Behind the smiles

Christmas II

"Great." Sirius smiled.

Remus looked at Sirius worriedly. Whenever Sirius smiled like that, it meant something was wrong. Sirius made eye contact with him. "How about you, Rem?"

Remus wanted to change the topic already, knowing that this was an uncomfortable one for Sirius....

He couldn't answer at first...how was Christmas?

"We spent it out of town." He conjured up a smile, trying to keep his eyes away from everyone else's. They did spend it out of town after all....

"December 24

James Charlus Potter,

Merry Christmas! I hope you're doing well.

I'm fine, and so is mum. Dad was able to get some time off work and stay for Christmas. Mum made fruitcake and her special soup. I miss you, all of you so much. I'm afraid our owl is too....er....weak to carry a package. I'll give my gift to you after the holidays then. Everything is--"

Remus stopped writing, he felt a headache coming on. He shifted slightly, trying to sit up straighter. He winced. That was a bad idea. His left arm was in a cast, and he was in a very uncomfortable position.

A nurse walked by, hastily trying not to look at him, afraid. Remus groaned inwardly. He hated St. Mungo's. He was in the "Dangerous" Dai Llewellyn Ward again. He hated this place so much. People skirted around him, terrified or disgusted. Healers probed him wearing gloves, not gentle at all. He missed madam Pomfrey, he missed the Hogwarts Hospital wing, he missed.....he missed home.

Mum was talking, or at least trying to talk to the head healer. His cast needed to be changed but....no one really thought he was supposed to be given priority to because he was a........well....

Remus laid down the quill he was holding, trying to ignore the pain in his chest.

He frowned and crumpled up the letter. James would know if he was lying...

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It was almost midnight, mum sat down beside him, eyes closed.

Dad walked in. He looked tired.

"I'm sorry Remus, they won't let us take you home...they say you have to stay over for a few days."

Remus nodded. He felt his mother tense up beside him.

"Not this place, Lyall! They--"

A nurse walked by, roughly shoving past the family of three.

Remus sighed.

Lyall looked at his watch and smiled, handing Remus a box of chocolates and kissing his wife.

12:00

"Merry Christmas mum, dad."

Remus smiled, although he didn't feel like it.

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In the Lupin house, an owl waited by the West side window, a letter in it's claws. No one was there to recieve it.