A/N Last chapter. Gosh, I'm sad it's over! So ends this particular chapter of the Remus/Shelby tale… But it's not the end of their story. I know how their story ends, and I would love to write a follow-up, but with my spotty writing/updating history, it's best to just be optimistic without actually promising anything. =) Anyway, hope you like the final chapter! Reviews are always nice, if you can spare a minute.

Chapter 12

It was nearly three in the morning when Shelby and Remus arrived home. Shelby killed the engine and put the truck in neutral so the roar of the engine wouldn't wake anyone up… assuming Mrs. Lupin wasn't still awake in her sitting room crying her eyes out, or Mr. Dixon laying in wait on his porch with a shotgun across his knees. Remus lifted the door of the car house and rolled the truck in, noting that there were no lights on in either the Lupin's or the Dixon's home.

Shelby put the truck in park and stepped out of the car, looking around warily.

"No way are we going to get off that easily," she said quietly.

"I'm absolutely sure my mum's awake," Remus answered. Shelby smiled at him and stepped into his arms. Remus grinned from ear to ear and rested his chin atop her head, noting with a ridiculous surge of pleasure that she fit there perfectly, as if she belonged there.

"I don't want to say goodnight," she mumbled.

"Me neither," he said, wrapping his arms tightly around her, "But if I don't get in soon, I won't be allowed out of my room the rest of the summer."

"Hey," she said brightly, "Here's an idea. Landon's of age, he can do a spell to turn the clocks back or something. And then maybe a few memory modifications."

He looked down at her, smiling, "I like this mischievous side of you, Shelbs."

"Thanks," she laughed.

He kissed her swiftly and reluctantly released her from his arms.

"See you tomorrow, I hope," he said.

"Fingers crossed," she replied.

"I love you," he told her, surprised at how easy and natural those three little words now came.

Even in the dim light, he saw her eyes sparkle.

"Say it again," she whispered.

"I love you," he repeated, his smile threatening to split his face.

"Once more," she demanded, giggling.

"I love y-"

Light illuminated the front lawn at Remus' place. Someone had turned on the front room lights.

"Oh, bloody hell," he groaned.

"Go," Shelby demanded, standing on tip-toes and kissing him. She turned and ran from the shelter of the car house through the rain, up the front steps and into her house. Remus watched her go, knowing that any punishment his mother doled out to him would be one hundred percent worth it. He closed the car house door and jogged inside, happier than he'd ever been in his entire life.

Remus' mom was plenty pissed off at him for leaving out the minor detail that James' parents were out of town, surprisingly understanding about the owl she'd received from the Ministry, and unnerved about the flat tire on the truck ("You could have been killed!"). All in all, he felt it was pretty fair when she only grounded him for one week instead of the rest of his teenage life.

"I feel like a normal mum for once," she said, a small smile playing at the corner of her lips as she sent Remus upstairs to his room.

"Why? Because I'm getting punished for breaking curfew and going to a party that got raided by the Law Enforcement Squad?" he asked.

"Yes. Now you'd better go upstairs before I change my mind on how long you're grounded," she said, shaking her head.

"Right. Sorry Mum," he said, heading up the stairs. About halfway up, he turned and looked back at her.

"Thought you might like to know- I've got a girlfriend now."

"Oh? Anyone I know?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah. Nice girl. Lives next door to us," he replied.

She broke into a smile that almost matched his.

"Congratulations," she laughed, "Now go to bed."


Remus yawned and rubbed his eyes as he trooped down the stairs around noon.

"My son, the truant," his dad greeted as he entered the kitchen.

"Er… hi Dad," Remus replied, helping himself to a biscuit from the tin on the table.

"Healthy breakfast," his dad smirked.

"Well, it's more like lunch, isn't it?" Remus asked smartly, collapsing into the nearest chair.

"Don't get too comfortable," his dad said, "You're going to mow the lawn today."

Remus stared at him blankly.

"But Dad, I'm not allowed to use magic on holiday."

"Yes, I know."

Realization dawned over him.

"Without magic?" he yelped, "Dad… We live on a farm! The grounds are… extensive."

Remus scowled as his dad had to nerve to actually start laughing at him.

"Think of it as my way of contributing to your punishment, but also allowing you to see that pretty girlfriend of yours while you're grounded," he chuckled, "You'll have to go over to the Dixons and borrow their mower, after all."

"Thanks, Dad," Remus grumbled, hoisting himself out of his chair.

"You're quite welcome," he replied, opening the newspaper and disappearing behind it.

Remus crossed the lawn, dreading the full-day's work that lay ahead of him. The rain from the night before had cleared away completely and a blazing July sun beat down on him. Remus sighed. The Dixon's mower wasn't even motorized, just an old push mower with rusty blades that were about as dull as butter knives.

"I'd do better with a pair of garden shears," Remus mumbled, knocking on the Dixon's door. Landon answered a moment later.

