HAUNTED | remus lupin

II. scones and study dates?

REMUS WOKE UP to the sound of a crash.

"I'LL KILL YOU JAMES!" Sirius' muffled voice came from underneath the thick comforter that was now on the floor. James had apparently just woken Sirius by literally pulling him out of bed. Remus groaned and rolled over to try and drown out his friends' early morning bickering.

"Am I the only one who cares about this team anymore?!" James whined. He was dressed in his Quidditch attire, and was holding multiple papers with sketches drawn out. "We are already behind! I've already drawn out new strategies and plays, and we just need a few hours to go over them. This is the only way we can beat everyone else...we need to put in more work, more hours..." He trailed off, seemingly lost in thought about his new Quidditch plans for the year.

"Just shut up," Sirius said, brushing past him to get into the bathroom. James walked back past Remus' bed, clearly satisfied with himself. Remus had given up trying to go back to sleep, and sat up in bed.

"Oi, sorry Moony," James apologized, "you know how it is." He didn't, actually, know how it was, but it was too early to argue. Sirius came out of the bathroom, his usually perfect hair messy and his shirt rumpled. He looked as ready as one could be at barely 6 in the morning. The two left from the room, filling the room with silence once again.

Peter had somehow slept through the commotion, and his snores quickly filled the room. Remus got up, yawning. 

As he brushed his teeth, he ran a finger against a large scar on his bare chest, one he had just gotten during the previous full moon. He sighed and walked out of the bathroom, glancing at the calendar on his desk. The next full moon was in a week. He was dreading it as usual, but a slight anticipation filled his mind as well.

His friends had been working on becoming Animagi the past year, and they truly believed they were right on the cusp of mastering it. Remus had initially tried to discourage them, not wanting them to put themselves at risk, or see the side of him he hated. But now, as they had gotten so close, he was beginning to warm to the idea, despite still thinking it was stupidly dangerous. 

Remus pulled on a sweater, grabbed a book, and headed down to the common room. The cozy, spacious area was completely empty and had been tidied up overnight. Sitting in one of the plushy armchairs by the unlit fire, he began reading.

By the time the sun had fully risen, more students had come down into the common room, including Peter. He and Remus walked to the Great Hall for breakfast as Peter animatedly recounted a dream he had the previous night, that had something to do with Dumbledore and the circus. 

As the two walked through the grand doors, they spotted James and Sirius already at the Gryffindor table, and went to sit with them. They looked tired, but in considerably better moods than earlier. James spotted Remus and Peter and gestured wildly at them to hurry up. 

"I think we should try again tonight," James said when they sat down. Sirius nodded in agreement.

"Try what?" Peter questioned as he grabbed a scone.

Sirius rolled his eyes and gave him a pointed look. Peter stared back at him expressionless. "The thing we have been working on? For literal months?" 

Peter made an "o" shape with his mouth and nodded in his delayed understanding. Sirius shook his head as James continued, "We're so close, but I think we should get it down now, instead of next full moon. Right, Remus?"

But Remus had not been paying attention, as a tall, blonde girl sitting at the Ravenclaw table had caught his eye. Aurora was laughing at something the girl next to her had said. He wondered how he had never really noticed her before last night. As he was watching, a tall boy with curly brown hair in green robes walked up to her, who he realized was Michael.