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"Yossarian was cold, too, and shivering uncontrollably. He felt goose pimples clacking all over him as he gazed down despondently at the grim secret Snowden had spilled all over the messy floor. It was easy to read the message in his entrails. Man was matter, that was Snowden's secret. Drop him out a window and he'll fall. Set fire to him and he'll burn. Bury him and he'll rot, like other kinds of garbage. That was Snowden's secret. Ripeness was all."
Syd shifted forward to catch the quaffle she was throwing bed to bed with Sirius, Peter, and James, and Remus's head nearly fell from her lap.
"Sorry," she said quickly. She sat back and Remus readjusted. Her fingers found his hair again, lightly grazing the skin along his hairline. Remus leaned into her and lifted his book, Catch-22, back up.
"Man was matter, that was Snowden's secret. Drop him out a window and he'll fall. Set fire to him and he'll burn. Bury him and he'll rot, like other kinds of garbage. That was Snowden's secret. Ripeness was all."
Matter, thought Remus. Ripeness. What does that mean? We get one moment? Then we're done? Rotting?
Has my moment already come? Has this all been me rotting?
"Goodnight, boys! Good luck, Syd!" Lily was at the door, a teasing smile playing at her lips. "Happy birthday, Moony!" she whispered, and then she was gone. Whore.
Remus shut his book. James, Peter, and Sirius were on their knees at the edge of their beds. Perched, like hyenas at the mouth of a cave. Sydney's fingers stilled in his hair.
"Get up," Remus said to her.
"What?"
"Save yourself. Get up slowly and go stand by the loo."
Sydney slipped her hands under Remus's head and lifted it up so she could slide her legs out from underneath. When she put it down Remus tipped his chin back and exhaled. He counted down the seconds of peace he had left. 5. Maybe 6.
Sydney pressed herself up against the bathroom doorframe. At least she would be safe.
Remus held his arms over his face and squeezed his eyes shut. Brace yourself. Hold your breath. Clench your gut in case Sirius elbows you like last time.
"Okay. Go ahead."
They were on him before he could grasp his breath, and they knocked it right out of him. James was hugging Remus's head, Sirius throwing phony punches at his stomach, and Peter bouncing on his knees.
"MOONY'S BIRTHDAYYY!!!"
"You're an adult!"
"You can buy us beer!"
"MOONY CAN BUY US BEER!"
Remus laughed and wrestled himself free for some air. "You know that Sirius has been legal for months now."
