October 29th, 2007
October 29th, 2007 8:37 AM
“I’m trying to come back early, I just can't find a plane-”
“Really, Dad, it’s fine. You don't need to cut the conference short, I’m ok.”
“You don't have to be, Remus.” Lyall sighed into the phone, and Remus felt his heart clench. His dad had called him the second the news reached New York, instantly worried for his son. He had known Peter well, Lyall knew all the boys from their years coming in and out of the house. There hadn't been much of that for the past year, Remus couldn't even remember the last time he had had Peter over. He wished he could. “I’ll be home as soon as I can, I don't want you being alone when it isn't safe.”
Remus winced at that, after what had happened with his mom, Lyall had been very.. paranoid. How could he not of been? They hadn't very well cut their own breaks. “I’m not alone dad, I slept over at James’ after he called us…” Remus trailed off, rethinking the events of two nights ago. Fridays used to be his favourite day, now he thinks he may spend the rest of his life dreading them. After James called, Sirius and he were out of the door in an instant, nearly leaving the door open as they ran from the house. Sirius’ car was parked just a bit down the road and it didn't take long until they were piled into it and Sirius was pulling away as quickly as possible.
They had all met at Marlene's house, but they could see the flashing blue lights through the trees as they soared down the rural road that led to the Mckinnon and Pettigrew homes. They hadn't been able to pull into the driveway, the entire house had been taped up, so they pulled just to the side. When they jumped the tape they could hear people yelling after them, something along the lines of ‘not being allowed behind there,’ but the second they saw Marlene in an ambulance, with James and Lily by her side nothing could stop them from getting to them.
“Did they- Where- ” Sirius was stumbling over his words, his breaths sharp, “ Peter. I want to see him, where-”
“They don't know,” James whispered, Sirius instantly stopped, staring at James with wide eyes. “I saw him, and then he was gone.. I wanted- but I couldn't..” James’ voice had broken, and Remus took in his appearance, it was obvious he had been crying and he was dangerously close to doing it again.
Sirius ran a hand through his hair, closing his eyes tightly, creasing his face. Remus turned to Marlene. She was sitting on a stretcher, she didn't look hurt but Remus could see from the look in her eyes that even though she wasn't bleeding, something unrepairable had broken and it hurt. Her eyes were distant and hollow, she was staring at her hands, fiddling with a ring.
“Marlene?” She looked up, her eyes taking a moment to focus, “Do you need anything?”
“I want to go home.” She whispered, her eyes shining with unshed tears.
“Remus?” Lyall's voice broke through the horrid memory, “Remus, are you still there?”
“Yeah,” Remus said, scrubbing a hand down his face, “I’m here dad, sorry.”.
“You don't have to apologise, kid.” Remus suddenly very much wanted a hug from his dad, “Remus, I don't want you staying in the house alone. I don't trust it ok?”
“I don't want to have to bother Effie and Monty.”
“I don't care, I’ll bother them for you if you want, just don't sleep there. Please? For the sake of my sanity?”
Remus knew he would agree, he couldn't ever say no to his dad, but it didn't stop him from feeling guilty. He had already spent the last three nights here, mostly in Sirius’ room, along with James, when the guest room felt hollow. It was unspoken that they were all waiting for Peter to join them, just like always, but he never did.
“Ok, I’ll just go get some of my stuff later, and I’ll come back here to sleep.”
“Thank you.” Lyall’s voice sounded lighter, “Now if you need anything Diana is-”
Remus didn't hear the rest of his dad's sentence, a shrill honk making his attention turn to just outside the front door. He got up from where he was sitting on the stairs in the Potter’s entryway and looked out the glass window next to the door to see Lily’s green Volkswagon Beetle.
“Sorry, Lily’s here. I’ll call you after school, Dad.”
“Remus-”
“I really have to go, sorry-”
“Remus!” Remus went quiet, and for a moment the only sounds were his breathing and James and Sirius’ footsteps down the hallway, but then Lyall sighed, resigned. “I love you.”.
“Love you too, Dad.” Remus smiled as he hung up, just at the exact moment that James and Sirius reached the end of the stairs, each looking worse for wear.
None of them had been sleeping well, especially not James- and if James wasn't sleeping, neither was Sirius. Multiple times in the last few days Remus found himself with his arm around Sirius as he dozed off on the couch in his arms while James was off with his parents.
“Was that Lyall?” James asked, straightening his glasses, as he took the last step off of the stairs.
Remus hummed, “He’s worried.”
“Don't blame him, mum was up and down all night just checking the locks.” James mumbled, leaning down to grab his bag off the floor from where he had thrown it when he had gotten home last Friday.
Sirius was right behind him, leaving behind the stairs as he turned the lock on the front door, opening it to the porch outside. The boys filed out of it, closing and locking the door behind them before taking off down the drive to where Lily’s car sat stationary. When she saw them she smiled and waved, she looked the same as ever but there was something in her smile that was tense.
They piled into her car, James in the passenger seat while Remus and Sirius sat in the back. “Alright, boys?” Lily asked, looking at Remus and Sirius in her rearview mirror. Sirius simply gave a tight smile, and Remus nodded. James looked out the window with a lost look- Remus did not miss the worried looks both Sirius and Lily gave him, he knew he was looking at his friend similarly.
Lily sighed as she pulled away from the house, getting on the main road. It didn't take long to drive to their school, just about six minutes, but it felt far longer in the silence. There was something so obviously missing- someone . If Remus tried hard enough, he could pretend it was a normal day, and Peter had just hitched a ride with Marlene instead. Remus didn't try at all, though, he just reached over and grabbed Sirius’ hand. And that was enough to get through the car ride.
