The Story of the Marauders

One: Remus

REMUS

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"You need to eat something, Remus, you're skinny as a twig." Calysta clicked her tongue in annoyance, setting a plate of toast and cup of coffee on the small bedside table. Remus growled in his throat, finishing the action of pulling on his flannel over his jumper. There was a draft in the room the pub had rented out to the pair; Remus was glad to be getting out of there.

"Don't patronize me, Calysta, I'll eat when I want."

"I'm not patronizing you, Moony. I just want to make sure you're doing alright." Calysta told Remus quietly, folding her arms over her stomach loosely. Remus sighed.

"I'm just peachy. What about you?" Remus tilted his head slightly. Calysta glanced down at her feet and echoed Remus' sigh.

"Sirius has been in prison for almost a year, Remus. I...I don't think he's getting out." Calysta's voice choked the last words.

Remus fell silent and he too lapsed into the feeling of wanting to give up. Every one of his friends he grew up with were gone. Three dead, one having betrayed the others, and the last in prison. He remembered the crushing moment when it all came to him. The Daily Prophet was written all about it: Sirius Black killing twelve Muggles and his friend Peter Pettigrew, Harry Potter surviving the killing curse. It was too much for Remus to handle. Calysta was all he had left.

Calysta came to him as soon as it happened. She was barely able to function, telling him what happened as best as she could. Once a fast, half-hazard investigation was done, she was hit with a magic restriction; it was the least she could have gotten. Remus and Calysta were sure that friends remaining in the Ministry had something to do with it. A few days later, with heavy hearts, Calysta and Remus buried James and Lily Potter. It was Sirius' birthday.

"It's not fair." Remus agreed. Calysta fell against Remus' shoulder and hunched her body over, staring blankly out the window in front of them. Remus' thumbs made circles around themselves as he thought silently.

"There are still Death Eaters running free," Calysta noted. Remus blinked.

"What about them?"

"Ever since Voldemort was destroyed by my famous godson, the Order has been breaking apart. We don't have the team we once did to track them all down. No one cares anymore. There's no justice, and they're still out there." Calysta said. Remus felt the same and knew it was true.

"You going out to track them down anyways proves otherwise," Remus pointed out. Calysta sat up and looked at him curiously.

"It still bothers me to this day..."

"What does?"

"That Snape loved Lily." Calysta picked at her fingers. "Finding out he was on our side in the final days..." She trailed, shuddering. Remus crinkled his nose at her.

"Why does it bother you?"

"It doesn't bother you?" Calysta raised an eyebrow.

"Well...sure, a little maybe, but why does it matter?"

"He never showed it. Hell, he called her a Mudblood and did nothing to try and earn her respect again. Really shows love, that does." Calysta said sarcastically.

"It was the same with Peter," Remus snapped his mouth closed immediately, not willing to look at Calysta's usual angry expression that came with the mention of Peter. But her face was blank, all feeling shoved deep inside.

"He never showed it..." Calysta repeated; the words sounded hollow. She coughed and straightened. "I'm glad he died before I got to him." Remus understood; Calysta wanted to make his death much worse than his own spell ever would have. She stood, placing one hand on her hip.