The markings scattered his back, interlocking and over-layering to weave a tapestry of anguish and indescribable pain.
As she opened her eyes, the comforting smell of coffee and parchment filled her nose. For the first time in 5 years she had opened...
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"Just sit down!" Remus exclaimed tiredly, pulling on Harper's hand as she stood in front of him.
"I'm fine standing, thanks." Harper replied, narrowing her eyes at Sirius and Peter as they squished onto the sofa beside Remus.
James chuckled from his seat in the armchair beside them as they five friends gathered around the fire in the common room. As Sirius began rambling about how he needed an excuse to go to the library in order to flirt with a Hufflepuff, Remus let his eyes flutter shut.
"Your excuse could maybe be because you have homework? Because you really do." Harper mused, smirking slightly as Sirius gasped. "Why go to the library when I can just steal your work?"
Remus sprawled his long arms out across the back of the sofa and allowed his eyes to finally close and for sleep to finally overtake him.
A loud, obnoxious laugh filled Remus' ears and dragged him back to reality. Whilst it had in fact been a couple of hours, he felt as though he'd been asleep for a few mere seconds. He lifted open his heavy eyelids and his eyes landed on Harper.
She rolled her head back, giggling at something James had said as she perched on the edge of Remus' knee with her hand unnervingly high on his thigh.
"Don't laugh at me!" James exclaimed, pouting slightly. "I'm just... You're so bad at this." She giggled, rubbing her thumb in small circles on Remus' leg.
"What is James bad at?" Remus asked sleepily, grinning as Harper turned to look at him, a smile still on her face.
Just as Harper opened her mouth to answer, Sirius and Peter bounded through the door and reentered the common room.
"You're still here?" Sirius' eyes widened as he looked between the three of them, still munching on a piece of bread in his hands.
"Where've you been?" Remus raised an eyebrow at Sirius and Peter. "Went down to the kitchens and stole some of tomorrow's breakfast." Sirius smirked, pulling out a scotch pancake from his pocket.
"How long has it been?" Remus asked, finally noting his completely lapse in time management. "Well me and Pete left... how long ago?" Sirius furrowed his eyebrows. "About a couple hours ago." Peter finished.
"Yeah! Of course! We left when James started talking about Lily and well... Harper, being Harper, stayed to talk to him." Sirius smirked at Harper. "Someone has to make sure he doesn't scare her off too much." Harper flashed a smile to James.
"You've been talking to James about Lily for two hours?" Remus asked, drawing Harper's attention back to himself. "Well... Yeah, didn't want to leave James talking to your unconscious body."
Remus was thankful for Harper. Not just for everything she'd done for him without batting an eyelid, but for being friends with his friends. He was awfully aware that if Harper hadn't befriended the rest of the Marauders then he would never have got to know her so well. Remus was thankful that Harper would talk to James about his crush, and talk to Peter about food, and copy out her own homework twice to give to Sirius - despite her originally copying it from Remus. He was grateful she would put up with the boys when nobody else would.
"James, I'm just saying that parading around after the quidditch match, shouting about being the best human in existence is not modest. And then hexing Snape is not kind." Harper pointed out.
"But hexing Snape is so fun!" James complained, looking to Sirius for help. "More fun than Lily liking you? I told you months ago to be civil and friendly to her and not try any attempts at flirting because you're horrid at it." Harper pursed her lips to contain her giggles.
"H-horrid at flirting? I am not!" James leapt to his feet.
"As much as I hate to admit, I'm going to have to agree with Harper on this one." Sirius shrugged.
There could not have been a worse thing to say. James glared at his best friend as though Sirius has just killed Lily Evans right before his own eyes.
"Did you just? Are you teaming up on me? You traitor! I can't believe you'd betray me!" James exclaimed, trying to contain his own laughter as he dramatically stomped around the common room. "Betray you?" Sirius widened his eyes and started to chase after James, "Why you-"
Once again the common room door opened. Normally the boys wouldn't have cared who walked in and would have carried on their previous activities regardless. But this wasn't just anyone. This was Lily Evans. But not the usual Lily Evans. She wore a frown on her face as she tucked two books under her arms and stormed towards them.
"Harper." Lily forced a smile out as she greeted her friend, "Remus, Peter." She nodded to the other two. Then her eyes landed on James and Sirius who simultaneously had each other in headlocks but were now both staring at her.
Without another word, or even a second glance, Lily stormed up the stairs and into the girl's dormitory.
"What was that about?" James asked, released Sirius from under his arm and turning to Harper. But for once, Harper didn't have all the answers. "I don't know." She shrugged, biting down on her bottom lip.
"Do you think it was something I did?" James asked nervously, running a hand through his hair. "No... What could you possibly have done?" Remus asked, "You pester her constantly and she's never actually mad at you." James nodded knowing this was true. Whilst Lily did her best to show of her distaste towards James, it was undeniable that she didn't actually hate him. At least not at the moment. "Although I don't think she's fully over your stunt with the squid." Remus chuckled.
"I should go and talk to her." Harper decided, standing up. "Tell her that I'm worried." James nodded furiously, gripping Harper's wrist. "I'll try... But I might just forget on the way." Harper laughed as James gasped, before following Lily up the stairs.
Remus felt an absence. Not just from where Harper had been sitting on his knee, or where her hand had been on his leg. It was almost as though when she left the room, his energy left with it. Still recovering from the full moon, and still baring that godawful scar, he was exhausted.
