HP | Fred Weasley X F!Reader | Slow

Christmas Part Two

Remus POV

"Molly, do you need help with any baking?"

I'd been going around offering help to make up for my burden of being here. Christmas was tomorrow and I knew how seriously the Weasley's took it.

"No thank you, Remus, dear. But, could you do me a favor and go outside for a quick relaxer? You're frazzled and starting to stress the boys." She says with a small but demanding smile making me shiver and immediately do as told.

As I step into the backyard I take a deep inhale of the sweet pine all around us mixed with the smell of fresh bread pouring from a cracked open window nearby. It was a blissful silence, occasionally being broken by the chirping of birds.

Ever since that terrible night with Lily and James I've absolutely hated silence, it was just a reminder of the fact that the Marauders' laughter wouldn't fill the air anymore. But every once in a while, I don't mind it. In soft times like this it brings back memories of reading by the lake at Hogwarts while Sirius and James napped beside me rather than sadness. And it felt nice.

"Hey, Remus!" I turn to see Bill grinning at me. I smile back and greet him.
"What're you doing out here?"

"Molly told me to get outside before I started stressing everyone out with my rambling."

He chuckled and leaned down to pick up a quaffle.

"You play?"

"Nah, that's more Charlie's thing. Though I hear Fred and George tried out this year." He responded. I nodded.

"Yeah, I wasn't much interested in Quidditch either. While all my friends joined the Gryffindor team I became a prefect instead."

Bill grins. "I was a prefect as well. Head boy too."

"Ah, trying to one up me, Weasley?"

"I'd never."

"Good, it's already tiring being outdone by a twelve year old at home." He let out a hearty laugh at that and laid a hand on my shoulder.

"You know you look like an old man."

I look at him annoyed causing him to laugh once more.

"You should come over more often, Remus."

"I wish I could but as of late things have been pretty hectic."

"What do you mean?"

"Jobs have been tough to manage and rents been going up. People aren't exactly jumping to hire someone in my situation."

He nods at me before snickering.

"What?"

"Nothing just, I remember talking with my friends about this in fourth year. Dumbledore hired this burly man to teach us Arithmancy. Blind, too. Always breaking things around the room and blaming us for it. Makes me think that Dumbledore would hire just about anyone."

"I'm sure he wouldn't hire just anyone." I dismiss.

"Sure he would. He hired Snape, the old geezer." Bill reminisced with a sneer, making me chuckle.

"I'm sure he's not that bad, Bill."

"Not that bad? I wish I was in school with him so I could knock his teeth out and give him what he deserves."

"No you don't. Trust me, we've tried." I grimaced at the memory of Sirius and Snape's fist fight. Sirius was oddly fit for a sixteen year old and managed to knock some teeth out.

Bill's eyes widened at me. "You mean to tell me that tiny little shy boy Remus used to actually get in trouble?"

I'm surprised at his shock before I remember only Molly and the twins really know about my relation to the Potter's and my time at Hogwarts. I'm sure the rest of the family just assumed I was some random bloke that adopted (Y/N).