Chapter 2: Diagon Alley
"Greetings Remulous, Rose."
"How are you there Sam?"
The Leaky Cauldron was full of people, as always. It was loud but joyous, cheerful and bright, with all kinds of wizards and witches inside. Remus looked forward to only one kind though. His sisters had already disappeared with the money their father had given them and their best friend, Minerva McGonagall, was with them.
His twin brothers were talking in a corner, explaining and planning rapidly. Relius was sitting on a window ledge, waiting. Remus walked over, wanting desperately to ask his older brother something, but not knowing what to.
Relius looked up and smiled. He greatly enjoyed talking with his smart little brother. Remus sat beside him and also stared out the window.
"You want help with something," Relius commented all-knowingly. "But you don't know what."
His response was a bashful nod.
"I might know," he said, looking out the window again. His little brother's amber eyes gave Relius all the younger one's attention. What if he really does know? he thought to himself.
"What is it?" he asked out loud, looking with eagerness at Relius.
"Do you really want me to tell it?" Relius returned. Remus nodded willingly. His older brother bent forward and whispered in his younger brother's ear, "You love Sirius Black."
Remus' blood drained from his face as his hair stood on end. Then too much blood rose into his cheeks to make him blush. "H-how did you know-?" he asked, his older brother smiled.
"You act different around him than you do around James and Peter. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. But you should tell him. I think he deserves to know."
That was why Remus adored Relius more than his other siblings. None of them understood him or how he felt the way he did. Especially since he felt like a freak werewolf. But this little moment between the two brothers was interrupted by 3 things… well, 3 people actually.
First came the hollers, then the scramble of feet, and finally the leap and collision of the Marauders as Sirius, James, and Peter landed on Remus and his hair stood on end again. Soon, Wormtail, Moony, Padfoot, and Prongs were all speed talking to catch up on what had taken place over the summer. Relius sat where he was on the window ledge, doubled over with laughter.
Then Mr. Killer of fun himself, Randal walked up to the 4 Marauders.
"What's all this then?" he huffily exclaimed. "Stop that hollering and smiling, this isn't a pub house!"
But he only made the four boys roar with laughter. The twins were behind him doing impressions of "our dear sweet perfect older role model brother." But just as Randal caught on and turned around with his hands balled into fists, the twins rushed past him.
"Dearest Marauders… and little brother," Rigel addressed importantly.
Rital continued. "We are offering everyone a free Batty Midnight sundae at Diagon Alley after we finish our shopping, so please-"
"Let us depart!"
The twins ushered the cheering Marauders out the door. As they left the Leaky Cauldron, Sirius turned to Remus briefly and barely whispered, "Good to have you back, Moony."
The rest of the day didn't matter to the werewolf now, nothing did. After all, Padfoot had missed him.