A/N: This is another fic from the long, changing saga that is Remus and Tilia's story. In this one, Remus does not turn Tilia away. The time setting is just after they leave school.
Starlit Hope
Part One
Tilia and Remus left the Order meeting just past sunset. The sky had grown dark, but the moon had not yet risen. They were silent, both thinking of the grim news they had been given. Neither one of them had ever dreamed in their worst nightmares that the war could be so awful. It seemed a very long time had passed since they had left school, but it had only been a year and a half. It was hard to believe that they were almost twenty. Looking back at what had happened in the past week alone, they felt lucky to be alive.
"Let's go home," Remus said softly, glancing warily at the dark street around them. "It's dark out."
"Of course it's dark, Remus, it's night," Tilia said, laughing softly so as not to disturb the gravity of the atmosphere around them.
"I meant that the world was dark, and every day ahead of us looks darker than the last."
Tilia sighed, and glanced up at the first few stars twinkling in the sky. "Come with me."
"Where are we going?" Remus asked, confused at the abrupt change of topic. "We really need to get home."
"It won't take that long."
She led him to a small, grassy park a few blocks from where they had been. She checked the dampness of the grass, and then sat in the middle of the park, as far from the glow of the streetlights as she could. She patted the ground beside her.
"Sit down; it's barely wet."
"Is this the wisest thing we could be doing?" he asked, sitting down carefully.
Tilia shook her head. "Probably not," she replied as she lay down, placing her hands behind her head and stretching her legs out. When Remus did not move, she caught his arm and pulled him down beside her.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"Look at the sky," she ordered, pointing above her.
He stared for a few moments, at a loss as to what he was supposed to be seeing. "There's just a couple of stars up there, as usual." He sighed deeply. "I don't get it," he said flatly. "Let's go."
"Just give it five more minutes," she pleaded.
Slowly, more stars began to appear. The minimal cloud cover broke and the waning moon came over the horizon. Remus glanced at his watch.
"It's been five minutes," he stated. "Can we go now?"
"Just look at the stars," Tilia whispered. "The moon is inconstant, what with phases and cloud cover. But the stars are always there. They show through the breaks in the clouds, and shine the brightest when there is no moon."
"So?" Remus asked.
"Darkness has to work hard to extinguish the light, but light need simply exist to vanquish the dark. As long as there is light, there is hope."
Tilia sat up. Remus started. "Wait, where are you going?"
"You wanted to go home. I'm done, so let's go."
He grabbed her arm. "Just give me five more minutes?" She raised an eyebrow. "I want to think about what you said."
She smiled, leaned down, and kissed him. "You are my light, Remus Lupin. Don't you dare go out."
Remus pulled her close. "I don't plan to." He held her for a long moment, watching the stars shine above him, filling him with hope.