I know, I know. It took me forever. I'm very ashamed and I will make it up to you.
Promise!

'I..I'.' Remus stuttered. How was he going to save himself from this trouble?
'Are you a friend of his?' The man asked, nodding towards the cell. 'How did you get in the castle?'
This was not the kind of man that would les Remus get off without a fuzz.
Remus, however, was so startled and confused that all that remained of his brain had left the building as well.
He had no idea what to say. If there was a God, he clearly had had it with Remus' recklessness. And he had every right to be.
Remus wasn't exactly impressed with himself either, right now. To say the least.

'What is your name, boy!' The man's grip tightened around his arm and woke Remus from his frustrated train of thoughts.
'Neil!' Remus squeaked, thanking former mentioned God that at least he had been capable of remembering that much.
He glanced over his shoulder, fearing Sirius would be staring through the bars of his cell, witnessing everything.
There was nothing but darkness. Remus wasn't sure whether he was glad Sirius wasn't there or a little more heartbroken to not see a face longing to save him.

'I think I've seen you around.' The man huffed and Remus froze. When? How?
'Either way, you should know it's not allowed to snoop around the castle. That's a whipping.'
'What?!'
The man turned and bowed towards Remus (which was impressive seeing the man wasn't that tall) until their noses almost touch.
'Don't play fool with me, boy. Servants, common ground servants, are not allowed to sneak around at night.
Especially not in the dungeons, visiting dangerous murderers and traitors! So unless you prefer I inform the duke, that'll be a whipping!'
'No!' Remus struggled with all his might. It was hardly any use. The short, old man was so much stronger.
His fingers dug in the boy's arm and Remus could feel a prickling feeling in his neck. Oh no.
There was no use fighting in. He was starting to get familiar with this feeling and his hunch got fact when he felt his knees give in.

'You don't really think I'm letting you go, do you?' He grinned, revealing fowl teeth and stroking rough fingers against the soft cheeks..
'You are such a cute little playt hing.' A dirty hand closed around the boy's throat, holding a strong grip. He struggled and tried to kick the man.
In one attempt he succeeded and hit the man hard between his legs. 'Oh,that's not very nice.' The man grunted. 'You should be punished for behaviour like that.'
He turned the boy around and pressed his chest to a large tree. With a piece of rope he tied him tight against the bark and took a step back.
The young boy was shivering and clenched his eyes shut, afraid of what pain was next to come.
There was a crackling sound in the air and the boy cried deafening when something hit his back.

'This is a little gift for your father.' Many more strokes followed until the boys hang in the ropes, nearly unconscious. H
is eyes tried to focus on a trampled tiara of hurt flowers. Gift..

'NO!' He screamed at the top of his longs before he could stop himself and his head hit the ground when he fell down.
Leaving the older man frowning beside him. It must have been quite the sight. Remus lying on the ground whilst the man was still holding his hand.
It made the man look like an overgrown boy carrying around and equally oversized ragdoll.

'What the hell..' The man mumbled, shaking the boy's arm. Without effect.

'FILCH!' A voice echoed through the dungeons, startled both the man, Filch apparently, and Remus.
The first so startled he let go of the latter. Causing the latter to ungraciously slam to the floor with the remaining limbs that hadn't done that yet.
It left him looking at an upside-down dungeon in which the owner of the voice came stomping towards them.
'Neil. What a coincidence. I was just looking for you.' A boy with black hair and glasses now stood before him, staring down at the pile of limbs on the cold, stone floor.
'Got lost in the castle, mate? You'll get used to that.'
James. An unruly haired, godsent gift. With a smile that perfectly covered up whatever it was he was thinking,
he wrapped his fingers around Remus' wrist and with one firm pull, he pulled him back to his feet.

'You know this kid?' The gardener huffed, still a bit taken aback by the extreme response the boy had given him.
He had disciplined many servants over the year and none of them had gone this freaked out over it. Something was amiss.
'Of course I do.' James answered, leaning on a walking stick. It made him look sophisticated. And old. ' It's my cousin, Neil Potter.'
'And what exactly is this Neil Potter doing in the castle?'
'What do you think?' James spoke again, less patience in his voice this time. He did not appreciate that the gardener took his answers in doubt.
No matter how right he was. 'I can't do all mine, Peter's and Sirius' chores altogether now, can I. So I asked Neil to help me out with some of the basic stuff.'
What a savior.
'He's skinny.' The gardener complained. Remus felt a sting of insult. He was not that skinny.
'I´m skinny. Or did you just miss how impressively I lifted this gut from the ground? Now, if you don't mind, we've spilled enough time with this clog head getting lost.'
He patted Remus on the head.

