Class of 78’

Feeling the weight of his own emotions, Remus found himself wandering through the corridors of Hogwarts aimlessly, his footsteps echoing the stone flooring. Quiet conversations brushing past him transverse in the familiar paths, the hues of sunset painting the flagstone floors. His own mind consumed with thoughts of schoolwork, the ever-looming specter of war, and,most preplexingly, Clem, swirling relentlessly through his mind. He distanced himself from his friends for his own sanity, but also to sort out his own emotions. Conflicted with why he was feeling the way he was, he felt empty without her around. He missed her. He stood at the portrait, lost in thought, staring at it, his face flat forgetting to speak the passcode, the fat lady folding her arms, annoyed.
“It’s rude to stare, Lupin,” she chided, Remus rolled his eyes, huffing a sigh before muttering the password.
His stomach felt like it was in knots, his apprehension growing with each step. He hadn’t seen his friends in what felt like ages, and the prospect of facing them after so long filled him with anxiety. Taking a deep breath, he stepped through to the common room. The familiar sight of the cozy space brining a sense of comfort, but quickly became overshadowed by the ache in his chest. Spotting James and Lily sitting together by the fireplace, their heads close together in conversation. Remus’s guilty relief washing over him as he noticed that Clem wasn’t there. However, his momentary reprieve was short-lived as James’s voice cut through the air.

“Where the hell have you been?” James asked, his voice still gentle but firm, betraying his concern.

Remus felt a pang of guilt at the question, unsure how to respond, his own mind too foggy to remember where he had been.

“None of your business, dad,” Remus answered with a slight sass.

Lily glanced up from her book, her legs strung ontop of James’s lap, her expression softening as she took in his tired appearance. She reached out to gently swat James on the head.

“Ow,” he muttered, rubbing the spot Lily had hit
“It’s been a while,” her voice gentle, filled with empathy,

Remus nodded, taking a seat opposite them. “Yeah, it has,” he admitted, running a hand through his hair nervously. “I…I need you advice.”

James and Lily exchanged a knowing look, silently offering their support.
“Of course, mate,” James said, leaning forward slightly, “What’s on your mind?”

Remus hesitated, feeling as if his throat was closing up, his words in his mind going a mile a minute. He felt his leg begin to shake as he tried to build sentences in his head.
“Remus?” Lily asked, breaking him from his thoughts.
“It’s Clem,” he confessed, his voice low and husky, “I…I think I have feelings for her.”

As Remus poured out his heart out to James and Lily, explaining his feelings and how things began to shift between them, their initial surprised quickly turning into excitement. They had sensed the tension between the two of them for quite some time, everyone had, and seeing Remus finally admit it was something they had been waiting for. James began grinning from ear to ear, a glint of mischief in his eyes.

“I knew it! Mate, this is brilliant!” he exclaimed, sitting closer to the end of his seat, practically bouncing. “We all knew there was something between to you,” Lily smiled slightly, her warm and supportive smile.
“It’s nice that you’re being honest with yourself, don’t know if I agree with your methods on figuring out your feelings, but it’s wonderful.” she continued, sincerely.
“What are you going to do?” James asked giddily, his enthusiasm palpable.

“I don’t know…” he confessed after sitting silently, almost searching for an answer in the silence, his brows furrowing in thought, searching his mind.

James’s face fell to a serious glint, looking to Lily before he spoke.

“You just need to be honest with her, it’ll eat you alive if you don’t,” he advised. “If you truly care for her, you owe it to both of you to be honest,” Lily nodded in agreement, placing her hand on James’s as he spoke.
“Take it slow of course,” she added, in a warning tone,

They sat together in the warm common room, Remus, James, and Lily caught up on everything that had been happening in their lives, their worried for each class, and exams. Laughing over shared memories, planning a future lunch with everyone. Their laughter filling the room, providing a sense of comfort to him, comfort in the familiar banter, their easygoing presence helped ease his nerves and bolstered his confidence. As they talked he felt a larger urge to find Clem, he found himself constantly checking his watch, watching time tick away. Lily and James stifled a yawn, relaxing further in their couch.

