Pull on a string, find SOME KNOWLEDGE, look beyond the pages, and find yourself more than simply clever. The world’s changing out there, you know, and you’ll need more than textbook strategies to keep yourself alive, she thinks, you’ll want wit, and the ability to think on your feet. What do you do if you’ve got a truth you don’t want to let go of? What do you do, if the person asking it, isn’t of the best intentions? How do you hold your own? The questions that run like a river amongst the students, while, teachers and professors all dance about the edges of application. Nobody wants to admit that society is falling down, do they? Then again - it hardly feels that way when they’re out in the woods, listening to the sounds of nature, the absence of man.
Fingers unfold, palm that supports her chin, fingertips tapping against the pale stretch of flesh. “Have I tried it? No. Not really. Then again, who’d be interested in being in my mind? All the DANGEROUS FOLK that care for that probably think there’s nothing to care for in me~” a hopeful thing. A careless assumption. “Why, do you? And you should know, none of those Slytherin gits even know how to pull up their own robes, much less practice actual Occlumency.”
- @remvsjohn
remus’ head shook, gaze cast downward as he thought. “i dunno, i think i’d quite like to be an occlumens, just for the security of it all.” oh, if only the thoughts he had to hide were who he thought of in solo romantic times, or naughty, cruel thoughts best hidden from the world. to be able to truly, ineffably, conceal identity? that was a dream that may actually provide him solace.
“ besides, i don’t know! i heard narcissa malfoy a few years back took veritaserum on a dare and literally told lucius to fuck off. i’m sure it’s exaggerated, but that does sound quite enticing.” nevermind that his fear was substantiated by thinking he could one day be inquisitioned by the Ministry. that kind of power and control... it was something he couldn’t even imagine, given his monthly circumstances. beautiful. serene. terrible. all things at once. and it excited him, sitting forward even in the discussion of it.
“Is the question for the quiz, or for you?” Marlene shoots back, already having lit a cigarette, her blonde hair parted and combed back over one shoulder as her book’s left balanced on bare knees, unsteady. A grin forms about the edges of it, that he might spot, might not, given how his head ducks to read and scan through his own texts, but she learns in forwards, blowing out the side of her mouth. “I THINK THE EASIEST is Occlumency, but I’ll be honest, in a proper pinch, the best option is to be as earnest as you can be about anything save the question at hand. Wax poetic about the birds, about saving the planet, about your love for pearl bloody cardigans, who cares! You go until it’s out of it. They can have you tell the truth, but they don’t have to pick what the truth is for you.”
The jagged flashing of teeth as she turns a page, tapping at a question in particular on the yellowing parchment. “Give me a PRACTICAL USE of the everlasting elixir. Go!”
- @remvsjohn
@redemptioninterlude (marlene)
he was ready to come back with a quip, but being quizzed gave him this rush of excitement, ready to give the correct answer. the simple thrill of it he had made plenty think he was meant to be a Ravenclaw, but in truth, remus believed himself to be a natural slytherin solely due to his self-protective nature, hiding his own truths even from someone like marlene just for the momentary satisfaction of closeness he felt.
“an everlasting elixir either never runs out, constantly to refill, or the effect will be everlasting...”
his gave continued over the textbook, but he couldn’t help but ask a nagging question on his mind rather than give any kind of quiz over wolfsbane potion. “ have you ever tried occlumency? i heard some slytherins bragging about being legilimens, but i’ve never actually seen it in practice.”
The shelter of the trees, just edging out the Forbidden Forest, made it hard to see the pair on the late Saturday evening from the walls of the castle. Tiny bodies, hardly discernible from the trees. Remus set Marlene’s glass down opposite him, cradling his potions books in his lap. A variation on “truth or drink” thought up of course by the Ravenclaw house would hopefully make sure the pair were prepared for their potions exam in a few days. Remus planned to have no wine, since his aversion to alcohol kept him from drinking publically, but he found himself quite alright with the idea of a glass or three with his companion, should that be the outcome.
the first wizarding war began before the marauders were even born so you can UNDERSTAND WHY THEY WERE WILLIng TO SIGN UP TO DIE FOR THE CAUSE OF ENDING IT. they literally grew up through dom.estic terro.rism and two ministers of magic who couldn’t stop it
01. space - audrey nuna
02. head first - christian french
03. book and a cover - suzanne vega
04. not no more - cocaine 80s
05. dancing with your ghost - sasha sloan
06. hostage - billie eilish
07. criminal - fiona apple
08. my moon my man - feist
it was only early morning, but he’d set out into the woods hoping that maybe - m a y b e - if he makes a day of it he could actually start to enjoy (or at least, not hate) the transformation. he’d chosen a secluded spot deep in the woods, a two hours’ walk from the closest road, to set up camp. still, he was nervous. a national park wasn’t the most ideal place to spend a full moon, but it was better than locking himself in a basement in some suburb. theoretically. maybe. hopefully. he didn’t know this park well, and for all the possibilities he could’ve just set up near a well-loved hiking trail. the ridge above looked good for it...
