Battered and Broken [open]

[Remus Lupin]

OoC: Gah, this post did not want to cooperate!

The boy that staggered across the grounds in the dead of night didn't look far off dead himself. His body was battered and bruised, and should one get close enough to make them out, riddled with viscous cuts and gashes. It was not a pretty sight.

As he limped away from the Whomping Willow, heading in the direction of the castle, he brooded silently. He wasn't sure where his three closest friends had been that night. It had always been the same, ever since they had finally figured out the process of becoming animagi in fifth year. They had always transformed and kept him from ripping himself to shreds every full moon. But for some reason, they had been absent that night.

Still, it wasn't as though Remus blamed them - he was far from good company on these nights. He didn't blame them for wanting to be elsewhere. Still, that wasn't really a fair assumption to make, either. More likely, they had been caught out in some prank or squabble, had been given detention, and been unable to get away. Or perhaps each of them had been otherwise engaged, and each had thought that the others would still be able to make it.

Regardless, the whys and wherefores were immaterial by this point. All that the sandy-haired teen should be concerned with now, was getting to Madam Pomfrey - who was bound to ask far too many questions, bless her - and then getting to bed. Training his eyes more steadily on the ground before his feet, Remus sighed, swaying slightly as he slunk towards the castle that was home, wincing as dawn began to break.

"Remus speaks!"
Remus thinks!

[Sirius Black]

“All flamin night, as if he kept me up all flamin night with these damn files”.

[/b]
Slamming down the last faded and thickly packed paper file, Sirius rammed the metal door on the filing cabinet shut and, giving it a swift kick in the dint made by many a frustrated trouble causer before him, shoved the folder unceremoniously into a large cardboard box marked P.
Filch.
Argus Filch was an angry, greasy pockmarked little git of a man who enjoyed forcing innocent students (like Sirius) to sort through his files and clean up the mess he’d made of them, calling it justice. Sirius however disagreed with that particular notion, and was far more partial to the idea of Filch getting eaten by an Acromantula on one of his midnight ‘patrols’ being called Justice instead, him and no doubt three quarters (if not all) of the entire student body. Had it really been Sirius’s fault that Filch had, at that exact moment decided to come down the exact corridor Sirius had been running down at that exact minute? Not at all and given that the map was currently in the hands of good old Prongsy (Whom Sirius sincerely hoped had managed to reach Moony on time) he’d had no way of avoiding the uncouth caretaker.

Yes he had been out of bed after hours and yes, Filch usually patrolled that particular corridor but, like Sirius, Filch had also been out of bed after hours and no one had pulled him over! He wasn’t even a professor so clearly the rules that applied to the innocent students (again like Sirius) should apply to Filchy face too.

Shoving the box roughly under an old rickety table, held up by some kind of weak magic (given that the table was trembling under the weight of yet more boxes piled on top) Sirius took a moment to look around the dark, dingy and…strangely pungent office, frowning at the cluttered sate of things. How the hell anything managed to inhabit this place let alone Filchy was beyond Sirius, to him the entire place needed a good clear out -- or a good bit of arson, either would work well enough (though the latter would take care of both his own rather packed student file and the office so it was a win-win situation for the Marauders) but alas he wasn’t a criminal so, leaving the fantasy of casting a good old Incendio Charm in his wake behind, he opted instead to toss a Dungbomb (he always kept at least on one him for emergencies) over his shoulder and closed the door behind him. No doubt Filchy would be after his blood tomorrow but that was an issue for another day.

He had far more important things to do now, like finding Moony, Prongs and Wormtail, wherever they were. Luckily Filchs office connected right on to the Entrance Hall and in no time at all he was strolling leisurely down the castle steps into the cool, early morning air. He loved the early hours, they where so quiet and fresh that he often found himself leaning out of his dormitory window (when he couldn’t sleep of course) and staring out over the empty grounds, on occasion catching sight of Professor Kettleburn seeing to one of the many Magical Creatures he brought out for lessons, tonight however, his dark eyes were immediately drawn to a forlorn, limping figure making his way across the grounds towards the castle.

