Remus
"Hi, I'm Remus Lupin. They're my insane friends Sirius Black, James Potter and Peter Pettigrew, and our not quite as insane friend Lily Evans."
I shuffle my coat and book across the seat to give the new arrival room to sit down.
Sirius has stopped talking and is giving Michael an evil look. Looking confused, James pokes him.
"What were you saying?"
Snapping out of his daze, Sirius grins nervously.
"Um…um…what WAS I saying…I dunno…um…oh yeah, Edinburgh. You ever been to the Muggle shops in Edinburgh? Ooooh, awesome stuff. You wanna go there sometime, Prongs, it's fucking amazing! And there was this totally wicked druggie shop where you could like get flavoured papers and…"
Great. Sirius has gone into his There's-absolutely-nothing-wrong-with-me mode, which means he will be talking unmitigated bollocks for the next three hours. Not that there's a whole lot of change there. I pick up my book and start reading.
"Remus! Remuuuuusss!!!! Listen to meeeee!" Sirius tugs on my arm in an annoying way. Why am I in love with this guy again? Sighing, I fold over the corner of my page and dump the paperback on the desk.
"Sorry, Sirius, what were you saying?"
"I said…"
"Sorry Sirius, what were you saying?"
"Listen, dammit!
"Sorry Sirius, what were you saying?"
Now I know it's getting to him, it will never end. A little revenge for making me feel totally un-Remus-ish whenever he comes near.
"Hey, Lupin, you like this series?"
I turn to look at Michael, who's holding up my book and grinning. Reaching into his bag, he pulls out the sequel. Instantly my attention is entirely on him.
"Where did you get that? I didn't even know it was OUT yet!"
"Flourish and Blotts' catalogue. Don't you get it?"
"Nope, I didn't even know it existed!"
"Remus, what are you…"
"Sorry Sirius, what were you saying?"
---
We clamber off the train. It's still fairly cold, so I grip my robes tightly around me as me and the other Marauders get into the carriages to the castle.
It's only after we're all in that we realise Michael is standing forlornly on the platform. I call him over and we manage to crush him in by squeezing up along the seat until me, Sirius and Michael are practically sitting on each other. On the other side of the carriage, Lily and James are literally sitting on top of each other. I'm sure we shouldn't be crushing six people into a four-person coach, but what the hell.
Anyway, it's not like I'm complaining. I might be squished into a third of a two-person seat, but I am also pressed up against my boyfriend. I find his hand and squeeze it.
I love you, Sirius.
Meh, love you too, Remus.
He grins at me. I grin back. Michael looks slightly perplexed. James is kissing Lily.
"Get a room, you two!"
And…now Sirius is taking the piss out of James. The balance is restored. Sirius has come out of his There's-absolutely-nothing-wrong-with-me mode, which means he will continue to talk unmitigated bollocks but it will make some kind of sense and at least not worry me as much.
---
"Well, see you around, Clarke."
"See ya, Lupin, Black, Potter, Pettigrew, Evans. Thanks a lot."
We set off up the stairs to Griffindor Tower; he heads off to his own common room. Sirius visibly relaxes.
"Hey, Remus, you two got on pretty well, huh?"
I poke him, laughing.
"You're actually jealous, aren't you?"
"And if I am? Can't I be angry at the loss of my good friend's deep intellectual conversation?"
"You were free to join in whenever you wanted. You were just too busy enthusing about the proliferation of the drugs culture in Scotland, and the absolute awesomeness of North Yorkshire."
"Touché."
--------
Aaaaaaaand…we're back to the short chapters.
Look, don't blame me, ok! I'm under a lot of stress right now…do you KNOW how much homework I need to procrastinate on????
And today I had an exam (type thingy)! That's shocking…it's only the first half-term of the first year of my GCSE course. That is not long enough.
Anyhoodles…
Comments, faves etc earn my undying love, because I have no life. Also, from now on I shall attempt to reply to SOME comments!
Harry Potter and all those characters and settings and…and…and STUFF belong to JK Rowling
Michael Clarke belongs to moi!