Chapter 7- Fourth Year
The next few weeks flew by, and Remus found himself settling into life at Hogwarts. By the end of the month, he realized that he wasn’t as far behind as he’d feared—except when it came to Herbology and Divination, of course. His assignments were consistently returned with either O’s or E’s, and he often found himself grasping spells and incantations before they were even taught in class. For the first time, Remus found himself grateful for his father’s thorough teachings, now that he wasn’t completely embarrassed during class. The only real frustration Remus had was with his Defence Against the Dark Arts scores. They should have been Outstanding but Professor Highcart's clear grudge against him meant he was always marked down to Exceeds Expectations and sometimes an acceptable. If it were any other teacher, Remus might have assumed they were simply a harsh grader. But after James and Sirius reviewed his work and agreed that his answers were far better than theirs, Remus knew that he was getting fucked over. This treatment caused James and Sirius to start a betting pool, much to Remus’s amusement, and everyone made their guesses as to why he was so severely hated.
“Someone named Remus bullied him when he was a kid,” Marlene decided, handing Sirius the galleon needed to join the pool. Peter raised a sceptical eyebrow at this. “How many Remuses do you think there are in the world?” He asked as he fished around in his pocket for his own galleon, Marlene shot him an annoyed look. “Alright, if my guess is so terrible, what’s yours then?”
“Just remember,” James interjected, shaking the pouch of coins, “once you’ve made your guess, you can’t take it back.” So far Sirius had predicted that Remus looked like an old lover who’d cheated on Professor Highcart, and James, ever the romantic, had countered this with the theory that Remus resembled the man the lover had cheated on him with. Both were colorful ideas, but Remus doubted their accuracy—he was certain the professor’s dislike for him had more to do with hearing his name than anything to do with his appearance. Peter, after a long pause, finally spoke up. “Right, my guess is that Highcart hates Roman mythology—and therefore hates your name.” He handed over his coin, and the group stared at him, collectively confused. Remus couldn’t help but think this was, by far, the worst idea yet. Marlene broke the silence first. “What kind of fuck ass guess was that?” she asked, but before Peter could defend himself, Lily cut in, leaning back thoughtfully in her seat. “It has to have something to do with the name,” she mused, voicing Remus’s previous thoughts.
When James and Sirius first brought the idea to the library table, Lily had been firmly against it. But after everyone else started chiming in, she couldn’t help but get involved. “Alright, my prediction is that Highcart went to school with Remus’s father and hated him,” she said, tossing her coin at James’s head. “And I’m only participating because I love to win,” she added, turning back to her essay. That theory seemed believable. Remus could easily understand why someone might dislike his father and it wasn’t like they were far apart in age. “Alright, my turn,” Mary said excitedly from beside Remus. She paused for a moment, her eyes lingering on him, as though searching for something. “I think,” Mary said slowly, her gaze still fixed on Remus, “that Highcart believes Remus is a monster and doesn’t deserve to live.” The table went deathly quiet and Remus felt his jaw drop in disbelief. “I’m sorry, what?” Peter asked, looking thoroughly disturbed. Mary shrugged, unfazed. “I’m not sure why he would think that,” she said casually, “but that’s my prediction.” The group sat in stunned silence until Sirius couldn’t hold it in any longer. He burst out laughing, and eventually, everyone else joined in, albeit with a touch of discomfort in their laughter. Remus, however, didn’t laugh. Mary’s guess had unsettled him, sending an eerie chill down his spine. It felt too familiar. “Right, well, can I change my guess?” Marlene asked once the group quieted down. “Can I go with someone called Lupin instead of Remus?”
“No,” James, Sirius, and Peter all said in unison. “That felt sexist,” Marlene grumbled. James, leaning back in his seat with his arms crossed, smirked. “I said you couldn’t take it back, McKinnon.”
That weekend, James had somehow managed to guilt Remus into flying with him, Sirius, and Marlene, insisting that they needed a keeper for their practice session. “You and Sirius aren’t even Chasers,” Remus complained as they made their way down to the Quidditch pitch. “Yeah, but it’s still important for us to practice teamwork,” Marlene responded with a shrug, swinging her broom back and forth. Remus was borrowing James’s old broom for the practice, though by "old" he meant the best broom available two months ago. He couldn’t help but think, This is probably what being rich feels like, as he glanced down at the broomstick, which was still in perfect condition. Ahead of them, James and Sirius were flying low to the ground, trying to knock each other off. So far, James had shown far better balance, having managed to stay on while Sirius had already fallen off twelve times. James’s skill was, frankly, impressive.
