⚯͛ Unfortunate - Remus Lupin ⚯͛

84.

"Sirius?"

Remus knocked on the door again and they waited for a moment.

"We brought brownies!" He offered.

"Please, Sirius," Maeve sighed, leaning against the doorframe, "it's just us."

The only response she got was silence. They were pretty sure he hadn't left his apartment since they learnt about what happened to Regulus. His friends were sure he was just hiding himself away and trying to deal with it on his own.

"Let's just go in," Maeve whispered to Remus.

"Are you sure? He might not want to see us."

"I don't care, he needs his friends right now, it's unhealthy for him to be alone while he's so low," she said firmly.

He sighed but nodded, pulling out his wand and aiming at the lock, "alohamora."

The lock clicked and he pushed open the door, tucking his wand back into his pocket with his other hand. Maeve followed him in and put the tub of freshly-baked brownies on the table before closing the door behind her.

"Sirius?" She called into the silent apartment.

The main room was empty, but the bedroom door was ajar. Maeve and Remus exchanged a look. They approached the door and, sure enough, they could make out a Sirius-shaped bundle in the darkness, huddled under the covers in the centre of the bed.

"Mate..."

"Please leave me alone."

His voice sounded weak, sad, tired. It wasn't a voice that Maeve and Remus were really going to listen to. They were here to look after him.

Remus flicked the light on but the bundle under the covers didn't move.

"I'll put the kettle on," Maeve said after a moment, before widening her eyes at Remus, gesturing over to the bed and mouthing talk to him.

She made her way to the kitchen and took out three mugs from the cupboard, taking out the garish, bright pink mug that she knew was Sirius' favourite (likely for it's ridiculous appearance). Heating the water in the kettle with her wand, she heard hushed voices from the bedroom and hoped desperately that he was coming round.

After she poured out the tea she waited for it to brew and looked round the apartment. It looked awfully plain and miserable. She spotted a blue vase on the window sill and went over to it, pulling out her wand.

"Aguamenti," she murmured, a gentle stream leaving her wand until it filled the glass halfway, before she went on to say, "orchidieous."

A bouquet of bright and colourful flowers burst from her wand and she placed them into the vase. After adjusting them so they were nice and symmetrical, she walked back to the tea and finished making it.

Carrying Remus and Sirius' mugs to the bedroom she was wary not to drop them. When she entered the room she saw Sirius sitting up and leaning on his headboard. His face was tear-stained and exhausted but at least he was sitting up.

"Hey," she passed him the mug of black tea and he took it silently.

She sat on the end of his bed and watched as he took a sip, shutting his in eyes in what looked like satisfaction or relief.

"Do you need anything doing? Anything to clean? Clothes to wash?" She asked.

"No," he shook his head, avoiding her eye, "it's fine..."

"Are you sure, mate? We're here to help-"

"I don't need help, I need my brother to not be dead," his voice broke and he covered his suddenly tearful eyes with his hand, softening his voice, "I'm sorry."

Remus put a comforting hand on his shoulder and Maeve stood up, going over to the curtains and pulling them open so natural light streamed into the room. She opened the window to air out the room.

She turned round once more and began to speak gently, "When was the last time you had a shower?"

"I don't know," he sighed. "To be honest I haven't been able to leave my bed much. I think I'm in a bit of a depressive episode..."

"We know," Maeve smiled sympathetically, "it's been rough, but I can't even imagine what you're going through. I'm really sorry, mate."

"It's okay..."

"Have a shower," she said, not strictly, but it did have some mum-like firmness to it that made one feel as if you had to do what she said. "You'll feel a lot better. Looking after yourself is very important, especially when you're sad when it's harder."

Remus looked at her with a look of warm knowing in his eyes. It was only a few days ago that he had said the same thing to her.

Sirius took another sip of his tea, "okay, maybe you're right."

"Finish your tea, then pop in the shower, me and Remus will leave you be," she said. "And where's your laundry hamper?"

"I really don't need you to-"

"Let me. Please."

He looked at her for a moment, his gaze unreadable, before saying, "it's by the wardrobe."

She nodded appreciatively and grabbed the hamper. It was heavy and obviously had been untouched for weeks.

"See you in a bit, mate," Remus said, walking out of the bedroom.

"Sure," Sirius said, nodding.

Maeve began to follow Remus out but was stopped by Sirius calling her name before she shut the door.

"Yes?" She asked.

"I...thank you."

"It's okay," she smiled softly, "love you, mate."

"Love you too," he smiled back.

She shut the door behind her and walked to Remus who had started to do the dishes at the sink.  She took a sip from her tea still on the kitchen counter and watched him for a few moments before putting down her tea and taking the hamper of clothes to the washing machine (the muggle way was sometimes easier than the magic way).

"Those flowers are nice," Remus spoke up after a while just as she was turning on the washing machine.

"I just thought they brightened up the place," she said, coming to sit by the counter. "Do you want a brownie?"

"Shouldn't we wait for Sirius? I mean we did bake these for him," he said.

"We?"

"Okay, you...but I helped!" He protested.

"Doing what?" She raised an unimpressed eyebrow.

"Well I bought the ingredients."

"Okay, fair enough, that was kinda helpful," she shrugged dismissively.

"Kinda helpful?" He laughed.

"Shush you, have a brownie," she handed him one from the tub.

"Fine but I don't even thioh my God that is beautiful."

She grinned, "I know."

"Hey guys," Sirius padded out of his room, his dark hair wet and hanging down, resting on his shoulders. "What's that smell?"

"Brownies, want one?"

"Oh...sure, thanks, you know I haven't haoh sweet Merlin's nipples that's one nice brownie..."