Hello, lovelies! I thought I'd try something new and write a short story, rather than the massive beast that I already have for my story, 'The Unattainable'. There will only be a handful of chapters here. Let me know what you think!
Remus looked up from his seat at the kitchen table at number twelve, Grimmauld Place, and smiled wryly. Scratching his chin with the quill he was using to complete the Daily Prophet's crossword puzzle, he mused, "You know, Sirius, I don't think I've ever seen you so nervous."
His best friend of over twenty years didn't stop pacing as he replied anxiously, "She's my favorite cousin. I haven't seen her since before I left for Azkaban, you tosser. I just hope she remembers me."
Remus raised an eyebrow. "Do I detect interest?"
Sirius frowned. "Does the word 'cousin' not mean anything to you?"
Remus shrugged. "I didn't know what boundaries you pure bloods were willing to cross," he teased.
Sirius ignored him, other than to shoot a glare at him from the other side of the room. "I hope the house looks okay. That damned elf has disappeared again. He's useless, anyway."
The doorbell rang, and Remus stifled a laugh as his friend jumped a foot into the air with a yelp. Sirius ran for the door as he folded up his newspaper and waved his wand to start the teakettle boiling. He shook his head. Sirius hardly ever spoke of his family- for him to actually have contact with one was astonishing in itself. Considering his other cousins were both married to Death Eaters, however, he figured the bar must not be too high.
He was happily surprised (and a little nervous) when an attractive young brunette walked into the kitchen, Sirius walking beside her as they laughed at a private joke. Sirius waved an arm in Remus' direction. "This is my best friend, Moony," he told her.
The young woman walked- no, glided- over and shook his hand. Her fingers were long and delicate, and her grip was light. "Nice to meet you," she said pleasantly. Her posture was perfect, her poise obvious- all the trademarks of a pure blood upbringing.
Remus shot Sirius a look. "My name is Remus, actually. Moony started when we were at Hogwarts together."
"I'm Jesilynn," she said, smiling sweetly. Brown curls softly framed her heart-shaped face, the high cheekbones and gray eyes that were the trademarks of the Black family evident. Remus swallowed as those gray eyes met his. Had it really been that long since he had been around a pretty girl? He suddenly felt very…old.
Jesilynn turned to look at her cousin. "It seems the place hasn't changed much," she observed, smiling. The portrait of Sirius' mother, Mrs. Black, had started screaming as soon as she had rung the doorbell.
Sirius shrugged. "Kreacher won't die, and until he does, it's hopeless trying to get any of this ugly old furniture out."
When she laughed, Remus felt his breath catch. Her laughter tinkled like music. He ran a hand through his graying hair. Best not to let himself get too involved- the girl was only staying for the summer.
Sirius, with the social skills of a troll, didn't notice his friend's discomfort. He pulled a chair out at the table and gestured for his cousin to take a seat. "Butterbeer, Jesi?" he asked. When she nodded, he stepped into the cupboard, returning with three bottles. Sitting down across from Jesilynn, he slid a bottle across the table to Remus. Leaning back and throwing one arm carelessly over the back of his chair, he grinned. "So, how have you been?" he asked. "You were, what, fifteen when I left?"
Jesilynn nodded. "Yes, I remember that day well."
"We all do," Remus murmured, thinking of his best friend, James, and his wife, who had been murdered the day before Sirius was arrested.
"It's been too long, Sirius," she observed, taking a sip of her butterbeer. Remus watched, fascinated, as her head tipped back, revealing a long, white neck. Her skin reminded him of porcelain. In order to hide his vexation, he looked down and fiddled with a loose string hanging from the sleeve of his robes.
Sirius was nodding. "Wasn't around you much when you were a kid," he said, shrugging. "Guess your mother thought I might taint you with my blood-traitorness."
Jesilynn shook her head. "I always admired you for that," she admitted. "To stand up to the family like you did- it took a lot of courage, Sirius."
Sirius' face turned an entertaining shade of red as he absorbed her words. Remus grinned. His friend didn't get enough praise. Granted, he'd grown up a blood-traitor, alcoholic, and a serial womanizer, only to end up in Azkaban for thirteen murders he didn't commit. Remus figured that probably explained his discomfort at being told he was brave.
Jesilynn was studying her cousin closely. "Why haven't you ever married?" she asked suddenly.
Remus choked on his butterbeer.
Sirius looked surprised at her question. "I dunno," he said, making a face. "Never found a woman that could stand me." He gave her a jaunty wink to hide his embarrassment.
Jesilynn laughed. "You're a pure blood," she told him. "The last male heir of the Black legacy. Surely my mother could find a suitable bride."
Silence ensued as Sirius ran his thumb over the sweat dripping off of his butterbeer bottle. "I'd really prefer not to have an arranged marriage," he admitted, and Remus noted with a slight pang that Jesilynn's face fell. Sirius rubbed a hand over his face. "I'm not exactly the best catch in pureblood society, you know," he admitted, a lopsided grin on his handsome features. Jesilynn made a face, but Sirius ignored her. Changing the subject, he asked her about family members that he hadn't seen in a long time and how she was doing at her job as a Healer at St. Mungo's. Remus allowed himself to zone out, not knowing anyone in the Black family besides Sirius. From what he had heard, he wanted to keep it that way.
Finally, Sirius yawned and stood up, stretching his arms above his head. "Well, Jesi," he said, looking at her. "I guess I should show you where you'll be staying. It's just down the hall, close to Remus' room."
Jesilynn shot Remus a look that he couldn't translate before turning and following her cousin up the stairs. Remus cleaned up, taking his time and counting the number of days he had left until the full moon. Less than a week. He'd need to talk to Sirius on how best to explain his condition to Jesilynn before he scared her half to death. He figured she would not appreciate a snarling werewolf transforming in the room next to hers.
Frowning in thought, Remus climbed the stairs to find that the other two had already gone to bed. He let himself into his room, changing into a pair of pajama pants and a grey T-shirt. He was very self-conscious about his scars, and hid them even from himself. He climbed into bed and propped himself up on his pillows, reading a book by the light of a solitary candle until he fell asleep.
He was awakened in the middle of the night by terrified screams in the room next to his. Hurtling out of bed, he ran out his bedroom door, only to collide with Sirius in the hallway. "What's going on?" he asked, holding his wand at the ready.
Sirius looked grim. "Stay here, Moony. I'll take care of it."
"What's happening?" Remus asked again, but Sirius ignored him, opening the door to the guest bedroom and disappearing inside. Remus caught a glimpse of Jesilynn sitting up in the bed, tears streaking her face, before Sirius shut the door behind him.
Remus went back to bed, knowing his friend had everything under control, but resentful of being left out. For all of her composure, Jesilynn reminded him of a china doll, fragile and quiet. Her perfect features and curly hair did nothing to quell the image, and Remus found himself fighting the thought of holding her in his arms in order to fall asleep again.
It was going to be a very long summer.