The Trial

Remus lit another cigarette as he read the morning's Daily Prophet. The headline screamed "Sirius Black sent to Azkaban. Full story pages 2, 3, 5 and 6." Fucking idiots. They didn't have to sound so bloody happy about it. Still, you couldn't expect any more of the Black family. Blood will out - isn't that what they say?

He pushed his glasses up his nose and then carefully cut the articles out of the paper. Remus wasn't particularly sure why he was keeping all these clippings. He wasn't sure why he was keeping anything to do with Sirius anymore. Maybe it was all to do with Harry - he'd need someone who knew his dad well.

Days passed and whilst the news of the Longbottoms was shocking, it seemed to pass Remus by. He had settled into a very dull routine by then. Copy editing some appalling written articles all morning, a walk in the afternoon under the guise of looking for something more interesting and then drinking a bit more than was good for him in the evenings. Well, it was better than sinking into a pool of self pity or going out and fucking a series of faceless strangers.

Christmas came and went. He only bought a tree because he knew that Lily would be turning in her grave if he didn't. She loved Christmas with all the lights and colours. He bought a small tree and on Christmas Eve, decorated it with the decorations that Nana Lou had left him. After that, Remus fell asleep in his chair to carols playing on his gramophone.

An owl arrived on Twelfth Night from the Brocklehurst family. They needed a tutor for their eldest and apparently Professor McGonagall had recommended him. At least Remus would need to engage his brain for this job. He Flooed there every morning and he soon found that he enjoyed teaching. It lasted until early June as Beth was starting Hogwarts in the September.

That summer, Remus thought a lot. Then at the test match, he had an epiphany. Doris Brocklehurst had promised him a good reference. He was sure that there were enough families needing short term tutors to get their children through their OWLs or NEWTs or to get them back up to speed after illness. He was good at teaching and his 'furry little problem', as James would refer to it, wouldn't necessarily interfere. His transformations have been more difficult this year. Don't think about Sirius; don't think about Jamie or Pete. They're all dead or as good as.

He ignored Harry's birthday. Harry was with his family - maybe they weren't as much of a nightmare as they appeared to be at Jamie and Lily's wedding. Remus was off to the South of France anyway for nine months. Some British ex-pats wanted their children up to speed on British spell work before they went to Hogwarts. From what he could tell from the rather brief interview, they reminded Remus of the ex army types that Granny Beth associated with. All of them were as mad as hatters but their hearts were in the right place. He grinned slightly as he remembered sitting in the baking sun having High Tea.

And that's how it was for the next eight years. South of France, Tuscany, Sicily, Greece, Cyprus, Malta, Gibraltar and Spain. All ex pats of varying degrees of madness. Remus always thought that the sun had addled their brains but in a funny way, they all reminded him painfully of home.

Granny Beth always did have a tendency to bring waifs and strays home. The Taraborelli clan were all raised in the theatre and were fond of quoting Shakespeare over the dinner table. That June, Remus had leather bound editions of all of Shakespeare's plays and sonnets.

The DiRisio family were naturists on the weekends. Remus had an all over tan that year and left with a necklace that reminded him painfully of Sirius.

The Nikopolidis family owned a line of restaurants and refused to let Remus near the kitchen. Ever so often, he got a package of the most amazing food.

The Odyssea family had the most amazing fruit trees and they taught him how to dance. A pile of Cyprian folk records were added to his trunk that Pete would have loved.

The Wenlock family were a highly thought family of Arthimancers and there were long discussions into the night on magical theory. Another set of textbooks to take away with him.

Remus never quite knew what the Levis gained their money but there was a very large extended family and a wedding every weekend. He managed to escape there without being married off. James would have killed himself laughing. He could hear him now. Didn't you tell them you weren't the marrying sort?

The Lopez family were famous bull fighters. Remus smiled as he added a miniature bullring to his trunk. Just before he left, Remus sat on the balcony smoking a cigarette and thought of Harry. Every year, he debated about sending a birthday card but it grew harder. Harry didn't know who he was and surely he'd have enough cards and presents, he wouldn't notice another one. He would be going to Hogwarts this year.

Maybe it was time to stop running away from the memories.