peter was at the left of James and was strutting to keep up with him. He looked proper with everything tucked, his hair slicked back and his robe laced. He wasn't able to catch the eyes of the beautiful witches who stared at his other three friends. He stumbled along and admired the decorations instead, trying to think about anything else but getting a date to the costume party.
Sirius looked just as proud from James's right and has his shirt tucked in, but his robe undone. His hair was sleek and rested on his shoulders, his hair slightly covering his hazel eyes. He smirked at the young females who were batting their eyelashes at him.
Remus, as usual, was walking along reading a book and keeping his eyes down with one hand in his pants pocket. People would usually step out of the way but admire how persistent and observant Remus was. He was on the right of Sirius and his light brown hair was in a loose ponytail, for he hadn't cut his hair for awhile and would do so after the next full moon. His bangs were in his bright blue eyes but they were brushed to the side. Three faded scars were shown on the left of his face doing diagonally. Sirius had one on his forearm from their previous full moon night. Remus wore his usual his grey sweater vest over his white dress shirt with his robe undone and his tie tucked into his sweater. He wore the uniform, like his friends, of black pants and shoes. As he walked, he would occasionally bump arms with Sirius, not purposely but he wasn't always aware of where he was walking. Females would stare at him and whisper about how mysterious he was. He was quite brilliant and he'd skipped a grade so he was younger than the rest of the Marauders. So peers wondered how they became such close friends and also questioned their nicknames for each other.
"Oi, Moony," James called. Remus grunted in response. "Beautiful girls want your attention and you have your nose stuck in a book about Magical Herbs?" Remus sighed and looked up to see James and Sirius smirking at him. Remus smiled and then tucked the book away and pulled out another.
"There," he said pointing to the cover. Magical Night Sky, by: D.V. Reliance.
"It's definitely more fitting," Sirius joked and earned a high-five from James.
"Laugh about it," Remus growled and opened up to the folded page and carried on with his reading.
"These decorations are quite something," Peter commented and gazed at the walls lined with pumpkins. James and Sirius gave him a strange look, but he hadn't seemed to notice.
"Are they," Sirius asked with mock-appreciation, "you have quite the eye, Wormtail. The same decorations every year for the past six years always get better and better." Sirius and James snickered together and then James looked up to see Lily walking with Severus, who was in deep conversation. As they passed, James purposely stuck out his leg and tripped the black haired Slytherin. He fell face first and the people in the hall, who had witnessed this, all began to laugh. Lily knelt down and immediately helped him pick up his things.
"Are you alright, Sev?"
"Oh," James chimed, "Snivellus can't handle a couple of boo-boos?"
"Grow up," Lily seethed and grasped Severus by the elbow and helped him up. Remus had closed his book and was now watching this all unfold. Sirius was smirking by his side and Peter was now watching James and Severus. "Come on, let's go," she said to Severus, "just leave us alone," Lily called back to James.
"Then go out with me and I'll leave little Snivelly alone."
"Forget it," she hissed.
"Come on," James said and walked forward, towering over both Severus and Lily, who were nearly the same heights.
"No," she said sternly and began to pull Severus with her.
"Why not," James asked and reached for her shoulder, but Remus grabbed his and pulled him back. Lily turned back and looked at Remus and gave him a small and empathetic smile before she and Severus left the hall and went out into the courtyard. "That prick," James commented about Severus and ripped his shoulder away from Remus and stormed down the hall with Peter trailing after him.
"What d'you think," Sirius asked Remus as the crowd began to lessen while people moved onto their next classes.
"I think that James needs to give her a break. I have to go to class," he said and headed toward his Ancient Runes class. Sirius watched him leave and then was sidled up next to a blonde witch who began to flirt with him. He didn't notice her until Remus was out of sight, but not out of mind.
-MARAUDERS-
"I can't understand the appeal to them," Lily stated as she turned to her seat mate. They were supposed to be reading about and explaining to each other different runes and what their significance was. Lily chose one that had honored wolves and Remus was looking up one in Russia. "They do whatever they want!" she was scribbling on parchment about the runes while she was talking to Remus about how much she hated James. "Remus," she finally looked up, "you are one of my best friends, but I don't think being with those boys are very smart. And they aren't very smart." She was angry again, "they treat Sev like he's dirt-"
"He's not all kind to us either, you know."
