The Collision Theory | Remus Lupin

38. Gryffindors Have Regular Stupid Ideas

"Come on! hurry up!" James shouts from the other side of the door. The boys changed into outerwear before us while we waited to use the room.

"Almost done!" I yank my burgundy cloak out of Miriam's prying reach before she can steal it. Yes it's been over four months since she took it, but my motto is never forgive and never forget.

Lily throws me a pair of black mittens before the three of us go downstairs to meet the boys by the front door. Her red hair is almost glittering against her dark green coat and hat, "Are we ready?"

"Ready as we'll ever be." James jumps up and down excitedly, opening the door. The air outside seems to have gotten colder than it was before, and the settled snow is slippery on the paths. He leads us around the house and towards the garden shed, "They're quite old... and rickety... and unpredictable... but they'll do."

"I'm not entirely comforted, Potter." Miriam frowns. James unlocks the door, taking out five very early models of the Cleansweep.
And when I mean early model I mean from before my birth.
Miriam isn't the only one more than slightly apprehensive.

James passes them to the boys, Lily and me, "We've flown them all the way to Cornwall before, they're okay."

"Why Cornwall?" Lily raises an eyebrow.

"Long unimportant story." Peter squeaks quickly.

"Anyway, let's go! Come on!" Sirius jumps excitedly, mounting the broom, a softer version of a quaffle under one arm.

"Drop me and I'll kill you." Lily hisses at James as she gets on the broom behind the boy, wrapping her arms around his torso so hard that I'm scared he'll suffocate.

"Ready?" I mount the broom, smiling at Miriam.

"Are-are you sure?"

"Sure I'm sure," I grin, "come on, I won't let you fall. When have I ever?"

"That trust fall exercise back in '73, you said you'd catch me." She blinks, "You didn't. Never forgive and never forget."

"Just get on." I roll my eyes. She hops on, clutching the front of my cloak and pressing her face on my back. I push off of the ground, and try not to swear as the handle shudders under us, "See? Not so bad."

"Yeah, not bad." I feel Miriam nod. We join everyone else, who are at rooftop level.

"Intense round of Don't-Drop-The-Ball anyone?" Sirius makes the ball spin on the top of his index finger for a moment before catching it again.

"On these?" Remus looks less than at home on the broom, unlike the other three boys, both hands firmly on the handle.

"Loosen up Moony."

"You loosen up Peter."

"Alright alright! Game starts..." Sirius grins, "Now! Lin!"

"Fu-" I grab it just in time, thanking Merlin that my old seeker reflects are still here, "What the Hell?!"

"Come on Novak! I said intense!"

"Fine..." I admit, and thrust the ball with all my force, "Potter think fast!"

A shriek of laughter comes from Miriam as he almost doesn't catch it, as he was too busy laughing me. James' broom drops a few feet as he catches the ball, and Lily lets out a string of very creative curses.
That's when the game gets- as Black called it- intense.

"Pete!"

"Moony!"

"Evans!"

"Black!"

"Miriam!"

"Don't drop it!" I yell, dropping a foot so she can grab the ball.

"Got it!" She yells, and I turn the broom so she has a better shot, "Remus!"

Bad choice.
Because Remus want looking at the ball.
Oh no.
He was making a face at Peter and decides to turn to the ball just nanoseconds before it hits him in the face.

There's a deafening silence as his hands fly to his nose. The silence is soon broken by a squeaky, "Oh shit."

Then, a laugh.
My head whips round from gawking at Miriam who I just heard swear- she actually swore for once?!-, to the source of the laughter.
Six pairs of eyes stare blankly at Remus John Lupin as he laughs hysterically on the broom, seemingly unaware of the blood smearing his lower face.

"Moons, you okay mate?" Sirius looks aghast.

"Your- your faces!" He laughs, pinching his nose with his fingers.
This boy.
This boy is an idiot.
And I have a crush on him.

"Oh my God Remus it's not funny!" Lily screeches, "Something could be broken."

"It's fine, I'll just clean up." He begins to descend, "Play on kids, don't die."

Miriam mumbles something that sounds close to, "Gryffindors are bloody weird." and I have to force myself to not laugh.

"I'll help." I'm more scared that there really is a lot more blood than is considered a minor nosebleed. We land with a thump, and the impact jolts up my knees, "Keep pressure Lupin. Mim, go get some ice."

I fill a bowl with warm water quickly and grab a spare tea towel from a drawer. Remus sits at the table, still grinning as Miriam shyly places a bowl of ice in front of us before rushing back outside, "I will never forget this day."

"Yeah, cos I'm about to break one of your arms if you don't stop grinning." I soak the tea towel, and start dabbing.

"Ow!"

"Quit moaning."

"Some nurse you are."

I laugh, "Stop moving."

"But it hurts." He pouts, dodging the tea towel.

"Do I need to kiss you to shut you up?" I raise an eyebrow, leaning towards him.

"Knowing us," he decreases the source between are faces, so that it noses brush, "we might just get interrupted."

"I highly doubt it."

"Well, I trust you." Remus smiles, his voice barely a whisper-

"Oi Moony you need a blood donor?!" The kitchen door bursts open as Sirius skips- no really he does- in. At the exact same time I shove Remus' shoulders back so hard he almost falls off of the chair.
FUCK FUCKING MERLIN'S SHIT.
I will murder Sirius Orion Black if it's the last thing I do.

"Why aren't you outside?" I cough.

"Checking on my brother in arms," he claps Lupin on the shoulder, "you can't have him all to yourself."

"Aren't you supposed to be outside?"

"Why are you so annoyed? It's not like I'm interrupting anything important, you nerds were probably taking about books."

Remus takes the ice and wraps it in the tea towel, quickly placing it on his flushed face, "Yeah, books. Do you know what those are Padfoot?"

"Ha ha hilarious." Sirius deadpans, "Anyway I came for this; episkey."

"Shit!" Remus curse as Sirius flicks out his wand, sending a spark that causes Lupin's noise to make a crack, setting his nose- or whatever vein inside- in place.

I'm most definitely sure the fates are against me.