“Are you going to tell her tonight, mate?” James asked, rubbing his eys,

Remus sighed and nodded as he stretched.
“I’m going to try and find her now,” he replied, James and Lily exchanged knowing glances, their smiles wide.

“Go for it, Moony,” James saluted teasingly, his eyes dancing with mischief. Lily began to get up, placing a calm hand on his shoulder,
“Ignore him, you’ll be fine, I’m sure we will hear about it in the morning,” she smiled calmly.

Remus made his way out of the common room and headed toward the one place he hoped she’d be, the astronomy tower. The cool night air brushed against his skin as he climbed the winding stairs, his heart feeling as if it would leap out of his chest. When he reached the top of the tower, he found her familiar shadow standing by the railing. He felt a sense of relief knowing he had found her, but also his heart was now in his stomach. Her head tilted upwards, examining the sky above her, her shoulders relaxing as he stood at the top of the stairs. The familiar sound of his footsteps causing her ears to prick up. She kept her focus on the sky, letting him come to her, cautiously he made his way next to her taking a moment to examine her.

“Remus,” she sighed, her voice monotone. He whinced slightly at her tone, acutely aware of the frostiness in her tone.
“Hi,” he spoke softly, they stood quietly the tension between them palpable.

Clem’s demenanor slightly cold, her walls up after his unexplained disappearance. Remus felt a pang of guilt for causing his friends distress, Clem especially.
She did feel a slight relief seeing him alive and well.

“Where have you been, Remus?” Clem asked, her voice cold and accusing as she folded her arms tightly across her chest.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair before pulling out his box of cigarettes, offering one, she obliged. The sound of the lighter relaxing both of them slightly. He inhaled deeply, blowing out on the side of his mouth before holding the flame out for her, she leaned in close waiting for the paper to grab onto the flame. Their eyes meeting, noses not far apart before she pulled away, inhaling deeply.

“I’ve been… dealing with some stuff.” he exhaled, avoiding her gaze.

She scoffed, taking other drag to try and hold her own tongue.
“With what exactly?” her tone coming off more harsh than she intended. He hesitated, hurt by her tone.

“It’s complicated,” his voice barely above a whisper, she looked over at him, examining his expression, her own face softening.

“I get that, but it doesn’t mean you get to just disappear on us,”

Remus nodded, acknowledging her point. “I know…” he murmured an apology with sincerity.

They both took a drag, now sitting in a more comfortable silence. Remus felt his on anxiety bubbling in his stomach, feeling as if he’d burst if he waited any longer.

“Clem,” he began, his voice tentative. “There’s something else,”

She turned to him, her expression curious, “What is it?”

Taking a deep breath, he met her gaze, his heart pounding in his chest. “I… I realized that over the year, that I…” he struggled to form his words, “I have feelings for you,” he admitted.

Her eyes widened in surprise, feeling her cheeks grow hot, her heart skipping a beat. Before she could utter a response, he hurriedly continued.

“I know it’s probably not good timing, with everything going on, and I understand if you don’t feel the same way,” he said quickly, his words tumbling out in a rush. “I just couldn’t keep it to myself any longer.” he mumbled, taking a long drag, avoiding eye contact.

She had convinced herself that he could never feel that way towards her. Her own emotions now swirling around, she stood there dumbfounded.

“Remus…” she said softly, reaching out gently to touch his hand. “I feel… I feel the same way,”
He coughs on his exhale, his eye’s widening in disbelief, “You do?” his heart leaping out of his chest. She nodded, a smile growing on her face.

“Yes, I’ve liked you for a while now, thought it was obvious honestly,” Clem said softly, slightly embarrassed.