The first minutes of walking hallways were painful. Remus was ashamed and James not unnoticeably annoyed. It was him who broke the silence.

'Could we stop this, please? I'm growing tired of bumping into you when I least expect it.'
'I'm sorry.' Remus muttered and he wondered whether he had ever meant another excuse more.
'He wanted to whip me.' His lips ghosted.
'He's a foolish old man.' James groaned.

Remus was quiet for a while.
'Do you think I deserved it?'
'Well. He never would've done it had he known who you were. And you've probably suffered enough. But frankly.
Had you been a servant and all of this had happened, you'd seriously deserve it for your stupidity.'
There was a hint of laughter in James' voice, but there was a hint of truth and sincerity as well.
'Dressing up in your own quarters, alright. But walking straight towards Sirius with all the rumors around, not very clever.'

'I wish he had whipped me.' Remus growled. 'I could use someone beating some common sense into my head again.
You know, once I considered myself a stable, ingenious and intelligent man. Lately I'm not so sure.'
'Love's got your brains in a twist, apparently.'
'Love can pack its bags.' Remus mumbled as they finally reached his room. ' I'm through with it. We said our goodbyes and though it wasn't as perfect as I hoped it would be, it's done. I'd like my brain back now.' He slammed the door closed behind him.

He started pulling of his vest while James picked him clean (fancier) clothes.
The bath had been prepared before James realized Remus had gone missing once more but the water was still warm enough for Remus to enjoy.
He washed off the smell of the dirty clothes. Because by now they really had gone incredibly dirty and smelly.
That drop on the dungeon floor hadn't improved that.

He practically felt newborn when he buttoned up his silk vest and quickly brushed his still wet hair.
Looking in the mirror he stared at the face that had so recently found and lost love. It had changed. Matured.
He was no longer just a young duke. His eyes were grave.
There were thin stressed lines around his mouth and he was sure he could see his first grey hair shimmering in the sunlight.
He had changed. He really had.

Was this the moment of a new start? Was this the first realization of his life without love?
Was this man in the mirror what he would have to stare at for the rest of his life?
Dressed in the finest clothes and best shoes, smelling of whatever fancy stuff James decided to throw in his tub that day.
But with eyes that felt sorrow, regret and loss. He sighed deeply when he adjusted his well fitted sleeves.

A knock in the door made him abandon the mirror and stare at James in surprise. The surprise grew when the door opened and someone made his way in.
Or her way, actually. Both of them sighed in relieve when the slim figure of Lily walked in but their relieve quickly faltered when they saw the frown on her pretty face.
She handed James a small roll of parchment. It was sealed with a fancy red dot. Though it hadn't been opened yet, Lily's face betrayed she knew what was in it.
She, however, refused to look at Remus and left when the piece of paper was safe in James' hands.

Both boys, or was it men by now, stared at each other. They could feel it. The tension.
As if the piece of paper held a magic spell that could either safe them or kill them.
'Open it.' Remus whispered.
'Don't you want to..?' James started, reaching his hand out to Remus but the latter shook his hand.
'No. You read it first.' For he was quite sure he couldn't take more bad news. He'd ad least need something to ease it in for him.

With shaking hands James broken the seal and his eyes quickly took in all the words.
When he reached the end of the letters he let out a shaky sigh and closed his eyes.
'What does it say?' Remus' voice was hardly more than a sigh, afraid that whatever was in that letter would break the remaining few shards of heart he had still left.
But when James looked up with a hint of hope in his eyes, he could feel a heat rise up in his stomach.
'What does it say.' Remus repeated, louder this time.
James broke out in nervous laughter.

'Peter has been found.' He sighed. 'Peter has been found and he confessed everything.'

There we go! Just two more chapters to go and this'll be over!
Does anyone have an idea how to put the diary online? 'Cause I still haven't got a clue!

Reviews are very welcome. If I still deserve them with my horrible delays..