"Three in the morning?" he hissed upon opening the door and dragging Remus inside, "Are you batty? You're lucky it's the one Saturday a month my dad had to work. He fell asleep early last night. And you're lucky I charmed his sleep so he wouldn't wake up when you got home… AT THREE IN THE MORNING."

"We got a flat tire!" Remus protested.

"A likely story," Landon scoffed.

"It's true!"

"Landon! Leave him alone," Shelby demanded, pushing her older brother out of the way. Remus' face lit up as she came into view. Forgetting Landon was still there, he scooped her up into his arms and planted a big kiss on her lips.

Landon gaped at them.

"Oh… er… Landon… Remus and I are together now," Shelby explained, blushing.

"I can see that," he sneered.

"Landon," Shelby said warningly.

"Oh, don't mind me," Landon said, raising his hands as if in surrender, "I'll just be filling out job applications whilst the two of you snog and break curfew by hours and don't even get in trouble for it!"

"Hey, I'm grounded, alright?" Remus snapped.

"You are?" Shelby asked.

"For a week. I'm only allowed over here because I need to borrow your lawn mower. Dad's making me do the whole lawn," Remus answered.

"Sweet justice," Landon smirked, heading out of the room.

"Shut up!" Remus called to his retreating backside.

Shelby smiled at him and took his hand. She led him through the house and out the back door to the old barn where years ago, horses had been boarded but not played host to only rusty old farm equipment and several cats.

"Want help?" she asked, "You mow, I'll rake up behind you?"

"You're sweet," he said, kissing her forehead, "But I don't want to make you do a smelly day's work."

"I feel bad, you taking all the blame for last night while I get off scot free. Let me help. How else are we supposed to spend time together while you're grounded?"

He looked at her skeptically.

"Please?" she added sweetly.

"This is not the way I pictured spending our first day as a couple together," he acquiesced.

"Me either," she laughed.

At dusk, Remus bade a reluctant farewell to Shelby. He knew his mother would be strict about his grounding… the coming week was going to absolutely crawl by.


A week later, Remus crossed the yard to the Dixon's. Shelby met him halfway, running at him in a full sprint. She nearly knocked him over, kissing him forcefully.

"That was the longest week of my life," they said simultaneously as soon as their lips parted, causing both of them to laugh. Sure enough, Remus' mum had been unbendingly rigid about his grounding. The only contact he and Shelby had made was when she'd open her bedroom curtains at night and wave forlornly at him. She'd mouth the words 'I love you!' and he'd pretend to be overcome with emotion and fall back on his bed, causing her to laugh and blow him kisses. She was so beautiful! And so close… yet so far away! The week had dragged on and on… The full moon was approaching and Remus was sad to think that they'd only have a day together after his grounding ended and the night of his monthly transformation came.

"Let's go for a walk," he said, taking her hand. They lazily made their way down to the Jenkin's old farmhouse.

Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins were the oldest people Remus knew and had long given up the care of their place to one of their grandchildren who lived in London and made the drive out to check on his grandparents once every month or so. The place was totally run down; huge trees, hundreds of years old sprawled across the grounds, old farm equipment lay rusting in the overgrown fields and hungry-looking chickens pecked their way through tall grass and weeds. Wildflowers grew unchecked around the pond and down by the old barn, once red and bright but now gray and weather-stained. Despite being owned by two old Muggles, the Jenkins farm was the most magical place Remus knew.

The Jenkins were currently on their front porch, both sitting in ancient rocking chairs. Remus waved, his way of asking the old couple's permission to amble around their property and Mrs. Jenkins raised a hand and feebly waived back, her way of granting it.

"Sweet, aren't they?" Shelby asked, climbing onto an old tire swing that hung from a magnificent oak tree.

"Mhm," Remus agreed, giving the swing a push.

"Wonder how old they are," she mused.

"Dunno," he said, "My dad said they were ancient when he was young, and my parents are pretty old themselves."

"Maybe they're ghosts," she suggested dreamily, leaning back in the swing so it spun around, "They died ages ago and they couldn't bear to leave the place they'd spent so many years happy and in love."

"That's awfully romantic and slightly morbid of you," he laughed, giving the swing another push, "But I'm pretty sure they aren't ghosts."

"They're not?" she asked.

"No… they're too solid and colorful to be ghosts," he smiled.

"Oh! That's right! You've actually seen ghosts. One of your teachers is a ghost, isn't he?" she asked.

"Professor Binns. He's the most boring teacher in the entire school."

"Yeah, Sirius said the same thing," Shelby said.

"Only class I've ever gotten poor marks in. I just can't stay awa-" Remus stopped suddenly. "Hang on," he said, pulling the swing to a stop, "When exactly were you talking to Sirius about Binns?"

"Two weeks ago when he dropped by and you were so annoyed with him," she replied, obviously amused.

