screaming in the dark I howl when we're apart

Having finished on the earlier shift, Remus took his heavy bag of work to look at when he got home and decided to stop by The Fountain of Fair Fortune. He really didn’t have time to be slacking off at the moment with the Minister drilling down on trying to find the attackers of Booker and Benjy, but Remus had felt compelled to check in on Maren before heading home. Having spent a lot of time with her at the march, the two had gotten separated- much to his later horror when he’d stood alone in The Leaky Cauldron and worried if she and the other members of their group had been injured. Remus wasn’t sure if Maren and Benjy were close, but her and her sisters had been a part of his movement and he felt he owed it to her to see how she was getting on. 

Walking through the open door of the pub, Remus was glad to see his favourite Linwood behind the bar which was relatively empty given the time of day. “Just the witch I was here to see.” Remus called, sliding into the stool opposite her and placing his bag on top of his knees. “Your finest pale ale please Maren, I’m going to be good and have one and then leave because work is kicking my arse and I need to do stuff this evening but I feel the pint is quote necessary for that to go well.” He added with a smile, pushing a couple of coins across the table. “And get yourself something as well, I don’t like drinking alone, I’m a much better drinker when I’m being a sociable one as you know very well.” Although he believed himself to be fairly good with people, Remus wasn’t quite sure how to swerve into discussing Benjy in a way that wouldn’t make Maren upset, deciding on a simple option. “How you holding up as well? I’m sorry we got separated and then things took a turn and I got called into work.”  

The quiet afternoon hours at the Fountain of Fair Fortune were Maren’s least favorite. Between the lunch rush and the crush of people fresh off work and looking for a good time was an unbearably dull stretch of time where Maren was often left alone with her thoughts. It wasn’t Maren’s favorite place to be, especially these days. She always needed something to do, somewhere to be, someone to entertain. Sometimes she filled the time by practicing her easier arias, songs no one wanted to hear in a bar during happy hour.

Today, she was humming “L’ho Perduta”, one of the first arias she ever learned, and trying not to think about Benjy, or Laurel, or any of her friends who’d been on the scene that night while she’d been stuck here. So, when the bell over the door rang, Marne immediately perked up, and she broke into a blinding smile when she realized it was Remus coming through the door. She was already pouring a pint of his drink of choice before he’d even ordered, and she chorused, “finest pale ale” along with him. It wasn’t actually their finest pale ale, as that was a little pricey, but it was a good balance of economical without tasting cheap.

She poured herself a glass of her favorite wine, a fruity white she was pretty sure Adairia only stocked for her and the occasional lost lush who wandered through the door. She listened to Remus ramble, waiting to see if it was all leading up to something. When he asked how she was doing she sighed, a deep and heavy sound for a normally light and bubbly girl. “Honestly I don’t even know. I wasn’t there, I just heard about it later. Laurel was there but I… It almost doesn’t quite feel real?” She paused to chew at her thumbnail as she considered. “I think, the thing I can’t understand, is why you would attack someone who’d just finished up a rally for creature rights?” She sighed again, then shook her head. “But you don’t have anything to apologize for. What are you talking about?”

Pale ale set down in front of him, Remus looked at it lovingly before taking hold of it and taking a long overdue sip. Days like the ones he had been having recently required pale ale and The Fountain of Fair Fortune stocked the best ones. The Wizarding World was superior to the Muggle one in many ways, but when it came to ales they just weren’t as far ahead he was sorry to say. After the hit of serotonin had hit from the beer, Remus’ gaze settled on Maren as she poured herself a glass of wine and sighed heavily at his question. It was I like her to be like this. Remus had seen Maren wear a serious expression at school telling off purists or discussing equality, but it was one she seemingly only wore when something in particular was bothering her. 

