"I won't give up on us even if the skies get rough. I'm givin you all my love, I'm still lookin up."
Posts: 32
Blood Status: Pureblood Affiliation: Order of the Phoenix Occupation: Provider Age: 19 Relationship: Finally won the heart of one Miss Lily Evans ;)
The howls had finally dwindled down to that point, where they stopped altogether. Each time, they always seemed the most violent, the most desperate, during the transitions themselves. Obviously, transforming into a werewolf was plenty painful, but there seemed to be something just as agonizing about turning back, almost like the beast itself was making one final, hopless attempt to hold on, to cling to its brief existence. It was putting up its last fight, and, since he could get pretty temperamental when that began, Remus had specifically asked them to let him be alone for this particular phase of his monthly affliction.
Sure, James had initially put up a fight, insisting on sticking by his friend through the worst parts of it, but that Moony was determined. And, seeing as how he'd managed to talk him into just about everything else, including being with him throughout any of this, he figured he'd go ahead and let him have his way this time. It wasn't too often the guy put his foot down this stubbornly, so it must obviously be a pretty big deal to him.
And so, as they let him alone for these last few minutes, he and his two other companions had taken to settling themselves comfortably in the downstairs sitting area. They'd even gone ahead and gotten the fireplace all nice and lit for him, so he could make himself cozy whenever he headed on down. If Peter would stop hogging the warmth long enough, anyway. The second they'd started on it, he'd rushed to sprawl out on the floor right in front of it, and he hadn't gotten up since. Not that either he or Sirius really minded, it was definitely warmer than it had been without it, but still. If Wormy didn't get the hint to scooch on over when Remus showed his pretty face again, James would be sure to make a less than subtle comment about it.
Presently, he relaxed into the sofa, where he was lounging comfortably against the armrest, with one leg propped up, and the other dangling over the side of the couch. He swung it back and forth listlessly, to the sound of the crackling logs, which was beginning to drown out the howling wind outside.
A smile rested easily on his countenance. It was a pretty great feeling, being back here like this. Yeah, he'd had Sirius with him over the break this time around, and that was getting to be pretty damn awesome, living with his best friend, but there was still something different, when all four of them got together like this. It was kinda sad, that it had to be Remus' furry little problem that always had a way of bringing them together, but at the same time, it also put a sort of hopeful edge to the whole condition. Light in the dark and all that. At least, he sincerely hoped it did. He couldn't always be sure, how well their Moony was taking all of this, if they ever really helped that much, but, hey! He'd never complained, and seemed to smile about it more, so there was that.
And, now! Now, he wouldn't have to worry about the whole thing for a good, long month. The winter holidays were over, exams were behind them, and they didn't have any O.W.L.s or N.E.W.T.s to dread in the upcoming months. How awesome was this? They didn't need to have a care on their minds right now.
The transformation into and out of his lycanthrope state always took all the energy from him. Every muscle ripping and reshaping, bones breaking and snapping, morphing into strange shapes that he often felt his body could not handle. Needless to say, the pain was unbearable... The blood and scars that came afterward were simple reminders of the horrific process that had taken place not an hour ago.
Remus stared at his hands, opening and closely them. The joints in his fingers felt swollen and it pained him to move them; this usually lasted about three hours after the reversion... His body was sore, muscles feeling like they were pulling every direction, and his bones as though someone had beaten him with a heavy metal bar. The headache caused a great pounding in his skull and his skin felt as though it was on fire.
He let out a heavy sigh, and breathed in deeply... Closing his eyes. The pain would be gone soon, but return a month later. He chuckled to himself as he thought that maybe a month will come when the lycanthropy will not return. He knew it was a false hope, but he also knew he needed it in order to not give up... Well, that and his friends.
Remus peered to his left to see a pair of clothes resting gently upon a chair, the light of a nearby candle flickering against the wall and causing shadows to dance about the room. He stood from the bed and walked over to the chair, throwing on the fresh clothes. The ones he had worn early were gone thanks to the transformation. A shame, he really liked that sweater...
The floorboards creaked under his weight as he made his way down the stairs, smelling the familiar scent of burning Cedarwood from the fire. It made him remember a Christmas long ago when he didn't have the curse. Happier times.
"James," he chimed as he spotted his friend lounging on the sofa. "How about some tea?"
"No matter the reason, I'll give you everything you need. I don't wanna lose you."
Posts: 9
Blood Status: Pureblood Affiliation: Order of the Phoenix Occupation: Bartender Age: 19 Relationship: I'm taken, with the beautiful Emmeline Vance.