send a 🖐️ emoji ( or just ‘ 5 ′ ) for five times our muses touched .
in sanctuary
the smell of books etched into his hair, his clothes, the same way dark ink stained his finger tips from accidental brushing against still damp parchment, a few ruined pages tossed aside only to be redone. they were spared the harsh glares from madame pince as they’d become a quiet fixture, sweet and unobtrusive and as expected as the desks and chairs; near finals any and everyone new just to pop into the library if you needed remus or marlene, unless of course they found sanctuary in the ravenclaw common room when the gryffindors were in need of more attention than the pair was willing to give. their favorite table boasted a small etching, a few initials just to immortalize the many hours spent huddled around it.
the harsh ege of the bookshelf dug into remus’ back, barely managing to keep him awake. it reminded him that his bones were bones, hard but brittle, human or not. the night prior the moon had been full, and though he was holed up in his bed all day, the exhaustion was still settled deep into his bones. luckily, marlene didn’t complain when he moved himself to the floor sat next to a pile of books he still needed to annotate. the quiet swish of her clothes brought a small smile to his lips, knowing she’d just sat down next to him in camaraderie.
his head began to dip, sight blurring. he had already made himself as small as possible - curling lanky limbs into himself. his sweater - two sizes too large, a relic from a weekend at the potter’s that left the shirt he’d been wearing in ashes - blanketed him in softness and warmth, the fabric pooling in his palms. gravity and desperate sleepiness soon pulled him toward the floor. softly, not trying to disturb her progress his head of loose, shaggy curls found refuge on her lap as he cuddled his potions book into his chest. he couldn’t tell if it was his near dream state or reality when he felt the slightest of brushes against his hair, or the light pressure of a hand coming to rest against his shoulder.
in celebration
the ravenclaw and hufflepuff flags hung ‘round the pitch. yellow gleamed sunlight and cheer, accenting opposing bronze. remus’ shoulders proudly bore his father’s vintage practice jersey, and he wasn’t the only gryffindor displaying the ravenclaw colors in the stands. he could see several friends in the badger seats, more than a few in extravagant costumes to show support.
the points were neck and neck, each team’s keepers and chasers were fighting hard to maintain an edge. the assumption that gryffindor and slytherin were the most competitive in the school was simply biased propaganda - from his seat, remus’ eye glinted with mischievous anticipation. the chasers were taunting one another, and he watched, smirking, the almost undetectable signaling of the ravenclaw chasers to the beaters. nerves couldn’t help but bubble up knowing that a blow from a bludger could prove to be fatal, but he did so enjoy a well fought match.
things were getting i n t e r e s t i n g.
he only realized the pressure of fingernails digging into his palms when his mesmer was broken upon the sharp turn of the ravenclaw chaser. the snitch had been seen! remus was swept up in the small sea of students surrounding him who immediately fled the bleachers to head down to the pitch. the twenty point lead brought wild cheers from the ravenclaw stands - once the snitch was in hand, the match would be over with a blue and bronze win.
he was still on the stairs when the screaming started, signaling it had, in fact, been caught. once his feet touched grass eyes quickly sought the score and -
he and the rest of the ravenclaw supporters rushed out onto the field where the players began landing. he found marlene, currently celebrating alongside her housemates, and remus’ arms wrapped around her waist from behind, lifting and spinning her around in a celebratory hug before offering high fives to the rest of the team.
in comfort
winter break, seventh year. the tinsel on the evergreen boughs and warm light of the fire only exacerbated the lonely ache resonating through his veins. most of the students had already fled the grounds in favor of their family homes, and remus wasn’t meant to be far behind them. he only had to stay behind until after the full moon since his father’s house could no longer contain the beast he became during transformation. his footsteps carried him throughout the castle, up and down hallways, across stretching staircases, in some kind of hope to get mindlessly lost - perhaps as lost as he felt, letter clutched in his left hand. it was fruitless, though. remus had memorized nearly every centimeter of the school and no turn could keep his mind busy, nor keep his tears from falling quietly to the stone.
he wasn’t expecting to come across marlene, though. not like this. she saw the grief etched in his features immediately, and of course she asked what he was doing, where he was going. it was sweet to know she didn’t immediately pry, though perhaps it was alarming to actually see the sadness in full form, rather than veiled behind his eyes or tucked behind a smile.
