"I don't understand what you're so mad about." Rhia said in a huffy voice,
leaning back against the heather seat she sat in. Mother had rented a
Muggle limousine for the trip to the Hogwarts Express.
"Shove it, Rhia." Sirius muttered, picking at the sleeve of his leather jacket.
"I will not!" she cried. "I don't even understand what you mean! You know I've liked him since our first year and now...now I might have a chance with him. And you intend to ruin it!"
"I don't 'intend to ruin it'." He retorted. "I intend to not let it happen."
"Then why did you bring him to the woods?" asked Rhia.
"We were just passing through on the way home." He replied.
"The way home?" she furrowed her brow. "From where?"
"Where?" Sirius stammered. "Oh, um...breakfast.
"You're lying." Rhia muttered.
"Am not." He answered as the limousine pulled into King's Cross. The chauffeur helped the two put their trunks onto trolley and drove off. Rhia and Sirius wheeled their carts through the station, getting to the barrier between platforms nine and ten.
"You first." She said, nodding to the barrier. He reared back and ran forward, disappearing in a moment's time. Rhia followed and gave her bags to an old, wizened wizard before climbing onto the train.
"I wish you would just tell me what's going on." Rhia murmured.
"Just back off!" he ordered. "It's Marauder business."
They settled in their usual compartment, Rhia opening her Divination book to work on an essay and Sirius running a comb through his hair. They both looked up as someone stopped in the door of their compartment- Remus and Annie.
"Rhia." Remus nodded to her before turning and walking off, supposedly going into a new compartment.
"Good job, Sirius." Rhia said scathingly, standing and joining Remus in his compartment. Annie walked in speechlessly and sat down across from Sirius.
"What did you do?" she asked, not in a blaming way, but genuinely curious.
"Nothing." He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "She just...don't worry about it, it's not a big deal."
"Are you sure?" Annie replied, her voice concerned.
"Quite sure." He smiled and Annie grinned as well, then, leaning forward, kissed him gently. Sirius's eyes widened and he stood stock-still for a few moments before returned the kiss, putting his hands on the sides of her face.
"Well, well, well." James said, standing in the doorway with Lily at his side.
Sirius jumped back and Annie looked at the ground, blushing.
"Should I... or shouldn't I? I mean, after all the times you harassed Lily and me, I should say something back, shouldn't I?" James grinned mischievously. Lily elbowed him.
"Oh, let them be, James." She turned to Sirius. "Where's Rhia? And Remus?"
"Sirius said something to them and they got angry and went into another compartment." Annie explained, still staring at the floor.
"Oh?" Lily smiled a bit. She rather liked the idea of Rhia and Remus, no matter what Sirius thought.
"You're still mad about this whole Wolf thing?" James asked, sitting next to his best friend. Sirius nodded.
"What do you mean, this Wolf thing?" Annie asked. "I don't understand.
"Wolves mate for life. That's what you're angry about, isn't it?" Lily said, looking up at Sirius for approval.
"You mean Rhia and my brother are mates?!" Annie cried.
"She's one of my closest friends." James gave a great harrumph at this and Sirius added, "Other than James. And I don't want her getting hurt."
"She won't get hurt. She's already..." James looked around before whispering, "a wolf. One he's...y'know, chosen her, they can't be separated."
"They can, they just..." Sirius sighed. "It's complicated. And I don't want them getting all mixed up together."
"They won't get 'mixed up together'." Annie assured him. "IF I know my brother, he'll be the sweet gentleman he always is with her and she won't get hurt."
Meanwhile, in the other compartment, Remus and Rhia were pouring out their souls.
"I was five." He told her. "Our housekeep sent me to get some wild herbs from the woods. And I got lost and it got dark and...that's how it happened."
"Oh, Remus..." Rhia couldn't stop herself from touching his arm. "I know it sounds awful, but I'm glad that you...you know, got the bite. It makes it so much easier for-"
"Remus?"
Isis walked into the compartment, wringing her hands.
"Isis." Remus said, standing up and hugging her. "How are you?"
Rhia sighed. It hadn't occurred to her that they were still together.
"I'm okay." She replied. "But there's something I need to tell you."