"I know, but he'd different and not popular and not a trouble maker. He means a lot to me and I wish that they could understand that. There are four of you and then one of him, don't you think the numbers show that he is powerless compared to you four?"
"I'm not the one who causes problems," Remus told and Lily sighed in agreement and pushed a strand of fiery red hair from her face.
"I wish they were more like you."
"They aren't that bad, Lily, James really does like you, and you are all he ever talks about when he refers to girls."
"What about Dorothy Daly," she asked.
"He'd only go with her to the costume party if you said no."
"Well, I hope he has fun with her because I'm going with Sev. If you wouldn't mind passing that on, it'd be much appreciated." He sighed.
"Sure, of course, Lily," she looked up and then brushed a few strand of light brown hair from his face.
"You really do need a haircut, Rem."
"I know," he chuckled, and she looked admiringly at him, "what?"
"I just really appreciate all that you do, I hope you know that. You are such an inspiration and strong man. You really do hang out with the wrong crowd. You should try and talk with Benny Rice and Ross Perkins from Ravenclaw; they are very much like you."
"You really want me without that group, don't you?"
"They are a bad influence on you, Rem. I get nervous for you sometimes."
"They help me through…" he noticed some eyes on them as if they wanted to know the secret of Remus J. Lupin, "…my problem." The female Ravenclaw that had been trying to listen shied back with a sigh and returned to her reading.
"I know," Lily said, "but give these two a chance, I'm sure that you'd like them. Or hang out with Sev and me sometime. I know you'd have a good time and I'd love to have you and I'm sure Sev would as well."
"I'll think about it, alright, Lil?"
"Yeah, of course," she said and then turned back to her book. The full moon would be early November and he really wanted his hair cut.
-MARAUDERS-
After class, since it was their final class. James and Sirius had Quidditch and Peter was off to the library to meet up with some Hufflepuffs' to talk about homework. Lily had invited him on a walk with Sev and her. So, not to be rude, Remus agreed but brought his book to keep himself occupied.
He and Lily walked up to their dormitory and grabbed warmer clothing items. Lily dressed in a wool cap, her Gryffindor scarf and some gloves that were missing the fingers. She tightened her robe even though it probably still wouldn't help her legs because she was wearing a skirt. Remus just grabbed his scarf and they met Severus in the courtyard and passed other mingling students who were out on the grounds chatting with each other or reading or doing homework.
Lily walked in the middle, content with being with her two favorite people. Remus continued his Magical Night Sky book and Severus and Lily chatted about potions and other things of interest. Severus didn't know about his Werewolf problem, nor did he care at the moment.
"…So the full moon is on November 4th, it should be quite beautiful. They said that the sky would be so clear you'd be able to see the different planets." It was a very thoughtful comment from Severus and Lupin looked up into the sky and tried to picture another beautiful night with a full moon. "I was just saying," Severus began implying to Remus, "I just noticed your book; I'm quite interested in that sort of thing as well.
"You don't say," Remus said, Severus knew that he meant a lot to Lily so he was just trying to be polite. "Then I'm sure you all about the legends of Werewolves."
"Oh yes, I've read about them, quite interesting creatures. But I hear the Ministry isn't too fond of them."
"Not surprising," Remus snorted and then looked back at his book.
"Isn't that where you wanted to end up? At the Ministry, Remus?"
"Heaven's no," he said, "I couldn't imagine myself there." Severus nodded and continued.
"But in all honestly," the Slytherin said, "those victims of Werewolves like Fenrir Greyback never chose to be a Werewolf. I've heard stories about them, attacking children. But I'm sure those are legends."
"Well put," Remus smirked and then indulged himself back into his book. They continued walking until they were near the Quidditch field and Remus hardly realized it himself until they hit the staircase to the stands. Students would commonly watch practices; Remus usually did when he had nothing else to do. Much to Severus's disinterest, Lily managed to drag him into the stand and park herself in the third row as she and Severus chatted lightly about different creatures while Remus continued to read. Lily was slightly struck at watching James and the rest fly about the sky.
