The Marauders - Order of the Phoenix - Part Two

Where Do I Usually Sit?

"This quill will make the difference." 

Sirius took the plumed quill and looked it over. "Excellent," he said, tickling his own nose with it. "What difference does the quill make?"

"You know, I should've asked Professor Laurie that, but I didn't think to. I was too excited to have gotten the answer to our question at all," Lily admitted. "He also suggested trying at incorporating Remus during a new moon."

Sirius looked up, "You told him -- about Moony?" His eyes were concerned.

"Not exactly, no," Lily said, "I didn't say any names, first of all, and secondly he simply guessed at what my problem was when I said I was stuggling to incorporate one of my mates. He said that he had drawn conclusions based on some of my theories about equality in education."

Sirius smiled, "You wrote about werewolves have equal rights for education?"

"Of course I did."

Sirius ran the quill over his face again, his eyes showing the thank-you instead of his words. "Remus would be very proud."

Lily cleared her throat, "Which, that actually brings me into your payment for the quill."

"My payment for the quill? Hang on, what d'you mean payment? We never discussed --"

"I need some of Remus's hair."

"Excuse me?" 

"Remus's hair. I need it. Can you pluck some for me? Not very much. Just a couple sprigs will do." 

Sirius's eyes narrowed.

"And I need them before you lot go out for the night."

"What are you onto, Evans?" Sirius demanded. 

Lily said, "Remus needs to be in class tomorrow morning, yeah?"

"That's what he says - why he won't let me go down to that bleeding school and hex the lot of them - the whole staff - is beyond me," Sirius grumbled, "Prejudiced bleeding jerks, I swear if I wasn't a gentleman I'd take their policies and shove them right up their --"

"I said the same thing," Lily said, "But I've got a less violent solution."

Remus was laying on Sirius's side of the bed in the flat in East London, hugging one of Sirius's pillows, curled up so that his knees were against his chest, face buried in the pillow's fluff. He knew he needed to go to the Potters, Sirius was already there according to the note he'd left on the table in the kitchen for Remus to receive when he got home from uni.

Remus clutched his abdomen and groaned, feeling everything in his gut recoiling nastily. It was a cruel trick of anatomy and moon science that made the month that effected his pancreas - and thereby his blood sugar regulation - also the month that messed with his digestion and intestines. He'd eaten because he'd become dizzy and now what he'd eaten was waging a war against his digestive tract. It was one stupid sandwich - and not even the whole of it, for the smell of the meat had turned his stomach.

If only he had anymore wolfsbane, he would stay right where he was like a good dog and sleep it off if he could.

He heard the floo in the other room and a scurrying rush of feet in the hall, followed by Peter's bedroom door opening and then slamming shut. If Pete was home and rushing then it must be even later than Remus thought and he groaned and forced himself to sit up, letting the pillow fall away. He rubbed his eyes and sighed. He stumbled to his feet, pushing them into his loafers, and struggled his way out to the hallway. Still feeling rather gut-punched, he limped his way to the living room to wait for Peter, figuring they could go together to the Potter's.