/𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒\ [𝒔. 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌]

𝟔.𝟙𝟙.𝟣

"were all stars to disappear or die, I should learn to look at an empty sky and feel its total dark sublime, though this might take me a little time." ~ W.H. Auden

~may 1976~

Remus was in love with Jeffry Piker. Completely, and wholly, and totally in love. He loved the way the left side of his mouth twitched ever so slightly when he was thinking. He loved the way his hands seemed to never stop moving, always fidgeting with something, always playing with Remus's hair when they sat together or folding and unfolding the hem of his shirt. Of course, there were things he didn't care for as much. He hated when Jeffry got concerned over where he went every month, but that was something Remus couldn't blame him for. He felt like he should tell his boyfriend about his 'condition,' but every time he tried, the words wouldn't come out. Instead, he dropped little hints where he could, becoming reckless and careless in the hopes that Jeffry would figure it out for himself the way his friends had way back in third year.

The two of them sat together on a couch in one of the various sitting rooms of the castle, each flipping through their respective sections of the Daily Prophet. Remus always took the current events, editorials, and sports, leaving Jeffry with entertainment, announcements and death notices, and the classifieds. With Jeffry being in his seventh year, he always at least skimmed over the job listings, seeing if there was anything he was interested in. "There's an opening at the Ministry," he murmured, one finger skimming the words on the page. "Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes."

"You don't want to do that, do you?" said Remus. "Sounds depressing."

"Or exciting," Jeffry countered mildly. "Anything good in sports?"

"No, the Wasps destroyed Puddlemere in the playoffs last night. James is going to have a fit."

Jeffry laughed softly and flipped a page in the paper. "How about the news?"

He looked over at Remus to see his expression darken, his eyes losing their laughter and growing solemn. "Six more disappearances," he murmured. "One werewolf, a vampire, and four muggleborns. I'm surprised they even listed the first two, it's not like the Ministry gives a damn about-" He was going to say monsters, then thought better of it. His friends always yelled at him for calling himself one. He looked over at Jeffry for a response, but his boyfriend was suddenly quiet.

He was a muggleborn. Well, a half-blood, but they weren't exactly safe either. Remus could tell every time Jeffry heard about new disappearances, his worry over the current state of the wizarding world grew. That's why he took it upon himself to read the news every time the paper came in and relay it back to Jeffry in his own words. He nudged Jeffry lightly. "Hey. Nothing's going to happen to you at Hogwarts."

"But my mum's not safe, is she?" he said dully. "And my dad isn't either, he's muggleborn. I mean, this whole damn thing-" His voice rose, "-it's all fucking ridiculous. And they're just letting it happen. Letting innocent people 'disappear'- you know, they always say disappear. Why not just admit they're dead? They're all dead."