“I know how you feel.” Remus replied, though it was only partially true. Sadly due to his job Remus had often encountered the worst society had to offer. The attack on Benjy had been horrible but Remus was relieved that when he had turned up with his camera it had been to photograph his injuries rather than another person who had sadly passed away from their injuries. He’d gotten good at feigning normality when talking about death, aware he sounded somewhat ghoulish and unfeeling for not responding in the normal way. “It doesn’t make any sense to me.” He replied evenly, taking another sip of his beer. “Since we’re partners in crime for The Order, I don’t feel bad telling you that I don’t think this is random.” He stopped suddenly, looking over his shoulder to double check who might be listening. “Might be worth us talking to your sister actually and hear what she has to say about the whole thing.” He paused for a moment, assessing his previous sentence. “Respectfully of course, it wasn’t exactly a nice scene I arrived to so I can’t imagine how your sister is taking it.” 

James sprinkled some salt into the pot as he shimmied past Remus getting ready to finish the last bit of the dinner for them. Something he had promised to help Remus with when he got home from work. “Hey, do you think the others will make it back in time or will we have to eat by ourselves,” he smiled looking over to someone he hadn’t expected to get so close to. A friend who has always been there for him, and someone he could see helping for all of his life. James finding it impossible to see his life without Remus. Finding it ironic due to how their relationship truly had begun.

“I mean worse comes to worse we can have some … man? Time, a heart to heart if you will,” James pat his back happy to spend any amount of time with Remus.

Pulling the knife out of the kitchen draw and the chopping board out from next to the microwave, Remus laid them on the counter before beginning to shell the large onion he’d laid on top of it. Remus didn’t consider himself the best chef, but it had been something him and his mother had enjoyed doing that he’d brought into the Marauders house. Given they all lead stressful lives the boys tended to order in more than they should do, or grab quick food while they were out which had prompted him to try and be in to cook more and hopefully teach one or two of his housemates how to master certain recipes. “Hopefully, I mean I have no clue where Padfood is, probably at The Fountain or irritating Peter while he finishes the mid shift would be my two big guesses. Or fiddling around with that bloody bike of his.” Remus replied with a laugh, cutting the onion in two and beginning to slice it into long sections. 

It was rare these days they got to spend time like this together, his birthday had really reminded Remus of his life pre-work and how much he’d missed the easiness of being with his friends and making stupid jokes. “Man time?” Remus repeated with a laugh. “Peter been taking you to that special video shop in Soho again?” He joked, tossing the onions into the pan and coating them in butter before stirring. “We can have a heart to heart Prongs always, what’s on your mind mate? Anything at all you can tell me, I am an impenetrable fortress for information.” 

with: @marenebba

The brief squeeze of his hand from Maren brought a sweet half-smile to his face, it was nice to know he wasn’t completely a grey cloud. He was right to be suspicious but as Maren said it was best to hope for the best. “Yeah you’re right, thanks Maren.” Looking down at their hands for a moment, he wondered if to keep hold of her, knowing it would be better to keep together given the amount of people in the square, deciding not to drop her hand until they naturally began walking side by side when enough space presented itself to them. “How do you feel about today?’ He asked curiously, looking back to his friend with a raised eyebrow. By this point everyone in their friendship group had heard Remus’ sad werewolf story, of creeping out to The Shrieking Shack and being flanked by his friends on his jaunts to ensure he didn’t completely lose himself. It had become second nature for them to ask Remus how he was feeling about creature related incidents, though it had caught his attention it was a question rarely posed to Maren. “Weird having everyone advocate for you isn’t it?” He asked, though it was more of a statement than a question. “Although I’m sorry to say you’re probably as used to being in this position as me.” Maren had been through far more at school than Remus had. At Hogwarts her blood status had been public knowledge for all to have an opinion on, whereas he was thankful his werewolf status had only been known by a select few during his formative years. 

-

Maren had meant to just give Remus’ hand a brief squeeze, but when he held on, she did too. It was nice, Maren was generally a tactile friend, but she tried to respect Remus’ boundaries, knowing he wasn’t quite as touchy feely as the rest of their friend group. It was a rare moment, and that’s why she told herself her palm tingled at the extended contact. She smiled up at his thanks, always glowing under appreciation. “Of course.”

