Chapter Text
“Hey, Moony! Come on, hurry, we’ll miss the train!” Sirius had -as usual- burst through the dorm room door without knocking and was yelling his words more so down the hall than into the room. His face was fixed at the hallway and so it took him a second before he noticed the lack of response.
He turned to look at Remus, who had, until quite recently, been sitting peacefully on his bed, book in hand, mug on the bedside table. Remus was wearing a soft looking knitted sweater in orange tones and Sirius lost his train of thought for a moment as he imagined cuddling into the brown haired boy’s chest.
He quickly regained his composure, however, and asked with a confused look. “Why haven’t you packed your trunk, Rem? You’re gonna miss the train.” Sirius looked at the watch on his wrist. “And apparently so am I if I don’t get going.” Remus had put his pointer finger between the pages of his book so he’d quickly be able to find the passage he was currently reading again, once Sirius had left. He had an amused expression on his face. “I’m not going home this year, Sirius. I’ll stay here for Christmas.” He explained simply. Sirius looked even more confused now. “Wait what? Why?”
The boy on the bed sighed and closed his book fully, realising that it would be a longer conversation. “My parents are going to visit my extended family. You know how they feel about me. My parents know my… condition will just cause tension and fights so they’ve asked me to stay here. I don’t mind. I’d rather stay here than have to be near those so-called relatives of mine.”
Sirius’ face had formed into a frown hearing how Remus’ relatives were treating him. “Why didn’t you say anything, Moon? You could’ve come home with me.” The raven haired boy looked almost offended. “What? Like they’d have me. Don’t be ridiculous now, Pads. I promise I’ll be fine here. Don’t worry so much. It doesn’t suit you. Now run to you train or you’ll really miss it.” Remus spoke with a certain finality and the two boys knew his words to be true.
Sirius nodded, signalling his defeat. He turned to leave, shoulder’s slumped and still frowning but was held back by the werewolf’s voice once more. “And send me an owl for Christmas or I’ll punch you when you come back, you tosser.” Sirius turned, now a huge grin spread across his face and nodded eagerly at Remus, who was already opening his book again. “I will. See ya soon, Moons.” He spoke enthusiastically and started running down the hall to catch his train back home.
“See you, you idiot.” Remus replied even though Sirius was long gone. His voice was soft, quiet and full of fondness. The scarred boy stuck his nose into his book again, trying to hide the blush that had crept onto his cheeks although he was alone in the room.
It was the day before Christmas and Remus had taken his usual spot on the couch in front of the fire place in the common room. His long fingers were wrapped tightly around a warm mug of hot chocolate as he stared into the fire, lost in his thoughts. He had noticed that a lot of first years had stayed at the castle instead of going home and it filled him with a certain sadness.
Remus himself was lonely and didn’t particularly enjoy being at Hogwarts for Christmas break, but he was fourteen already. He couldn’t imagine how bad the first year students were feeling. Going to a new strange school was hard enough but then not even being able to go home to familiarity on Christmas just seemed cruel to him. A heavy sign left his lips and he took a big gulp of hot chocolate.
Suddenly the portrait of The Fat Lady swung open and revealed about twenty little children. They were all first years and Remus took note that they weren’t only Gryffindors. He raised his eyebrows in surprise as he recognised a fair few of them to be from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw and even one or two Slytherins were among them. It seemed that during Christmas time The Fat Lady, who was usually known to be quite strict, took her duties as protector of the Gryffindor common room a bit more leisurely.
The first years were wildly talking among each other and only realised a few seconds after entering that they weren’t alone in the common room. Their voices quieted down as they saw the fourth year sitting on the couch, eying them interestedly, and they all sat down around the fire place close to Remus. He presumed they were feeling chilly as well.
Right next to the werewolf, a young boy, named Lorcan d’Eath, sat down and flashed him his sharp toothed smile. He was a half vampire and Remus had felt connected to him since the beginning of the year because of their similar conditions, making them less than fully human.
