Over the Edge [ Lupin x Evans ]

Chapter 13: Something's about to start

"What were you thinking, Lupin? What on earth were you thinking?!" James shouted as he barged through the door of the Yorkshire house, nearly pushing Lupin back into one of the bookshelves. The china rattled perilously on the shelves as Remus looked at his friend in stunned confusion.

"How could you let her go home by herself after that bloody party?!" James was livid, barely giving Remus a chance to get a word in. "She took a Muggle bus! Two hours on her own. Do you even get how dangerous that could be?"

Remus raised his hands in a placating gesture, his face stricken.

"Calm down!" he hissed, guiding James quickly into the kitchen and closing the door behind them. "Just tell me — what happened?"

Did something terrible happen to Lily on the way back? Had Sirius failed to look after her as he'd promised? A thousand scenarios filled Remus's mind.

"Nothing happened," James snapped. "But it could have!"

Remus exhaled the breath he'd been holding and sank into a chair at the kitchen table, running a hand over his face to steady himself.

"Then what's this about, Prongs?" he asked tiredly. James, too, was starting to calm down, though his eyes still glinted with anger.

"If you're going to be her new best friend, maybe you could've at least escort her home."

Lupin's eyebrows shot up, disappearing beneath the fringe that had fallen over his forehead.

"Her best friend? Me?" Remus scoffed. "Weren't you the one who's supposed to be looking out for her? I thought the entire school knew she was your girlfriend."

James let out a bitter laugh.

"Oh, what, are you jealous now, Moony? Envious that soon I'll be showing her off, that she'll be mine for real? Admit it — you want her too," he muttered, eyes narrowing accusingly. Remus blinked, opening his mouth to fiercely deny it, but James cut him off again, this time with a venomous edge in his voice.

"Right. Go on being changeable as a weathercock. A great friend, no doubt!" He threw over his shoulder as he turned to leave.

Remus's frustration boiled over, and before he could think, he snapped back:

"Oh, I'd have gladly taken her home myself if I could've. But as it happens, my mother was attacked by a pack of southern werewolves."

James froze mid-step, turning back to look at Remus with a horrified expression.

"Mate... I didn't..." he began, but Remus cut him off.

"Forget it. If you've got nothing better to do than rant, maybe you should just go," he said coldly, wounded to the core.

"Moony! I'm so sorry... I didn't know. What happened?" James's tone had softened to one of genuine concern. He took a seat across from Remus, eyes filled with remorse. For all their differences, James couldn't imagine anything that could break the bond of their friendship.

"Forget what I said. How's your mum doing? And you?"

Remus sighed heavily.

"Seems my father's entangled himself in some feud with Greyback again." He spat the name of his old tormentor as if he were expelling poison from his mouth. "And my mother? She's... not doing well, honestly."

"Is she... is she going to be like you?" James asked quietly. Remus shook his head quickly.

"No, she wasn't bitten. But those werewolf wizards did a number on her. I overheard the healer say her insides had started to rot under a curse — but they managed to stop it, at least for now."