She considered Remus’ question before answering. He was right, she was used to seeing pure and half-bloods stand up for muggleborn rights, especially being a part of Sorcerer’s for Equality. “The march was great, everyone walking together and chanting and waving signs. It’s nice to feel like being muggleborn is being celebrated for once, instead of looked down upon or pushed to the side. But…” She blew out her cheeks and considered her next words for a second before reminding herself that this was Remus she was talking to, and if anyone would understand, it was him. “Is it just me, or do the speeches seem a little unrepresentative? I mean, Saorise MacMillan is speaking. Don’t get me wrong, I love Sersh, but what does she know about being muggleborn? Or a creature? Like, is now really the time and place for a bunch of human, purebloods to talk about their feelings?”

“No I think you’re completely right.” Remus replied, stopping as he got out of the thick of the crowd and dropping Maren’s hand as they began to walk side by side. “I too am grateful people are advocating for us. Charity and Benjy are brilliant speakers and I think it’s right they’re two of the biggest voices but I would also like to hear from more people like us. I would rather hear from...” He smiled down at Maren, nudging her slightly as he did with his elbow. “...well people like you to be honest Maren. I’d much rather risk my neck at the Ministry to listen to your experience, though I think it’s very important Pure-Bloods are taking a stand and challenging the beliefs of other people like them. That is really important and Scared Twenty-Eight people like Sersh, their voice has more weight in that community than I’m sorry to say, someone like me and you talking about why it’s important to support us even if it’s a voice you and I would prefer to listen to.”

It seemed to Remus as though the selection of voices speaking today were to get maximum outreach to crowds who might have been on the fence about walking today or ignoring Ministry advice to attend the protest, the problem with their community was that too many people were complacent and a lot of those complacent people were the ones who were in charge. “We need more people like you and your sisters, people who aren’t complacent and are ready to speak up. It’s saddening to me that all of this is taking place and the Ministry want to discourage people from coming along rather than admit their register is ridiculous and they don’t care about us...” His voice trailed off us as he looked out amongst the crowd. “...it’s everything a government shouldn’t do and it’s not what I want to align myself with.” 

Having been canvassing the protest for a while with Maren and then Laurel, Remus decided he needed a break and having lost both Linwood sisters somewhere within the crowds, he’d taken a punt someone he knew might have been hiding in his favourite pub, which luckily enough there seemingly was. “Wormtail!” He called, pushing open the door and seeing the face of his bored friend staring back at them. “Your finest pale ale please, I think I could really use one as a random citizen not involved in the march for equality in any way shape or form.” Remus wasn’t sure if Peter was working today, but either way he had pint pulling privileges Remus would have thought.  “Are you even working today or is this where you hang out on your days off now as well even when we’re not with you?” Remus asked with a chuckle. 

Leaning against the bar, Remus watched Peter pull him his pint, smiling happily as he watched the cup fill up. “Well I wouldn’t rob dear Tom of a few coins.” He responded, digging his hand into his pocket and sliding over the coins to Peter. “Poor Wormtail, cruelty left to defend The Leaky Cauldron alone, well don’t worry mate I’ve got your back.” Sliding away from the bar, Remus followed Peter away and into one of the booths, taking the seat opposite him and accepting his beer. “It’s madness out there mate, people shouting, signs everywhere but thankfully no violence which is brilliant.” Remus had seen a few unsavoury characters floating around the protest, though they hadn’t actually caused any issues. You could tell they weren’t friends of the movement, an angry glare in their eyes as they stared into the crowds, nudging friends and family as the hushed irritated comments under their breath. “Have you had any trouble in here yet? Alcohol and protests are rarely a good mix for angry purists.” Remus joked. “If you’ve not had any trouble yet, I’m sure it’s going to come.” 

location: Carkitt Market, Diagon Alley   with: @laurel-linwood

Having lost Maren somewhere in the crowds as people began to file back into the market to hear the next speech, Remus wandered around the area where they had previously been stood, hoping to see a flash of the trademark blonde he’d gotten used to be able to picking out of a crowd when they were at school. Hazel eyes, scanned the crowd, staring off into the distance as he ducked and weaved amongst people before finding the familiar waves he’d been hoping to see. 

