A few quotes from Will Shakespeare here and there...

A. Dee: yes, feel free to quote from my fict! Can you send me a link to your own fict then? I'd like to read it!

October 1981.

"A thousand times goodnight, parting is such sweet sorrow…"

The large brown wolf walked headlong into the wall, and the bars in the window shook. The animal growled, shook his head, and turned around to face the door. He stretched out his long claws. The door was heavily damaged, but the wolf still wasn't able to scratch its way through it. Frustrated, the wolf lay its head in its neck and cried out a deep and long howling.

He suddenly stopped and listened. Did he hear something outside? The wolf moved soundlessly to the wall, his head low. To his disappointment, nobody entered the room. He cried out again, all his sorrow and despair in one low howling to the moon…

~*~

"Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to have a normal brother," said Romulus sleepily, trying to hold back a yawn. "One who doesn't rob me from my sleep once a month."

"And what would that be like?" wondered his father, a mug filled with tea in his hand.

"Boring," admitted Romulus. "And now I had the opportunity to get the highest marks in Defence Against the Dark Arts, when we were doing werewolves."

The silence that followed was broken by the sound of the werewolf, making another attempt to break out. Romulus even thought he heard small pieces of plaster coming down from the ceiling of the sitting room, which was unfortunately right under the room Remus was now in.

Mrs Lupin calmly poured herself another cup of tea. She had a soft blue night-gown on, and a long braid hung down on her back, reaching to her waist. Her hair had Remus' lightbrown colour; Romulus resembled his father, having darker hair.

She drank her tea as if nothing abnormal had happened. A large brown werewolf trying to destroy her house was regular business.

After a few more hours, when the sun was already looking over the edge of the horizon, it got quiet upstairs, and the three Lupins went back to bed, hoping to get some more sleep.

~*~

His head was pounding. Remus tried to swallow, but his mouth was dry, and his tongue did not seem to be a part of him at all. He didn't try and open his eyes, because the light of the sun would surely blind him.

Someone lifted his head and held a cup against his lips, and he thankfully drank the water, although he spilled half of it on the floor. He felt that the person wrapped a blanket around his body. He opened one eye, and saw a lightbrown braid before his face. Of course.

That was what he had missed the most at Hogwarts: waking up with someone who gave you something to drink and who wrapped you in a blanket to keep you warm.

He tried to say "thank you", but his mouth was not co-operating. It was not necessary, however. She understood what he meant.

"it's okay," she whispered. "Go to sleep."

He obediently closed his eyes, and fell asleep.

~*~

"'Massacre among Muggles'," said Romulus. "'Followers of You-Know-Who kill hundreds of people'." He turned a page of the Daily Prophet. "'Albus Dumbledore´s comment on the tragedy.' 'Ministry of Magic in distress'."

"Where was that?" asked Remus.

"Somewhere in Kent," replied Romulus. "Here, listen: 'Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, said, when asked, that this was a tragic event-' of course, he can hardly say it wasn't '- and that he would double his effort to fight You-Know-Who and his followers.' That's it. it's pretty obvious, actually. Predictable."

"Like you said, they won't like it if he said he thought it funny," commented Remus. "After all, he's the leader of the Order." 

His brother nodded in agreement and folded up the paper. "You know, I was wondering," he said, "about that Order of the Phoenix…"

"Yes…" said Remus slowly. "What is it?"

"Well…it's a resistance group, right? But, uhm, isn't that really dangerous?"

"Dangerous?" echoed Remus.

"Yeah, dangerous as in 'likely to get killed soon'," said Romulus a bit irritated.

"I know what you mean," replied Remus, getting to his feet. "It is dangerous, yes. Very dangerous, actually, also because I'm a friend of James."

"Why do you go on with it then?" Romulus wanted to know.

"Because I think it is something I must do, even though I can get killed for it. I think defeating Voldemort and saving my friends is more important that my own live."

"Sounds impressive," said Romulus.

"Yeah, but I'm sometimes scared as hell," said Remus dryly. He moved to the hall, and put his cloak on.

"Where're you going?" informed his younger brother. 

"Diagon Alley. There's a book about Boggarts I want to buy."

