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Tweak says, "The Shadow knows!"

r. lupin (tufty) wrote in silverage,
@ 2011-08-12 21:45:00

Entry tags:

!log, neville longbottom, remus lupin

the celebrant
Who: Remus Lupin + Neville Longbottom + Anyone!
When: Morning, after this.
Where: A small wine shop.
What: Alcohol! Who doesn't like alcohol!
Rating/status: ~G?/ongoing.

Snow? What snow? There was no snow!!

No, actually, there was snow and there was a lot of them and Remus barely got to sleep, not after his nose bridge pretty much froze over the surprise winter. That was not enough to contain Remus within a dry and warm place, however, and the moment he swished his scarf around him (a proud one of maroon and gold), he had hopped out into the city and sloshed his way through the thick, un-white snow. Disgusting but what the hell.

He took one, two steps, breathing heavily as he trudged before a thicker patch of snow caught his foot and brought him down for a face-ful of snow -- but he was laughing. He was still laughing as he pushed himself up and extricated himself from the snow. It was difficult, but happiness dissolved all hardships.

His fingers were blue and his lips were almost shadeless but a shy blush decorated his cheeks as he fought on against the freak snow. Up ahead was a small wine shop that had managed to stay open in spite of the inane summer winter but it only made sense that it should. Alcohol, after all, made the body warmer. The thought of it alone reminded him of the taste of butter beer or the warm caress of firewhiskey as it slid down the throat and he found himself longing for them. How he wished Muggles knew about these wizard delights!

Remus' gloved hand fell against the misted glass of the door and he pushed it forward, smiling as he chased his breath. Snow was on the crown of his head and his shoulders but he ignored them as he stumbled towards the old shopkeeper across him, bumping into someone and apologizing quietly along the way, before he landed against the wooden counter polished to a mirror.

"Sir," he began breathlessly, suddenly feeling warm all over, "what is a good bottle for celebration? No, maybe make that two bottles!"

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profplant
2011-08-12 06:43 pm UTC (link)

It had been a bad night, again.

He'd thought he was mostly over that, after all this time. But seeing Ginny and having to explain those dead in the war were walking around as near teenagers- well, he hadn't thought any thing of it until he woke up from his third nightmare. And as he didn't have a job yet, he might as well just go drink his troubles away, right? It wasn't as though he had anything to do, or anywhere to go.

That probably wasn't helping his sour mood. He felt so- so useless here. He could barely work the most basic of these Muggle contraptions, he couldn't find a job to save his life, and he was- well, he was just tired. Tired and apparently old. All the people who had died, who he had looked up to, were children in this world, adn they all seemed to be faring better than he was.

He looked up as a boy walked in, calling for bottles of wine, and frowned. That scarf- Gryffindor colors. He wished he had a scarf- it was bloody past freezing in this place. Snow in August- the nerve of some places. He cleared his throat and looked at his empty glass- and then again at the scarf. He'd seen that man before...but where? He cleared his throat again, this time loud enough to be an attempt at getting the other man's attention. "Gryffindor?" If he didn't respond or didn't understand, then at least Neville might be able to find out where he could get a scarf like that. If he did-

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tufty
2011-08-13 02:19 am UTC (link)

Remus whipped his head to the other man in the shop, eyes round and face betraying the look of surprise even while he continued to catch his breath. He wasn't quite up to his standards of poise, the moon must probably be drawing closer...

One part of him scolded him for falling into a possible trap, chanting, This is a ruse! This is a ruse! in his mind but he couldn't help but be taken by the man who had just called him. He'd nearly stepped closer and said, "Frank?!" and he was about to produce the F-sound until he remembered in the nick of time that Frank was currently confined in St. Mungo's hospital back home, and there was no way -- wish as Remus might -- that he could just get on his feet and strut his way to New York 1964.

On the one hand, this man also lacked Frank's...fierceness. In fact, more than it, he had a bit of an...angelic quality? that wouldn't be quite characteristic of Frank, really.

But...

Wait, didn't he say "Gryffindor?"

The voice of the Sorting Hat shouting the House right at his ears reoccurred to Remus and he stifled a gasp as he said, "Yes!" flicking his young, graying locks off his face. What gave him away?

He looked down at his scarf. Oh.

But-- "You know Gryffindor," he went on more quietly to the older man just in case the old Muggle looking through his collection might overhear them. "You're a wizard?" A fellow wizard in New York 1964 and one he didn't know...fantastic!

...but what if this was a ruse?

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profplant
2011-08-13 02:45 am UTC (link)

Neville watched the younger man go through several stages of surprise and fear, and felt like- to be honest, he felt a bit like he was looking in a mirror. Himself at that age- same haircut, same fear, same nervous energy channeled into worry about being trapped. He smiled a little, and stood up, walking closer and offering his hand. "Neville. Neville Longbottom. And I should say I know Gryffindor- pulled the damn sword of Godric out of the Sorting Hat." He shook his head- he didn't drink often and apparently just a few glasses of wine were enough to make him say things that were deliberately stupid. "Sorry. I'm a Gryffindor. Or, I was, back at school. So yes, I'm a wizard."