Moving quickly forward, Remus darted amongst the people waiting silently for Charity Burbage to begin speaking, whispers slowly fading as she took the podium. It was like being amongst royalty and was certainly an inopportune time to both lose and find your friend again. “There you are.” Remus began in a hushed tone. “I lost you near the stalls whilst you were looking at the placards.” The voice that returned back from the girl made Remus do a double take as he looked upon the face of her older sister Laurel who stood confidently beside him. “Wrong sister.” He said with a laugh, prompting the person behind him to hush him irritably. “I should have realised sooner, you’re the taller one.” Remus added, careful to lower his tone enough to not cause another telling off. 

.

Originally her and her sisters had arrived together, ready to parade with their giant banner through the streets with the rest of the world. But after some time spent together they had all gone their separate ways to meet up with their own friends. Laurel had waved goodbye to her sisters after she spotted Arthur and Amos together, promising she’d come find them at the end of the march. She had accompanied the boys for a little way hopping between stalls before she excused herself to find Trystan. Chatting with her best friend for a moment, she watched as he joined the others waiting for the speeches to begin quickly finding a place amongst the crowd.

As Charity began speaking, Laurel heard another voice off to her left and turned to face the person, “Sorry?” She questioned reflexively, though she let out a laugh, recognizing Remus as one of her younger sister’s friends. “Well I’m happy that I look so young to be mistaken as Maren.” The blonde tried to keep her voice down so the others around her could still hear over her. “It’s quite alright,” She reassured him, “There’s quite a turn out today, isn’t there?”

“Well you’re not that much older than us.” Remus replied with a soft smile. “I remember you being at school with us at the very least.” In his memory, Laurel was only a few years older them, enough so that he remembered her laughter in the common room and the sound of the parties she threw in the common room which became a source of inspiration for their own in later years. It was a much simpler time then, when people crowded round to drink beers and request vinyls for the player. “Yes there is.” Remus agreed, casting his eyes around them and taking in the plethora of familiar and unfamiliar faces. “I didn’t know this many people cared about people like us, it’s good to know they do- makes you feel a bit less cynical-, but that might be that I am just slightly cynical.” He mused. “What’s the mood like over at Fair Faribault’s? Are people looking to change job or don’t have any faith in the system enough at the moment which is pretty understandable.” 

Blinking twice, he diverted his gaze from the person on the podium to Marcus. Remus had zoned out for a moment, caught somewhere between listening to what was being said and circling his own thoughts about the day. “Glenda’s good at public speaking.” He replied with a slightly shoulder shrug. “Unsurprising really given their day job.” Remus had appreciated the march and what the sorcerer’s for equality movement was doing, but he couldn’t help but notice the distinct lack of werewolves taking the podium to chat about their lack of income and housing due to the Ministry’s bollocks werewolf register he’d signed to keep people safe then regretted it immediately afterwards. “No, the Ministry told us we weren’t allowed to come and protest. Probably best since it’s a protest about the Ministry where we all work, some people don’t really care but I need the job. I’m mainly here to keep an eye out in case things end up going wrong.” His attention was quickly caught by Marcus’ sign which was hidden slightly by his body due to his stance. “What’s it say?” 

“Very good. Got to be in that profession,” Marcus agreed. He hadn’t meant to interrupt. He was in fact flustered that he had and he nearly backtracked apologetically. “Ah, that’s fair. Too bad of course but completely fair. I understand it. It’s good to be keeping tabs on the off chance.” He was hoping to all things that nothing too crazy would occur but you could never be too certain. Best to stay aware. “Oh-” He held up the sign to display the saying. There was a bit of sparkle from Sybill’s enthusiastic sprinkling on her own. “Equality for all. We must be heard. Simple and to the point but I thought it works best to sometimes be simple.”

