Chapter Two: New
Lily smiled at me I looked at Michelle.
"You two know each other?" Michelle asked with a smile. I looked back at Lily who was grinning deviously.
"Yes we do… I know someone who'd just love to hear about your news Remus" Lily said.
"You tell James I'll kill you"
"But he'll still know won't he?" she asked.
"Michelle… uh… do you mind if I…?"
"No go ahead," Michelle said. I smiled at Lily grabbed her arm and pulled her into the hallway.
"You cannot tell James!" I hissed.
"I won't… you know if you give me a good reason"
"All that time you spend together is doing your head in, your starting to act like him," I said. That hit a nerve. Lily Evans was a proud girl; quite content on being an individual any reference to similarities between her and her… well I don't know what to call him, until recently she hated him… point is it drove her nuts.
I saw her eye twitch ferociously as she stepped forward trying to intimidate me.
"Don't you dare rule me up with that prat," she said in a deadly harsh whisper "I'll admit yes he's changed but his past crimes count for far to much"
"I only meant to point out that James would blackmail me just as you threatened to do" I said she narrowed her eyes.
"Fine, your secret is safe with me" she said, I smiled at her then held the door open to Michelle's room.
"I'm sure you have lots of questions" I said she shook her head.
"Lily" I said she rolled her eyes and walked into the room.
"Sorry" I said to Michelle, she looked up from her magazine.
"It's fine babe," she said looking back down.
"Babe?" Lily repeated I hit her. Not in a crazy madman way but like a brother would his sister. She hit me back and then turned to Michelle.
"So… and I am sorry to intrude on what I'm sure has nothing to do with me but uh… why Remus?" Lily asked sitting on Michelle's bed.
"He's a great friend. If things were different, and I went through a thousand different boyfriends Remus would still be the one I'd want to come home to. Even if he wasn't my boyfriend, I mean we've been broken up for about four years now and still… he's my friend. And I have this horrible fear of dying alone so I'm going to make sure he's right there holding my hand as I take my last breath" Michelle said smiling.
"But why marry him?"
"I knew I didn't want to die without ever having a child, as that idea was scrapped I at least wanted to get married. And rather then begging random strangers I asked Remus. It's not like its forever… death do us part and all that," Michelle said.
"I'm not usually such a morbid person. I was just curious" Lily said apologetically.
"It's fine Lily" Michelle assured her "my turn, I want to hear all about my Remmy at school"
"You know we go to school together?" Lily asked glancing nervously at me.
"Hogwarts… yes I know. I know about everything else" Michelle said Lily stared at me.
"Well my dads magical… and she's my best friend. Besides she tells anyone I'll wipe her and the others memories clean. Even if it means taking everything," I said.
"You'd do that to your fiancé?" Lily asked
"Lily I'd eat her," I said glaring at her.
"You know about that too?" Lily asked Michelle.
"Like I'd date her if she didn't" I said
"I know your stupid rules you dense prat," Lily snapped.
"Don't you dare start to argue" Michelle ordered. I fell silent and sat down in a chair beside the bed.
"So Lily… on with the stories" Michelle said.
Lily smiled and explained all the hilarious pranks my friends had pulled on various teachers. She slipped in very subtle insults towards James Potter but other then that actually spoke quite warmly about the whole thing.
I watched Michelle as she laughed till she cried and then laughed more. After an hour Lily wound down and announced she'd been getting into trouble for talking to particular patients to long and should go.
"See you next week Remmy" Lily said mocking me.
I turned to Michelle who was watching me with a small smile.
"What?" I asked
"It's just nice to hear you have such wonderful friends. It reassures me you won't go into a little gothic cacoon of self-pity when I die"
"I'll do it anyway"
"Yes but you'll recover quickly when you've got nice friends to rally around you"
"Michelle I really don't want to talk about this. Death just seems to be following me and I'd rather not dignify it with a mention"
"Huh?"
"I killed Ginger"
"Your mum's seeing eye dog? Why?"
"It was an accident," I said
"Ah… you tried to convince your parents to lock you away and they said no. So you came here to try and get me to hate you. Not going to happen"
"I wasn't-"
"Remus you want someone to yell at you. No one is going to do that"
"REMUS JOHN LUPIN!" a voice bellowed from the doorway. Michelle and I jumped and looked around.
"Dr. Quinn" I said
"Go outside and enjoy the fucking sunshine. God you two are the most depressing kids ever" he snapped and then looked at Michelle.