“Right, you do know how to ride a broom, yeah?” James asked as they finally stood in front of one of the goalposts. “Well, I’ve been on one once or twice,” Remus replied, his uncertainty growing as he suspiciously eyed the broom in front of him. “Good enough,” Marlene said, dismissing his hesitation as she moved to pull the Quaffle from the box she’d carried down with her. Sirius gave Remus a knowing smirk, slapping him on the back. “I’m sure you’ll be fine, Lupin,” he said, amusement clear in his tone. “All you have to do is float in front of the goals and look pretty.” Remus rolled his eyes at Sirius’s teasing and shoved him away with his shoulder. “Yeah, real helpful,” he muttered. James, however, had a more serious suggestion. “I mean, you could try blocking some of the goals if you want,” he added, though his tone made it clear that he was really hoping Remus would put some effort in. Remus sighed as he walked toward the goalposts, cautiously mounting his broom. “Remind me again why your usual keeper couldn’t join you?” he grumbled, trying to distract himself from the mounting nerves. When no one responded right away, he slowly glanced back. The three of them were exchanging guilty looks, though Sirius’s seemed more amused than anything. “Please tell me you asked her first,” Remus groaned. “Umm…” James gave him a sheepish grin. “We’ll ask her next time.” Before Remus could protest further, James was suddenly airborne, followed closely by Marlene and a laughing Sirius.
It was safe to say that Remus was absolutely shit at goalkeeping. They’d been on the pitch for about forty-five minutes now, and he hadn’t saved a single one. It wasn’t that he wasn’t trying—he was putting in everything he had. Sweat was literally dripping down his face, and Remus never sweated! He couldn’t help but feel a mix of frustration and embarrassment as he struggled. The reactions from his friends didn’t help. James kept offering what he probably thought were encouraging smiles, but they looked more like grimaces. Marlene, ever the strategist, shouted out tips and suggestions, each one becoming more frantic as she grew increasingly frustrated with his lack of progress. But it was Sirius’s reaction that stood out the most. Sirius just kept laughing, as though this was the funniest thing he’d ever seen. At first, it irked Remus, but then he realized he appreciated it—Sirius wasn’t trying to pretend like he was suddenly going to be great at Quidditch, or that he’d magically learn to love it. No, Sirius knew exactly how Remus felt. He knew Remus hated every part of it and wanted nothing more than for it to end. And somehow, that made Remus feel seen.
Finally, after another thirty minutes of torture, James and Marlene called it quits, and Remus let out a relieved sigh. “So when am I joining the team?” he joked, wiping the sweat from his forehead. Sirius laughed so hard that he almost toppled over, and Remus couldn’t help but grin in response. “Umm, no offense, mate, but I’ve never seen anyone so shit at Quidditch before,” James said, smiling, finally finding humor in the whole situation. “We were out there for over an hour, and you couldn’t save a single goal,” Marlene declared, her voice full of disbelief. “I didn’t even think that was possible.” This finally sent James and Remus into fits of laughter as they made their way toward the changing rooms. “At one point, I tried to pass it to you, and you just moved out of the way,” Sirius choked out, finally regaining enough control to speak. “Alright, that’s it—no more shit-talking,” Remus said, though he was still grinning. “And never ask me to play Quidditch again.” Marlene waved them off as she entered her own changing room, casting Remus one last look of exaggerated dismay.