The feeling of familiarity was back, and Neville didn't think it was just the anxiety. He'd seen this man before, at the gathering of magic users Galen had set up. But Neville had been avoiding Lily, and this man never left her side. "I'm sorry, but do I know you? I just feel like I should. I've seen you before, I know. With Lily- but you looked familiar then too."

Neville shook his head again, harder, trying to clear it. Lack of sleep and a breakfast of port wasn't something he should repeat too often. Had the man let out an "eff" sound upon seeing him? Probably the beginning of a curse. He smiled, hoping he didn't look like too much of a nutter. "What's the occasion, for two bottles?"

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tufty
2011-08-13 03:27 am UTC (link)

Neville Longbottom?! But wasn't that the name of Frank and Alice's baby boy? Remus fought against keeping his brows wrinkled if that was going to give him away as someone who knew the Longbottoms. He could still remember the baby crying for his mother in his crib when he and some of his friends told Augusta Longbottom of what had happened to brave Frank and Alice.

And now he was...what, five years his senior? Impossible. The baby had just about learned to crawl the last he saw him!

At that moment, Remus became aware of the shift of time in this New York, as well, as if Lily herself was not evidence enough but...it was so convenient! In fact, Death Eaters could just come strutting in and declare that they were, say, Harry Potter from 15 years forward and demand to see their mother so they could kill her. There was no saying that this Neville Longbottom really was the future of the baby Neville Longbottom!

Still, Sirius had mentioned his name in his...story about Voldemort's death. But Remus knew better than to be unguarded. He would take it slow and coax everything out of this Neville in time. "Oh...Evans," he said with a small laughter as he placed his right hand on his side, the movement reassuring him that his wand was safely strapped to his elbow and all he needed was to twist his wrist to send it slipping to his hand. "Yes, Lily Evans and I, we are both from Gryffindor. Griffins of a feather flock together as they say." He shrugged, hoping to rid himself of Lily's acquaintance if that would keep her safe.

Oh God, Remus was not good at this! Why oh why didn't he even think to transfigure the scarf into one of silver and green? Now he had to act like the real Gryffindor that he was! And he couldn't use Snape's name. He wondered if there was a particular Gryffindor person he didn't like very much...

Oh. There was now. Kind of.

He tossed his hand to the old Muggle hunched beneath the wall of bottles, imagining himself to be Sirius. "No occasion, really. Got a flat." He looked at Neville with confidence. "Housewarming."

He couldn't help but stare at Neville, though...where was that sense of familiarity coming from?

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profplant
2011-08-13 04:21 am UTC (link)

He smiled, unsure. The younger man hadn't said his name, still, and he was being- strange. And the way he talked about Lily- he'd seen them together, and that wasn't casual sticking together. That was something serious. But if the boy didn't want to share- "Right, she was a Gryffindor too. I forgot." He rolled his sleeves up, intentionally flashing his bare left arm. He remembered the fear. This man- boy, probably- was in a war. The least Neville could do was make him a little more comfortable. And this was the easiest way to reassure him Neville knew.

"My dad, he was a Gryffindor. And my mum. Died, a few years back he did." Neville sighed and walked over to where he had originally been sitting, gesturing to the seat next to him and pouring another glass. "Mum's still alive though. Well, she's in St. Mungo's. That's where Dad was too, 'til he died. There's hope for her though." He looked into his glass, thinking about his mum's face the last time he saw her- and what if that was the last time?

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tufty
2011-08-13 05:08 am UTC (link)

Remus might have let out a hint of a smile on his face (although still generally absent) and some breath when his eyes landed upon the clean stretch of skin this Neville had revealed to him. He stared at it hard, just in case a hue of black would show itself if he tried to blink but no, nothing came out, it was all flesh. "You know about Death Eaters," he said, a little bit relieved, as he looked up to him, and it was clear in his features that he thanked Neville for reassuring him.

Well, this Neville was a Gryffindor and him flashing his clean arm must mean that he knew about the Death Eaters and their threat. Having learned that, he really didn't find reason to keep his distance from the man, anymore. At least, if he sat closer to him and Neville lied, he would be within arm's reach of strangling. So Remus thanked him as he occupied the space beside him and listened to his story. Their friendship didn't go so smoothly from there, though.

No, Remus never expected it to. When Neville had mentioned St. Mungo's, he held his breath again and he listened intently -- yet disbelieving -- to its significance in Neville's life...Merlin's beard, it all matched! He was a Longbottom, and Frank and Alice Longbottom are currently in St. Mungo's...!

He finally got it: the way this Neville's stare and cheeks were shaped, it reminded him so much of Alice Longbottom!

"S, so...so Frank died an old man," Remus began softly, having finally decided to (after cursing himself mentally) take a leap of faith. Lily had done it, so why couldn't he? "And there is hope for Alice." He looked glad to know of the news.

