Chapter 25

I make my way over the dewy green grass, straying far from the puddles caused by the rain from last night. The humidity continues to frizz up my hair as I jiggle the doorknob to enter the laundry room.

"Welcome home honey! How was Lily's?" My mom peeks her head in whilst I wipe my shoes on the bright, sunshine yellow mat.

"Good mom." I reply.

Last night I slept over at Lily's. Petunia's staying in London over Lily's break and then going with Bernard – or whatever to his name is – to his parent's house for Easter dinner. Needless to say, Lily's all alone with her mom and dad, and if they're anything like mine, then extra company is much wanted.

"Don't forget about dinner with the Lupins next week." She reminds me as I walk past her and up the stairs to my room.

"How could I've forgotten? You remind me every day, plus he's my boyfriend. Why would I forget something like that?"

Apparently my mom, in want of new wizard friends, wrote to Remus's mom after she found out I was his date to Slughorn's Christmas Party. She wrote me telling me that she was going to owl them, but I never gave it much thought. Well, Mrs. Lupin and my mom went for tea and bonded. Now the Lupins want us over for dinner. I told my mom that I was dating their son and she couldn't have been any happier. My father couldn't have been any unhappier.

"Testy testy." My mom tsks.

I ignore her and head to the shower to clean myself up for the day. There's some sort of market in town where muggles will be selling food and crafts and the likes. Lily said it's a lot of fun but she's stuck inside this year. I suggested it to my parents and they agreed to go check it out.

After a quick shower and dressing, Bonky makes us all lunch. It's a light enough meal that we'll still be hungry and able to taste some of the muggle food there. Once our stomachs are satisfied, the three of us set out on foot since we don't have any non-magical means of transportation. Lily said it's a five minute walk and that we can't miss it.

I hope she's right. My mom and dad can be pretty dense sometimes.

After a couple of minutes though, she's right. There's a whole mass of people mulling about with bulging sacks hanging off their arms. I branch off from my parents and get lost in the crowd. When I'm at this one lady's stand, my eyes root out and cling to a familiar figure sitting by a tree. I excuse myself and cheerily make my way over.

"Hey Severus!" I sit right next to him. "I didn't know you lived near here!"

He merely nods and keeps his nose stuck in his book. I lower it with my hand and in return get granted a death glare.

"I'm surprised that this is your type of thing. The shopping I mean." I point to the stands set up along the road.

"My mother is working one."

"Really? Which one?" I bob my head around to see if I can identify her.

I give up after a while without his help.

"Did you know Lily lives here too?"

"Yes." He mumbles.

"What've you been doing on break so far?"

"Trying to get peace. If you please, I wish to be alone."

"Whoops! My bad, sorry!" I say softly and go off in search of my parents.

I find them buying some homemade wooden baskets from an elderly couple.

"I've met another wizarding family." My mom says. "You go to school with their son."

"What's his name?"

"I can't remember honey. But her name Eileen."

After an hour goes by, my dad decides he's going to head back home. The sun is still high and beaming but as the day wears on, people filter out and only a few handfuls remain.

"Eileen! Yoohoo!" My mom shouts and waves her hand rapidly in the air.

A frail lady limply raises her hand to wave back. My mom takes me by the arm over to this feeble woman.

"Eileen, this is my daughter that I was telling you about earlier – the one who goes to school with your son. Is he here right now?" My mom jerks her head around to try to find him.

"Mum, do you need any help? It's getting late and dad would want us back." A black, long-haired boy pops up that I immediately recognize as Severus.

Severus meets my eyes and nods his head in greeting.

"Are you ready to go?" He says to his mom.

The woman weakly bobs her head up in down.

"Before you go, I was wondering if you and your family wanted to come have dinner with us." My mom hurriedly asks.

Now that I'm closer I can see scars and bruises covering Severus' mom's arms and face.

What could that be from?

"We can't. My father is very strict and does not like us to mingle with strangers." Severus takes his mother's arm.

"My dad's strict too! They can be so protective, can't they?" I agree.

Severus gives me an odd look and excuses his mom and himself, walking off into the distance.

"That was strange." My mom muses and looks down at me. "Oh well, we still have that dinner with the Lupins next Wednesday. I have much more to discuss with her. Oh honey, the Lupins are good people and if something were to ever happen to your father and me, I know that they would take great care of you." She strokes my cheek.

"Mom, what're you talking about? What's going to happen?"

"Life." My mom cryptically says. "Come on, time to go home."

I look out the window and see the lights in Lily's room are on. Her flaming red hair is hunched over her desk; books sprawled out in front of her. I don't know what I'm supposed to do about her and Alex. Do I say anything or keep my mouth shut?

Dear Remus,

Several more days until I see you. Is it slightly embarrassing that I miss you very much? I ran into Severus and his mother today. I had no idea that they lived so close by! I've never seen them before. You still never told me what I should wear to meet your parents. Is a dress okay or do you think it's not warm enough for that? And heels? Or is that too fussy?

The real reason I'm writing is because I don't know what I'm supposed to do with Lily. It kills me to see her being treated so poorly by Alex. Maybe if I said something to him, do you think that would work? I want her to be as happy in a relationship as we are, but she just seems so miserable. I feel as if I'm responsible. I mean I did tell her to ask him out. Oh Rem, I caused her to be miserable. I wasn't thinking about what I was telling her at the time, I just blurted it out. Am I a terrible friend? Should I tell her to break it off with him since I'm responsible for telling her to get it on with him in the first place?

Wish You Were Here,

Corinne

I roll up my parchment and tie it onto Pearl who sets off into the night. I then dim the lights and hop onto my big, plush bed, grabbing Coconut and settling her next to me as I open up Flesh-Eating Trees of the World and finish the last assignment for Herbology for this semester that's due the first week of June.

I wasn't really given much work to do over this two week break. If I could, I would continue to practice my Patronus and the Human Transfiguration we've been working on in class, but I'm not 17 yet. Remus and the others are so lucky in that aspect. What I've been doing to keep the time rolling by is reading up on and highlighting my notes for all my classes and creating study guides. I'm nervous for these N.E.W.T.'s next year and Alex said that I should be studying now so I'm taking his advice.

I grab the cat treats right next to my hot chocolate on the nightstand. Coconut immediately perks up and beggingly mewls for the food. I laugh at how cute she is, this being the only time she gives me her kitten eyes and acts all nice. Then I lean back on my pillows and begin the Herbology essay.

Three pages in, I hear a popping sound. I brushed it off at first but when Coco jerked her head up, so did I. A big smile hit my face and I immediately got off the bed.

"I mind none, but what are you doing here?" I ask my boyfriend in-between kisses.

"You seemed to need someone to talk to, so I decided to come in person."

"You're truly the best." I hold his hand tight and pull him over to the bed.

Remus lies down and I sidle up next to him, making circles on his chest.

"You shouldn't take responsibility for what happened." He says after a few minutes pass. "You may have told her to, but Lily was the one who asked him and she's the one who is deciding what to do with her life."

"But I influenced it. And don't say I didn't because we both know I did."

He lets out a long sigh.

"This is bothering you a lot, isn't it?"

I nod my head against him.

"She's my best friend and I don't want to see her go down the wrong path, do more things that'll she'll end up regretting."

"You might not like this idea, but you should tell her these things. It's going to be hard and she might get mad at you, but at least she knows that you care."

I nod again and plant a kiss on his lips.

"You staying with me tonight?" I ask, hopefully.

"If you wish." He smiles.

As we head under the covers, I turn the lights out.