Rebirth {Marauders Era}

CHAPTER 11: REMUS: BYSTANDER

Remus felt someone pull on his jumper, and he stirred slightly, groaning into his pillow.

"Come on Moony, I know you're awake in there!" He blearily lifted his head to see Sirius sitting there on the floor next to his bed. Faint sunlight filtered in through the window, and the other boys were fast asleep.

"W-what time is it?" He mumbled. Then he looked at the clock. "Blimey! It's six in the morning! What'd you wake me up for Pads?"

"Well I woke up about two hours ago, but I figured I'd let you sleep."

Remus widened his eyes. "What on earth were you doing up that early?" Then it dawned on him. "Did you have another nightmare?"

"Well, no, but I did dream." He seemed relaxed, not as scared or upset as he had after the last times he'd had one. "This time it was pretty nice though."

"What do you mean? Did you find out anything about the message the figure sent you last time?" Remus reached out and grasped Sirius's shoulder. "Because were all worried about you, especially James. You don't sleep mate, and when you do it's like this."

"Well, it's not like I was the perfect sleeper before this." Sirius said darkly, and they remembered when his night terrors used to wake him every few hours in first year.

"All I'm saying is that you should tell someone. Did the serum help?" Remus asked curiously.

"Yes, actually. There was no bad dreams, and I think I surprised the woman who usually visits the end of my dreams. I don't think she was exspecting me to come so early. She was sitting turned away from me, humming."

"Really? You found out she was a woman? Anything else?"

"Well apparently she is a prisoner, and she wants me to help her get out. She told me her sister chose me to do something, though what was unknown." Sirius sighed, his eyes sad when he finished. "She told me her name was Decima, and that if I fail, the line between dreams and reality will fade."

Remus just stared at him, confused. "What does she mean by that?"

"I think she means that unless I do whatever, James is going to die, and Lily!" Sirius almost wailed in frustration. "But I don't bloody know what the task is!"

"Mate, did you tell McGonagall?" Remus questioned gently.

"Yes, she told me to see her at ten, but I really cannot wait." Sirius smiled suddenly. "Do you want to go on an adventure with Snuffles?"

"I'd love to, but I don't think my joints can take it. I'm sorry Sirius." Remus sighed. His joints were hurting more than ever, with the impending moon, the cold, and the wetness of the melted snow.

"Oh." Sirius's eyes darkened. "Well, I guess I'll go sit in the common room and...read."

Remus sat up as quickly as he could muster. "If James or Peter wake up I'll send them down, ok? I'm sorry."

"You don't have to keep apologizing, Moony, we all understand you have a furry little problem." Sirius cracked a smile, despite the troubled look on his face. "Maybe I'll go talk to Reg, we haven't seen each other since last term."

"Yeah?" Remus murmured, already falling back asleep. "Have luck finding him about, it's six in the morning."

Sirius left the room, closing the door softly, and Remus fell back asleep.

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Later, he found Sirius down at the breakfast table, his head in his hands.

"Pads," James walked up to him. "What's wrong? You seem down. Wanna prank Filch again? We've got all day."

Sirius mumbled something under his breath.

"What?" James wondered.

"I said I have to go to Minnie's office, and I'm sorry Prongs, I'll scheme with you later."

Remus followed Sirius as he walked out, shooting an apologetic look back at James, who seemed lost next to Peter.

"Why did you say it that way?" Remus scolded, coming up behind Sirius. "That was inconsiderate."

"Well, Moony, I'm tired of waiting. I've been sitting in the common room for about six hours now, I need to get this off my shoulders."

"Yes, but you needn't be so rude. Next time you see him, you're going apologize."

"Says who?"

"Says me."

Sirius wrinkled his nose. "And why should that stop me?"

"Because you're the one who has to spend time with a werewolf on Tuesday."

"James will be there."

"Sirius, really." Remus covered his face with his hands.

"Peter too."

"Let me finish. I'm coming too." Remus said, crossing his arms.

Sirius couldn't really answer to that.

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It seemed Minerva had really done her homework, and she showed Sirius all she could find on Decima.

"It says here that she was one of the Fates, her sisters were Nona and Morta."

"Anything else?" After all, Sirius had heard all this from Lily already. Remus simply stood in the corner, watching silently.

"Well, it also says that the sister's were captured by a mortal king named Februus, and when the gods finally freed them after a hundred years, the sister Lachesis, or Decima, was missing. No one knows where she went, and apparently Februus went with her." Minnie said, watching Sirius carefully as he processed what he was told.

"Ok, that you so much Minnie. I was simply wondering who or what she was, Lily's dad is really into Mythology and she'd mentioned it once. I wanted to see if it was important." Sirius winked up at her conspicuously. "And now that I know, I have someplace to be! Adios!"

"Goodness, does that boy never sit still?" Minerva muttered, then realized that Remus was still in the room, near the door. "Remus, dear, why has Mr Black taken a sudden interest in mythology?"

"I'm not at liberty to tell Professor. You'll have to get him to tell you that." Remus smiled, and then turned to leave when her voice sounded again.

"If you, any of you,need an open ear, I am here. Not as a professor, but as a friend."

"I know, Professor, I know." The door shut gently behind him.