An electric jolt couldn’t have gotten Sirius moving any quicker and he jumped the remaining steps before running at full pelt over to Remus Lupin, quickly looping his friends heavily lacerated arm around his shoulders
“Jesus H. Christ Moony! What the hell happened to you mate, where’re Prongs and Wormy?”[/b][/size][/blockquote]

[Remus Lupin]

{{OoC: Crazy short in comparison to your post. -Hangs head in shame-}}

Had Moony been in a better condition, he undoubtedly would have heard, smelled or otherwise sensed the approach of another, but instincts dulled as they were by pain, he was unaware of the other's presence until his arm was looped around Sirius' shoulders.

Slumping a little, instinctively leaning against his friend once support was offered, as he never would do against any other bar James and Peter, Remus let out a pained breath that he hadn't known he'd been holding. "Pads," he sighed, relieved beyond belief that at least one of his friends hadn't intentionally left him alone. "I don't know," he started, attempting a shrug of the shoulders, but breaking off when the pain pushed a gasp from his lungs. "I guess maybe everyone wound up with detention, or something."

Here, Remus did his best to take back a little of his own weight in an attempt to straighten up. "Anyway, it's not a big deal Padfoot," he said, attempting a reassuring smile which more likely turned out as a grimace. "It's really not as bad as it looks," he lied. "And anyway, I was used to this before you guys cracked the whole animagus gig, remember?"

"Remus speaks!"
Remus thinks!

[Sirius Black]

[Hee hee it’s quality over quantity hon xD the post was great!]

"I guess maybe everyone wound up with detention, or something."

“Yeah sorry about that mate, Filchy Face clocked me down the 4th floor corridor, dragged me into his office and called in the bloody Cavalry…”

[/b] Grimacing slightly at the memory of a livid McGonagall in her tartan dressing gown, Sirius tried to block out the scolding she’d given him (at least the third one today) and instead tightened his grasp on Lupin.
“No offence Moony but you look like a pile of Hippogriff dung. Rough night?”[/b] He grinned mischievously before allowing Remus room enough to move almost independently, making sure to keep a good grip on his arm.

Anyway, it's not a big deal Padfoot, It's really not as bad as it looks, and anyway, I was used to this before you guys cracked the whole animagus gig, remember?"

[/i]

“Not a big deal? Yeah, and my names Babbity Rabbity Remus. Shut up and let me get you up to Madam Pomfrey then, when she’s sure I haven’t mutilated you, you can say it isn’t a big deal alright”.[/b] Winking he started up the stone steps, taking care not to go too fast and doing his best to ignore Remus’s every wince, tried to keep things light. Though he seemed to wave it off as a common occurrence, and given the nature of his furry little problem it wasn’t far wrong, Sirius hadn’t seen him this bad in a while and a sudden surge of guilt hit his stomach. If he’d taken more care not to get his backside caught by Filch, he might’ve been able to prevent whatever it was that had caused the majority of Remus’s many injuries.

“Seriously though mate, what happened? ‘Cause there’s no way a few sharp branches and stuff would do this much damage to you, unless you met like a really aggressive Bowtruckle or sommet…I heard when there really annoyed it’s not just eyes they go for!”.[/b] There it was again, an attempt to lighten the mood and it almost seemed to work -- on Sirius that was as he cracked up into a flood of chuckles, pondering exactly what else it was that and angry Bowtruckle could possibly go for however concern soon broke his humor once more. He could joke but was James who could Joke and be concerned at the same time. For Sirius it was either one or the other.
“Seriously though, what?”[/b][/size][/blockquote]

[Remus Lupin]

{{OoC: Haha! Thanks, so was yours =) Oh, and the whole injuries thing, I'm not sure if you're just having Sirius forget, or if you've forgotten yourself, but in the books, up until the other Marauders learned how to become animagi in their fifth year, if Moony couldn't get out to find humans, he'd hurt himself. I quote: "My transformations in those days were — were terrible. It is very painful to turn into a werewolf. I was separated from humans to bite, so I bit and scratched myself instead. The villagers heard the noise and the screaming and thought they were hearing particularly violent spirits." So yeah, that's why he's all torn up ^^}}

Remus shook his head as soon as Sirus began the apology, waving it off with a lacerated hand. "It's fine," he smiled. "I know what he's like. Kept you there for hours, I'd bet, right?" It wasn't like Moony hadn't served his share of detentions in Filch's company - considerably less than Padfoot and Prongs, but certainly enough to be going on with!

