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Bohemian Rhapsody,
Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?
Caught in a landslide, no escape from reality
Open your eyes, look up to the skies and see
I'm just a poor boy, I need no sympathy
Because I'm easy come, easy go
Little high, little low
Any way the wind blows doesn't really matter to me, to me.
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Eighteen.
Time had passed so quickly and suddenly, Remus was eighteen. He was no longer welcome at St. Percival’s. He had packed his bags the night before but it still seemed surreal to him. His home for the past seven years was abandoning him without as much as a pat on the back.
The sweat from the poor ventilation, making his shirt cling to his back as he awoke in his cramped room at St. Percival’s. A feeling of dread settled deep in Remus’ abdomen, nestling itself at the very pit of his stomach.
The door swung open and in stepped Rita, smelling of cheap perfume and something Remus couldn’t quite put his finger on. Rita’s permed curls bounced as she spoke, batting her eyes at Remus.
‘’Alright, Lupin. Time to go.’’ She said, her voice distant. It was as if she hadn’t spared a second thought to Remus’ forced departure.
‘’.. Right, just give me a second to get dressed.’’ Remus breathed out, grabbing his trousers and pulling them onto his gangly legs. It occurred to him that Rita never once broke her gaze from him. It made Remus cringe, a wave of nausea falling over him like a wet blanket.
He grabbed his bag from the floor beside his bedside table, clearing his throat as he rose to his full length. He hadn’t packed much more than necessities. Not that he had much to begin with.
‘’Alright, I’m ready to go.’’ Remus rasped out, shifting on the spot.
Rita eyed him before turning and stepping outside, her hips swaying when she walked.
They reached the main entrance after walking through a handful of long corridors.
‘’Alright, Loony. Best of wishes.’’ Rita said dryly. Remus cringed at the nickname, crossing his arms. He remembered the day he had gotten the nickname. It had been his third day at St. Percival’s when a boy approached him. Remus didn’t remember what their argument had been about. He just remembered how the caretakers struggled to pull little Lupin off of the boy, limbs flailing as he repeated the words ‘’I'm gonna kill you!’’ like a mantra.
‘’.. Right. Goodbye.’’ Remus nodded, hiking the bag further up his shoulder before stepping out of the doors. This time, it wasn’t to go on a field trip to the zoo, or to be taken to dreadful hospital appointments. This time, Remus was an adult and on top of that. A free man. He felt a faint flutter in his chest, taking in his new reality.
He had somehow snagged himself a flat. Well, with the help of St. Percival’s which had paid for the first month of rent. The rest is up to Remus himself.
However, Remus didn’t actually know the way to his new flat. He only knew the address.
Starbury street 17, apartment 13.
The first time Remus had heard the address he had chuckled. He wasn’t sure why, but something about the name made him laugh.
So, in order to get to the new flat, Remus asked directions of people he walked past. A few people had been surprisingly helpful while others told him to piss off and go shag himself. Nice.
So, once Remus finally reached the building on Starbury street, he was.. Winded, to say the least. He had navigated through the streets of London for two and a half hours in search of his new home.
He pushed open the doors, mentally groaning at the stairs in front of him. Remus climbed the stairs to the third floor, trying (and failing) to not heave for air like a dog, his hands on his knees in hopes to recover for a moment. Once his breathing had slowed, he ran a hand through his greasy mess of hair, and eyed the doors as he walked past.
11.. 12.. Ah! 13!
The door is visibly old, the wood sporting a few dents and scratches. On the door hung the number 13 in golden letters.
He fumbled for his keys, digging through his pocket and pulling out the small key, along with a few pieces of lint which Remus just brushed off.
The lanky boy pushed the key into the hole, rotating his wrist to unlock the door.
He retracted his hand, pushing open the door and stepping into his brand new home.
Remus wasn’t sure what he had expected, but some furniture would have been nice. Instead, Remus was met with emptiness.
With a grunt, he walked towards the wall closest to where he was standing, sliding down onto the shaggy carpet beneath him.
