GOOD OLD FASHIONED LOVER BOYS | marauders band au | wolfstar

twenty nine: the show must go on

chapter title:"the show must go on" by queen

Next weekend drew closer and closer. The Marauders had, of course, not learned their lesson about sneaking out school when they weren't supposed to, but instead learnt that they certainly had to be more careful, and had visited Henry on the Tuesday after classes to discuss their next gig. They had a plan to do it this Saturday, allowing Remus to go out with Henry on the Sunday- so it was a busy weekend coming up for them. Remus only hoped he wasn't dragged to any more detentions. Not that he hadn't been at fault the previous time, of course.

After his outburst at Sirius, the two had barely spoken, but Remus hadn't failed to notice the uncharacteristic quiet that Sirius kept himself to as he continued to bury himself in his studies and band practise. But Remus also noticed the small glances that Sirius would shoot at him across dinner or in the common room or in classes, and after the full moon on the Wednesday night, it had been Sirius who stayed by his bedside the entire time, not moving an inch as Remus slept on in his recovery state. He wordlessly sat beside Remus' bed, and when he awoke- simply handed him a glass of water and went to get Madam Pomfrey. In fact, despite the fact that Sirius wasn't speaking to him, he wasn't exactly ignoring Remus. He showed his recognition in small gestures. Always being there. He even sat beside Remus in the library as he studied, constantly near him, but never so much as cracking a smile.

Remus felt awfully guilty for his outburst. It wasn't that he hadn't meant every word he had said, but he didn't need to tell Sirius all that and he could have articulated himself differently. Because now he had hurt Sirius. And even though he had meant to in the moment, the guilt plagued him for the next week as he went about his days in the usual manner, Sirius' silence like a dark cloud looming over all of them.

All the same, when Saturday night came around, the four of them made their way to the Hog's Head with their usual confidence as Henry greeted them at the door, helping them set up their equipment. 

They weren't playing any new songs this gig, just a mixture of stuff they had never played in the Hog's Head before as OWL's were drawing closer and closer and they no longer had nearly as much time to practise. Especially as quidditch finals were drawing nearer too, and the Marauders found themselves all constantly busy.

"You guys all set?" Henry asked as the Marauders made sure they looked stage ready in front of the dingy little mirror down in the basement of the pub.

James nodded. "All set." He grinned.

"Perfect! I know you guys are going to be great anyway, but good luck!" And Remus was surprised when Henry blew him a light kiss before disappearing back up to the bar.

He didn't notice the glare that Sirius sent Henry as they climbed up the stairs.

The show wasn't their best, nowhere near as good as James' birthday gig, but good enough that their audience seemed to enjoy them. Remus wondered if it had something to do with the tension between him and Sirius, but the pub still seemed to love them, cheering them on after every song, begging for more and dancing and singing along with any of the music they knew.

Henry congratulated them heartily after the show, and even Aberforth seemed pleased as the orders of drinks never ceased to trickle into the cash register.

"You guys were fantastic as usual." Henry said with a grin as he brought five bottles of butterbeer over to the corner table where the Marauders sat before he seated himself down beside Remus, resting his arm gently around the back of his chair.

Sirius didn't say a word for the rest of the evening, only frowned as he hunched over his bottle of butterbeer. He certainly looked a sight clad in all black leather with his black nail varnish and eyeliner. His scowl only deepened when Henry gave Remus a quick hug as they left, promising him he'd see him tomorrow.

***

Remus awoke the next morning with a nervous feeling settling in his stomach. He tried desperately hard to push all thought of Sirius away from his mind as he faced himself away from the other boy's bed, picking out a slightly worn David Bowie t-shirt with his favourite brown cardigan and corduroy trousers from his trunk. He needed to focus on Henry now. Sirius had made his intentions clear, and Remus had clearly told Sirius to stop playing with his feelings. He needed to focus on other things rather than the past.

All the same, he couldn't help but cast a longing glance at the curtains drawn around Sirius' bed. He missed being able to talk to his friend. He missed sarcastic, cocky, witty Sirius Black more than he could miss any romance that could have happened between them. But this was Sirius. They'd get past this. The Marauders always did. And as Remus left the dormitory, he vowed to apologise to Sirius when he got back. He deserved that much at the very least. 

***

Remus found that he felt unreasonably nervous when he arrived at Hogsmeade, waiting outside the Hog's Head where he and Henry had agreed to meet, running his fingers agitatedly through his soft, tawny curls. He had noticed it getting too long recently and had asked Marlene to give it a trim. She had indeed done so, but had also given Remus a bit of a mullet in the process. Remus wasn't sure if he looked like a cool seventies rock and roll star or if he looked like a complete idiot, with his hair curling neatly round the back of his neck, and a few curls framing his face. He wasn't sure about it at first, but it was starting to grow on him. It wasn't particularly eccentric anyway.

Henry emerged a few minutes later in a black leather jacket and jeans. Remus tried desperately hard to ignore the little voice in his head, whispering to him that he seemed to have a type, and that Sirius wore this kind of outfit better... But then Sirius wore most outfits better...

"Remus!" Henry waved at him as crossed the road between them, before planting a quick kiss on Remus' cheek when he reached him. "How you doing?"

Remus let a smile rise naturally on his face. After all, Henry was sweet and really not difficult to like.

"I'm alright." He smiled. "You?"

Henry  grinned at him as he shoved his hands deep in his jean pockets as the two of them casually strolled down the cobbled road together. "I'm good! I've got an idea of where we could go." 

"Oh?" Remus asked inquisitively as he followed Henry as he took a left turn, leading Remus down a side street. They passed a few small shops that Remus hadn't payed much notice to in the past, small businesses mainly, selling strange trinkets and books and potion ingredients. 

Finally, they stopped at the end of the street outside a small shop with a painted blue and white striped front.

"It isn't too early for fish and chips, is it?" Henry asked with a grin  as they stood opposite the shop front, side by side.

Remus checked his watch. It was almost midday. But all the same, he said; "it's never too early for fish and chips, really."

So the two of them ordered a large portion of chips to share and a cup of tea each, before taking it back outside where Henry led him down the road a little further to a small clearing in what looked like a small park, with a very run-down looking bandstand it the centre.

"You know this would be a good place for a gig." Remus commented as the two of them sat down on the floor of the bandstand, opening their portion of chips, and settling down for the make-shift picnic.

The weather was getting warmer and a light breeze shifted through the air as they tucked into their food.

"This is nice." Remus said with a smile as the two of them sat side by side, listening to the birdsong. It was quiet, but pleasant, and Remus felt himself relax into comfortable conversation  with Henry as they discussed the band, all the songs they had played and different bands they both liked. Henry had quite a few stories to tell from all the gigs he had been to in the past and Remus listened, interested. Henry was cool. Like..really cool. But all he could think about when Henry leaned in to kiss him as they sat in the middle of the bandstand in a world of their own, was that his lips weren't as soft as Sirius' and his hair was short and cropped close to his head, and Remus was unable to run his fingers through it.