Remus smiled like a child, pulling her close, his arms slipping around her waist in a hug. He pulled back, pushing a piece of her hair behind her ear, smiling softly, his eyes gentle and full of emotion. He cupped her face softly before pressing his lips to her’s tenderly, a rush of emotion and desire coursing through both of them. Feeling like the most natural thing in the world, one of the only things that felt normal in their chaos of the wizarding world. The soft glow of moonlight bathed them in its light, casting a gentle halo around their figures as they leaned into each other. Remus’s hand found its way to the curve of her cheek, his touch light as a feather, caressing her skin gently. His fingers tracing the line of her jaw, memorizing the contour of her face, as if committing to every detail.
Her heart fluttered at his touch, her hands finding their way to his hair, tangling in his soft curls. She felt a rush of warmth spread through her as she deepened the kiss, her lips parting slightly to invite him closer.
Their kiss was a delicate dance of passion and tenderness, a silent exchange of emotion speaking many volumes without one word.
Unbeknownst to the pair, James and Lily had been eavesdropping under the astronomy tower, grinning ear to ear. With large whoops of joy, they bursted up to the balcony and ran towards their friends, cheering and clapping. Remus and Clem pulled away, their faces flush with emotion, Remus’s arm fixed on her waist, as James and Lily enveloped them in a hug.

“You did it!” James cheered, his grin stretching from ear to ear, “I knew you had it in you, Moony!”
“I told you!” Lily added, her eyes shining with happiness.
“You guys were there the whole time, I’m assuming?” Clem asked, slightly embarrassed, a sheepish grin tugging at her face.
“Had to make sure Moony here got the girl,” James teased, nudging Remus who’s face grew flushed.
“Fuck off,” Remus teased, earning a playful glare from James. Remus smoothly lacing his hand in Clem’s causing a small smile to grow on both of their faces.

The Great Hall buzzed with lively chatter of students as shafts of morning sunlight stream through the tall windows. Students now well rested and ready to take on the workload for the day. The aroma of freshly crooked breakfast filled the air, mingling with scents of parchment and ink from nearby tables where students poured over textbooks and notes. Long wooden tables adorned with ornate silverware and goblets, reflecting the sunlight in a dazzling glimmer. Tapestries depicting scenes of wizarding history adorned the walls, absorbing some of the echos of students, their rich colors and intricate designs adding to the grandeur of the hall. Students at the Gryffindor table laughed and joked as they picked through the plates of sausages, bacon, and scrambled eggs, their voices shooting to the ceilings. Which mimicked the spring weather outside, displaying a serene blue with wispy clouds drifting lazily.
The group sat together, their bond rekindling as they shared stories and traded jokes, laughing ringing out like music in the hall. Remus and Clem walked in together, taking their respected seats around the table, dawning a subtle shift in dynamics among them. Remus and Clem sharing stolen glances across the tables, their smiles a little brighter, interactions tinged with a newfound closeness James and Lilt exchanging a knowing glance, their eyes twinkling with mischief as they watched their friends.
Sirius, ever perceptive, noticed the change immediately. With a grin playing on his lips, couldn’t resist a teasing oppurtunity. Sirius nudged Remus playfully and waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

“Alright there, Moony?” he teased, his voice dripping with amusement. “Feeling a bit lovesick, are we?” taking a sip from his goblet

Remus choked slightly, rolling his eyes as he cleared his throat.
“Oh bug off, Pads,” he retorted, a low chuckle following, though he felt blush creeping up his cheeks.

Clem, couldn’t help but laugh at the banter. She shot Remus a playful grin, silently reassuring him that she found the teasing amusing.
“The energy in this room is sickening, too much love in the air,” Peter groaned, leaning his head on his palm. Lily and James both shot a teasing tongue at the rodent boy, smiles growing on everyones faces.

“I can’t believe it’s already April,” Clem sighed, walking with Remus to their shared class, her arms close to her chest as she hugged her books. The halls less full now that classes had ended for most, Remus nodded slowly

“I can’t believe we are willingly going to an after hours class,” he groaned, his body tired as he stifled a yawn.

“We, is the wrong word, you said you wanted to come to the study hall with me,” Clem corrected, teasingly.

He chuckled, his voice low, sending a soft chill through her body.
“Unfortunately, potions has never been my strong suit,” he admitted, a slight embarrassment in his tone, she hummed a response as they turned into the cold,daft, classroom.

