Thursday 18th December 1975
"I'd like that essay back in January... yes, Mr Pettigrew, that is in addition to the one on the pitfalls of the Gemino curse." McGonagall gave a thin smile that was anything but sympathetic.
Peter looked pretty dreadful, but the whole class felt it. Their workload had grown so enormous in the run up to Christmas that Sirius had had to perform a shrinking charm on his books, notes and papers just to fit them all under his bed. Remus felt that this was only a short-term solution - if Sirius actually took everything out and organised it for once, he'd have no problem fitting it all neatly on his assigned shelves. Remus, who had never really owned enough things to make a mess with them, hated untidiness. Some nights he thought that the state of Sirius's bed was even more distracting than the boy sleeping in it.
Marlene was particularly distressed as they left the classroom for Potions.
"I just can't work out the duplication part, it's so confusing!"
"There's an easy way to get the pronunciation right," Remus said, struggling with his heavy bag again. His shoulders were very sore this week in the run up to the moon. "I can show you before we leave for Christmas if you want."
"Oh, yes please!" Marlene nodded gratefully, "You make everything easy to understand. Tonight?"
"No, I can't tonight," he said, smoothly, "Friday?"
"Oh, ok... I'll have to get all my packing done tonight though. Still got presents to wrap for mum and Danny."
This year, Remus had neatly wrapped every one of his Christmas gifts the moment he'd bought them, too excited to wait. Now he was looking forward to two uninterrupted weeks at the Potter's with Peter and James.
Sirius had been summoned home in a howler earlier in the term. Remus was conflicted about this; of course he was deeply concerned for his friend, who was sure to have a terrible time. But on the other hand, two weeks without Sirius taking up all the air in the room would be a welcome relief for Remus, whose willpower was starting to fail.
For example, just now, as he stood outside the dungeon entrance chatting to Marlene, it was taking every ounce of his energy not to stare directly over her shoulder, to where Mary and Sirius were locked in a very passionate embrace, which was bordering on obscene.
They had been like that since Sirius's birthday; every moment in each other's company seemed to be spent tongue wrestling - much to James's disgust.
"Evans, can't you stop them?" He asked, leaning against the wall, put out. "I want my friend back."
"There's nothing in the rules about displays of affection, Potter," Lily said, grimacing, "Don't you think I've checked?"
Fortunately, at that moment, Slughorn opened the door to his classroom and Remus hurried inside. He and Lily shared a desk at the front of the room, so at least he didn't have to see Sirius and Mary making eyes at each other all lesson. The only saving grace was that at least Sirius didn't talk about her when she wasn't there - like Peter did with Desdemona, or James with Lily. Remus had begun looking forward to late nights in their dorm room, when he could pretend nothing at all had changed.
Potions was dull, as usual. Remus had plans to drop the subject as soon as he could after OWLs were finished with - he would pass by the skin of his teeth, if at all, and only thanks to Lily.
Slughorn gave them yet another assignment due in January.
"At this rate I'll be writing essays during Christmas dinner," Lily sighed as they packed away their things. "I can't wait for OWLs to be over, can you?"
