Carve Me Open / r.l. + s.b. /

Up to No Good

"i don't want to go anywhere that's far from you.'"

"you will never be far from me"

-via Courtney Phillips

A little wlw chapter. The song is definitely the Lilienne Theme :( 
(I Want You - Mitski)

Major Edits included at the end for RR's
Edits Completed as of March 18, 2022

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Hogwarts, September 1975 (Fifth Year)

It was imperative that he not be seen. On every account available, Remus John Lupin needed to remain unseen and unheard of until that meeting had been finished. Not a single soul could find out – not even Lily Evans. With his hood up and his chin down, Remus trifled through the trolleys, desperately searching for the carriage. If it hadn't been for the barrage of Gryffindor Quidditch players, Remus might have been on time. James nearly spotted him, but Naomi Ganders, a seventh year, had distracted him long enough for Remus to slip past unnoticed.

Being early really meant being punctual while arriving on time meant being late. Remus had never made it a habit to be late to anything of importance, and everything was of importance when related to Hogwarts. His record couldn't afford it, and, if he were being completely honest, his reputation with Minnie and Dumbledore couldn't afford it. Not after their five years cavorting around the castle like lunatics. No, everything that year had been far too important. Classes, clubs, revisions, and Prefect meetings included.

That summer, Remus received a shiny red badge with a silver 'P' stamped proudly on the front by owl in the early hours of the morning. It came as a shock to begin with. He'd been deemed a Prefect by Minnie much to his surprise. But how could that have been possible? It was no secret he'd been the mastermind behind much of the Marauder's schemes; she knew just as well as anyone else in the castle. In fact, there'd been several instances where he'd admitted to charming paper birds to chase the Slytherin's to their dormitories.

Remus couldn't stomach the thought of this new responsibility on his shoulder. Patrolling, handing out punishments, awarding and deducting points, the almighty prefects' bathroom – what would it all mean?

Of course, he'd be a traitor at first. He could already hear the betrayal in Sirius's voice. Becoming a prefect was just as well as declaring himself the enemy of the Marauders' in the beginning. Becoming a prefect was the same as standing with Severus Snape against his friends. There was no returning from announcing this to the boys, and he questioned whether or not he would. His initial thought had been to decline the position. His loyalties resided with his pals, and their loyalties were tethered to mischief and plotting. Decorum hadn't been in their genetic makeup, excluding Sirius on a few occasions. On the other hand, however, he knew that once he escorted the First Years and patrolled the hallways with a shiny, silver badge, the boys would find out.

Declining would be impolite, he reasoned, because being a Prefect was a rare honor. His mother and father were also quite pleased with him, which warmed his heart a little more than normal. With that in mind, he made his way to the Prefects carriage, hopeful not to have missed the debriefing.

A fast and piercing suppressed gasp emanated from a nearby restroom. He froze, stiffening at the disturbance while tentatively investigating it. Remus' responsibilities as a Prefect had not been specified; approaching, straining his neck to detect the ruffling of garments and falling objects, was reckless. The closer he got, the clearer it became that the noise was coming from the supply closet, not the restroom. Frank Longbottom appeared, washing his hands and welcoming Remus as an old friend before returning to the Gryffindor carriage.