Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. If I did, my name would be J.K. Rowlings, which it isn't. pouts
Morning in Gryffindor common room, on that gray January morning, was quite. A little too quiet. Many knew why this was though- and it was that boys of the second year's dorm were not within the area enclosed behind the portrait of the Fat Lady. Indeed, none of the boys had been seen that morning, and one had not been seen since two nights ago-but they knew he was visiting his Aunt in London who'd come down with the Dragonpox only a few days ago.
The silence wasn't for long though.
"Morningstar!" Came a cracking, slightly hoarse voice from outside the common room's main entrance. As the portrait swung open, a boy dashed inside. At first glance, it could be seen that it was Remus-who must have returned that morning from London. Many of the students looked up momentarily, before turning back to the numerous games of Wizard's chess and the random scribbling of last minute homework assignments.
Something must have gone wrong, though. Tears had left red welts around his eyes and down the sides of a haggard face, and were still running unabated.
"Come back here, Remus!" Came the chorus of three different male voices, as Remus's regular companions; Sirius, Peter, and James, stormed after them in a hurry. Remus didn't stop, but swallow a sob, and ran as fast as he could while stumbling up the flight of stairs to the boys dorms.
Huffing (primarily from Peter, most likely) was heard, as three different set of footfalls followed the fourths up the stairs. The people in the common room simply went on, unawares of what was taking place floors above them at this very moment.
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"Come on, Remus...Whater you doing?" James asked over his shoulder. Remus was currently trying to see what he was picking up through the tears that still welled in salty, sore eyes, and didn't answer.
"Remus..." Peter began cautiously.
"I'm PACKING! " He cried, not turning to look at either of the three, and flinging a pair of runner unto his trunk with such force that they merely bounced off and back down onto the floor.
Sirius, nonchalantly, picked them up and placed them ontop of Remus's unslept in bed.
"Have to admit, mate, you got a good arm even when it's all bandaged up like that." He tried, joking dryly.
"Why are you packing Remus...come on."
"Just...Just...shut up!" Remus stumbled, stopping the haphazard throwing of items, most of which never got into his trunk anyways', and straightened up, rubbing a freshly bandaged arm, and wincing slightly as he stood with his back to his friends...or rather, his former friends. "You know very well why I'm packing."
"No... We... Don't." James said evenly, Remus heard the creak of floorboard, as if James had moved towards him hesitantly.
"Bull." He replied in a hoarse whisper...screaming that morning was not helping his throat, and he knew he had nothing left to scream, nor would he be able to for a good while, now. "Bull...you know why I'm packing. All of you do. Who in their right mind would want their sons sleeping in the same room as a monster."
It seemed that all three stopped breathing. Remus cringed, he knew he'd struck the cord dead on.
" So I'm doing what I should do...what you want me to do...what your parents will want." He said as evenly as James had, but with an edge of coolness that had been missing in his voice. " I'm packing, and then I'm going to tell Professor Dumbledore that I'm no longer going to attend Hogwarts. I'm going home, and this way everyone will be satisfied." Tears that had stopped only moments before could be felt starting again. "This way, everyone will be safe."
He stiffly bent back down again, dully plucking up the torn trainers Sirius had retrieved and placed atop his duvet. But he didn't place it away. Instead, he snaked and arm around his knees, and crouched with them hugged to his chest. With his free hand, he desperately tried to clear his face. He'd face the Headmaster with no evidence of tears, he was determined.
It was almost like a touch of a bird...but it was three of them at once. He could see on his shoulder, the hands of his dormmates gripping him there.
"We won't let you." Peter replied, somewhat squeakily, though he evidently had though to sound like James had before, calm and cool, in control. Remus couldn't believe this...he knew that they didn't this. They knew what he was, and how could anybody want someone like him to be anywheres near them. All three of them had to be lying, and despite the bruises and cuts that still made his body tender and sore, the thought of this, what obviously had to be a charade from the people he had considered as friends, hurt more than anything he'd ever experienced, and that was saying something.
"Peter's right, we won't. " James seemed to ad, and one of those 'birds' seemed to grip him harder.
" And you know what we do to stop people, Remus." Even now, Sirius could keep a snicker from his voice. " After all, you were with us when Alex Heaterington tried to slide past us after he knicked your good quill last year. He hasn't been walking the same since, has he, James?"
" Waddles like a duck everywhere he goes." His friend replied proudly.
" And why won't you let, me, eh?" Remus asked, not turning to look at either of them, his voice shaking a bit and hardly above a whisper.
" Holy shit! We thought you were smarter than this, Remus!" Sirius groaned, James echoing with a tsk. " Are we going to have to draw you a picture."
" Let's not go there." Peter added. " I've seen what you call an 'artistic representation' of the rest of your family you did for Christmas last year."
Even Remus, dispite the situation, snorted. " I though that was a herd of warthogs."
"That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said." Sirius' own voice seemed to take on a teary waver, sobering up rather quickly, however, when Remus relowered his head to look at the floorboards.
"Honestly, mate. We're not going to let you go down and get the head to chuck you out. So you either smarten up, or you spend the next six months curled up in the fetal position by the fire. Doesn't bother us one titch."
"Nope."
"Not one."
Remus looked up at the three eerily stony faces. " What about a dorm transfer, then?"
" You hurt us, mate!" James crowed, clutching his heart and falling back on the bed. " Come of all this. We're fine with it."
"Utterly satisfied."
"Yeah, it's great. I've always wanted a dog...and...well..."
" Wrong thing to say Peter."
"Sorry."
But Remus' snorting laughter was back, and although his face still resembled that of a women dumped and beaten up on by her boyfriend, he even managed a small little smile.
His friends, he supposed, would always surprise him.
Author's Note: Okay, I know this concept has been done to death, revived, and killed again many times over. But, seeing as I wanted to post something, and I happened to have this old roleplaying example lying around, I though I'd give it a go. So: If you like it, review. If you'd like to see a companion to this or need a bit more explanation, review. If you absolutely hate it and want to see it burned in boiling acid, review. See where the pattern is?
Okay, so don't HAVE to review. But it'd be nice. If you don't have time, though, feel free to boil it in acid yourself and save time by eliminating the middle man. I just reccomend you print a copy to burn: it's a bitch to get out of computer monotors. And always wear goggles when using liquid which eats through your skin: it may sting a bit if you don't.