eclipse ☆ wolfstar au

☆ seven ☆

"OH SHIT." PETER MUMBLES UNDER HIS breath. Remus coughs loudly in an attempt to cover up his surprise that Peter had just cussed. "What's wrong, Peter?" Remus asks. Peter now has a scowl on his face as he shakes his head. Sirius raises an eyebrow and then realizes who is behind Lily Evans.

Sirius inhales sharply and his hands are shaky again. "It's Snape. Remus, let's get out of here before..." he says, but trails off. Before what? Remus thinks. He opens his mouth to ask why, but Lily is already at the table with Severus Snape at her side. Remus notices he is unusually pale and thin. Snape's dark eyes loom over at Remus and flicker down and away from Sirius. Remus spots a small scar near his right cheekbone, which are defined and hollow--like most of his face. Beneath the sleeve of his emerald green sweater, there is a black inked snake surrounding a skull on his forearm. Severus pulls down his sleeve almost habitually as he glances sharply at the curious Remus.

Lily pushes up her gold-rimmed glasses before they fall down her nose. "Hey, guys! I hope you don't mind that I brought Severus along," she says, turning to James. peter grunts--James' face is tense and rigid as he manages to crack a smile at her. "Oh, Severus--this is Remus. He's a new friend." Lily says. Remus gives a shy, small smile and a wave to Severus who just nods curtly. "Again, sorry I was late James," she says softly.

"It's okay, Lils. I picked you a flower," he says, handing her the slightly bent sunflower. She exclaims happily before placing it in her ginger hair. Severus looks at her and smiles softly. Jealousy runs through James every time he sees him look at her like that. He knew that look; he knew what it meant. James swallows his pain as he takes a gulp of his coffee.

Remus feels he could cut the tension with a knife as Lily attempts to make small talk with Peter and James. Remus glances down at Sirius' hands and sees them shaking much more violently than before. "Padfoot, are you okay?" he whispers. Sirius shakes his head and a small, quiet sob escapes his mouth. Remus takes his hand gently. "I'm here, it's okay," he murmurs, trying to be more reassuring.

Lily's eyes flicker over to Sirius and Remus-- who is trying to calm him down. "Sirius, are you okay?" she asks, looking at him. "I'm fine, Lils," he replies, his voice breaking. Lily isn't convinced, but this wasn't the time or place to talk to him about what he was going through. She made a mental note to talk to him later. Sirius looks up and Severus is staring at him, a smirk on his face. "Rem, I have to go...I-I'm sorry," Sirius says, getting up and letting go of Remus' hand.

His brow ruffles in confusion and worry as he watches Sirius leave the small table, rushing off to a corner in the bookstore. Lily frowns and James' jaw clenches as he looks up at her. Peter is avoiding any eye contact with Severus who is still standing idly next to Lily. "Lily, I'm going to get a coffee," Severus says before walking away briskly.

Remus turns to James. "James, did you see where Sirius went?" he asks, thankful that Snape was gone for the time being. James shakes his head. "No, but he might be in the Shakespeare section," he says as Lily sits down next to him. Remus nods, getting up. "Thanks," he says before rushing around the bookstore. Shelves upon shelves of books surround him, reminding Remus of a maze he was once in.

He spots a sign that reads: Shakespeare, and he peeks around the corner; hoping to find Sirius. Sure enough, Sirius is quietly sobbing on the floor--his head in his hands and surrounded by some of Shakespeare's greatest works. Hamlet is laid open to the famous, 'To be or not to be' monologue. Sirius looks up, his deep brown eyes glistening with tears.