Rediscovering The Stars

Chapter 4

December 17th 1981

The period between when he'd agreed to tag along back to London and actually packing up his apartment was hectic to say the least. Remus had packed almost everything he owned; books, sweaters, shoes, socks, toiletries, holiday homework, jeans and shirts. His suitcase had been near bursting open for four days until the day of their departure arrived. Tonks gripped his arm tightly, pointing out everything in the train station that she recognized as new since she'd arrived in New York several years ago. Remus was certain he'd lose all blood circulation and feeling in his arm by the time the train they were destined to board arrived in the old fashioned, wooden station.
"and look," Tonks shrieked again, arm still tightly looped around the brunet's, she pointed out a blackboard covered in chalked times and dates above the entrance to their platform, "That announcement board is new!" Peter snickered loudly, covering his mouth with his palm.
"Careful, mate. I think your arm's going a bit purple." Remus held up his two fingers at him, grinning when the blond fell into deeper fits of laughter.

Soon enough, the bright red train pulled into the station, thick, grey smoke billowing from the chimney atop the conductor's compartment. With their suitcases in tow, the three entered their carriage and sought out an empty compartment, which they easily found and settled into. The train's leather seats honestly weren't the most comfortable or in the best condition, stretch marks and broken material littered over both the backrest and seating, much to Remus's dismay. Tonks had practically been buzzing in her window seat since she'd sat down, at the time leaving Remus and Peter to shove her suitcase under the train seats, now sat quietly, looking out at the green of the countryside whizzing by as it had been for over an hour now. Remus knew at average, they'd be stuck on this train for quite a few days, probably arriving in England on the twenty second or third. He wasn't looking forward to being cooped up in a small compartment with the two maniacs that were now engaged in a deep conversation about how long it would take Peter to eat a meter long sandwich.Tonks reckoned it'd take hours whereas Peter insisted it would take less time."I'd say it would take a matter of two or three hours." Remus supplied, much to Tonks' delight and Peter's dismay,
"Remus!" he squeaked, eyes blown wide as the saucers in Mr. Potter's kitchen whenever Remus would visit for Christmas.

Remus lost track of the conversation as he drifted into his own mind again, recounting memories of his seven years spent at Hogwarts boarding school with James Potter, Canis Black, Mary Mcdonald and Lily Evans. Well, she'd been Lily Potter since 1978. Remus had attended her's and James's wedding as James's best man along with Canis whilst he and the ebony hair man had still been together. Though now he thought about it, they'd never officially broken up. Remus had just walked out on the seventh of September 1978 and never looked back, even when he'd been waving a tearful goodbye to his friends on the train station platform.

The cool breeze seeped in from between the glass pane and it's frame, chilling Remus enough to pull his sweater tighter around his shivering body. Tonks seemed to notice and shifted closer, smiling merrily up at him when he looked down at her with a raised brow,
"Cuddling keeps in the warmth!" she hummed, still trying to comfortably fit her lithe torso against his own. Which, for the record, was much bigger than her's, "If we stay close together, you'll stop shivering." The brunet, too tired to argue with the blue haired woman, nodded and yawned into the dorsal of his scarred and freckled hand. Tonks had recently recoloured her short, bob-cut hair a deep navy blue which many people had complimented her on, Remus and Peter included.

It'd been a matter of minutes since the woman buried herself in the coat of his cardigan before she was out like a light, snoring quietly against his shoulder, her blue hair static from where it'd rubbed against the material of said cardigan. Peter had knocked himself out about a half hour before, stocked up on enough chocolate and sweets for all three to survive remaining on the train for the next however many days they'd be spending on the great red and black steam engine.

The brunet shrugged slightly to no one in particular, closed his eyes and leant his head back on the scarred skin of the leather. He evened out his breathing until slowly but surely, he slid into a dreamless slumber, lulled by the ever present rumbling of the iron wheels running and bumping over the occasional bump in the tracks.