Mischief Managed Year One: Mayhem of the Moon

Chapter Fifty-Two- Spring Break

"I wouldn't dare, just...they can be too much sometimes! They remind me of my two uncles, the twins, and how they bickered like that back and forth and back and forth. They leave no room for anyone else in their arguments. I tried to join and they just both bit my head off! Can you believe that? Then, of course, Sirius woke us up at 3 am last night just to play gobstones. He's bloody mental!"

"Peter, he probably can't sleep."

"Oh...but that doesn't give him any reason to wake us all up that bloody early! If he wanted our company the least he could do is not be irritable. At least when you were all irritable you didn't seek us out as he does. He's just such a twat!"

It had taken everything Remus had not to groan out loud during that interaction.

Unfortunately, and perhaps also fortunately, it had taken until three days before break to convince Sirius just to wake him up at night. This, it turned out, led to Sirius feeling comfortable enough with Remus to talk about his family so that only lasted one night, a brilliant reprieve for the other two members of the friend group at least. Remus hadn't been sleeping well at all, and despite lying to himself about the break, with it right around the corner he wasn't eating well either.

Remus wished he could hide out with Lily and Severus. Even Severus, who had been avoiding him since telling Remus he'd explain things to him, even his company would have been preferable. But Remus felt he had to help his friends as much as he could, so he did, or at least tried to, mentally counting down the days until he could stop.

.................................................

By the time they were all on the train home they were all at the ends of their ropes. The ride was one of a heavy and cold silence. Even though other compartments laughed and were jolly, and even though James got invited to sit with the Quidditch team, none of them left. They all stayed together, in a sort of silent solidarity that made the ride back at least somewhat bearable.

"You think I'll still be as popular after the break?" James asked in a poor attempt to end the journey on a positive note as the train pulled into the station. Remus wanted to at least answer 'sure,' to assure James who had been enjoying the popularity that apparently came from being targeted by Slytherins on one's birthday. Instead, his mouth had gone very dry and wouldn't move.

"Two weeks..." Sirius repeated for the fifteenth time since the announcement they had almost reached King Cross Station. His tone was that of someone preparing themselves for battle.

Remus wished he could feel some determination, but unlike Sirius, there was no hope for him during the break. At least he had successfully convinced his friends there was. So much so that the majority of concern was currently directed at Sirius, despite how much he had annoyed them all beforehand.

"Only two weeks. That will fly by in no time. We'll see each other soon, ok?" Remus pointed out encouragingly, the tension in the compartment easing slightly. They all nodded, even Peter and James, both having stayed solemn about their exciting perspective breaks out of respect for Sirius and Remus. It made Remus at least feel a bit better to watch Peter and James say their goodbyes and rush off the train into the loving arms of their individual families.

Well, Remus felt better until he spotted his uncle, only his uncle, waiting impatiently on the platform. Up until that point the young werewolf had clung to the slight chance he would be with his father after all. With that hope gone, now Remus fell back onto the seat of their compartment and hugged his knees, crying into them.

Sirius, who hadn't watched James and Peter return to their families but instead had started packing up to get ready, paused when he realized Remus wasn't following suit.