"While we're on that topic, what on earth was going on these past few weeks with you and Sirius?" Remus couldn't believe he'd forgotten about Shelby's seeming infatuation with his best friend since the beginning of the summer. But now it all came rushing back to him- the questions about Sirius, the constant dropping of his name into conversation, how painfully constricted his chest felt those times when they appeared to be flirting with one another.

"What do you mean, what was going on with us?" she smiled.

"Out with it, Shelby Anne Dixon!" he demanded, "I've no problem admitting that you had me in absolute fits of jealousy every time you mentioned his bloody name!"

Her smile faltered upon hearing this declaration.

"Aw, Lup," she took one of his hands and pressed it to her lips, kissing it firmly.

"Promise me," she said, "That you'll be angry at Sirius when I tell you this, and not at me?"

He titled his head to the side, bewildered.

"Um, alright?" he agreed, purely out of curiosity.

Shelby took a deep breath, laughed to herself, shook her head and began.

"Before summer hols, I… wrote Sirius a letter."

"You wrote to Sirius? At Hogwarts?"

"Yeah, and apparently he had quite the job keeping it secret from you," she replied.

"What did the letter say?" he asked, settling himself next to her on the swing.

"Well, I had a little problem, in that I was totally in love with my best friend and unsure how to proceed, seeing as how said best friend can be a bit… closed off emotionally," she winced. Remus nodded, having to admit to himself that she was quite right.

"I thought it a good idea to consult my best mate's best mate to see what he thought of everything," Shelby continued, "I wanted to know if he thought I should make a move, or let you- that is, if you felt the same way about me that I felt about you."

"Did Sirius tell you I liked you?" Remus asked.

"No. He said he couldn't say for sure, since you were always deflecting the subject if he brought it up," she shrugged.

"So? What'd he tell you to do?" he asked.

Shelby winced again and her cheeks flushed, "I know this sounds ridiculous, I mean, I even thought it was ridiculous as soon as Sirius suggested it… He said if I ever wanted to get a confession out of you, I'd have to force it out. He said you'd never come clean on your own and that you'd need a bit of persuading. He said-" Shelby buried her face in her hands, she was now completely beet red, "He said… I should try to make you jealous and that he would help me do it."

"What? Shelbs, you went along with that?" Remus practically yelped.

"I know, I know," she moaned, "But you've got to realize, Lup, I was desperate to know if you felt the slightest thing for me, or if you had convinced yourself ages ago that we were just friends."

"You couldn't have just come right out and asked me if I liked you?" he gaped.

"And have you feel totally awkward around me if you didn't?" she asked, "Look, I'd gone over and over it in my mind about a million times how I could ever bring myself to admit my feelings for you. Remus, I'd rather have died than to know that you only thought of me as a friend!"

He wrapped his arm around her, knowing exactly how she felt. Those were the very reasons he had never just come out and told Shelby the way he felt about her. But wait a minute… Sirius knew the whole time that they were both in love with each other?

"Why didn't that stupid git SAY ANYTHING?" Remus exploded, leaping off of the swing.

"Lup, I made him promise not to tell you that I'd written to him, or to tell you that I loved you. It's really not his fault. He's been really helpful," Shelby mumbled.

"Helpful, sure. Right pain in my arse, Sirius," he said, shaking his head. He sat on the swing again, folding his arms across his chest.

"It all worked out in the end though, yeah?" she asked, laying her head on his shoulder. He sighed and wrapped his arms around her.

"Yeah," he agreed, "But I am sorry."

"For what?" she asked, leaning back to look up at him.

"Waiting. I've loved you for so long… I owed it to you to tell you. And I'm sorry I didn't do it sooner. Forgive me?"

"Of course," she whispered, kissing him gently. They sat in silence for a few moments; the only sound was the chirping of birds and a slight breeze stirring the leaves above them.

"I think I'm going to kill Sirius," Remus finally decided.

"Ooh, Marauder position opening up," she grinned, standing up on the old tire and leaning to one side, "Should I submit my application?" Remus laughed and stood as well.

"It's a tiring job," he noted as the swing began to spin around, "Things can get a bit crazy."

"Yeah, but if it gets too out of control, I heard there's a Prefect in the bunch to calm things down," she laughed.

"He's a bit non-confrontational, actually," he grinned wryly, "Poor bloke won't speak his mind half the time."

"Well, maybe he'll learn some sort of valuable lesson over summer holiday and be full of confidence next term," she suggested, raising one eyebrow.

"We'll see," he replied, laughing. Shelby jumped down from the swing and began walking towards the pond. Remus lagged behind, thinking about all the components of his strange life. A short three and a half weeks ago he had been just a Marauding-Prefect-Werewolf. He noted now with considerable giddy happiness that he could add 'Boyfriend' to his title. Somehow, he didn't think the new addition would prove quite so exhausting…