the gentle moon / george weasley

am i a bad person

Dawn was coming up in streaks and slashes over the foggy moor. She had forgotten about the small town just outside the forest. She forgot what it was like to not walk on the mossy forest floor, as feet surfaced on the cobbled street. Side by side they all stood looking across the road at the rows and rows of dilapidated brick houses, their windows dull and blind in the darkness. Tonks kept looking around Sirius at August was still staring as blankly as she was when they found her.

"I need a shower," August said quietly, taking in a deep breath.

Despite the fact that she had spent every waking moment of the past few months hoping desperately that Sirius would indeed come and find her when the time came, August felt distinctly awkward as they set off down the road to an Inn that Moody was able to get a room for August to clean herself up. Tonks was able to fix a bag for her before their rushed departure from Ottery St. Catchpole.

"Are you in pain?" Sirius asked, gently putting her bag down on the bed. She was just standing in the doorway, looking around the room. The room consisted of a small bed, an old armchair, and a rickety table grouped together in a pool of dim light cast by a candle-filled lamp hanging from the ceiling. The place had an air of neglect, as though it was not usually inhabited.

"No." She said.

Her hair was very short but nowhere near as short as it was a few months ago when Big first cut it. She has so many more scars on her face, and a yellow hue on her cheek which Sirius figured was from a healing bruise. Her clothes were practically draped over her, and her trousers, filled with rips and holes, looked way too big for her as her belt held them up desperately.

"Tonks went to go get you food." He said, "Your dad doesn't know yet, I didn't have time to tell him. He was on a mission with Arthur when Reg called for me last night."

"Do you know where he is now?"

"Probably still out," Sirius sounded certain. "Think he said he'll be back tomorrow night."

"Really? Already?!" August sounded excited, "I was afraid he was gonna go back into hiding."

"Wait," Sirius' eyebrows furrowed, "you're not talking about your dad, are you?"

"You were?" August asked, "I was asking about Arc."

"Who's Arc?"

"Reggie."

"You call him Reggie?" Sirius sadly smiled.

"He told me to call him that," August said.

"He told-" Sirius shook his head, "No, Reg isn't home. I don't know where he went after he contacted me."

August's face contorted from sadness to fear.

"I will find a way to get ahold of him again," Sirius said quickly. "Why don't you go take a shower? I think I need to conjure you up some smaller clothes, the ones we packed will be too big for you now."

"Right," August said, in a monotone voice.

Sirius went downstairs to the lobby of the inn they were in where he found Moody leaning against a small bar, talking to the old barkeep while Tonks sat stiffly in one of the armchairs by the front desk. She was staring off at the fireplace in deep thought. She must have felt Sirius sit next to her because she put her hand out to him to hold.

"She's so small... And they took her hair, Sirius." Tonks turned to him with glossy eyes, "She would never cut her hair that short."

"I know." Sirius sighed. "I just shrunk her new clothes to fit her better, so at least she won't look too starved when Remus sees her."