Thicker than Water (Marauders Era)

11 May, 1978 - Jealousy (II)

Remus came back to his dormitory that night to find James and Peter in a state of mixed confusion and annoyance and Sirius lying face down in his bed, apparently asleep. He blinked several times, trying to take in the scene before him before giving up and turning to James, questioning.

James just shrugged and shook his head. "He was like that when we came in," he explained. "And no, I don't know why," he added rather snappishly.

Remus quirked an eyebrow at his friend, who sighed and muttered an apology. "I just don't get it," James admitted. "At all. He wouldn't just leave to have a nap."

"I don't get it either," Remus concurred, shaking his head. And he didn't. He didn't have any reasonable explanation for this. There was no discernable reason why Sirius would have gotten back to the dormitory first. He would have come to the Room of Requirement and if he'd come after they'd left, then he would have gotten there after James and Peter. Which meant something had to have happened that had made him come back here. But he didn't know what that could possibly be. He certainly seemed fine.

"We'll ask him in the morning," Remus decided as Peter stifled a yawn. He knew himself well enough to know that when his head was running circles like that, he wasn't going to get anywhere useful. Better to just wait until he could get more information

So they asked Sirius in the morning, Remus cutting James off as the latter started the question with a few too many swear words. But Sirius's only answer had been that he'd needed some time alone and would explain later. The other three had exchanged looks, but didn't press it, not wanting to upset their friend, and eventually they all headed down to breakfast.

Remus was more than slightly surprised to see Lavinia sitting at the very edge of the Slytherin table, the seats around her empty despite the relatively crowded nature of the hall. He met her eyes as they passed and saw the slight movement of her head that was almost a shake, like she'd started to make the gesture and then stopped herself. Remus shrugged helplessly, wishing he could tell her more and wishing also that Sirius wasn't walking resolutely towards the Gryffindor table at the far side of the hall with rather a quicker pace than was strictly necessary.

That alone was weird. And worrying. Almost as weird and worrying as Lavinia turning up for breakfast. He knew she didn't like to and honestly couldn't blame her for it. The stares and hisses and whispers that followed her through this hall could hardly be easy to bear. He wished, not for the first time, that she would let them get involved. But he knew this wasn't an issue worth pushing. Better to save that for more pressing matters.

So Remus followed his friends to their usual seats and tried to ignore Sirius's frankly odd behavior. He sat with his back to the hall, which he never did when Lavinia was there, though he would have denied that. He didn't so much as glance at her though the whole of breakfast, not even as they walked past her again on their way out.

Throughout their classes for the rest of the day, Remus noticed Sirius avoiding Lavinia. It wasn't obvious because they were never particularly open about their friendship with her, as per her request. But it was there. He didn't look at her, even when she risked glances over her shoulder towards them. He didn't make any comment other than to say they should hurry up or they'd be late to lunch when Lavinia hung back so the four boys and Evans were the only people in the room besides herself. And he didn't turn when she called after him as he left.

Perhaps the worst part of it was, relatively small though the tells were, Remus knew Lavinia would notice. Knew also that she would care but wouldn't admit it, stubborn as she was.

After classes, Remus left James, Sirius and Peter in the common room and went to join Lavinia in the library, thinking he would try to get something out of her for all that his hopes weren't high for her response.