When they stepped out of the car into the school parking lot, it was obvious they would not be getting through the day without the constant reminders of what had happened the previous week. If it wasn't the obviously loud whispers, then it was the mirage of reporters. It was almost as if Remus could feel eyes landing on him, the whispers quieting as the group walked past, only for them to resume when they were just out of earshot. They passed several reporters standing in front of the school, all talking of the same tragedy. Peter Pettigrew, 17, was brutally murdered. And the part that everyone apparently found so interesting was his lack of body.
Personally, Remus didn’t find it interesting and wished they would mind their own fucking business.
Peter was not some scary story or spectacle. He was one of his best friends. None of them had a single right to be talking about him.
They kept their heads down as they walked, and they ended up at the familiar picnic table they had all sat at since the beginning of the year. Marlene was already there, sitting on the bench with her head resting on her arms, her hair hiding any hint of her face. She wasn’t alone, Dorcas was sitting on the table, a hand on Marlene's arm slowly stroking it, and Mary was just behind her sitting with Emmeline talking quietly to one another. Mary had been first to notice them, shooting a tense smile at them as Lily waved, setting her bag down on the ground as she took the spot next to Marlene.
“Hi, Marls. You ok?” Lily asked quietly, putting a hand on the girl's back. Marlene turned her head a bit, looking up at Lily and just shrugged, looking horribly unlike herself. Remus had never seen Marlene as dejected as now, and to be honest, it was scary. Of course, he knew she would be hurt, there was no way not to be a little fucked up after seeing… all of what happened. But a part of Remus just had hoped, that maybe it would be easy, although he knew it never would be. “Do you want me to take you home?”.
Marlene sat up, looked at everyone and just shook her head, “I really don't want you missing classes for me-”.
“I wouldn't mind, I have Binns for first, and surely he wouldn't mind if I was late.”
Marlene was silent for a moment, picking at her fingernails, before she sorta just.. deflated and turned to look straight at Lily, “I can't go home when I know he's not going to be next door.”.
Yeah, none of them could argue with that.
Lily's face fell at the admission, and she pulled Marlene into a hug, just holding her for a moment. When she pulled back she opened her mouth, but never got to actually say a single thing before someone loudly cleared their throat, drawing all attention to them.
It was a girl, blonde and tall, her red nails holding onto a pink-green bedazzled tape recorder which she had slightly extended in front of her. Remus just barely recognised her, Rita? Rachel? Regina? It was R something.
“Hi, would you mind answering a few questions?” Rita-Rachel-Regina asked, not giving them a second to respond before smiling broadly at them and talking quickly, “Great! You were close with Peter Pettigrew? Did he have any trouble outside of school? Altercations with the police?”
“Excuse me?” James asked, looking horrified, as he looked around the rest of their group to see if anyone else was wondering what the fuck this girl was on about.
“I mean of course it could be random, but it seems far too brutal. Perhaps he was living a double life? You were there, weren't you? What did you notice about Peter? Was he acting odd?”
“Who the fuck are you?” Marlene asked, pushing away the pink tape recorder, which caused Rita-Rachel-Regina to snatch back her hand as if the damn thing had been broken.
“Rita Skeeter, you may have heard of me? I run a blog.”
So her name was Rita. He was pretty close.
“Rita, love?” Sirius asked, and the girl turned to him, pink tape recorder in front of her once again, “Could you just fuck off?”.
“Excuse me?” Rita asked, still smiling though the edges looked tense.
“Fuck off. We don't want to talk to you.” Dorcas said, glaring at the girl from her spot on top of the picnic table.
“You don't have-”
Rita was cut off by a loud bell, signalling the start of classes as students began to flood back into the school building, they weren’t far behind the rest of their peers. Dorcas had been the first up, grabbing Marlene's hand and all but booking it, Mary and Emmeline following after them but not before giving Rita awful look.
It didn't take long for Remus to get to his first class, having to split off from his friends to head to the chemistry lab on the first floor. It was one of the only classes that all four of the boys didn't share, chemistry. It was an advanced class, and really they hadn't needed to take it but Peter didn't want to take it alone, and Remus needed another class and he had rather it be with someone he knew.
It was strange to sit alone.
He kept expecting Peter to be there, he had even turned to ask for a pencil- he always forgot his, Peter kept a spare for him. Something he hadn't expected was to notice how quiet it all was, he had always been a naturally quiet person- rather observe the people around him than talk to them. He had never noticed how he would turn to Peter and make comments under his breath just to make him laugh during a boring portion of the class. What was the saying? You never miss it until it's gone?
“Mr Lupin?” The stentorian voice of his teacher cut through his thoughts, and he tore his eyes away from the empty chair to look at the front of the classroom where Slughorn was standing, “Go to the office, please.”.
He was quick to leave the classroom behind, barely standing it on a normal day let alone without Peter. He hadn't been the first called to the office, and he wouldn't be the last. It had happened to several kids in the single hour he had been in class, and each came back with their own hardly-concealed whispers of ‘police’ and ‘questioning’. A part of him wondered if they had ever noticed that Peter was in that class.
He walked into the office and was greeted by the smiling face of one of the receptionists, who directed him to Dumbledore's office. When he opened the door he was greeted with several people, all of which he recognised. Dumbledore was there, obviously. Standing by his desk with a smile on his face as he talked to one of the Officers- Kingsley. Professor McGonagall was there too, her face unusually grim.
