Mischief Managed Year One: Mayhem of the Moon

Chapter Fourteen- Nothing Close to Friends

TW: Implications of Abuse

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Remus stiffened and flinched at what his roommate had said. Then he realized Sirius had been watching him, first amused and now intently.

"What's wrong? What did I say? Does that remind you of your father? Geez, I'm a twat. I'll only call you Remus from now on, alright?" Sirius fretted looking upset.

"Sirius, I...you're wrong." Remus stammered unsure how to take back the casual friendly atmosphere that had appeared between him and his roommate.

Sirius grinned, perhaps thinking they were getting into another round of banter.

"I am never wrong, good sir!" The young Black bellowed pointing upward in a defiant posture.

"Sirius, I'm serious." Remus began feeling dread rise up in him. How had he let himself be so stupid?

"No, I'm Sirius!" The young Black beamed in response, looking drastically different from earlier. Remus truly wanted to keep it that way, but he could not be Sirius' friend. He couldn't keep doing this. Remus gave his roommate a weak smile, unsure what to do.

"You're never serious. Your name should be Prankster instead."

Sirius sighed with mock heaviness.

"A wasted opportunity on my parents' part, if you ask me."

"But I think we should go. The sixth years have a get-together here in about ten minutes," Remus spoke up as casually as he could manage. He hoped that using the pretend group would lead to them going back to the Gryffindor common room, where Sirius would forget all about Remus once the young Black was back in the vicinity of James Potter.

"They do?" Sirius asked, sounding curious.

"Yes." It was a lie, but it was the only way Remus could think of bringing this to an end. Well, the only way without admitting to his father's harsh physical discipline, which he wanted Sirius to forget about completely.

"Oooo, cool. Let's stay and figure out what it's about!"

Remus should have realized Sirius would take this as an adventure. Instead of deterring the boy, he had ended up encouraging him!

"I'm afraid it's something dreadfully boring. It's a wizard chess club, you see."

"Chess isn't boring." Sirius pouted.

Remus was startled by this. He liked chess, but he honestly couldn't picture Sirius sitting still long enough to make it through a game, let alone enjoy it.

"Oh, my bad, it was a book club."

Sirius grinned.

"Books aren't necessarily boring either."

"Sirius, you hate to read." Remus pointed out beginning to grow exasperated.

"That's because Hogwarts doesn't have the right kind of books. If you know what I mean." The young Black wiggled his eyebrows like this was supposed to mean something. But Remus didn't get what his roommate meant and he was beginning to panic since Sirius still wasn't leaving.

"It's an herbology book club."

"Oh well, that is boring."

Remus relaxed as he had finally succeeded. Then Sirius' eyes filled with excitement and Remus realized he had just somehow made things worse, again.

"Unless it's a front!"

"It's not a front." Remus groaned.

"It's totally a front!"