Chapter Text
remus lupin
. . .
Everyone had heard of what happened to Sirius Black that summer.
Whether it was from the Daily Prophet, or from the gossip on the streets of Diagon Alley, the news was inescapable.
It filled the streets. Every innermost corner, every crook and every turn. By the end of the summer, everyone knew.
Sirius Black had run away from home.
Remus had instantly paled once he read the article in the Daily Prophet during breakfast. The crisp Welsh air flew by as Remus read the article alongside his mother, Hope, who was familiar with the boy her son had grown to love.
”I’m so sorry, Remus.” Hope had said, wrapping her arms around her son. Remus had not processed this act of comfort, however, already staring off into space out of pure shock.
He had not informed his mother of what had happened just before the end of fifth year. Sirius’s terrible prank had hit him with brute force, and Remus had ended their comradeship in an instant alongside James and Peter. The boy had been isolated for the remainder of the school year as he made himself scarce. In fact, the only time Remus saw him was on train station. He had felt consumed with guilt watching Walburga Black’s claws dig into the raven boy’s shoulder before disapparating.
This had only made Remus more infuriated. He didn’t need to feel guilty. He didn’t owe Sirius any kind of sympathy, or understanding for that matter. But Remus couldn’t help his heart.
Despite the two being friends, Remus had always felt something more. He had been infatuated with Sirius since he figured out he preferred boys, realising the feeling in his stomach when Sirius got close to him was butterflies rather than a tummy ache.
And before the incident, Remus suspected — no, he was certain — that Sirius felt something too. The nights where the two boys would sleep in the same bed together, the light touches they shared and Sirius even taking out time from journaling, which he loved, to study with Remus.
There was something there, but Remus couldn’t have allowed it to bloom anymore. Not after the sacred trust Remus held so dearly was broken.
But now, Remus felt more guilty than ever.
. . .
Two days after the news of his disappearance, the Black family announced that they had disowned Sirius Black.
Remus knew his running away had something to do with his family. He had felt it in his bones.
Sirius could be in any state; injured, bleeding, bones broken, ribs shattered or worse. Remus shivered at the thought.
And all he could think about was finding a way to help his old friend.
. . .
Remus dusted off the soot on his coat as he tumbled through the Potter’s floo network.
Upon arrival, Remus saw James sat on the sofa in the sitting room, head ducked down and shaking. He carefully made his way towards his friend.
”Hey, Prongs.” he spoke quietly.
James’s head immediately whipped up with a force that Remus was sure must have hurt. His friend’s eyes were red, awfully so, and had dark circles encompassing them. He looked as though he hadn’t slept in days.
”Moony!” James spluttered, lunging at the scarred boy and giving him a hug so tight Remus’s heart ached. If it wasn’t him, then James was definitely suffering from Sirius’s absence the more than anyone, and it showed drastically.
”What are we going to do, Remus?” Even the boy’s voice sounded teary.
”We’ll find him, James. I promise.” He reassured, more to himself than his friend. “We will.”
”What if we don’t?”
Remus paused. “Then we will see him on September 1st.”
Neither of the two boys said it, but the question still lingered over the air like a thick fog.
What if Sirius didn’t come back at all?
. . .