Jinxes and curses

Chapter 7; lemonade and cake

Lily's POV

Exams had just passed. Remus'd been lucky because the full moon had just passed a week before them, and the exams would only take place two weeks.

"Goodluck, Remus!" I said. He smiled grimly and sighed as he walked away. Tomorrow we would leave to go back, and his full moon was right now. I really hoped he'd be fine. Sure he would.

Severus asked to speak to me, so I joined him as he was packing his stuff. It was very clearly who slept where. Remus was always messier, and especially with the full moon.

"I miss you, Lily."

"Oh."

I wasn't sure what to say. "I'm sorry, I'll try to find more time-"

He turned around to me. Interrupted me, "Why do you like Remus so much?"

"I- Severus, I can have other friends, you know." He nodded silently and continued his packing. "Tell your 'other friend' to clean his mess."

I knew he wasn't gonna do that so I did it for him. Sometimes I felt like I didn't know why I did what I was doing, but it somehow always felt worth it. Perhaps it wasn't, perhaps it was. Never will I know.

The next morning, I sat, as always after the full moon, in the common room, waiting on Remus. It took him surprisingly longer this time. I was about to get him, when he came limping through the door.

"Remus! Jesus, are you okay?" He seemed more irritated than usual. "Fine." I was a bit taken aback by that answer. I shrugged it off and went back to the book I was reading.

"I packed your stuff. Go to bed while you still can." He gave me a grateful grunt and it made me smile.

On the train, I tried to convince Remus he would let me help him. He didn't allow me to even look at him. After the train had started moving, it didn't take long for us to be joined by Severus.

I really tried to talk to him. To them, both. They didn't seem that interested or eager to try, so I gave up. Instead, I went and made a start on the holiday homework.

Severus sat next to me. Most of the time, it's actually Remus that does. When that happens, Severus always glances at us, jealous. I never know why he does that. I do know that I prefer it this way. Remus'd never be jealous.

After the train had stopped, it took me a while to find my family. Petunia stood half hidden behind dad. I hugged her enthusiastically, she half- heartedly hugged me back.

I turned to Remus and offered, "You can stay with us some days, if you want to. Like a sleepover. If you want, that is."

It took him a while to think, nevertheless, he agreed to call me if he was up for it. Then he went to his dad, who was waiting on him. I only just realized he'd never talked of his mum.

Never did I question that again, in the entirety of the summer holidays. Fewer did I think of how much I missed magic and Hogwarts, but Remus I missed.

Luckily Severus lived nearby and I got to be with him almost everyday. We put away our differences and didn't talk of Remus.

What I did wonder about, is what would happen if I were to perform wandless magic right then. I could before, but I hadn't known of witches and wizards back then. Nor of the Trace.

I tried to ask Sev, but he didn't know either. So, we didn't have magic on our hands. Sometimes I spotted Petunia watching us from a distance.

When I looked at her and she saw that, she would run away. When I would try to talk to her, she would also run away. And when I approached her, she would still run away.

I tried to talk about that to my mum and dad, but they said to leave her alone for a bit, and she'd be well. Not once did I question my parents.

I did try to call Remus once or twice. Especially around full moons. Would his parents know that I knew he is a werewolf?

I lied. That was once that I thought about his parents. But by then, I'd forgotten about his mum. Perhaps I hadn't lied after all.

"Severus?"
"Mhm."
"Sometimes, aren't you just so.. happy?"
"When I'm with you? Sure."

He said it so abruptly. I didn't like it when he did that, but didn't say anything about it either. He was my friend, after all.

That happened when we were in the field, next to his house. Me and Petunia had made cake. Oh well, she'd made it and banned me from the kitchen, so I'd watched her.

We were drinking lemonade and eating cake, and afterwards, we played on the playground. I invited Sev over to mine and he ate dinner with us.

Still, Remus hadn't picked up or called me back, couldn't care how much voicemail messages I left him.

Until he finally returned the favour. My dad called me in the living room, I came stamping down the stairs,  ik the midst of pulling my pyjama shirt over my head. "What is it?"

I jumped when I heard him say it. "A friend of yours is calling," he'd said. I snatched the phone from his hand and pushed it to my ear.

"Remus?!"
I heard him grin.
"Hey flowerhead."
"Flowerhead?"
"A Lily's a flower."
"I know that."
"So.."
"So you're calling me a flower. Well, I take it as a compliment."
"Don't."
"Sure. Whatcha calling for? Took you some time."

He laughed a second time.

"Life's busy, ya know?"

He gasped and said, "Gotta go!" Before he ended the call and left me utterly confused.