“Lupin.” One of the officers greeted him, and Remus smiled.
He had met Moody a few months ago, he was the one who had delivered the news to the Lupins about Hope. Remus had wanted to hate him, he knew the whole ‘don't shoot the messenger phrase and all that shit, but it was hard not to hold resentment for the person who had told him that he would never see his mum again. Moody had come over every day for a week after he had told them, talking to his Dad and offering uncomforting nods to Remus. It had made his distaste for the man worse.
It wasn't until after the funeral when everyone was getting into their cars to drive to the cemetery that Remus had ever really talked with Moody. He had basically ran away from it all the second they were allowed to stand, shaking off his friends. He had found himself outside of the church, sitting on a pair of concrete steps that led to the back door of it. He was just staring at his shoes, wondering if this was the part where he was meant to cry or scream, because what the fuck came after this? He hadn't noticed Moody at all at first, not until a shadow appeared near him, and he looked to his left to see him standing by the stairs, cigarette in his mouth burning. Remus had wanted to tell him to fuck off, he was trying to grieve or something, but... Well, he didn't, he doesn't really have a reason.
At some point Remus had broken the silence, commenting that it was rude to smoke in front of someone and not even offer one to them, and Moody had laughed and shook his head. Then everything changed because Moody told Remus about his mother, and how he was the same age as Remus when she died. Their mothers hadn't died in similar ways at all, but.. It was something, it was someone standing there and knowing what it felt like, and Remus found he didn't hate Moody as much as he had first thought.
“Mad-Eye, feels like we keep running into each other.” Remus gave a tight smile to the man.
“Officer, today Lupin.” Moody had just rolled his eyes, studying Remus. “You doing ok? Your dad?”.
“We're fine,” Remus answered shortly, he wanted to keep the topic as far away as possible.
“Let's keep this brief, shall we?” Dumbledore interjected, smiling at Remus (Remus did not return it).
“Remus, you were very close with Mr Pettigrew, weren't you?” The other cop, Kingsley, asked.
He is my family , Remus longs to say, He was my family.
“Yes, I was.” is what he says instead.
October 29th, 2007 12:25 PM
“They kept asking about my family, and if we had hunting gear.” James mumbled, he was sitting on the ground, ripping up pieces of grass, just to do something with his hands.
They had all met up at lunch, sitting by an old hollow tree at the edge of the school where they could avoid the pitying looks and harsh whispers. They had danced around the topic for a while, but there were only so many things you could talk about before you brought up the whole ‘so did the police think you killed your friend or was that just me?’ thing.
“They asked about my parents once, but nothing about hunting or shit.” Sirius commented, picking at the old polish on his nails.
“They just asked if I knew him, it was like they didn't even care.” Lily sighed, well she wasn't entirely wrong. Remus might like Moody, but he would be the first to admit that the police in their town seem to lack when it comes to.. well… doing their fucking jobs right.
“They probably don't, they did a shit job on the last killing I mean-” Marlene cuts herself off, looking at Remus. It had gone silent, the implications obvious. They had all known what Remus knew. Knew what the Police had found and how they did nothing. Just to let it be called a terrible accident. “Sorry, Remus.”
“It's fine. You're not wrong, I just hope they find out who did it... Peter didn't deserve anything like that.”
“He really didn't.. it was- God, it was awful, if I had just been faster, or-or screamed.” Marlene choked on her voice, and Mary moved in closer to her, running a hand up and down her arm, “We were so fucking close, I don't know how someone could do that to a person.”
“Carelessly, probably.” Sirius whispered, he had never been good in (ironically enough) serious situations.
“Sirius.” Mary hissed, eyes wide as she shook her head in a ‘don’t say that’ sort of manner.
“Sorry.”
Marlene shakes her head, sitting up straighter “I mean we all know the police are shit at their jobs,” She breathes in, a determined look washes over her as if she just put on a mask, “and if they won't figure it out, I will.”
“What do you mean?” Mary asks, leaning back from the hold she had on Marlene, letting her hand just brush her arm.
“I was there, I know everything that happened. If I could just piece it all together, and figure out who would want to hurt me and Pete, I can fix this. I can make it right.” She rambled, looking at them all as if hoping they wouldn't object, “ I don't want Pete’s death to just be shoved to the side as unsolved, it already happened more than once. But not for him.”
“How can we help?” James asked, his voice soft as if he could hardly believe what they were doing.
“You want to?” Marlene asked.
“Peter was family, you don't.. you don't let family just be forgotten about.” James looked at everyone, no one was going to argue with him, “So how can we help.”
October 28th, 2007 3:41 PM
“Y’know a part of me almost thinks this is just some prank, just a really big one for Halloween.” Sirius confessed as he and Remus walked from the back of the school towards the parking lot, they had split off from the group when Sirius realised he had left his phone by the tree when they had gone there during lunch, “I keep expecting Peter to kinda just… show up. Jump out and laugh at us for being stupid.”
Sirius hadn't been really talking about ‘it’, this confession now was the most he had said about Peter since that Friday night. He had always shied away from the painful bits, hiding them away from view as if they were ugly, something no one needed to see. He did a good job at it too, no one who didn't know him would ever expect the secrets and scars he carried.
“I get what you mean, I almost asked him for a pencil today. I forgot he wasn't there.” Remus says, taking a quick glance around them before taking Sirius’ hand. He felt Sirius squeeze it as they turned a corner into an alley sort of thing, stopping when they saw a figure leant up against the wall, smoking.
