For Decorating the Christmas Tree: soulmate!au
Word Count: 403
Remus doesn't mind that no one wants to sit with him. He's used to it by now. Really, he would rather have his book's company, so maybe he doesn't mind it too much.
He glides a finger over the grey pages of his Charms book, his eyes following along. Outside the window, the countryside flies by in a blur of black, white, and grey. Remus sighs. Maybe he cares more about his loneliness than he'll ever admit.
His parents are soulmates. He remembers their stories in his youth about the day they met, when the world exploded with color. He's often dreamt of the day when he would be so lucky, but he isn't sure it will come. Who would want to be stuck with a werewolf for rest of their life?
"I'm telling you, she's my soulmate!" someone says outside the carriage. "I can see the colors, mate, and they're beautiful."
"Well, she didn't seem to like you very much," a second boy chuckles.
Remus deflates. He hates feeling sorry for himself, but it can be hard sometimes. Hogwarts is bringing so many people together for the first time. How many of those will find their soulmates when they reach the castle?
The door to the compartment opens. Remus looks up to see two boys around his age, but his eyes are fixed upon the one with the shaggy hair.
Everything about the boy is attractive. But it doesn't matter; he's just another monochrome figure in an endless sea of black, white, and grey. Black hair, pale skin, grey eyes, black shirt and jacket.
The boy nudges his companion, chuckling like a madman. "It's him, James! It's him!"
Remus tenses for a moment. Years of having to pack up and move whenever someone discovers his secret has taught him to be wary of any form of recognition from strangers.
"Him who?" the one called James asks.
"I can see in color," the other whispers.
Remus blinks back his confusion, shaking his head. What does he mean by that? His eyes move over the boy, and his jaw drops. There, in the monochrome that seems to make up the other, is a faint tint of color in his cheeks. Now, as Remus looks around, he realizes that there's more than those old, familiar three shades around him.
"Oh."
The boy walks forward, grinning. "I'm Sirius Black," he says. "I've been waiting for you."