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

Chapter Fourteen - Only For The Two Of Us

Author's note: CW for teenagers piercing each others' ears (it doesn't show it, they simply talk about it) which also means discussions about needles, internalized homophobia

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When Remus woke up in the morning he blinked sleepily at his curtains, feeling like something was wrong. Very wrong. He bent forward, pushing his hair back as he tried to figure out what was off. Then he realized... he hadn't had nightmares! How long had it been since the last night without one? He could barely even remember.

Is it being back at school? he wondered as he got out of bed. Is it having dormmates? Or perhaps he had simply worn himself out and his brain was too tired to attack?

Despite sleeping in much later than he intended, he was still the first Marauder awake—though David and Spinnet were gone. Sirius's curtains were also open to reveal his empty bed, but Remus could hear two people sleeping behind James's curtains.

After getting ready for the day, Remus headed out of the Gryffindor tower. On the way down to the Great Hall he made two stops. First in the fifth floor corridor where Theodore liked to brood, then, after giving furtive glances around, he went into the second floor girls' bathroom to greet Myrtle. Except she was in a very bad mood (even for her) and just shouted at him until he fled, promising her he'd be back later that week.

When he ran out the door he wasn't really looking where he was going and banged into a vaguely familiar Gryffindor girl who began berating him for being in the girls' bathroom, even though it was Myrtle's and permanently out of order. Great, he thought miserably as she dashed off, threatening to tell a Prefect. By the time he got to the Great Hall she had tattled, and the sixth year Gryffindor girl Prefect demanded to know if he had done it.

Remus shifted his weight, debating whether to lie or not. Finally he reluctantly admitted that yes, he had been in the lavatory, and tried to explain going to see Myrtle. His stammer was really bad and he wasn't really able to get much out past the initial confession and Myrtle's name.

"You went to antagonize poor Moaning Myrtle?" the Prefect hissed out.

"N-no—no—no, I—I w-w-wasn't—"

"Ten points from Gryffindor, Loopy, and I'll be telling McGonagall." The Prefect whirled around then hesitated, turning back. "Er, and here." She shoved four pieces of parchment at him. "Give those to your idiot friends too."

Remus took the parchments as he slunk to a spot at the Gryffindor table, cheeks burning red. Well, if she went to McGonagall maybe he could talk to her about what really happened. Loopy indeed! He sat down angrily. The stupid name was still sticking. And that doesn't help it, he thought when another Gryffindor gave him a strange look and he realized he was muttering to himself. Going even redder, he hunched over to try to make himself look smaller as he inspected the papers given.

The new timetables! That cheered him up a bit, despite seeing how few free periods he'd have this year. Nine total, two each day except for Thursdays when he only had one.

"Christ!"

He jumped in surprise. He had been aware that someone was behind him but had assumed it was someone just walking by until she spoke out. It was Lily, swinging her legs over the bench to sit next to him.

"G-good morning."

"Morning," she said, flicking some hair back. "Sorry, couldn't help but see the timetable. I mean—you're talking all the electives, right?" She reached over, tapping the parchment. "This—this whole thing is your actual schedule, isn't it?"