CURSES AND CANDIES - REMUS LUPIN

𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑡𝑦 𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡.

Hollis and Remus were sound asleep in their bedroom, the gentle sound of the rain outside their window making them even more drowsy than they would have already been at the early, dim hours of the morning.

Remus had his arms wrapped gently around her waist as her back pressed into his stomach, and their breathing was nearly synchronized as they slept deeply.

Then, their room was flooded with golden light as James walked into their room, already fully dressed for the day. Even the wooden creak of the door opening didn't wake the two up, and he was almost reluctant to because of how peaceful his friends looked.

Walking over to the bed, he gently placed his hand on Hollis's shoulder and moved it slightly down her back, signalling that it was time to get up.

Being a light sleeper, the Rosier's eyes flew open in a second, and she sat up incredibly fast to then turn to Remus with wide eyes and wake him up as well.

"What time is it?" Hollis asked James with panic. "How late did we sleep in?"

"It's six fifty-seven," he told them as she pulled on a black leather jacket over her equally black tank top and Remus threw on a shirt. "We have to be at the booth in three minutes, I thought you guys would already be awake."

"Sorry, sorry," Hollis muttered, lacing up her also black leather boots tightly. "Didn't get much sleep."

"Everyone's waiting in the kitchen, let's go," he rushed them, and Remus and his fiance fled down the mahogany and carpet covered stairs behind him. "Now it's two minutes."

When they ran through the wide doorway, the couple saw that they were indeed the last ones to wake up, all the other residents of the manor were waiting for them, along with Peter who had arrived a half hour earlier.

Hope, Lily, and Euphemia all moved suddenly to hug Hollis, and Mrs. Lupin pulled away first to grip the sides of her face gently.

"Be safe, my dear," she whispered pleadingly. "Don't get yourself in too much trouble."

"If everything goes right, we won't," Hollis replied as she hastily gripped Remus's hand to apparate away. "See you guys soon."

"See you so-" Fleamont started, but was cut off as the Marauders apparated away at exactly seven o'clock. 

Lily felt sick as she buried her head into Euphemia's shoulder, who gently stroked her back.

"See you soon," Mr. Potter finished quietly to himself.

Miles away from Lolchant Forest, five teenagers appeared in front of a vandalized telephone box with cracked, chipping red paint that hadn't been redone in years hidden behind an overflowing dumpster that littered trash all along the damp alley from the steady stream of rain still coming down from the sky like tears.

Without hesitation, they all crammed themselves into the box, and Sirius's carefully brushed hair was instantly ruined from being smashed against the glass by James's shoulder.

"What was the code again?" Peter asked, being the person closest to the dialler.

"Six two four four two," Remus replied quickly as the blonde boy fumbled with the metal until it dinged crisply with confirmation he had entered the proper numbers.