“ the owlery. i’ve got to send james a note - i was meant to spend christmas with him - godric i haven’t even got paper though. “ what had he been intending, to send his father’s letter along? he’d only decided vaguely to let james know but was for once totally and completely unprepared for the task. it needed to be a letter, though. he didn’t know if he could say it. “ my mum’s just - she -” his body threatened to collapse in on itself, but marlene read the words unspoken and rushed in to hold him close. he sank down into her touch - his eyes closed, fingertips let the letter fall to the stone. his cheek came to rest against her hair, her arms up over his shoulders. her warmth spread through his jumper, a slow rising tide against the aching emptiness that filled him. his mum was gone. just like that. gone with the flick of a wand, with the stroke of a pen.
in diffidence
" you know that broom cupboard everyone claims people go to snog? “ remus brought their strides to a slow amble. the sixth floor was mostly deserted - his preference, as a prefect. how he’d been given the position he’d never know. he’d never given a detention in his life and didn’t intend to start. instead he preferred to gently scold students for being caught with the assurance that if it became habit the conversation would be approached differently. there were a few instances where remus had to intervene more directly - students tended to endanger themselves and others a bit more frequently than their parents knew - and he’d rushed a student to hospital more than once. maybe that was the reason, afterall. being a member of the more mischievous group of students, he instinctively knew where to look when students were in trouble. remus was happy to boast that since his appointment they’d not had a first year spend the night lost in the halls.
when marlene began to prod, teasingly, as to why he was bringing up the cupboard, a rosy warmth blushed over his features. it wasn’t often he felt embarrassed, but when he was it radiated through his body. he couldn’t quite rid himself of the small smile though he found himself raising a hand to the back of his head, gaze turned down as they walked. he would’ve walked straight into the wall and hid his face there for the next 30 minutes if she’d let him.
“ no, listen - it’s right ‘round the corner, yeah? they say ‘oh, the sixth floor cupboard,’ and all that, yeah? “
marlene’s reaction made him turn around immediately and start walking right in the other direction, only stopped by the soft tug against the hem of his long sleeve, righting his course back on track. the smile simply wouldn’t leave his face and he hung his head low, trying to hide it, stuffing his hands into his pockets. of course it sounded like he was making a move on her. merlin knew it wasn’t out of the realm of possibility! but of course that wasn’t what he had in mind at the time. the truth? remus had a theory, and who better to test the theory with than his sharp-witted friend? he did his best to focus his intentions and as they rounded the corner, there it was. a door that looked just like any other closet. they approached, and remus leaned his back against the door. his hand reached out, shyly, gently taking hold of marlene’s.
“ what i’m saying is, i don’t think this room is what we think it is. “ his eyes shone the color of stone in the candlelight, peeking out through hair that had gotten just a bit too long in his face. the blush on his cheeks faded in favor of mischievous excitement. though, to be honest, the thought that she might truly think he’d brought her here for a snog and she was playing along, approaching him just then, wasn’t a thought he’d find himself readily able to get rid of. perhaps part of him really did hope it was just a closet.
remus’ eyes fell shut and he focused, hard. a room. a room to hide in. a room for rest. his free hand found the door knob, and with a quick glance around the hall he opened it behind him. he stole the first look in, and the excitement that bubbled up extended through his fingers while he squeezed her hand and opened the door wider.
“ i don’t know what this is, but it’s not a broom cupboard! “
in memoriam
there was a dampness to the air, sticking his clothes against his frame, frosting the ends of his hair in cold droplets. his feet moved mechanically, autopilot directing him to the door. faint knocks resounded in his familiar pattern - one. one, two. one - but this time when he entered the rented room he wasn’t filled with the relief that usually flooded over him, seeing her silhouette. he didn’t speak, couldn’t speak, as his body found hers on the divan and he sat down beside her. usually these calls were a welcoming hello and respite from all the war was taking from the pair of them. this time, goodbye hung in the air, sparking against each crackle of the fire.
his hand entwined with hers, turning it slightly before opening marlene’s palm upwards. remus couldn’t bare to look into her eyes, so instead his found the cracks in the floor, the soft folds of the fabric of her sleeve.
“ a wedding present...” he muttered, doing all he could to keep bitterness from rising into his words. no, it needed to stay down in his stomach, burning holes in all that was once a righteous feeling of right and wrong. gently, he dropped the gift into her palm. the small opal locket shone against the dim light - moonstone opal, though very few would notice the specificity. “ i’m going north. “ north. fenrir’s pack. at dumbledore’s behest, of course, but the way sirius looked him in the eyes the morning prior remus couldn’t help but wonder just how farr dumbledore would let him fall. the people he loved most? their trust in him was waning, though he’d sworn to the headmaster he’d keep this secret from them. too risky, he thought. the knowledge alone could get someone killed, himself included, and he used to doubt his friends would allow him on this journey alone if they did know. as the weeks and months passed, though... he was less and less sure he’d ever have anything to come back to.
“i won’t be back before your wedding, so i just...” there it was. cutting the short amount of time between then and the nuptials short meant this was goodbye for good. no, once marlene was married, they’d likely not see each other again. not until, or unless, they may be looking down their wands at one another.
his fingers closed around her hand, sealing the necklace into her palm, holding on for just one more moment. then he stood, no longer able to bear the buzzing ache spreading through him. the emptiness that devoured.
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