Flower Child

Nine

Remus Lupin

  "So James still doesn't have his glasses, I don't know how he's been gotten through these two weeks without them. He's as blind as a bat, you know? He's run into many walls. It's really quite funny." Sirius rambled, a grin clear on his face. "Peter is kind of shy but he's funny, I don't think he realizes it though. James and I will laugh at something he says and he just looks so confused wondering what's so funny. He's a bit slow."

  Remus listened to Sirius, nodding every so often to show Sirius that he was listening. Two weeks had passed since they got to Hogwarts and this became a normal thing. Sirius would wait until the others went to bed then would come into the room and tell Remus about his day. Remus didn't mind it, at first, but hearing about what went on outside of the four walls he was stuck inside was starting to get a bit annoying. He wanted to be out there taking part, not trapped inside where he couldn't do anything.

  On one side of things, Remus knew it was the best. If he stayed inside, he stayed hidden. He was at less of a risk of being found. There were too many people who could get hurt or in trouble if he was found, Remus couldn't have that. But there was also part of him that wanted to just go outside and not care about what happened. That side of him was growing bigger and bigger with everyday that passed.

  "That's great, Sirius." Remus said trying to be as enthusiastic about this stuff as he had during the first week. But it was getting quite old. He had heard about James running into walls and being as blind as a bat for two weeks now. It wasn't funny anymore, at least not to Remus.

  "Great? That was the most ungreat great I've ever heard." Sirius said picking up on Remus's change of mood. It was quite shocking to Remus considering he had felt like this for the majority of two weeks and Sirius hadn't picked up on it yet - until now.

  "Ungreat isn't a word." Remus stated blankly.

  Remus didn't realize how big of an impact the way he said things could affect Sirius. He watched as Sirius visibly flinched just because of the way he said his words. Part of Remus felt bad about it yet he couldn't bring the biggest part - the part of him that was now suffering from cabin fever - of him to care. He tried to push himself to apologize, but he really didn't have the energy to do so.

  "What's the matter with you? You're not acting your normal self." Sirius said and Remus knew he was right. After all they had known each other for months now. They knew each other down to the little quirks they had.

  "Nothing." Remus snapped, noticing that Sirius was trying not to flinch again. Remus softened as a flash of Sirius's parents came to mind. Sirius flinched so much because of them, he didn't want to get the same kind of reaction out of Sirius as his parents did. They were friends not enemies. "Sorry, just being stuck in here all day is starting to get to me."

  "You're not in here all day though."

  "What? Of course I am." Remus said, confusion clear in his tone. "Sirius if I left this room then there's more of a chance of us being caught. That is not something I am willing to risk." Not when it would mean putting you in danger, Remus thought.

  "Then where do all these flowers keep coming from, hm? Don't think I haven't noticed them. You know I keep them and I know they only started to appear when you came into my life. It all started with the rose you gave me when we met, then just about everyday since. If you're not going outside to get them, then where are you getting them?"

  Remus froze. His blood turned cold and his heart seemed to stop. He knew that Sirius kept the flowers, he had seen the book of all the presses flowers, but it never occurred to Remus that Sirius might begin to wonder where Remus was getting the flowers from. Should he tell him the truth or lie? Remus had never lied to Sirius before, he felt guilty at the idea of doing so, but lying might be the best thing to do in this situation. Not for Remus, no not at all, but for Sirius's protection. The less he knew, the better it was.