(A/N): So, this was a combination of two separate versions of this chapter that I smushed together (where the pov changes), and there's two references in here to future plot points, one that was intentional and one that wasn't. The one that wasn't is the one that happens soon, so its not like its a problem, I just kind of found it funny when I noticed it.

Disclaimer: No One owns nothing you recognise.

Remus

When Romulus landed with a dull thud of his wings smacking against my dresser, I didn't think much of it before removed the letter from where it was secured to his leg with thin black cord.

"Elaine." I said quietly, and she jumped up from the bed like I had lit it on fire.

"Is that-?" She cut herself off, no doubt already knowing the answer by the look on my face.

"The reply from Leo's dad? Yeah, I think so." I passed her the little scroll with her name scrawled across it, and she eyed it almost suspiciously.

"That's not his handwriting." She murmured, and I concurred with James's eye roll. For gods' sake, she knew his fathers handwriting.

"Well, whose is it then?" Peter asked, and Elaine tore it open, scanning the letter quickly before getting back to him.

"... Lisbet's." Subconsciously, we all let out a sigh of relief. So far, Lisbet had been the one to tell us the truth, the whole truth, especially when Leo didn't, so if we were going to find out what he was holding back, it was going to be from her.

"Dear Elaine," The aforementioned girl started, knowing we would all want to hear this. "Dear Elaine, I take Leo didn't tell you?" Queue collective eyeroll. "If so, then I'm sorry, but neither can I. You know I usually tell you the secret Leo's stupidly fighting to keep, but this is different. This is big, and painful, and most definitely isn't my story to tell. Leo has a right- and very good reason- not to tell you. And it isn't just you. I know what it is, but he still won't talk to me about it, so its not just him hiding secrets from you-" Here, Elaine took a deep breath, meeting our eyes for a second before resuming.

"Go easy on him, he's in a bad place right now. Keep an eye on my little boy, and don't let him do anything stupid- stupider than normal, I mean. Love, Lisbet." She folded the letter up, and walked over to Leo's bed, laying it on his pillow.

"What are you doing?" Sirius asked, sounding a bit distant, and Elaine half turned towards him.

"He needs to know we're not the only ones that are worried about him."

Elaine

When we eventually heard back from someone at the Ellwood Estate, this time being Lisbet, we were at first excited by the prospect of our most likely ally telling us what was going on with Leo, before we actually read the letter, and came away more worried than we went in.

"What'd Lisbet have to say?" Leo asked, I didn't want to take a guess at how exactly he had known it was Lisbet who had written the letter, seeing as he hadn't taken the time to do more than glance at it upon arriving in the boys dorm.

"She said, 'Sorry, Elaine, I can't say anything. If Leo doesn't want to talk about it, he probably isn't comfortable doing so. Take care of him for me." I omitted a few parts, knowing he'd get the full story when he read the damned thing. He seemed vaguely surprised by this, and wiggled absent-mindedly on his bed, seemingly just for something to do as he thought.

"Well, there goes our last resort." Remus muttered bitterly, and Leo's lips quirked, not in a smile or a frown, but almost in a sort of sympathetic gesture.

"Sorry guys, but no one who knows is going to be willing to tell you. Not even Brooke." Which sort of made us- or at least me- a little angry. Was no one going to let us help Leo?

"Well, if you won't tell us what's wrong, can you at least tell us how we can help? Like, deep conversations... fun games... back rubs?" He smiled, probably at the thought of getting back rubs.

"Uh, sure... I guess..." That was a very half-hearted, 'I'll try'.

"We're here for you, Leo." Lily said quietly, maybe even a little bit timidly.

"I know that, it's just... a little hard for me to actually put it into practice." We were all quiet for a second, each trying to figure out what to say to such a thing.

"Well... It's the little things that really matter." Peter said from where he sat cross legged on his bed, and I tilted my head, wondering where he was going with this. "If you want a hug, take it. If you need to talk at four in the morning, wake us up. If you want to cry, do it. We won't judge you Leo, you're our friend." All of us nodded in agreement, and Leo seemed almost ridiculously touched by that sentiment.

"Thanks, guys." James furrowed his eyebrows.

"You look like no ones given you free range to take what you need during an emotional crisis before." He was mostly joking, but when Leo pulled his knees up to his chest, he had all the information he needed. "Seriously? Has no one given you that before?" When Leo lifted his head, he looked almost... nostalgic.

"Once... Someone did... It's been years now, it was just after my mother kicked me out-" He cut himself off, like he didn't want to say more.

"Your dad?" Sirius asked, but Leo didn't look up, instead choosing to roll onto his side, hugging one of his pillows closely to his chest.

"I don't want to talk about it."

(A/N): Each like is a back rub for Leo.