Chapter 2
A week had passed since his and James’ argument and, unlike Sirius, he knew when to give Remus space. Even if it was James who was in the wrong, he felt guilty. So guilty. But it wasn’t just for the way he had yelled at James. He also felt like he should’ve heard Sirius out just once, but because he was as stubborn as he was, he didn’t know how to handle the situation. He had thought about talking to the girls about it, but he also didn’t want them to pick sides, or the matter of fact let them know he was a bloody werewolf. So, without thinking much of it he went to the dungeons.
The past couple of weeks have been spent mostly in the library till curfew and sneaking out in the mornings. He had made it into a routine to sit with the Slytherins at every meal. At this point it wasn’t just for avoiding his friends, but he also really started to enjoy their company. Barty and Evan’s flirty behaviour was also starting to feel normal, he still wondered why they were so obsessed with him though. Even though he had been hanging out with the Slytherins he still hadn’t been to the dungeons. So, it could be expected for him to be nervous. Or that’s what he told himself at least.
Yet again, he didn’t see the black-haired boy. This time he was sitting close to the entrance, playing with his wand not looking up, but still sensing Remus’ hesitation. “Lupin.” He greeted.
The sound startled Remus and he let out a breath when he saw it was just Regulus. “You need to stop doing that.”
Regulus let out a quiet chuckle and rose, so he was standing beside him. He said the password and looked behind him in a gesture for Remus to follow him. Remus was used to the staring in the great hall, but this hit on a different level. Not even a second after he stepped in everybody was staring. Some even had their mouths slightly agape. Remus tried to ignore it but the feeling he had tried to control since their first year was hitting him all at once. The feeling that said he didn't belong.
They walked towards what Remus guessed was Regulus’ dorm. Instead of opening like any normal person would do he just knocked, hard. After some time, he opened, and Remus could not have guessed what awaited them.
Evan and Barty looking annoyed and… fucked. Their hair was messed up, lips swollen, and their shirts looked like they had just been thrown on randomly. “Reg, we said 30 minutes it’s been like 10. What do you want?”
Regulus clearly not amused or surprised replied, “I come bearing gifts.” It sounded like he was being serious but there was a slight amusement in his eyes.
Barty and Evan’s eyes now turned to Remus and their former annoyed faces brightened up. They quite literally looked like they wanted to ravish him. “Lupin! Didn’t expect to see you here.” You could practically hear the smirk in Barty's tone.
Remus looked over at Regulus and saw him rolling his eyes. “Stop looking at him like that, you dick. We’re just going to talk.” He pushed Remus into the room, and Remus stumbled a bit, but luckily Evan caught him by the smaller part of his back, that made their smiles grow even wider.
With a sigh Regulus took Remus’ wrist and pulled him over to another bed. They were all looking at him expecting him to talk and being the ever so awkward Remus, lost his way with words.
Regulus rolled his eyes again. “Tell us, why did you come to the dungeons?”
Right, his problem. “I had a little argument with Prongs- I mean James and now I feel bad… help me?” He felt weak. He hadn’t even been friends with them that long. Could he even call them friends? Regulus was only using him to annoy his brother, Barty and Evan, weirdly enough, only wanted to get in his pants and Dorcas just wanted to either get help with their assignments or being their wingman. So why was he coming to them for help?
Before Remus’ overthinking could spiral even further Evan spoke up, “Just ignore him and the other Black. Hang out with us.” A ‘Yeah!’ was heard from Barty, and Remus started chuckling. What surprised him the most was Regulus nodded his head.
Then something caught his eye. "How do you have that in here?” There in the corner of the room, a tiny plastic bag filled with a brown-green clump.
“Nope, I’m out.”
“Lupin! We have got to smoke together.” Barty’s grin was smeared all over his face.
-
They had snuck out to the outside of the forbidden forest. Somehow, they had managed to convince Regulus to join them. so now they were sitting in a circle passing the blunt around.
“Didn’t strike you as the type to do such things, Lupin.” Barty said, where his head was rested in Evan’s lap. Remus then went on explained how he did it all summer long with his muggle friends after dawn. He went on about his ‘home’ in muggle London, something he would never have done without being a little high. And they didn’t judge him. They just nodded along and laughed every time Remus told them one his lame jokes.
Regulus didn’t say much but he was looking at him with a deep understanding. Even though they came from two so different household they shared a connection. They all did. And that was probably one of the reasons Remus felt so comfortable as he did.
“Sirius told Snape I was a werewolf.” It just came out. Suddenly he didn’t feel comfortable anymore. He hadn’t thought about the consequences and the moment it came out he regretted it. Because silence took over and Evan had dropped the joint. Remus was scared he had just made the same mistake Sirius did. His gaze now on the grass, he didn’t dare to look at them.
“I’m going to kill him.” That made him look up. Barty was now sat upright and looking intensely into his eyes. It made Remus shiver, but maybe it also could be the cold. Evan was in the same state, but Regulus looked like he didn’t quite believe it.
“He- he told him you were a werewolf?” Regulus who always spoke with such a precise tone, now stuttering. Remus just nodded in response. “Oh, we’re going to make him pay.”
