JULIET {remus lupin}

TWENTY THREE

Remus Lupin stayed in the hospital for over a week following his last full moon, the cuts on his face had healed, but he was told that they would not fade. He was glad this had happened following his father's death, if Lyall saw him like this he would have only shrouded himself in more shame. He didn't think his mum would mind much, though. Although she was a muggle she had always handled him being a werewolf far better than Lyall had. She would write to him after every full moon, this time he had put off responding to her.

The marauders visited Remus constantly, and on the snowy Wednesday in mid Novemeber when he was finally allowed to leave, they all came rushing in early in the morning, each clutching newspapers. James threw one down onto his bed with tears in his eyes.

"Look," he muttered. "We just got these."

Remus glanced down, the headline read: 'ENTIRE MUGGLEBORN FAMILY MURDERED- TWO ADULTS- TWO YOUNG CHILDREN' and then a further one underneath, 'MUGGLE PARENT OF WIZARD MURDERED.' 

Sirius was sniffing too and Remus read on, "Orion Black and Nathaniel Romilly were the initial suspects after eye-witnesses claimed to have seen them, but Abraxas Malfoy- the right hand man to the minister- has promised that they were both with him yesterday evening, providing them with a reliable alibi."

"Sirius..." Remus said, looking at his sniffing friend.

"My fucking dad," he said darkly. "We all know Malfoy's alibi is bollocks."

"It's okay-"

"It could've been someone like your mum, Remus!" Sirius exclaimed, "muggle parent- that could've been your mum!"

"It wasn't, though."

"You aren't your parents, Sirius," James muttered.

"Wonder if Reggie has seen this."

"Don't worry about him," Remus sighed. "Do we know anyone affected?"

"No, think it was a Hufflepuff's parents, though. Younger than us."

"Fucking hell, how's Lily?" Remus asked. 

"Oh- fuck-" James started, turning to leave just as Lily Evans appeared in the entrance to the Hospital Wing. James rushed to her and hugged her tightly, the girl sobbed into his shoulder and Remus sat with his head in his hands. Lily broke away from James and kissed the top of Remus' head, wiping her eyes as she sat beside him.

"You okay?" She asked.

"Been better," he grumbled. "Are you?"

Lily shrugged, "I'm worried. For my parents. For Pet."

"Do you think they know?"

"I don't know how or if the muggle papers report it."

James hesitantly put an arm around her and she leant into him, but the mood was too sour for him to fully appreciate it.

"Your scars look cool," Peter said, trying to lighten the mood. Everyone laughed.

Remus grinned, "thanks, mate."

Peter glanced up at the door, "I have to go-"

"What?" James said. "Really?"

"Yeah... are we going to lessons today?"

"No-" James and Sirius said.

"Yes-" Lily and Remus said. "Back to normality," he added.

"Really? Today? But we have potions and... you know... Romilly," James muttered. Lily pulled away from him and rolled her eyes.