"Ngh!" Groaned Sirius, covering his eyes from the bright flashes of sun light as the train began to move.
"What's wrong with you?" asked Peter, absently, half asleep
"The light... it's horrific... why must the sun torture me so..."
"I feel like a hippogriff shat in my head" Muttered Remus, with his head in his hands, a few pieces of loo roll stuck to small spots of blood, where he'd cut himself shaving.
"You know what" James said defiantly "This whole pathetic sickly business can fuck off. Where's the hangover potion Moony?"
"Packed it somewhere near the bottom of my trunk. Did you add the Secret Passage ways onto the map?"
"Ya damn right I did Moony. The single greatest thing I did last night"
"Oi" snapped Cheng, elbowing James in the side
"Sorry Babe. The second greatest thing I did last night" he said with a big smirk, ruffling his hair.
"Don't call me Babe you twat" she growled, looking fairly green and rather like she was not in the mood to be messed with. James leaned back casually and spread his legs, looking really too pleased with himself.
"Don't call me a twat Babe"
"Fuck you Potter" she said with a smirk "I'm going to sit with my friends... see you in January, yeah?"
"Yeah" They exchanged a lascivious glance and wet kiss, which made the most unpleasant smacking sucking sound
"Fuck me! get a room" Groaned Sirius
"Fuck you! You're allowed to grope Moony with us in the room , so I'll grope Cheng all I want"
"Will you now?" She said raising a brow and a hand to her hip
"Hell yes I will" He ruffled his hair again. She rolled her eyes.
"Bye Potter" She said and exited the compartment dragging her trunk and kicking the door shut behind her. Sirius kicked James in the shin
"So what's going on with you and Cheng now?" he asked
"Oh it's wonderful Padfoot... she said the magic words to me!"
"What you mean... ?"
"Yes, that's right." He smiled dreamily "Fuck Buddies"
"Nice one James" Sirius nodded and smiled.
"Yes... good for you" Remus muttered, looking like he wished he hadn't put the hangover potion so far down in his trunk. James cackled.
"That'll make Evans jealous, won't it?"
"Yeah... course it will..." Sirius giggled
"Well, I think it's a good idea." Peter huffed.
"You would though" sneered Remus. His face evened out and he looked guilty "sorry Peter... didn't mean it to come out like that"
"Whatever... still think it's a good idea though. I mean, he gets to shag Cheng and make Evans jealous"
"I think Lily's more likely to give Slughorn a blowjob than she is to get jealous of James and his fuck buddy" Remus laughed. The other three Marauders gave him a scandalised look. He clapped his hands over his mouth "Jesus Christ! I'm sorry! It's like I'm just saying the first thing that pops into my head today"
"Is that the hormones as well" asked Sirius
"Maybe"
"Or maybe he's just using the hormones as an excuse to act like a dick?" James said with a scowl.
"Or maybe you're just grumpy because Lily hates you?" snapped Remus
"Or maybe you're just a moody ass?"
"Or maybe you're just an arrogant twat?"
"Or maybe you should stop bickering?" suggested Sirius
"Maybe you should butt out?" snapped Remus
"Maybe we should stop prefixing everything with maybe and talking in questions?" spat James
"You started it you great-!"
"SHUT UP" called Peter "EVERYONE IS ILL. EVERYONE FEELS LIKE SHIT SO WE SHOUD ALL SHUT UP SO I CAN SLEEP." He frowned and closed his eyes, lying his head against the window
"There is something truly wrong with the universe on the days that Peter Fucking Pettigrew has to tell us to shut up" muttered Sirius. James stuck his middle finger up at no one in particular and shut his eyes as well.
"I'm going to the loo, Sirius"
"... because I needed to know that"
"... Just warning you, I'm going to the loo"
"Right... good for you"
"Are you coming?"
"No, no. I'm fine"
"oh for fucks.... Let me rephrase this. By going to the loo, I mean, going to an empty compartment. By are you coming, I mean; you are coming."
