The Collision Theory | Remus Lupin

46. And We're Off

"They're dead." The two words repeated over and over. Lily's voice in chorus with the boys, who stand encircling me, "They're dead."

"Mum?"

"Dead." They take a step closer. I feel like I'm drowning.

"Dad?"

"Dead." Another step. It's like someone's gripping my throat.

I try to move, but every twitch of a muscle is laboured, "Where's Miriam?"

I wake with slurred words half-formed on my lips, and my question is answered. There, wrapped against my torso is Miriam, her head tucked under my chin and one leg slung precariously off of the bed.
She's safe.
Mum's safe.
Dad's safe.
I hope.

*

"Get up."

"What time's it?" I roll onto my stomach, and realise that Mim is no longer asleep, "Where?.."

"Downstairs, they're ordering breakfast." Lily throws my clothes at me, which hit my head.

"Ow!" I push myself out of the bed and begin to change into my clothes, "What's the time?"

"Half past nine, get a move on." Lily orders, pulling her hair into a ponytail. I pull my jeans on and the long-sleeved shirt she's thrown at me, almost forgetting to put on my shoes in haste.

I follow Lily down the stairs, still half asleep as we meet the others. Monty pours me a glass of pumpkin juice, "Sleeping beauty has arrived, shame we are not graced with a smile."

"Good morning all!" I say in an overly cheery tone before biting into a piece of toast. Monty smirks at me and I reply by making a face at him.

"So," Euphemia takes a sip of tea, "we'll head to the station as soon as possible, and if we leave in forty-five minutes we'll get there by quarter to eleven."

"Sounds good." Sirius says, though I have a feeling that he wasn't aware of the conversation until two seconds ago.

I smile at the sight: Sirius sitting by Remus, occasionally sharing an odd inside joke of some kind. It's how it should be, "So, you're both fine?"

Sirius nods enthusiastically, "Oh yeah, took a bit of poetry on my behalf but-"

"Unneeded declarations of loyalty in the form of sonnets." Remus interjects with a solemn tone, though the side of his mouth twitches into the smallest of smirks.

Sirius rolls his eyes, "Oh shut up, you loved it."

*

Shoes, check. Cloak, check. Tie, check. Trousers, check.
Skirt...shit.
I rummage through my suitcase, but it's to no avail, "Evans have you seen my?- oh..."

"You're like a child." She laughs, shaking her head as she throws me my school skirt, "In always picking up after you."

"My second mother." I beam at her, attempting to find my clothes, and ultimately failing. Instead, I shove everything in, except my cloak, scarf and wand, the latter of which I stick in the waistband of my jeans, "Mim, you ready?"

"Yeah." She sits on her case with a rather bored expression, watching us struggle to zip our cases. I manage to close my case, and once Lily's ready we head down the stairs. The rest are downstairs, waiting for us.

"Sirius you're going to freeze." I say in a tone that I immediately realise sounds scarily like my mother's. He's wearing a leather jacket with only a shirt underneath. He's gonna catch pneumonia, I can sense it.