The Now of Wolf Thought

Rosie's Place - Part Two

Remus sighed as he set down his third tankard of butterbeer. "I need to get hold of some floo powder," he said nearly under his breath. "Don't have any money to speak of and I can't steal it."

"Could you possibly permanently borrow it without asking," Harry asked, looking at the older boy over the rim of his glasses.

Remus smiled and pointed at him with a pretzel stick as if it were a wand. "You think like your father and no. That's stealing and I'm not a thief."

Harry grinned. "Okay, so who's the thief in the Marauders?"

Remus nodded. "That would be Sirius. Although, he wouldn't call it stealing, per say."

Harry's grin widened. "And what would he have called it then?"

"Permanently borrowing without permission..."

All four student laughed heartily...they could all envision Sirius behaving that way and Remus knowing first hand only made his need for floo powder more dire.

"I'll have to owl him then."

"For what," Hermione asked.

"Floo Powder."

"What do you need that for," Hermione asked.

"I need to speak to Sirius at great length."

"What about?"

"What he knows."

She nodded and her gazed fell on Harry whose face had suddenly turned quite sober as he stared into the contents of his tankard. Suddenly, he lifted the metal cup to his lips and swallowed the remnants of his butterbeer. "I'll be back," he said beneath his breath.

Hermione watched him, her eyes following his every move. "Where are you going?"

"What are you, my mother? To the loo." He shook his head and headed off in the direction of the facilities.

"Well that was uncalled for," Ron said, eyeing his friend as he advanced further away from them.

Remus nodded. "Yeah. Perhaps I should go speak with him?"

Hermione shook her head. "No, please don't. I know why he's upset and why he said what he said."

"Enlighten us then," Remus asked.

"The entire thing, his life...his survival Everything is ultimately about him. He doesn't like it. Never did."

Ron nodded. "That's true enough. But it's bigger than that."

"It's always been bigger than that," Remus said in agreement. "Which is why I've got to get hold of that floo powder. Or, disapparate to Headquarters..."

"You can't do that," Ron offered. "That'll put you on then map and Sirius as well."

Remus nodded his head slowly. "You're right."

They enjoyed small talk and got refills for their brews.

"Don't you think Harry should have been back by now," Hermione asked after having looked at her watch.

The boys looked to the other and Ron stood to stretch and have a look around and he froze when his eyes scanned at someone leaving through the front door. "Ahh bugger!"

He pushed out the table from the circular bench seat and moved quickly toward the door. Hermione reached across the table, knocking over the remnants of her tankard and just missed grabbing his hand. "Where are you going?"

"I'll let you know in a minute if I can't find him."

Rosemerta stood before the couple and wiped up the spilled butterbeer. "No more for you, Sweetheart."