Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers

First Day

Remus rose from bed before the sun did. He didn't sleep last night, but judging by the fact that none of his friends were out of bed yet, he was still the first to rise.

Remus made his way to the empty common room after quickly and quietly pulling on his robes. Fellow Gryffindors were either still asleep or already eating breakfast. Remus looked at the clock- 5:37 am. He decided that they were probably sleeping.

He sat in front of the fire, sipping his tea and thinking about Sirius. No matter how hard Remus tried, he couldn't think of the words to say to Sirius that conveyed what he wanted them too. He wished he could make Sirius understand that he knew what Sirius was feeling and that he only wanted to help. But so far, his wanting to help lead to Sirius shutting him out. 'I wish I could pound it through his thick skull,' Remus caught himself thinking. He quickly shook the thought away, unsure of where his sudden agitation came from; the full moon wasn't due for a couple weeks.

***

"Morning Moony," Sirius said as he strolled into the common room, casually, as if their conversation last night didn't happen.

Remus assessed the boy standing in front of him. He was still in his pajamas, barefoot, and his hair was a mess. "Good morning," Remus continued timidly, "are the others up? We're nearly going to be late for breakfast." At least two hours had passed from the time Remus woke up. The common room was now bustling with students preparing for their first days of the new term.

"Relax," Sirius replied smoothly. "We'll make it on time, we always do." He walked to the other side of the room and poured himself a cup of coffee.

In an attempt to stop himself from worrying about the time so much, Remus turned back to his book and continued reading.

Sirius held his mug in one hand and casually rested the other on Remus' shoulder. "What are you reading?" He asked, trying to read over the taller boy's shoulder.

"I hate when people read over my shoulder." Remus snapped, he couldn't think of anything else to say. Why was Sirius Black suddenly feeling the need make physical contact with him? First the out of place hug, now this. Of all people, Sirius seemed like the last person to want to show physical affection; platonic or otherwise. It made Remus uncharacteristically angry.

"I know." Sirius teased.

Remus straightened his back and shifted away from Sirius. "I'm going to the Great Hall for breakfast. You three had better hurry, or we'll be late for Transfiguration."

Remus quickly picked up his stack of textbooks and made his way down to the Great Hall. He was confused. Did Sirius not want to push him away. Should Remus try harder?

Remus' thoughts were interrupted when he ran smack into someone walking towards him.

"Sorry," Remus muttered without looking at who he bumped into. He tried to just keep his head down and keep walking.

"Lupin!" A familiar voice called after him. Remus cringed. It was the same voice that echoed through the Great Hall the morning Remus received his only howler.

Remus stopped in the middle of the flow of students rushing to get to breakfast and spun to face Bertram Aubrey.

"Mornin' Bertram." Remus said, doing his best to hold a steady tone.

"Off to breakfast?" The Ravenclaw boy asked, grinning.

"Why else would I be heading into the Great Hall this early?" Remus replied coldly. "Hopefully I don't receive any life changing howlers." Normally Remus was level headed and non confrontational, especially when he didn't have his friends for support, but after getting no sleep and feeling overly frustrated with Sirius as of late, he couldn't help but lash out.