Author's Note:
It seems we have come to Chapter Seven. Also, it has come to my attention that some of the dates are a little screwed up. I use a website that has about three different time lines. I am using one that says that Lily and James finished Hogwarts in 1978. It's the most legit one, I think.
Disclaimer:
No, I am not J.K. Rowling. Big shocker there. I know, I know, you all thought that Verekai was actually J.K. Rowling. It's a common case of mistaken identity.
What had I done?
What had I done?
WHAT HAD I DONE?
I sat at the kitchen table with my head in my hands, grasping at my hair in frustration.
How could I have not seen it?
When did it happen?
What had I done?
"You okay, Remy?" Lily asked, walking into the room.
No. I was not okay. My best friend was in love with me and I had only ever thought of him in the non-romantic sense. No. I was far from okay.
"Don't worry, Remus will be back tomorrow. Dumbledore told us at the meeting last night," Lily said, misinterpreting my distress. "Oh, and Gideon wants to come over to see you sometime. He probably wants to show off his nephews. Apparently, the oldest looks just like him already."
I nodded in response. Seeing Gideon would be wonderful. I missed his easy smile and rib-shattering hugs.
"Do you remember Xavier Chang from Hogwarts? He was a Ravenclaw in our year. I dated him for like a week in fifth year. Drove James completely mad," Lily mused, twisting her wedding band around her finger.
I raised my head to look at her. What was her point?
"His wife had a little girl a couple of months ago," she said, still fiddling with her band.
Something was definitely up...She was acting extremely strange.
"I wouldn't mind having a family. I want a big one, at least four kids. Maybe more. And a dog...I never had a dog when I was younger. My dad was allergic."
She was rambling, something she rarely did. Lily was always so calm and collected; it was slightly daunting to see her almost the least bit out-of-control.
"I bet James hasn't even thought about kids," she said, almost bitterly. She started to pace the length of the kitchen.
What was going on? I was so confused.
"Remy...I need you to answer a question for me as truthfully as possible," asked Lily, suddenly spinning around and facing me. "Do you think I would I be a good mother?"
I looked at her, and it suddenly dawned on me why she was being so strange. She wanted to start a family. She wanted a baby. She wanted a squalling, pooping, chubby-cheeked bundle to love and adore.
Yes, Lily would be a good mother. A great one.
I nodded resolutely, not breaking my gaze.
She seemed to deflate a little, and then sat down across from me.
"Tomorrow's Hallowe'en," she said suddenly, rubbing her face with her hand.
I wished I was back at Hogwarts, where Hagrid's gigantic pumpkins sent strange flickering shadows across the tables, and live bats swooped down from the ceiling. I missed the pumpkin pie that the house elves always sent up, the huge mugs of hot chocolate they would give me on my late night rendezvous to the kitchens. I missed the simplicity of school.
"James and I are going over to Frank and Alice's tomorrow night. They invited you as well. Do you...Do you want to come?" asked Lily.
Frank and Alice...The memory of James and Lily's wedding flashed into my head and I saw the smiling couple in my mind's eye. They were both Aurors, and Frank Longbottom had been trained under Barty Crouch himself.
I nodded slowly, surprisingly both Lily and myself.
"Really? You're sure? Oh, Remy, I think that's a wonderful idea. Dumbledore said it would be alright, though I'll have to do some Charms on you for the trip. It's not terribly long from here; the Longbottom's live in Lancashire," Lily said, looking quite a bit happier now.
It suddenly dawned on me that I had no idea where I was in England. I had deduced that we were somewhere in Somerset, though I couldn't exactly say which town. I myself had grown up in Pembrokeshire, though I knew the Collins family had an estate in Kent. I suddenly remembered a day during the summer of my third year, when my father had stormed into the house, sending rain spraying from his hair and cloak.
"Almost on the other side of the bloody country and I run into him!" he had fumed to my mother, who had anxiously put her knitting down when she saw the state of him.
