New Identities
Christopher rushed over to Remus first, looking at his best mate curled up into a ball, murmuring something that sounded strangely like, “Mum, Grant, Mum, Grant, MumGrantMumGrantMumGrant.”
“Remus?” He asked, reaching out to touch his shoulder.
Remus raised his head, “Da’? What’re you doing here?”
Christopher, Mary and Marlene all looked quizzically at James, who shrugged. “Just try your best to go with it mate.”
Christopher nodded, then said, “Er… yeah Remus… Hi.”
In a flash, Remus launched himself at Chris, hugging him slightly less fierce than he had James, but still managing to knock them both to the ground.
Sirius was starting to silently cry now.
“Remus?” Mary asked, she looked slightly scared.
“Jamie?”
Mary turned to James, who was looking at Remus oddly.
“Who the fuck is Jamie?” She muttered.
“Maybe made up?” Sirius suggested, sniffling. “He’s told me before that the only friend he had before Hogwarts was Grant. Plus… Jamie sounds a bit like James.”
“Righto.” Mary replied.
Thankfully, before she had to say anything, Remus stood, leaving Christopher panting on the floor behind him from lack of air. “Jamie! It’s been ages! I haven’t seen you since... since…” His face scrunched up like he was trying to remember something too big for his small world. “Since the bad thing happened.”
Mary stepped back, her brow furrowed. “I don’t know what’s worse—hearing him like this or not knowing how to help.”
Marlene stepped forward to break the awkward silence, “Oi! Remus! Remember me?”
Much better approach. Sirius thought approvingly.
Remus looked her up and down and nodded slowly, before his eyes lit up. “HEALER ELLIE!!” he said excitedly, before leaping at Marlene.
“I MISSED YOU!” Remus shouted.
“Apparently more than his dad.” Christopher muttered, rubbing his rib, which had taken a hard hit on the floor, and earning a frown from Sirius.
Marlene caught Christopher’s groan and shot him a look before wrapping her arms around Remus. “I missed you too, mate,” she said softly, patting his back.
Remus glanced nervously at Marlene, then back at Christopher. “Don’t let Butch come back. You’ll keep me safe? You said you would. You promised!”
Sirius clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms. He couldn’t cry—not now—but every broken word from Remus felt like a knife twisting deeper.
“Lily better get back soon,” Mary whispered, her voice barely audible. “I don’t know how much more of this we can handle.”
Remus began to wander back to Christopher, clutching at his robes like a lifeline, his frame trembling. “You’re not going to leave, right? You’re gonna stay? Promise?”
Sirius saw Christophers heart break, and felt his break along with it. “Of course mate. Wouldn’t leave for the world.” Before bending and giving Remus a huge bear hug.
After a while, Remus seemed to get bored and wandered back over to “Grant” and “Jamie”, before gleefully getting them to introduce themselves to each other, and soon learning that they were all very interested in the subject of dinosaurs.