i have no rights to any characters or the world in which they live :)
Forget me not- even when you do
A sigh escaped him as he carded a hand through his hair, black strands escaping through his fingers. His father sat before him, an absentminded smile on his face.
'When did you say they were coming Haz?' He asked the question without much turmoil. 'I apologise, things seem to escape me nowadays' A chuckle rumbled through his chest, slightly hoarse but not with the effort you might expect upon seeing the lines beside his mouth and the cane by his side.
Harry squeezed his fist tight and let his nails cut his palm. He couldn't do this again. But he did, because he had to. 'Sorry rem, they aren't today. Maybe we can go down to Meg's instead, get a two for one?' There wasn't a two for one, but they needed to eat and it was easier this way.
Remus' lips curled downwards. 'Why not? They're ok aren't they? Not hurt?'
'No remus. They're not hurt. Just busy.' Harry pinched the skin between his eyes.
'They did it playing quidditch didn't they? Those bloody boys. I always tell them, I do. Bloody padfoot' He smiled fondly.
'No Remus. They're not hurt. They just can't come today'
'What is it? A few bruises? They can make time, I'm sure!' Remus carried on, 'maybe we could go down to the lake. I'm sure i can make my way to hogsmeade in time. When are they coming?'
'Not today Moony. No bruises. 'nother time.'
'Oh okay.' Remus nodded sadly. A few seconds passed. 'Heard from the other marauders Haz?'
Harry ducked his head, pressing his chin to his chest. He could feel it bubbling in his veins, the tiny windmills in his wrists pounding and flickering. His eyes squeezed shut. Breathe. Just breathe. Let it pass. Breathe. It started slowly, a dull headache, until it grew and changed and engulfed him whole and he just couldn't breathe and his throat was choking him and his blood was raw and his head was banging at his skull and he was trying but he was shaking and-
'Hey Harry, i think Prongs and Pads are coming down, d'ya know when?'
It burst like a damn. 'Fuck. Fucking, fucking, bloody, fucking shit, No! No fucking prongs isn't coming. No moony, sirius isn't on his way. And before u ask about peter, he's not fucking coming either. Got it? You're alone. They're all dead. Long cold, fucking dead as a fucking doorknob dead. You aren't going to Honeydukes. You will never see Hogwarts again. You'll never see any of them again. It's me, i'm all you've got. This room and me and Meg's. Tonight, we'll get chips and a burger, 9.99 a piece. We'll limp home. We'll watch the chase reruns til 9pm. You'll say you want to sleep but really you'll read till 10:15. Then you'll turn on your left, then your right and close your eyes. Then you'll wake up, 8:16 on the dot. we'll eat breakfast. you'll ask where you friends are. Rinse, wash, fucking repeat. Ok? They aren't coming. Get that in your fucking brain ok. Just remember? Okay? remember? please? just fucking.' His voice cracked and broke, dinking from a roar to a quiet mumble. 'just remember.'
Remus had shied at the volume. For a moment, his eyes widened and his mouth opened as if reassure his son. 'Harry.'
With tears crawling down his cheeks, dripping onto his navy woollen jersey, Harry looked up. His heart rose to his throat. He cleared his throat. It hurt.'Yes.'
'When are they coming?'
He should have known. His heart sunk slowly back down his throat, slinking downwards until it was dragging him to the floor and pooling at his ankles. It was suffocating and heavy and too much. It was all too much.
Yet he swiped at his eyes and slid his glasses on his nose. His father was robbed. Robbed of his thoughts, of his memory, of his life. Of his son. Because who was 'Harry' to him really? The boy who put him to bed and took him to dinner every never ending, never starting day. The least he could do was gift him back a little packet of joy, no matter how temporary it could be.
'Soon Rem. Soon. Think i can hear the motorbike.'
--
Hey! I've left it pretty much up to interpretation but in my mind Moony has Alzheimer's. It's horrific and I I hope anybody who aids those who suffer with it, realise just how amazing they are. You are the most selfless, beautiful people. It hits a spot with me at the moment, so this was pretty therapeutic. It may not be the next atyd, but i hope you enjoyed it too. Leave me your thoughts. Would anybody be interested in Remus' POV? Any feedback good or bad is greatly appreciated. Who knows, i may have a full length fic in the working...
- A 3