Remus's Birthday Romance Event (2)

"Huh?"

I had been talking nonstop, trying to convince Remus that he could face the days ahead together with his friends. His sudden question caught me off guard, and I answered instinctively, "Of course we are. We're definitely friends."

"But..." Remus lowered his head slightly, his gaze falling to the ground. A breeze brushed past, and his voice grew faint, as though it might be blown away the next second.

"You still call me Lupin," he said. "Of all your friends, apart from Sirius, I'm the only one you call by his surname."

I was genuinely shocked.

"That? Now that you mention it..." Thinking it over, everyone at Hogwarts knew that Sirius and I didn't get along. Under the circumstances, Remus was the only one besides Sirius whom I called by his surname, so it was no wonder he felt that way.

"It's mostly because Lupin always seems so serious that I can't help calling you by your surname without thinking." My gaze began to wander too. In his first few years, Remus had kept his distance from everyone because he was a Werewolf, afraid his friends would leave him if they learned the truth. Under those circumstances, he might not have wanted to speak up even if something was bothering him. In that case, wouldn't he think the two of us weren't all that close?

"I was also worried calling you by your first name would seem disrespectful..." I said awkwardly. "The few times I called you by your name when I was half asleep, you made a strange face. I thought you didn't like it."

Remus's expression froze for an instant, and he suddenly started coughing.

"Ahem, I was probably just not quite awake that morning."

I understood. Even though classes at Hogwarts started much later than they had when I went to school, I'd started over eight times! After getting up for class every day for so many years, I hated getting up early with every fiber of my being. Most people woke up looking like they wanted nothing more than to join the Death Eaters, so it was perfectly normal for Remus not to have much energy in the morning.

"But I've never thought calling me by my first name was disrespectful." After coughing a couple more times, Remus finally looked up at me. "I've always hoped you'd call me Remus." He tilted his head slightly. "Could you?"

Strange.

It hadn't been a big deal before. I'd even blurted it out without thinking several times. It was just a different way of addressing him.

But now Remus was looking at me so earnestly, his gaze full of anticipation. Under that gaze, I somehow felt the name had become unusual, so much so that I actually stammered when I opened my mouth.

"Re-Remus." As soon as I said it, I wanted to punch myself. Remus wanted me to call him by his first name so badly, and I'd gone and stammered. What if he thought I didn't want to? At that thought, I hurried to make amends. "Remus!"

"I'm right here."

Remus smiled, his gray-green eyes brimming with pure joy. For an instant, I mistakenly thought I'd done something extraordinary rather than merely spoken his name.

"I've already received my favorite birthday present."

Remus returned to the dormitory carrying a box.

"Hey, Remus, you'll never guess what we found when we went out just now."

James, who had stormed out half an hour earlier, had completely shaken off his gloom. The moment Remus walked in, he called out excitedly, "We've got a great place to go tonight." Only then did he notice what Remus was holding. "Did you just go to the Owlery?" he asked curiously.

"No." The corners of Remus's lips rose. It was rare for him to show his emotions so openly, and even Sirius looked over. "It's a present from a friend."

"A present!" James slapped his forehead and nearly jumped out of his chair. "It's your birthday today?!" He was full of regret. "I didn't even know! I asked you before, but you wouldn't tell me. I thought it was still a long way off!" He hurried over to Remus, looking as though he'd completely lost interest in his homework. "Who cares so much about our Remus?"

Remus was silent for a moment before giving the name. "...Merlin."

"So it was... uh, Merlin?" James stumbled over his words. He had, after all, had a huge row with Merlin that morning. He had finally managed to put it out of his mind for a while after going out for a walk, only to hear about Merlin again as soon as he got back. Much of his excitement immediately faded.

Sirius's hand paused on his book for a moment. He glanced over, his gaze landing on the gift box.

"Some friend you are, telling someone else but not us." James patted Remus on the shoulder with more exaggeration than usual, making Sirius worry that he might send Remus to the Hospital Wing again. "You can't play favorites like that next time."

"Actually, I didn't tell her either." Remus's eyes lit up as he said it, and Sirius's hand tightened abruptly on his book. "She said she found out by asking Headmaster Dumbledore."

"Huh? How did she know the password to the Headmaster's Office?" At the mention of that, James was wide awake, his interest returning. "We spent ages guessing last time and still couldn't get it. We spent another half hour taking the door apart before the headmaster opened it and invited us in."

Remus fell silent for a moment. He could feel his head starting to ache again.

"But she actually thought to ask the headmaster. Looks like Merlin really cares about you," James muttered. "I thought all she did on her nightly outings was brew all sorts of things in the secret passages..."

"We found the kitchen this morning."

Before James could finish, Sirius interrupted him from the side. "It's Friday, so why don't we celebrate properly? We could at least make a cake." He closed his book as he spoke. "You need a cake for a birthday."

"We were already planning to check out the kitchen tonight anyway." James put a hand on Remus's shoulder and gave him an innocent smile. "You'll come with us, won't you? To make up for not telling us about your birthday."

Remus said, "...Then sorry for the trouble."

Although I had sworn I would never stay up all night again, staying up late was different from pulling an all-nighter, so that evening I still prepared to sneak out of the common room.

Then I ran into James and the others at the door.

James was holding the Invisibility Cloak, though I had no idea why he wasn't wearing it. His expression turned strange the moment he saw me.

[Marauders Squad side quest unlocked]

[James and the others look like they're planning a nighttime outing. Go with them?]

[1. Go]

[2. Don't go]

The system actually had such normal options. I was so moved that tears filled my eyes-enough to move all of Britain.

I was deeply moved, and then I decisively refused.

Almost as soon as I made my choice, James spoke.

"We're going to celebrate Remus's birthday. Want to come?"

How rare. I actually got to hear him speak in such a dry, completely toneless voice.

"No, thanks." I waved a hand. "I've already given him a present. The rest of the time should belong to the Marauders Squad alone." I stepped out the door as soon as I finished speaking, then felt a tug on my back.

I turned around and saw that James had grabbed my robe.

I looked at him, and he looked at me, neither letting go nor saying anything.

We remained at a stalemate like that, and then, for some reason, started a little game of whoever blinked first lost.

When our eyes were turning red from staring, Remus couldn't stand watching any longer.

"Merlin, I'd like you to spend my birthday with me too." His voice softened eight degrees. "Will you?"

With him asking in that voice and looking at me like that, I really couldn't refuse. Besides, I felt like I was about to blink, so I quickly took the way out he'd offered me.

"All right, since Remus put it that way." I nodded, joining their nighttime outing.

Then, for some reason, I received [Sirius's affection -5]. It made no sense at all!

[Author's note]

★ Side quest reminder ★

*Congratulations on triggering Remus's birthday romance event-[Name]

[Sirius's darkening meter unlocked. Current darkening level: 6%]