Remus turned the page and noticed that their talking had stopped and he heard Severus scowl. Remus looked up to see Sirius nose-to-nose with him and Remus was slightly shocked and moved back. James was on his side and was chatting with Lily and ignoring Severus.
"…If you didn't want to talk to me, then why did you come?" James asked in her persistent and pompous way.
"What are you doing with these two," Sirius asked hovering on his broomstick and watching Remus's expressions change from slightly shocked to normal calm.
"They wanted to me go on a walk with them," he shrugged, "no big deal."
"Big deal," Sirius shouted flailing his arms and punching James in the arm and shocking Lily who jumped in fright. "Sorry…big deal," he said again and then looked back at Remus who was looking back at his book. "They are bad influences on you."
"Funny," Lily piped, "I said the same thing to him about you two."
"Watch it, Evans," Sirius said.
"No, you!" she stood up causing James to fly back a bit and look at her while Severus mimicked her movements and stood up as well. "You two are nothing but trouble and Remus is a good boy who is brilliant and deserves better. I care about him and don't want to see him get hurt." Sirius looked angry and James looked shocked. The marauder with long black hair descended off his broom.
"And you don't think we care for him? Is that it? We help him with his situation and what do you do? Oh yeah, sit around and tell him we don't care about him."
"Easy, Padfoot," James said accidently deepening the point by using he nicknames they created for each other during their transformations.
"No," by this time Remus was blushing. Severus was looking confused. "She has no right to say that to us. He's our best friend!"
"Then why don't you treat him like it," she stepped forward, her hair waving in the wind made her look even more angry. "All you care about is your looks and when that day does come you care for him but then you don't!"
"You must be joking!"
"Do you really ever hold a conversation with Remus? Or do you make fun of his interest of reading? Because I think he's brilliant and great for who he is. There are parts to him that you probably don't know. Like his interest in The Dark Arts and how much he dislikes the Ministry." Sirius was at a loss for words and Remus was looking down. James was watching Lily with interest and looked at Remus every so often. "Don't tell me that I don't care for him either!" She gripped Remus's hand who looked up at her and then at his friends. Sirius didn't make any eye contact but then swished back onto his broom and went back on the field without a final word.
"I'll see you later, alright Moony?"
"Alright," Remus said his cheeks still on fire. He then disappeared from the stands and back after Sirius, who wasn't very happy.
Severus led them out of the stands and Lily and Remus followed. Lily was still holding his hand and wouldn't stop apologizing.
"I'm so sorry," she said for the tenth time, "I just feel like they ignore you!"
"They really don't, Lil, they do care for me."
"I know, I just went over the top, I suppose. I mean I was there before they took interest in you. You were then able to trust them and became friends. But I sometimes feel that I lose you when you're with them."
"You can't lose me," Remus smiled, "not even if you tried." She smiled back.
"How about some dinner," she offered and they walked back, chatting about the cons of the Ministry and The Dark Arts.
- MARAUDERS-
The Marauders' convened in the dining area as Severus left for his Slytherin table and Lily went a little ways down to meet up with some of her girlfriends. She squeezed his hand and kissed his cheek before departing with a bye. Remus joined Peter at the table. He looked up with a smile.
"How was studying," Remus asked him.
"Oh, you know, very normal," Remus nodded, "I heard about the fight over you. Sirius vs. Lily."
"Really?"
"Yeah, news travels fast, a younger Gryffindor decided to inform me," he smiled, "she said she saw the whole thing. What happened?"
"Honestly," he said, "I don't really know. They were just really on about who cared for me the most." Peter nodded and then looked up to see James approaching Moony's side and Sirius lagging behind going to sit next to Peter.
"Hey," James said and patted Remus on the back. "How was studying."
"You know," Peter began, "alright."
"Yeah? Well, you missed an eventful time!"
"Yeah, Moony was just updating me." James laughed.
"Yeah, Evans went full out on Padfoot!" Sirius scowled and sulked all the way into his spot next to Peter. "Pete, you should've seen these two going at it!"
