Chocolate and Pumpkin juice (R. Lupin)

23. His mother is ill

Last night Carmen, Remus and Sirius went down to the comfort of the Hogwarts kitchens. Twinker met them there happily and gave them plate after plate after plate filled with delicious treats. Sirius being the one who ate his feelings, of course ended up in a food coma.

Even though Remus' mood and health just went downhill as the night progressed he was still there for his friend, his brother. Slowly Sirius' crying and everyones talking died down and comfortable silence washed over them.

Remus gazed at his two friends, he was so thankful for them. The feelings he had for Carmen were growing stronger each time she spoke and his love for Sirius could never die and would never die. If he ever hurt them, he wouldn't be able to live with himself. The thought that soon the full moon would be glowing in the dark sky and his howls would be heard through the night, once again filled his mind.

Carmen looked at Remus' loveliness. She studied the way the crackling fire flames danced in his chocolate eyes that now looked tired and drained, the way he furrowed his bushy eyebrows when he was thinking, the way the veins in the dark circles around his eyes looked like purple-ish rivers and the way he talked so calmly to Sirius even though she could tell it pained him to move. She was entranced by every bit of him.

Together Carmen and Remus dragged Sirius through the dark empty corridors and into Gryffindor tower trying their best not to get caught after curfew. Paintings scolded them for waking them up and the Fat Lady was certainly not happy that they were coming back at 1am.

-

"Good morning my loves," Carmen yawned as she slid into the seat beside Lilly.

"Morning baby cakes," Lilly and Marlene responded with tired smiles.

"Where were you last night? We were worried sick," Dorcas asked with her eyebrows furrowed.

"Sirius wasn't feeling well, so Remus and I took him down to the kitchens where he ate his emotions until 1am," Carmen replied calmly while pouring herself a goblet full of pumpkin juice.

"Oh well that's nice, is he feeling any better?" Marlene asked Carmen in between bites of her beans on toast.

"I'm feeling loads better after eating a whole blueberry pie with ice cream. I bet it almost tasted as sweet as you," Sirius winked at the blonde girl who rolled her eyes.

"Good morning my lovely Lilly, today I'll make sure we win just for you! Then maybe this weekend you would like to go to Hogsmead with me?" James asked with a pleading voice even though he had his signature cocky smile plastered on his face.

"In your dreams dick head," Lilly muttered before turning back to her conversation with Dorcas about some new muggle movie.

"Where's Remus?" Carmen asked confused as she noticed he had not sauntered into the Great Hall with James, Sirius and Peter as usual. Peter almost choked on his water once he heard her.

"Oh ehm, yeah Prongs where is Moony?" Peter asked through his fit of coughing. James threw him a mean glare but then turned his gaze back to Carmen who was looking around at the boys bewildered.

"He's...he's gone home...be- because his mother is sick," James stated not looking into Carmens eyes.

"I just saw him last night, why did he leave so suddenly?"

"Uhm, McGonagall ehm...went and got him early this morning and sent him home."

"You don't seem so sure of yourself James."

"His mums sick little Carmen, he'll be back in a day of two I think," Sirius sighed running a hand through his long wavy black hair.

"Okay," Carmen said not wanting to push any further even if she wasn't sure she believed them. Just at that moment Alice burst through the doors into the Great Hall. Her short curly hair was a tangled mess and her tie was just about hanging on for dear life.