Boys Will Be Bugs

Chapter 12: Presents

On Christmas Eve, when the family had returned from midnight mass at the local church (something that only Hope's parents had really wanted to do, but they'd had a nice time anyway, singing carols or, in Remus's case, falling asleep halfway through and being shaken awake by a disapproving grandfather), Remus was beckoned once again to the back porch by aunt Selene. He was exhausted, barely able to keep his eyes open, but his aunt was clearly excited about something, so he tried to stay as alert as possible.

"I was going to give it to you before church, but it was all a bit hectic," she said, and her words immediately caused Remus to shake off his exhaustion and look at her expectantly, bouncing on the soles of his feet.

"You did it?" He asked. Selene nodded, and rummaged around in her deep coat pocket, producing from within the leather-bound diary. Remus clapped happily at the sight of it.

"Look 'ere." Selene opened the notebook up, turning each page to show that it was blank. "I came up with a password, see. I figured you could write it down, stick it in the middle of the notebook. Unless your friend's parents check every single page, he should find it."

"What's the password?"

"Name of your owl. She'll be delivering it I expect."

"Arianrhod?" Selene handed him the notebook.

"Open it then." Remus took the notebook, and opened up the first page. It was still blank. He said Arianrhod's name, looking down at the page. To his surprise— and delight— words started forming in front of his eyes. Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. He turned the page, and saw the list of contents. He turned the page again, and saw the book's dedication. Then chapter one. Then pages and pages of writing. All twelve chapters.

"Merlin, it's brilliant!"

"Wasn't top of my transfiguration class for nothing," she grinned. Remus couldn't stop looking at it. "Oh and when it's closed it goes blank again, so if anyone else picks it up they won't see." Remus closed the book, then opened it again. It was blank.

"Aunt Selene, you're amazing!"

"Favourite aunt?"

"You're my only aunt."

"But I'm your favourite?"

"Definitely." Selene ruffled his hair.

"Great. Now go to bed, it's late. Or send the notebook to your friend, whichever one you want. Leave me to smoke in peace."

"Okay." Remus immediately rushed inside, but quickly caught himself, turned round and said "thank you!" realising he hadn't actually said so yet. His aunt gave a two-fingered salute in acknowledgment, and Remus continued his beeline towards his bedroom.

At one am, everyone was safely asleep. Remus— though tired— was not. He had spent the last half an hour wrapping up the notebook in newspaper (they were all out of wrapping paper), and now he was trying to figure out how to give Sirius the password. He decided against writing it down in the notebook; his aunt may not have thought that Sirius's parents would go to all the trouble of searching through each page, but Remus wouldn't— couldn't— put it past them, so he had to find a different solution. Writing a letter was no good, since Sirius said his mother checked his mail.

Remus stared at Arianrhod, asleep in her cage. He did a few calculations in his head, determining that it would take her a few hours to reach Sirius if she left now, and that was without breaks, which Remus certainly had to factor in. She'd probably be there by morning.

Remus tapped lightly on the bars of Arianrhod's cage, waking her up. She hooted indignantly, and stared back at him with her large yellow eyes.

"Sorry to wake you, but I need you to send this package to Sirius Black. You remember him, right? He fed you toast at breakfast sometimes." She continued to stare at him.