Disclaimer: I dont own Harry Potter or any other characters on this story, well except my new one. And if i did, i would really be here writing FANfic now would i?
Harry felt the most at ease that he had in months. They were right, talking a walk in an unfamiliar environment really did clear your head in a gentle way, refreshing yourself. Dusk was starting to settle as the sun was falling into it's own peaceful slumber. Lupin had offered to come with him, as he wasn't allowed to be out on his own without a prominant member of the order. Neither talked, but yet it didn't feel uncomfortable, a silent agreement that silence was best. He stared over at the oranges and yellows and wisps that were left of the clouds, danced a sorrowful farewell to the sun. Not many people were out in the evening. A man hurried pass with with a large black dog on a lead. Harry stared at it, he knew it wasn't Sirius but yet he couldn't stop staring, the hole screamed once more, but this time less piercing, if he looked to the other side of him he would have noticed Lupin doing the same as him. The man noticed them staring at the dog holding a morbid expression. He hurried past, but not before throwing them both a look of pity. He must have assumed we've just lost a dog like that, thought Harry. He then returned to staring out to the dying sun before him. Losing himself in it. His hole healing once more. He didn't even see her coming.
'Remus!' Her shopping bags missed Harry's head by a fraction of an inch. It soon snapped him back into his sences. A women, quite short, not even his height, with brown hair pulled messily back into a pony sitting into the centre of her head. Her arms wrapped tightly round Lupin's neck. Her bags laid loosely over his back. His hands on her back, as if trying to consume her comfort. She was wearing a a very large green padded coat with fur round the edge, and a pair of dirty jeans. They held on to each other for what seemed an age. Harry wondered who she was, someone, clearly Lupin hadn't seen for a while, someone he used to know quite well.
'Lupin?' Harry felt their hug had been long enough. They pulled out and Harry could see her clearer. She had quite a youthful face, but something about her made him think she was actually older, something that her couldn't quite but his finger on. He couldn't help noticing she was quite pretty, a face that was warm and friendly, and she wore a pleasant smile. She looked trustworthy in a mothering way. Her eyes were examining him and she took a step towards him. She placed one hand on his chin, and stared intensily into his eyes. Searching. Her eyes widened in realisation, and a emotion leaked past the eyes that shone. But still a clear slow tone.
'Your Lily's son? Aren't you? Your eyes, they are just like hers.'she traced her hand around the bottom of his eyes with her thumb. Which shocked Harry to find that this didn't make him feel uncomfortable 'It like she's looking back at me again.' Her voice trailed at the end. Harry was taken aback, this was actually the first time that anyone had really mentioned his mother, they had just comented on his similarities to his father before mentioning her. She looked almost upset, but happy at the same time. 'I haven't seen you since you were a baby.' She also drew into a hug, but briefer that with Lupin. The hug surrounded him with happiness, a hug like only Mrs Weasley had given him before. A mothering hug. Harry wanted to say something to her, but he couldn't think what. He had set out and his mind couldn't stop creating questions, but now it had fallen silent. He decided just to ask about her.
'You - you knew my mother?' He felt that that was the best thing to ask, it was as if she wanted him to.
'Why, yes, she was my friend, my best friend. The best that I've ever had.' She sighed gently, as if she was losing herself in the past. She looked as if she had sorrow inside her, covered well, but he was sure that his mother, as she died 15 years ago could have caused it. Then the idea sprang to Harry, why didn't he think about it before? If she knew her mother, she must have known Sirius. It took him a while to work out wheither he wanted to talk about him or not.
'If you knew my mother, then you must have known Sirius too. Did you?'He felt the hole again, smaller, but sharper, he noticed Lupin contract a bit at the sound of Sirius's name, maybe he didn't want to talk about it? He didn't think about that.
'Why yes, he was one of my best friends, he was a trouble-maker, but kind. I can't see why anybody could believe that he was a mass murderer.' The statement was so matter-of-fact that the words hit Harry quite hard. The way she was talking, was as if, she knew of Sirius's innocence all along, but how? I thought everyone believed him guilty. Lupin let out a noice of guilt and sorrow, quiet, and not very distinguishable, but the women noticed it. She took his hand and held it, in a comforting way. 'I'm sorry Remus, I didn't mean it like that.' she seemed quite distrested by what she had done, and she adopted a very soft tone, if Harry had been paying attention, his mind not still on how she knew Sirius's innocence, he probally would have wondered what they were on about.
'Don't worry, your right, there was nothing to suggest that Sirius was a deatheater. I just needed someone to blaim, just like you said.' His voice littered with sadness.
'Look I mean, it must already be hard for you, please don't upset yourself anymore. It's enough losing -'But Lupin cut her short.
'Do you want to come back for some coffee.' She pulled a disgusted face.'Tea, I mean tea!' She smiled.'Do you'
'Yeh, ok! Where abouts? It isn't far is it? Well it can't be, he,' Gestering at Harry,'Can't apperate yet.'She smiled at both at them. Harry liked it better when she smiled, but he couldn't help wishing he had paid attention to what they had been talking about, and why Lupin cut her off.
'umm...'They were still staying at Grimmwald Place, he wasn't sure wheither she knew that or not. 'ohh, just a few streets away from the green. It that direction.' he gestered to the left of him. Her eyes widened, half in suprize, half in realisation, she couldn't know where it was could she? If she did how? It was a secret, she couldn't, could she? Her manner seemed even unknown to her. She looked as if she was at the edge of words, Lupin was looking at her a bit unsure as well. His thoughts seemed to mirror his own.
'Your staying there?' Her voice shock slightly as if she was still contomplaiting whether or not she should say it, even after she did. 'It must be so hard for you. Your both very brave. Well sometimes it is better to feel your around him I suppose?' Harry was quite taken aback, not only must she know about Grimmwald Place despite it being a secret from the rest of the world in fear a deatheater could come across it. She had just described his exact feelings towards staying there. It was as if she could see straight inside him. Knowing him.
Minutes silences past and flew away as the three in isosolese triangle formation stood. Waiting. Who was going to break the uncomfortable silence surrounding them? Lupin seemed almost to rise, one angle of the triangletiping the others lower as the turned to see what he was to say a split-second after he stole an inward rush of air to speak.
'Well, we should be heading back now then shan't we?' Harry slowly nodded, his mind barely willing him to speak. Thoughts flying around. Questions. Puzzles. Instead he used all of his energy lifting his feet set fast with concrete. 'Oh, and that offer is still open. You managed to creep us all out with your ability to know everything, yet again.' It wasn't delieverd maliously, and neither was it recieved that way. But yet Harry could still sense a note of hidden malious in his words. She had perked up a bit now and her guilty look from before had been replaced with a sunshine look.
She grabbed Lupin's hand and started swinging it between them and the bounce in a step so close to a skip he could barely distinguish. They speed ahead. Lupin on the brink of the first smile since July. She then spun into him, and snuggled he head into his chest, she didn't even need to bend down. They walked back to number 12 Grimmwald Place like that. Harry could faintly hear her whisper. 'I've missed you'
And as Lupin laid a protective arm around her, hugging her tight, resting his head on hers. He looked like he had missed her too.