CURSES AND CANDIES - REMUS LUPIN

𝑠𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑦 𝑡𝑤𝑜.

There were too many complicated things in the lives of the Marauders even begin to try and list. There was the constant struggle between trying to stay kids as long as they possibly could and knowing that their childhood had already ended years ago even if they were still struggling to come to terms with the disturbing notion.

There was the fact that they had been born into a war, a war that had already cost them friends and lives. A war that they had to pick sides of at only fifteen years old, sides that had been blurred with some and sharpened to others.

The idea of right and wrong was slowly being intertwined with the intentions behind their actions, making even an act such as murder morally condonable.

A dozen things involving bloodlines only created larger questions of loyalty, whether to the ones the Marauders were born into being their family, but more so the family they had found in one another.

They were all silently aware that this chosen family opened them up to vulnerability, yet they trusted too deeply in one another to even question the other's loyalty.

But even among these complicated things, there were the simple ones that they held onto with all their might.

Remus and Hollis could do anything they set their minds to together.

Sirius would always be at home in Potter Manor.

James had a protective bond over Peter that he would let nothing break.

Remus wouldn't let anything stop him from helping Hollis.

None of them would ever abandon him on the full moon.

Sirius and Hollis understood one another's past.

Remus in turn understood what it was like for her to lose control.

Peter let the soft side in Hollis show.

James saw her as a younger sister.

They would all kill for one another.

This unspoken set of rules was something that the Marauders kept in mind as they sat down in their compartment on the Hogwarts Express that had their initials carved into the wood.

Christmas break was an opportunity for their protection of Hogwarts to be broken, to make them far more vulnerable to any dark forces that wanted to come their way. Even though they would do their best to relax, wands and guards both had to stay close.

You see, even though the last names of Potter, Pettigrew, Lupin, Rosier, and Black might contradict this belief, all five of them were well-known members of the lighter side.

Voldemort didn't care if they were still teenagers, they were dangerous.

So as they settled into their compartment, they all made the silent vow to get through the war together.

"I've been meaning to give this to you for forever now," Remus said to Hollis, reaching his hand inside his bag. "I was going to on your birthday, but.."

He trailed off, blinking a few times before getting back to the conversation at hand.

"Here you go."

With the corner of his sweatshirt around his fingers to keep from direct contact with the silver, Remus extended a new bracelet to Hollis.

Grinning widely, she gave him a quick kiss before sliding the metal band on her wrist that had been so badly missing it for months now.

"Thank you," Hollis said, grinning at all of them. 

Glancing at the compartment windows, Hollis rolled up her sleeves to give her forearms a break from the various fabrics always covering them.