The Wolf and the Raven

Ch 18 - Play Day

Fleamont didn't look up from his paper. "Son, if you're hungry this morning, just take another plate up to your room."

The four friends exchanged glances. "Thanks, dad," James answered warily.

"And," Fleamont continued, "your mother wanted me to let you know that she and I will be out all day. I need to make a stop to speak with the new chief wizard at Sleakeazy's and she'd like to do some shopping. I'm sure you can all find a way to entertain yourselves?" His blue eyes twinkled over the top of the paper.

"Yes, sir." This time they all grinned.

When they returned to James' room, Sirius devoured the breakfast they delivered. "Your parents are the best, mate," he said around a mouthful of scrambled eggs.

"I know," James smiled. "So, first activity of the day, indoor swimming pool."

"I didn't bring any trunks," Sirius frowned.

"We have lots. They're in a cupboard near the pool."

Despite James referring to it as a pool, the indoor body of water resembled a tropical lagoon more than anything else. Gentle waves lapped against sandy shores, and the walls were enchanted to show a clear blue horizon dotted by puffs of white cloud. Palm trees sprouted from the edges, swaying in a warm breeze that filled the room. The only reminders of an actual pool were the water slide, which would shoot the user as high into the air as possible, and the diving board, which was as springy as a trampoline.

James and Sirius ran from the showers dressed in identical blue trunks to dive bomb into the deep end. Branwen followed close behind in her red polka-dotted suit, reminiscent of the stylish Jazz Age costumes. Behind them came Peter. He shuffled through the sand, tip-toeing into ankle-deep water where a flurry of minnows came up to nibble on his toes.

Remus was the last to appear. James and Sirius had grabbed Peter and were swinging him by his arms and legs to throwing him into the deeper water, but they dropped him suddenly when they caught sight of their friend. Branwen spun around to see what they were looking at and her smile dropped from her face.

She had never seen Remus wearing anything less than an undershirt, button-up, and long pants. In the bright light of the artificial sun, his skin glowed ghostly pale. It made the scores of scars on his body stand out in startling clarity. Nearly every inch of his skin was littered with tiny white and pink slashes. Three deep gouges tore through his chest and the tiny craters that peppered his calf muscles looked like the result of (Branwen shuddered) bite marks.

The longer his friends stared though, the angrier Remus became. His upper body tinged a shade of pink and his face steeled itself into a fierce mask, his fists clenched by his side. "All right!" he shouted. "Say it! Say something. I'm hideous....a freak."

Branwen glided through the water to the where the deepest point of the lagoon meet the shore. She held out her hand. "I have something to say."

Remus approached and eyed her cautiously, but she blinked her blue eyes innocently, so he leaned down and grasped her hand. A mischievous grin appeared as soon as their hands touched. "Come on in, the water's fine!" She yanked as hard as she could and the older boy went toppling into the water beside her.

There was an eruption of laughter and James and Sirius swam over to drag their friends into a game of Dragon Fighting (Muggles sometimes call it Chicken Fighting). The next few hours were spent splashing and diving and swimming. No thought of the outside world, with its vengeful mothers and full moons and gathering darkness, could penetrate the sunniness of the room and its cheerful occupants.

When they tired of the water, they moved to the Potters' private Quidditch pitch on their roof. It was only about half the size of a regulation pitch, which made it a bit easy for Branwen to catch the Snitch, but it allowed James and Sirius plenty of room to toss a Quaffle back and forth. Peter sat on the sidelines cheering, but Remus was able to balance himself just high enough from the ground to give James a kind of Keeper to play against.

The pitch, though invisible to Muggle eyes, was otherwise open to the wide London sky. It was sometimes difficult in the summer to tell when day ended and night began as the sky paled and the city below began to glow. Street lights and shop signs sparked on, one by one, until the entire city was a reflection of the star-spangled sky above.

The five friends lay on their backs, side-by-side, watching the bejewelled night unfold. It was the close of a nearly perfect day. They were tired with the kind of peaceful exhaustion that comes from rough play and gentle camaraderie. They smelled of sweat and broom polish and their skin glistened with youth and starlight.

"There I am." Sirius lifted an arm and pointed to the sky.

"What?" James quirked a brow.

"That star there. The brightest in the sky. It's called Sirius. 'Sirius rises late in the dark, liquid sky / On summer nights, star of stars, / Orion's Dog they call it, brightest / Of all, but an evil portent, bringing heat / And fevers to suffering humanity.'"

They all raised themselves on to their elbows and stared at him. He just shrugged. "It's from a Muggle poem. The Iliad."

There was a pause as they settled themselves back down. Then Remus said, "I'm named after one of the mythological founders of Rome. He was raised by a wolf."

They turned to stare at Remus this time. No one had yet dared to make a wolf joke in his presence. Then, from the silence, Branwen started giggling. It was an uncontrollable, rolling kind of laughter that bubbled up without any sign of stopping. Remus lay still for a moment, then he started laughing as well. The other boys joined in and soon they were convulsing with the sheer joy of being able to laugh and be alive and be together, happy and safe.

Before long though, the summer heat began to dissipate, replaced by the chill of night. Sirius finally stood. "I suppose I should go home."

"But, Siri...."

"It's all right, Bran. It's not like I'm dying. I'll see you guys on the train, yeah?"

They nodded and solemnly followed him downstairs. Despite his protests that it was not his funeral to which he went, they were all subdued. When they reached the fireplace and placed some of the Floo Powder in his hand, they all gave him a final hug before he threw it in and disappeared.

The next afternoon, a strange owl flew through James' window, dropping a letter in his lap, and soaring away before he could even open the envelope.
Dear James,
Just wanted to let you know I made it back. And I'm still alive. Mother was furious of course, but Reg said he didn't see anyone else in the house that night, so you guys are safe. The locks are on the outside of my door now though and there's a lock on the Powder box too. No more escapes, I'm afraid. Mother also said that she'll be doing my school shopping by owl-order this year, so I won't see you in Diagon Alley. She hasn't said anything more about changing Houses though, here's hoping your dad scared her out of it.
S.O.B.
P.S. Don't send a reply. She's intercepting any mail.
P.P.S. Thank you. For everything.
P.P.P.S. Say hi to Bran
P.P.P.P.S. Do you know what the P's stand for?
P.P.P.P.P.S. Because I don't

Remus and Peter went home a week later, and the friends didn't see each other again until the first of September, although Remus also received an owl, the day after the August full moon. It brought a package of chocolate and a note that said, "Thinking of you. Bran."