Conversations With Friends
“Someone’s in a mood today.” Mary McDonald remarked, not looking up from her newspaper as her normally quiet roommate stormed into their shared flat and slammed her keys down on the table. “What’s going on? Bad day at work?”
Lily huffed.
“The literal worst. I don’t think I’ve had a worse day in my life.”
Mary smirked behind her paper. “Potter again, is it?”
“I cannot believe that prat! After everything that he told me, now..” Lily faded of and sat down, a tear escaping her eyes. She brushed it of quickly.
“Oh, honey, what’s the matter?” Mary asked, putting down her paper and turning to face Lily.
“It’s nothing, don’t bother.” Lily replied, getting up and walking quickly to her room. Mary followed.
“Mary, leave me alone!” Lily yelled as she tried to close her door, which proved unsuccessful when Mary stuck her foot in the door.
“Lils, come on, talk to me. It’ll make you feel better, you know that.” Mary cajoled, pushing her way into the room to sit beside Lily on the bed. Lily quickly wiped away her tears and looked at the celling.
“James and I, we went on a couple of dates a six years ago. Back when he the Marauders had just started out, before they’d really made it big. And I fell for him. Hard. He was the most charming person I had ever met.”
“So, what happened?”
“Um, you know we spent the night together after our third date-”
“Was the sex good? I’ve always wanted to ask, but you seemed so upset afterwards that I just figured it was terrible.”
“It was great, Mary. That wasn’t why I was upset. The next morning, when I woke up, James was gone. And the only thing he’d left was a note saying ‘this was fun. We should meet up again. And he never called me again, never came to visit me, never anything. And to add insult to injury, the next week, he was sprawled all over some chick on the front page of the Prophet.”
“Oh, Lils, that’s horrible. Why didn’t you say anything?”
“It didn’t seem like such a big deal compared to what you had on your plate, with your mother and everything. I didn’t want to add my stupid relationship problems to that.”
“What happened today, then? Was it just seeing Potter after so long?”
“That, and the fact that I heard him say that he couldn’t be into me if he tried. That’s the bit that really stung.”
Mary looked furious. “I’m going to go over there and kill him.”
Lily laughed. “It’s fine, Mary. I’m over it. At least now, I know where we stand. It was stupid of me to think otherwise.”
Mary looked Lily in the eye. “Lily, you are the most incredible woman I have ever known. Any man would be lucky to have you, and if Potter is too blind to see it, it’s his loss. And just as much as him, you need to realize that.”
***
The door to the studio opened with a creak, suddenly breaking the silence. Remus jumped from the couch that he was occupying and looked towards the door with a yelp.”
“Jesus, it’s just me, Moony.” Sirius said, walking into the studio. “Wait, why are you still here? I thought this place would be empty.”
“Why are you here?” Remus asked, still startled. “It’s 1:30 in the morning! Shouldn’t you be passed out on some pavement right now?”
“I’m here to brood. I just got dumped by a chick, Luna, who I went out with on two dates. Apparently, the spirits of the universe are telling her that I’m in love with someone else, and that my soulmate is still out there somewhere.” He rolled his eyes. “As if the universe would ever decide that someone like me should ever be forced upon someone. I’m a broken mess, no one wants that.”
Remus looked at him slowly. “Sirius, you’re not broken. Sure, you can be a bit of a mess, but aren’t we all? And you deserve love just as much as the next person.”
Sirius turned around to look at him, talking in the blanket draped at his feet, and the box of takeout on the floor.
“You never answered my question. Why are you here this early in the morning?”
Remus shrugged. “Like I said, we all have our own personal mess.”
“Wait, do you live here? Does Minnie know?”
“I got evicted last month, after my payments didn’t go through.”
“What do you mean, your payments didn’t go through? You’re a world-famous musician!”
“Well, my mum has racked up quite a hospital bill, and I have to pay for my dad’s place, so that doesn’t leave a lot for me. And I’m not really a world-famous musician, I’m the keyboardist in a world famous band. There’s a difference. I’m not a heartthrob like you or James, and I’m nowhere near as cool as Peter. I’m the one who just fades into the background. No one really knows who I am, and no, to answer your question, Minnie doesn’t know. The guard at this place knows me, and he lets me in every night. I think he feels bad for me.”
Sirius stared at him.
“Rem, why didn’t you say anything? We could have done something, we could have helped, God, you’ve had to listen to all my whining when you had actual, serious problems…”
“Sirius!” Remus cut in, standing up. “I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want your pity. Or your help, I will manage this on my own, like I’ve always done.”
“But that’s the thing Moony, you don’t have to do anything on your own anymore. You have us now.”
Remus stared at him, his lip quivering, before collapsing into Sirius’ open arms, shaking.
“You don’t have to be alone anymore. You’ve got us.” Sirius whispered.
Remus let out a breath.
“You’ve got me.”