"Oh, okay..." Remus turned to Rhia. "I'll be right back."
Rhiannon sat and stared out the train window for a good ten minutes before the door slid open again. She turned to see Remus walking back in, in a daze, like a ghost. She stood up.
"Remus? Are... are you okay?"
He looked at her, focused, and seemed to stare right through her before acknowledging.
"She dumped me."
"What?"
Remus sat down and motioned for Rhia to do the same. She sat, her insides fluttering. *He's upset!* she told herself. *I shouldn't be happy about this!*
"Over holiday, she found someone else... she broke up with me."
"Oh, Remus, I'm so sorry..." Rhia whispered. Her hand found his, and she squeezed it gently. He seemed numb to her touch. "Is there anything I can do?"
He looked at her as if seeing her for the first time. "What?"
"I want to help you Remus. What can I do to help you?"
He shook his head. "Nothing... I don't need your help."
"Remus!" she gasped.
"I don't mean to sound rude, but really... she just dumped me, you don't need to jump on the chance."
"What?!"
He looked at her and scowled. "Rhiannon... can you do me a favor?"
"Oh, sure, anything, now that *you* ask," She replied sarcastically.
"Just let me be. Please." Remus walked out after that and shut the door behind him. Rhia promptly burst into tears.
Lily, hearing the faint sound, came outside of the compartment, finding Rhia slumped against the wall.
"Rhia?" Lily touched her friend's arm. "What is it? What's wrong?"
"He's angry with me." She cried softly. "He's furious, he wants nothing to do with me!"
"What do you mean?" Lily furrowed her brow.
"He and Isis broke up." She explained, tears dripping down her cheeks. "I was only trying to console him and he blew up at me!"
"Blew up?" Lily repeated.
"He said I didn't need to jump on the chance." Rhia wept.
"Bloody hell!" Lily cried and Rhia promptly stopped crying. It was a very rare occurrence when Lily swore. She turned into the box where Remus said, staring out the window.
"Lily." Remus said, looking up.
"What do you think you're doing?" Lily cried.
"Huh?" Remus replied.
"Yes, she has been dying for you for the past five years, but she's smart enough o know that when you've just broken up with your girlfriend, she's not going to jump right in!" Lily scolded. "So don't you dare blame her for that! You are to go in there and apologize. Now!"
Remus stood in utter shock as Lily turned on her heel and stormed out, her red braid swinging to and fro. He followed her after a few moments alone, but only Rhia stood in the hall.
"Remus." She said coldly, trying very hard to hide the tears in her eyes.
"Rhia..." he started, trying to think of something to say.
"Yes?" she replied.
"I'm sorry for getting angry with you." He apologized, staring at the floor. "I didn't mean it. I meant...I don't know what I meant. But I didn't mean to be like that. I meant I just wanted time to think. And I know you wouldn't jump on the chance, it was just emotions and-"
"Remus, stop." Rhia ordered a little smile playing on her lips. He would get so flustered if he was nervous!
"Okay," he said, and she smiled too.
"Are you okay?" she asked hesitantly. He nodded. "Want to join the others?" When he shrugged, she gently grabbed his forearm and dragged him into the compartment, sitting him down between her and Sirius.
"Hey Remus," James greeted him warmly. Lily and Peter smiled, and Sirius looked at the floor. Annie gave her brother a hug.
"I'll talk to her, Remus," she said, pulling away. "Isis didn't mean it, I swear. She's just... confused."
Remus actually laughed at this. "She's not confused Annie, Isis knows what she wants. I'm perfectly fine. I thought about it, and I'm okay." Everyone looked at him. "Really."
Soon the train started to slow, and students began to file off. Rhia was the last one off of the train in their compartment. "Remus!" she called ahead. He turned to wait for her.
"Yeah?"
"What made you so okay with it?" she asked curiously. "You were pretty upset at first."
"Well, I just realized something when I... uh, yelled at you, and walked out. And it made me feel a whole lot better, and I knew I was okay."
Rhia raised an eyebrow. "What did you realize?"
Remus smiled. "Well, I realized I never really wanted her in the first place." He started to walk away, but turned to call over his shoulder, "She was just a cover-up." Then he walked away, a hidden smile growing quickly. Rhia grinned as well, and made her way to the carriages, humming softly.
