swim || remus lupin

music to walk home by

"Do you have everything? We won't be back until nearly May."

"She's been packed for two weeks, I wouldn't worry about it."

I threw the quaffle that I was spinning in my palms at Remus, who was laying unsuspectedly atop his made bed.

"Hey!" He cried upon impact. "It's true!"

Remus sat up and pelted the ball back at me, but, much to his dismay, I caught it with both hands before it hit my chest. I stuck my tongue out at him as he plopped back down onto his pillow.

"Yes, James," I said, turning my attention back to our mother hen. "I have everything."

"Are you sure?" The boy asked, peering over his glasses with a hand on his hip." You don't need to run back to your dorm before we depart?"

"Why?" Asked Peter, emerging from the bathroom. "She only ever wears Moony's clothes, anyways."

I laughed, knowing that my trunk was, in fact, filled to the top with Remus's sweatshirts and tees.

"You get me, Petey," I said dreamily, placing a hand over my heart. Peter grinned and resumed his attempts to squish shut the lid to his overflowing suitcase.

"I don't think I've ever seen anyone so excited for spring holiday," Sirius joked, lazily throwing random objects into a duffel of his own.

"She just wants to see my mum," Remus replied distantly.

"He's right," I admitted.

"Sirius, don't forget your toothbrush," James intervened warningly.

"Thanks, mum," Sirius groaned.

"And would you fold those trousers properly, for Merlin's sake!"

"Don't push it."

When the train finally rolled to a stop, I practically ran down the compartment doors trying to get out.

"Slow down, Syd!" Alice laughed. "Some of us don't have strides as long as yours."

"Well move your little legs faster then!" I shouted, cruising down the carpeted hall past a few startled first years. "I've got a mom to see."

I hopped down the train steps and into the sharp spring sun that awaited me. A light breeze washed past, assuaging the prickling golden rays. I bounced on my toes impatiently as younger students fluttered out the doors until finally Marlene's locks of blonde stepped down followed by Alice, Dorcas, and Lily.

"Ugh, I'm going to miss you girls," Lily said, pulling us into a group hug.

"Yeah, yeah," I groaned, hugging them back reluctantly.

"I'll see you all for Easter!" Alice cheered, breaking the huddle first.

"Make sure you write with any shagging updates!" Marlene called over her shoulder as she and Dorcas turned to head in the opposite direction. "I have good money on you being underage when it happens, Syd!"

"Bye, Marls!" I shouted back with an eye roll and a wave.

"Shagging updates?" A voice said from behind me. I spun around to find Remus smiling curiously down at me.

"Another one of their bets," I waved, picking up my bag.

"How much do they have going?" Remus asked, taking my empty hand. "We could use this to our advantage."

"Dunno," I shrugged, swinging his arm back and forth. "I stopped asking questions a long time ago."

"Probably a smart move," Remus noted.

"Doesn't really matter, though," I said lightly. "I don't plan on spending much time with you this week." 

Remus rolled his eyes.

"I'm going to have to start looking for a new mum if you keep at this."

"You probably should have picked up a catalogue ages ago."

As Remus and I walked, the humid air and bustling crowd made me glad that I had chosen to change out of his sweatshirt and into his t-shirt before we left that morning. Everyone was pushing against each other with places to go and people to see, making the heat ten times worse than necessary. I was having a hard time focusing on much and simply kept my eyes trained on Remus's hand which I hoped was leading me in the right direction.

"Oh, there they are," he breathed, answering my question and pulling me off to one side.

"Where?" I asked eagerly, standing up on my toes now to try and see over the mass of people.

"Calm down," he laughed, weaving through a family reunion and muttering a few quick apologies.

"Remus," Hope's bright voice exhaled, and I saw her arms open wide for her son.

"Hi, Mum," Remus replied, placing down his trunk and hugging her with one arm, his other still holding mine.

"Sydney, how are you," Remus's dad boasted with a nod from behind his wife.

"Hi, Mr. Lupin," I replied with a smile. "I'm well, thank you."

"Okay, step aside now, Remus John," Hope fretted, waving him out of her arms. "Sydney!"

"Mrs. Lupin!" I happily threw my free arm around the smaller woman and she swayed me side to side.

"You look wonderful!" She cried, holding me away from her to look me over. "Has that school been feeding you alright?"

"Yes, perfectly," I replied, a large grin plastered on my face as I looked into her familiarly golden eyes.

"She wouldn't know," Remus laughed, breaking away from his conversation with his dad. "Syd hardly eats their food."

Mrs. Lupin was suddenly flushed with worry. She threw pieces of her long brown hair behind her ears and snatched up my hand, her eyes flicking back and forth across my face.

"Well, let's go get you fed then!" She exclaimed. "Lyall?"

She looked expectantly up at her husband who smiled and shook his head in a manner that much resembled Remus. Mr. Lupin picked up my suitcase for me and held out his arms for us to grasp onto.

"Oh," I said slowly, looking now to Remus. "We're apparating again?"

"Sorry, my love," Remus said with a pitying smile and a reassuring squeeze of my hand.

As Mr. Lupin set to whatever sort of magic was necessary to apparate, I slammed my eyes shut and tried to make myself as compressed as possible in hopes that it would somehow alleviate the terrors of being thrown through space and time.

It didn't.

Invisible bars of steel clamped around my chest, stomach, and legs, squeezing the life out of me. At the same time, my organs seemed to throw themselves against my skin, doing their absolute best to tear through my bones and escape my body. My eyes seemed to slip out my popping ears as I was hurled through the hollow void of darkness.

Crack!

"Whoo!" Mrs. Lupin cried. "You alright, dear?"

I forced a smile and a nod and Mr. and Mrs. Lupin turned to head into the little white house.

"Are you?" Remus asked with a knowing grin as he lifted our suitcases.

"I might throw up."

______

okay vv short and not exciting but i needed to add a filler to transition into spring break stuff lol

song: music to walk home by - tame impala

how it applies: idk it was playing while i was writing and felt vibey also the title is cute bc it implies remus's home is syd's too