"Blimey, it sounds worse than I heard!"
"It was pretty bad!"
"Can we stop talking about this;" Sirius piped up, "by now the whole school is probably presuming it's a love triangle with me and Evans after Moony."
"Probably keep your voice down," James offered, "people will twist your words and say that they heard you admit it was a love triangle between you, Evans and Moony." Remus shook his head and already saw whispers.
"Oh, Merlin," Remus sighed, "I think some heard you."
"Better than what I've been hearing. Some people have said that Lily and I are going to have a full out battle and who's ever left standing cares for you more."
"Where do people hear these stories," James laughed taking this all as a joke.
"It's not funny, Prongs," Sirius scowled, "this is serious and it has to stop."
"Seriously, Sirius," James chuckled and Sirius rolled his eyes, "just stop worrying, it'll blow over."
"I won't talk to her."
"I'm sure she'll do the same," Pete chimed and looked over in Lily's direction and she was telling them, very spiritedly, about her encounter with the fowl Marauders corrupting poor Remus. Food arrived very shortly and the boys ate as much as they could before resigning to the Common Room for the night. They changed into their sleepwear which was really just sweats or cotton plaid pants and James with a tank top, Peter with long sleeves and Remus with a light green t-shirt and Sirius with a grey one.
Moony sat on the windowsill and looked out at the waxing moon. James was sitting on Remus's bed with Peter and Sirius was on his. They were occupying the two center beds while James's was furthest from the door and Peter's was the closest.
James sat and talked with Peter about Quidditch and they then excused themselves because both Sirius and Remus were being quiet and not speaking. They decided to let them be so they could work this out.
Once the door closed, Sirius tried to figure out what he was going to see to his friend. It was two days until the dance and he had been asked out by so many girls, but that wasn't the point. He looked over at his friend who was still staring out the window. His bare feet were pressed against the wall opposite from where he was sitting and his arms were around his knees.
"You do need a haircut," Sirius said and Remus looked up to see his friend standing next to him.
"I know…"
"I'm sorry," the hazel eyed boy said, "I didn't like her one upping me." Remus nodded and looked back at the night sky. "You mean a lot to me," he said, "and you have more in common with her. You are both smart and can talk about that type of stuff. You have great families and we don't have all that in common." He sank back down onto his bed. "I was just…" Remus looked over to where he was sitting on his bed. "I was just jealous."
"Jealous?"
"You get to spend so much time with her; you have smart classes with her. She does care for you, but I really do to."
"Sirius…"
"I know," he ranted, "I'm overreacting, I know, I just want you to understand that I really don't care for you."
"What are you saying?" Sirius blushed and got back up.
"You've always been interesting to me and I want to get to know you better," he sighed and leaned closer. "If you don't accept me, please just…just don't ignore me." Sirius closed the remaining space and Remus was absolutely shocked. Sirius then stepped back when there wasn't a response and stepped back, "I'm sorry…I-" Remus got up and walked over to him, looking him in the eye and before he could take another step Sirius closed them again, their bodies were flush together as Sirius wrapped his arms around the shorter boy and the werewolf wrapped his arms around his fellow protector. He pressed back just as firmly and Sirius smirked into the kiss and then they fell down onto Sirius's bed and continued. "I want to understand you, Rem. That's all I've ever wanted."
"Then understand me," Remus smiled and kissed him again. "It's not very hard."
"Of course it's not," Sirius said sarcastically and kissed him right back. "I love you, as a friend and whatever we want to call this." He smiled cheekily and Remus rolled his eyes. "And I love you just the way you are," his hands snaked up his friend's shirt to where the discolored skin was and all of the scars as well.
"I love you in every way," Remus said smally against Sirius's lips.
"You're all I've ever wanted," he said and kissed Remus's neck and began to suck on the skin and right then the door burst open and James, Peter and Lily, in her night gown, all stood there.
"See," James said without really looking, "they are making up right now!"
"They are…doing something," Peter commented and James looked at them, frozen on Padfoot's bed.
"I told you," Lily shouted, "you are corrupting poor Remus!" she was slightly horrified. "You call that making up?"