Remus didn't recognise who it was at first, but it seemed Sirius did, scoffing as he strode forward towards them.
“Your such a little shit,” Sirius said as he tore the hood off the boy's face, revealing Regulus, “where did you get these?”.
“Your old room.” Regulus answered simply, cocking his eyebrow at his brother.
“Stop taking my shit,” Sirius chastised, taking the cigarette from Regulus’ hand, looking over it before taking a puff himself, “you're not supposed to smoke, it's bad for you.”
“You do it.”
“That's your argument?” Sirius rolled his eyes, a small smile on his face, “How many times have you said you want to be nothing like me?”
Regulus did not look impressed.
“Why are you here anyways?” Sirius asked, letting the playful banter fade away as Regulus mumbled an answer, “What?”
“People have been talking, I heard about what happened.”
“So you came here?” Sirius pressed.
Regulus let out a harsh sigh, as it physically hurt him to explain, “I was worried. I wanted to make sure you were fine.”
“Aw, Reg.”
“Don't let it get to your head.”
Sirius looked back at Remus, smiling, he hadn’t heard his brother say something like that in a while. “Do you need a ride?” Sirius asked, turning back to Regulus who pushed off the wall, crossing his arms.
“I walked here just fine, didn't I?”
“Famous last words, c'mon Lily is driving.” Sirius nodded his head toward the carlot, walking forward a bit. “We can drop you off just a bit before the house if you’re worried about them seeing?”
“It's fine.” Regulus assured, walking beside his brother, “I have to go to Evan's house before I go home anyways, it's easier to just walk.”
Remus spotted how Sirius grimaced a bit at the name of Regulus’s friend, he never knew what to think of the company his little brother kept, but he was 15 and Sirius wasn’t about to police who he choose.
Regulus split off from them as they got to the sidewalk right next to the carlot, giving a nod to his brother. Remus didn't miss how Sirius watched his brother until he blended in with the crowd of people waiting for a bus.
October 29th, 2007 4:22 PM
“You sure you don't want me to stay?” Sirius asked, leaning on the middle console of the car from where he had sat in the backseat, looking at Remus from the open car window. He had asked Lily to drop him off at his house, while the other three would be going back to James’. He would join them. Eventually. He just needed to pack a few things.
“I'm sure, I’ll see you in a few hours anyways.” Remus watched as Sirius raised an eyebrow, but didn't argue, sinking back into his seat. Remus waved at Lily as she pulled away from his road, leaving him to walk onto his porch and into his house.
It was quiet, really the only sound Remus could hear was the jangle of his keys as he unlocked his door, and the floorboards creak as he stepped on them. It was strange to be in his house when there was no sound, there had always been something going on at the Lupins. If no one was over to hang out with his parents, then there was always music playing. Remus used to frequently walk into the living room to find his parents dancing, really they had danced anywhere they could- terribly. They both had left feet, something Remus had inherited, and it use to embarrass him so badly, but never his parents they would just laugh at how horrible they were.
Remus left the entrance in favour of walking into the kitchen in hopes of finding Mars, but the cat was nowhere to be found, food bowl nearly empty. He wondered if his dad had asked his Aunt Diana to feed her while he was gone as he went into the pantry to get a cup full of the food, dropping it into the bowl, waiting to hear the telltale jingle of Mars’ collar.
When he didn't instantly hear it he called her name, she had always been very food motivated, practically running when she heard them around the cat food. “Mars?” He called, leaving the kitchen to scan the living room for her, clicking his tongue, “ Mars .. Food .”.
There was a shift, something falling over in the closet by the entryway, it made Remus jump- but of course, Mars would get herself stuck. At least it answered his question if his aunt came over, she must of if Mars had somehow found her way into the closest, but Remus couldn't think of a reason Diana would look in it anyways.
For a second he hesitates before opening the closet, his hand hovering right over the handle. He doesn't know why, but he just stands there, a part of him telling him that he shouldn't do it. In the end, that part of him loses, and he opens the door.
He’s greeted with a hiss as Mars glares up at him as if it’s his fault she got trapped. With a swiftness that doesn't seem like it should be possible for the chubby cat, she runs from the closet leaving Remus behind in favour of the kitchen. Remus shakes his head as he follows her, rolling his eyes at how he had been scared of a cat . The whole Peter thing was really getting to him.
“Daft cat.” He says, watching her with a fond smile, “What would you do without us?”.
Remus pet Mars for a moment while she ate, dutifully ignoring him. He just shook her head, she had always been that way, a grumpy, always hungry old woman even when she was just a kitten- Remus found himself relating to her. Hey if he could glare at people, sleep, and eat all day he would too.
He left Mars to her food and headed to his room, he had a few hours until Sirius would pick him up, he had planned to use most of it to finish an essay due- but his teacher had given him an extension on it due to the circumstances. With nothing much to do other than pack, he just decided to do that- it would keep him busy for a few minutes at least.
He had looked in two different closest before he found a bag he could use, Lyall having used most of them for his conference. It was an old beat-up duffle bag Remus had used maybe once when he went to a summer camp, but it was better than nothing. He picked out a few clothes for school, and three pairs of pyjamas- his dad was meant to be back on Thursday anyways, so he didn't really need to pack much.
Remus made his rounds around the house, grabbing things from different rooms, t oothbrush, deodorant, keys, a book, and By 5:00 he really didn't have anything else to do other than sit on the couch and wait.
He was flipping through the channels, but it seems they are all somehow talking about the same thing. Peter Pettigrew. Tragedy in a small town. Are others in danger? Remus doing his best to skip through all of those channels, until he lands on one with someone very familiar and he can't help but be shocked, because really?
