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Chapter 5: Heart of Sword
Remus tried to stifle a yawn as he sipped his tea. His mother had dragged him-literally-out of bed at seven in the morning to have breakfast at Matthews' so "they could get to know each other better". As if one evening was not enough. Mrs. Lupin sat beside him, gossiping with Mrs. Matthews. Across from him sat Phoebe. Remus snuck a glance at her. He had to admit, she was lovely, with her long dark-brown hair, sparkling brown eyes, and flawless complexion. Her playing had been excellent, and when he'd met her last night, she'd seemed polite enough. Unfortunately, for Remus Lupin, that was her problem. She was so shy and reserved, she resembled a puppet whose strings were being pulled by her daddy. He had known from the start that they would never work out. Phoebe caught his eye and smiled at him. He responded with a roll of his eyes, making it blatantly clear he was not happy about this. Too bad his mother noticed as well. "Be civil," she hissed, then turned back to chatting with Mrs. Matthews. "Yes, Remus here is such the perfect gentleman. He was a prefect, you know, and an excellent one at that..oh, I'm sure he'll love Phoebe, such a lovely and accomplished girl..of course he can." Remus let out a low growl under his breath. This was going to be one long morning.
After breakfast, Mrs. Lupin drew her son aside. "Remus, what are you doing? You were completely rude to miss Phoebe!" "Mother, this isn't my thing. She isn't my thing." Mrs. Lupin sighed. "Son, I know, I know. But give her a chance. For your dear old Mum." Remus had to smile. "You're hardly old, Mother." She patted his arm. "Thank you, dear. But either you stick with her, or I could find a worse one.." Remus groaned. "Please no. All right, it's Matthews." "Phoebe, Remus. Anyway, that's my boy. Just be friends with her, at least. She's really very nice, you know. I'm sure you two will have a lot of fun." Remus grimaced. Oh yeah. Lots and lots of it.
Sirius was woken from a deep sleep by someone knocking. Groggily, he threw on his robes and went to answer the door. "Who is it-Lily?" His breath caught as he stared into her hypnotic green eyes and was suddenly very awake. Lily gave him a once-over, taking in his disheveled appearance. "Oh, I'm sorry, Sirius! Did I wake you?" Sirius smiled. "Of course not." Lily looked visibly relieved and handed him a bag. "Here, I brought you breakfast." He motioned for her to take a seat and offered her a coffee. "What's up?" Lily had started to twirl her hair around her finger nervously. "It's about last night. Listen, Sirius, I've given it some thought." Sirius felt dread churning in his stomach. "And?" Lily smiled. "I would love to go out with you." Sirius felt lighter, as if a thousand-pound weight had been taken off his shoulders. "You would?" Lily nodded. "Yes of course." Sirius could barely suppress his joy. "Great!"
Remus dropped by Sirius's to vent. As he Apparated in front of the door, Lily stepped out. "Lily?" Remus exclaimed in surprise. "What are you doing here so early?" She smiled. "I dropped off some breakfast for Sirius. See you, Remus." "Yeah, 'kay, bye, Lil." Remus gave her a parting wave and entered the apartment. He spotted his friend slumped in a chair, an indecipherable look on his face. "What happened? Why was Lily here?" Sirius's face broke out into a grin. "She agreed, Moony! She agreed to go out with me!" Remus felt his best friend's joy. "She did? That's terrific, Padfoot!" Sirius unwrapped the breakfast Lily had apparently brought him. 'So, Moony, how was the music witch?" Remus winced. "Well, Phoebe's pretty, I'll grant her that. And she's got skill. But other than that, she's just like all the others: meek and quiet and polite." Sirius whistled. "Bet you loved that." "Worse, Mum totally loves her. She just set me up to take Matthews out this afternoon. And tomorrow. And the day after tomorrow." Remus buried his face in his hands. "Can we just tag along on your dates with Lily? I need someone sane to talk to." Sirius thought about it. "Maybe some of them. But you really ought to give her a shot. She might turn out OK after all." Remus stared in shock at him. "Boy, you really are lovesick."