Remus made a beeline for one of the shower stalls, knowing that the others would get a nasty shock if he undressed in front of them. Once inside, he tossed his clothes over the door to keep them dry, then turned on the tap, letting the soothing warmth of the water wash over him. “I left a towel at the front of the shower for you, Remus,” James called from behind the door, followed by the sound of another shower turning on. “Cheers,” Remus replied, quickly grabbing the liquid soap and scrubbing himself off. He needed to hurry—if anyone saw him getting changed, it would lead to an awkward conversation he really didn’t want to have. After rinsing off the last of the soap, he stepped out of the stall and wrapped the towel around himself, drying off as quickly as he could. He’d just finished pulling his shirt over his head when he heard the sound of another stall opening behind him. He swiftly spun around to make sure the person hadn’t seen his exposed back and instead got an eyeful of a very naked Sirius. He could already feel the blush spread up his neck as he averted his eyes. “You’re acting like you’ve never seen another dick before,” Sirius said, huffing out a laugh. And well this just made Remus blush harder because he, of course, had not seen another person's dick before. Sirius must have realised this too, because he let out another laugh, though Remus could hear the rustle of clothes as Sirius finally dressed. “I’m just going to head back,” Remus muttered, still not daring to look at him. “Lily mentioned something about studying.” Without waiting for a reply, he grabbed his broomstick and practically bolted from the changing room, his face burning with embarrassment.
Unfortunately it didn’t take Sirius very long to catch up to him and Remus still wouldn’t look over when he finally slowed down to match his pace. After a few awkward moments, Sirius started talking “Sorry, I didn’t mean to embarrass you,” he said in a surprisingly soft voice. Remus still cringed at the words however, his stomach tightening. He really didn’t want to have this conversation right now. “I just forget sometimes that you didn’t grow up with us,” Sirius continued when Remus didn’t respond. Remus stayed quiet, not because he wanted to give Sirius the silent treatment—he wasn’t mad. He just had no idea what to say. “I also shouldn’t have laughed at you,” Sirius added, his tone more serious now. “That was rude.” Finally, Remus worked up the courage to glance at him.
Sirius had a remorseful look on his face, one that Remus hadn’t seen before. He looked genuinely guilty. “It’s alright,” Remus muttered, his gaze dropping back to the ground again. “I’m not mad at you… just embarrassed, I guess.” Sirius’s voice brightened a little. “But that’s the thing—you shouldn’t be embarrassed. You probably had a perfectly normal reaction,” he said. “We’re probably the weird ones, no shame, showing everything off to the world.” Remus smiled slightly at that. At least Sirius wouldn’t think he was strange for his reaction. There were enough weird things about Remus already—no need to add more to the list. “Right, well, I’m more than happy to move on if you are,” Remus said, trying to steer the conversation away from any more awkwardness. “Yeah, okay, just one more thing,” Sirius replied, and Remus turned to see a mischievous grin spreading across his face. “Was it at least a nice dick to look at?” Sirius teased, before bursting into laughter. “Piss off” Remus grumbled, shoving Sirius with his shoulder. Despite his words, he couldn’t help laughing too.
Sirius still seemed to be feeling guilty the next day during potions, because he demanded to partner with Remus instead of James. “Remus, don’t do this to me!” Lily pleaded, her voice filled with dread once she realised who her new partner would be. “I don’t want to disappoint him by saying no,” Remus murmured in response, his tone apologetic. The two were whispering at the back of the classroom, while James and Sirius exchanged glances—Sirius clearly more amused, whilst James looked excited. With a glare that could’ve melted stone, Lily groaned in defeat. “Fine, but you owe me,” she muttered, storming back to her desk. Remus gave the others a thumbs-up, and James eagerly began moving his things to sit next to her.
Remus was flashed a wide grin from Sirius as he slid into the seat beside him, opening his textbook without a word. “I’ll be honest with you,” Sirius began, leaning back in his chair and ignoring his own textbook. “My motives were entirely selfish.” Remus raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “And what were your motives?”
“Well, James and I are both quite shit at potions, but now we have partners who know what they’re doing,” Sirius replied with a smug grin. Remus blinked, realising the truth. So, Sirius wasn’t feeling guilty for the previous day—he just wanted to score well in Potions, and was using Remus to do it. “That’s very Slytherin of you,” Remus muttered, just to try and piss him off a bit. It worked seeing as Sirius huffed in annoyance and crossed his arms, falling silent.
Remus and Sirius spent the rest of the lesson awkwardly working together, each subtly annoyed by the other’s presence. They were continuing with the physical modification potions, and today’s task was to make a blemish-removal cream. If they got it right, they’d be allowed to take it with them at the end of class. Remus overheard Mary and Marlene chatting eagerly about how they wouldn’t have to spend a small fortune on the Hogsmeade skincare products. Meanwhile, Sirius stirred the cauldron in silence, his brow furrowed in concentration. “You’re supposed to stir it anticlockwise every four turns,” Remus pointed out, trying to keep his voice neutral. Sirius huffed but complied, adjusting his movements with exaggerated care. Each time Remus corrected him, the tension between them seemed to thicken. Remus could practically see Sirius’s jaw clenching, his eyebrow twitching in irritation. For some reason, he found a strange satisfaction in pressing Sirius’s buttons. If the other boy was going to use him for better marks, then Remus wasn’t about to make it easy or enjoyable.