“No offence Moony but you look like a pile of Hippogriff dung. Rough night?”

Remus snorted at his friend's typically colourful language, and turned laughing brown eyes toward the dark-haired boy. "Ta, Pads," he said, rolling his eyes. "And yeah, I guess you could say that." A 'rough night' was certainly an understatement, but Remus had no problem with understatement where his furry little problem was concerned!

The young werewolf flinched as Sirius saw right through his lie. He supposed he should know better by now than to think he could bluff it where Padfoot was concerned. "Yeah, yeah," he muttered, doing his best not to topple over as they made their way up to the castle. The ground was feeling particularly uneven tonight...

“Seriously though mate, what happened? ‘Cause there’s no way a few sharp branches and stuff would do this much damage to you, unless you met like a really aggressive Bowtruckle or sommet…I heard when there really annoyed it’s not just eyes they go for!”

Remus snorted at his friend's rambling, and watched him with amused brown eyes as he cracked up. Rolling his eyes with a small smile, he waited for the dark haired boy to compose himself before answering, and when he did, Remus smiled and raised an eyebrow. "Don't you remember what I used to be like before you guys became animagi, Pads?" He asked, tilting his head to the side, while simultaneously attempting to keep an eye on the grounds before them. "If you three aren't there to keep me sane and away from humans, I have no choice but to lock myself in the shack. "A few branches" didn't do this to me, Padfoot," he explained, making a sweeping motion with his free arm, to indicate the injuries. "I did."

"Remus speaks!"
Remus thinks!

[Sirius Black]

[[ LOL y'know what it completely slipped my mind xD HAHAHAHA I FAIL AS A MARAUDER xD Thanks hun xD I thought he'd been loose in the forest xD had a run in with some of the more nasty beasts in there pardon moi xD]]

"Don't you remember what I used to be like before you guys became animagi, Pads? If you three aren't there to keep me sane and away from humans, I have no choice but to lock myself in the shack. "A few branches" didn't do this to me Padfoot, I did."

Epic fail Padfoot.
It was like a slap back to reality for him. How could he even have allowed that particular detail to slip his mind? He had been so busy soaking in the success of his transformations that he no longer even thought about what things used to be like for his friend, under the foolish impression that Remus would never have to face it alone again now that Sirius was there to watch over him.

Perhaps it was arrogant of him to assume that no matter when the problem would arise he would be there one hundred percent to exorcise some control over Remus’ inner monster, and for Sirius it probably was. Though he cared a lot for his friend he still hadn’t quite managed to shake the conceited Black pride from his system, so to think that Remus would never be without him during the monthly cycles was a far cry from the reality he saw before him tonight and, suddenly feeling a lot smaller then he had minutes ago as the two of them shuffled back into the snug warmth of the Entrance hall, he halted and turned to face Remus full on.

“Wow I’m massive prat.”

[/b] He sighed.
“Mate I didn’t even think about that…”[/b] Suddenly irritated, he hesitated before growling at himself in disgust.
“Looks like I’m still proud..."[/b](He almost spat on the word) "...Enough to assume that I’m always going to be there when it happens”.[/b] Oh how his precious mum would be thrilled to hear that her wastrel of a son still hadn’t yet managed to shake off his family given arrogance, she’d just love to see him squirm under that rather unpleasant truth and would no doubt have a dozen well worn insults to throw at him as well.

“Christ Moony I’m so sorry, it didn’t even cross my mind that you—”[/b] He wasn’t sure if he could finish the sentence. To even imagine what Remus had gone through tonight made him feel sick to his stomach and he made a mental note not to let it happen again, no matter what.[/blockquote][/size]