~*~

The high bookcases formed a small maze through the bookshop. Remus inhaled the dusty scent of old leather-bound books and parchments maps. He randomly walked from one aisle to the other, reading the titles on the back of the books, holding the book about Boggarts in his hand. Sometimes a soft talking could be heard, coming from the counter near the door. Here, on the other side of the shop, the outside world seemed far, far away, almost not existing. Creaking floorboards, filtered light coming in through the dusty windows, Remus took another turn. He scanned the aisles for a few moments; that conversation with Romulus earlier had made him more nervous that he wanted to be. Apparently he was the only one here.

He walked slowly past the old books, reading title after title. An almost inaudible sound made him look up. Nothing.

Remus concentrated on the books again, but suddenly felt someone tapping on his right shoulder. He turned around, and at the same moment he heard a sound like an explosion in his left ear.

"Boo!"

Remus got a heart-attack, jumped back, and whacked Sirius hard in the face with the massive leather-bound "Boggarts; Fighting Your Fear". The leather creaked.

"Never ever, EVER do that again!" he bellowed.

Sirius moaned and held his hand against his nose. He wanted to say something, but was interrupted by a soft but stern voice, asking what on earth they were doing. Remus turned around, and, to his embarrassment, he saw the owner of the bookshop, a small bespectacled man. He knew the man very well, and they got along very well, with Remus asking advice on books he could read. He was more than a regular customer, he was almost a close friend. Being caught fighting with the man's precious books was the last thing Remus needed. 

Sirius was glaring at Remus, a handkerchief pressed to his bleeding nose. Remus wasn't likely to get help from him.

"Er…" he stuttered. "I, ah, uhm…" He held out the book. "I would like to buy this book," he said quickly.

"And you were just testing it, to see if it wasn't fragile?" asked the shopkeeper, an amused shining in his eyes.

"Uh, yes," agreed Remus sheepishly.

"May I suggest you stop testing it on other people's heads?" said the man, taking the book and walking to the counter. Remus and Sirius followed silently.

~*~

A few minutes later, they were standing outside.

"A drink in the Leaky Cauldron?" suggested Remus.

"That's the least you can do," said Sirius grumpily.

The two of them walked over to the small pub and sat down at a table in a corner. Tom the bartender took their orders. Sirius was still nursing his nose, which was swelling up in an alarming way.

"I think you broke it," he said.

"I'm sorry," apologised Remus. "I thought you were – heaven knows what!"

"I know what you are," groaned Sirius. "A danger to humanity."

"Gee, that took you long to find out," replied Remus.

"You know what I mean! I just tap on your shoulder, and you react with something that pretty much resembles an attempt to kill me!"

"You 'just tapped on my shoulder'? I wouldn't exactly call it that!"

Tom returned with the ordered butterbeer. "What happened to you?" he asked Sirius. "Had a fight or something?"

"Yeah, something like that," muttered Sirius, giving Tom a few knuts. The bartender walked away again.

"What were you doing there anyway?" Remus wanted to know.

"Looking for you," answered Sirius. "Your mother said I might find you there. I have something for you." Remus held up his hand, but Sirius shook his head.

"It's an invitation," he said. "I was at the Potter's yesterday, and they asked me if I could ask you to come around too."

"Why?"

"Uh, perhaps because they're going into hiding in less than two weeks?" replied Sirius a bit sarcastic. "And they want to see you?"

"It was a stupid question," admitted Remus. "You said you were there yesterday. How are they doing?"

"Pretty good, actually," said Sirius. "They're packing. You probably get a large box with stuff too, just like me."

"Wow, presents!" smiled Remus.

"Not exactly. More things they can't take with them," told Sirius. "Photos and such. They asked me if I could keep it at my house for as long as is necessary. You probably get a box too."

"Then I better go now," said Remus, getting to his feet. "What are you going to do?"

"Make up excuses for my nose," shrugged Sirius. "Get a new part for my motorbike."

"You are overreacting about your nose," said Remus. "It is not broken."

"That's what you say. Now, get out of here."

"A thousand times goodnight. Parting is such sweet sorrow, that I shall say goodnight till it be morrow," recited Remus. Sirius groaned.

"Not Shakespeare! Anything but Shakespeare!" he cried out.

"Uhm, until we meet again?" suggested Remus.