Only a handful of students had shown up, most already swamped in their potions, Slughorn quietly walking about, shooting the two of them a smile and gesturing to the open table towards the corner.
“Ms. Bones! Lovely to see you dear, Mr. Lupin, a surprise,” his voice slightly less excited as he spoke to Remus, he shot the older man a disingenuine smile before opening his textbooks,
“Let me know if you two need anything,”
“Of course, Professor,” Clem smiled softly, peering over Remus’s shoulder, reading the ingredients.

They settled into their seats, beginning to work on their potions practice. Remus carefully measuring out ingredients while Clem softly instructed and double checked the instructions. As they worked, Remus’s nose picked up on a peculiar scent emanating from their cauldron.

Clem wrinkled her nose in disgust, “What is that awful smell?”

He peered into their cauldron, bubbling in a unnerving way, his brows furrowing in confusion.
“Not sure, I swear we followed the directions correctly,” he mumbled,

Clem leaned over, peering over his shoulder almost resting her chin, he felt his cheek growing warm. “Should we start over? I don’t want it to blow up or something…” Clem asked, her voice panged with worry and slight fear

“I think we should be okay, just need to salvage it.” Remus answered calmly, his own confidence diminishing as they continued.

Despite their best attempts, the potion continued to bubble and fizz erratically, emitting increasingly noxious fumes. The colors shifting from greens to purples, the cauldron threatening to bubble over completely,
“Remus…” Clem said softly, trying to not draw attention as the potion grew worse, “I think we need to get Slughorn,”

Before they could take any further action, the cauldron suddenly erupted in a violent explosion, sending a plume of colorful smoke billowing into the air. Clem and Remus thrown back from the force of the blast, ears ringing from the noise. Coughing and spluttering from the entire classroom, as the two of them struggled to their feet amidst the chaos of shattered glass and spilled potion ingredients. Professor Slughorn quickly rushed over, his expression a mixture of concern and dismay.

“What in Merlin’s name happened here?” he exclaimed, surveying the wreckage.

Remus helped Clem to her feet as they brushed off their robes, both of them having colorful powder on their faces and in their hair.

“We were trying to salvage our potion, Professor,” Clem admitted, their faces sheepish and flushed with embarrassment.

Slughorn sighed deeply, placing his hands on his hips. “It’s quite a mess, I’m afraid.” he examined them both cautiously, “but you two are okay?” he asked after moments of silence.

They both nodded, suddenly hyper aware of the other students in the room.
“Go to the hospital wing and get checked, just in case,” he instructed, “I’ll clean this up. Ten points from Gryfinndor, please don’t be afraid to ask for help next time,” his voice calm but firm.

The two began to pack their things and walk out of the disrupted classroom in slight shame and embarrassment.

They walked in silence to the hospital wing, their hands brushing the others, bringing them both to a soft blush. Clem chuckled softly, playing the recent events in her head. Remus looked at her, raising a mischievous brow.

“What are you laughing about?” he asked, a grin growing on his face, she looked at him, colorful powder in his hair and splotched on his face, causing her to laugh more.

“You have some uh…” she paused, trying to contain her laughter, “colorful powder on you,” she rubbed her thumb on his cheek, showing the bright purple powder on his face. He stood in shock for a moment, rubbing his own face and began to laugh loudly,

“I can’t believe that actually happened,” he laughed, slightly embarrassed,

“Yeah…” she grinned, “last time I let you run the potions lesson, it is definitely not your strong suit,” she teased, he shoved her lightly, not able to contain his own laughter, feeling a sense of warmth washing over them both as the banter continued.

He glanced at her, noticing the playful glint in her eyes, feeling a surge of affection. “Yeah, yeah, laugh it up,” he retorted with a grin,
“Your fault for trusting me, even James wouldn’t be so trustworthy with me,” he explained, opening the hospital wing door.

Madam Profrey was sitting quietly at her desk, the daily prophet covering her face, the paper shifting topics as she flipped the page.

“Remus was did you do now?” the frail witch asked, teasingly, placing her paper down.
“Oh! Ms. Bones, what happened dear?” she asked, her eyes twinkling with amusement at the chaotic sight of the two of them.

