the cadence of part time poets

Chapter 23: Easter, 1976

I go out to work on Monday morning,
Tuesday, I go off to honeymoon;
I'll be back again before it's time for sunny-down,
I'll be lazing on a Sunday afternoon...

- "Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon" Queen, 1975

There hadn't been much rain so far that April, which only meant they were shaping up for a hot summer just like the last. Remus was beginning to feel that familiar uncomfortableness that came with the late-afternoon heat, but at least he wouldn't be stuck inside all week while his friends were at home visiting their families. All of them except for Lily had boarded the buses at the crack of dawn to make it to the station on time, but since she was the only one of them not bound for London her train wasn't scheduled to leave until noon, giving them more time to slum around after breakfast.

"I'm really sorry you're spending the holiday at school alone, Remus," Lily said, as they walked to the buses together.

"Don't be," he said, switching her trunk from one hand to the other. She hadn't asked him to carry it but he'd taken it off her hands anyway, only stopping to wonder at the last second about what his chances were of being called a misogynist.

"But the only ones around will be the year thirteens, and they're all going to be busy studying for their A-Levels."

Remus shrugged for what felt like the millionth time. "Better than staying for Christmas, at least I can go outside." Truthfully he was trying not to think about Tomny, who he'd promised to visit once he got back to London for Easter holiday. If only he had a bloody phone, the caveman.

"James offered to stay actually," Remus continued, "but I think he wants to go home and see his parents."

Lily smiled a bit. "At least Easter Communion will be nice and small. I hate how big and busy it gets back home."

"Fuck. I'd forgotten about that, you know?"

"Language, Remus. We're talking about church."

"I'm pretty sure I've heard you say worse things since my birthday."

"Shush, you. What about Black though, did he not try to stay?"

"No, he offered too, but he couldn't really have stayed. His mum's a hard-ass."

Lily nodded. "Yeah... James has mentioned before how horrible she is. Seems kind of counterintuitive. You have all that money and influence and you're still so awful? And to your own son? I mean I know Sirius is a prat and all—"

"Yeah, well, 'money doesn't buy happiness' and all that," Remus said, kicking a stone out of his path.

"It's not just her either—James said Sirius and his brother used to be closer, but he and Regulus really fell off in the last couple of years. Sirius has never said anything to me, but James did, you know... before." She blushed a bit. "Regulus hangs out with some real nasties though. I've seen them outside Sev's dorm—they're in the same House—and one time Regulus actually hit Sirius. In front of the whole lawn—just lashed him right across the face! I thought Sirius was going to kill him for it—I might've—but he only laughed. It was kind of scary actually."

Lily stopped to give a little shudder, and it occurred to him that the fight must've been scary, to affect someone as fearless as her. She continued though, lifting a hand to nibble on her thumbnail. "James told me the argument was over something Sirius said about their mum. But oh, I don't think I was supposed to tell you that... It's not really my business either."

"Don't worry, I won't tell," Remus said, meaning it.

They had made it to the front of Castle Hall now, and the wide, U-shaped driveway was full with buses and cars all waiting to take the rest of Hawkings' students home for the week.