swim || remus lupin

what a time

It was still pouring when Remus and I pulled ourselves to shore.

James, Sirius, and Peter all collapsed over me, soaked to the bone and with tears falling from their faces to mine.

And it was just us for a moment, me and the boys. And even though there was a gaping hole in my heart, it was in theirs, too. And it was almost okay.

Sirius cast a drying spell over my tail to evaporate most of the water, returning my legs and leaving me with only scales from the persistent rain.

My shorts had been torn away in the transformation, and, though my t-shirt was long enough to pass my waist, Peter immediately pulled off his jumper, which was oversized even for him,  and forced it over my head.

It was heavy with rain, but it worked.

And I walked back up the beach with my men who felt like boys.

In the house, Lily and Alice were in a right state. They had their arms thrown around each other in a terrible attempt at simultaneous consolidation. Frank stood off to the side, holding both Neville and Harry as the two boys cried like their mothers.

"Oh, Syd," said Lily, opening her arms to me as well.

I felt the greyness seep from my pores and I fell into their hug too, the three of us in a mess of limbs and a mess of heartbreak.

"You're soaked," Alice said with a sniffle and small laugh.

"Sorry," I replied, pulling away and laughing a bit myself.

Lily wiped her nose and her smile fell away.

"Dorcas is coming here," she said softly, looking over my shoulder. "We told her to come here."

Remus placed a hand on my back and slipped a fresh pair of sweats into my hands.

"Thought it was best if none of us were alone tonight," he said with a small smile.

"Yeah," I nodded. "Good idea."

I stepped away from the two girls and into the living room where I knew my wand was laying on the coffee table.

I grabbed the small stick and performed the drying spell once more, as a soft heat coursed through my chilled body. I began to step into the sweatpants just as Remus walked into the room.

"Nice and dry," he said with another soft smile, reaching out with both hands to push back my hair.

I smiled weakly and wrapped both of my arms around his torso, pulling him in for a hug. Almost instantly I felt my shoulders collapse in a sob.

"Shh," he whispered. "It's okay."

"It isn't," I said, my words muffled into his shirt with my tears. "She died."