"Who, dear?" she had asked, sending a very pointed glance towards me. I had known that look, the go-to-bed-I-don't-care-if-it's-seven-o'clock look.
I had not gone to bed, as they had thought, but had listened at the door of the living room.
"Malcolm. Saw him at the fish market today. Said he was looking for better halibut! Pah! Bollocks, I say! Does he think I am stupid? There are about a million fish markets in blooming Kent!"
I knew my father had three siblings, a brother and two sisters. I had never met any of them, though my father had mention his sisters, Giselle and Ophelia, numerous times. The brother, Malcolm, was never discussed and the subject was always promptly changed if it came up. From my father's rants, I was able to conclude that Malcolm had gone to their parents and told them about my mother. He had then tried to perform the Cruciatus Curse on her. The relationship between Malcolm and my father disintegrated after those incidents.
"Remy?"
I jolted back from memory lane, back to Somerset and Lily's slightly perplexed face.
"You okay? You sort of blanked out for a second."
I nodded, and rubbed my temples. I could still smell my father's favorite cologne and the sweet twang of faint cigar smoke. I sighed deeply, wanting to keep that with me for as long as possible. I missed both of my parents more than anything, but I had always had a special bond with my father.
Lily was opening the mail that was scattered haphazardly on the table. She opened a rather damp letter with a small frown on her face.
"It's from James's parents...we haven't heard from them in almost three years. Right after we finished Hogwarts, they went into hiding," she said, her frown deepening.
There was a knock at the front door, though Lily did not seem to notice. I waited for a minute to see if she was going to get it, but she seemed entirely engrossed in the letter, which was rather lengthy.
"Lily! It's me! Remember me? Your husband?"
It was James.
I went to the door to let him in, though I realized I probably should have asked the safe question.
Not really sure what I was to do, I just knocked back.
"What the-" I heard James say. "Wait...Remy?"
I knocked again.
Come on, Remy. Talk, you idiot. Talk!
I wet my lips, and squared my shoulders. I was going to do this. I was going to do this.
"H-" I started, feeling a slight catch in my throat.
Come on...
"Ha-" I pressed my lips together.
"Remy...It's okay..." James said through the door.
I whimpered pitifully...Gods, this was terrible...humiliating...I wanted to sink into the floor.
Suddenly, in a whirl of color, Lily came rushing into the front hall.
"James!" she nearly sobbed and flew open the door.
"What's the matter?" he asked, stepping back from door.
"We need to go. Your parents are...Your mum and dad are...They said they're really sick and they want to see us...They say they don't have much time left," Lily gasped, her voice trembling with horror.
James's whole body froze at her outburst and I saw his eyes widen with growing alarm.
"What?" he asked.
Lily began to cry steadily and stepped forward into his stiff arms.
That explained the letter I realized.
"I need to-I should pack," James stuttered.
"I'm coming with you!" Lily exploded.
"I need to pack," James said again, moving inside the house. I hurried away from the door, knowing he would want to be alone.
"I'll arrange a Portkey," Lily said.
James caught sight of me trying to sidle away into the kitchen. "What about Remy?"
I shook my head. They shouldn't worry about me. I would be fine.
"She can stay with Remus when he gets back," Lily said gently. She seemed to have regained control over herself and it looked like a plan was already forming in her mind.
"He's not back..." James said, jumping up the stairs.
"I know. But there's no one else!" Lily exclaimed at his retreating back.
"What about Sirius? He needs to know!"
"I'll send a Patronus to him as soon as I can!" Lily shouted, dashing up the stairs after him.
I heard them continue to shout back and forth to each other upstairs, while I sank down against the wall.
Alone in a small house with Remus for Merlin knew how long? Not exactly the best case scenario for my situation right now.
I stayed on the floor until Lily emerged from upstairs, three suitcases hovering behind her.
"We're leaving as soon as possible. I'm really sorry about this, Remy. James hasn't seen his parents in a long time, and this might be the last he does." Her voice cracked at the last part of her statement.
I nodded to show I understood.