"... Oh right" Remus grinned and stepped out of the compartment, Sirius tripped over his feet chasing him.
*
"Sirius... come on gerroff you soppy bastard" Mumbled Remus into Sirius's shoulder as he gave him a rather too enthusiastic hug on the platform "You'll see me in four days... and you're hurting my ribs"
"Aah, sorry" Sirius let go "See you then, then. Don't bang yourself up too badly during the full moon"
"I'll be alright" Remus slapped his shoulder "There's mum... see you"
"Bye..." Remus walked away, Sirius pouted and bent his fingers into a heart. Remus mouthed fuck off.
*
Rhea watched her son hug his boyfriend. Watched them make silly faces and watched Remus turn and walk toward her with a big grin. She couldn't help, among the warmth and happiness she felt – that Remus had something so wonderful in his life, so young - to feel the tiniest pang of jealousy. John used to hold her like that. With a great deal more effort of course, as he was far far taller than she was. He was huge. But she felt so safe, him wrapped around her. He was always warm. Remus dropped his bags at once and hugged her, she held him far far tighter than she should have. She shouldn't have cried either. She shouldn't have buried her face in his chest. She shouldn't have behaved like such a child. It wasn't fair.
"It's alright mum" he said quietly, his hand shook and lay on the top of her head.
*
Sirius was surprised to see his parents at the platform, rather than Kreachur. Mother's fingers were already tightly wrapped around Regulus's shoulders. The fabric of Regulus's robes looking desperate and near tearing beneath her finger nails.
"Orion will you look at that woman over there. Making an absolute fool of herself" she tutted "Some variety of mud blood, no doubt"
"No." Said Father firmly. "She's a Stonewall. The eyes." He said with a flair of his nostrils
"Well it's rather difficult to see when she pressed into that boy. If she's a Stonewall, then why don't we know her"
"Disgraced herself with some variety of mud blood, no doubt" he sneered. Mother's nostrils flared in agreement. "Are you ready, boy?" Father snapped, frowning at Sirius.
"... yes. I suppose. Why are you here?"
"Alphard." He said curtly "We're visiting him. He has been in rather ill health of late and won't be in a fit state to travel to our home this year"
"What's wrong with him?" piped Regulus. Mother cuffed him on the back of the head
"That is neither here nor there!"
"Now, Walburga. Best not be too hard on the boy. He was only curious, after all" He said rather condescendingly. Mother's eyes narrowed defiantly .
"Very well." They began to walk, Mother's hands tight on Regulus's shoulders all the way, as if she thought he'd run a mile if he let go. Sirius would advise he run three. "Come along Sirius" she snapped.
*
After the dampest hug of Remus's life, mum regained her composure, apologised thoroughly, looked incredibly embarrassed and apparated them back to the house. Remus began to tug his trunk upstairs.
"Let me do it sweetheart, I can just..." she pulled her wand from her sleeve and waved it.
"Oh, thanks."
"Stick the kettle on, will you" she called, as Remus heard the dull thump of trunk of his bedroom floor above. She appeared moments later, giving Remus a shock as he turned around to see her at the kitchen table. Her eyes swollen, red and puffy. He stuck her tea in front of her, remarking he still made how she liked it, the colour of used dish water. She snuffled.
"You've been alright?" he asked. She shrugged.
"Lonely. Sylvia got divorced again."
"That was quick."
"She might be moving in here after Christmas" She said, taking too big a slurp of her too hot tea, choking and swallowing thickly. Remus winced.
"Moving in?"
"I'm not ecstatic about it either. Merlin knows I'll be glad of the company."
"Jesus Christ mum... I'm sorry"
"For what Sweetheart?"
"... I'm just sorry... sorry about everything."
"Remus.... there's not much you can do about anything."
"I know..." he muttered, feeling useless. "You've not been drinking, have you?"
"No" she said, avoiding his eye.
"You're not lying mum?" He asked desperately.