“Potions, Remus blew it up,” Clem deadpanned, smiling, Pomfrey chuckled before sifting through her cabinet.

“Just a little mishap, nothing too serious,” Remus explained, trying to downplay the situation.

Pomfrey chuckled, nodding as she listened to Remus recounting the events, embellishing the story with playful exaggeration. Her lips quirked into a smile, turning to face both of them with a bowl and two wet rags,
“Well, sounds like quite an adventure,” she looked at clem giving a playful wink, “probably best to let Clem take the lead from now on though,”

Clem stuck out a playful tongue as she wiped the reminisce of the explosion off her face, Remus rolled his eyes playfully as he hit her softly with his own rag.
“You two should be fine, nothing to worry about, clean up then get back to your studies.” Pomfrey smiled kindly, before turning back to her desk and skimming the prophet again.

Clem and Remus shared a small worried glance as they read the title in bolded letters of the newspaper,
‘100 dead, third attack this month, is it really the work of a dark wizard?’
Her stomach began to twist into knots, anxiety filling her body as her mind swirled to think of those who were fighting for their lives. Aurors who were keeping students safe from harm as they continued their studies worry free.
The two said respective goodbyes to the witch before slipping away, large sighs coming from both.

“It’s really happening isnt it?” Clem asked quietly, looking to Remus who nodded silently,

“I need a smoke,” she sighed, walking over to the courtyard, lit up by the spring sunset, leaves rustling as they found a bench to sit on together.

The weight of recent events hung heavily in the air. Remus reached into his pocket, pulling out a worn pack of cigarettes, offering one to Clem before lighting his own. They both took long, anxious drags, the smoke siwling around them in a gentle breeze.

“Everytime we think things are calming down it gets so much worse,” Remus sighed, his voice tinged with sadness.

Clem nodded in agreement, exhaling a plume of smoke.

“I just can’t believe it’s escalating like this.”

Remus stretched out on the bench, staring up at the candy colored sky.

“Who knows how many followers he has now,”

They sat in silence for a moment, the distant sounds of students laughing and birds chirping adding a relaxing feeling to the grim news.
“I heard that Regulus is apart of them,” Clem murmured, her face bathing in the sunlight as she puffed out a cloud of smoke.

Remus sighed deeply, “not surprised. He’s always been the one to follow blindly, it will get him killed one day I fear,” his voice growing with resignation as his words sunk.

“I wish he could wake up, be more like Sirius, just for once,” Clem sighed, her own shoulders sinking further into the bench as she watched students swirling in the sky above them on their brooms, laughter echoing.

“Never thought I’d wish for Regulus to be like Sirius, guess there’s a first for everything” he muttered, the smoke swirling above his head before he snuffed out his cigarette.

They both fell silent again, watching the sky change colors as the sun dipped lower, basking in the tall trees.

“I wish we could do something,” Clem said softly, her eyes reflecting the flickering light of her cigarette.

“In our meeting with McGonagall, we all told her we’d fight once we graduated. Worry about careers afterwards, who knows if we can even have a life after this war.” Remus spoke, his voice low and raspy, Clem glanced at him, a small smile growing on her face.

“Guess we all will fight then, Lily won’t leave James, and I’m not leaving Lily,”
Remus gave a low chuckle, lighting another cigarette

“Guess so,” he exhaled, “at least if we die, we all die together,” his voice tinged with sarcasm, Clem gave him a soft nudge,
“Way to be optimistic,” she teased, chuckling softly.

Familiar footsteps echoed down the hallway, James and Sirius screaming maniacally as they trailed a large paper dragon behind him, shouting out for Severus.

“Oh Snivey!!!” Sirius teased, his grin growing wide as he ran full force past them.

“Oh! Hi guys!” James called, running backwards, winking at the two of them.

There laughter reverberated off the the stone walls of Hogwarts, followed by the large roars of the paper monster. Clem and Remus groaned before getting up to chase the two boys.
They quickly rounded the corner and were met with the sight of a familiar chaos, James and Sirius careeing down the hall, but this time there was something different in the air, a tension that made their stomachs twist with unease.

