Chapter 162: The War: Moony's Story
Summary:
No serious warnings, but minor character death.
Chapter Text
He came to in a small white room, with a low ceiling striped with black beams. There was a little square window, but the curtains were drawn over. Someone had washed the blood off him, thank goodness, though he could still smell it, faintly, and taste it too. He was lying in a single bed, and other than a little bedside table with an old lamp on it, there wasn't much else in the room.
The door was slightly ajar, and Remus could hear voices in the corridor outside.
"Marlene's here," James's voice came through clearly, "Should I let her up? Did you ask him any questions?!"
"Yeah, send her up. He's not awake..." Sirius said, his voice sounding odd. "But it's definitely him. Has to be."
"You're sure?!"
"The first thing he said when he landed was 'fuck', I'm pretty certain." Sirius snapped.
"Fair." James replied, without humour. He lowered his voice to a whisper, "Padfoot... all that blood. And with the attack last night--"
"Let's just see what he has to say, before we jump to any conclusions, shall we?! Send Marlene up."
"But if it's not safe ."
"Then I'll stay in the bloody room. Can we please just get someone to look at him, for fuck's sake?! He hasn't even got a wand!"
"Ok, ok..." James relented.
God, Remus thought, as shame settled over him like dust. They think I'm not me. They think I'm a spy. How bad had the war become, in the month he'd been away? He racked his brain quickly for a way to prove his identity. The thought of Sirius not trusting him was too painful to bear.
There was a mess of footsteps in the hall outside, and finally the door opened. Remus tried to sit up at once, pulling himself up by his arms as Sirius entered the room,
"Padfoot, I swear it's me, it's Moony! I helped you make the marauders map, and we put rose hips in Snivelllus' bed, and we went skating on the lake at Christmas and I hated it but you were really good, and... and..."
"Shh, Moony," Sirius soothed, sitting on the bed carefully and placing gentle hands on his shoulder, "Lie down for fuck's sake, Godric knows what you broke apparating like that you silly sod..."
"You know it's me?!" Remus gripped Sirius's arms, but allowed himself to be put back to bed.
"Of course I do." Sirius leaned over and kissed his forehead, "I'd know you anywhere. Look, sorry about Prongs, he's just on edge. Things have just been a bit..."
"All right, all right, give him some room!"
Sirius whipped around as Marlene stormed into the room, green Healer's robes flying and leather bag in hand.
She shoved Sirius off the bed and leaned over Remus, laying a cool hand on his forehead and looking in his eyes, her freckled face full of sweet concern. She smiled,
"Hello sweetheart," she said softly, "Where have you been, eh? You've had us all worried sick."
"Hi Marlene," Remus smiled back fondly. "Did you qualify as a Healer while I was gone?!"
"Hardly," she laughed, "Still very much a novice. But I'm the best the Order could do at short notice so..." She straightened up, hands on her hips, "Right. What's the damage?"
"Hurt my ankle," Remus reached down to pull up the blanket over his sore foot. It looked awful in the light of day, all swollen and black with bruising. Sirius covered his mouth, but Marlene just tutted,
