The one with the sisters - Year Six [COMPLETED]

Chapter 17 - The one with the bittersweetness

"Excuse me for a bit, Lil?" Iris asked as she saw three of the Marauders entering the Defense Against the Dark Art's class.

"Yeah, sure." Lily nodded with a smile.

Iris returned the gesture and raised from her seat she, as usual, shared with her sister, before walking toward the tired and distracted boys and slipping in beside Peter where Remus usually sat.

"Morning." She said, trying to smile, but as she took in their tired faces, she couldn't help but worry. She bit her lip slightly.

"Morning." James responded. He wasn't smirking. Bad sign. Awful sign.

"What happened to you?" She asked, going straight to the point.

"Rough night." Peter shrugged, resting his left cheek on his hand as he stared at Iris.

"How rough?" She asked.

"Very." The boy mumbled.

"On you, or... On him?"

"On both." Sirius answered. "He's hurt. He almost escaped, but we held him down. It wasn't pretty, but it was necessary."

Iris nodded, before looking down. James sighed, before taking her hand in his.

"Iris..." He called gently. She knew then it was serious. He almost never called her by her first name. "Moony is very hurt. Not physically. I mean... Physically too, but I mean... He's depressed. He remembers what he did last night. He says... He says he wanted to hunt. Not animals, like he usually does. People. We tried to drag him out of bed, but he wouldn't budge. Maybe if you could... If you could talk to him. I know you're not on best terms now, and all, but I just..."

"It's okay, James." She interrupted the boy with a kind smile, getting up as she was Professor Merrythought entering the classroom. "I'll see what I can do."

"Oi, Little Evans?" He called, as she made her way to Lily. Iris stopped and turned to him with an amused shake of her head. "Flobberworm."

"What?" She frowned.

"Password." He laughed.

"Got it." She winked. "Thanks."

***

Remus groaned when he heard the knocks on his door. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate that his friends were worried, he just wished they would leave him alone. Just this once. Just today. He decided that pretending to be asleep would solve the problem, but instead of hearing hushed voice discussing whether they should go in or not as it usually happened after every full moon, he heard the cracking of the heavy door being pushed open. He fought the urge to groan again. He needed to be convincingly asleep. Then they would leave them alone.

"Rem?"

He knew that voice. Of course he did. But why was he hearing it now? Why today? He stiffened and cursed himself for it. Now his act went down the drain.

"Rem, I know you're awake."

"Go away." He cracked out.

"No." Iris responded. He could almost picture her stomping her feet on the floor and crossing her arms as she always did when she tried to be convincing. "Not before you talk to me."