(In light of the recent Pottermore biography of Remus, I wanted to state that as much as I tried to make this fic canon, I wrote the bulk of it before the bio was released and, as such, am continuing with my original ideas. This means that, while I will attempt to keep the major events of the story canon, the rest is simply from my imagination. Thank you for reading! Edit: SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG!)
Remus sighed.
"All right, Moony?" James asked from his seat next to Lily on the Hogwarts Express as it moved ever farther from the place that had come to feel like home.
Well, Lily was more sitting on James's lap, her legs draped over his, their hands intertwined. Sirius had already mentioned that their posture was disgusting numerous times, but Lily had just responded by kissing James, causing Sirius to roll his eyes and throw bits of his licorice wand at them.
"I can't believe we're really leaving Hogwarts. We might never come back," Remus replied, his eyes straining to see the Black Lake through the trees, but it was already out of sight.
"Don't be so dramatic, Remus," Lily told him. "You don't know that we won't come back."
"They don't exactly have reunions, do they?" James said, hooking his arm around Lily's waist.
"And who's there that we'd want to visit? Filch?" Sirius asked lazily.
Peter laughed. "I'm sure Professor McGonagall wouldn't want to see me again," he added.
"Oh, you'll see her if you join the Order," Lily said.
"Are you joining, Lily?" Remus asked, a little surprised. Of course, Lily had always been the bravest witch he'd ever known.
"Absolutely," she said.
"Despite my best efforts," James added darkly.
"It's hardly fair that you'd get to fight, do something, and I wouldn't," Lily told James, touching her nose to his.
"I just don't want anything to happen to you," he said in a thick voice. Lily smiled as James tucked a strand of her red hair behind her ear.
"I'm going to be sick," Sirius interjected.
"So am I."
The four Marauders and Lily looked toward the door at the strange new voice. None of them had realized the door of the compartment was not shut all the way, which was unfortunate for Severus Snape stood in the opening, his face looking paler and more sunken than ever.
"Eavesdrop much, Snivellus?" Sirius asked, making an effort to sound bored. Remus saw that Sirius's hand twitched toward his wand.
"I was just passing by," Snape replied. Remus thought he really did look ill, as though he hadn't gotten any sleep for days.
"It's a free country," Lily said stiffly, shifting uncomfortably on James's lap.
"For now," Snape replied, his eyes hungrily taking in Lily's face. The four young men watched tensely at the scene Snape was manufacturing simply by his presence. Snape remained in the doorway, his shoulder resting against the frame.
"What are you playing at?" Snape asked, his voice taking on a new tone of spite and venom. "You're only fooling yourselves if you think you have a chance against the Dark Lord."
"Showing your true colors, aren't you?" James replied acerbically.
"Don't think this is a declaration, Potter. Wouldn't want to get in trouble, would we?" Snape retorted, his voice more venomous than before.
"You tell your precious Voldemort that he won't win," Sirius said. Snape looked taken aback.
"You dare speak his name?" Snape asked.
"I do," Sirius replied, sitting forward.
Snape swallowed hard, but glared back at the five of them. "You should be careful," he said in a steely voice.
"Aw, don't tell me that after all this time you actually care, Snivelly?" Sirius asked sardonically.
Snape narrowed his eyes, doing his best not to look at Lily. "You're not going to get far with Quidditch and pranks. This isn't school anymore."
"Is that a threat, Snape?" James asked, his fingers reaching for the handle of his wand.
"A warning," Snape replied. Remus saw the malice in Snape's eyes as he glared at James.
"You should go," Remus said authoritatively, getting to his feet. He was a few inches taller than Snape and used that to his advantage, towering over the almost self-declared Death Eater.
"You lot think you've been so clever, these past seven years, but we'll see who's laughing. In the end."
For one moment, Snape's eyes met Lily's briefly before he turned on his heel and loafed down the hallway of the train. If the situation wasn't so serious, Remus would have thought it was almost comical the way Snape walked away. But there was nothing funny about it.
Remus turned and met Sirius's eye before glancing at Lily. Her head was bowed and she looked as though she had been decompressed. A few tears escaped down her cheeks as she looked up at Remus and for the first time since he'd met her, Remus saw fear in her eyes.
For the next few days, Remus couldn't keep the meeting with Severus from consuming his thoughts. There was something disconcerting, even eerie, about what Snape had said.
"We'll see who's laughing. In the end."
Pushing away the paranoid thought (was there anything in it?), Remus walked down a London side street on his way to the Leaky Cauldron to meet Kendall.
Remus, meet me at the Leaky Cauldron on Saturday, 2pm. I have some news to share with you. Love-Kendall.
He fleetingly wondered what her news was, but he was more concerned with the headline in the day's Prophet, which he'd seen that morning before leaving for London.
WIZARDING FAMILY ATTACKED: Are the so-called Death Eaters behind it?
He crossed through Trafalgar Square, absentmindedly looking up at Nelson's Column as he paused at the edge of the road. How strange it was to see a memorial to a Muggle war when a wizarding war was so near. One that could destroy everything, even the Muggles.
