Four To The End (prev Shifting Lines) - Book One (Marauder Era)

Chapter Sixty-Five - Blood Discussions

Hope began her campaign of trying to convince Remus not to return to Hogwarts on Monday morning. In retrospect, he wasn't that surprised. She spoke about the dangers, his safety, his need to be hidden as she fixed him a hearty breakfast. In the afternoon she asked him wouldn't it be easier for him if he stayed?

Remus campaigned right back, talking excitedly of his classes, of his grades, of the upcoming end-of-year exams that he knew he'd mostly be top in (Defense and Potions being the exceptions). He spoke endlessly of Hogwarts' library, how incredible it was. "You should see it. It's so big!" He spread his arms out, ignoring the frown on his mother's face. "I know I'll never even have a sliver of that amount of books but it gives me inspiration."

At supper his mother worked hard on the guilt tripping, talking about how lonely she was when Lyall went to work, how she missed the sound of Remus running around the house, she missed seeing his face every day. It almost worked. Almost. Except his love of school was too strong. He felt bad, of course. He wished he could be there for his mother. He understood her misery... he just wished she understood his need to have his education.

"Hey, what would you call a group of kids that like to play pranks?" he asked after Hope set dessert on the table.

"Misfits," Lyall said.

"Hooligans," Hope sniffled.

Remus poked his fork into the piece of pie. Cooligans, he thought, trying to suppress laughter. That was a Sirius name if he ever heard one. Mischief Misfits could work. Except that didn't sound right either. Personally he wanted to use Fellowship Of The something but couldn't think of anything that fit, nor did he think they'd appreciate (or understand) the reference. James and Sirius would make a good Merry and Pippin, Remus mused, though Sirius would probably fit the elves better with his noble beauty. He wondered where he and Peter would fit. Peter's appearance was rather hobbit-esque. Remus would probably be an uruk-hai except they were big and Remus was small but he was a monster so... probably the closest.

When Remus returned to his room he flopped on his bed and picked up his stuffed dog. "What do you think, Gwyllgi?" He held the dog above him, wishing he was Gryffindor enough to take the toy with him back to school to have at night except he knew he'd never be able to endure the teasing. "I doubt they'll like Mischief Misfits but it's not too terrible, is it?" He brought Gwyllgi back down, hugging it tightly.

Then a sound distracted him. A tapping at his window. That old sickly dread filled his body and he wished he knew why he felt this way about his bedroom window at night. Still clutching Gwyllgi, he got out of bed, slowly creeping over. The tapping had to be an owl. It wasn't Sirius's owl, that owl was vicious and stabbed at his window like he had a personal vendetta against it. "Oh, hullo Cocoa." He opened the window up, smiling at Peter's tiny brown owl. Coca trembled at him then detached the letter from his leg, dropping it at Remus's feet, then flew out into the night.

Dear Remus 2/4/72

Happy Easter! I hope your holiday is going fun. Mum and Dad sent me loads of

Here the word 'choclit' was crossed out and replaced with chocolate. Remus couldn't help but laugh.

loads of chocolate and candy. But James got loads more. You shuld see the pile on his desk! Exsept the way he and Sirius are going they are going to eat it all before you even come back. There probibly going to be in the hospitul wing when you do. They say I'm bad with candy but at leest when I eat it I dont get it all over my face and melted into my covers. well may be I do get it all over my face. but not as bad as they did this morning! any way I cant wait for you to get back