“Hello, Lorcan. How are you doing today?” Remus asked politely. The younger boy grinned and began telling him about how he had spent his entire day with the other first years on the castle grounds, playing in the snow, building snowmen and pranking Hagrid. However, his excited expression changed towards the end of his monologue as he seemed to grow increasingly more somber. “I kind of miss home, Remus. My mum usually always tell me muggle stories, fairytales. It just doesn’t feel like Christmas without them.” The older boy looked down at Lorcan understandingly, he felt bad for the child and the words slipped out before he could stop them. “I’m not sure my stories are as good as your mother’s but I could tell you one if you’d like. I love fairytales.”Suddenly, every first year in the common room had turned towards Remus and Lorcan, all of them with glowing eyes full of childlike excitement. Lorcan’s eyes had lit up with happiness at the prospect of unexpectedly experiencing one of his favourite Christmas traditions and he nodded vigorously at Remus’ proposal.
The older boy brought his mug to his lips to drink the last bit of his hot chocolate and then placed it on the couch table before sitting up straighter so he would address all the children that had huddled around him.
“Alright, this is a story about three young men.” He began tentatively as a plot slowly formed in his mind. “They all live in a magical fairytale world with all the magic you can imagine. The first boy is a warrior of sorts. More like a soldier really. He has armour and a sword and he’s a very strong man. He’s a leader for the people around him.”
There will come a soldier
Who carries a mighty sword
He will tear your city down, oh lei-oh lai-oh Lord
Oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh Lord
He will tear your city down, oh lei-oh lai-oh Lord
The first years were listening carefully as Remus told his little story, that was maybe leaning on reality a tad more than the children around him realised.
“The soldier is in love with a princess but he is too direct, too straightforward with the princess. She wants him to be more romantic but the soldier doesn’t understand that, yet.”
Remus took a deep breath. “The second boy is a writer. He likes to write poetry.” The children around him groaned, bored at the profession of this new character. “Now now,” Remus spoke softly. “Have some faith in my story, ey? The poet might seem boring but he’s just as strong as the soldier. Just in a different way. His weapons are his words and they’re just as powerful as the soldier’s sword and armour.”
There will come a poet
Whose weapon is His word
He will slay you with His tongue, oh lei-oh lai-oh Lord
Oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh Lord
He will slay you with His tongue, oh lei-oh lai-oh Lord
The first years seemed to be satisfied now and stared at Remus with big expectant eyes. He continued. “The third boy is extra special. He seems like a leader, like a ruler, but he doesn’t even want to be one.” - “But why would anyone not want to be a ruler or a leader?” A curious Gryffindor asked. His Ravenclaw friend jabbed him in the rips for interrupting and their bickering made Remus smile. “Well,” he began his answer, “Being a leader can be fun but you also have a lot of responsibility. This third boy knows how much responsibility it is and he doesn’t want that. He feels like there is a lot of pressure on him to be perfect, to fit in. But he doesn’t. He’s different and it makes the people around him very angry.”
There will come a ruler
Whose brow is laid in thorn
Smeared with oil like David's boy, oh lei-oh lai-oh Lord
Oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh Lord
Smeared with oil like David's boy, oh lei-oh lai-oh Lord
Remus paused, looking around to see if the first years were understanding what he was trying to say. He wasn’t certain they fully comprehended it but he decided it wasn’t important right now. They would understand one day. He readjusted the pillow he had propped himself on and then kept telling his story. “See folks, this story is very special because these three young men are very different, right?” The children nodded, small sounds of agreement coming from a few. “Yet, they’re still friends. They’re actually best friends, almost brothers.” Remus nodded as if to reassure himself and swallowed. “Their differences make it so they work so well together. They make sure all of them are okay, they take care of each other. Like a real family. Because they’re strong on their own, yes, but together, they’re unstoppable.”
Oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh Lord
They will tear your city down, oh lei-oh lai... oh
Oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh lai, oh
Oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh lai, oh
Oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh lai, oh
The first years looked at him in fascination as he finished his story. Remus smiled at the children before looking at the big clock on the wall of the common room. “It’s almost 10pm. You guys should head back to your common rooms now before curfew. The Fat Lady might be more lenient but I doubt that the grumpy old Filch will be.” He winked at them and they giggled in the most adorable way.
Once the Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs and Slytherins had left and the Gryffindors had either found something else to occupy themselves with or gone to bed, Remus got up with a groan. He stretched himself and took one last look that the fire that was only glimmering at this point. A small smile formed on his lips and with his thoughts filled with his friends, he went up the staircase to his dorm.