Chapter 5: Heart of Sword
Remus tried to stifle a yawn as he sipped his tea. His mother had dragged him-literally-out of bed at seven in the morning to have breakfast at Matthews' so "they could get to know each other better". As if one evening was not enough. Mrs. Lupin sat beside him, gossiping with Mrs. Matthews. Across from him sat Phoebe. Remus snuck a glance at her. He had to admit, she was lovely, with her long dark-brown hair, sparkling brown eyes, and flawless complexion. Her playing had been excellent, and when he'd met her last night, she'd seemed polite enough. Unfortunately, for Remus Lupin, that was her problem. She was so shy and reserved, she resembled a puppet whose strings were being pulled by her daddy. He had known from the start that they would never work out. Phoebe caught his eye and smiled at him. He responded with a roll of his eyes, making it blatantly clear he was not happy about this. Too bad his mother noticed as well. "Be civil," she hissed, then turned back to chatting with Mrs. Matthews. "Yes, Remus here is such the perfect gentleman. He was a prefect, you know, and an excellent one at that..oh, I'm sure he'll love Phoebe, such a lovely and accomplished girl..of course he can." Remus let out a low growl under his breath. This was going to be one long morning.
After breakfast, Mrs. Lupin drew her son aside. "Remus, what are you doing? You were completely rude to miss Phoebe!" "Mother, this isn't my thing. She isn't my thing." Mrs. Lupin sighed. "Son, I know, I know. But give her a chance. For your dear old Mum." Remus had to smile. "You're hardly old, Mother." She patted his arm. "Thank you, dear. But either you stick with her, or I could find a worse one.." Remus groaned. "Please no. All right, it's Matthews." "Phoebe, Remus. Anyway, that's my boy. Just be friends with her, at least. She's really very nice, you know. I'm sure you two will have a lot of fun." Remus grimaced. Oh yeah. Lots and lots of it.
Sirius was woken from a deep sleep by someone knocking. Groggily, he threw on his robes and went to answer the door. "Who is it-Lily?" His breath caught as he stared into her hypnotic green eyes and was suddenly very awake. Lily gave him a once-over, taking in his disheveled appearance. "Oh, I'm sorry, Sirius! Did I wake you?" Sirius smiled. "Of course not." Lily looked visibly relieved and handed him a bag. "Here, I brought you breakfast." He motioned for her to take a seat and offered her a coffee. "What's up?" Lily had started to twirl her hair around her finger nervously. "It's about last night. Listen, Sirius, I've given it some thought." Sirius felt dread churning in his stomach. "And?" Lily smiled. "I would love to go out with you." Sirius felt lighter, as if a thousand-pound weight had been taken off his shoulders. "You would?" Lily nodded. "Yes of course." Sirius could barely suppress his joy. "Great!"
Remus dropped by Sirius's to vent. As he Apparated in front of the door, Lily stepped out. "Lily?" Remus exclaimed in surprise. "What are you doing here so early?" She smiled. "I dropped off some breakfast for Sirius. See you, Remus." "Yeah, 'kay, bye, Lil." Remus gave her a parting wave and entered the apartment. He spotted his friend slumped in a chair, an indecipherable look on his face. "What happened? Why was Lily here?" Sirius's face broke out into a grin. "She agreed, Moony! She agreed to go out with me!" Remus felt his best friend's joy. "She did? That's terrific, Padfoot!" Sirius unwrapped the breakfast Lily had apparently brought him. 'So, Moony, how was the music witch?" Remus winced. "Well, Phoebe's pretty, I'll grant her that. And she's got skill. But other than that, she's just like all the others: meek and quiet and polite." Sirius whistled. "Bet you loved that." "Worse, Mum totally loves her. She just set me up to take Matthews out this afternoon. And tomorrow. And the day after tomorrow." Remus buried his face in his hands. "Can we just tag along on your dates with Lily? I need someone sane to talk to." Sirius thought about it. "Maybe some of them. But you really ought to give her a shot. She might turn out OK after all." Remus stared in shock at him. "Boy, you really are lovesick."