love, lupin

thirteen

November 9th, 1976
Tuesday

Regulus had dropped Remus off at McGonnogals office after dinner on the following Monday for detention. He had told Remus he wanted to be friendly but Remus knew that his friend wanted to get a close look at his brother.

Regulus had been keeping his distance from Sirius Black, it was obvious, but he knew he'd glance at him whenever he was in the vicinity.

"How longs it for?" Regulus asked, twirling his wand skillfully in his fingers as they walked. Remus shrugged unknowingly and yawned.
"Probably a few hours at the least, I just hope she doesn't leave us alone with eachother. I don't know if it'll go well."
"Don't attack him again Remus." Regulus warned and a sly smirk graced the taller boys lips and the younger Black brother shoved him playfully.
"I mean it Rem."

"Alright." Remus lifted his hands in defence. "I'll try my best, but if he hits me first.."

When they finally reached McGonnogals office, both Slytherins were surprised to see Sirius Black already waiting.

"About time." The Gryffindor grumbled and Remus watched as his jaw tightened at the sight of Regulus. "I wasn't going to walk in on my own so let's go."
Regulus bid his goodbye to Remus and walked off but blushed when Remus caught him looking back at his brother and his pace sped up to get to the dungeons.

Remus turned back to Black who was watching after his brother with a passive face.
"C'mon then." Remus sighed and passed Black and pushed open the door to the office.

McGonnogal was sat behind her desk with stacks and stacks of boxes surrounding her. Remus looked over them and he felt his heart shrivel in his chest as he imagined what on earth they could be doing.

"Evening boys." McGonnogal spoke, voice softer then usual but Remus handed that to the fact the full moon had been and gone over the weekend and the last time he heard her speak his sense of hearing had been terribly heightened.
"Evening Minnie." Black hummed as he slumped into the chair infront of the desk and Remus sat down more gently. Straight up.

McGonnogal shot Black a cold look before she dipped her quill in a small pot of ink and continued on with the automatic writing spell.

"Thank you both for showing up," She cast a thankful glance towards Remus and Remus returned it with a frown. She hadn't thought he'd show up but as a prefect he had too, he knew skipping detention could get the title taken away.
"I'll be with you for the first part of the detention, unless you both finish the job quicker then expected."

"Whats it we'll be doing Minnie?" Black asked.
"Don't call me that Mr Black." She scolded before gesturing to what looked like mountains of boxes now that they were closer to them, "I'm sure you've both noted the boxes, for the next month you'll be tasked in taking the papers inside, sorting them in order, by hand, and then using the book binder spell you should have learned in charms in your fifth year to bind them." Remus didn't make a sound but his partner for the next four weeks thought otherwise and blew up.

" You're not serious McGonnogal! " He stood up and Remus rolled his eyes and dropped his head into his arm that rested on the arm of the chair." That binding spell takes a long time to perform!"

"Enough Sirius!" Her voice was raised and even Remus sunk back at the authority in her voice. Female authority was alot more menacing then anything from Fenrir or Voldemort himself, though they'd kill him in a second. Actions were apparently louder then words afterall.

"You'll each complete three boxes a detention and won't be allowed to leave until you have completed that."

"Will this lead into Professor Slughorns detention or will he have us doing something else?" Remus asked as Black finally sat back down to listen to the task.
"He will have you both doing something else entirely." McGonnogal informed and Remus nodded. "I'll be here for the first hour and a half but after that you'll both be on your own. There will be spells in here that will notify me if there is any foul behaviour between the both of you."

After that Remus and Black both got to work at the separate desks that McGonnogal provided for them at the back of her office. And they worked in complete silence, the only time either spoke was when they'd start binding the pages with magic.

McGonnogal had left exactly an hour and a half later, telling them that they were given pass to be out after curfew because of the task but she'd know if they dawdled and didn't go straight to their rooms.

For the first twenty-five minutes the two proceeded to work in silence until Black had abruptly stood and the chair screeched back loudly. Remus' neck practically snapped as his head whirled to glare at the disruption and his lips tipped into a scowl at the victorious grin on Black's face.
"Be quiet." He hissed. Black had startled him in the middle of the binding spell and all the magical threads came loose and dissappeared in moments. He'd been so close to finishing it aswell.

"Chill Greyback, just stretching my legs." Black chided as he rounded his workbench and took long and quick strides behind McGonnogals desk. Remus watched him.

"What are you doing?" Remus finally asked after Black began rifling through the mistakenly unlocked draws. Black didn't even acknowledge him as he slammed that draw shut and opened the next. "Black." His voice was level and quiet but loud enough for the Gryffindor to hear him but he still ignored him as he them slammed that draw shut and opened the top one. Remus could see that one.

"Black!" He tried a little louder and this time when he didn't receive an answer he lifted his wand and swiped it. Black let out a strangled and surprised cry as the draw slammed into his hands and he yanked them back to his chest as a series of curses Remus didn't bother to listen to flew from Blacks mouth.

"What the fuck?" Black yelled as he finally acknowledged Remus with a steely gaze.
"What are you doing?" Remus pressed, teeth grinding as he spoke.
"Its none of your business Greyback." He replied as he blew on his burning knuckles helplessly to try ease the pain.
"It is when I'm a witness and a prefect." Remus reminded and Black stared at him angrily before he relented.
"Fix my hands and I'll tell you." Black compromised as he stalked towards Remus desk and shoved his hands forward.

Remus observed the involuntarily crumpled fingers, obviously not being able to flex them due to the pain. He pretended to ponder over the preposition even though he'd already made up his mind.

"Alright. Never done this before though." Before Black could protest Remus waved his wand and muttered a spell he'd heard Madam Pomfrey use a countless amount of times. Black didn't make a sound, not that one was expected as it'd been a minor injury.

Remus stayed silent as Black flexed and curled up his fingers multiple times before he scoffed unbelievably.

"You actually done it." Black muttered and met Remus' eyes which were boring into him.
"I don't go back on a deal. What were you doing?" He wanted to get to the point and Black shuffled back and rolled his eyes.

"McGonnogal confiscated something of mine and I'm going to get it back."

Remus waved him off and Black shot for the desk and rifled through the last draw and whipped out a neatly folded, and blank, Remus noted, piece of parchment and smiled widely at it. Remus frowned from his seat.

"A piece of parchment?" Remus asked in disbelief.

Black nodded.
"It holds sentimental value." He defended and Remus rolled his eyes and got back to work once Black had tucked the parchment into the pocket of his robes and sat back down himself.

Remus was the first to leave two hours later.

"Help me with the last of mine?" Black had asked helplessly, practically falling asleep as he worked, but Remus had ignored him and walked out without a word.