INFIRMARY
Written for Flesh, who requested Remus gen with Regulus. This fic is based in the Communiquills universe, so many thanks to Sarah for her excellently bratty Regulus! Thanks also to Liz for beta help.Secretly, deep in his heart where no one (especially Professor McGonagall) could ever find it, Remus Lupin enjoyed when he missed class to recover from the moon. He so rarely allowed himself time to simply sit quietly, and after all, it wasn't as though there was much else he could do. Madam Pomfrey fussed over his new, tender, pink skin and aching muscles and joints as though he was her own son. The lads had yet to bring him notes, he always worked ahead in the week before the moon, and he had no desire to read a novel.
Instead, he let his mind wander during these quiet hours. He'd work on details for next weekend's assault on the Slytherin Quidditch locker rooms, or mentally compose letters to people who'd wronged him in his life, or occasionally he'd watch the others in hospital with him and make up little stories about what could possibly have brought them in that day.
Madam Pomfrey always kept him a bit separate from the main grouping of beds; it was an unspoken shade of favoritism that was bound to exist after nearly four years of necessary monthly visits. From his position, then, he could see everyone who entered, and most of the beds that were occupied. (The notable exception had been the time that the entire sixth-year NEWT Transfiguration class had fallen victim to one of Peeves's more dangerous practical jokes, and everyone ended up in the infirmary, many surrounded by curtains so as to give them some modicum of privacy.)
Today, when he saw the dark-haired boy walk in, his first instinct was to chastise Sirius for skipping Charms simply to sit with him. When he called out his friend's name, though, he was greeted with the scornful sound of a young boy insulted.
"Pity of Merlin, Lupin, are you blind as well as a half-blood? Can't imagine why they didn't simply drown you at birth!"
Remus sank back into his pillows. Regulus. "You should probably take that as a compliment," he replied. "Considering all the girls that fuss about over him, it's no bad thing to resemble your brother."
Malady apparently forgotten, Regulus strolled back towards Remus's bed with the air of a boy unwillingly stooping to speak to a small child. "We are both Blacks. I no more resemble him than he resembles me. We are simply blessed to be born into a family of exceptional looks."
"Mmm," said Remus, his voice non-committal and bored. "Is it really that awful to be compared to Sirius?"
Regulus opened his mouth to retort quickly, but then paused. "I suppose there are worse things in life," he conceded. Then his lips twisted into an unmistakable sneer. "Could be compared to that blood-traitor Potter."
"Horrifying. Still, being compared to me would be even worse, no?"
"I could never be compared to you," hissed the younger boy. "You'd be so lucky!"
Remus, now thoroughly bored, merely nodded. "Right. So why are you here? Pomfrey's out for lunch, she took it a bit early today."
Regulus gave a haughty sigh, then perched on the edge of the nearest bed. "I don't see why it's any of your concern."
"Fine," said Remus with a shrug. For a moment it was quiet, and Regulus tried to look nonchalant, as completely unaware that Remus was sitting ten feet away.
Remus, for his part, didn't question why Regulus didn't simply leave; he was used to Regulus's odd behavior around Sirius and Sirius's friends. While the brothers only had words of enmity for each other, Remus wasn't entirely sure that their hearts were really in it. He knew that things had been different between them before Sirius came to school, that once their eldest son had shamed them by being sorted into Gryffindor, Mr and Mrs Black had actually prevented their sons from communicating with each other that year, presumably in the hope that the spare would not follow the wayward heir onto a path most unbecoming of a Black.
"Is he coming to visit you?" asked Regulus, suddenly, and in a voice that wasn't accusing or contemptuous, but honestly curious, and even a bit hopeful.
Remus waited a moment, considering how to phrase his answer. "I expect he will, with James and Peter of course. Probably between Charms and Quidditch practice, but maybe not until after dinner."
It may have been a trick of the sunlight streaming in through the tall windows, but he thought Regulus's face dropped a bit. But all he said was, "Well, that's lucky for me, then." The Slytherin boy rose, his posture impeccable, and turned back towards the entrance. When he next spoke, his voice was again full of arrogance. "I suppose if Madam Pomfrey isn't here, then there's little point in my waiting around. I can probably find a better remedy with one of my Housemates; Severus likely has something."
Remus didn't bother to reply, simply watched Regulus leave. And when Sirius did indeed arrive after Charms, James and Peter following out of loyalty, if not exactly desire, Remus decided not to tell Sirius about his brother's visit.
After all, why bother getting Sirius's hopes up for nothing?
fic home