Harry Potter belongs to J. K Rowling. If I had written the series, Remus would never have left Hogwarts.

Remus always realized things too late.

He had always been the smart one of their group of four. Of course, it was hard to appear extraordinarily smart if you hung out with people like James Potter and Sirius Black, but they were the highschool jocks from American youth movies, when Remus belonged to type that could be kindly described as wimp. It was a role he had been happy with, being the sensible one who always tightened the leash when others were about to get out of control, and he had sincerely believed that it had fit. But now.. oh, he had no idea at all that he could be this wrong.

If he truly had been the smart one, he would have noticed all things wrong with Peter.

In American movies, Peter wouldn't have stood a chance among them. He would have been the plump nerdy boy the jocks would have spat on instead of their friend, sometimes even an equal, and he wouldn't have dared to seek friendship from those socially more acceptable than him. Now Remus wondered if it had only been better if Peter had become friends with people other than them, but he would almost immediately become ashamed of thoughts like this. Peter was truly their friend back then. He chose to stay aside and let others take the spotlight, but he never hesitated to rush to their side when it seemed like James and Sirius couldn't charm their way out of trouble, and they would honor his actions. None of them cursed each other's names back then.

He knew now, but back then he should have seen how Peter started to act nervous and scared around them, all too ready and eager to please them all in every possible turn. He should have heard the strain in his voice, sometimes panicky tone of his laughter, pay attention before it faded away for good. He should have reacted when they stopped hearing Peter's voice at all.

Maybe he shouldn't have been so eager to wrap his arms around Sirius when they thought it wouldn't bother anyone, even after seeing the sudden pain in Peter's eyes.

Maybe he shouldn't have stuttered and blushed with embarrassment that one day when Peter tried kissing him, his mouth hungry and desperate. Maybe he should have tried apologizing sooner when Peter moped for days and even James and Sirius tried to cheer him up.

Maybe he should have tried fixing things up.

He should have seen it coming.