Marauders - Always - Part One

Bravery, Integrity, Kindness, and Generosity

Remus Lupin lay in bed, his arms tucked over the covers, breathing very carefully to keep Sirius from feeling his anxiety through his love magic. Sirius lay against him, head on Remus's shoulder, having knackered himself out talking about his and James's day.

Remus had a feeling he had an idea how James had come to be confunded - or at least by whom - but wasn't sure why. But he planned to ask Dumbledore when he got to the Headmaster's chambers.

He just had to figure out how to slip out without waking Sirius.

Remus shifted his weight slightly to the left, edging toward the side of the bed, and held still a moment before making another slight shift, this time sliding his palm just a tiny bit under Sirius's head to ease the landing from his shoulder down to the pillow. It took a process of sliding and pausing several times to manage to get out from under his husband's snuggles, but finally Remus had managed it, and he snuck over to where he'd neatly folded his clothes on top of his loafers, and plucked the whole thing up, carrying them out of the room, closing the door with that old turn-the-knob-and-hold trick they'd perfected back at school years ago.

He was a Marauder, after all, and sneaking about was sort of a specialty of all four of them - wasn't it?

Well. Maybe not Peter.

Peter's light was on, though, visible under the jam of his door. Remus was still working up the courage to ask Peter about moving out so Spencer could move in. He felt guilty every time he'd thought about it and chickened out.

He paused in the hallway and quickly pulled on his trousers and jumpers, along with a knit cap he tugged down over his ears, and he carried his loafers across the living room as he tip toed to the door. He was nearly there and just congratulating himself on a sneak well done, when Spencer's voice cut through the dark.

"Rey? That you?"

"Shh," Remus replied.

Spencer had sat up and was rubbing his eyes from sleep, looking over the back of the couch, where he'd been sleeping. "Where you going?" He asked.

"I'll be back, don't worry about me."

"But it's the middle of the night," Spencer argued.

"Really, it's alright."

Spencer had pushed back the blankets, "Is something the matter?"

"No, really, everything is just fine. Go back to sleep."

Spencer was pulling on his trousers. "I'll come with you."

"You can't."

"Why?"

"You're a muggle."

"So?"

"Muggles can't see Hogwarts."

"Is that the wizard school?"

Remus nodded. "Just stay here, alright, Spencer? I promise everything is alright. I just need to go and speak with a friend of mine about some things, and I'll be back right after. Gone maybe an hour or two at most."

"But I thought the wizard school was in Scotland?"

"It is."

"You know we're in London?"

Remus nodded. "I'll explain wizard travel tomorrow."

"You're sure you're alright?"

"I am."

Spencer reluctantly sank back into the couch, "Alright," he murmured.

"Sleep tight," Remus said awkwardly, remembering a phrase his Mum had always said to him, "Don't let the bed bugs bite."