Friday 20th April 1972
Still don't know what I was waiting for
And my time was running wild
A million dead end streets - and
Every time I thought I'd got it made
It seemed the taste was not so sweet
So I turned myself to face me
But I've never caught a glimpse
Of how the others must see the faker
I'm much too fast to take that test.
Remus loved Hunky Dory more than anything. It was by turns bright and happy - then dark and introspective. He felt that David Bowie must have some super human insight into his soul. Even if he didn't always fully understand the lyrics, he felt as though they somehow made sense.
He hummed the tune to Changes quietly under his breath as he walked up and down the dark library shelves, his wand lit for a better look. He really ought to be catching up on Potions - but Lily had offered to help him over the weekend and he'd already been revising Transfiguration all day. It had taken that long to turn an old top hat into a rabbit and back again.
Remus finally found the shelf he was looking for - The British Wizards Guide to Nuptial Laws 1700 - 1950. He hoped that would be recent enough. It was huge, and he had to get up on a step ladder to reach it. Stretching, Remus just about had purchase on the dusty old leather cover, and was about to pull it down towards him, when another hand reached up and grabbed his wrist.
Yelping, Remus yanked his hand back and almost toppled off the stool, coming face to face with Narcissa Black.
"Ugh, it's you." She said, distastefully. She was a head taller than him, so they came about level as long as he kept his balance. She did not release his hand, "Give me that."
"No, I had it first." He replied, still trying to pull away. She had an iron grip.
"Go away, little boy. What could you possibly want this for?" She gave him a hard shove and he toppled backwards, landing painfully on his backside.
Narcissa smiled down at him, victorious, holding the heavy tome. He scowled,
"What do you want it for?"
"That's none of your business," she breezed, tossing her pale hair out of her eyes in a manner eerily similar to Sirius. She turned and began to walk away, between the gloomy stacks. Remus scrambled to his feet,
"Wait," He said, trying to keep his voice down so that Madam Pince didn't throw him out again, "Oi, Narcissa, wait!" He tugged her robes.
She spun around with furious eyes, her wand raised. Remus instinctively grabbed his own wand just in time. They both stood like statues for a few moments. He knew that she had cursed James and Sirius on several occasions, and that the whole Black family knew all sorts of dark magic. But at the same time, Remus had never cursed a girl before, and it felt wrong.
"I just wanted to know," he said, carefully, choosing his words, "If it was anything to do with you and Sirius... the engagement thing."
She lowered her wand, slowly, regarding him with suspicious interest.
"So he's told you all about that, has he?" She raised an eyebrow - which was still as inky black as her natural hair colour. "Yes, little boy, that's exactly what I need it for. You don't think I want to be married to that whiny little blood-traitor, do you?"
Remus just shrugged. The truth was, it hadn't actually occurred to him how Narcissa felt about any of it. He'd been so focussed on helping Sirius that he hadn't considered whether anyone else might be working on exactly the same problem. Narcissa sighed impatiently,
