The Marauders and the Untold Stories

13. Expecto patronum

*Third person's POV*

1991

Remus closed the door behind him and sighed. He made his way back to his room. Now he got his own room and doesn't have to share it with Sirius. He wanted to take the old room the boys shared when they were teenagers. The room beside Kitty's. But, Sirius wanted it. So he took the room on the other end of the corridor.
As he was walking back, he stopped at the painting he and Harry saw earlier.
A smile crept on his lips as the memories hit again.

*Flashback April 1979*

Kitty and Remus were in a park talking and laughing about random things.
"Oh! I forgot to tell. It's mum's birthday this Saturday. She wants us all for dinner," Remus said.
"Oh, cool. Sure," Kitty nodded. "So, how's things at home anyway? The protection and all?"
"Perfect. Mum isn't pleased at all. But she knows it's for safety."
"How's your occlumency going?"
"We've improved," he nodded. "But Peter," he sighed. "He needs a lot more practice. What about you?"
She groaned. "I told you. Wand movements. And transfiguration is a real pain in the arse. Why can't it be point, shoot and bam it's done?"
He chuckled. "Nothing comes easy."
"Even defence!"
"But you're good at it."
"Yeah. But still... It's confusing. It should be easy. A bit."
"Then don't you think the other side would have a great advantage and could win? But...you are lucky. You can even do wandless magic."
She scoffed. "Wandless? A shield and little bit of summoning small objects. That's all I can do."
"You also could knock someone off the ground. That is cool. For a beginner."
"Yeah. That happens only when my body and mind go haywire. You know...it's the adrenaline."
"Well..... It saved you few times."
"Yeah. Right. Dumbledore is teaching me though. To control it. It's exhausting," she groaned.
"You are doing good," he smiled. "We learn things slowly for seven years. It's just been four months and you've even been with us during few missions."
"Well... I'm learning magic for missions exclusively. That's why I survived. Come to think of it, I always use just few spells. Protego, Expelliarmus, Stupefy mostly. They're easy."
"They are quite important to help you survive in a duel though," he chuckled.
"I have to work harder. I haven't got much time."
"Take it slow to get better at it."
"Slow? I'm going slow."
"Kitty, you are over working yourself. I don't know if have noticed it or not. But it seems like you haven't been eating well or sleeping. You've lost weight and your eyes are sinking deep into the sockets. You are not taking things slow. No offence, you are new to this and you should stop running wherever there is an attack. You should be careful. Yeah, you aren't totally ready for this. But aren't you scared that something would go wrong?"
She smiled. "Oh, I'm scared all the time."
He was surprised at her answer.
"Scared of losing, scared of deaths of people I know and love, scared that I'll die without seeing him dead... You guys studied magic for seven years... probably to work. But I'm just learning magic to win a duel," she shrugged and stretched her hands. "I live in fear. And that fear pushes me hard to get my lazy arse off the bed," she laughed. "I don't want to try the patronus charm, you know?"
He raised his eyebrows.
"Because I'm afraid it would be a sloth."
He laughed. "It won't be a sloth."
She shook her head. "You don't know what I was before I came here. I'm the biggest laziest person in the universe. All I did after my graduation was eat, sleep and read novels. If there is no war going on here, I'd probably be doing the same thing I guess," she took a chocolate from the bag and gave him one.
He laughed.
"Ah, look at you two love birds. How romantic," a drawling voice interrupted them.
Remus scoffed. Kitty rolled her eyes. "Black," she shook her head. "Seriously?"
"You're catching on the pun too," he grinned.
James and Sirius swaggered towards them, with the signature Potter and Black smirks, and windswept hair.
"Scoot scoot," Sirius said pushing her and sitting between Remus and her.
"You're back early today," James said sitting on the other side of Remus.
"Yeah. I was tired," she replied.
"If people are tired, they usually rest," James said.
"I've work to do," she jerked her head at the canvas before them.
"I told you. I told you both that you don't have to work," James said a bit annoyed.
"Yeah yeah," Remus mumbled.
"Yeah. But... Well, it's not just this. We're keeping an eye."
Remus showed them the map, hidden in a magazine. "It seems like there is something  going on here," he said.
"We've heard. But this is completely a Muggle area," Sirius frowned.
They nodded and looked around, examining everything.
"Moony, you are supposed to share, mate!" Sirius snatched the chocolate from Remus' hands.
Remus rolled his eyes and pulled out few more form the bag.
"Oh, you've got more?" Sirius tried to snatch them but Remus was quick.
"Really?" Sirius pouted.
"Magic word," Remus said.
"Pleeeaaassseeee Moony?" Sirius put his puppy face.
Remus rolled his eyes. "Not that puppy face, Padfoot. You get everything with that."
Kitty laughed. "Wolfstar," she said looking at them both.
"What?" they three asked in unison.
"Wolfstar," she said and laughed again.
"What's wolfstar?"
James and Remus understood.
"NO!" Remus shuddered.
James and Kitty laughed.
"Oi! What am I missing?" Sirius frowned.
"No. No. No," Remus facepalmed.
"People love it you know? Where I come from," Kitty said.
"Are you going to tell me what the hell is it or not?" Sirius growled.
"Oh, calm down dog! Wolfstar. Wolf," James pointed at Remus. "And star," he pointed at Sirius."
"What?! No!"
"Yes," Kitty said. "Wolfstar is one of the famous OTPs. I never had a liking to non canon ships. But people just loooovve shipping you both. There are quite interesting arts and fan stories too. Quite deep, hungry, intense and everything," she smirked taking a bite off her chocolate.
Remus and Sirius shared a quick glance.
"What's OTP?" Remus asked.
"One true pair," she replied.
"Well, if I were a girl, I would definitely date Moony. Might marry him too," Sirius said running his fingers through Remus' hair. Remus smacked him on his hand.
"Wait! I thought you said you would date me!" James frowned.
"No," Sirius shook his head. "I said I would have sex with you. Meanwhile, I would have a long and a fulfilling relationship with Moony," he smirked.
"Meanwhile?" Remus raised his eyebrows.
"Yes, dear," Sirius ruffled Remus' hair.
"This is why people vote for Wolfstar!" James laughed. "You both flirt a lot!"