Chapter 21
Dear Remus,
I am so happy to hear that your parents are allowing you to go back to Hogwarts. I still can't believe that originally they weren't going to let you go just because of a few pranks. Anyway, since you live in London now like the rest of us, would you like to come to a sleepover? It would be on the 5th, the night before the Hogwarts Express leaves. My dad said he could drive us to the platform. Sirius is coming for sure, and I'm pretty sure Peter is too.
Best regards,
James
Remus smiled and asked permission from his mum and dad who were sitting in the tiny apartment living room. The drywall was chipped up, it was always cold, and the neighbors' large rottweiler never stopped barking, but it was home. His parents agreed to let Remus attend as they would both be busy that Friday anyway with work - his mother picked up another car saleswoman job. Remus wrote back to James, excitedly accepting his invitation.
On that Friday, Remus took the tube to the nicer part of London with his luggage for Hogwarts. Moonlight calmly slept in her kennel as he walked to a fancy suburb with huge houses and rows of very nice town houses. Finally he arrived at James's house and it was one of the biggest. Remus looked in awe at the clean white siding and the huge garden surrounding the house. He pushed his cart and knocked on the chestnut front door. A tall average sized man answered. He had a strong chin, round glasses, and messy black hair. He looked exactly as James would look in thirty years. He smiled and looked down at Remus.
"Hello, you must be Remus. I'm Fleamont Potter." He held out a hand to give a friendly handshake. Remus shook his hand.
"Yes, sir. I'm Remus Lupin."
"Enough with the sir nonsence. Please call me Fleamont." Fleamont instructed and Remus nodded shyly. Then a beautiful redheaded woman turned the corner. "Hello, Euphemia. This is Remus Lupin.
"Hello dear. Fleamont, stop scaring the boy and let him in." She teased. Fleamont took his luggage and Euphemia guided Remus through the long halls to the billiard room where Sirius and James were playing pool.
"Remus!" Sirius screamed. Mrs. Potter said goodbye and left.
"Hi guys." Remus smiled.
"I'm so happy you could come! Peter is on his way, he should be here by lunch." James explained. He lined up a shot and managed to get 5 balls to go into the socket in one shot.
"You cheated!" Sirius screamed.
"Yeah." James smirked as he held up his wand from under the table.
"I'm going to shove that wand up your nose!" Sirius yelled, he lunged at James.
"You better run, James." Remus said jokingly, but James was too slow and was soon pinned to the floor by Sirius. Remus laughed and played along and counted the pin.
"Mercy, mercy!" James screamed through his crumpled up body. Sirius released. James caught his breath and lied on the floor. And Peter came through the door with Mrs. Potter.
"Hey, Pete!" Sirius and Remus said together.
"Hey lads. James you alright?" Peter asked.
"Just dandy. Hey I'd almost forgotten, I bought souvenirs from America!" James said as he jumped to his feet. The boys ran to his enormous bedroom that was decorated in red and gold. James opened a suitcase and pulled out different candy bars and sodas.
"I bought candy bars called a Tootsie Roll, Fun Dip, and Good and Plenty, and a soda called Coca Cola." James explained. The boys tried each one and were overwhelmed with sugary deliciousness.
"What did you do in America?" Remus asked. He had never been outside of England before.
"We visited the wizard museum for the Salem Witch Trials, took a tour of the Magical Congress of the United States of America, and viewed American muggles in New York." James explained.
"Cool!" Peter said.
"Yeah, do you guys want to play a quick game of quidditch in the garden?"
"I hardly see how that's fair for Peter and I." Remus pointed out.
"We'll both take one of you on our own team, you can be keepers, just as long as I get Remus." James said.
"Fine." Sirius mumbled, trying not to show his disappointment to Peter. James grabbed four brooms from his closet and they headed outside.
"Won't people see us?" Peter asked.
"Not at all. My house is invisible to any muggle. And the wizards around here don't mind. My dad and I play all the time." James stated.
Remus flew in front of a ring that James had set up. He watched as Peter did the same on the other side of the garden. He still didn't get the hang of flying yet, though he had lessons every Friday at Hogwarts. James and Sirius met in the middle and Fleamont released the quaffle from the ground. James caught it and moved tword Peter's goal, but Sirius grabbed it and quickly proceeded tword Remus. He threw it and Remus was able to block it.
"Nice one, Remus!" James said as he grabbed the ball and flew to Peter and threw it hard. Peter flew away in fear and the ball easily made it through the ring. Sirius rolled his eyes and the game continued. After 15 minutes of James and Remus leading SIrius and Peter by a lot, they decided to call it. The boys had burgers that Fleamont cooked on the grill, a taste the Potters fancied in America, and stayed up late watching movies and playing video games.
The next morning, the boys went on the Hogwarts Express and slept the entire ride because they were so exhausted. When they arrived at Hogwarts, Remus caught up with Severus and Lily. He found out that Severus gave Lily a locket that a moving picture of her and Severus laughing together and she wouldn't stop touching it in amazement. James saw this and he looked very jealous. Remus thanked his friends for the awesome gifts and friendly letters when he thought he wasn't coming back. He was thankful that he had the opportunity to go back to his favorite place in the world.