“Are you fucking kidding?” He mumbled to himself as he watched as Rita Skeeter sits with another news anchor and talks about she had an ‘insightful’ interview with the victim's friends, and Remus wants to laugh because he never knew Sirius telling someone to ‘fuck off’ could be insightful. This is what the station gets for letting an intern report, he guesses. Bullshit news.
He gives up on the tv after a while, scrubbing his hands over his face as he scrunched his eyes closed. This day just hasn't been good. Not one bit. How were they meant to go on as normal? It just didn't seem right. Fittingly, the last thing on his mind as he fell asleep was Peter- he couldn't help but wonder why they didn't just let the phone ring.
He wakes up to ringing.
At first, he thinks it's his alarm clock and he throws his arm out blindly only to hit nothing and remember that he is in the living room. He popped his neck when he sat up from the couch, stretching, his mind not yet catching up. He sits there for a moment, trying to figure out what the sound is. When he finally realises it's the landline and makes his way to the kitchen, he's sure the call is about to drop and he just barely manages to pick up and mumble ‘hello?’.
“Moony? You ok?” Sirius's voice crackles down the line.
“Yeah, why?” Remus asks sighing and rubbing his eyes in an attempt to sober up.
“You didn't answer when I called you're mobile, and it took you a while to answer my call.”
“Yeah, sorry. I fell asleep.”
Sirius hummed down the line, “Well, I’m on my way. James is letting me use his car- I might be a little late, though. Effie asked me to pick up a movie for her, I think she wants to have like a family night or something while she has all of us under one roof.”
Remus can't help but laugh at that, he had always loved Euphemia, “Sounds fine, just call when your here.”
“Mhm- Hey Moony?”
“Yeah?”
“Love you.”
Remus rolls his eyes, his smile widening. “Love you too, prick.”.
Remus just shook his head as he put the phone back on the hook, lingering for just a moment in the kitchen before finding no reason to stay, as he makes his way back to the living room he turns off the hallway light, chastising himself for forgetting to turn it off before he went to bed- he usually always did, Lyall hated whenever any of them left lights on around the house for no reason.
Remus hadn't even been able to sit down again when the phone rang again, Remus couldn't help but groan as he turned back around to go to the kitchen, picking up the phone with a huff because Sirius was always doing this. While usually, it was charming when he called back to back to mention a small detail or joke he had just thought of, Remus had just woken up and charm was the last thing he wanted. “Sirius you know you can call me on my actual phone, right?”
“Hello, Remus.”
The voice is unfamiliar, which makes the situation all more annoying.
“Hello? Who’s this?” He asks, politely, picking at the cord on the phone.
“You tell me.” The voice responds.
“No clue mate,” Remus responded, rubbing a hand over his face. He was too tired for this shit.
“Scary night isn't it? With the murders and everything, it's kinda like a horror movie.”
That's what gives him away, Sirius. He had been bringing up horror movies all day, and now he was pulling a stupid joke. Remus let out a dry laugh at the sheer audacity that he has, because really? A prank call? “Sirius, you just gave yourself away. This isn't funny, whatever you're doing.”
“You like scary movies, don’t you Moony?”
“Yeah, Sirius. You know that. I also like what you're doing with your voice, how'd you do that anyway?”
“What's your favourite scary movie?”
“Why are we playing twenty questions? I like the good ones.”
“Good ones? What makes it good?”
Remus sighs, “Ones that don’t have the whole killer stalks final girl trope. Like.. Saw is good, I guess.”
“Are you alone in the house, Remus?”
“I thought you'd be more creative with prank calls. Really disappointed in you, Sirius.”
“Maybe that's because I'm not Sirius.”
Remus rolls his eyes, it’s a last-ditch effort to try and scare him or something, and he refuses to fall for it. “Yeah? Then who are you?”
“The question isn't who am I, the question is where am I.”
Despite the fact that he's sure this is Sirius, Remus feels a shiver run through him. I mean you can't blame him, he literally just had one of his best friends murdered, and now his boyfriend was making creepy jokes. Anyone would get a bit uneasy. “So, where are you then?”.
“The front porch.”
“Oh finally here to pick me up? Took you long enough.” Remus hangs up the phone, putting it back on the wall before once again leaving the kitchen and going to the den, picking his duffle bag up from the floor and thinking of a hundred different ways to chastise Sirius for this little stunt when he opens the door, looking out towards his empty driveway. His mobile rings, and he answers, “You’re not here.” He said teasingly down the phone, soft of expecting Sirius to pop up from somewhere.
“Am I not?”
Remus took the few steps it took to walk the length of his small porch, stretching his arms out as if to showcase how alone he was to an invisible audience, “Well unless I'm fucking crazy, then no you’re not.”.
“Think again.”
“Ok then, so what am I doing?” Remus asks, flipping off the space around him, “Huh? What am I doing?”
Silence.
Remus huffed a laugh, solidifying his point as he let his arms fall to his side, turning to walk back inside “Nice try Sirius, hurry up and I won't tell James about this stupid joke.”.
“If you hang up on me you'll die just like your mother.” the voice yells, and Remus freezes “Do you want to die, Remus? What would Hope say?”
And that changes everything because there is no way in hell Sirius would say to him. He can't actually think of a single person who would ever say that to him. The words hit him so hard he could physically feel how they affected him, he could feel how heavy his chest is and he thinks he’s forgotten how to breathe. His face is hot and he doesn’t know if it’s from anger or his deprived lungs.
