love, lupin

fifty-five

February 2nd, 1977
Wednesday

Come Wednesday, Remus decided he should leave his room.

He'd gotten worse since the return on his memories, since he'd bruised Regulus' neck. He'd heard Dibbens, Spencer and Lewis talking about it.

He missed his lessons on Monday and Tuesday and he honestly wouldn't have eaten if Spencer hadn't been bringing food up to his room and leaving it on his bedside table after dinner.

When Spencer saw Remus slide out of bed before breakfast Wednesday, Remus was sure he'd never seen someone smile wider. Not in a while.

"You alright Remus?" He'd asked and Remus hadn't clocked the use of his firstname until he'd jumped into the shower. He'd decided then using his first name aswell wasn't a bad idea.

Mark had waited for him and offered a space with his group at breakfast.

"Are you sure?" Remus asked, "I don't think me being a permanent fixture in your group is a good idea." He pointed out and Mark offered him a friendly smile and a friendly but harsh slap on the back,
"That's fine Remus. I don't expect you to join our group, they aren't all fans of you." Mark said and Remus nodded. "But I am and John and Jeffrey are impartial to your presence so you're fine."

Remus just nodded again.

"When do you think you'll be okay? Mark asked as they neared the Great Hall. Remus looked over at him surprised,
" What?"
" Nothing," His eyes flickered up to Remus' hair, "Need a haircut? You'd look sick with a mullet. I don't think a full blown one but a subtle one."

Remus' lips quirked into a smile and Mark beamed at him.

"Ah you're smiling." he hummed, "we'll get you back eventually."
Remus shook his head in amusement,
"If you actually know how to cut hair I'll take the offer," he ran his hands through his slowly overgrowing hair, "It is getting a bit long and if I don't like how it looks I can always go to Poppy for a hair regrowth potion."

Mark nodded,
"Sounds like a plan, when are you free?" He asked and Remus shrugged,
"Whenever."

When he walked into the hall he was fine. When he sat down he was fine. But then he met Regulus' eyes and he wasn't fine. The bruises weren't bad but were noticeable. Remus felt terrible. Snaoe apparently didn't bruise easy because he was fine.

After that though Remus was fine all through breakfast. He was quiet but he was fine.

But then he wasn't fine again.

He walked into Potions and he was terrible.

Now Remus wasn't actually sure if he felt a chest crushing pressure due to Blacks presence, James Potters stare, Jack's avoidance or the absolute shit show of his and Blacks potion.
"What on Earth have you done?" Remus seethed as he dropped his bag and peered into the cauldron with a despairing look, "Why does it look like that?"
"Greyback." Blacks tone was full of surprise,
"This is terrible Black," Remus said as he grabbed fhe boys scrawly report, "You- I don't understand where you went wrong- oh."

"What?" Suddenly Black didn't care Remus was there and leaned over to peak at his report sheet.
"You stirred the- whatever that fucking root is tge wrong way."
"No I didn't." He was offended, his pointer finger jabbed aggressively at the paper, "I stirred it anti-clockwise like it says- oh."
"Yeah, oh." Remus seethed and he put the report down before he tore it apart, "Learn how to fucking read." Remus said as he finally sat down, "and maybe how to follow rules while you're at it." he said in a lower voice.

"What was that last bit?" Black questioned as he stopped reading the book on how to reverse his misstep.
"Nothing." Remus answered and his eyes floated up to meet Potters scrutinising ones. He sneered at the brunette who just kept that same level angry look on his face.