The Marauders - Order of the Phoenix - Part Two

The Mopsus in You

Remus and Sirius returned to the flat in East London and Sirius was twisting his arm to look at the bandage on the far right forearm, just above his wrist on the outside edge, a certain look of fascination about him. The flat was dark and Remus waved his wand to hit the lights. "Peter must not be home," he said.

Sirius went in and sat on the couch, "Good. I'd rather be alone right now anyway."

Remus was closing and setting the protective charms on the door. "Oh? Shall I leave then, too?"

"No I meant alone together."

Remus knew that, but it was always fun to make him say so.

Sirius kicked off his boots and crossed his legs, sitting on the couch and leaning on his left elbow against his knee, still studying the bandages. The tattoo was itchy already and he gnawed his lower lip. "Muggle tattoos are much scratchier than magical ones," he remarked.

Remus said, "I should hate to think this is what all those blokes with the tattoos all over their arms and all that went through all at once. I should have to tear my arm off if this was much worse."

"Those are called sleeves, Moony, and they don't usually do them all at once."

"I still can't believe I let you talk me into this rubbish."

Sirius looked up from his bandage. "May I see the bandage again?" he asked.

Remus sighed and unbuttoned his shirt, tipping the right shoulder down to reveal a tiny little bandage taped onto his shoulder. "Get out your microscope," he joked.

Sirius's smile didn't quite reach his eyes, but it existed and in a time like this even the smallest one counted as a big triumph. "Explain it to me again?"

"You ought to know this," Remus admonished, "We both attended the same astronomy and history courses at Hogwarts."

"And you ought to know the ninth track on Night At The Opera is because we live in the same apartment and I've played the record so many times that --"

"Love of My Life," Remus said without blinking.

Sirius looked impressed.

"As I was saying," Remus said, clearing his throat, "It's the ancient Behenian symbol for Sirius, one of the fifteen fixed stars in ancient European astrology. It is symbolized by a canine which is why Sirius is often called the Dog Star from the Canis Major constellation, and the symbol can be traced back to the origin in the name of the star's Greek roots --"

"Seirios," Sirius said, because he knew that one.

"Which means sparking or scorching," Remus finished. "Which you are. To me, you are."

"I love it when you talk nerdy to me," Sirius said and he beckoned for Remus to come over and join him on the couch, which Remus did, settling into the cushions and closing his eyes. "Thank you for telling me about the symbols. It's nice that I got to put the symbol for Regulus right by his star." Sirius nuzzled into Remus's side, but kept his arm twisted so he could see his own bandages.

Sirius was quiet, and Remus squeezed his palm on his shoulder.

They sat quiet, each thinking his own thoughts, until the floo sparked and James and Lily appeared a moment later. "Let me see," Lily said first thing when she'd materialized fully, and she hurried to Sirius's side, eager to see. Remus got up from the couch so Lily could sit beside Sirius, and she knelt on the couch cushions as Sirius started picking at the tape on the edge of the bandage.

"Whoa, Remus, you didn't get one as well, did you?" James asked, spotting the bandage still on display on Remus's shoulders as he stood.

"I did, rather," Remus answered. "It's a symbol for this idiot's name." He pointed at Sirius.