"Okay, but hopefully not in a bookshop," said Sirius. "Now get lost."

Remus grinned and left, leaving Sirius alone at the table.

~*~

"It must be around here somewhere," said James, stepping over large carton boxes. Remus saw one labelled 'Dumbledore, Hogwarts'. It was half open, and he could see the silvery Invisibility cloak, together with other objects, books and such.

"Ah, here it is!" James interrupted Remus' thoughts. He picked up a carton box and handed it to Remus.

"What's in it?" he asked.

"Photos, drawings, books, that kind of things," replied James, wading through the mess on the floor.

"And what am I to do with it?" inquired Remus.

"Keep it at your house until you can give it back. We can't take everything here with us, it's no ordinary moving from one place to the other."

They walked into the kitchen, where Lily was busying herself with dinner. Harry crawled around on the floor. Remus put the box down on the table.

Lily turned around. "I see you already got one?"

"Yep," confirmed Remus. "Don't worry, I will guard it with my life!"

"It's not that important," said James, "but thanks anyway."

"Are you staying for dinner?" Lily wanted to know.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but no," answered Remus. "I can't. It sounds very sad, and you may think me a great looser, but I promised my parents to be home before dinner."

"It's okay," assured Lily. "You're not a looser."

"Of course not," added James.

"Yeah right. That 'of course not' made it sound fake," said Remus, a wry smile on his face.

The silvery cat entered the kitchen, allowed Harry to stroke its back, then it noticed Remus. Purring in delight, it stroked past Remus' legs, its flexible body bent in the strangest curves. Remus bowed and patted the animal, then picked it up, stroking his fingers over the silver-grey fur. Purring even louder, the cat unconsciously hooked its claws in Remus' arm in delight, but he didn't even flinch.

"Here's my biggest fan," he said, holding the cat almost upside down. The animal was still purring.

"Do you want to have him?" asked James suddenly. Remus stared wide-eyed at him.

"Have him? But it's your cat!" Lily seemed just as suprised as he was.

"James! What the-"

"We can't drag him everywhere with us," explained James. "You like him, he likes you – perhaps even more than he likes us. If you want to, you can take him with you."

"But…" hesitated Remus. "I, ah…"

"Yes or no?"

"Yes," he agreed. "If you say it's okay, I´ll take him." He turned to Lily. "If it's okay with both of you." Lily didn't even hesitate, but nodded.

"Sure," she said. "He's yours."

James was already gathering things together, like food and a basket for the cat.

"I somehow get the feeling you're relieved you're finally rid of your cat," said Remus.

"He always bit me," confessed James. He stuffed all the things in the carton box, closed it with some difficulty, and put two layers of spellotape over it. "There. Bet it won't open again."

"How are you taking the cat?" inquired Lily.

Remus shrugged. "Like this," he said, and almost managed to let the cat perform a somersault. The animal kept purring and Harry clapped his hands.

"You're not Apparating, are you?" informed James a bit worried. Remus gave him a disappointed look.

"James, how foolish do you think I am? I'm taking the Knight Bus." He checked his watch. "And it's time I'm leaving." He put the cat down, put his cloak on, and picked the animal up again. Then he saw the rather large carton box on the table. "Er…"

"Perhaps if we send it to you by mail?" suggested Lily. Remus shook his head.

"No need. This will do." He drew his wand and said "Mobiliarbus!" The box raised a few inches until it floated in mid-air.

"You can manage?" James wanted to know, when Remus was already outside, and about to extend his wand-hand to call the Knight Bus. He rolled his eyes.

"The day I will never hear that again shall be the best day of my life," he sighed. "YES, I CAN MANAGE!! Sheesh…"

"Sorry…" said James a bit offended. Remus shook his head and stretched out his right arm. Almost on the same moment, a huge purple bus appeared. A boy opened the door.

"One passenger?" he inquired. Remus nodded and lifted the box with a wave of his wand. It slowly floated upwards, in the Knight Bus. He set one foot inside, but, as on second thought, turned around.

"Sure you will manage?" he asked. James shrugged. "We will live, trust me." Remus opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something, then he nodded shortly and got in, the grey cat in his arms. The Knight Bus took off, leaving the small town near the forest in the darkness…