"Oh alright, yes. Yes I bloody well have" she snapped. Remus was taken aback by her voice raising above it's near whisper. "It's one of the few comforts I have. I know you're only trying to help, but you aren't. You're just making me feel guilty, so please. Just stop it. Let me have my drink" Tears started to swim in her bright eyes again
"Ok-kay... okay. That's fine. Sorry, I didn't mean to... sorry"
"It's alright Sweetheart" tears tracking down her face, she fumbled in the pocket of her robes and pulled out a packet of muggle cigarettes sticking one in the corner of her mouth, lighting it with a snap of her fingers.
"Mum!" Remus's jaw dropped "What the hell are you doing?"
"Smoking... want one? Calms you down."
"But... it's bad for you! Dad said that muggles who smoke them always end up sick or dead."
"Remus
for Merlin's sake" she threw her head back and blew a great puff
of smoke into the kitchen. "Dad only said that to put you off, it's
a habit he had that he was very embarrassed about. These are his
fags, I found them sellotaped to the back of the headboard on our
bed"
"What? But he said-"
"As far as we know, Wizards can't get sick from them... just addicted" she muttered.
"... you're drunk now, aren't you" she shrugged. And stood, mumbling something having a report to finish.
*
"Alphard?" called Father. "Alphard, have your elf get the door, it's Orion and Walburga and the children" Sirius scoffed at being referred to as a child. An old shrivelled elf answered the door to them. Alphard's house was very much like Grimmauld place, it appeared to be your usual, tatty muggle terrace on the outside, but on the inside lay a large manor house. Not as large as Grimmauld Place, obviously but large, none the less.
"Master Black says come in" the elf said in a surprisingly deep gravelly voice. "Master Black says, hello and Patches shows you to his room. He says Patches has to take your cloaks." The elf, Patches, held out a pair of bony shrivelled arm, Mother and Father tossed their cloaks at the Patches who collapsed under their weight. After Mother cast tem a dark look, Regulus reluctantly lay his cloak upon the elf. Sirius was thankful he hadn't warn a cloak today. They watched the elf struggle to take the cloaks to the cloak room then, exhausted, he lead them upstairs.
"Master Black? Patches has brought your guests" He lead them into Alphard's bedroom, the curtains were pulled and the windows were blacked out. He lay propped up in his bed by a stack of expensive looking pillows. Sirius could barely see him in the candle light but he was looking very drawn and ashen and grey.
"Thank
you Patches. Go give yourself a little treat, there are the biscuits
you like somewhere in the pantry" he sounded as if he'd gotten up
that morning and gargled with nails.
"Thank you Master Black
sir, Patches is eternally grateful for his biscuits sir" The elf
trilled as he backed out of the room bowing.
"Alphard." Father nodded. Alphard nodded back. "How have you been?"
"... I haven't been out of bed in two weeks you stupid git! How do you think I am!?"
"There's no need to be rude"
"I'm old and I'm ill. I'll be as rude as I want"
"Aren't
you on like... forty eight or something?" asked Regulus. Mother
staring daggers at him. She was about to snap something along the
lines of "Speak properly, boy" when Alphard cut her off with his
answer.
"Forty seven"
"S'not that old" Regulus shrugged. Alphard laughed, then wheezed, then coughed, then sounded like his body was prepared to cough up a lung right here, right now.
"Is there anything I can have the house elf get you?" asked Mother. Alphard scowled.
"Such a personal gesture dear sister."
"Can I get you anything from the apothecary?" she snapped
"Doctor's coming in half an hour. Anything I need, she'll give me"
"She?" Father asked. Alphard rolled his eyes
"Yes, Orion, She." He sighed and coughed again.
"We have a gift for you" Father said stiffly, lips pursed he walked over to the bed and handed a bottle to Alphard.
"Aah. Booze... again... How personal..." He looked disdainfully at the bottle and set it on his bedside table. "Orion, Walburga, I'm going to ask you leave for a moment. I have something I wish to discuss with my nephew's."
"... very well" sighed Father, he then strode from the room, Mother following dutifully behind. Alphard told them to come closer to the bed.
