Drabble at HP Halloween: More Than a Ghost

[paulamcg]

hp_halloween has finished posting – but I haven't still quite finished reading – the wonderfully varied drabbles (this year not all of them 200 words but anything between 100 and 300), and we've got the good news that this has not been the last round of the fabulous event, after all!

This is my double drabble (not yet on AO3 or on this journal, as I'm not sure about the rule or good practice about posting):

Title: More Than a Ghost
Author: paulamcg
Pairing: Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Rating: G
Word Count: 200
Summary: At Halloween 1995 Sirius is not eager to welcome ghosts or any other visitors.
Notes: Thank you for checking and approving this piece, my loyal beta liseuse!

You can read it in the community
on DW or on LJ

[EDITED on 2nd December] or here on AO3
And now right here.



More Than a Ghost



Venturing out of the room where he's been huddled against Buckbeak, he can't help fearing he'll be visited by his dead. Some of them are evil spirits, the others... he can't bear to think about either. All the memories he was left with are painful. If only bloody Dumbledore hadn't reminded him of the day by suggesting a feast. No, thank you! He's better off alone, but...

A dark shape against the glow in the kitchen hearth, which he's let grow cold... If not a spectre, who's dared disobey...?

The grin on the aged face is more than a ghost of the young werewolf's whom he can almost remember loving. “Brought embers from the goblins' Samhain fire, apples for bobbing, turnip mash from Molly, and...”

“I don't want to celebrate the anniversary of...!”

“Perhaps commemorate some Halloween fun we had in the mid-seventies?”

“Don't expect me to add any happy details to your memories.” He's more frustrated than anguished now, and hungry. And Remus is still underfed. “Let's just eat the turnip.”

“You'll remember 1974. It was full moon, and in the morning Pomfrey...”

Caught him in the light of his turnip lantern, feeding apples to his pale, weary Moony.

Comments

[pauraque]

In past years we were asked not to crosspost entries for a week, so I assumed it was the same this year, but I don't think it was actually mentioned.

[paulamcg]

Thank you for your kind response! I remembered having seen such a practice, but couldn't find the mention. Now I'm more determined to put off posting on AO3 until next weekend. It's lovely to take part in and see all the commenting on DW and LJ.

[goddess47]

It is a lovely piece... I love Sirius and Remus trying to find that middle ground when they've both lost so much!

Well done!

[paulamcg]

I'm so glad you like this. I love making it hard for these two but allowing them to finally find something again after all that losing. :) Thank you for reading and for leaving such an encouraging comment! <3