Disclaimer: …The day I own Harry Potter is the day I win the lottery. Twice.
I'm Sorry
After fleeing from the Great Hall Remus quickly made his way to the dormitory. Once there he practically threw himself into the bathroom and started a shower, feeling suddenly very dirty.
He stood under the spray and leaned his head against the wall as he felt the last of his tears being washed away. He rubbed his eyes and laughed lowly to himself for getting so emotional over something so stupid.
Sirius had just been joking around like he always was. It wasn't like the black haired boy knew his secret; there was no way he could have known how much his words hurt Remus and made him feel just a bit less than human.
Remus smiled bitterly as he turned the water to as hot as it would go, scrubbing at his skin.
Dirty. Impure. Inhuman. Tainted.
…He was tainted.
He laughed again, letting himself slide down the bathroom wall and not caring that fresh tears were threatening to spill from his eyes. But he wouldn't cry. Not over something as silly as this, because he wasn't that pathetic.
He heard someone enter the dormitory outside and stood up hurriedly, turning off the shower and grabbing a towel. Drying himself he pulled on his clothes just as a knock sounded at the door.
"Rem? You in there?" a voice called.
"Yeah, I'm here. I'll be right out James," Remus called back, locking away all the self-pity he felt. He refused to be weak in front of his friends.
Stepping out of the bathroom Remus saw that James and Peter were sitting on Sirius' bed and that Sirius was sitting on his.
"Hey," Remus said, smiling at his friends and their worried faces. "Sorry about running out like that. I just…can't believe I jumped you Sirius. I'm really sorry," he added, turning to the blue-eyed boy.
Sirius just looked at him and Remus saw guilt and shame flash in his eyes before he looked down.
"No Remus, I'm sorry. Really. It was just a quick kiss really. No shirt rippage or tongue action for me," he said lightly, hoping to relieve some tension. It worked as James snorted.
"Yeah, I'm sure you were just devastated that he didn't snog you silly right there in front of the Hospital Wing."
"And if I was?" Sirius shot back with a mischievous gleam in his eye. James smirked and crossed him arms.
"Then I'd have to beat you down for thinking such indecent thoughts about our pure and innocent Remy," James replied challengingly.
"Bring it on, Mop Top."
"You got it, Thread Head."
With that they both stood up and tackled each other to the floor, wrestling playfully while Peter commentated in the background.
"Oh! And James has Sirius in a headlock, pinning him to the floor. But, in an amazing turn around Sirius flips James and grabs him in a chock hold!"
Remus chuckled at his friends' antics before settling down on his now unoccupied bed and pulling out his latest book. It wasn't long before Sirius had jumped up next to him though.
"So, you forgive me, right Re?" he asked, blinking up at him innocently. Remus smiled.
"You never told me what you were apologizing for." Sirius just batted his eyelashes.
"For being an insensitive git in your time of awkward, teenage, hormonal, sex-starved growth in which you couldn't help but find yourself drawn to a specimen as fine as myself and for throwing your love of sexy, blue-eyed, black haired, Sex Gods back in your face in a blown-out-of-proportion telling of my own fantastic design." he finished, looking at Remus expectantly.
"If you can say that all again, I'll consider it," Remus stated, waiting. Sirius pouted and threw himself in Remus' lap.
"But Reeeemy," he whined. "I can remember it all. Can't I just say that I'm sorry for being a prat and leave it at that?" Remus let out a long suffering sigh and dramatically put a hand to his forehead.
"Perhaps I'll consider it…" Sirius' face brightened. "If, you supply me with a chocolate bar," he finished. Sirius rolled his eyes.
"Cause we all know how well your last encounter with chocolate went…"
"Ah, ah, ah. None of that now. That was completely different. Do you want my forgiveness or not?" Remus asked, giving Sirius a look that dared him to argue.
"Yes…" the other boy mumbled. "I'll get you one next Hogsmeade weekend." Remus beamed and patted Sirius on the head.
"Good boy. Run along now."
Sirius grumbled and rose from Remus' bed, going to flop on his own, too lazy to go down to the kitchens where Peter and James had slipped off to earlier. Sirius sighed to himself and buried his face in his pillow.
Even though Remus had forgiven him he still felt guilty, because Remus didn't know that he'd said what he'd said on purpose. If the tawny-haired boy knew that he had deliberately set out to hurt him about being a werewolf Sirius was sure he wouldn't have been forgiven so easily.
He shifted his head and watched Remus read his book. He looked so peaceful, so normal.
"I'm sorry," Sirius whispered, and he knew Remus heard him. But Remus just kept turning the pages in his book, pretending that he didn't pick up on the fact that this apology was for something entirely different, something he didn't yet understand.
(break)
"Remus! Get up! It's time to go!" James shouted, jumping on Remus' bed. Sirius and Peter quickly joined in, trying to rouse their friend from his seemingly deep sleep.
"Get OFF you bloody wankers!" Remus yelled, turning over in his blanket cocoon and burying his head under his pillow.
"Now, now, Remus. Let's be a good boy and get up. It's time to go to Hogsmeade. Meaning, time for chocolate!" Sirius exclaimed, poking at the giant mass of red blankets. Much grumbling ensued as the mussed form of Remus Lupin emerged from the protective shell of warmth and cottony softness.
