Who: Remus Lupin Where: Rose Weasley's empty shop When: September 23rd, early evening What: Getting ready for the change Status: Complete - Solo
It was going to be a very nice shops, Remus thought as he lazily walked circles around the room, his movements slowed by the pull of the coming moon on his bones. A bit on the small side, but Rose Weasley didn't have any merchandise to sell, nor was she going to have very many people in here at once. There was a small back room barely worth mentioning, a little nook where the plumber was going to have to install a sink with running water, and the main room, barely bigger than the loo in the bungalows. It was tiny, and the roof wasn't particularly high, but the small shop would serve his purposes today. The thatcher, Ted, hadn't put up the roof yet, but there were several wooden beams close enough together to prevent the wolf from escaping. It hadn't been intended as a cage for a werewolf, but it was as yet empty, and with Rose's permission, Remus had been able to borrow it for the night. If anything, she'd said, it would put Draco Malfoy's work to the test.
That, it certainly would.
Remus wasn't sure when to take the potion, but the sun was setting. A whole day's work; that's what this small vial had cost him. Hopefully, it would be worth it. If the rumours were true, it definitely would be.
More than anything, he hoped it did. Moony tended to know what Remus was thinking, what he had on his mind, and when Remus regret his own actions (or inaction), Moony took things out on himself a lot more than normal - and normal was already rough to wake up to in the morning. After having... After the encounter with Sirius last night, Remus wasn't sure if Moony might not kill him outright. Sometimes he thought if he wasn't such a coward...
He uncorked the vial before he could finish the thought and downed its contents. It tasted like dead, rotting plants; not delicious, but compared to a lot of other potions he'd had to take over the years,... No, it was still pretty bad.
Slowly, Remus went to the corner behind the door, making sure it was securely shut. James had locked him in earlier, joking around, probably to make Remus relax, and Remus had smiled... but it hadn't worked. Not a bit. Still, no need to worry his friends about that, right?
Right. Friend. Singular. Just the one.
That worried him too. James would choose Sirius over him in a heartbeat, no question about it. It was the way it should be. Still, Remus had to admit to a bit of jealousy. Without them, who did he have?
But right. The moon. To pass the time as well as to save his garments, Remus pulled off his shirt and trousers, folded them neatly and set them by the door with his vial. Shoes and underthings had been left at home. And then Remus calmly (or almost calmly) went back to the centre of the room and sat, naked, on the wooden floor boards. Sanding had to be in Malfoy's job description, and Remus intended to remind him of that fact. And then he could apply varnish. That would look nice, wouldn't it? Certainly feel better against a bare bottom, he thought, as he waited for the sun to finish setting so that the moon could rise. As long as the potion worked - as long as he didn't kill anyone, all would be alright.