The moon and The Star

Part 11

Remus
Not in text

I'm sorry.

That was the start. After he'd stopped texting James that was the first thing he did. He typed out that one text... but didn't hit send.

It was the next day and Remus was waiting for fourth period to end. He was foolishly dilly dallying on his phone, maybe hoping the professor would catch him and he'd be saved from what he planned to do at lunch if his phone wasn't taken away before then.

Merlin, it had really come to this? Wanting to have his own phone taken away so he wouldn't have to gather the courage to send one silly text. It was't as if he needed to send the text but after his conversation with James, he was sure the guilt of not doing so would eat him up eventually. Better to save the trouble and get over with it.

He glanced at the pair of desks not to far from his own. The occupants were already staring at him worriedly and Remus felt shy under their gazes. He's really screwed up.

Almost as quickly as he'd looked their way, he turned away from Peter and Lily, his gaze settling back on the board. This was stupid. All day it had been like some twisted game of cat and mouse. One of the members of their little friend group would run from the others while they chased them down. Nervous glances were exchanged in every class they had together and it felt like Remus' friends shadows were never far from his own.

He hadn't realized how much time he spent with them until that day. It made him regret coming to school at all.

Mentally, he scolded himself. This was not what he was supposed to be thinking. He came here for a reason and he would do what he promised and then he could go home... maybe.

A wince escaped his lips at the thought of staying stuck in school for the rest of the week. Even if he fixed things Lily and Pete, there was still his other two friends, or rather ex-friends, to worry about.

Speaking of which, behind him Remus could make out the quiet exchanges of whispers between the two delinquents. Bits and pieces of their conversation found their way to his ears, not that he intentionally listen.

"... or you could try and...him. Sitting here does... speak... he's right there."

Guilt crept it's way into Remus' chest. He wouldn't dare risk looked back at James and Sirius and have them catch him but he had been taking notes on Sirius through out the day. Not in a creepy way, of course. Just, observing.

He'd defiantly changed over the weekend. It was hard to explain. Remus noticed most of the other students hadn't even realized Sirius was acting any different. It was odd to think so little people recognized the slight slump in his shoulders to be be a sign of exhaustion, that the slightly dimmer look to his smile was clearly out of place. What James had said must have been true if he was acting like this.

His head shook as he tried to push away those sorts of thoughts. No. The point of this was to move past all of... that. Sirius wasn't good for him right now. He was possibly the worst thing for him. Or at least that's what he kept trying to tell himself.

"... and don't forget about that paper I need handed in by the end of the week. Class dismissed."

Those words were all it took for Remus to lunge into action, ready to bolt through the door. He had just slung on his backpack when an affirmative voice made him stop dead in his tracks.

"Mr Lupin," McGonagall said. Wincing slightly, he slowly spun around to face the one teacher he felt unnerved by. If he'd ever met a person who could rival Lily's womanly power it was probably Minerva McGonagall. "May I speak with you for a moment."