"How are you today?" he asked brightly. Michelle smiled and gave me the ok to leave. I didn't really want to but she gave me that look. I turned on my heel and left the room.
I walked home. Using the time I had alone to just settle my life a bit. I didn't really get long because I'd only made it a street from the hospital when my father's car pulled up beside me.
"Remus… I'll give you a lift home," he said
"Actually I'd rather walk"
"Nah come on" he said I sighed and got into the car. I looked into the back and saw a sleeping light brown Labrador.
"New dog?" I asked
"Yes… this is Leo" dad said. I patted the dog softly and it instantly responded by moving its head to the side so I could scratch the ears.
"Ah he likes you… that's good… nearly tore my arm off"
"I've still got the canine-like scent on me from the full moon. So we'll be the best of friends around then Leo won't we boy?" I asked Leo barked happily.
"Can you understand what he's saying?" dad asked
"Ok that's going in the 'stupidest questions' book," I said
"I'm just curious" dad said defensively.
"That's something Suadela should say," I said. He looked at me
"No! I can only get emotions. He's happy," I said
"Well I can tell that" dad said seemingly unimpressed.
"He's sad… probably because he's had to leave his friends. He's also rather excited… could be because of a new family I don't know"
"So… he's sad but excited about it?" dad asked I rolled my eyes and looked at Leo.
"You are so lucky your father wasn't a twit" I said Leo barked.
Dad pulled into the drive and I let Leo out. He jumped around for a bit before relaxing and becoming the obedient Seeing Eye dog he should be.
"Lets go meet Kelly" dad said to Leo who just stared at him.
"Come on" I said Leo followed me.
"I don't understand dogs" dad sighed and followed us into the house.
"Mum… we got a dog," I called.
"Yay!" mum cheered from the living room. I led Leo down the hall and into the living room.
"Leo. That's mum… you'll help her" I said Leo barked at me. I just pointed and he trotted over to mum and nuzzled against her leg.
"Leo?" mum asked with an amused look.
"Name came with the dog" dad said entering the room.
"Ah! Well Leo… it seems you've taken a liking to Remus… but you've got to like me" mum said patting Leo soothingly.
"I'm going to go pretend to do my homework," I said
"Remus" mum said
"Yes" I said
"Nothing" she said I frowned at her but said nothing and walked up the stairs to my room.
I'd already finished all my homework within the first few weeks of the holidays and was looking forward to a nice long sleep. With enough luck I could erase this past day from my mind.
I flopped on my bed and sat up immediately when I realised there was someone on it.
"Sway!" I cried Suadela sat up.
"Sorry Rem, I just wanted to talk to you," she said
"Why? That's what Lucina is for" I muttered.
"She doesn't get me. Besides she's busy being pregnant so her moods change like that" she said and clicked her fingers for emphasis.
Sway was three years older then I and like her namesake was a goddess of persuasion. She could sell cigarettes to lung cancer victims. With her long dark hair and coy little smile she somehow seemed to have men wrapped around her finger and when she turned on the water works she could even make my brothers and me dive off cliffs to cheer her up.
"What's wrong?" I asked she gave me a small smile.
"It's just really hard to get people to take me seriously. I mean all anyone sees is a pretty face and gorgeous head of hair"
"Who's not taking you seriously?" I asked
"Everyone. Mum and dad! My own siblings and of course my university lecturers"
"Did he try to sleep with you again? Because he's on a suspended sentence. He'll go to jail now" I said
"No I dropped that class. This is a new guy… and he's been giving me extra help… but I don't think he thinks I'm smart enough for magicalosophical engineering"
"You aren't smart enough for magicalosophical engineering"
"Why not?" she asked sounding rather upset.
"Number one magicalosophical isn't a word," I said "secondly you know nothing about science to be doing anything related to engineering"
"If magicalosophical isn't a word what class am I in?" she asked
"I have no idea" I said she frowned looking slightly hurt her lips curved into a miserable pout. I sighed "Look you just make it very easy for people to take advantage of you" I said
"I know… but why?"
I didn't want to say because she was a bit of a ditz but my silence seemed to answer for me.
"Oh I know…" she sighed
"You keep picking courses that are to hard for you and when you've got no idea what's going on you seem to point out your…" I trailed off
"Un-smartness" she said
"Yeah we're calling it stupidity now" I said she groaned.
"How can you be so smart? My brain gets all irritated and stuff whenever you have one of your ethical debates with Lucina," she said.