“Indeed. My relationship with the Ministry is a complex one.” Remus had always held the dream that he wanted to help others, rather by working for the Ministry and serving the greater good, or perhaps as a teacher at his beloved Hogwarts. He had hoped his affliction might not get in the way of those aims, but that wasn’t to be. “I love my job and I love my team but the register is a pain in the arse, it’s so bad it’s allowed people like Fenrir Greyback to be on the run but some people are out on the streets, it’s horrifyingly bad and definitely put together by someone who couldn’t give a toss about werewolves at all. I don’t know why ever signed the bloody thing, some misguided faith in the justice system probably- I’ve got every right to be holding one of these signs but that’s the catch, you speak up you lose out. So here I am, silent amongst a crowd of people when I should probably be the loudest.” He’d offloaded a lot onto Marcus unknowingly, but it was bound to come out of him at some point. “How come you’re here, nice to know you have a vested interest in equality, but I don’t see any tufts of hair or fangs sprouting from you.” Remus joked with a playful smile. 

Where: Diagon Alley

“Chocolate?” The witch spoke with a quirk of an eye brow, offering the open bag of strawberry chocolates over to Remus, fresh out of Sugarplum’s sweet shop. “Now they’re my favourite so I hope you fully appreciate the amount of love this really is coming from me here.” Marlene teased a smile on her face as she handed the bag of treats over to him. “Now I’ve been having a think, a general ponder if you will, about your love life. Clearly as the boys have been failing you miserably as wing men; my offer to be your personal wing woman still very much stands.” The witch offered, popping one of the chocolates from her hand into her mouth as they strolled. “And before you say no just listen. Remus John Lupin, if anyone deserves to find someone, even just a glimmer of something; then you are one of the most deserving. And don’t make me punch you saying the sweets have made me soft.” Marlene spoke with a kind smile as she glanced up at him by her side. Maybe of all the four boys, Remus was always the one that Marlene was softer around. While she’d have no issue punching any of the others, rightfully she might add - they normally deserved it, putting words to action were never really in the question with Remus in Marlene’s mind. They were merely words of jest. “Besides I have to live vicariously through someone else while my love life is the travesty it currently is.” The witch teased nudging him lightly. “So what do you say?”

“The art of seduction ay?” Remus repeated with a slight chuckle. “I’m coming out in hives at the very thought of it, I’m far too British for the art of seduction, I think I’m happier burying my feelings- not that I have any to bury anyway.” Despite never having a significant other Remus had never felt lonely.He had noticed that there had come a time in all of their lives where they had longed to share things with people, to walk through life as a pair, a team which they could brace life with. Remus Lupin had no interest being in a team and had no interest in more people knowing about him than already did. Hogwarts had been difficult, hiding in amongst his fellow students, taking sick days and pretending everything was okay. At least at Hogwarts the eyes he thought were trained on him were all inside his head. Now with his name on the register they were very real and he relied on others to decide if he was a monster or not and weigh in on the internal battle that circled in his mind each day when people thought he was particularly quiet or not paying attention.

Marlene clearing her throat brought Remus back to the conversation, a smile spreading across his features as he nudged Marlene playfully. “I will give you the best hugs thing, I think that is definitely true and through years of forced social interaction from you lovely lot.” reaching toward Marlene he pulled her into a quick hug, chuckled and let go allowing her to spin back out as they contained walking. “I’m glad you’ve put yourself out there Marlene, I know what you went though can’t have been easy so it’s good you’re looking to get back out there.” Remus had been there for Marlene after what had happened at Halloween. The sight of her white jumpsuit stained a ghoulish shade of red he’d seen so many times though his camera lens had been an image that would stick in his memory forever. Marlene McKinnon had always been a fierce and feared woman but that night she looked hollow and frightened grasping at her bare arms for comfort in the Ministry foyer. Their relationship had always been Marlene going to bat for Remus with her loud personality and quick wits, but that night the roles had been reversed and he had only hoped he had supported her in a way that was at all useful. “Maybe we can exchange stories.” He mused, reaching into his pocket and snapping off more of the liquorice wand before popping it into his mouth. “I haven’t put myself in but I imagine I’ll end up in a pub somewhere. What I am interested in is how you pitched Mary to Grizel and if you’ve got a death wish, but given I entered Sirius, Peter and James I can’t really talk.”

