the cadence of part time poets

Chapter 72: Eight Days a Week

Oh! Darling, if you leave me,
I'll never make it alone;
Believe me when I tell you,
I'll never do you no harm;
Believe me darling...

- "Oh! Darling" The Beatles, 1969

Things literally couldn't have been worse.

Initially, Remus had thought that his final year at school would be a quiet one. He'd certainly thrown a spanner into the works by kissing Tomny, but he'd yet to decide whether that really counted as cheating. He and Sirius hadn't exactly 'defined the relationship', but they'd confessed. Was it emotional cheating then? Was that even a thing? He could've asked one of the girls, except that would entail an explanation, and he certainly didn't have one of those. Remus tried reasoning with himself that the kiss with Tomny hadn't meant anything—not really. It was more like a pile-up of emotions, like when you filled your teacup too full and a little spilled over the edge as you went to add the milk. It was a stupid analogy, but it was about all he could come up with, what with everything else going on.

First and foremost, there was Jillian. She'd insisted on sticking around, and with her came a gaggle of other prefects Remus had otherwise had very little interaction with beforehand. It turned out that, awkward wire braces or no, Jillian was the sort of popular that occurred in those kind of tight-knit, academically-driven circles. She seemed to have both a personal vendetta and admiration for Lily, for her academic skill and ability to corral even the worst botched jobs. Remus had already heard word of her success in subduing the likes of 'James Potter and those other messers' pittering through the other prefects, though news of this tended to grow quieter whenever they realised he was within ear-shot. Now this year, without Lily around, Jillian was free to take on full authority of the prefects. She stepped in like McGonagall had actually crowned her Head Girl, and no one seemed interested in fighting her on it, aside from Remus' own prefect partner, that was.

"You don't get to just switch the schedules around," Regulus told her, after Jillian had tried to trade Remus' timetable with another twelfth year so they'd be together during library duties.

"It's not like it's that big of a deal," Jillian retorted. "You and Remus will just take the library rounds every other month, with me and Trish."

"Professor McGonagall didn't give you leave to do that," Regulus scowled, snatching back the schedule and shoving it into Remus' hands. Jillian appeared upset, but as she turned to complain of the younger boy's rudeness to her friends, Remus made to catch up with him.

"Hey, thanks for that. Dunno what I'd do if I got stuck—"

"Don't talk to me," Regulus snapped, stomping off and bringing the conversation to an abrupt end.

That evening, as the prefects all gathered around the dining hall tables for supper, Remus reluctantly took up a spot at Jillian's table. There was apparently some dull tradition about spending the first night getting to know your new partner, but he doubted he and Regulus were about to break away from the group to shoot the shit over a friendly game of cribbage. Or whatever Regulus did in his spare time. He had no idea.

"I feel for you, Remus, I really do," Jillian said from her seat at his side. "He's just so rude. I would've thought at least one Black brother would make it out with some manners."

"Sirius has manners," another prefect named Tracey said. "And he's funny... handsome too."

"Ooh, Trace, does this mean you're really interested?"

Tracey blushed terribly. "I'm not! Besides, Sirius probably already has someone..."

"No way. He never dates anyone over the summers, right, Remus?"