He moved down Charing Cross Road, finally stopping at the Leaky Cauldron, which none of the Muggles ever noticed. He moved past a couple browsing at an outdoor book sale and into the dimly lit tavern, closing the door on the Muggle world behind him.
"Remus!" Kendall called from across the room. The Leaky Cauldron seemed rather empty this afternoon. Only a few wizards and witches were seated throughout the pub and none of them paid any attention as Remus crossed the room to the booth Kendall had chosen. She got to her feet when Remus drew closer, throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him excitedly.
"I'm so glad you're here," she said once she pulled away. Remus noticed that she was smiling, so he assumed her news was good. At least for her.
"I'm going to get some coffee, do you want any?" he asked.
"Coffee sounds lovely," she replied. Remus kissed the end of her nose before walking over to the counter where the barman was drying glasses and mugs with a white cloth.
"Two coffees, please," Remus requested.
"Sure thing, son," the barman replied. "I'll be right over."
After thanking him, Remus returned to the table where Kendall grabbed his hand and pulled him into the booth beside her.
"I wish I could see you more often," Kendall said before pressing her lips against his neck.
Remus forced a laugh. He was still thinking about Snape and the Prophet. "I thought you had news, darling," he said, gently pushing her away. He kissed her forehead to show he wasn't cross with her. He wasn't the biggest fan of public affection, especially now they had left Hogwarts.
"Oh, yes, I do," Kendall said as the barman sat the two cups of coffee on the table in front of them.
"Cream or sugar?" he asked them.
"Both, please," Kendall replied. The barman flicked his wand and a pitcher of cream and a bowl of sugar moved across the tavern to Remus and Kendall's table. They thanked him and he moved back to the bar.
"So, what's your news?" Remus asked as Kendall stirred the cream and sugar into her cup. Kendall looked over at him, her eyes full of excitement.
"I got a job!" she said happily.
"That's great," Remus replied, forcing his voice to sound happy. It was difficult to feel any positive emotion with all that was on his mind.
"It's with The Prophet-I'm going to have a weekly column and if it goes well, I'll get to cover big stories."
"Fantastic, darling," he said, taking a drink of his coffee.
"You don't sound very excited for me, Remus," Kendall said, the happiness leaving her eyes as she looked down at the caramel-colored coffee.
"I just have a lot on my mind," he replied. "You remember what I told you about Snape on the train?"
"Of course, but why are you still letting that bother you?" she asked crossly. "He was just trying to start a row."
"You know it's more than that," he said lowering his voice. In the quiet of the Leaky Cauldron, their voices sounded magnified.
"Do you really think Snape is a Death Eater?" Kendall asked with a laugh. Her voice was too loud. A witch nearby glanced over at the two of them before returning her attention to the book she was holding.
"Please, Kendall, don't draw attention to yourself."
She rolled her eyes, glancing past Remus as though she were trying to devise a way to get out of the booth, but he was in her way.
"Why can't you just be happy for me?" she pouted, leaning back against the seat.
"I am, darling," he forced himself to say. He reached over and touched her cheek with his fingertips. "What will you be writing for them?"
Kendall didn't respond for a few moments, as though debating whether or not to stay angry. "Mostly filler pieces until I show them I can write. There's this really promising young writer, Rita Skeeter, and they're going to have me work with her for a bit."
Remus thought the name sounded familiar, but he couldn't think of anything he'd read that she wrote. "You're going to be great," he said, brushing his thumb against her cheek.
"You really think so?" she asked, the anger in her eyes dissipating at his continued touch.
"Of course," he told her. Kendall smiled and leaned forward to gently touch her lips to his. Remus felt his cheeks turn red as Kendall moved closer, her hands on his cheeks and touching the back of his neck. He let her kiss him for a few moments before pulling away. He didn't want to upset her, but he hated the feeling that everyone could see them. Luckily, Kendall didn't seem to notice his embarrassment.
"So, I'm going to be able to move out of my parents' now and get my own flat," she said, trying to make her voice sound offhanded.
"Here in London?" he asked absentmindedly. Kendall took his hand.
"Would you want to...move in with me?" she asked, looking hopefully at him.
Remus swallowed hard. "Live with you?" he asked. His heart rate increased and it had nothing to do with the coffee. "Oh, um," he lowered his voice so it was barely above a whisper. "I don't know if that's such a good idea...considering-"
Kendall's face fell and her eyes filled suddenly with tears. "You...you don't-?" she stammered. She looked away from Remus, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.
"Kendall, please," he murmured, reaching over to take her hand. She pulled it away.
"I'd like to leave," she said in a shaky voice.
"Kendall-" he repeated gently.
"Please, move," she ordered, her voice becoming louder. Remus didn't want to cause a scene, but he didn't want to let her go. Already a few other customers were glancing over at them.
Remus sighed and got to his feet, allowing Kendall to push past him. "Wait," he said, realizing he had to pay for the drinks. She didn't listen, but moved toward the door. Remus hurriedly thrust some sickles at the barman, probably overpaying, before hurrying out of the Leaky Cauldron after Kendall.
"Kendall," he said, glancing up and down Charing Cross Road. But she had already apparated. Remus swore under his breath before turning on the spot and disappearing in the crowd of Muggle shoppers.