"Boys... do me a favour... Get out while you still can"
*
"Full moon tomorrow?"
"Day after tomorrow... same day my friends are coming" Remus sighed and stretched. Mum and him had been sat in silence for two hours. Remus getting up every now and then to make more tea.
"You want to talk about him?" Remus asked. They hadn't properly spoken about Dad since...
"You want a cigarette?" She lit one and waved it in front of him.
"... okay" he took the cigarette and held it between his middle and index finger, following mum's example. He took a drag, choked and gagged.
"Did I ever tell you how we fell in love, Sweetheart?"
"No, you never told me" She smiled and patted his hand. "It's a beautiful story, I think"
"Tell me"
"Well, we were in the same year at school, which you knew. Him Gryffindor, me Ravenclaw. Believe it or not, I was even quieter then than I am now. Hardly said a word. Jumped a mile if anyone spoke to me" she smiled her very small smile. "I fancied your Dad from the minute I saw him in Charms. On our first day. Loud and tall and funny and..." she giggled "Gorgeous. Even as a kid Remus, he was lovely. I had no idea he even knew who I was... I would just stare at him all the time. Absolutely pathetic. I started to make friends, but I spent more time staring at your dad than talking to them when we were together. I got a boyfriend, in third year. Richard Vance. Blonde, glasses... cute" She stubbed her cigarette out on the table. Remus wincing before remembering she'd put a protection charm on it. "Your Dad comes up to me in Herbology, bear in mind we've hardly said two words to each other and says to me: you going out with Vance? And I nodded and he said: He's a right twat you know." She laughed, so did Remus "I told him I'd bear that in mind. So your Dad starts, not staring at me but, scowling at poor Richard. All the time. Richard cheated on me with my friend Tracy and your Dad beat him up" she smiled fondly "And you know, he was really upset afterward. Apologised to Richard. Bought him a drink in Hogsmeade."
"And then you two go together"
"You'd
think so wouldn't you" she muttered. Her voice a whisper. "We
started to make friends really. I stopped hanging round with my
friends... never got on with them much anyway. And I started to hang
round with him and his friends. They were the best friends I ever
made. Your dad, David Robinson and Tertia Bones and Vivian Carl.
David and Tertia got married. Dead now, but I told you about that and
I've no idea what happened to Vivian.
Anyway, so we were
friends, then soon we were best friends. Best friends and that's
all for two years. Even though you could cut the sexual tension with
a knife." She snuffled again, Remus couldn't tell if it was with
tears or laughter. "We both made prefect. And we had patrols
together Tuesday nights. And after two years and three months of
beating around the bush... you know what your dad's like. He said
Rhea, you're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. And I said
nothing, I just went red. And he said, you're a wonderful person
and I really really want to be more than just your friend. But don't
think he sound like that when he said it. He was considerably louder
but he stammered and ummed and ahhed and Merlin's beard he sweated
like a pig. And I still didn't say anything because I was so nervous,
this was all I'd wanted for years. So I just" she giggled again,
Remus seeing tears tracking down her face "... I pounced"
"You pounced!?" Remus laughed and coughed
"Pounced."
"Poor Dad"
*
Sirius heard a soft knock at his door that night. Long after he should have been asleep. Sirius tip toed over to allow Regulus in, who tiptoed past and plopped onto Sirius's bed.
"What do you want?"
"What do you think Alphard meant... Get out while you still can"
"I think it's fairly self explanatory... he wants us to get out of this family"
"but we can't get out of our family... it's our blood"
"It's bad blood Regulus"
"How can you say that?"
"Quite easily really"
"Well, if you think our family is... that we have bad blood then... then... you think I have bad blood."
"You don't have to"
"I can't help it Sirius. I'm a Black, so are you... you can't fight blood"
"Watch me"
A/N: This chapter has taken a stupid amount of time to get out and I am very very sorry :(
If you're not too disappointed in me remember to review and read my other story if you've got a bit of time.
Thanks for reading and favouriting etc. x
