Four To The End (prev Shifting Lines) Book Three (Marauders Era)

Chapter One Hundred-Three - Smooth Seas, For Now

Author's Note: Emetephobia warning, also a scene imagining eating a live animal

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Remus fell asleep and didn't realize it until he woke up to Filch shrieking at him. The caretaker stood in the door, face a little purple as he demanded—loudly—to know why Remus was holed up in a supply closet. Remus muttered something incomprehensible as he scurried past Filch, running off, ignoring his shouts. He didn't think it was past curfew since Filch hadn't said anything, though he wasn't certain until he passed a clock and saw it was going on seven-thirty.

After having the Fat Lady open, he peered into the common room, not sure when he'd be ambushed. No sign of the Marauders. Slowly he slipped in and crept across the room, going up the stairs and stopping outside their dorm. He knew they were inside because he could hear their voices, but at least he had time to steel himself before opening the door.

Brush it off. It doesn't matter. What's done is done. He didn't fully believe it, but he'd do his best. For one, he didn't want to risk losing his friends. For two, he didn't want his anger to control him. He just wanted all of this behind them.

He twisted the handle and stepped in. There was an enormous Happy Birthday Remy banner stretched across the room, balloons everywhere, and the smell of chocolate cake. James, Sirius, and Peter were sitting around James's bed, and they looked up when Remus came in.

Sirius was the first to his feet. "We're sorry. I'm sorry. We—"

"No, no, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have—"

"Remus," he interrupted, "you don't need to fold yourself up like that. You had every right to be angry with us."

He was torn at that; he wanted to believe it, yet couldn't. Not completely. Before he could reply, James was approaching him. "We are very sorry, truly."

"I am too," Peter added. "I should have tried to stop them."

"Like anything short of one of the forbidden curses could stop them," Remus joked, and was so tired and miserable he almost didn't notice Sirius wince ever-so-slightly at that. But he was definitely too tired to process what it might mean.

James took his hands. "We ruined your birthday. We should have waited till next month."

Remus raised his eyebrows. "What, so we could have this argument in Apr—" He stopped, remembering the full moon started the day the holidays did. "In May?"

"Better than on your birthday," James said.

"We didn't think at all about the fact if you found out it would—er—come to a head, so to speak, today," Sirius said, folding his arms. "We should have thought."

"Not exactly what you're known for. But please let me apologize for yelling like I did—"

"No," Sirius said. "I won't. You shouldn't apologize for that at all. We did wrong, you should chastise us."

Remus swallowed as he pulled his hands from James. He did want this behind them, yet... he also wanted to know. "Why did you go, anyway? When? How? How did you even know how to get there? The entrance..."

"Well-hidden," Sirius said, sitting down cross-legged on Remus's bed. "I followed you and Pomfrey last month. Under the invisibility cloak. Honestly, I thought you'd figure it out since I got detention for skipping classes that day."

Remus sat as well, rubbing his eyes, remembering—vaguely—being confused about it. "I guess I didn't put two and two together. You—did—did you f-follow...?"