The castle wasn't any more crowded than it was during the term, when he really stopped to think about it. Maybe a couple dozen more people was all. But, they were all concentrated on a couple levels and it seemed so much more than before. It made Remus...itchy, was a good word for it, he supposed. All those scents and sounds. He wasn't as overloaded as he had been, but he needed to be outside or in his rooms more than usual to counter the onslaught in the common areas, especially the Great Hall at meal times.
It likely would get easier once all those emotions evened out and there wasn't so much fear on the air. But, that would be days and the Full was less than a week away, which meant that much fear on the air was a test of his self-control to some degree on top of it all.
Rather than seeking the quiet of the dungeons -- or, the small part of the dungeons he shared with Regulus, seeing as more than thirty werewolves, plus their families, and Patrick's people made for more than a few people wandering around down there -- he wandered out into one of the courtyards. Fresh air, morning sun, he could recharge a little out there before going back inside. If he was exceptionally lucky, he might find an empty one and he could just sit and meditate for awhile.
Well, the courtyard he wandered into wasn't quite empty. But, Remus forgot about meditating and recharging when he realised who the occupant was. He'd developed a bit of a soft spot for the young Ravenclaw and could only imagine what he had to be going through just now. Moving to the corner where Alex had retreated, Remus smiled softly as he drew closer. "Hey," he said gently. "Trying to be left alone? Or do you mind if I join you for a bit?"