Qlfc season 8 round 8
Team: Falmouth Falcons
Position: Chaser 2
Main prompt - remus and Peter
Optional prompts
Location: the Three Broomsticks
Plot point: holding a baby
Dialogue: "I'd love to support you in this, but it's a bad idea."
Hogwarts term 13 assignment 1
Zoology: Evolutionary Traits Over Time
Task #2: Write a character expressing one of the following emotions. (Suspicious, Offended, Frustrated)
The Interrogation
Holding the sleeping baby close to his chest, Remus entered the Three Broomsticks. The familiar surroundings filled him with a sense of nostalgia. The Marauders had spent many evenings sneaking into the pub for a butterbeer as it was the central locus for many unwinds after exams or tough detentions. The booth in the back corner was where they spent many years designing their infamous Marauder's Map, under Muffliato, of course.
Lily and James had had their first date here, a memory that always brought a smile to Remus's face. It was also the place Remus and his friends celebrated their graduation, a night full of laughter and good company.
He had made it all the way there without being stopped, and that was a first, considering everyone had asked if he and Sirius had finally had a kid whenever either of them were seen in public with baby Harry.
As he placed an order for a hot butterbeer, he thought about how glad he was that James and Lily trusted him to look after their son, Harry. For weeks now, Lily had been desperately trying to convince James to go see a Muggle play at a theatre, but James had insisted they stay with Harry. Lily had told James over and over again that she needed a break, and getting a babysitter would be the best option for a night out. And although it took some convincing, James had begged Lily to let one of the Marauders take care of Harry and Remus gladly volunteered to do so. James had still seemed quite unsure about the whole idea, but Lily reassured him that Remus was more than capable of looking after their baby.
On winning James over, at last, Lily had told Remus to take the Muggle stroller, but this again had set James off. Lily gave in, at last, and handed over the baby sling she always carried around her and had secured Harry tightly to Remus's chest. James, anxiously biting his fingernails told Remus that "He better not get frostbite, cos I'll be sending the wolves after your scent at the next full moon."
Remus realised with a warm heart, that James had become so much more mature and caring since Harry had been born, and Remus quite liked it.
Remus tore himself back to reality and grasped the warm mug as he made his way towards his usual empty back corner booth. Harry yawned, grumbled, and buried his face back into the wool blankets. Remus chuckled at the little infant. He treasured every minute he spent with baby Harry; they had a special bond that no one else could understand or take away from them.
Ever since Remus had met the infant at Saint Mungo's, he had felt a subtle connection. Harry had never once cried in Remus's company and Remus thought that was a good omen. Being quiet, they both seemed to be able to communicate by looking into each other's eyes, and somehow Remus always knew what Harry needed.
"Remus, what are you doing here?" came a very familiar voice from across the room.
"I could ask the same of you, Peter." Remus sighed, taking his eyes off of Harry's messy black locks to focus on the approaching figure of his ex-best friend. The recent suspicion surrounding a traitor in the Order made the Marauders cautious of one another out of paranoia. Sirius suspected it was Remus, and Remus suspected it was Peter. James and Lily were occupied by Harry and did not want to suspect their closest friends. This made Remus's contact with Peter sparse, hence this surprised encounter.
"Well, it's been a while, hasn't it?" Peter snorted, taking the booth opposite his friend.
"I suppose it's been a while," Remus mumbled back, taking another long sip of butterbeer and pulling the infant closer to himself.
"I have been meaning to meet with you for a while, but you seem to have been avoiding me considerably well, my dear friend." Peter sighed, looking longingly past Remus at the ornate wooden door that led outside to the winter wonderland beyond.
"I do not have a reason to trust you," Remus said firmly, letting Peter know what his stance was. "Evidence points to you being the traitor, though Sirius and the rest of the Order does not believe it."
Peter's watery blue eyes twitched as they always did when he lied. "You are paranoid, Remus, suspecting your own friends." He laughed shakily.
Remus looked around himself uneasily. Sensing the tension in the air, the small infant squirmed uncomfortably in Remus's arms and let out a disgruntled huff.
"Although the Potters are kind and willing to give you the benefit of the doubt, it is my choice to tell you to leave, when I feel reason to doubt your loyalty." Remus sighed once more, slowly inching away from Peter's cold stare. "Leave, I do not want you anywhere near me or Harry."
"But I'm their best friend! I'm your best friend, aren't I?" Peter complained, slamming a fist onto the table.
Remus jumped, keeping an arm wrapped securely around Harry, and stood from the table, butterbeer in hand.
"Yes, you were, Peter, but I'm afraid your loyalties have changed. I don't think you have changed, you're just becoming the person you were meant to be all along: a sneaky, disgusting, cowardly rat," Remus said coldly. "Pull back that sleeve and show me you're not a Death Eater."
Peter began to shake and splutter, sweat beading on his brow. Taking this response as validation, Remus turned his back on his friend. He walked towards the door Peter had been staring at a moment before.
"But Remus, I can prove I'm on the good side, just wait! James, Sirius, where are they? They believe I'm innocent. And you can't pretend that the Dark Lord has ambition!" Peter called after him.
"I'd love to support you in this, but this is a bad idea, and we both know it's true. James and Sirius may be blinded by your harmlessness, but I know better," Remus snapped, opening the frosted door and moodily stepping out into the cold outside.