“Fuck you.” He spat down the phone, hanging up and rushing to get inside and slam the door, turning the lock. He let out a sigh of frustration, wanting to do something to rid of the terrible feeling in his chest but he doesn't even get a moment to take a breath because the closet bursts open. He just barely steps out of the way from getting a knife stuck into his eye, and instead getting hit by the handle of the knife with such force it sends him straight into the locked door, and then to the ground.
There's hardly any time to think as the intruder turns back around, knife in hand and looming over Remus. He doesn't even process what he’s doing until he's already done it, kicking in the knees of the person in front of them as hard as he can, sending them sprawling to the ground.
He scrambles back, hitting the wall just opposite the door and cursing himself for not knowing the layout of his own fucking home, because in the futile attempt of escape the intruder has managed to get on top of Remus, grabbing a fistful of his hair and slamming his head into the wooden floor.
For a moment he can't see a single thing, he can't breathe either and he wonders if he’s dead- but he can feel where he has something clutched in his hand, someone more like- an arm, but he can't hold on. His grip loosens and his vision is going in and out, and when he can finally make something out of his blurry vision is the image of that stupid white mask, and a knife hovering directly over him, perching and ready to plummet down into his neck.
He can feel his eyes widen and he uses all the strength he has to push himself back, making the person on top of him stumble backwards from where they were sat, giving him just enough room to kick them in the stomach. He can hear them groan after, a choked sound that sounds more animal than human, but Remus has no time to worry about that. He’s up, pulling at the handle before realising he fucking locked the door, and shit now they are up again and- yup there's that knife!
He’s running up the stairs, refusing to look back, because he doesn't need to see them to know they are right behind him- he hears it just fine! He makes it to his room, hand slipping over the lock and the door lurches, and Remus puts all of his body weight on it, forcing it closed and locking it- he opens his closet door as a precaution, in case the lock breaks.
And it's a good thing he does, because of course the lock break- when has anything ever gone in his favour in these kinds of situations? Remus stands there for just a moment watching the brutal erratic way they swing their knife, not caring what it hits as long as it hits something. He pats his pockets because he needs to call the cops and he realises he must have dropped his phone downstairs, which is just his fucking luck. His eyes scan over his room and he thanks the gods for his forgetfulness because there on his desk is his laptop, and he rushes towards it. Dialling 999, eyes flicking from the door back to the computer.
Sometime in the few times he’s looked back and forth the door stops moving, and there is no longer a person there. He has sent- or well typed out his call. He still can't breathe and his mind refuses to keep a coherent thought, he’s sure he's swaying. And then there's a knock and he nearly screams as he rips his eyes away from the computer to look at his window. There he is. Sirius.
It's scarily reminiscent of that Friday night when he snuck through the window, and just like the time before Remus lets him in.
Sirius’ eyes are searching his face the second his feet hit Remus’ bedroom floor, his hand coming up to grapes Remus’ face. Remus can hardly focus on the boy in front of him, blinking harshly, “Sirius?”
“I honked, and called. You didn't answer.” Sirius strokes a thumb over Remus’ cheek, looking terribly concerned, “Moony you're shaking, are you ok? What happened?”
Remus shakes his head, willing himself to speak coherently but his head is fucking throbbing and he needs to sit down because he's quite sure he's about to pass out, “Someone’s fucking here- they had a knife. They’re in the house- I can’t. I can't.” Remus knows he's breathing and yet he feels as if he's suffocating as Sirius wraps his arms around him, running a hand through Remus’ hair.
“It's ok, I think they’re gone.” Sirius pulls the hand back that he carded through Remus’ hair and both of them see the red stain on it, which explains the dizziness. Sirius doesn't look ok either really, he's gone a bit pale at the sight of blood on his hands. “We uhm.. We need to go, we can go.”
“Are you fucking insane? We are not going out there.” Remus insists, but to be fair he can't really argue seeing as Sirius is the only reason he's standing if he starts to leave the room Remus is going with him.
Sirius at least looks apologetic, “Remus, we can't just stay in here, I know you’re scared and I'm sorry- but he's gone. He has to be gone.”.
“How can you be so sure?” Remus asks, but Sirius never gets the chance to answer, a knock at the door interrupted them. He takes a look at Remus and then back to the door, “Sirius- don't.”
“Just sit, Moony. Ok?” Sirius is already leaving, “I’ll be right back.”
And Sirius must be stupid if he thinks Remus isn't going to follow him- head injury or not. The second Sirius is out the door, so is Remus, albeit less gracefully and a lot slower- but he's there! By the time Remus is stepping down off the stairs Sirius has already opened the door, and his heart stops the second he sees that mask. Of course, there's no one wearing it, which is quickly revealed, but the problems hardly end there.
Because now Sirius is getting arrested.
October 29th, 2007 7:31 PM
Sirius has officially decided he hates the police. Hates them. So. Fucking. Much.
Listen, he understands them thinking he committed a crime- however wrong they are, but arresting Remus too? He could barely stand, and yet they had shoved both of them into the back of a cop car. Yeah, Sirius was pissed.
Sirius had been kicking the door before, yelling obscenities but that hadn't helped at all. Now he sat quietly, looking every few minutes over to Remus who had laid his head back on the seat. He looked almost peaceful, Sirius almost felt bad for making him wake up, but his usual light-brown hair was dyed a near-black colour from blood, and he's pretty sure you're not supposed to sleep with a head injury. “Remus,” Sirius said, lightly kicking the other boy's ankle, “Don't fall asleep, your not supposed to if you have a concussion.”