"You're lucky I like chocolate…" he muttered before dragging himself to the bathroom.
"But you like me more, right?" Sirius called after him, thoroughly amused by the boy's grumpy behavior.
"Fuck off, Black," he shot back, causing Sirius to pout and James and Peter to collapse into laughter.
"Meany head," Sirius said, sticking out his tongue at the closed door.
"I heard that!" Remus yelled back, which only caused Sirius to pout more and the other two to fall off the bed in laughter.
"Shut up, you ingrates."
"You're just upset cause Rem likes chocolate more than you," Peter chuckled from the floor.
"Yeah, poor Sirius. So easily replaced by a delectable sugary treat," James added, slowly picking himself up and rubbing his head.
"…Wankers."
After Remus finished his shower the four boys set off to Hogsmeade. Sirius made good on his promise and bought Remus the biggest bar of chocolate Honeydukes had to offer, which caused Remus' eyes to grow to an unnaturally size.
"You didn't have to get the biggest one, Sirius," Remus said for the fifth time since exiting the store.
"You keep saying that, and yet I see that you've already consumed most of it," Sirius replied.
"That, is beside the point," Remus said, biting off another piece of chocolate.
"Hey! Let's go get a butterbeer," Peter suggested as they passed the Three Broomsticks.
"Splendid idea," James said as he led the way into the building. They sat at their table, drinking their drinks and talking, when a group of third years walked by.
"Guys! Why don't we go see the Shrieking Shack?" suggested one boy.
"Yeah, they say it's haunted by a ghost," said another.
"Haunted?" asked one of the girls, sounding frightened. "Is it safe?" A second girl laughed.
"Come on Jill! Don't be afraid. Besides, it's probably just the Bloody Baron trying to scare the villagers."
"Oh."
And they were out the door. James snorted as they left.
"Ghost? Ha! What idiots," he said, taking another sip of his butterbeer. Remus paled.
"You…you don't think it's a ghost?" James watched him closely as Sirius sent James a warning glare that said, 'Not here.'
"Nope," the hazel-eyed boy said, ignoring Sirius. "I know it's not a ghost. And so do you."
Peter was now casting nervous glances around and contemplating the need for a Silencing Spell.
"I-I do?" Remus stuttered, looking about ready to get up and run. Sirius tried to catch James' eye and shake his head, but the other boy was completely disregarding all the signals.
"Yes you do. So, Remus, why don't you tell us why it isn't a ghost that lives in that shack? Or shall I do it for you?" And before Remus could even open his mouth to answer there was a loud bang as Peter fell to the floor in a dead faint.
"Sweet Merlin!" James exclaimed, jumping up to help the fallen boy. Remus looked on, stunned into immobility, and Sirius watched, hoping that Peter wouldn't be too angry with him when he woke up.
"Come on Remus," Sirius said gently as James carried Peter towards the school. "We'd better go make sure Pete's okay."
And Sirius pulled Remus along the path in pursuit of their friends, unconsciously holding the smaller boy closer than was strictly necessary.
CHAPTER/END
A/N:
Lyndsey: It's been forever since I updated and I'm so, so sorry.
Kelly: Yes, she really is. She almost cried after the first month.
Lyndsey: With exams and moving and starting my new job, its just been really hard to sit down and write.
Kelly: But fear not, for it is summer now!
Lyndsey: Yes! Summer is upon us, fair minions!
Kelly: …You have no minions.
Lyndsey: Of course I do. Many, in fact.
Kelly: Pfft. I'm sure. Name one.
Lyndsey: Simb-
Kelly: And your stuffed animals don't count.
Lyndsey: …
Kelly: I'm waiting…
Lyndsey: Uh…Bennie!
Kelly: …You're joking.
Lyndsey: Why would I joke about such a serious matter as this?
Kelly: But, Bennie's your cat…
Lyndsey: And a most excellent minion. If you'll recall, she almost killed you at Christmas last year, as per my request.
Kelly: No, that was Cloud. And you didn't request it.
Lyndsey: Maybe not and, um…you have just named a second minion of mine! Ha! I win.
Kelly: No. You really don't.
Lyndsey: Yes, yes I do.
Kelly: No. Really. You don't.
Lyndsey: I really, really do.
Kelly: Whatever.
Lyndsey: Ha! See? I win.
Kelly: Yeah…right…good luck with that.
Lyndsey: Anywho, I'll try to update ASAP, but I still have to work a lot. Hopefully I'll be motivated to write for both my stories though. Fallen Angel's feeling a bit neglected.
Kelly: …A bit?
Lyndsey: Okay. A lot. But I've started the next chapter. It shouldn't take too long to finish.
Kelly: Mm hmm.
Lyndsey: Yeah. So, to motivate the minion-possessing Lyndsey you should all review!
Kelly: Like it? Love it? Absolutely loathe its existence? Let us know!
Lyndsey: And thank you so much to everyone who's already reviewed! We really appreciate it and it helps the story come along!
Kelly: Yep. Without the reviews for the prologue there wouldn't have been a story at all.
Lyndsey: But we really have babbled long enough. Hope you enjoyed the chapter, even though I must say that I personally thought it could have been better. I'm not feeling too great about this one. Please let me know if it was okay. –puppy dog eyes-