The young Black sat across from his best friend on the sofa, nestled into the cushions where the former had left just enough room for one person. He had one foot sprawled across the floor, just beside the creature who'd long-since made it his mission to warm every fiber of his being by hogging the space in front of their blazing fire, and the other resting below his thigh in criss-cross position. In an attempt to keep his mind from the sounds coming from his friend upstairs, Sirius had taken out his wand and conjured little birds to fly around the room. As more time passed and the agonized noises only increased in volume, he continued to add to his small creations with other creatures. A snow rabbit here, a butterfly made out of wispy white smoke there. He was a bit proud of his creativity, until he was again torn from his concentration by a bone-chilling shriek, causing all the creatures to vanish into thin air. No matter how many times he'd experienced this with Remus, no matter how many times he'd heard these noises coming from the floors above and rattling the walls around them, he would never be used to it. It wasn't necessarily the fact that the screams and groans gave him the urge to run up the stairs, barge into the room and ensure that the transition hadn't gone terribly awry and his friend wasn't seriously injured...it also had to do with how unfair it all was. Whenever Moony went through these transitions...the howls, the cries, they filled his heart with sadness knowing that the sweet boy had never wanted to live his life this way, it was a fate set upon him unwillingly.
Now, as the trio sat in the small living area long after the cries had died down and they were all made aware that Remus had, once again, made the transformation back to himself, Sirius was twirling the small ring of fire he'd conjured over with his wand into random shapes above his head, trying to keep his mind from wandering too far. Recently, when the wizard was left alone with his thoughts and he had nothing to distract himself with...well, his mind tended to linger in places he'd rather not think about. It only made sense, he supposed. He had left his family mere months ago--his father, his charming mother...and his baby brother, Regulus. As such, he supposed it was only natural that he spent such a large majority of his time thinking about them. His only solution was to force his mind to think of other things; whether that be James' constant pursuit of the Evans girl, Moony's own troubles, Wormtail's idiotic and foolish tendencies, or even the grueling, tedious process of school, he was happy for any redirection.
Shifting his gaze to look at his best friend, he wore a wry smile at the thought how his recent holidays had gone. When he was younger, he'd receive an abundance of presents wrapped in silver and green--Slytherin colors, of course--and would always look forward to staying up with his little brother to see how many they'd get each year, never once missing that small glimmer of disappointment in his eyes when he'd notice the elder would always have more. He also couldn't forget the bountiful feasts his parents would hold, the loud voices drifting through every wall of their home when their relatives arrived. His favorite part, however, was after every evening was concluded, and he and Regulus would sneak out to the ledge leading out from his window and exchange their personal gifts. It was his favorite because, no matter what he'd ended up getting the younger Black, his eyes always lit up at the sight and he'd give Sirius such a bright smile that radiated happiness.
After being sorted, however, and becoming the wretched blood-traitor that consorted with lions, his mother's treatment of him shifted from putting him on a pedestal as the "golden child" to him being virtually non-existent in her eyes due to his disgracing the family name. Those Christmases were spent with a lack of gifts from his parents and being told to go up to his room before the rest of the family arrived. He'd listen to the haughty voices of his mother and aunt, the shrill laughter of his cousins--Bellatrix, Cissy and Andy--before the stern lecture from their mother to keep their voices down. So proper, his family. Always protecting their image. In spite of all this...in spite of the way his mother looked at him every day as if she were watching a vile creature invading her home, his brother would come to his room at the end of the night, with a small gift held tightly in his fist, ready for their yearly exchange. The distance between them only grew when Regulus was sorted into Slytherin, just like every one of his relatives, and he took Sirius's former position of being the light of his mother's life. When the elder left home to live with James...the only thing he really left behind was his baby brother, the only thing that kept him there for so long. This last Christmas was the first he'd spent without the thoughtful gift he'd receive in the middle of the night, the bright--though slowly dimming, over the years--smile he had the pleasure of seeing, the presence of the boy who'd, somehow, never seen Sirius as anything but his older brother.
He couldn't stay, though. He couldn't let Regulus fall further in their parents' eyes by spending any more time with Sirius. He wouldn't let Regulus's image be tarnished as well.
He was immensely grateful to James, though. Despite not having his brother, this was the first holiday in so long he'd spent without an argument, without the looks of loathing from across the table, without the spiteful way his mother would send him upstairs when she felt he was getting out of hand. This was the first holiday since he'd begun his schooling at Hogwarts he spent feeling like part of a family again, feeling like he belonged somewhere. They weren't his real parents, and they never would be, but he could never thank them enough for how giving and caring they were towards Sirius. The Potters had always been like a second family to him, somewhere he could escape to when it all got to be too much with his parents, when he needed to find some place to find a bit of happiness when he was in dire need of it. And now, it really was his home. He would be forever indebted to James for that.