“I don't ‘av a concussion.” He mumbled, hardly more than a breath. It would usually be endearing, but at the moment it was just concerning. Sirius was really regretting not taking a first-aid class or something, but even if he had, there wasn't much he could do in a cop car in handcuffs.
“Well, when we're sure you don't you can sleep then, just not now.” Sirius let out a sigh, really being arrested was boring- TV shows made it seem much more interesting. All he had to do was look out the window or fiddle with the cuffs on his hands, on the bright side at least they had left his arms in front of him.
He was really worried. Because someone had been in that house, someone had hurt Remus, tried to kill him. And Sirius couldn't think of a reason why. First Peter and now this? Someone was coming after them, it couldn't have been a coincidence. He knew he hadn't been the best person in the 16 years he had been alive, it would make sense for someone to come after him- but he couldn't think of a single reason someone would try to hurt Peter or Remus.
“I just said not to sleep.” Sirius chastised, Remus had instantly laid his head back down ignoring the boy completely.
“Did you?”
“Oh my god,” Sirius almost wanted to laugh at how ridiculous this all was, “you so have a concussion.”
“‘M fine.”
“Your really not, love.” Sirius leaned forward looking out the window, there was one officer standing by the car, the rest of them walking around the yard or in and out of the house. He banged on the window, trying to get the attention of the guy standing there, “Hey! We need an ambulance or something, he’s bleeding.”
The Officer turned his head, barely acknowledging Sirius with a quick look, before turning away. Sirius threw his hands up, frustrated. I mean what the fuck was wrong with these people?
“Excuse me, you fucking dick! The least you could do is get an ambulance, who the fuck arrests someone who’s bleeding?”
Once again the officer ignored Sirius’ outburst.
Sirius was in for a long night.
October 29th, 2007 7:46 PM
Remus had not planned to spend the night in a cop car with his boyfriend, but hey, life is full of surprises!
In all honesty, he felt like shit. He knew there was definitely something going on, he had seen the blood on Sirius’ hands after he ran them through his hair. He couldn't get his mind to stay straight, thoughts disappearing before becoming fully formed, even small movements making him feel sick and dizzy. So something was definitely not right.
He had been doing his best to stay awake, but it was hard to keep his eyes open. He could hear Sirius muttering beside him, at least he wasn't yelling anymore though. He had no clue how long they had been in the back of the car before the door opened, Sirius was saying something and Remus opened his eyes just in time to see Sirius get out of the car. Not a moment later his own door was open, and he got out too.
It took him a second to register that Moody was in front of him, saying something as he unlocked the cuffs on his hands, he must have taken Sirius’s off too because he was standing behind him rubbing his wrists.
“You ok, son?” Moody asked, and it took Remus a moment to process the words, eyes flickering from Moody to Sirius before nodding. “Are you able to answer some questions?”
Remus didn't even get a chance to process the new words before Sirius was there, glaring at Moody from Remus’ side, “No he’s not able to- he just got fucking attacked, what is wrong with you?” Sirius chastized, “He's bleeding for christ's sake, he needs to get stitches and they fucking cuffed us instead of helping!”.
“Listen-”
“He's coming home with me.” Sirius insisted, grabbing onto Remus’ arm and looking over at him, eyes soft and pleading. ”Moony?”.
“I can just- I.. Let's just go to the station.” Remus shook his head, Sirius didn't seem to like him agreeing with Moody, but hey? What could he do? “Answer questions now, so we don't have to do it later.”
“Remus, you need to go to a hospital.”
“I’m fine.”
“No, your fucking not! Please can you just- just wait?”
“Sirius.” Remus mumbled, “Let’s just get it over with.”
Sirius was staring at him, mouth hanging open. He scoffed, shaking his head. “Your sure?” Remus nodded, “Fine. I’m driving you.”
And Remus couldn't find it in him to argue, already this short conversation was making his head pound even more. Sirius had grabbed his arm, leading him across his yard to where Sirius’ car was parked, going back and forth from glaring at anyone who caught his eye and whispering comforting words to Remus.
He put Remus in the car first, grimacing at the state of the boy in front of him, before getting in on the driver's side. “You're sure you don't have a concussion?” Sirius asked, turning the ignition. Remus had no plans to answer the question and thankfully he hadn't needed to, Sirius was distracted the very second a white SUV pulled up outside the house, just behind the hoard of cop cars. “Oh you have to be fucking kidding me,” Sirius groaned when the door opened, revealing none other than Rita Skeeter, tape recorder in hand. She had spotted them instantly and lit up as if it was Christmas.
She had made it to their car in record time, it was as if the police hadn’t noticed her at all as she shouted questions to them from the closed window. Sirius was whispering explicitly under his breath, trying to avoid hitting the car in front of him. The second they had passed the car in their way, he slammed his foot on the gas, Rita jumped back startled.
Remus watched her in the rearview mirror as they drove away, scowling as she wiped the dirt off that the tires had thrown on her skirt. He couldn't find it in himself to care about it very much, he just wanted to close his eyes for a while.
October 29th, 2007 8:25 PM
Sirius still hated this. He hated the fact that the police were fucking stupid. He hated that Remus wouldn't get stitches. He hated that he was currently at a police station. He hated that this was all happening.
I mean, really? What the fuck had they done to deserve this?
“Moony,” Sirius mumbled, nudging the other boy's shoulder from where he was sitting, Remus looked up at him and Sirius raised his eyebrows, pointing to the flannel in his hand that he was meant to be holding to his head, “You’re still bleeding, you have to keep pressure on your head.”
