It's All About the Face

' He's over there! Alright, Moony!'

Remus let out a small noise of relief. They hadn't forgotten about him, after all. James was here. Then the panic rose up again. If James was here, surely Sirius was too and the amount of awkwardness that particular reunion would entail really shouldn't have spectators.

Only when the hand touched his shoulder did he realise he had frozen to the spot, not even turning towards the voice of his friend.

' Alright, Moony?' James repeated, giving his shoulder a little squeeze.

' Yeah,' Remus said, trying to keep his voice even. Surprisingly, it complied. He felt suddenly encouraged by his unwavering vocal coordination, and turned to meet James grin with a casual smile of his own.

James' face visibly fell, crumbling in on itself almost. He stared with wide, hazel eyes, running his gaze back and forth across Remus' face.

' Whoa,' he breathed, fingers twitching very much like he was resisting the urge to reach out and touch it.

Remus sighed. He had known this was going to happen at some point, but the actuality of the James Potter - epitome of all that is the courageous, outspoken Gryffindor - speechless. Because of him. The thought actually made him giggle.

' Err… Have you finally cracked?' James asked, uncertainly, but the corners of his mouth twitched.

' No. Well, yes. Years ago. Around the time I decided to knock about with you, I'd wager,' Remus said, between the giggles still bubbling up in his chest.

' Right… ' James said, slowly, even as the smile grew. ' So, we're laughing because…?'

' You - James Potter - '

' I am.'

' - rendered completely and utterly incapable of speech -'

' I.. Well… Hey!'

' - because of my face. My Face!'

' Well, when you put it like that,' James laughed, shaking his head slightly, ' It still isn't funny at all. Come on, mum's waiting.'

' Sorry,' Remus said, allowing himself to be pulled along. ' You have no idea how nervous I was about this.'

He gestured vaguely to his face, and the prominent pink scar across his nose, and James stopped. He regarded him fro a moment, with what can only be described as scholarly interest, before nodding his approval.

' I like it. It's… rugged,' he grinned, and added, ' Plus, you know Padfoot'll love it.' Remus felt his blood drain away and only just repressed a shiver as everything went cold in an instant. Deciding he really didn't want to know whether James actually had any idea what he was hinting at, he pretended to look around.

' Speaking of whom,' he asked, hopefully innocently. ' Where is he?'

' At home. Didn't feel like venturing beyond the paradise that is my house.'

' Ah,' Remus replied, smirking. ' In bed then. Should've know.'

' Of course you should, it's not even breakfast yet! Trust you, Remus Lupin, of all people, to board a train that arrives promptly at 7AM. There isn't a word for it. Oh wait, there it. It's fucking ridiculous, that's what it is.'

' James Potter,' came a half-stern reprimand. ' Language.'

Ignoring the woman, James grinned an pushed Remus forward a bit. He found himself staring at a tall, kind faced lady whose playful scowl melted into warm, welcoming smile. She had thick hair that fell to her shoulders, once a vivid red but now more of a rusty grey. Her face was full of laughter lines, and Remus decided this was a lady who must really like to laugh. Then again, she lived with James, that should have been a given.

' Mum, this is Remus, finally,' James said, nudging Remus' ribs and urging him forward. ' Remus, my mother.'

' It's lovely to meet you Mrs Potter,' he said, falling back on his ingrained politeness and offering his hand.

She ignored it, and pulled him in to a tight, motherly hug. It was slightly odd, seeing as how he had only just met her, but it was nice. After what seemed like a very long time, she pulled back and held him by the shoulders while she eyed him. He felt rather like an interesting specimen at a museum.

' Hmm,' she said, after another long stretch of a short moment. ' Far too thin. And pale, so pale.'

Remus blinked in shock at the sudden judgement, and was distantly aware that he was probably gaping at the woman. Fortunately, James came to his rescue.

' Mum,' he said, firmly. ' We've talked about this. I told you he's been ill. He's not quite recovered yet. Give him a few days and he'll be fine, won't you?'

Remus nodded, probably looking every bit the small animal caught in the headlights of the knight bus. He hadn't even considered what he must look like to an overprotective maternal figure, all transformation-battered and sleep deprived. Strangely, Mrs Potter didn't look twice at the scar across his face, and he was thankful for that.

' Anyway,' James smiled, pulling Remus out of the train station, ' A week on my mum's cooking and you'll be looking like Peter.'

The journey from London to West Berkshire took nearly two hours, and passed exactly as expected. James' father, who Remus though looked exactly like James would if he lived that long, was a friendly man with a Muggle fascination bordering on unhealthy. He drove the Muggle car they were travelling in, explaining the various functions to a less than interested James.

Remus nodded politely when spoken to, and responded quietly when more was required. James, he noticed, didn't act any differently around his parents. He talked to them like they were his friends, jokingly and occasionally a little rudely. They didn't seem to mind though.

As they entered the borough of Newbury, Remus was captivated by the town sprawling before him. It was lush and green, perched along the banks of a river. The buildings were small, quaint little stone cottages, worn and used over the years, and thoroughly loved. It was a perfect, picturesque scene. Like a postcard. He must have been staring, because Mrs Potter started fussing over him again.