"You've got other qualities Sway…"
"Yes my looks. But I don't want just my looks!" she sighed.
"Your really good with make-up. You taught me how to hide my scars remember?" I said and rubbed off some of the concealer on my hand to reveal the faded scars hidden beneath.
"Maybe you should try beauty school? I know you don't want to do anything to do with your looks but maybe helping other people with theirs?" I offered. She frowned in thought
"Well I've tried everything else. I mean I did try university…" she muttered, "Maybe it wouldn't be so bad… I can always try right?" I nodded and she beamed at me.
"Thanks Rem, you always know what to say" she said and hugged me before leaving. I sighed and flopped down on the bed. A second later the door opened and Lucina walked in.
"I'm not running therapy sessions!" I snapped. She smiled and sat down on the bed. I sighed and sat up
"What's wrong?" I asked reluctantly.
"Mikey called" she said I frowned at her.
"Is he that pizza delivery guy?" I asked
"No! Father of my baby! Jeez Rem keep up!" she said I rolled my eyes and waited for her to continue.
"What did he want?" I asked
"He wants me back"
"What am I supposed to do? He can just up and leave any time," she said.
"Then don't take him back," I said
"But I love him"
"Then take him back"
"But what if he leaves again?"
"Cina your never going to know unless you take him back are you?"
"But-"
"Don't think like that. You'll just be left sitting there alone wondering what if… and that's horrible. Just give it a go… worst that can happen is you get your heart broken and I've seen you come back from that so you'll be fine"
"You really think I should?"
"Do whatever you want. This is just my opinion"
"Thanks Remus" she said and hugged me.
"Boy it's really coming along," I said indicating to her belly.
"He. And one month to go" she said beaming.
"Worried?"
"Oh yes" she said with a small smile.
"Being the oldest I think you've mothered the rest of us so you'll do a fantastic job as a real one" I said
"Thank you Rem" she said and gave me another hug before leaving.
I lay down when a knock had me sitting up again. At least whoever it was had the decency to knock.
I got off my bed and pulled open my door.
My parents stood looking rather nervous in the hallway.
"Uh… um…" mum stuttered then looked down.
"The Minister for Magic is downstairs," she blurted out. I laughed and closed the door.
There was another knock I pulled open the door expecting to see my parents but instead a tall young man stood in the doorway. I frowned at him.
"You must be Remus. I'm terribly sorry to barge into your home so soon after a full moon" he said. I continued to frown; he looked far too young to be the minister… I don't really keep up with politics so I didn't know but on instinct it didn't seem right… perhaps he was an assistant.
"May we come in?" he asked I glanced at the 'we' he was referring to and saw a short woman holding a bundle of folders. I quickly glanced around my room and saw it was messy… I hadn't realised how messy until now.
"Uh…" I began
"Not to worry boy my room is worse I can assure you" he said I stood aside to let them in. The woman stood at my desk while the man stood and looked around the room curiously.
"Hogwarts hmm?" he asked pointing to my school robes thrown across the floor I nodded mentally kicking myself.
"I'm Noah Murphy the minister for magic" he said I shook his hand nervously.
"Oh and this is Suzie… my PR. Helps me sort out my slip ups," Murphy said
"The minister for magic never makes any slip ups. He deliberately does things wrong to see if anyone will notice" Suzie said very fast.
"Thank you Suzie. Now I'm sure your very curious as to why the minister is standing here in your home but it's very important" Murphy said I nodded. He wouldn't come to my house if it weren't.
"We have this new registry system for magical creatures at the ministry. So we'll need you to come to the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures at eleven o'clock sharp and just update a few of your files. Ok?" Murphy said
"Sure" I said
"Really?" Murphy asked seeming surprised I nodded with a reassuring smile.
Why would he be surprised by my co-operation? Perhaps there's something he forgot to mention.
"That was easy. I was worried… if only werewolves were more like you Remus" Murphy said with a laugh I just smiled.
"Well if you don't have any questions…"
"Nope" I said shaking my head
"Right… well we can talk tomorrow if you have anything to say… anything else…" he said then looked at Suzie who nodded.
"Eleven o'clock sharp" he said and left with Suzie in tow.
I was left standing in my bedroom, a horrible feeling of dread beginning to rise from the pit of my stomach.
This was not going to turn out well for me… it never does.
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Hey readers,
Super un-inspired it's frustrating
Trying my best though!
So do bear with me
In the mean time leave a review
Till later gang, A.J
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