ludic • remus lupin

13 • Happy Holidays

Maybe Remus wasn't coming to say goodbye to Coco because he was too busy with Kathy, or maybe it was because he had felt a suspicious tug on his head when Coco quietly walked by and pulled some of his hairs out. It was when everyone was getting out of lunch, so Coco had quickly hidden behind Frank Longbottom and his girlfriend Alice, so Remus wouldn't know it was her. But maybe he did, maybe that's why he wasn't coming, Coco told herself.

She stood by the Hogwarts Express, watching Severus Snape approach her before her friends could arrive to say goodbye.

"Do you have a sample?" He asked quietly as soon as he stood next to Coco. She graded his hand with a vile containing three of Remus's hairs, while still looking away.

"Owl me if you need anything else." Coco said to Severus, who was staying at Hogwarts to avoid going home. He nodded and began walking away, but Coco quickly grabbed his hand and turned him around.

"You've seen the news, these are dark times we're heading into. If you need to talk, or anything at all, I'm here." She whispered sincerely without breaking eye contact. He took a moment of searching her face for any lies, then simply nodded and turned around once again. She watched him walk away and wondered if he'd already gotten involved with all the dark magic going on.

Once he was far enough, Coco felt a hand on her shoulder. She gasped and jumped, only to turn around and see Lily smiling at her brightly.

"Thank you for that, he really needs someone to talk to. It's just hard for me to do that anymore." She said with a smile. Lily was going home as she always did for her holiday break.

"He'll redeem himself when he chooses to go down the right path." Coco reassured, but it seemed as if she was more reassuring herself. Putting the Lupin situation in his hands was a risk she was willing to take, but if Severus did something to harm him, she could never forgive herself.

"You don't see Remus anywhere do you?" Coco asked quietly.

"No." Lily said sternly, then quickly added, "And don't you worry about him either, take this holiday to worry about yourself and have fun. Sev will be brewing the potion, and all will be well when you come back." Lily said.

"I don't think it'll be much fun if my parents have received Kathys stupid letter." Coco mumbled. Lily lightly frowned, and put her soft hand on Coco's scarred shoulder.

"They won't receive her letter." Lily reassured. She tried her hardest to understand Coco's perspective on this, but it was hard when her best friend wasn't standing up for what's right, even when it comes to family. Lily went on her tippy toes and looked over the crowd of people.

"I see James, Sirius, and Peter coming over, you can say your goodbyes, I'll bring our bags to the train. We can talk more inside." Lily added, then began lugging the baggage to the train.

Coco called after her, "You better coming back here to say your goodbyes to James!"

"Who's this 'James' guy you speak of. I've heard he's pretty hot." A deeper voice said from behind Coco. She turned around and saw her friends, James in the middle and Sirius beaming down at his best friend Coco, then Peter avoiding contact with everyone around him.

"He's mediocre at best." Coco joked, and James fake gasped, pretending to be offended.

"We could just leave, y'know..." James suggested, and Coco rolled her eyes and pulled him into a hug.

"You'd never leave without saying goodbye." She laughed. They'd just pulled apart, and he grabbed her shoulders, making her face him. James looked at Coco sternly.