Title: Puppy Love - Stargazing Part I
Author: juxtaposed
Summary: Remus and Sirius' lives and relationship - as seen from Remus' point of view.
Companion to Puppy Love - Lunar Love Part I.
Timeline: From when they meet, up til when Harry is born. Aka, 1971-1980.
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Slash!! That means guy-on-guy lovin'. Dont like it? Dont read it! Simple enough.
Pairings: Sirius/Remus, James/Lily
Disclaimer: I do not own Remus, Hogwarts, Platform 9 3/4, etc...I do own Sirius, James, and Lily, cause JK Rowling killed them off, and we all know you cant lay claim to dead persons, right? Mwahaha. Nah, I dont own them, so dont sue me for dreaming. Bah.
Puppy Love - Stargazing Part I
by juxtaposed
Chapter Three: Conversations On the Train
Suddenly I heard Lily's voice. "…I thought that it was weird that the train just stopped for a while…" The three of us, knowing full well the story behind that, began to laugh. "Um, did I miss something?" Lily asked, frowning in confusion and looking at us as if we'd gone insane.
"Oh, no, it's nothing…just that we know why the train stopped…" James said. Lily looked at him curiously, waiting for his explanation. "It was, um, because of us."
Lily blinked in surprise. "What? How'd you manage to stop the train?"
She seemed to think we had done it on purpose.
James noted this too, and gave me and Sirius a wink. "Well, you know, we have our secrets," he said to her, sounding rather mysterious. Lily looked awed.
"Wow…I cant believe you did it. I heard some people on the train saying that it was because of a few idiots who didn't board the train on time. But it was actually you guys…." She was looking at all of us with a mixture of intrigue and respect. James reddened and cleared his throat.
"Well, uh…not exactly. Those idiots were us," he admitted, looking thoroughly embarassed.
Lily began to giggle, but quickly covered her mouth in an attempt to stifle her laughter. James was effectively confused by her actions. "Um, I'm glad you find it…funny?"
Lily was still a little bit giggly as she spoke. "I'm sorry…its just, I was thinking you were really powerful wizards or something, getting Hogwarts Express to stop when it was already moving, and it turns out…you just nearly missed getting on it!"
"Well, we did manage to stop it, didn't we?" James straightened up, looking to be somewhat affronted by her mirth.
"I'm sorry," Lily apologized again. She was serious for a while, but then suddenly began to giggle anew. After a brief moment of self-righteous huffing, James grinned, then started to join in her laughter.
That little interlude seemed to break the proverbial ice, and we were all much friendlier and more open after that, talking about ourselves and other topics for the rest of the train ride. Although I did notice that Sirius and I seemed to have more conversations with each other, as did James and Lily. Not that I was complaining, of course. I also noticed that James seemed pretty much hell-bent on grilling Lily for everything about herself, which she seemed both flattered and vaguely apprehensive about.
Sirius seemed to be trying to take things in the same vein as James, and I found myself answering quite a few questions about myself – Sirius seemed genuinely interested, and I couldn't help but want to tell him everything.
Except that, well, I couldn't, not really…not everything. I'd just lose this perfect boy, and although I was used to losing people, I suddenly couldn't bear the thought of not having Sirius as a friend – even though I'd only known him a couple of hours.
So I told him everything else about me that he wanted to know. I told him what the initials etched on my trunk stood for, when he pointed them out curiously. I told him about my Aunt Luna and Uncle Gary, when he asked me about who I stayed with – I felt a thrill of happiness when I realized that he had remembered that little fact about me. I told him, although somewhat inadvertently, the names of my favorite books - although they were by people like CS Lewis and Roald Dahl, Muggle authors, so he went blank when I mentioned them – while I got engaged in a long conversation with Lily, who turned out to be from a family of Muggles, over books and reading. We were rather happily discussing books and authors, but Sirius and James, however, both seemed to have an aversion to books, so they tried to divert the topic every chance they got, and at one point it darted dangerously close to my secret. But I managed to avoid mentioning the truth of the rest of my family life – luckily he seemed to get the hint after a bit and didn't mention them anymore.
Instead, there was a moment of awkward silence. Then he asked casually, "So, do you like Quidditch?"
"Well," I hesitated. "I've never actually seen a game, what with growing up with Muggles and all…"
He nodded in understanding. James, however, nearly attacked me. He looked absolutely affronted as he demanded, "You what? You've never seen a game of Quidditch?"
And then Lily asked, all innocence, "What's Kee-Ditch?"
James looked right about to implode in horror. "That's it," he muttered, then faced Sirius, nothing but sheer determination written on his face. "I, James Dean Potter, do solemnly declare that I will induct Remus and Lily into the wonderful world of Quidditch, or may the Chudley Cannons never win another Championship for the rest of the century."
I looked at Lily, who looked back at me, and we both grinned. I knew we were both thinking the same thing. James is so melodramatic. Surely he was kidding…right? I didn't know what to think, because James had re-engaged Lily into a whole diatribe about the workings of Quidditch.
And Sirius laughed.