"I call it making-out," Sirius joked and then slowly got off of his embarrassed friend.
"Does that mean that you two…?" James asking gesturing to both of them, "together?" he asked choosing his words carefully.
"I think," Sirius said, latching his fingers through the other boy's, "I think it does." Remus put on an embarrassed smile and then laughed at how weird this situation had gotten.
"I'd like to know how this happened," James demanded as the three entered the room.
"We were just talking," Remus shrugged, "and it kind of happened."
"Have you felt this for long, Rem?" Lily asked as she sat next to him on his bed.
"I guess, when I made that connection with the three of them, I sorta came onto Padfoot and thought I liked him best."
"Thanks," James fake-pouted, "I am just as easily offended and available as this mutt," he poked Sirius's side and they all erupted in laughter.
"It never really mattered about gender," Remus continued, "I never really cared. He was my first crush, you see."
"Aww," Sirius chuckled, "for me: after a few Werewolf events I realized that he wasn't so different from me and he really grew to me. I started thinking about him more and trying to understand him better. I just, I don't know, I really was just fond of his style and personality and how well he deals with everything." James, Lily and Peter all smiled for them, they were happy that their friends were happy and found love in each other.
"Well I should get to bed," Lily told the boys, she got up and kissed Remus's forehead and James leaned forward to get one as well. She smiled, warming up to him and kissed his as well. "I'd love to go to winter formal with you; Sev and I are going to the costume party together."
"I can live with that," he smiled and she blushed and left. Peter walked over to his bed and said goodnight and then closed his curtains. James yawned contently and did the same, squeezing both of their shoulders and complimenting on their successful relationship. When James was tucked away in bed, Sirius shut his curtains but hopped into Remus's bed and snuggled up next to him, and they fell asleep after a few goodnight kisses.
-MARAUDERS-
Years later, Remus was sitting at home when he was informed that James and Lily Potter were dead, he was at the house in a split second. Severus Snape was standing next to Dumbledore and Remus joined them.
"What happened," he asked Snape whose eyes spilled tears.
"Sirius," he sobbed, "Sirius sold out James and Lily and then killed Peter Pettigrew." Remus stumbled backwards.
"What? No! Sirius wouldn't do that!" Remus defended, "he loved those three, and he would never betray them!" Remus looked at Dumbledore for support but Dumbledore shook his head. "He was Harry's Godfather!" he was staring at the child who was looking at their faces and was swindled. Hagrid arrived shortly after. He was crying about the loss. "He was Harry's Godfather," he repeated quietly and looked at the scar and the bright green eyes and dark head of hair. He looked just like them. "Peter's dead, then?" he looked at Dumbledore who nodded. "Could I…hold him?"
"Of course, you are probably the only person who cares for him just as much as they did. His new family will certainly not want this wizard child growing up with them. Now if you'd excuse me. Hagrid, you know what to do." Dumbledore Apparated and left the three grown men standing there.
"He has Lily's eyes," Snape said lightly and then excused himself while Hagrid went to go fix his bike to make sure it is safe for the Boy-Who-Lived to be delivered to his next family.
"Harry Potter," Remus said lightly, "I'll try to take care of you and watch over you as much as I can, we will meet again, and when we do, you're Godfather will be no longer." He felt no love for him anymore. They parted after Hogwarts and still had been close friends until this incident, of course. He knew that the Death Eaters would take care of Black in Azkaban because that's all he deserved. He smoothed out the baby's hair and then Hagrid came back. "So long for now, Harry Potter. Hagrid," he nodded and then took off down the street. He was the only trustworthy Marauder left in the world. Moony. He looked up into the sky. The moon was waxing on the night Lily, James and Peter had been killed and the night when Sirius had betrayed them. He walked into the evening and never looked back.
-HP-
A/N: I've read the series and I thought the third book was just delightful and cute, I know that Sirius is a great guy and Remus knows that come the third book. I am in love with the Marauders excluding Peter Pettigrew. Lily and James are so cute and the whole ordeal about Severus and Lily is just the saddest thing! HP 7 p.2 was such a fantastic and sad movie! Long Live Harry Potter! (: Comments are welcome
