Summers had been really different since Remus had started going to Hogwarts. Like many wizards with a muggle parent, he had attended a muggle elementary school in his little welsh town. So as a child he used to spend the summer with his childhood friends, swimming in the rivers and climbing trees.
He didn’t talk anymore to those kids, cause everyone had thought he was a posh because of going to a boarding school. He didn’t mind though. He had never had friends as good as the ones in Hogwarts. There were the Marauders, Lily, Marlene and Mary.
During summer he would write letters to all of them and sometimes they would visit. His parents had been really happy to meet Lily, saying she was such an amazing girl and asking Remus if she was his girlfriend about a hundred times.
And he had to pretend he wasn’t laughing because he actually was in a relationship. It was just a few months since Sirius and him had started going out, and it wasn’t official to their other friends yet. It was nice to keep it as their own little secret.
Sirius was the one he sent the most letters to. Sirius would tell him how nice it was at the Potter’s and how annoying it was to stand James’ monologues about how he was finally going to seduce Lily in sixth year.
That day he really couldn’t stop thinking about him, while laying on his bed reading a book. It was a collection of Walt Withman’s poems and the phrases were sticking too much on his brain.
“Of a youth who loves me and whom I love, silently approaching and seating himself near, that he may hold me by the hand”
“For Merlin’s sake” he thought, why did everything remind him of Sirius motherfucking Black.
He stood up and started searching through his books for something else to read. He already read most of them, so he looked at the missing ones on his bedside.
The first one was “A tale of two cities” by Charles Dickens. He started reading the plot summarized in the back. “During the French Revolution, a French man and an English lawyer fight for the love of Lucie…”
- No, definitely not - he complained, tired of love stories.
He looked at the next book, “1984” by George Orwell. “In a crooked society, George Orwell portrays how love can be the only way to fight against corruption”.
Remus threw the book on the opposite wall of the room.
He grabbed his shoes from under the bed and left the house. He lived in a small cottage with his parents. His father worked in the ministry, dealing with security of werewolves in the wizarding world. His mother was a housewife who spent most of her time in the greenhouse. Remus took the path that led to the center of the little town.
Soon, he arrived at the local library. It was a small shop, with a section of second-hand books and one of newly printed ones. He looked through the second hand side, because he didn’t want to spend too much. Sadly, nothing suited him.
The bookstore owner, a gentle old man, asked him if he needed some suggestions.
- Actually yes, do you have something that does not include a love story?
The librarian laughed. - Do you have a broken heart, young man?
Remus smiled. - My heart is fine, but my love is far from here.
- When I was your age - the old man started to tell - I also had a girlfriend who lived far away. Girls can be so painful, can’t they?
Remus tried not to laugh too much. - Oh yes they can.
Sirius wasn’t a girl, but things were still painful. There was something so heartbreaking about seeing the person you love every day and then not seeing them for months.
He kept searching between the books, all of them were consumed and the pages were yellowish. He looked at a book of Sappho poems, pink cover with white flowers, and decided to buy it for Marlene. He was the only one she had come out to and he thought reading those poems could make her understand how much he supported his sexuality.
He also had come out to her, except also Lily knew he was gay (and Sirius, but that was different). It had been late at night in the common room, and the two of them were sitting on the couch. Marlene had to finish an essay for Slughorn due the following day, while Remus was so focused on his novel he couldn’t find some rest in sleep.
- Remus - Marlene had said out of the blue - Can I tell you something?
He had closed the book and stared for a second at the girl. She looked anxious and serious, but not sad. - Yes, definitely.
Marlene cleared her voice. - Well, I have a secret. Have been for kind of a long time. A few months.
- Marls don’t worry, It’s not like I will judge you.
- I like girls. Like how I’m supposed to like boys, but girls.
Remus had been silent for a bit, questioning whether to tell her he felt the same way but with boys.
- Are you surprised? - she had asked - Do you think It’s gross?
- No, absolutely. It’s not. It’s just… I’m just like you. Opposite.
- Do you… ?
- Yes, I’m just like you. I like boys how I’m supposed to like girls.
- That’s awesome. It’s like I’m not alone after all.
- You’re not alone.
- You aren’t either - she had replied.
Remus paid for the book and then left the bookstore. He had no new book to read, but reminding about his friend had made him feel happier and now he was ready to go back home and write Marls a letter.
It was almost midday and the temperature had risen. Hopefully the cobblestone street that led to his house was surrounded by trees, so he could walk in the shadow.
As he turned to the direction of his house, he saw a black stain he couldn’t really recognize because of the distance. Soon, he saw the stain getting nearer, like it was searching for him. It didn’t take long to understand what was happening.
Padfoot.
Remus smiled. What a perfect moment to receive a visit from his boyfriend who had the ability to turn into a dog.
Padfoot stoked his black head against Remus’ knee. Remus started laughing.
- I’m gonna have to find an excuse to let you in.
The main door of the house was open, as his mother was transporting some pots to the greenhouse.
- Mom - Remus said - I found a dog outside the house and… you know it’s very hot outside and maybe it is… ehm sick.
Hope seemed kind of busy, now placing dirt in the pots. - No problem Remmy, but then make sure you’re not stealing somebody’s dog.
- Oh yes, I will
Remus stepped into the house, followed by the dog whose tail kept swinging from the left to the right. As soon as he opened his bedroom’s door, he felt a hand grabbing his wrist. Padfoot was now a young attractive boy, shorter than him with long black hair.
Remus immediately hugged Sirius, he missed how his head fitted between his chin and his collarbone.
- So - Sirius whispered - Do you have to check if I’m sick?
Remus laughed. - Idiot, how did you even have this idea?
- I needed to check how you were doing without me.
- Oh I was doing fine. Great actually.
- Liar
- You know me so well, don’t you?
Remus stroked Sirius’ long hair and then kissed him. It had been so long. He promised himself he wasn’t going to stay away from Sirius that long, never again.
Then Sirius kissed him back, his back against the wall and Remus' hands on his waist.
It was too late when they heard the sound of steps on the stairs.
- Remus how is the dog? - Hope Lupin tried to ask, being stopped by seeing his son weirdly near an unknown boy, and no dog around.
Remus' eyes were wide open as he turned and nervously laughed.
- The dog, ehm - Remus seemed pretty panicked - It was our neighbor’s.
- And who is your friend? - Hope questioned.
- He’s my friend, Sirius Black, from Hogwarts. He had something in his eye and I was helping him to remove it.
- Yes it was an eyelash - Sirius agreed.
Miss Lupin was kind of confused.
- I was outside to bring the dog to our neighbor, I used the back door - Remus explained - And I saw Sirius, who had decided to visit me as a surprise.
- Oh well - Hope suggested - would you like to stay for dinner, Mr Black?
- You can call me Sirius, and yes I’d be really pleased.
Hope heard the two boys laughing as she came back to the greenhouse.