For a moment, I felt like I was suspended in time. Sirius' laughter was even more captivating than his voice, which was hard to believe. I couldn't help but freeze for a second, as I stared at him. He gave me a brilliant smile and glanced over at James and Lily – James was talking animatedly about Quidditch and Lily was listening patiently. I had a sudden urge to keep looking at him, to keep him looking at me, and before I registered what was happening, my hand was outstretched and lightly, ever-so-gently, the edges of my fingers were dusting the top of his robes, on his shoulder.
His head whipped back to face me immediately; so suddenly it was like I'd electrocuted him. He looked at me, with those bright oceanic eyes of his, and I found myself nervously stammering, trying to come up with a reasonable, plausible line for touching him. James' obsessive behavior came to mind, and I gratefully grappled onto that excuse.
"Er, Sirius? Just how bad could it be to have James, er…'induct' me?" I asked anxiously.
Sirius' laugh filled the air with its magic again, before he replied, amusement coating his voice. "Jamesy is a Quidditch maniac, Remus. One of those nutters who hex the newspapers when they write one bad word about his favorite team." He rolled his eyes at his best friend.
Although he hadn't appeared to be listening to us, James suddenly looked up at us and interjected, "Wood most certainly does not have sausages for hands!" loudly, then returned his attentions to Lily, explaining more of Quidditch as if his little exclamation hadn't happened. Lily seemed more than just a little startled.
I just stared at him in wonder.
Sirius, again seeming to find this all very amusing, simply smiled as he indicated James with a nod of his head. "He's, uh, got an ear for Quidditch, that one."
I was compelled to grin in return. "I couldn't help but notice." I said wryly. Sirius's grin widened.
A little while later, a lady pushing a trolley came by our compartment. "Anything for you dears?" she asked, smiling kindly. We peered at her cart.
I felt myself grinning. There was more candy on that little trolley than I'd ever seen before. Now, the only problem was which one to choose…I stared at my options for a while, debating what would be worth it.
Suddenly I heard James say, "Two of everything, please", and then a clinking of coins sounded.
I turned to look at him; he was trying to convince Lily it was alright even as he handed the lady a handful of money for the treats. "But James," she was saying anxiously. "You really don't have to pay for me."
"It's alright, Lily," he assured her. "I…I want to."
Her face colored, and she offered him a shy smile and thanked him profusely. I heard James mumble some sort of response to her, and in the back of my mind I was vaguely amused.
All this was happening without me paying too much attention though, because Sirius was suddenly saying to the woman, "Make that two more rounds, thanks." I spun to face him in surprise. He grinned at me charmingly before he spoke. "You can't seem to decide, so why not try them all?"
"But – Sirius," I started. "I cant really – that is, I – are you paying for me?" I suddenly asked in astonishment. Sirius was, indeed, counting out a fistful of coins into the woman's open hand as I was speaking. "Why – what – that is to say – have you lost your mind? I can't let you pay for me."
Sirius gave me that charming grin again as he said nonchalantly, "Why not? You're my friend." He poured the score of chocolate into my lap, picking up a Chocolate Frog and offering it to me. I took it, still rather dumbfounded. He then grabbed one for himself and ripped open his own as he continued cheerfully. "And if you're that hung up about it, you can pay me back another way." With that, he bit into the head of his Frog and smiled a chocolate-smeared smile at me. It was absolutely the most adorable thing I'd ever seen in my life.
I couldn't do anything but shake my head at him fondly as I tore open my own chocolate. "Alright then. I owe you a favor."
"You might want to reconsider that, Remus buddy." James spoke up suddenly. "When Siri and I require, er, favors, its…well…its usually not pretty."
Lily shot him a disturbed look.
However, the chocolate was having a decidedly contenting effect on me, because I simply shrugged and grinned at all of them. "Its alright. Whatever I have to do to have gotten this lot of chocolate will be worth it."
"Weakness for chocolate?" Lily asked me knowingly.
I nodded. "The worst." As an afterthought, I added, "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is my idea of heaven."
"Me too!" She grinned at me. "You're sounding more and more like me, you know. First the reading thing, and the Muggle household, then Quidditch, now this."
I laughed. "I foresee lots of literary sessions in the library with a stash of chocolate, while avoiding our sports-mad friends."
"I'm not sports mad!" James said indignantly.
"Quidditch mad, then," Lily conceded.
James beamed at her. "That's better."
Sirius and I glanced at each other, and for some reason, we both couldn't help smiling.
AN: I know, I know! Completely too long a wait! The whole rambling has been contained, however, and relegated to my LJ, which incidentally is where I'll keep people posted on the progress of my fics. (grin) Shameless announcement, that was.
Anyway, I apologize endlessly for the wait, but do be assured that I most definitely have NOT abandoned this story! I love Remus and Sirius too much for that.
To my wonderful reviewers, as always: Lilsi, X-Mas Gurl, Chibi Chan, StolenSoul4818, and MelissaMoony - thank you all so much for your reviews, and kind words, and unintentional patience for this story. I hope this slightly longer chapter sated you all for a little while; I promise the next chapter wont take so long, and also look out for Sirius' POV, update coming soon!
If I am deserving of one, please review?