The Collision Theory | Remus Lupin

53. Cheesy Letters of Love

Remus is out and about within two days, and from what I can tell, seemingly unaffected by the three scratch marks that run diagonally across his right cheek, the longest starting just above his left eyebrow. The news is slow to travel, given that it's the weekend, and people are more excited about Valentine's Day, which is coming up very fast.

"You're avoiding him."

"I'm not." I lift my Astronomy text book a little higher so that my face is well hidden.

"Evans is right." Lottie says, pushing down the book.

"Thank you Lottie." Lily nods, "He's going to think that you don't like him because of, y'know... the accident."

"It's been how many days? Six?" Dorcas sits down on my left, blocking me from leaving since Marlene is sat to my right.

"Five, actually."

Marlene doesn't look up from applying crimson nail varnish, "Look Novak, you're being stupid. In no way could this be your fault. You're giving off the wrong vibes, and if you're not careful, he'll be out of your life for good."

"It's not that simple-"

"It really is."

*

REMUS

"Talk to her." Sirius hangs upside down off of the foot of his bed, watching as I fold my clothes.

"Can't."

"Why not?" James this time.

"She needs space. Time."

"For what, pray tell?" Peter raises an eyebrow.

I look at my reflection, cringing at the sight of the scars, "To get used to this."

"You do know that it's not the reason she's avoiding you, right?"

"Then what's the reason, Wormtail?" I snap, "Because she thinks that it's her fault?"

"Well, yeah actually."

"Look," Sirius pulls himself up, "if you weren't so wound up in self-hatred you'd have realised, at least by Sunday, that Novak is blaming herself for the potion going wrong."

"But that's stupid."

"Exactly," James shrugs, "but it's you she needs to hear it from, isn't it?"

"And how do I do that if she won't be in the same room as me?"

"Find a way, you're the genius."

"Ugh." I bury my face into my pillows.
I give up on life.
Just let me die here.

"Why don't you write a letter?" Peter says.

"Peter that's just-" I stop mid-sentence, mulling it over, "actually, that's not bad."

"I know, I'm a genius."

*

Five minutes I find myself say at the table in the common room, James pouring over my left shoulder and Sirius over the other, Peter opposite me.

"Alright, " I pick up the quill, "Aylin."

"Oh Merlin no," James whacks me upside the head, "write dear Lin. You do like her, right?"

"Then write a cool fact." Sirius judges me.

"Seriously?"

He refrains himself from making a pun with me retort, instead answering, "I have seduced many like this."