the cadence of part time poets

Chapter 80: Repercussions

What would you think if I sang out of tune?
Would you stand up and walk out on me?
Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song,
And I'll try not to sing out of key;

Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends,
Mmm, I get high with a little help from my friends,
Ooh, I'm gonna try with a little help from my friends...

- "With a Little Help from My Friends" The Beatles, 1967

Sunday 19th November 1977

That morning, Remus Lupin awoke to the sounds of his friends' whispering.

"What d'you think it is?"

"A dead body, probably."

"But it's broad daylight. How could you dig up a body in broad daylight?"

"I dunno. I've never actually done it myself, Wormtail."

"Reckon they were murdered?"

"Totally. Ever hear about them twelfth year kids that went missing like ten years ago? Supposedly most of 'em were found floating in the lake, but alas, the last body was never recovered..."

"You're so full of shit, Sirius."

Remus sat up in bed, pushing his curtains aside. "What are you twats on about now?"

His friends spun around. All three Marauders were crowded around the window between James and Sirius' beds, apparently engrossed in whatever was going on outside.

"Sorry, Moons. Did we wake you?" James asked.

"Yeah." Remus paused to yawn. "But that ain't much different from any other day."

Eager as ever, Sirius bounded across the room toward him. "Come take a look! Filch's digging something up behind the dorm."

"What is it?"

"Who knows? Just come look!"

Remus let himself be pulled, blinking in the morning's bright light. He didn't have to crane his neck much to be able to see the deep pit that was now taking up much of the green space on the dorm's back lawn. He saw no sign of Filch, but every now and then a shovel would reappear, tossing dirt up onto the pit's ledge.

"Old codger must've been at it for half the night," Peter said. "The ground's almost frozen and that hole must be over ten feet deep."

"I wish I knew what he was looking for," Sirius said.

"I think your wish is about to come true, Padfoot!" James said. "Looks like Filch is done digging."

A few moments went by, and all four boys leaned in even closer, practically climbing onto Sirius' hutch and stereo to catch a glimpse. Rather unceremoniously, Filch reappeared from the pit on a wooden ladder, bringing with him a large metal canister about the size of a small dog. Sirius was instantly disappointed.

"That's it?" He moaned. "All that digging for a bloody rubbish bin?"

"It could still have a body in it!" Peter suggested.

"Oh yeah? You show me the psychopath who bumped off a sprog."

James gave a yawn, stretching one hand up to the sky and scratching his stomach with the other. "Not very exciting, oh well. Let's just get dressed before we're late for church."

"I'm gonna go grab some fresh towels for a shower since Black used them all again," Peter said, starting for the door. He'd only been quiet for a moment before; "Mooooony, they're back again."