Running in the dark

Chapter 20

Euphemia said Remus should be able to return with them and so they were now on the platform, Mrs. Potter gave each of the boys a hug before letting them go towards the train, Remus had bearly uttered a word, and the silence was almost scary.

Remus tried to grab his trunk from the trolley Mr. Potter had pushed it on, Remus was in no condition to be pushing the trolley and let alone carry his trunk, so Sirius quickly grabbed Remus's trunk as well as his own as James grabbed Remus owl cage.

They walked onto the train and put their luggage in the usual rack they used and slid into the compartment they always sat in.

"What's up hoes?" Marlene cheered walking in and sitting down beside James.

"Hey Marlene, how was your Christmas?" James asked her, starting a conversation.

"Amazing Potter, but I did accidentally set fire to the Christmas tree, I took pictures of it, I'll show you later," she chimed.

"Hey," grinned Lily as she walked in with Mary and they sat beside Remus.

Before anyone could say anything to her greeting the door slid open again, and now Peter, Regulus, and Dorcas walked in at the same time.

"I just realized how small this compartment is," Peter said looking around, there were only two seats left but that still made everyone a bit cramped together.

"I can sit on Dorcas' lap," Marlene smiled quickly pulling her girlfriend to sit so she could sit on top of her.

"Remus you sit on Sirius' lap," Mary urged so Remus slipped onto Sirius' lap and Sirius pulled his arms around Remus's waist. No one had completely noticed Remus's bruises until Marlene spoke.

"Holy, shit, Remus what happened," she asked.

"My dad was abusing me, Sirius and James got me out, it's ok," he replied, he sounded tired, and even talking seemed to pain him.

"Crap, we're always here to talk to you Remus," she said and he nodded. Soon they all started to have small conversations that grew louder, talking about their holidays and thanking each other for gifts.

By noon, Dorcas and Marlene had gone to sit with some Hufflepuff friends they were trying to get herbology notes from and Lily and Mary had disappeared a few minutes after them.

Remus was soon laying down on the seats, his head resting on Sirius's lap, his eyes closed, but he was still awake.

The journey was soon over and they arrived at the platform. "Mr. Lupin," a sharp voice began to call as they got off the train, laying the trunks by the wall of the station.

Remus wove his way through the crowd towards the voice with Sirius beside him. It was McGonagall, upon seeing him she smiled at him.

"Hello Remus, I'm going to bring you to your dorm, Sirius you can join your friends at the feast," she said.

"I'm gonna stay with Remus,"

"Is there a point in me arguing?"

"Not at all professor," Sirius replied, and soon the three were walking up the stairs as the whole school walked towards the Great hall for the feast.

They reached the common room and McGonagall told Remus to rest for however long he needs and then told Sirius to one not to stop him getting that rest and to two make sure he sleeps and not read the whole time.

They made their way to the dorm and Remus went and laid down in his bed, Sirius was beside him in seconds, sitting on the lamp table beside his bed and smiling at Remus.

"You're staring," Remus said softly, looking back at Sirius.

"And, I like looking at you," Sirius replied swinging his legs.

"Stalker, come on," Remus said and he scooched over patting the bed beside him and Sirius went laid down next to Remus.

"I know it's gonna hurt, and this is soppy and if you tell anyone I'll shave your hair off, but when you're here it hurts a bit less," Remus replied.

"I won't tell a soul," Sirius replied.

Remus seemed to get better in the next few days, by Wednesday morning he even went to classes, and then on Thursday, he was even adding sarcastic comments. But he slipped back into a dark place once again on Friday.

His last lesson he had free and he decided to go through his trunk, finally setting some things out again, and then he grabbed wrapping paper and pulled out his mother's gift. His hand shook, he had forgotten about it, the gift and the card.

He sat on the edge of the bed and sat down, he peeled the gift open and found chocolates and beside it a knitted jumper, it was oversized but he loved it, it was soft and just so him that he began to shake a bit more.

Then I opened the letter and he felt like he might throw up. A trail of dried blood was on the folded paper, she had been hurt while writing this, if he had opened it and seen it inside he would have noticed she was hurt, and he could have done something.

He opened the paper with trembling fingers and began to read it,

Dear Remus,

Merry Christmas my son, I hope you like the gift.

I'm trying to fight against him, but I'm not as strong as you, I swear that when you get back in the summer I'll stop it, I'll change him, it doesn't matter what he does to me, I can't let him keep hurting you.

I love you

Mum xx

Remus's head flashed with the images of him hurting him and her, the yelling and he thought of what may be happening to her now soon Remus found himself picking up a couple of his packets of cigarettes, the letter still clutched in his hand and walking into the bathroom and locking the door.

"Remus, you in there?" Peter asked knocking on the bathroom door two hours later.

There was no response.