#one note

When I said plot I actually meant plot not just new old characters but here they are anyway happy monday ty for reading xx

parts1 - … - 16 - # - 18

“Remus Lupin!” bellowed a voice Remus hadn’t heard in two years.

He was just about to demonstrate the double axle to one of his older students. But he winced and stumbled on take-off, and landed with his arse on the ice.

And the boy had the audacity to laugh at him. 

Remus groaned, “What do you want, you lunatic!” He shouted back, and looked towards the source of the voice. Sure enough, one Marlene Mckinnon, crop top, leather jacket, ripped jeans and all, was perched at the rails sporting an almost-amused smirk. 

“Get your arse over here!”

The boy looked at Remus amusedly. “I guess that’s that for the day?”

“Yeah, I suppose so.” he muttered, shaking his head, “Sorry, Andrew. We’ll try that again next Tuesday, yeah?”

Marlene’s eyes followed him all the way as Remus made his way over. “You’ve got to stop letting those kids bribe you into unpaid overtime.” 

“Well,” Remus shrugged, “how’d you think I started skating.”

“What’s it they say? Fight the system, not acquiesce to it?”

Remus laughed breathily, “good to see you too, Marls.”

Marlene was possibly the only one out of their friends to appear even less impressed to see Remus than he was to see them. But the fierce hug they shared betrayed them both.

“Marlene,” Remus drew back with a smile, arms still on her shoulders, “How did it take you so fucking long to show up?”

She lightly punched him in the side, “I’m here now, aren’t I?”

“How’ve you been?”

“Oh you know,” She grinned, running a hand through her messy blond locks, “a bit bored. But that’s life.”

“Oh my god,” Remus chuckled. They’ve come a long way from binge-reading Nietzsche and Dostoyevsky together at 3am, but— “you’re still exactly the same.”

“Surely nothing and no one ever really changes.” She deadpanned.

“None at all?”

“Well. Nothing that really matters.” 

“Alright you.” Remus snorted fondly. “Then what’s this I hear about you falling in love?”

Marlene’s lips twitched, “Oh yeah?”

“So what. Have you gone crazy about someone and finally figured out what the fuss is all about now?”

“Oh no.” She laughed, “Didn’t you hear? Nothing changed. The world doesn’t turn over on its belly. You just don’t realise it isn’t really different. Sure, I’m crazy about her but. Always been, haven’t I?”

“Hmm.” Remus considered her with a small smile. “I quite like that. Good for you, Marls.”

-

It wasn’t long before the rest of everyone bundled in. They were impossibly loud as they poured down the sidewalk that led from Hogwarts into the village. Everyone was laughing, trying to have five different conversations with everyone else. Remus flitted between walking besides each of his friends, not a couple of words exchanged before one of them was pulled into another conversation. But it was the pleasant kind of exasperated buzz in his head. It’s been so long since they were like this. For perhaps the first time since they’ve graduated, all of them were gathered together in one spot. Well, almost everyone. 

“Oh by the way!” James suddenly called out over all of them, “Did you all know that Mary is flying in tonight?”

“What?!” 

“Who fucking what?”

“You’ve got to be kidding—”

“Why didn’t I know—”

James laughed as he was drowned out with a bout of surprised, indignant exclamations, and looked around delightedly at them all. “Well yeah! She told me her flight’s today, asked me to pick her up and everything!”

“No, no, no, James Potter—” Lily looked ready to pull out her hair, “did you just— forget to mention— how long have you known?”

“A couple of days.” The way James was grinning, one would think he’d won a million-pound prize. “Dance partner loyalty, and all that.”

“Not jealous, are you Lils?” Sirius nudged her with an elbow.

“Fuck you, Black.” Lily whipped her head around, her ponytail almost slapping James in the face as Sirius laughed.

“Mary that traitor,” Dorcas said disbelievingly, “How come she didn’t tell any of us! I knew she was coming back soon but not— James, when exactly is she arriving?”

“Oh, she’ll probably be landing soon, I was gonna get home and get the car straight away.”

“Bloody fuck,” Remus breathed. “Glasgow? Godspeed with the traffic, Prongs.” James responded with a two-finger salute.

“Yeah, want us to pack you something to eat on the way?” Peter added.

“Nah, it’s all good! Just make it good for when we get back.” James winked.

“You bastard,” Marlene said, “guess we’re at yours tonight then? Bloody hell, give some warning for this sort of shit next time.”

“Where’s all the fun to that!”

Marlene rolled her eyes. “We’ll go grab some beers then, shall we?”

