The Marauders Year Five Part 2 #Wattys2017

Looking Forward to Summer

"Yes, actually," he looked up.

"Lots of plans with the Marauders?" Lily said smiling, "Loads of bonfires and camping trips?" It seemed they always had camping trip stories every September.

Remus shook his head, "Actually, I'm going to visit Ned Veigler."

"Ned Veigler?" Lily looked surprised, "Our third year Defense teacher?"

"Yeah," Remus nodded.

Lily said, "I had no idea you were still in touch with him."

"Yeah, Ned and I are real close, actually. He lived with Newt Scamander last summer, in the briefcase, and I spent a good deal of time with him while he was teaching here, too. He's -- he's very smart and he's starting a school in Iceland. Bought a castle and everything. Just he needs some help in doing some repairs and I get to help him this summer, doing painting and that lot." Remus smiled.

"Wow," Lily looked surprised. "Iceland, huh? That's very... exotic," she said for lack of a better word.

"It'll be interesting," Remus agreed.

Lily stared across the common room and there by the fire was Sirius Black, laying on his back, his feet up on the couch, balancing on James Potter's lap, his hair sprawled out beneath him as his record player played out the Beatles Yellow Submarine and Sirius waved his finger in the sky as though he were conducting a band, singing the song lazily as James waited for Peter to make a move on a chess board they had levitating between them, holding an unlit cigarette between his teeth and wiping his glasses on his jumper - the jumper she'd borrowed for months without knowing it was his.

"I'll bet Sirius Black is quite disappointed you'll be so far away."

Remus thought of the look on Sirius's face in the Shrieking Shack the week before, when Remus had told him - the way Sirius had been staring at him just moments before, the way they'd both sat in that tense silence, both wanting to say something, and neither actually saying it. Remus shrugged, "I don't know. Maybe it'll be good to be apart awhile."

Lily frowned. "I don't like this you two being broken up stuff. It's... it's awful."

Remus stared at Sirius, watching as he bent his knees so his feet were resting against James's shins now instead of in his mate's lap and the song on the tape deck changed and Sirius grinned and started singing All You Need Is Love, rolling about on the carpet.

"Yeah," Remus murmured. Then, "I think I make him sad, Lily."

"What?" she looked at Remus in confusion.

Remus looked over at her. "Me and him, the tension between us... I think that I make his depression worse by being around him." He chewed his lip. "I mean, look at him now, he seems alright."

Sirius had plopped himself onto James's lap and taken the cigarette out of James's mouth and put it in his own - it was still unlit - and he was running his hands over James's hair and James was making a face, leaning away as Sirius laughed and said something that made James roll his eyes. The laughter made Sirius's face glow.

"See, I rather think he looks sad," Lily said.

Remus raised his eyebrow.

"Most things that're missing a piece look sad, though," she murmured. Then, "I'm going on holiday with my mum and sister and her boyfriend Vernon." She sighed heavily. "Mum said I could invite along a friend if I'd like, but I don't know who to ask. Marlene's already said she's going to visit family, and Ali and Frank have plans like every day from now 'til eternity... I don't really like any of the other girls much. But we're going to a beach, mum's rented a flat for a week and there's a charming little town and boardwalk there and --"

"Why don't you ask Jasper Odair?" Remus asked.

Lily hesitated. She'd thought of that, she really had, but -- "I dunno," she said, "I don't really feel right bringing Jasper." She didn't know why. Jasper on a holiday seemed... like it would be just too much Jasper. He had a way of being unrelentingly there - all of the bloody time. In fact, Lily was studying in the common room - despite all the noise from Frank telling the First Years various tales to entertain them and Sirius's stereo - because in the library, Jasper Odair was sure to find her.

Sure to find you, 'ey Evans? - She could literally hear Sirius Black's laughter in her head as the thought crossed her mind and she rolled her eyes at him.

She stared at Sirius. "Do you reckon Sirius might enjoy a holiday?" Lily asked, and she turned to Remus.

Remus looked at her with raised eyebrows. "You want to bring Sirius Black - that Sirius Black right over there that is currently... (is he actually licking James Potter's face?) - somewhere in, like, actual public?"

Lily laughed. "I dunno, it might be fun. He's always good for a laugh and he's - he's usually rather kind to me and I suppose it would be rather fun to see him roast Vernon Dursley. Maybe he'll run him off," she laughed. "Vernon's terrible and my sister apparently does nothing but spend time with him constantly. Mum's written me about it. Vernon's over the house at least three times a week."

Remus said, "Well, he must be somewhat interesting."

Lily shook her head, "He sells drills for a living, Remus. And he finds them fascinating. Talks about them all the bloody time."

Remus laughed. "Oh Sirius would make so many dirty jokes."

Lily giggled, "Excellent. And really, maybe it'll help cheer him up, too. And I can put in a good word for you." She winked.

Remus rubbed the back of his neck with his palm, "Just make sure you, uh, bring a leash."

Lily stared at Remus.

"So you can take him for walks, see," Remus said, smirking.

Lily laughed. "You really think he might agree to go? Am I crazy for wanting to ask him?"

"Yes, he probably will, and - yes, very much so," Remus replied.

There was a pause between them as they watched James shove Sirius off him and Sirius landed on the floor with a thump and a roar of laughter, exaggerating how hard James had shoved him off by rolling and flailing his arms about - making the first tears laugh and interrupt Frank Longbottom's story, and Remus smiled sadly as he watched Sirius pretend to be dead on the floor, sticking his tongue out and yelling, "James's kilt me, he's kilt me, oh what a cruel world!" as he rolled his eyes back and James chucked a pillow at him.

Remus looked at Lily. "Hey Lily?"

"Yes?"

"Next time something happens like what happened with Mulciber and them... you'll tell us, won't you?" Remus asked, "Instead of keeping it bottled up like you did?" He put a palm on her arm. "We're here for you, all four of us. We love you to bits."

Lily said, "I know. And even though I've been a brat to you lot at times, you know that do I love you, all four of you, to bits, too, yeah?" and she rested her cheek against Remus's shoulder.

Remus smiled.