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Remus loved being home with his parents. Truly. Sleeping in his own bed, visiting new shops with his mum, cooking with his dad, showing Sydney his hometown, it was all entirely lovely. But he had to admit, he missed his friends – missed the chaos, the freedom. Every time he received a howler from them, all screaming over one another to get their points across, his heart felt lumpy in his chest. He didn't like missing out when they were all together.
Which is why he hardly thought twice when departing for James's. Remus knew he should share in his mother's sorrow, that he should feel a shred of homesickness. But he also knew that he would see his parents again for spring break, which always came much faster than anyone expected anyhow.
Sydney's fear of Apparition led to Remus delaying his test, and so the two of them were to travel by Floo powder to the Potter's. Remus thought Apparition much quicker, but Sydney was insistently opposed, and so Remus caved much quicker than he would ever admit.
It didn't seem to matter, though, and when Sydney slid out of the Potter's fireplace a sputtering mess, Remus wondered if they'd ever be able to travel anywhere again.
James jumped off his couch to greet them, though he paused when Sydney could not stop choking on the Floo dust. "Are you alright, Syd?" he asked. Sydney, hacking, threw him a thumbs up. Remus patted her on the back until she finally sucked in a usable breath of air.
"Thanks," she said, her voice still strained. Remus helped her to her feet, but James, Peter, and Sirius immediately tackled her back to the floor as a friendly hello. Remus gave them a minute, and then held out a hand for her again.
Only, with her out of the way, the attention was immediately spun on Remus.
"MOONPIE HELLO!" shouted James. "I'VE MISSED YOU DEARLY!"
"WELL, I'VE JUST BEEN BARKING MAD WITHOUT YOU, MOONCAKES!" said Sirius, shoving James aside.
"Rats," said Peter. "I guess you two must have missed him more than me."
Remus rolled his eyes and accepted a hug from a very persistent James before falling back onto one of his sofa chairs, which were always so comfortable for no reason. James sat adjacent to him on the couch, throwing his feet out onto a coffee table, and Sirius laid across the couch with his feet in James's lap. Peter flopped into a chair on Remus's right.
Sydney suddenly reappeared and lifted her bag from beside Remus. She kissed him quickly on the cheek and said she'd be upstairs. Remus nodded and then turned to find the three boys grinning, with their eyes psychopathically wide.
"What?" said Remus. But then they shared glances that made Remus wish he didn't ask.
"The bet," said James. "Any updates?"
He definitely should not have asked.
"What bet?" Remus asked, folding his hands neatly in his lap, and batting his eyelashes, daring them to voice the exact terms.
