Roman tugged at the coarse material of the hood. "Re, are you sure this is going to work?"

"Ro, do you want to taste freedom for the first and last time or not?" Remus snapped. Roman blinked at Remus' tone.

"I- yeah but-"

"No 'but's, Ro." Remus said. "Now, normally I don't wear a cape when I'm going out but I'm actually allowed to go out so..." There was a pause and Roman guessed Remus was shrugging. "I don't know, I've never snuck anyone out of the castle before."

"Yeah, all your night-time suitors have been a case of sneaking in." Roman muttered. Remus laughed.

"Or not going inside at all." He giggled. Roman scrunched his nose up.

"Please tell me you haven't done it in the gardens, Re. That's my only safe place." Remus giggled again.

"Okay. I won't tell you that I've done it in the gardens, Ro. Won't change whether or not I have actually." Roman tried to glare but that just garnered another laugh from Remus. "You're glaring at a wall, Ro, that won't do you any good."

Roman crossed his arms. "I hate you." He muttered.

"Ah, careful what you say, dear brother. Remember," Remus bopped Roman hard on the nose, "I'm the one smuggling you out of this place." There was more silence and then a sigh from Remus.

"What?"

"Yeah, nah, this isn't going to work. Take the stupid cape off." Remus said, the rest of his sentence fading as he turned away. He clapped his hands and turned back to his brother fumbling with the clasp of the cape. Remus rolled his eyes.

"Jesus Ro, you really are helpless." He muttered. He unfastened the clasp in one swift movement and whisked the cape away from Roman. "There. Okay, how's this for an idea. We look like we're just going for a walk in the gardens. I know an easy gap in the wall, good place to dart in and out from."

"Do I even want to know how you came by this gap?" Roman asked. Remus let out a short, loud burst of laughter.

"No, you don't." He said. "But it'll take us right into the wood. There, we'll be able to wander into the village easy as anything." Roman narrowed his eyes, sceptical of Remus' plans. "Oh, don't look like that, Ro. It'll work, I swear."

Roman sighed and crossed his arms again. "It better. I'm trusting you with this, Re. Only cause it's my last chance to see the world." He hesitated before continuing. "Don't let me down."

Roman expected a laugh, a witty remark, at the very least a 'When have I ever done that?' Instead, Remus hugged him very quickly.

"I wasn't gonna, Ro. This time, I won't let you down." Roman smiled a little and Remus returned the small smile with an eager one of his own, even though he knew his brother couldn't see it.

"You okay, Re?" Roman asked, feeling for the piece of lace in his pocket. "You've been quiet."

"That's cause I'm concentrating, dummy." Remus said. There it was, he was back to the old Remus. He fell silent again and Roman bent his head, imagining the grass around his feet.

"What's it like outside, Re?" Roman asked, worry licking at the excitement he'd previously felt, like a searing flame.

"Well," Remus said, throwing his arm out so it hit Roman in the chest and brought him to a rather unceremonious stop. "Why don't you tell for yourself? We're here."

I didn't like this chapter. I don't know why.
Bye,
Blaize