fatal love

Chapter 16

Two days later, it was the January moon. It fell in the middle of a week this time, on a Thursday, so Remus missed his Friday classes. Like last time, Sirius took notes for him, and the Marauders visited at lunch, and after lessons had finished. Under the hospital gown, Sirius could see Remus' torso was heavily bandaged, but he kept a smile on his face and didn't mention it, choosing instead to tell Remus about their antics in Defence. He noticed Remus wasn't really listening.

"You alright Remus, are you tired?" Peter asked.

"Oh no, I'm fine," Remus said, "just got a bit more to recover from this time, is all. Taking up a bit more energy."

"You want us to come back later?" James asked, looking worried.

"What? No, I want you guys here - really, it's much worse alone. I'm sorry, I'll stop tuning out."

Sirius grinned suddenly. "Daydreaming, were you?"

Remus looked at him suspiciously. "I, I guess... Why?"

"Was it a moonage daydream?"

"Oh my God, that's your worst pun yet!" Remus laughed.

"Shut up, it's fabulous!"

"Don't listen to him - he's just in a mood because he's feeling moonage-y!" James crowed.

"That doesn't even make sense!" Remus protested.

"Don't get moonage-y, Remus," Peter chastised, and Remus rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, that's me, Mr Moonage-y."

"Hm, maybe not Mr Moonage-y," Sirius said, "but what about Moony? That's not a bad nickname."

Remus sighed. "I'll take it."

Remus was released for the weekend, and on Saturday the four of them went to hang out by the Great Lake. Sirius had worn his muggle jeans every weekend since his birthday, because he thought they were incredibly cool, and Remus had a pair very similar.

On Sunday, Sirius went down to breakfast before the others. Sometimes he waited for one of them to be ready, but often he couldn't be bothered, and Evans was usually in the Great Hall anyway, so he could bug her until other people joined them. So he sat down opposite her, where she was nursing a coffee and reading a book on mermaids.

When did she start drinking coffee, he wondered. Was that something people were doing now? Apprehensively, he poured a mug for himself, and took a sip, grimacing. Merlin, that was awful, surely Evans didn't actually like this stuff.

She was watching him. "Add milk, and sugar," she said, rolling her eyes. Sirius did as she said, and tried again. Hmm, better. Still not good, but better.

"How are you doing this fine morning, Evans?" he grinned.

"Fine," she hummed, not really paying attention to him as usual. He was about to snatch the book away and demand she engage with him, when a flock of owls flew into the Hall with copies of the Prophet. It was earlier than they normally came, and Sirius' stomach dropped.

He grabbed his copy quickly and read the headline.

DEATH EATER ATTACK IN MUGGLE LIVERPOOL, 46 MUGGLE DEATHS

"What the fuck," gasped Lily, reading her own copy. Sirius felt sick - this was what his mother and Carrow had been talking about. Dumbledore hadn't stopped it. He should have pushed harder, tried to find out more, maybe then it could have been prevented. This was his fault. Unwillingly, he read the article.

Last night, Lord Voldemort's followers struck again, in their largest attack yet. Setting Fiendfyre in a muggle factory, they left quickly, but not before casting the Dark Mark in the sky (see photo). Aurors were on the scene quickly, but were forced to prioritise putting out the Fiendfyre and obliviating Muggles, allowing the Death Eaters to escape. Head of Aurors, Harold Minchum, declared they would hunt down every wizard responsible for this attack, but given there are yet to be any arrests from the October attack, this seems unlikely.