stain ☾ remus lupin

THIRTYSIX

L A N T E R N S
△▽△▽△

[warning; this chapter is just terribly cliche and barely edited but I'm publishing anyway before school starts so sorry you've been warned.]

It was a surprisingly sunny afternoon for Halloween, though still chilly, and every student seemed to know it. They lingered by the giant, arched windows as they travelled between lessons, just to let the light fall down on their face. The last week had been nothing but rain, and Freya hoped the sun would dry out the squishy, muddy grass she had been forced to walk through.

So James, Peter, Sirius and Freya paced against the wall as they headed to their next class (Lily had Ancient Runes with Mary while Marlene had taken Remus to the Infirmary).

Just as they were about to turn a corner, the robust figure of Slughorn made his way towards them, and even echoed their names cheerfully with a smile. In response, Sirius immediately turned on his heel with casual grace and attempted to walk the other way, but Freya hooked her finger around his robe and tugged him back towards them. After all, friendship was about going through hell together.

"Ah just the people I wanted to see," the man observed the four of them, "Don't worry about time, I've told your kind Professor that you'd be late."

If he was awaiting some sort of response, an appropriate one did not cross their mind, so they stood in patient silence. Slughorn shook his head before continuing.

"I've been informed by Professor Binkley that you two," he gestured to Freya and James, "Have been assigned detention."

Upon learning that the situation did not involve him, Sirius snorted and leaned against the wall with his arms crossed to watch their verdict. Peter observed his actions before copying them himself, though his shortness led to a bit of difficulty.

"I'll see you in my office on the second night of November, I'm having a late Halloween dinner party on the third for my Slug Club, and I'm sure you two can help out in ways house elves in the kitchens can't."

James nodded, eager to use the two way mirrors. He turned to direct a wink to Sirius, as if he wanted to remind him of the mirror as well, but the boy had already directed a look of panic his way. Freya understood. November the second was a full moon, and James always planned to be with Remus in those difficult hours.

"Are you sure we can't do another night?" The blonde questioned, "We have a big report due the next day."

In all of the times the Marauders had been assigned detention, of course five or six had fallen on the night of a full moon. However, they tended to be able to weasel out a different date. Though Slughorn took his Club's parties very seriously, and he truly wanted help with this one.

Professor Slughorn furrowed his eyebrows at the group. They did look quite odd. Freya and Sirius both had expressions of exasperation at their luck of detention; Peter had begun to look between the two in confusion; and James was so caught up in the idea of using his mirror again, a smug smirk was placed on his face, which the Professor did not understand at all.

"I'm sorry Miss Bradberry," he shooed them to the way they had been previously going down the hall, "Detention will be 7:45 on November the second for you both. It won't kill you to come with a happy spirit."

The four friends walked as slow as possible down the corridors in order to avoid class. After all, their teacher more than likely still assumed they were in conversation with Slughorn.

"This is stupid," James spoke after listening to Freya explain that the full moon was the night of detention. He shuffled in slow motion toward the classroom, "I'm going to miss Moony's transformation because of a comment."