-
When Remus walked into, he was met with all their eyes on him. Remus raised his eyebrow at them. “Jesus Moony, where were you?” Remus muttered a little ‘out’ but that clearly didn’t satisfy James. “Merlin, you ooze of weed. Were you with the Slytherins again?” James’ mother-like side taking over.
“Yeah.” Remus was too tired for this discussion. Or too high, he didn’t know.
“It’s quarter past one!”
“Good thing you know the clock, Pete.” Remus chuckled to himself; how high were he? He started to laugh louder not caring about their worried glances.
“Moony…” That made his laughter stop. It was Sirius. Not bearing to look at him, he just shut the door to the bathroom.
-
After Remus had told them about his ‘problem’ they got closer. Him and Regulus started studying together, him, Barty and Evan started regularly passing by the greenhouses, him helping Dorcas even more with their assignments and reading with Pandora. He especially enjoyed the studying with Regulus, mostly because he somehow felt a deeper connection to him.
He even started to feel a little more confident in himself. Previously he would hide in his too big jumpers, but when Barty gave him one of his blazers and Dorcas forced him to put it on, he didn’t feel totally awful.
Barty and Evan were thrown out of their dorm when Pandora and Dorcas had pushed him inside wanting to give him a ‘makeover’. He had told them a lot of ‘I’m not wearing that’ and ‘no way’ several times, but Dorcas could be pretty persuasive when they wanted to be. So now he was sitting anxiously in a chair while they cut his hair and put eyeliner on him. Regulus was sitting on his bed, reading, not caring about Remus’ calls for help.
When they were done Pandora was smiling proudly and Dorcas smirking cheerfully. The boys’ pleas getting inside, had calmed down and when Pandora opened the door they fell flat against the floor. Causally they looked up at the same time a wide grin on their faces.
“Oh wow, I knew you were hot before, but now? How am I going to control myself around you?” Remus just laughed it off. There was no way he had changed that much, and besides he wasn’t even that ‘hot’ before. He looked besides Barty and saw Evan with open mouth. He raised an eyebrow, waiting for his, obviously, coming pick up line.
“Your scar looks so wicked on you. It’s making me feel things.” And Remus was not expecting that, so he made a weird snort-like noise that made everyone burst out laughing.
“Can I give you a hickey?” That made everyone stop laughing, well except for Barty. “What?! It will make big Black lose his shit.”
“First of all, no.” he stated simply. “And following, he won’t ‘lose his shit’.” Everyone was looking at him again, even Regulus had put down his book to raise an eyebrow at him. “What...?”
“You do know he’s like obsessed with you, right? He was always so possessive of you,” After a snort from Barty, Evan continued, “or jealous, jealous of everyone you ever talked to. I bet if you show up with a hickey, he will most definitely ‘lose his shit’.”
Remus looked at him like he was a madman. He was but that was besides the point. Noticing the weirded out look on his face, Pandora spoke up, “You do know that, right?”
“No offense but I think I know him better than you guys.” This was absurd. Sirius was not obsessed with him. Yeah, he was protective of Remus, he was with all his friends, but he was definitely not possessive.
“No? Let me give you one and we’ll see.” Barty was smirking again and not for the first time he was kind of scared of him.
With a sigh Remus silently agreed and before he could count to ten Barty was gripping his neck with quite some force, but somehow still gently guiding him to give him space.
It wasn’t unpleasant Remus found out and he almost let out a moan when he bit on a sensitive spot, but he knew the others wouldn’t let him live that up if he did, so he kept his mouth shut.
Some time passed when Regulus spoke up, “Enough Crouch, you're eating him whole.”
Barty pulled off him and surprised him by kissing the now sore spot, sending a wink Remus’ way before sitting down in Evan’s lap.
“Is it my turn now?” Evan was looking at him with lust in his eyes.
Remus ignored him and looked in the mirror, and what the actual fuck, “Merlin Barty, how am I going to cover this up tomorrow?”
“That’s simple, don’t.”
-
When Remus got back to the dorm, Sirius was sitting on his bed talking with someone, probably James, who was in the bathroom. Once he heard Remus walk inside the first thing he did was, of course, notice the mark on his neck.
“What’s that…? On your neck?” Remus was not prepared enough for this conversation. Or just any conversation with Sirius.
Thinking of what the others had told him earlier he found himself lying, “It’s a spell gone wrong.” He didn’t know why he lied, he was still angry at him.
“No, it’s not. Who gave you that.” There was something in his tone Remus couldn’t understand. It sounded hurt, yet angry.
“It is. Not that it’s any of your business.” Why was he lying? Why couldn’t he tell him that his brothers best friend gave him it? That would have been some sight.
James had walked out of the bathroom now, a worried look on his face.
“Moony, who gave it to you?” He sounded desperate, like it was the last thing he wanted to argue with him about.
“Don’t… don’t call me that.” He tried to sound like he didn’t care, but he really did. He missed him so much and he hated himself even more for it. He hated he couldn’t hate him properly. He loved him too much. They had too much history for Remus to hate him. He felt tears prick in his eyes, but he didn’t want to show Sirius he was weak, so he walked out of the dorm and back down to the dungeons.
He didn’t go back. And the Slytherins didn’t question him.