By the time the potion was finished and class was dismissed, Sirius was already storming out of the lesson, looking as though he wanted to punch something—or someone. Lily, who had been watching from across the room, walked over to Remus with a concerned look. “What’s wrong with him?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. “Oh, nothing,” Remus replied with a shrug, feigning indifference. “But his anger does mean we’ll be partners again.” Lily shot him a curious glance, but Remus just smiled innocently, his expression betraying nothing. She rolled her eyes and turned to join Mary and Marlene, muttering something about boys.
James and Peter also seemed puzzled, both of them asking Remus similar questions about Sirius’s wellbeing. Remus shrugged, offering a vague explanation about Sirius getting annoyed by simple instructions. He could tell that both of them felt a bit uncomfortable, especially given where their loyalties lay. “Well, did you and Lily get along any better?” Remus asked, attempting to shift the conversation and ease some of the tension. It didn’t work though, because before James could even answer, Peter spoke up. “You could’ve partnered with me, James,” he said in a quiet voice. James immediately looked guilty, his awkwardness was practically radiated off of him. He seemed at a complete loss for how to respond and started running an uneasy hand through his hair. Before any of them could find the right words however, the sounds of raised voices could be heard from just around the corner, effectively cutting their conversation short.
“You really think you can take all of us on your own, Black?” a familiar voice called out from a few meters away. The group froze, eyes wide in shock. The awkwardness from earlier instantly forgotten, they quickly moved forward. And as they rounded the corner, wands raised and hearts pounding, the scene unfolded before them. Sirius stood facing three boys in Slytherin robes, their backs turned towards Remus, Peter and James. He had that wild, determined look on his face, one that Remus recognised all too well—the same look Sirius had worn when he stormed out of class earlier. Remus knew this could end badly if they didn’t intervene. “Yeah, I think I will take you on alone,” Sirius said, his voice cold and confident. The Slytherins laughed, the sound grating on Remus’s nerves. It was then that the recognition hit him—these were the same three dickheads from a month ago. Sirius had clearly spotted them too, though he didn’t acknowledge it directly. His manic grin was the only clue, followed by the flash of his wand as he sent a hex flying.
Chaos was the only word Remus would use to describe the next few moments. Spells flew everywhere, the air crackling with magic, and Sirius should be thanking his lucky stars that they were there to help—because the Slytherins were out for blood. It didn’t take long for them to realise they were outnumbered, but by then, the fight was already in full swing. Remus focused on casting stunning spells and using Protego, doing his best to end the confrontation as quickly as possible. James seemed to have the same idea, while Peter appeared to be relying solely on defensive shields. Sirius, on the other hand, was fighting just as fiercely as the Slytherins, throwing hexes so vicious that they would have sent someone to the hospital wing for weeks. None of them hit—thankfully. Remus didn’t even want to imagine the consequences if they had. In the middle of the chaos, Remus managed to land a well-timed Stupify on Avery, sending him crashing to the ground. The sight of their fallen friend seemed to shock Snape and Mulciber into action. They doubled down, fury in their eyes, and Remus had to work twice as hard to keep everyone safe—especially the reckless Sirius.
Remus finally reached Sirius’s side and cast a massive Protego that shielded both of them. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he demanded, just as James narrowly dodged another hex from Snape. The remaining Slytherins were standing back to back, with Mulciber directly facing them, attempting to break through Remus’s shield. “What, are you going to boss me around here too, Lupin?” Sirius growled, his voice low and dangerous just before he sent a particularly vicious spell toward Mulciber. “Stop throwing insane spells and just stun him!” Remus snapped, just as his shield flickered and fell. “So you are going to boss me around,” Sirius retorted, his laugh hollow and sharp. There was no humor in it. Remus rolled his eyes, frustration mounting. He knew the best course of action now was to send a Stupify before Sirius could cause any real damage.