"Shove it, Rhia." Sirius muttered, picking at the sleeve of his leather jacket.
"I will not!" she cried. "I don't even understand what you mean! You know I've liked him since our first year and now...now I might have a chance with him. And you intend to ruin it!"
"I don't 'intend to ruin it'." He retorted. "I intend to not let it happen."
"Then why did you bring him to the woods?" asked Rhia.
"We were just passing through on the way home." He replied.
"The way home?" she furrowed her brow. "From where?"
"Where?" Sirius stammered. "Oh, um...breakfast.
"You're lying." Rhia muttered.
"Am not." He answered as the limousine pulled into King's Cross. The chauffeur helped the two put their trunks onto trolley and drove off. Rhia and Sirius wheeled their carts through the station, getting to the barrier between platforms nine and ten.
"You first." She said, nodding to the barrier. He reared back and ran forward, disappearing in a moment's time. Rhia followed and gave her bags to an old, wizened wizard before climbing onto the train.
"I wish you would just tell me what's going on." Rhia murmured.
"Just back off!" he ordered. "It's Marauder business."
They settled in their usual compartment, Rhia opening her Divination book to work on an essay and Sirius running a comb through his hair. They both looked up as someone stopped in the door of their compartment- Remus and Annie.
"Rhia." Remus nodded to her before turning and walking off, supposedly going into a new compartment.
"Good job, Sirius." Rhia said scathingly, standing and joining Remus in his compartment. Annie walked in speechlessly and sat down across from Sirius.
"What did you do?" she asked, not in a blaming way, but genuinely curious.
"Nothing." He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "She just...don't worry about it, it's not a big deal."
"Are you sure?" Annie replied, her voice concerned.
"Quite sure." He smiled and Annie grinned as well, then, leaning forward, kissed him gently. Sirius's eyes widened and he stood stock-still for a few moments before returned the kiss, putting his hands on the sides of her face.
"Well, well, well." James said, standing in the doorway with Lily at his side.
Sirius jumped back and Annie looked at the ground, blushing.
"Should I... or shouldn't I? I mean, after all the times you harassed Lily and me, I should say something back, shouldn't I?" James grinned mischievously. Lily elbowed him.
"Oh, let them be, James." She turned to Sirius. "Where's Rhia? And Remus?"
"Sirius said something to them and they got angry and went into another compartment." Annie explained, still staring at the floor.
"Oh?" Lily smiled a bit. She rather liked the idea of Rhia and Remus, no matter what Sirius thought.
"You're still mad about this whole Wolf thing?" James asked, sitting next to his best friend. Sirius nodded.
"What do you mean, this Wolf thing?" Annie asked. "I don't understand.
"Wolves mate for life. That's what you're angry about, isn't it?" Lily said, looking up at Sirius for approval.
"You mean Rhia and my brother are mates?!" Annie cried.
"She's one of my closest friends." James gave a great harrumph at this and Sirius added, "Other than James. And I don't want her getting hurt."
"She won't get hurt. She's already..." James looked around before whispering, "a wolf. One he's...y'know, chosen her, they can't be separated."
"They can, they just..." Sirius sighed. "It's complicated. And I don't want them getting all mixed up together."
"They won't get 'mixed up together'." Annie assured him. "IF I know my brother, he'll be the sweet gentleman he always is with her and she won't get hurt."
Meanwhile, in the other compartment, Remus and Rhia were pouring out their souls.
"I was five." He told her. "Our housekeep sent me to get some wild herbs from the woods. And I got lost and it got dark and...that's how it happened."
"Oh, Remus..." Rhia couldn't stop herself from touching his arm. "I know it sounds awful, but I'm glad that you...you know, got the bite. It makes it so much easier for-"
"Remus?"
Isis walked into the compartment, wringing her hands.
"Isis." Remus said, standing up and hugging her. "How are you?"
Rhia sighed. It hadn't occurred to her that they were still together.
"I'm okay." She replied. "But there's something I need to tell you."
"Oh, okay..." Remus turned to Rhia. "I'll be right back."
