Running in the dark

Chapter 57

The Christmas holidays were soon upon them and many of the Hogwarts students packed bags, ready to spend their Christmas with family and friends. Students were soon on the train and it left Hogsmeade station heading towards King Cross.

"Ever heard of getting a room?" Regulus asked looking very displeased at the over display of affection Remus and Sirius were showing.

Remus and Sirius had been tangled in each other a lot recently, James told Regulus that he called it their honeymoon stage, there was nothing in their way, no unnerving feelings and after being broken up for so long, now they were trying to make up for the lost time. But James could agree that right now they may have been a bit too much affectionate.

It was James, Regulus, Peter, Marlene, Dorcas Lily and Mary in the carriage with them. Sirius was on Remus' lap and for what must have been at ten minutes, he had his tongue shoved down Remus's throat. But now he looked as if he was trying to take Remus's shirt off right there on the train, his hand down it already, still pressed to his chest as he turned to Regulus.

"Oh shush," he said, but he removed his hand from Remus and turned round so that he was still sitting on Remus' lap but was not facing him, which Remus was thankful for because he had turned a deep shade of red from the whole snogging session and the embarrassment of being called out from it, he was looking out the window now collecting his breath.

"Yeah, if you're gonna try fuck do it in a bathroom," Marlene said, it was rather surprised she wasn't the one to break it up in the first place with a comment.

"Oh leave them alone McKinnon, they're young and in love," James smiled, he loved love with a great passion it seemed to swarm his mind every day and not just because of Regulus, he loved all his friends and loved seeing them with love for others and him too. He always liked seeing people happy, he would hug his enemy if it made them happy.

Christmas at the Potters began with a blast, Marlene and Peter came over a lot as usual and they baked and had sleepovers.

Two days before Christmas Remus went to Diagon Alley and found the Cafe where his mother had asked him to meet her. It was quiet and he arrived first, when she arrived two they went in and got coffees before finding a cosy corner to hide from the cold in.

Lyall wasn't aware she was with Remus. That wouldn't have been good. He was at the ministry trying to hold his job in place, he seemed to be slipping close to getting fired. She told Remus that he wasn't as bad but did yell regularly, Remus was glad to see that the only bruises she had looked a few weeks old.

They talked about school and Remus's plans for the future and then Hope asked Remus something unexpected. "Sirius, he's you're fella isn't he?" She asked softly, she had much more of a Welsh accent than Remus did.

"What, what do you mean?" Remus asked, he wasn't entirely sure what she was implying but he could tell that she wasn't upset about what she was asking.

"Sirius, he's your boyfriend isn't he, I found this under your bed," she said and she opened her purse ruffling through it until she pulled out a book sliding it across the table towards Remus.

It was the book Sirius had given him for Christmas two years ago, the book that contained photos of them and Remus's friends, the fact Remus had managed to leave it at home annoyed him, but because of how quickly he left it last time he knew there was bound to be something that would have been left.

"Yes, he is," Remus eyes his eyes flicking away from the book back to her. She smiled softly at him and he knew that she was not against it.

"If he makes you happy then it is nothing for me to judge, I want you happy Remus and I'm sorry I haven't always been able to do that," she said calmly and Remus could see small tears brimming in her eyes but she kept smiling.

Remus came over quickly and hugged her. "You've always made me happy," he said softly.

Christmas was a blast for all of them, except Regulus, every time he went home or received a letter from his family he learnt something darker and more sinister, something that made parts of him start to drown and he became sure they wouldn't ever be able to resurface.

The war was scary, James parents worked close with Dumbledore and something known as the Order of the Phoenix, a group of many working against Voldemort. James and Dorcas had already set their futures on joining this and Sirius, Remus and Peter would follow James, Mary, Marlene wanted to be heroes and help the heroes and so they wanted to learn healing spells, but also join the Order.

Barty and Evan chose their path together, they chose Regulus and the chance of being more than what their families thought of them. Regulus would have to follow his family without choice. But Pandora wanted to win the war against Voldemort but did not wish to hurt Regulus, so she had already set herself on her own path, a small one growing every day, a day not to hurt Regulus at all but save him from drowning in the darkness around. 

The holidays soon ended and they were soon back on the train and heading back to Hogwarts for the remaining six months they had there.