“And pizza. Literally nothing else would do.”

“Good call, Pete!”

Remus shook his head to himself. This was bound to be a long and raucous night. As everyone else prattled on excitedly about their plans, Sirius sidled up to him. 

“Remus—” he smiled a little nervously, and said under his breath, “I know we said we’d go somewhere just the two of us tonight, but—”

“Shut up.” Remus grabbed Sirius’ hand with both of his, “of course we’ll bunk in with everyone. What were you thinking?”

“Know you must be tired. Had a long day, wanting a quiet night, that’s all.”

“No, it’s fine.” Remus shook his head, “I can’t wait to see Mary. Fuck, I can’t believe we’re all here.”

“Crazy, ‘innit?” Sirius chuckled breathily.

“You didn’t know either, did you?”

“No.” Sirius gave him a lopsided little smile. “Not a clue.”

They shared a quiet smile, the lamplights’ shadow gliding across their faces as they continued walking forwards. 

“We’ll do this again another day, won’t we?” Sirius asked.

“For sure. Any day you want, really. We don’t even need to set a date, most of the time you end up grabbing me for the evening anyway.” 

“Alright, well. What about tomorrow?”

“A saturday? We won’t be at the rink though.”

“Yeah, but we could just go for dinner anyway.” Sirius shrugged, looking ahead.

Remus smirked a little. “Won’t miss me so much after one weekend, will you?”

Sirius huffed, “will you come with me or not?”

“Yeah, of course.” Remus said quietly, after a short moment.

Sirius turned to him then with a soft smile. “It’s set, then.”

-

Sirius’ phone buzzed— it’s a message from James. Remus leaned in to read over Sirius’ shoulder. They’ve piled into Sirius and James’ house, with enough food and drink to feed a zoo. Though Remus supposed they weren’t all that different from a zoo. The message read: 

Pronks: were just outside town now!!!xxxx

“Ahoy mates!” Sirius exclaimed and jumped off the sofa, “they’ll be here soon!” 

Remus picked up the phone that kept buzzing: 

gon make it a surprise kay?
turn the lights off and everything

With some sort of telepathic understanding, Sirius was already running up and down closing curtains and turning off lights. 

“Right, Pete, you’re on window duty. Signal the moment you see Prongs’ car rolling in.” He flew around the room, so fully in his element, “someone go get the upstairs light, I’ll stand by for hall and kitchen— Lily, can you find the stairs?” 

“I don’t know where your lights are—”

“Ow Lils that was my foot—”

“Oh I’m so sorry—”

“Can you turn the fucking lights back on?” Marlene waved an arm around, hitting Remus in the chest, “oh for fucks— can y’all calm down?”

“Calm down, Marls? We’re about to see Mary!”

“Can someone please go upstairs those lights on the stairs are our fanciest!”

“Alright I’ll go!” Remus relented, getting up and started to feel his way through the dark.

“Love you Moons! Okay, do you think we’ve got any streamers?”

“Oh my god can we not—”

“Code red!” Peter suddenly shouted, turning from the crack in the curtain, “targets approaching— everyone get to station, wherever we didn’t even agree to!”

“Jesus mother, all of you are mad.”

“Shh!” Sirius whispered aggressively. “Everybody down— hide behind something. Now!”

“Alright, alright!”

-

After a couple minutes of waiting interrupted with occasional whispers and stifled giggles, they heard muffled talking through the doorway. Laughter— James’ booming bellows and Mary’s high pitched giggles— a jangling of keys, then the key was turning in the hole, and the door cracked open. The shadow of a shaggy head was seen in the doorway before James flicked a light on. With it, the entire house burst alight.

“Surprise!!” Everyone shouted, jumping from behind walls and furniture. Remus poked his head down the top of the stairs. 

“Welcome home, Mary!” James grinned, stepping aside to let Mary take in the room and everyone around. She stood wide-eyed and still for long moments, jean jacket awry and high ponytail messy from travel, both hands full with travel sacks. Everyone held their breath.  

“Oh my god.” Mary dropped the bags and covered her mouth with her hands. Her eyes were shiny, “of fucking course all of you are fucking here!”

In unison, the entire room flooded forwards, and crowded the tiny hallway in the loudest, grandest group hug they’ve had in two years.

09/02/2021 The snow is so peaceful so I’ve moved all of my desk bits to face the window. I had a crazy busy day yesterday but hopefully that makes today easier. I’m missing my boyfriend a lot today, we had the best snow days when we weren’t long distance. X Emily