Rhiannon sat and stared out the train window for a good ten minutes before the door slid open again. She turned to see Remus walking back in, in a daze, like a ghost. She stood up.
"Remus? Are... are you okay?"
He looked at her, focused, and seemed to stare right through her before acknowledging.
"She dumped me."
"What?"
Remus sat down and motioned for Rhia to do the same. She sat, her insides fluttering. *He's upset!* she told herself. *I shouldn't be happy about this!*
"Over holiday, she found someone else... she broke up with me."
"Oh, Remus, I'm so sorry..." Rhia whispered. Her hand found his, and she squeezed it gently. He seemed numb to her touch. "Is there anything I can do?"
He looked at her as if seeing her for the first time. "What?"
"I want to help you Remus. What can I do to help you?"
He shook his head. "Nothing... I don't need your help."
"Remus!" she gasped.
"I don't mean to sound rude, but really... she just dumped me, you don't need to jump on the chance."
"What?!"
He looked at her and scowled. "Rhiannon... can you do me a favor?"
"Oh, sure, anything, now that *you* ask," She replied sarcastically.
"Just let me be. Please." Remus walked out after that and shut the door behind him. Rhia promptly burst into tears.
Lily, hearing the faint sound, came outside of the compartment, finding Rhia slumped against the wall.
"Rhia?" Lily touched her friend's arm. "What is it? What's wrong?"
"He's angry with me." She cried softly. "He's furious, he wants nothing to do with me!"
"What do you mean?" Lily furrowed her brow.
"He and Isis broke up." She explained, tears dripping down her cheeks. "I was only trying to console him and he blew up at me!"
"Blew up?" Lily repeated.
"He said I didn't need to jump on the chance." Rhia wept.
"Bloody hell!" Lily cried and Rhia promptly stopped crying. It was a very rare occurrence when Lily swore. She turned into the box where Remus said, staring out the window.
"Lily." Remus said, looking up.
"What do you think you're doing?" Lily cried.
"Huh?" Remus replied.
"Yes, she has been dying for you for the past five years, but she's smart enough o know that when you've just broken up with your girlfriend, she's not going to jump right in!" Lily scolded. "So don't you dare blame her for that! You are to go in there and apologize. Now!"
Remus stood in utter shock as Lily turned on her heel and stormed out, her red braid swinging to and fro. He followed her after a few moments alone, but only Rhia stood in the hall.
"Remus." She said coldly, trying very hard to hide the tears in her eyes.
"Rhia..." he started, trying to think of something to say.
"Yes?" she replied.
"I'm sorry for getting angry with you." He apologized, staring at the floor. "I didn't mean it. I meant...I don't know what I meant. But I didn't mean to be like that. I meant I just wanted time to think. And I know you wouldn't jump on the chance, it was just emotions and-"
"Remus, stop." Rhia ordered a little smile playing on her lips. He would get so flustered if he was nervous!
"Okay," he said, and she smiled too.
"Are you okay?" she asked hesitantly. He nodded. "Want to join the others?" When he shrugged, she gently grabbed his forearm and dragged him into the compartment, sitting him down between her and Sirius.
"Hey Remus," James greeted him warmly. Lily and Peter smiled, and Sirius looked at the floor. Annie gave her brother a hug.
"I'll talk to her, Remus," she said, pulling away. "Isis didn't mean it, I swear. She's just... confused."
Remus actually laughed at this. "She's not confused Annie, Isis knows what she wants. I'm perfectly fine. I thought about it, and I'm okay." Everyone looked at him. "Really."
Soon the train started to slow, and students began to file off. Rhia was the last one off of the train in their compartment. "Remus!" she called ahead. He turned to wait for her.
"Yeah?"
"What made you so okay with it?" she asked curiously. "You were pretty upset at first."
"Well, I just realized something when I... uh, yelled at you, and walked out. And it made me feel a whole lot better, and I knew I was okay."
Rhia raised an eyebrow. "What did you realize?"
Remus smiled. "Well, I realized I never really wanted her in the first place." He started to walk away, but turned to call over his shoulder, "She was just a cover-up." Then he walked away, a hidden smile growing quickly. Rhia grinned as well, and made her way to the carriages, humming softly.