At that moment, a sharp cry rang out from in front of them. James hit the ground, clutching his arm tightly. The sound was enough to make Mulciber turn around, momentarily distracted. And in that split second, both Remus and Sirius cast spells. Remus was lucky—his Stupify hit first, sending Mulciber crashing to the ground. But Snape wasn’t as fortunate. Sirius’s spell hit him square in the back. Everything went eerily quiet. Remus’s heart sank as he saw the horrified expressions on Peter and James’s faces. James was still on the ground, clutching his arm, but it seemed that whatever he saw before him was so terrifying that his own pain was momentarily forgotten. Snape remained standing, but he was unnervingly silent, his hands slowly running over his face. A sense of dread began to seep into Remus’s bones as Snape slowly turned around, and when he saw what had happened he couldn’t help the shocked gasp that escaped him.
Snape’s entire face was distorted in a horrifying way. No longer did it possess his eyes, nose and mouth, instead they were replaced with jagged red lines, almost like his eyes and mouth were sewn shut and his nose was cut off completely. There was blood dripping down from the holes the botched stitching made, and Remus watched in horror as they slowly dropped to the floor. It wasn’t until Snape collapsed that Remus sprang into action. “Fuck, fuck, fuck,” he muttered, quickly levitating Snape off the ground. “James, come with me. You need to get your arm checked out,” he ordered, already moving towards the direction of Madam Pomfrey. “Sirius, Peter—go get Slughorn and tell him to meet us at the hospital wing,” Remus added, his voice sharp with urgency. For the first time that day, Sirius didn’t snap back with any sarcastic remarks or give any attitude. Instead, he looked as though he might either be sick or on the verge of a panic attack—maybe both. But Remus didn’t have time to worry about that. He sprinted toward Madam Pomfrey’s office as fast as he could, his heart pounding. James was following quickly behind, his injured arm slowing him down however, he wouldn’t arrive until a few minutes after Remus.
Once Remus made it to the hospital wing he stormed through the double doors, nearly colliding with the nurse. “Mr Lupin, what is it?” she asked, voice sharp before her eyes landed on the levitating Snape. “Put him on the bed, quickly,” she ordered, her tone immediately turning brisk. “And tell me what happened.” As Pomfrey worked quickly, casting diagnostic charms and other medical spells on Snape, Remus recounted the duel and the spell he had heard Sirius use. Just as he finished, James staggered through the doors, completely out of breath. “Mr Potter, go lie on that bed over there and do not move,” Madam Pomfrey instructed, not sparing him a glance as she continued to focus on Snape. “Remus, you’ll find a blood-replenishing potion in my office, on the furthest shelf. Please go get it and give it to Mr Potter.” Remus nodded quickly and dashed toward the back office. Thankfully, the potion was easy to locate.
By the time he returned to James’s bed, the other two Marauders and Slughorn had hurried into the room. “Is he alive?” Sirius asked, his voice hoarse. When Remus glanced at him, he was shocked by how pale he looked. The concern on his face was palpable, his usual smugness was gone. “Yes, he’s alive, Mr Black,” Madam Pomfrey responded without looking up, her voice firm. “And, luckily for you, he will stay that way.” Sirius gave a shaky nod but didn’t move, standing frozen as if the weight of the situation might pull him under. His hands trembled slightly, betraying his calm facade. Remus quickly poured the blood-replenishing potion down James’s throat, who gave him a raspy “Thanks” before glancing back at Sirius with a look of concern.
Remus walked over and gently guided him to one of the spare hospital beds. “It’s alright, he’s alive,” Remus said softly, sitting down beside him. Sirius didn’t respond. Instead, he buried his face into Remus’s neck, his body shaking as he let out a strangled sob. Remus instinctively wrapped his arms around Sirius’s back, trying his best to offer comfort, even though he wasn’t sure if it would help. Peter had moved to sit next to James, but both of them were watching the scene unfold with a mix of concern and fear. They had no idea what kind of punishment Sirius might face. The thought of him being expelled for an almost murder hung over them like a dark cloud. The uncertainty made everyone uneasy, and Remus couldn’t shake the feeling that, in some way, it was his fault. It was his fault that Sirius had been so worked up in the first place and it was his fault that Sirius was so mad he felt like getting into a fight. His heart twisted as he watched Sirius, who was still crying quietly into his neck, holding onto him tighter with every passing minute. Remus could only hold him back and hope.
