Four To The End (prev Shifting Lines) Book Three (Marauders Era)

Chapter Four - A Surprise Visit

Author's note: CW for child abuse, internalized homophobia, mentions of period accurate homophobia, slight cis teen boy problems, and also reference to a near-drowning incident.

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The Muggle cinema day out had done wonders for Hope, as she was in an extremely good mood for the rest of the day. She kept swishing around the house, humming the songs from Some Like It Hot and sighing rather happily. Remus, on the other hand, could barely focus, barely do anything besides think about that ending. Almost as soon as they got home he went out to the woods for a bit, kicking at stones and hitting trees with a stick. Eventually he wandered back to the house to sit on the living room sofa, a book open in his lap that he wasn't reading. Couldn't read.

Nobody's perfect. With a smile. And the other guy didn't even seem too phased, his expression had been more of a 'huh' sort of expression.

Remus ran his finger down the page, the tip settling where the hero and maiden shared a passionate kiss. Man and woman, as it should be. That's what everyone said. That's what history said. Witch and wizard. Not...

He closed the book, not even wanting to see the words.

Were Muggles... different?

His mother was in the kitchen, mopping the floor, hips swinging as she sang one of the songs. "Runnin' wild, lost control, runnin' wild, mighty bold! Feelin' gay, reckless too, carefree mind all the time, never blue!"

That word... he knew what it meant in the song's context but...

"Mum?"

She turned, smiling. "Yes? Are you hungry?"

"Er... no. Um. I had a question." He started to come forward then stopped, not wanting to step on the wet floor. "About the film."

"Which one? I can't help with anything about the first one. It was too strange."

"No, the—the Marilyn Monroe one," he said, putting his hands against the door frame to steady himself. "The ending."

"Wasn't that romantic?" she sighed, pressing her cheek against the mop handle. "Her loving him even though he had no money!"

Frankly he thought the Joe-Sugar thing was a terrible plot, full of lies and manipulation, but he wasn't going to say that. "No, the other. The—the last bit. With... um, Jerry—with Jerry revealing he's a man."

"Hmm? What about it?"

"Well. Er. Wasn't it odd that—" He felt the words growing heavy. In fact now he wasn't sure if he could say them. His mother was looking at him expectantly and he wanted to run, to hide under his bed and cry. "W-wasn't it odd that, er, Osgood didn't—didn't care?"

"Didn't care about what?"

"That Jerry was a man," Remus whispered, not sure if she even heard.

Hope tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

"Osgood. He—he d-didn't seem to mind that—that Daphne was J-Jerry." His voice broke a little as he spoke. "Is that... is—is that something c-common in the—in—in the M—Muggle world?"

Hope seemed very puzzled as he stammered out his words and when he reached the end of his question she nearly dropped the mop. "Remus! Don't be silly. It was only for comedic purposes. It doesn't mean anything."

"So it's... a... joke...? In the Muggle world?"

She sighed, returning to her mopping. "It's just a film. Does it even matter?"