The Marauders: Year One | #Wattys2016

Excuses

Remus was exhausted. He got back to the castle late Wednesday afternoon, while the other Gryffindors were having their free period before supper. He was careful not to be spotted as he rushed across the grounds in the fading sunlight and through the doors to the entrance hall. Professor Dumbledore was just crossing from the staircase to the Great Hall as Remus entered. Dumbledore's half moon spectacles reflected the candle lights as they puffed to life all around in their holders.

"Welcome back, Mr. Lupin," Dumbledore greeted him, smiling kindly. He motioned for Remus to join him on the way into the Hall. "But my, you do look rather tired. I understand why, of course..." He paused by the Gryffindor table and rapped upon the wood with his knuckles three times in a pattern and a single plate of warm food appeared before Remus. Dumbledore bent low, "Perhaps get a little food into your belly before the others come and pummel you with questions of your whereabouts?"

"Thank you, sir," yawned Remus.

Dumbledore smiled. "You are most welcome, indeed," he answered. He squeezed Remus's shoulder, then continued on his way up to the staff table, where Professors Viridi and Tutman were already seated, tearing at butter-soaked rolls as they discussed Devil's Snare.

Remus ate some of his food, slowly, wanting nothing more than his bed upstairs in Gryffindor tower, and knowing he had some time before he would get to go and lie down in it.

The Hall doors burst open once more and the students began filing in for supper. Remus took a deep breath, preparing himself for the questions he knew Sirius, James, and Peter would be asking. To his great surprise, though, the first person to approach him was Lily Evans.

"Where have you been?" she hissed, pausing by him on her way to go sit with Alice Bell, like usual.

Remus replied, "I was ill, in the hospital wing."

"Not according to James and Sirius, you weren't," she answered. "They said they went to visit you and Madam Pomfrey told them you hadn't been." Lily leaned closer, "I saw you leave the castle Sunday night. I know there is a secret; Dumbledore told me so. I just want to know what it is."

Remus felt his face flush hot-hot-hot and his brain scrambled for something to say, some excuse to give. "There isn't a secret," he lied. "I was ill, that's all."

Lily stared at him. He got the impression she could tell by his eyes he wasn't telling the whole truth. "Fine," she said. "Don't tell me then." She stormed off to take her seat.

Remus could feel his insides crawling with nervousness. He'd expected questions, sure, but not from Lily. And if Sirius and James had gone to the hospital wing and discovered he hadn't been there - well, he was in for quite a lot more questions than he'd prepared for. He looked longingly in the direction of Dumbledore, wishing he had asked what to tell everyone in this sort of situation. Dumbledore, though, was deep in conversation with Professor Flitwick and had his back turned to Remus.

"Well there you are at last," Sirius's voice came from behind Remus and he turned to look as James and Peter sat across the table and Sirius sank down beside him. "Been bloody wondering where you've been," he added.

"And don't say Madam Pomfrey's either, we tried to visit you," James said.

Peter was looking Remus over suspiciously. "You didn't have Cauldron Pox, did you?" he asked.

"Cauldron Pox?" Remus exclaimed, "No! Galloping gargoyles, I'd look like that Mulciber bloke in Slytherin if I had!" James snickered and high-fived Remus for the burn against the notoriously nasty Slytherin student. "I just - I had to kip home for a bit, that's all."

"You went home?" Peter sounded surprised.

"Family emergency, then?" James asked.

"Yeah, something like that."