BLACK MOON ⍋ Remus Lupin

Chapter 116 - The Last Day.

"James be careful with that bag!" Lily said as James carried out the majority of everyone's bags. Remus and Sirius playing a big game of car boot jenga with them. Peter helping Lily to clean up the cabin before leaving.

"You wanna escape any responsibility?" Marlene crept up behind me, linking our arms together.

She dragged us away towards the trees, past the hammock no one had used the whole weekend.

"I feel so bad for not helping!" I said, though giggling.

"Oh it's fine! We'd just be getting in the way." Marlene shrugged.

She began to untie a rope from a strong looking tree. Dancing around with it, to pick up momentum.

"There's hidden treasures everywhere." I said, admiring how many cool little spots this area had.

Marlene smiled at me as she swung from the rope, back and forth. Looking around every time she got higher.

"So what's the deal with you and Peter then?" She suddenly asked.

"Huh?" I said feeling taken aback that someone else had actually noticed something.

"Well, you guys haven't spoken unless it's through the group and his face looks like a slapped arse when you do." She said, slowing down her swings. Looking at me with curiosity.

"Truthfully, he's been so rude to me ever since I reappeared. I don't know what I've done to him, but he must believe I have." I said, throwing my hands up in the air a little with defeat.

"You broke his best mates heart. It's in the past for us, but he's obviously still bitter." Marlene bluntly said.

I shrugged.

"I don't see why it matters to him still though, we can all see how happy Remus is around you." She added.

"I really liked Peter at school too! That's what's so confusing. It's not like we never liked each other." I expressed.

"He's changed since then though. I've tried talking to Lily about it but she won't hear me. He's...jealous I think. Of everyone." Marlene exposed.

My eyes widened a little, not expecting for her to have picked up on his altered behaviour. No one else had seemed to. Everyone else seemed to baby Peter. Treating him as if he was an angel that could do no wrong. Almost infantilising him. A golden child treatment.

"Just don't let him interfere with yours and Remus' relationship. The fact that Remus took off his top yesterday," Marlene began, giving me a look.
"Big big step."

I smiled at her and nodded. Feeling quite proud of him, though it was just an instinctive motion that he didn't mention after. Maybe muscle memory from our night swimming seeping into another situation. Maybe it was consciously decided. Either way, I was proud he was treating his body as the other boys were when they swam. His scars weren't something to hide with shame.

"Do you like Peter?" I asked curiously, not knowing if I was overstepping.

"I like Pete." She said confidently.
"But I used to love him, as a mate."

"And you don't any more?" I wondered.

She shook her head 'no'.

"I've noticed, as we've grown up, he's mean to anyone who he doesn't feel will benefit him and let's jealousy get the best of him." She revealed, jumping off of the rope and landing on two feet like a sturdy cat.

"Which one do you think is the reason for his rudeness to me?" I asked.

"Well Remus always chooses Pete. Now he's going to start choosing you. Maybe it's a bit of both." Marlene said, handing the rope over to me- to which I politely declined.

"I'd never get in the way of Remus' friendships!" I said a little offended.

"We know but we also know that we're not all gonna be young forever. Me and Sirius know eventually we're gonna lose roommates; Lily and James will probably move in together at some point and Peter is probably in denial that he'll lose his, to you."

What she was saying made complete sense. Life didn't revolve around their group. Their group simply orbited around life.

The marauders had changed and Peter seemed upset about it. They weren't at school anymore doing pranks and causing mischief. The group had jobs, except Peter, and all (subconsciously or not) had plans about their future. Plans that didn't automatically revolve around being a marauder.

Peter was obviously viewing me as the personification of entering the next stage of life. Remus had always chose him when I was around. Remus picked me to work with on my first day in herbology, leaving Peter to work with the teacher. Remus was picking me to sit next to, to cook with and Peter was probably seeing the full extent of his friends changing behaviour. Things that I wouldn't know about.

He was clinging onto a group of fifteen year olds in the body of young men who were moving onto the next stage of life before him.

He developed slow, like me. But unlike me there was no excuses he could use for himself. He wasn't hidden away for years, he simply just wasn't the same as his friends.

I could understand how tough that might feel. It didn't could as an excuse to treat me badly, however.

"How come you've spoken to me about this?" I asked Marlene.

"You're my friend now. Right?" She said, as if it was a stupid question.
"I know you can probably handle yourself, but let me know if you need someone to speak to him for you. No one else notices how shitty he can be."

"Thanks, Marlene." I said genuinely, as we began to walk back to the now packed car.

"And don't feel sorry for him, it's exactly what he wants." She mumbled before approaching the group.

"Guys! Come have a look at these beetles!" Sirius clocked onto us and beckoned us over with enthusiasm.

Peter Pettigrew was sat on the bonnet of the car. Arms folded and watching our every step towards Sirius.

"You alright, Marl?" Peter said with a smile, not acknowledging me.

"Yeah!" She said happily.
"You not gonna say hi to Arty?" She added. Knowing exactly what she was doing.

He gave me one nod. A single second of acknowledgment.

"Arty." He said.

"Peter." I replied.

"Beetles." Sirius added in a similar tone, growing impatient.

"Leaving in half hour, guys!" Remus and Lily shouted at the same time.