Later that night, Remus sat in the common room with Peter, Marlene, and Mary. Sirius was in a meeting with Dumbledore and McGonagall, discussing the aftermath of the incident. James was still in the hospital wing, and Remus had heard from Mary that Lily was visiting Snape. She had been furious when she found out what happened, giving both Remus and Peter a lengthy lecture on responsibility, respect, and not being “fucking idiots.” Afterward, she stormed off, leaving them to stew in their guilt. This left Mary and Marlene feeling sorry for them and deciding that giving them facials with their new blemish cream would be the best solution. Remus, too exhausted to protest, had resigned himself to lying on the couch with his eyes closed. Mary was gently massaging his face, her soft voice whispering funny stories. Despite his best efforts to stay serious, he found himself fighting off a smile at her jokes.
Eventually, Sirius walked into the common room, and Remus sprang off the couch, not stopping until he was standing directly in front of him. “Are you expelled?” he asked, voice thick with desperation. The fear was undeniable. Sirius shook his head, and Remus let out a shaky breath of relief. Without thinking, he pulled Sirius into a bone-crushing hug. Sirius returned the embrace and they stayed like that for a couple moments until Sirius pulled away. “Can we go upstairs?” he asked in a quiet voice and Remus nodded without hesitation and followed him up the winding staircases to their room. The moment they entered, Sirius went straight to the record player, putting on David Bowie. A few minutes later, they were lying on their beds, the sound of Hunky Dory filling the silence between them.
“I’m sorry, Sirius,” Remus said quietly, breaking the stillness of the room. “I shouldn’t have pissed you off so much in Potions.” Sirius snorted, his voice tired but sharp. “Don’t act like this was anyone’s fault but mine. I lose control too easily.” He sighed deeply, turning his back to Remus. The sadness in his voice was almost tangible. “I hate my family so fucking much, but sometimes I feel I’m more like them than I care to admit.” Remus could hear the pain in Sirius’s words, and it hit him harder than he expected. He didn’t know much about Sirius’s family, but he knew enough to understand how much this was weighing on him. “I don’t know much about your family, Sirius,” Remus began carefully, “but I guarantee you’re nothing like them.” He was basing his response on what his father had told him, the little he knew of the Blacks. “You’re nothing like them.” Sirius’s voice cracked as he spoke again. “But that’s the thing, Remus. Today proved that I can be like them. I almost killed someone—murdered someone, Remus! And to think my parents would be proud…” His voice trailed off, raw and unsteady. Remus couldn’t take the distance between them anymore.
He quietly got up and took the single step toward Sirius’s bed. Moving slowly, so as not to startle him, Remus lay down on the left side of the bed and gently started running a hand up and down Sirius’s back, a comforting gesture reminiscent of how his mother would soothe him after a full moon. “You didn’t kill him, Sirius,” Remus said softly, trying to make him understand. “And there’s no point in beating yourself up over something you can’t change. The only thing you can do now is learn from it— become a better person.” Sirius turned over carefully to face him, their faces only inches apart. Remus could feel the vulnerability in the air as Sirius asked, “Do you think I can do it, Remus? Become a better person?” The question struck Remus, and he softened as he answered. “You’re already a good person, Sirius,” he said earnestly. “But yes, I think you have the ability to improve. And I know you will.” Sirius’s lips curved into a small smile, and Remus gave him one in return.
“I’ll apologize to Snape when he gets out of the hospital wing," Sirius murmured, turning onto his back. "And I won’t ever use dark magic like that again.” Remus followed his lead, now both of them lying on their backs, staring up at the canopy of the bed. “Gods, that first part sounds like shit,” Remus said, a wry smile tugging at his lips. “But yes, I agree with the no more dark magic part.” Sirius huffed out a laugh. “Yes, well, I did almost murder the bloke. I think I can survive one torturous apology.” Remus couldn’t help but laugh this time, the sound a brief but welcome release. The tension between them seemed to dissipate, and the silence that followed felt different—more peaceful, more settled. “Thank you,” Sirius whispered after a moment, voice quiet. Remus turned his head to meet his gaze, offering him another small smile as the soft voice of Bowie singing changes floated quietly through the room. “Don’t thank me, thank Bowie.”