Pinning his left thumb tightly with his right thumb and trigger finger -- he was mostly making sure he didn't betray any sense of insecurity -- he muttered after a while, "Frank and Alice are some of my good friends." He smiled weakly at Neville, uncertainly. "But you have probably never heard of me..."

He looked at his hands as he paused for a solid moment...until finally, decisively, he said as he faced Neville: "My name is Remus John Lupin. I fought beside your parents once."

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profplant
2011-08-13 05:26 am UTC (link)

Neville laughed, a harsh laugh. "Know about them alright. Helped round up the last of them after Voldemort was finally defeated. Bastard purist idiots." He looked down into his glass again, jaw clenched.

"Old man. Not old enough. Never knew him. LeStrange, she took that from me. She took my parents, but she's dead too, now." He rubbed his head, trying to avoid going to that place again. Dead, dead, so many dead, and blood and fear and fury all tangled into each other and so hard to get away from.

He looked up, eyes wide. "You're not. No wonder you looked so-" he laughed, this time a laugh of pure joy, and wrapped his arms around the unsuspecting man. "Remus Lupin, you fought beside me once as well. And you were the best Defense Against the Arts Professor I ever had." He let go of the younger man, leaving a hand on his shoulder, beaming. "Lily said you were younger. I didn't realize how much younger, Merlin. You must still be in the first war."

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tufty
2011-08-13 05:37 am UTC (link)

What?!

Remus swore at this point in time that there was something so wrong with the world, what with everyone telling him things he didn't know! First, there was Sirius delivering the bad news and now here was Neville practically hugging him like an old friend and saying that...what?!

They parted with Remus forcing him back a little, his hands gripping Neville's arms if that was going to make him keep his distance and the look on his face was so indescribable, it might have looked like he was suffering an upset stomach at that moment.

But he couldn't help it! He was fighting between being...kind to him, or not kind, or happy or not happy but he was also intrigued and confused-- "I'm sorry?" he finally said after a while, forehead and cheeks crumpled and all...

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profplant
2011-08-13 06:10 am UTC (link)

He looked at Remus's face, filled with confusion, and realized his mistake. "Lupin, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-" He mentally berated himself. First Lily, then Ginny- at least with her he couldn't reveal the future. "You're Remus Lupin. You're," he lowered his voice to a whisper and looked about, ducking a little to make sure he wasn't overheard "a werewolf." He lifted his head, smiling apologetically, before continuing in a normal voice. "And in my third year, you were my professor. You're why I decided to go into teaching, you know. Because you were the first one who ever encouraged me." He took another drink, and held out the bottle.

He sighed. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything. I knew you were in town, I just didn't realize you were so young. First War, right? Voldemort just coming into power, everything's crazy and you obviously don't know who to trust. Well. You can trust me. Will, in the future, any way. Don't know each other that well. Probably not well enough to hug, only I couldn't help it. I grew up with my Gran, with my parent's locked in a ward, only seeing them on holidays. For Christmases my mum gave me gum wrappers, and it was the only sign we had that she even knew who I was. Now, of course, she's doing a bit better- still. I went to Hogwarts, Gryffindor House with Harry Potter. He's one of my best mates, Harry. You- you taught us our third year. Taught Harry to cast his first Patronus, which he taught all of us a few years later. We fought together, you and me and Harry and the Order."

He was drunk. Drunker than he'd meant to be, anyway, talking and talking and not caring what came out of his mouth- just wanted to tell someone everything, anyone who would listen.

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tufty
2011-08-13 08:20 am UTC (link)

With his hands still on Neville's arms, it was easy to seize him and grip him harder when he whispered that Remus was a werewolf. He sucked his breath, his jaw was clenched tight as he stared hotly at the older man...but then he realized what he was doing so he loosened his hands and retrieved them, feeling ashamed. "I apologise," he whispered quietly. That was not a very nice thing he did.

It was enough to keep him quiet. Remus refused the bottle that was offered to him with a lift of his hand, preferring to stay sober and sharp to listen to Neville's version of history -- and it was a sad one. He and the Order had always known that he would grow up under Augusta Longbottom, and as a consolation, they simply decided that she was at least going to raise him to be the next battle-axe, even making jokes of him taking after his grandmother. But the part with Alice...no, they never found a consolation for what happened to Frank and Alice. "Alice had always been rather fond of Honeydukes'..." he said quietly, instead, if that was going to make Neville feel better...if he was feeling sad.

He did his best not to question Neville's story right off the bat, either. According to it, he eventually landed a job at Hogwarts...that was nice, and he wished it was true. A part of Remus was relieved that he managed to stay fed and clothed until that time came although he figured Sirius would probably have a hand in it...seeing as Lily and James...and if they had...

...but that wasn't the best news that Neville had told him and when he heard it, it made Remus smile and he lost a couple of months from his age. "So Harry lived to be a Gryffindor!" He laughed a little, a quick happy laugh, as he thought of how James was during his first year. "How good! James would-- b, be so proud!" because it hurt to say that he "would have been so proud", "A Gryffindor just like his parents and his godfather..." Petunia Evans probably didn't do a very bad job raising a wizard boy, after all...

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