“‘M fine,” Remus mumbled petulantly, but he put the flannel on the back of his head, and that was good enough for Sirius. “Have you gotten ahold of him yet?” That was directed at Moody, who was leant over in his seat at his desk, phone in hand. They had already called Lyall’s mobile five times with no luck, and the hotel hadn't answered when they called.
Moody grimaced, but Sirius quickly learned that was just his usual expression, “No, when was the last time you talked to him?”.
“This morning, uhm he was in New York already. He might be asleep, it's late there I think.” Remus was staring off a bit, his hand leaving the back of his head, making Sirius nudge him again with a stern look. Remus rolled his eyes but went back to holding pressure on his wound.
“Black,” Kingsley had wandered over to the trio, “need to talk to you. Privately.”.
Sirius was ready to tell him to fuck off but caught Moody's eye who gave him a weird look. Weird looks from Moody probably didn't mean anything good, so with reluctance, Sirius followed Kingsley, promising Remus he would be right back.
The room they went to wasn't anything special, plain walls with no decoration, it had an old beaten-up desk with two chairs in front of it in the middle of the room, but other than that it was sparse. Sirius took a seat in one of the chairs, while Kingsley sat behind the desk. They didn't talk for a few moments, studying each other. Sirius was starting to get the feeling that he wasn't taken here for a friendly chat.
“Second time we’ve met this week, do I get a prize for the third?” Sirius joked, but his tone was anything but pleasant, Kingsley still laughed.
“Funny, now I have to ask.. Why exactly were you at the Lupin’s house?”
“Because he's my friend. Do you know what those are?”
Kingsley just raised an eyebrow at the response, “It's convenient, don't you think?”
Sirius scoffed, “I don't think you know what you're saying.”
“Really? It's just that every time something has happened, you were there. You can't blame me for being suspicious.” Kingsley leaned back in his chair.
“What the fuck do you mean by that? That I’ve been there?”
“Peter Pettigrew was murdered and you were at the Lupins when you were meant to be at the Pettigrews.” Kingsley listed “Remus Lupin got attacked, and then out of nowhere- you were there.”
“That's what you got?” Sirius let out a bitter laugh, “I didn't go to Peter’s because I didn't want to watch a movie. It's not like I could’ve gotten there in the, what- thirty or so minutes it took for James and Lily to get there? I didn't have a car. I was at Remus’ tonight because he invited me. He’s meant to be staying with us while his dad is out of town since you guys can't seem to do your fucking job. It's not like I just showed up there and broke in, he let me in the house, didn't he?”
“Because he can trust you?”
‘Yes, because he can trust me.” Sirius glared at Kingsley, the other man just raised his eyebrows as if was waiting for something, “Now, can I go? Because I'm sure my mother would love to hear I was questioned by police. The Blacks aren’t a fan of bad press.”
“Go, Mr Black.”
Sirius hadn't needed to be told twice, slamming the door behind him as he left. He quickly retraced his steps back to Remus, who had once again laid the flannel down, absentmindedly picking at it- Sirius couldn't help but smile, shaking his head at the boy. Sirius smiled at Remus when he got back, his head seemed to have stopped bleeding, but that did nothing to calm the surge of Panic had every time he saw how dark Remus’ hair had gotten.
“Did you get hold of your dad?” he asked quietly, Remus shook his head. “We’ll call him in the morning, I'm sure he’ll answer.”.
“You boys can go.” Moody sighed, turning to look at them both with a squint, “Lupin I expect you to get that cut checked out.”
“It’s fine .” Remus assured, letting out an annoyed huff.
“He will.” Sirius gave Remus a look as if asking him to argue, “Don't make me call Effie.”.
Moody had escorted them through the maze of hallways at the station that lead to the back exit, and eventually Sirius had shooed him away assuring that they could find their way from there. Sirius waited in place with Remus while he listened to Moody’s retreating footsteps, when he could no longer hear them he pulled Remus into a hug, holding tight. The other boy didn't seem to expect this, tensing up before wrapping his arms around Sirius.
Sirius pulled back only enough to give Remus a kiss, hand travelling up from his arm to his face, cupping it. His eyes searched Remus’ face, the small bruise on his cheek, and his curls horribly dark and flat. “You’re ok?” He whispered, Remus nodded, “I didn’t even know it was happening until it was over and I'm still so fucking scared.”
“Why?” Remus mumbled, hand unconsciously rubbing Sirius’ back.
Sirius scoffed, “Because I love you you idiot, you could’ve died.” Sirius's hand went from his cheek to his neck, his fingers lingering just under the gash on Remus’ head, “You’re fucking bleeding, someone was in your house and… Remus don’t you get it? I can’t lose you.”
Remus held him a bit tighter, and they just stayed like that for a few moments. Just existing with one another, Sirius would never forget how it felt to realise that they almost stopped existing together. But eventually, Sirius pulled away, grabbing Remus’ hand and pulling him toward the exit. “C'mon, you need to get to the hospital-” Remus took in a breath, argument ready on his tongue, “Nope. No arguments, you need stitches. Don’t fight me on this, Remus. Please.”
And he didn't. He let Sirius pull him along to the door. Small victories.
As they snuck away from the station they could hear the sounds of reporters and the flashes of cameras just out of sight, they were quick to find Sirius’ car and leave. The only thing they needed to do now was get to a hospital.
As Sirius started his car, he looked over at Remus who was staring out the window and could only wonder one thing.
Who had done this?