Once Sirius heard the familiar footsteps creaking the boards in the old shack, he didn't even need to turn his head to know Moony had decided to join them at last. He quickly extinguished the flame he had been mindlessly fiddling with before and brought his foot down into Peter's side, nudging him--not quite gently--and sending a pointed look his way, signaling that it was time for him to give up his place by the fire. Only then did he turn to face the tall Gryffindor standing in the doorway, giving him a carefree smile. As if he hadn't just recently made his transformation, as if Sirius wasn't still worried for his dear friend, knowing that he was surely experiencing the lingering pain he always felt after the transition. As if there really was no reason to have a worry in their minds at the moment.
Peter hovered near James and Sirius during the early stages of their friend's transition. They were protected in their animagus forms and that's what made them so convenient, but the boy still felt a sense of fear whenever he was in the werewolf's presence. He knew it was his friend beneath it all, but on the surface there was a raging animal that could attack them. Peter felt safer during these times if he stuck by his other friends. Sirius was a big black dog, capable of protecting himself, and James was a stag with giant antlers. They could protect the small rat with no trouble.
Remus had asked them to leave near the end of his transition, as always, and Peter was the first one to put his foot out the door. He stomped down the stairs and transformed back into his human self. He shivered. It was freezing! Another perk about being a rat was the fur that kept him warm during these cold times. The other two seemed to read his mind, though, because in the next moment they had lit a fire. The small boy squeaked and rushed towards the warmth, where he was instantly relieved of all stress. He decided to lie down in front of the hearth so the fire's heat could wrap around him like a blanket. The feeling was very soothing and it wasn't long before he started to doze off.
The young Gryffindor had only been asleep for a few moments before he felt a hard nudge in his side. Another squeak escaped him, then, and he scrambled to his feet, instantly recognizing Sirius as the culprit behind the kick. Peter glared hard at him, his mouth twisting into a frown. What the hell was that about?
He decided to ask, but then Remus came downstairs and suggested making tea. Peter's face brightened, all thoughts of the abuse disappearing from his mind...for now. "I would love some tea, Remus! You make it the best!"
"I won't give up on us even if the skies get rough. I'm givin you all my love, I'm still lookin up."
Posts: 32
Blood Status: Pureblood Affiliation: Order of the Phoenix Occupation: Provider Age: 19 Relationship: Finally won the heart of one Miss Lily Evans ;)
There was a creak on the floorboards which caught James' attention. Not that it was unusual, the whole house was creaky, but he knew what it signified, even before Sirius put out the fire he'd been playing with. Making shapes and the like, it'd been pretty entertaining, but it looked like Remus was finally heading on down to rejoin the party. The young Gryffindor turned his head in the general direction of the stairs, throwing an arm casually over the back of the couch and offering a winning smile Moony's way, as the boy came in view.
He looked absolutely exhausted. He always looked like that after these times of the month. It made James' heart hurt for his friend, just seeing it, seeing the toll it always took on him, seeing what this affliction did to the sweet guy. Tsk...if there had ever been a person alive who didn't deserve something like this, it was Remus. But, there just wasn't anything that could be done about it, "it is what it is" kinda thing. All they could was be here for him. Offer him constant encouragement and moral support through the toughest of times, and a happy, positive outlook for the rest of the time, to help take his mind off it.
He felt the movement on the couch, and heard the squeak, and then made a quick mental note of the fact that he wouldn't need to be the one to make Peter move out of the way of the fire, anymore. Looks like Sirius had taken care of that for him. I mean, personally, he was planning on just asking him to scoot, which probably would've done the trick well enough, but whatever. Bottom line: message received.
When Remus addressed him, and made that delightful offer, Peter chimed in before he even got the chance to respond, and James couldn't help but chuckle. Leave it to Peter.
"Sure thing, Moony," he agreed, his tone as nonchalant and carefree as always. "Tea sounds awesome." With an easy gesture to the walls, to indicate the howling wind outside, he remarked, "Just what this kinda weather calls for, I think. And Peter's right," he shot a wink Remus' way then, "you do make it the best."
Hermione Granger: Ironically, the same thing happened to me. I'm glad you brought it up
May 24, 2016 2:50:37 GMT -5
Hermione Granger: It looks wonderful, though, doesn't it?
May 24, 2016 2:50:49 GMT -5
Draco Malfoy: It does I've been so excited for it since I first heard about it. Always been my favorite, after all. Combine that with you and it's nothing short of perfect. We definitely need to see it together.
May 24, 2016 2:53:18 GMT -5
Hermione Granger: Oh, we absolutely do! It's always been my favorite, too, but I know how much it's always meant to you. You've always sort of reminded me of how the prince was before he became the Beast, haha!
May 24, 2016 3:10:37 GMT -5
*
Draco Malfoy: Ha! Yes, and then somewhere during that whole transition...I became my father
May 24, 2016 3:20:39 GMT -5