love, lupin

twenty-two

November 21st, 1976
Sunday

On Sunday Remus was able to gather all of them, bar Barty, to talk about how to talk to Barty about it. The three knew him considerably better them Remus himself did.

He didn't want to spring it onto Barty in a way that would deter him, not that Remus was too worried about the Ravenclaw being deterred but he was a bit worried about him declining.

Remus had other options, such as Snape, but Remus wasn't keen on having Snape in the New Generation, if he could avoid it he very much would.

Somehow, they'd completely managed to avoid getting Barty invited down by the lake with the four of them. Remus wanted to start getting ways to ask Barty about it very quickly. He set himself a deadline to let Barty know about his decision and give him the offer by the end of the first week of December. He had two weeks which was more then enough time in reality but with the pressure of Lord Voldemorts threats on his shoulders it was stressful.

As much as his life wasn't all dandy and he was raised to live and breathe as a soilder in a magical army, he wasn't too keen on dying. Not at sixteen anyway. At the hands of the Dark Lord was expected though.

"Listen, the proposal has to be prefect okay? It needs to be enticing and pull him in. It has to make him want it." Remus urged at his four friends and Evan laughed a bit.
"We understand Rem-" Regulus began,
"Are you sure, because Rosier doesn't seem to be taking it too seriously. My life is on the line and your lives could very well be aswell." He narrowed at his eyes at the blonde, "As second in command, especially yours Evan." Evan held his hands up in a defensive manner.

"I do understand wolfboy," He chortled at the name and Remus grunted in disgust, "But the way you're talking about this 'proposal' makes it sound like you're about to ask him to wed and bed you."

Remus grunted in disgust again.
"Don't be gross Evan."

"Maybe start with what the New Gen is and then, since I know he likes learning new spells, mention all the curses and spells he'll learn under it all." Jack suggested and Evan, now beginning to take it all a bit more seriously.
"Do you bet he'd surpass me?" Evan asked and Regulus nodded,
"Oh definitely mate, Crouch is a weapon."

Remus wasn't sure whether he was  laughing at the fact that Regulus, heir to the pureblood House of Black, used the term 'mate' or by the fact that he called Barty Crouch a weapon. Or maybe be was laughing at both.

" Alright, you can both stop laughing," Regulus glared at Remus and Jack, "I know it sounded ridiculous but he really is, he's amazing in DADA and charms. You've seen the hexes he's used on fellow students over the years Remus." Regulus explained and Remus had to give him that because it was true, he had seen firsthand at how skilled Barty was with his wand and he wouldn't be too surprised that if the Ravenclaw agrees to the proposition that he take Evans place.

He hoped it wouldn't happen though, having to seriously consider what Barty would suggest in the training sessions and out in the field when they eventually get put out. Remus could admit Barty was good with his wand but he had no idea about anything out of that, and knowing how manic the boy could be, he wasn't sure having him as his second would be too good of an idea.

"You have a point." Evan muttered, even he seemed a bit sullen at the information and gave Remus a knowing look. He was thinking the same thing Remus was.

"He does," Remus cleared his throat and sat back, leaning back on his arms although the grass on his skin always made him itch. "But if we never put him up against you without reason we'd be fine."

Everyone seemed to hum some sort of agreement.

"So, explanation then the offer?" Remus repeated Jack's idea in short,
"Well that, or you can offer a way to learn spells he wouldn't be permitted to know otherwise?" Regulus suggested and Remus raised his brows at the young Black. "He's always keen to upset his father, he'll accept that straight away."
"Good point Reg!" Evan exclaimed with a grin and Remus tilted his head, "mention the unforgivables Remus, oh he'd die to learn those."

Remus glanced at Jack who seemed very suddenly resigned, and then he looked back at Evan and Regulus who adopted similar expressions and Remus let out a pained laugh.

"I never heard anything." Remus admitted, he had guessed they weren't meant to let slip about Crouch's wish to upset Crouch Sr.

They looked hesitant and Remus took in a quiet breath.

"Regulus, I have to ask, when did you start using the term mate?" Remus asked and everyone seemed thankful for the shift in conversation,
"I was thinking that," Jack jumped in and Remus watched as her hair flashed purple, "Its awfully common for an heir to the Noble House of Black." She teased.
Regulus rolled his eyes.
"Fuck off you tossers."

"Tossers?" Evan exclaimed and Regulus stood up in a huff.

"I have somewhere to be, I'll see you lot later." Regulus informed and he was off.

Remus pressed his lips into a thin line and watched after him for a moment before he heard a thud beside him and scowled.

Evan and Jack were rolling around on the grass, throwing half hearted punches and kicks.

They were so childish and Remus admitted it was often entertaining but sometimes it could be a bother. So Remus just zoned them out and thought back to Barty.

Barty was a mystery that was something he was sure of, apart from who his father was.

He didn't inherently want to pry but he couldn't help but be curious as to what tye problem between Barty and his father could be. He never gave any hint to a bad relationship whenever his father was brought up but afterall Remus didn't know Barty Crouch Jr all too well.

He had a particular distaste for the Ravenclaw actually. Not that it wasn't reciprocated.

"I'm going up to the common room." Remus told the pair still wrestling, even though he was sure they didn't hear him and he wandered back towards the castle but he didn't go to the common room he went to the library instead and picked up one of the fiction novels in the rather too small section of fiction. He sat at one of the tables and held the book as if it was a textbook he was studying from.

"Behind every exquisite thing that existed, there was something tragic."

"What?" Remus asked as he eyes snapped up to meet the grey ones of Sirius Black. He was about ten pages into the book and was already disturbed.

"Its a quote from the book," Black explained and Remus glanced at the cover, "that is The Picture of Dorian Gray right?"

Remus nodded,
"You read?"

"Wow, you think that low of me?" Black teased and Remus' lips pulled up into a sneer,
"I do actually. Do you need something?" Remus asked and Black shook his head.

"Nope, just wanted to let you know Dorian murders Basil and then kills himself." Black told him and Remus threw the Gryffindor such a deadly glare that he was sure if looks could kill he'd be dead, "its not an interesting read, have a nice evening."

Black walked away and Remus had to refrain from ripping the book apart as he angrily shoved the now crumpled copy of The Picture of Dorian Gray back onto the shelf before he, this time actually, stormed down to the Slytherin Common room.