serendipity - r. lupin

EIGHTY SEVEN

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

Christmas had swiftly passed by, and Genevieve made an effort to make the most out of the day. She had configured her best smile, acted her most radiant and avoided any topics that could lead to potential gloom — she made sure her family and herself were in good spirits for at least one day. After this period, however, Genevieve was reminded that only happiness like that was meant to be temporary and that she had other things to worry about.

The full moon was quickly approaching. Remus's letters sugar-coated his symptoms of lycanthropy whenever Genevieve asked how he was managing them, but she knew he was lying. Before she had gone to bed every night, she peeled back her curtains to watch as the moon swelled in size, its villainous beauty ready to inflict pain on Remus.

Between the Maruaders, it was a pre-decideded ordeal that they would all support Remus during the full moon at his house. As a child, before Hogwarts Remus would lock himself in a shed within the forest he lived, far away from his home and any possible civilisation, and suffer the full moon alone. It was Peter who said that despite the holidays, Remus was not to suffer his condition alone. Remus protested, but Genevieve could tell he secretly wanted them to be there.

And so she was packing. Her suitcase was brimming with textbooks, clothes and other miscellaneous things that would not zip shut no matter how hard she forced it to. A deep frown had embedded itself within her youthful features as she wrestled with the suitcase, using all her might to shut it.

Frustrated and angered, Genevieve ran a hand through her hair and then cried out, "Anna!" She waited impatiently for her sister, her arms crossed, until she saw her younger sister emerge in the doorway.

"Yes?" Anna replied, confused.

"Could you please sit on top of my suitcase while I zip it?" pleaded Genevieve. She hoped Anna could not tell that she was slightly out of breath.

Now it was Anna's turn to frown. "Your suitcase?" Anna asked, slowly. She was under the impression her sister would have been staying until the end of the holidays — she had three days left of them.

"Yes, please."

Anna wasn't listening. She had made her way into the room and was looking around, taking in her surroundings and inferring what she could from the scene. Most of Genevieve's school books and quills she had littered around her room were gone, leaving the room oddly decluttered. A lot of her clothes had been left on the floor, as if abandoned while trying to figure out what to pack, and all of Genevieve's Hogwarts uniform had disappeared from her wardrobe.

Anna looked back to Genevieve. "You're going away?" she said.

"Yes," Genevieve replied, still wrestling her suitcase, "To Remus's house, we're helping him with... something."

"How long for?"

"Until the rest of the holidays. Then I'll be going to Hogwarts with Remus."

Anna's eyebrows furrowed. "But it's Christmas?" she stated, an edge to her voice.

"Not anymore," Genevieve replied, pointedly. "Now it's New Year's."

"You know what I mean."

At her sisters disgruntled tone, Genevieve raised her eyes from suitcase to glance at Anna. Upon noticing her sister's annoyed expression, she stopped what she was doing and frowned. "I'll be back for summer, Anna," reminded Genevieve.