crushed - remus lupin

-eight-

The first thought Celeste had the next morning was not anything poetic, dramatic, or existential.

What the fuck is in my mouth?

As soon as she remembered the reason WHY there was a dry leaf in her mouth, she tried as hard as she could not to spit it out.

Last night, after Remus's confession that may or may not have completely broken her heart (it did), she chose to divert the conversation by suggesting they should start the animagi process.

The first step involved holding a mandrake leaf in one's mouth for an entire month without swallowing it. It hadn't even been a day and they were already struggling. Remus seemed to be enjoying the fact that they were all struggling to speak while he was fully capable of doing so.

"James, your mother said I love you, you should say it back." Remus said, a very un-Remus-like smirk filled his face.

All James could do was glare at him as he hugged his mum goodbye.

The five waved to Euphemia and boarded the train, an unusual mandrake-leaf-borne silence surrounding them.

After about twenty minutes of sitting in total silence, Remus burst out laughing.

"I did some research and I found this spell that can stick the leaf to the side of your mouth so that it's technically in your mouth but not interfering with your ability to speak."

He performed the spell on James first, who used his newly accessible vocal chords to yell, "HOW LONG HAVE YOU KNOWN ABOUT THAT SPELL REMUS???"

"...since last night."

Peter had to physically hold Sirius back from beating the living shit out of Remus in that moment.

"Did you just enjoy us not being able to speak?" Sirius glared in Remus's direction.

"Maybe?"

Just when Celeste was about to verbally tear Remus apart, a knock came at the door.

Stepping in to their compartment was Veronica Bluebottle. Celeste had to stop herself from physically recoiling at the sight of her.

The others didn't look too pleased to see her either. Peter made a face, Sirius death glared the side of her head, and James was sticking his tongue out at her when she couldn't see him. Celeste just felt lost. She wanted him to be happy, there's no doubt about that whatsoever. And she always wanted to support other girls no matter what, but this girl in front of her made her feel small. If this was the kind of girl that Remus liked... she didn't stand a chance. She would just be his best friend forever, and he'd never know how in love with him she was. And that was okay. If he was happy.

"Remmy!! Can I steal you from them?" Veronica's eyes flitted over to them, disgust flickering behind her sickly blue eyes.

Remmy? That's my nickname for him...

Remus stood up, seemingly ready to go with Veronica, and the other four stared at him. "We've sat in this compartment, together, for five years now! You can't just leave us!"

Remus smiled sheepishly as Veronica tugged on his hand, urging him to go. "We've done it for so long, one time won't matter."

And then he was gone. In more ways than one. The Remus that they had all come to know and love was both physically and metaphorically gone.

"What's wrong, 'Leste? Well, other than the obvious." Sirius looked concerned.

Celeste let out a sigh. "Nothing, just...nothing."