The Marauders: Year Six #Wattys2017

Reckless Remus

Reckless Remus

Lily, Petunia, and Mrs. Evans had eaten a quiet dinner in their dining room at home, Petunia babbling on and on that Vernon Dursley was going to call her after dinner and how exciting that was, how much she missed him and blah-de-blah-de-blah. Lily had to grit her teeth not to say something about what a pompous walrus Vernon Dursley was...

When dinner was over, Mrs. Evans excused herself - she had a terrible headache and wanted to go lie down, so she'd gone upstairs and left the two girls to clean up the kitchen together before Tuney's phone call with Vernon. They'd been in the middle of clearing dishes from the table when the phone rang and Petunia ran out to the living room to snatch it up. Lily had finished clearing alone, and she was filling up the sink with dish soap and water when Petunia suddenly was screaming great ear-piercing shrieks.

Instinct kicking in - certain Death Eaters had come to attack the rest of her family as they'd done to her father - Lily drew her wand and raced into the living room, skidding on the carpet, hands covered with suds, and she took aim swiftly, waved her wand and screamed, "STUPEFY!" the moment she could see the figure emerging from the floo.

He fell backwards over the ottoman, crashing to the floor.

Petuna continued on screaming at the top of her voice, the phone receiver swinging from its cord, bouncing off the carpet, the voice of Vernon Dursley crying out, "My Pet? What's happened? Petunia!"

Lily snapped the receiver up from the floor, "She'll have to call you back - goodbye," and slammed it back onto the hook before hurrying over to inspect the scene. She ran 'round the couch - realizing she recognized the supposed Death Eater and it wasn't a Death Eater at all. "Remus!" she cried and she ran over. "Tuney, shut the blasted hell up, it's just my friend, Remus!"

"HE CAME THROUGH THE FIRE!" screamed Petunia, "HE CAME IN THE FIREPLACE! HE WAS SUDDENLY THERE! HOW DID HE DO THAT? HOW DID THAT FREAK DO THAT?"

"He isn't a freak!" Lily shouted back, then she knelt beside Remus's still form and she said, "I'm sorry. Innervate!"

He blinked up at her, looking dazed still, and he groaned, "Bleeding hell, Evans, you're quite the stunner."

Lily cracked up, "That is such a Sirius thing to say."

Remus smirked as Lily pulled him up. He looked 'round at Petunia, who was backed against the wall, clutching her neck, her eyes still quite terrified. "Sorry I scared you," he said.

Petunia didn't look at all ready to forgive him.

"Normally I would have warned you I was coming," he added, turning to Lily, "But... I sort of left in a hurry... I - I need to get to the Potter's."

Panic filled Lily. "What? Why? What happened? Is James okay?"

"It's Sirius."

"What's happened?"

"It's a long story, and I don't even fully know it, I only know what James wrote me," Remus said, "But Sirius is in trouble, I've got to see him, and he's staying at James's house." He struggled to his feet.

Lily looked scared, "Well obviously I'll go with you. I'll drive you there. I've been taking lessons."

Petunia spoke up, "You - you can't drive him anywhere, mummy hasn't said you can use the car."

"It's an emergency!" Lily retorted, "That's the whole point of me having learned how to drive the car, Tuney, for emergencies!"

"You aren't going anywhere with that... that filthy boy." She stared at Remus, at the way his clothes were just a little too small, the way his ankles showed beneath his pant legs and over the tops of his ratty loafers at the soot on his cardigan and across his scarred nose. He was a right mess! And those scars - those scars were horrid. Clearly this boy was dangerous. "As the elder sister, I refuse to allow you to go."