That night, once settled and ready to at least attempt to enjoy a good night’s sleep, he was startled awake by the booming sound of music. A song he could vaguely recognise in the haze of sleep.
He sat up, pulling on a pair of trousers laying conveniently next to him.
Stumbling over himself, he exited his apartment, following the sound of music which led him to apartment 14, the name on the door reading ‘’S. BLACK, J POTTER, P. PETTIG’’. The last bit of paper with the names had been ripped off, leaving the last individual’s name a halfway mystery.
Remus raised a hand, knuckles rapping on the door before stepping back.
No answer.
This time, he banged his fist on the wooden door. He could hear the faint shouts inside and after a moment, the music stilled and the faint sounds of footsteps could be heard before the door swung open, revealing a fairly tall boy perhaps a few inches shorter than Remus. His dark brown hair was sticking to his tan forehead, glasses slightly askew.
‘’G’day.. Or perhaps.. G’night?..’’ The other laughed awkwardly, chewing his lip. Before Remus could reply, another voice echoed from deeper within the apartment.
‘’Who is it?! Tell ‘em to bugger off!’’
The boy in front of Remus cringed, avoiding his gaze. When Remus realised that the other wasn’t going to speak, Remus did.
‘’Could you quiet down? ‘M trying to sleep and it’s pretty fuckin’ impossible when what could be described as the seven trumpets are playing on the other side of my wall.’’ Remus deadpanned.
A moment of silence passed before another person, assumingly the one who had yelled just moments before, stepped into the hallway. Remus held his breath as sly grey eyes bore into his own. The boy sporting the most magnificent raven locks that Remus had ever seen. The boy was a work of art physically, but his personality (from what Remus had experienced thus far) couldn’t match it.
‘’You don’t live here.’’ The black haired boy spoke, pushing to stand in front of Remus, hand on the doorsill.
‘’I live in apartment 13.’’ Remus spoke, quirking a brow.
‘’Norman’s place?’’
‘’Who?’’
‘’Forget it.’’
Remus sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose,
’'Alright. That doesn’t answer my question. Can you lot stop playing music in the buttfuck of night?’’ Remus asked. Again.
‘’Nice shoes.’’ The boy spoke calmly, avoiding Remus’ question entirely.
‘’Pard–?’’ Remus trailed off, glancing down at his bare feet. He had apparently forgotten to put on shoes or even socks in his hurry. He wasn’t sure why, but a wave of embarrassment poured over him like a cold bucket of water.
‘’I.. Uh. I forgot them.’’
‘’.. ‘Kay.’
‘’Can you lower the music?’’
‘’We’re practicing.’’
‘’Practicing what? How to summon a horde of angry neighbours in the least amount of time?’’ Remus shot back.
‘’Practicing music, dipshit.’’
‘’Can’t you practice during the day? Or in a studio?’’
‘’Days are for sleeping.’’ The boy insisted.
‘’Quite the opposite, actually.’’
‘’....’’
‘’Can you just.. I dunno, lower the music??..’’
‘’..Naah..’’
‘’Now you’re just taking the piss.’’
‘’..Yaaah..’’
Remus, deciding to be the bigger person, turned around and walked back into his own apartment, but not without slamming the door. Surprisingly, the rest of the night was quiet except for the faint sounds of the pipes creaking in the walls.
Slowly, Remus drifted into deep sleep despite the fact that below him was nothing but the cold wooden floor and beneath his head was his bag as a pillow. Hopefully, he will find something to sleep on soon. But that was an issue for tomorrow. For now, Remus' only worry was getting a good night's sleep.
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Oh, mamma mia, mamma mia
Mamma mia, let me go
Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me, for me, for me
So you think you can stone me and spit in my eye?
So you think you can love me and leave me to die?
Oh, baby, can't do this to me, baby
Just gotta get out, just gotta get right outta here
Ooh
Ooh, yeah, ooh, yeah
Nothing really matters, anyone can see
Nothing really matters
Nothing really matters to me
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