"I'll make you a Portkey, and I packed up all of your clothes for you. I know you still don't have a lot, but I gave you some of mine as well. Do you have your cat?" Lily asked, fighting to push her hair out of her eyes.
As though she had been called, my little kitten scampered into the front hall, and promptly rammed right into the front door.
I stared at her in surprise, then scooped her into my arms.
"Portus" I heard Lily command and something in the kitchen lit up with a blue glow.
She hurried back into the front hall, carrying a cracked mug that James had broken a couple of mornings ago and the letter from James's parents. "Here. Give the letter to Remus," she said, and handed them to me.
I tucked the suitcase under my arm, gripped the kitten to my chest, and hooked a finger around the handle of the mug. The letter was crushed into my back pocket.
"We'll come get you as soon as we are back," Lily said, and with a forced smile, she kissed me on the forehead and gave me a large hug.
I wanted to say 'be careful'. I wanted to say 'it's going to be alright'. But I couldn't. I could just try and tell her everything I was feeling through my hug.
"Three...two...one..."
There was that strange, uncomfortable feeling behind my navel and I disappeared into a tornado of wind and color.
I crashed into the floor of Remus's house, sending the kitten yowling across the floor and my suitcase spilling into the wall.
"Remy?"
That certainly wasn't Remus's voice.
I looked up from the floor, and nearly wet myself when I saw that it was Sirius Black peering down at me.
"Are you alright?" he asked, reaching out a hand to help me up.
I jerked away from his hand of help, and got up by myself. I stuck my nose in the air. I didn't need his stupid help.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
I could have asked him the same question. What the hell was he doing at Remus's house?
I suddenly remembered the letter. I thrust it at him and turned to look for the kitten. It was sulking under the sofa, its soft fur puffed out angrily.
"What? Oh gods..."
I turned around and nearly fell over when I realized Sirius was right behind me. He looked like a lost man, and it scared me to no end. I didn't know how to react to this.
"What the hell is going on?" he yelled, shaking the letter at me. I cowered away from him.
"Please...Tell me what's happening!" he cried desperately. I moved away until my back was against the wall.
I shook my head. It was in the letter. Why wasn't he reading the letter?
"What's happening! Tell me, dammit!" he shouted, coming even closer to me.
Was it not clear enough in the letter? What was the matter with him?
He had his hands pressed on either side of my head, suspended above me. He was quite a bit taller than me, though with his head bent in despair he was almost my height.
Without warning, he punched the wall right next to my head. I cried out in surprise and fear.
He looked up and looked at the hole in the wall with an incredulous expression on his face. Before I knew what was happening, he started to laugh.
Laugh.
Like a complete maniac.
His shoulders were shaking and his eyes were shut tightly.
I stared at him in shock and revulsion.
He was laughing. After he had rammed his hand into the wall like a complete troll.
Nothing could have prepared me for this.
Without further ado, I reached up and slapped him twice.
"Wha-" he stepped back and shook his head as though to clear it.
"You just slapped me!" he said, flabbergasted.
Damn right, I just slapped him.
"You just slapped me," he said again.
What was his point?
"I can't believe you just slapped me," he said. He was closer now, closer than he had been before. Way too close.
Tentatively, he reached out a hand, which looked red from him slamming it into the wall, and tucked a piece of hair behind my ear.
"You just slapped me..."
His fingers trailed across my cheek to trace my parted lips.
WHAT?
I couldn't move...It was too weird. He was touching me.
It actually didn't feel that bad
Shut up, brain. SHUT UP!
He was leaning in.
Holy crow, he was going to kiss me.
Remy Collins was going to be kissed by Sirius Black.
Why wasn't I running away screaming?
What was happening to me?
Why wasn't I cringing away in disgust?
Why was I secretly hoping he would just hurry up and kiss me?
He was so close, I could see every fleck of color in those deep grey eyes.
Softly, ever so gently, he pressed his lips to mine.
Author's Note:
Whoa...wasn't expecting that to come out. What just happened? That was strange. Maybe it was too fast. You tell me.
Review?