' Alright, dear? I know it isn't much…'

' It's beautiful,' He said, with feeling.

' It's a mainly Muggle place,' Mr Potter said, excitedly. ' But there are a few wizarding families dotted about the countryside.'

' Where there's space to build sodding great Manor houses without anyone noticing,' James laughed.

Before Remus could question the distinct lack of anything larger than a bungalow in the immediate vicinity they turn up a barely noticeable country lane, concealed behind a charmed wall of ivy which raises when Mr Potter mutters something and waves his wand lazily. Remus realises he is probably gawping, but feels he is perfectly justified.

As soon as they cross the threshold the ivy wall descends again, casting them in shadow. Not that Remus noticed. He was far to busy staring at the huge, whitewashed Manor occupying several acres of land that had suddenly appeared before them. It is massive. Three stories surrounded by sprawling gardens, bright painted walls with huge bay windows he can see right through and Oh God, is that a library?

' Really, Moony, close your mouth,' James says, patting his shoulder.

' It's… It's…' But Remus can't think of a way to express it, and his mouth flaps about unflatteringly for a few moments.

James only shrugs, ' It's home.'

They pulled up the gravel driveway, James jumping out of the vehicle almost before it had stopped. Remus followed, more cautiously. They entered the house through a large, ornate wooden door into an equally vast hallway which centred around a gorgeously carved mahogany staircase. On which sat the figure of an equally gorgeously formed dark-haired teenage boy.

' About time,' Sirius exclaimed, staying firmly sat on the steps. ' Been waiting ages.'

' Well, you will sleep in, you lazy git.'

' James, be nice,' Mr Potter said casually, as he wandered through a door to the left. ' Now, boys, Lunch will be ready at one thirty sharp, and I'll expect you all to have washed up before hand, understood?' Mrs Potter said, with a pointed look at James and Sirius as she disappeared into the kitchen.

' Yeah, mum, we know -' James started.

' No more mud fights in the house,' Sirius finished, saluting.

Silence descended. A very tense, awkward silence. But Remus' thought that might just be his interpretation. Sirius didn't move from the stairs, so Remus stood stationary in the doorway and James hovered somewhere in the middle. For the first time in years, Remus actually wished the bespeckled boy wasn't there.

He stared at Sirius, who was staring back. Sirius blinked, and Remus worried at his bottom lip, and they seemed to come to some sort of unspoken agreement. It was simple really, but necessary. Let's not make this as awkward and uncomfortable as it probably should be. And with that, the moment passed. James was just beginning to look concerned when Sirius jumped up.

' Alright, Moony!' he called, taking the last three steps in one casual movement. ' Glad you could make it, and all that.'

' Glad to be here,' he replied, with a small smile. ' Any chance you could show me my room, I'm knackered.'

' You look like shit,' Sirius said, and James nodded emphatically.

' Yeah, I'll take you.'

Remus muttered his thanks, reaching for his bag but Sirius jogged towards him, making to take it instead. He stopped half way, eyebrows shooting up his forehead.

' Bloody hell, Remus.'

Remus shifted uncomfortably. It wasn't often Sirius used his given name. The darker boy, obviously lacking the tact James had shown at the train station, reached up and brushed his fingers across the stark, pink scar tissue on the bridge of his nose. Remus jerked away from the surprisingly gentle touch, wincing at the warm contact.

' It's nothing,' he muttered.

' Nothing?' Sirius cried, incredulous. ' That is a whopping great slash across your face!'

Remus managed a weak laugh. ' James reckoned you'd like it.'

' Hmm,' he said, stepping back and regarding the werewolf from a distance, ' I do. It's very… rugged.'

' Hah! That's what I said!'

' God help me if I'm starting to think like you, Prongs, mate!'

' There is no helping you, Padfoot. God or no.'

Remus had spoken without thinking, and he was glad of it. Suddenly everything was light-hearted again, and fun. How it should be. No awkwardness in sight. Sirius seemed to sense this too, and clapped him on the back.

' Come on then,' James said, staring up the staircase. ' I'll find you some pillows.'

' Want help with that?' Sirius asked.

' From you?' James said, pulling a face that clearly said he didn't. ' You, Padfoot, cannot find your toothbrush when it is in that expansive hole you call a mouth.'

' Hey!' Sirius said, casting about for something to throw at his best friend.

' Now, Prongs, be fair,' Remus grinned. ' I haven't once seen him brush his teeth in five years.'

James said something else, but Remus didn't hear it for being tackled to the ground. A three way tickle-fight ensued, and Remus knew everything was going to be fine, one way or the other.

New chapter! Well, it's sort of the end of the last chapter, really, but when I wrote it out it seemed way too long for one so I split it.

I have good news! I, being the genius I am occasionally, have managed to base my entire current project on this story. So technically, I am doing my collage work by writing it! How devious am I? Brilliant! So updates should be pretty regular for the next few weeks, anyway.

Other than that, not a right lot to say. Thank you for reading, and reviewing! I nearly have 50 now, which is just wow. Thank you so much!