“Well clearly I need to take you to spend some time in Scotland.” The witch teased with a light nudge of her elbow. “Fire Whiskey and flying away from dragons will ignite some fire in you if the beautiful people don’t. You know a little eye glint here,” The witch paused to bat her eye lashes with a delicate smile before continuing- “A little toss of the hair there-” Pausing again to toss her hair over her shoulders, before she elbowed him lightly: “A little nudge nudge- I’ll cover your hives in a beauty potion and away you go. You’ll be flying off on a broom into the sunset, quicker than you can say lumos.” Free arm looping around him lightly in a hug before she gracefully spun back out on the balls of her feet, finishing with a little wiggle before a bright smile pulled onto her features and a gentle laugh to boot; for once in a long time it finally reaching her eyes. “Don’t let my size decisive you, I make a great big spoon-“ The witch noted, moving to pick up another one of the strawberries chocolates before popping it in her mouth. “I’ll spoon you moon bug don’t worry, you’ll be safe in my arms.” The witch spoke dramatically a wide grin on her lips. 

“Are you sure you can fully handle my escapades?” The witch asked a smirk pulling onto her features as she quirked an eye brow lightly. “As long as you don’t dob me to Lily and expose all the places I’ve had sex in our apartment you can know every story in the book. What was that Muggle film called-” The witch paused momentarily before adding with a grin and light eyebrow wiggle: “The good, the bad and the dirty.” Marlene’s romantic life since James Potter had been simpler and less complicated to say the least; which is exactly what she wanted. Stolen moments of affection with strangers as if the comfort of their embrace and the feeling of their hand pressed against her lower back could some how ease the storm that raged inside her chest. For a heart that felt like it was pieces back together with fragile string, it was the easiest form of distraction Marlene could find. It was hard to think of life’s troubles with a beautiful stranger under your fingertips despite how fleeting every moment was. For a girl refereed to so commonly as a star that lit up the night sky, despite what she might portray, she felt flickering in comparison to what others deemed her. She wasn’t the sun, she wasn’t powerful or even as brave as she wanted to believe herself to be. Perhaps simply getting through the day was enough, maybe if she said it so many times over ‘i’m fine’, one day she’d grow to believe it too. But for now? Risky situations and last nights mascara smudged under her eyes was enough. “Remus- you’re friends with the most troublesome people I know, can you really expect to simply be sitting absently? And I hope they didn’t disappoint. And if they did I’ll gladly be taking matters into my own hands. I should put up a poster alongside these-” The witch spoke though paused as her head turned to glance lightly at the papers that hung in the breeze. One shining above all of them, the upcoming March for Equality. Pausing lightly in her tracks as she glanced over the parchment, a light frown of concern pulled onto the edge of her lips. Not even able to begin to understand what Remus could be feeling about the whole situation. Maybe he didn’t want to talk about that, so instead she figured she’d broach the topic from a different angle and lean into it. “Did you get his letter? Dumbledore’s?” The witch asked quietly a light frown pulling onto her features as she turned her gaze up to him. @luhpxns​

“A trip to Scotland and being held in the arms of Marlene McKinnon, I don’t think I can do it Marls, the other Marauders would be pea green with envy.” Jokingly, Remus nudged her back, his smile genuine and bright. Marlene always knew how to put Remus in a good mood, something he was incredibly thankful for. When the weight of the world felt heavy on his shoulders, Remus had a tendency to go in on himself and remain quiet. People like Marlene were good for him, a bright star in his life and an antidote to his darkness the made him realise he was more than just the monster, though it was difficult after all these years for him to separate the two. “I think you mean The Good, the Bad and the Ugly dear Marlene, unless Peter has been giving you bootleg VHS tapes that aren’t exactly reputable.” He said with a chuckle. His friends relationship with Muggle culture had been a funny one, being surrounded by a fair few Muggle-Borns and Half-Bloods, Remus had been impressed with how they had embraced Muggle culture, though it never failed to make him laugh when James got hold of something in his bedroom for the first time with eyes as wide as a child on Christmas Day. 

