Author's Note: Sorry this is so short! It makes sense to cut it off here, though, I promise. This bit is a little sad.
At their best, the weeks following the trip to Hogsmeade are awkward.
At their worst, they're painful.
For two weeks, Remus watched as Sirius refused to so much as sit next to him, and endeavored to speak and look at him as little as possible.
Somehow, he was able to do it without looking at all inhospitable. As he moved to sit next to James –making it three Marauders on one side of the table and one alone on the other- James and Peter barely noticed, because Sirius quickly and animatedly began talking to James about some sort of prank. In doing so, he made it seem perfectly normal to not take the usual seat beside Remus.
It wasn't as if Sirius obviously ignored him, either. When the time called for it, Sirius was perfectly cordial. He wasn't Sirius, though. He wouldn't or mock Remus' studiousness the way he used to. He no longer threw an arm around Remus' shoulder as well as James' as they strolled the halls of Hogwarts. He didn't bother Remus for help with essays, or bring him bars of chocolate, wouldn't bother him when he was bored, wouldn't ask him for a spare razor.
On the first Tuesday after the incident in Hogsmeade, at lunch, Remus nearly suffered a heart attack when a Slytherin girl screamed and clouds of putrid smelling gas leaked from Snape's armpits. Later, when he and Prongs were alone in the common room – after he and Sirius had come up with a counter-spell for the smell in the Great Hall - Remus breached the subject.
"Prongs," Remus murmured, setting aside his parchment and quill. "Was that our work today?"
James stared up at him over a Herbology book, eyes wide and brow furrowed with confusion.
"Oi, mate, you feeling alright?"
"What?" Remus scowled, crossing his arms across his chest. "James, don't be evasive, I'm not going to go all Prefect on your arses, for Merlin's sake—"
"Blimey, you're serious." James' book fell into his lap, his mouth open in a small 'o' of shock. "But… But Sirius…. He said that you were the one who figured out the whole smoke bit."
Remus felt his face drain, his hands curling into fists against his chest. It was strange, to feel so weak and wounded and sad while simultaneously listening to the rush of blood in his ears as he felt himself bubble up with anger.
"He did no such thing," Remus hissed, looking daggers at the roaring fire.
"…Is there something going on between you and Sirius?"
Remus started; he'd blocked James out, nearly forgotten him.
No, there isn't, he thought, his brain taking the question the wrong way and drawing that vibrant memory up from the furthest part of his mind.
"You'll have to ask him," he said instead, gathered up his homework, and marched up the stairs.
Two weeks after Hogsmeade, Remus walked with Pomfrey to the Shrieking Shack.
He stripped of his clothes, shivered in the whistling winter wind, and felt his bones snap, tendons rip, and muscles pull. He gritted his teeth and fought the pain, ended up curled against the side of his bed, whimpering and shouting in pain.
With a final slide of bone against bone, the Wolf was released, and a boy was forgotten under the glow of a silver full moon.
x
Remus awoke in the Shack, shivering cold, and alone.
At seven o'clock, Pomfrey arrived to take him back to the castle. Remus dressed, and allowed himself to lean against the older woman as together they trudged through the tunnel and into the warmth of Hogwarts.
Dumbledore himself had to help get Remus up the stairs, something that hadn't been needed since … since James and Peter and Sirius had become Animagi.
Once in a hospital wing bed, Remus was treated for deep gashes across his shoulder blade. He had somehow managed to punch his knuckles on his right hand to oblivion. He'd bitten a huge chunk out of his left ankle, and he'd scratched his back and torso to ribbons. Thanks to the miracles of modern magic, he would be ready to leave by suppertime.
As he fell in and out of exhausted, dreamless stupors, Peter and James visited him once, after lunch. The boys didn't stay long; Remus was in no shape to be chatting, and both his companions seemed off put by what he could only assume was a garish display of scars and blood.
x
Sirius never came.
The most telling moment is when Hogwarts begins to usher out students for the winter holidays.
From the beginning of his years at Hogwarts, Remus had stayed at Hogwarts over the break. It was easier; his parents didn't want to have to deal with a werewolf in the house. Here he had the Shack, and people to look after him.
For the past two years, as relationships with Sirius and his family had begun to become more strained, Sirius had opted to spend half of break at Hogwarts, keeping Remus company. The other half he would spend at James' place, avoiding his ever-judgmental mother.
"You okay on your own this break, Rem?" James asked over his shoulder as he packed the last of his belongings into his trunk. Remus, who had been searching under his bed for one of Peter's missing socks, froze.
"Where's Sirius going?" he asked, biting his lip when he heard the weak quaver to his voice. Of course, Sirius wasn't in the dorm now. He was off, doing detention, or chasing a bird, or just being an overall pisser.
"He's coming to my house for the whole of the holidays," James continued, not breaking stride as he magically commanded his clothes to fold and stack. "My parents wanted to go traveling this time. We're heading off to see some relatives in the country. Of course, you know how my mum is about Sirius. She insisted he come along… And Sirius, the wanker, he's even paying his own way."
"I'm sure he is," Remus muttered under his breath. With a flick of his wand, he grabbed Peter's sock and threw it across the room to the other boy, hitting him flat across the face.
"You know, you can't just pretend I don't exist, Padfoot." Remus explained calmly, magicking stains and creases out of the last of Sirius' clothing. Like a bloody house wife, he thought to himself, giving his wand a rather savage wave.
"Excuse me?" Sirius' voice wafted over from behind the curtains on his bed, where he lay on his back, reading some book – most likely a late assignment he was rushing to finish before he left.
"I'm not stupid Sirius. We don't have to be kindergarteners here, you know. I'm not made of glass. I didn't even know what I was—"
"Moony, for Merlin's sake, I don't want to talk—"
"I've figured that out, Sirius!" Remus snapped, his voice not rising above the normal volume even as he felt his pulse pounding against his skull. Sirius sat up, giving a put-upon sigh and raking a hand back through his hair that now waved past his shoulders.
"Remus, please—"
"No! Look, Sirius, I was just. I was emotional, and I—"
"You kissed me." Sirius deadpanned, looking up from beneath the fringe of his bangs. The combination of straight-out honesty and the strength of Sirius' gaze threw Remus completely, although he should have expected it. Sirius was just like that.
Before he could pull himself back together, find his argument, gain back his momentum, Sirius threw the book down on the bed and fled the room with a simple thank you before he shut the door.
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END NOTE: So, would you like to see this exact same time-frame from Sirius' point of view, or do you want to continue the story, just going right after this leaves off? Lemme know! I honestly listen to what you guys say.
Also! I got two adorable reviews from Padfoot's Blondie and Rita! Thank you both, you made my day and inspired me to finish this quickly! 3