“What are they up to now?” Remus muttered, his brow furrowing as they quickened their pace to catch up with James and Sirius.

As they drew closer, they heard the familiar taunts directed at Severus, Clem’s heart sinking deeper into her stomach. She exchanged a worried glance with Remus before breaking into a run, her mind racing with thoughts of the consequences.

“James! Sirius! Enough!” Clem called out, her voice booming with authority.

But before they could reach them, the scene erupted into chaos. The paper dragon bursted into flame, now singeing the banners hanging around the halls. Regulus appearing behind the burnt beast, his wand pointed furiously at it, a cold smirk growing on his face as he stared down the four of them.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Regulus spat, his voice cold and menacing.

James and Sirius’s face fell for a moment, their playful glint replaced by surprise at Regulus’s sudden uproar.

“We aren’t doing anything to concern you Reg,” Sirius spoke, his voice flat.

Regulus scoffed, folding his arms, his white dress shirt sleeves rolling up slightly, revealing the dark swirls on his forearm.
Sirius’s heart sank, along with James’s

“You’re unbelievable.” Sirius spat, his eyes darting to the tattoo.

Tension flared as the atmosphere crackled with hostility. The situation wasn’t just a prank anymore, this could get very deadly very quickly. Regulus’s presence loomed large, his anger palpable as he confronted James and Sirius, Clem’s heart racing. She knew the history between the Black brothers, she has had her fair share of arguments with both.

“Everyone just needs to take a step back,” Clem warned, stepping closer to divide the boys.

“Fuck off, would you?” Regulus spat

“Oi!” the boys shouted, their faces all immediately matching anger.

“Oh bugger off,” rolling his eyes in annoyance,

“Leave her out of it,” Remus seethed, his voice growing with anger, his face growing hot.

Clem retreated into her shell, hiding behind Remus. Sirius’s gaze flicked back down to the dark mark on Regulus’s arm, a silent acknowledgement of his path.

“You’re unbelievable, Reg, really,” Sirius’s voice laced with disappointment, his tone betraying the hurt he felt.

Regulus felt his jaw clench, his expression hardening.
“You wouldn’t understand, Sirius. You never have.”

“Reg, come on,” Remus warned,

“No, be my guest. Tell me how horrible I am,” Sirius’s voice growing louder with every syllable.

Rain began to pour down outside, reflecting the hostile emotions in the hallway, thunder booming in the angering silence, rattling the windows around them.

“You think you know what’s best for me? You abandoned our family, Sirius. You abandoned me!” Regulus shouted, emotion roaring in his voice.

Sirius’s shoulder grew stiff, his fists bawling tighter by his side.
“I never left you, but I couldn’t just stand by and watch our family destroy others!” he fought,

Regulus folded his arms tighter across his chest,
“Right because you moving out isn’t leaving?!”

“I didn’t have a fucking choice!”

Clem could see the pain etched on both brother’s faces, the weight of their words heavy in the air.

“You did! The second you chose Gryfindor!” Sirius groaned, his head rolling upward in annoyance.

“Oh great Merlin, wake up Regulus!” He shouted, Regulus glared at the shorter sibling for a moment, slowly walking towards him, looking down at his brother.

“You’re an embarrassment to the family, thats why Mum burned you off the tree.” He seethed, Sirius lunged at the boy, Remus barely being able to contain him, pulling him away.

“Enough!” a voice boomed, McGonagall ushered them away from each other, her expression stern as she surveyed the mess around her, small pieces of parchment still burning slowly around them.

“What is the meaning of this?” she demanded, her voice cutting through the tension like a knife.
“Don’t be quiet now, come on.” she urged, her eyes burning through them.

She swallowed hard, knowing that McGonagall would not be as forgiving this time. A large thunder clapped behind them, lighting following behind them, lighting up their features and shadows.

“Go to your common rooms before I send all of you to a month’s worth of detention.” She threatened, theyre heads hung low as they walked away in silence, embarrassment following them as they entered the common room.