“I kind of assumed the best trouble was to cause some then leave the area.” Remus laughed. “Though I have to say they did manage to get me back.” Remus master plan for Valentine’s Day had been exactly that, to create trouble and watch it go down from the safety of the pub or the flat. James had apparently had other ideas. “I went on a date with a vampire funnily enough.” He said, sticking his hand into his pockets and watching as Marlene began looking through the stack of posters in her hand. “Nowhere near as frightening as people say actually, she was very lovely. Very out of my league and extremely beautiful. Good way of getting out of my shell a bit so I’ll have to give the boys a nice fruit basket for the trouble.” His date with Dahlia had confirmed a lot about Remus that he’d always deep down knew. They were more than just their connection to darkness, Dahlia more than anyone had made him think about that a bit differently. She’d lived many lives and seen the centuries turn and change as she stayed the same, frozen in time but happy with the life she’d lead. Not all of them were the scary stories in the dark or the monsters in text books and hid under beds. But some of them were and people like Fenrir Greyback deserved to have all rights revoked from them for the pain and horror he’d caused so many families. 

“Yes, I saw it in the function room the other day, Maren showed it to me.” His smile had turned into something of a frown, his eyebrows knitted together in thought as he mulled over the letter that had been left at the safe house. “Something is coming isn’t it?” He asked solemnly. “Whenever we get a letter from Dumbledore something bad is about to happen, but I suppose our job is try and ensure nothing bad does happen before it has a chance to, though that is easier said than done.” The days of laughing by the lake as they had done the evening of his birthday were fading away with each passing day. Your twenties, many said, were supposed to be the best years of your life, though when Remus looked into them he so only a shadow of what they should be which was shrouded in darkness and despair as people went missing and strange letters were left for them to mull over and panic about. “Have to not lose our heads I suppose, and stay on the look out, it’s all we can do really. We can’t have another repeat of last time, I don’t think the community can take it.” 

Pen in hand, Remus balanced the notebook on his lap and scribbled down a few notes, cautious that whatever he was writing maybe wasn’t best left out in the open. He’d decided to stop by The Fair Fortune and wait for Maren, who hopefully he hadn’t missed yet. Given their work with the order recently, Remus had started to get in the habit of thinking about her in relation to work and had so far found it pleasant he had someone else to bother with his constant musings and thoughts other than Frank. Given the past few months, Remus had been on edge, curious and suspicious of everyone he didn’t know was a friend and even those he didn’t quite no well enough yet to rule out of his thinking. 

He jumped slightly as the voice of a woman from over the bar made him realise he wasn’t fully secluded in this part of the pub. “Adairia.” Remus said in greeting. “Sorry you startled me, I was busy looking over my notes- your youngest sister in?” He asked hopefully. “I’m happy to wait around if she’s still getting ready for today, it’s definitely a big one.” 

“Ha, ha very funny. I carry ID so I could at least have some vodka in my orange.” Remus didn’t know the eldest Linwood well, having always had more contact with Laurel and Maren due to their ages. Adairia seemed to have the signature humour of her younger sisters as well as the trademark blonde hair and bright eyes Laurel and Maren had been known for at school. “I’ll have a beer if you’re offering, do you have any pale ales on draught?” The one thing he loved about The Fountain of Fair Fortune was their drinks selection. As all Linwood sisters had been raised in the muggle world as well as the wizarding one they had the best collection of drinks in the city, both wizarding and muggle which set them apart from other establishments in the alley. 

“We hadn’t discussed it.” He replied, folding away the notebook and tucking it inside of his inside jacket pocket. “Peter is working today and James and Sirius are busy with work so I thought I’d take a punt and see if she was around, silly given I know how close she is with you and Laurel but I thought better check and see.” Remus and Maren had been good friends since they were together at school but had started to become closer recently through their work with the order. He’d always known Maren to do and say things with conviction, but from getting know her sisters it seemed it was also apparently another trait they all shared. “How are you feeling about today?” He asked with a polite smile. “The turn out is supposed to be quite big I’ve heard from Mary.”