December 1988 – Chapter 4 – Days Go By
That was how it always was. Sirius and Khadja Black loved each other and the fact no child had come from their nearly two and a half year marriage did not worry them. Both were young.
James and Lily Potter were expecting a baby. Lily was growing in size, but was not due until late July or August of the next year. James teased it would be a son because he wanted one so bad.
Remus loved his best friends' women for they always were there for him and eased his pain. Khadja often tended his hurts both physical and mental.
His last transformation had not gone well. He has scratched his face terribly with his claws. The transformation itself was very painful for him as well. He had no choice in it.
Remus was staying with the Blacks now. Well staying was not quite correct. Since he could not find work he was living with them. He would do what he could to bring a little money in so he was not a total freeloaded. He had such good qualifications that it hurt that he could not find work because he was a half human. He, however, was used to it by now. The two Blacks did not mind at all. He had a reason and a damn good one and they loved him. As payment he cooked for them and cleaned house while they worked.
It was coming close to the holidays and Khadja knew Remus needed extra love and care. He suffered terrible depressive bouts.
Khadja knocked on his door gently bringing him some soup. "Come in." A hoarse voice called to her.
She smiled at him as she stood in the door. "Hello Remus."
He looked so pale lying on the bed. He smiled weakly back at her as she placed the tray over his stomach and then sat down beside him. He looked at the food bowl. She had a little vase with a beautiful rose from her garden in it.
"Some much trouble." He said looking at the tray.
She shook her head and then lifted a hand to his face that he had scratched so terribly with his claws in one of his nights of madness. "It is healing."
"It itches." He frowned.
"Don't scratch." She warned softly. She ladled some of the soup out with a spoon and blew on it. She brought it to his lips.
He looked at her. Her waist length auburn hair was over her left shoulder in a twisting braid. "I can feed myself." He said, but took the mouthful. He sighed. It was good. A mild sweet curry soup with rice. He cooked well, but she could make dishes with spices that made it to perfection.
"You are shaky Remus." She nodded to his hands which were on the tray. She offered more and he took it. She then moved and lifted the blanket. His leg was bandaged just above his knee. He had bitten himself in his delirium of being a werewolf. "Does it hurt you still?"
"Yes." He said knowing the blanket just barely covered his naked form. He, however, was not at all concerned. He also knew better than to lie to her. Khadja had attended him often after his three days of hell and seen all of him. He had seen much of her as well accidentally when he walked in on her in the shower.
She continued feeding him until he was done. His smoky gray eyes watched her as she gently changed the bandages on his leg. Her long braid obscured much of his view.
Sirius had found him locked in the room unconscious, naked, and in human form. He was bloody as if his thirst for human's to bite had been very strong. Sirius had called for his wife. Remus had awakened a little in his arms. What little he remembered was Khadja running up to them and gently holding his head. She made calming noises though he remembered no words. He calmed as she kissed his brow away from his fresh cuts. He fell back into oblivion as Sirius carried him. He had slept for nearly two days after.
Remus sighed and closed his eyes. He felt a soft hand on his red blonde head. His eyes opened. "Do you want me to stay or shall I leave you to rest?"
"Don't you need to work?" He asked his voice barely a whisper.
"No not today." She said.
"Stay." He said softly. His voice and eyes begged her.
She smiled and sat gently by him listening to him breath as he talked with her.
She was so kind. More kind than he deserved really. She was a gifted witch, though born to Muggles. He sighed. She was a princess, a minor princess, but a princess all the same and she took on hands on work at the Ministry of Magic and had married into the Marauders band.
He fell asleep. She gently kissed his cheek. She stood up and walked to the door.
Sirius was leaning against the far wall smiling at her. "How is he?" He asked softly his eyes full of concern. Remus had looked far worse this last go around than he had in a long time.
She sighed and he brought he into his arms and hugged her. His lips touched her hair.
"He had been worse off." He told her trying to make her feel better and put her at ease. "He is strong. He will be fine."
He kissed her leaning back against the wall with her against him. "What is for dinner?" He asked his tongue tracing her earlobe.
She giggled. "I don't know. Something Remus can handle. Tomato soup and grilled cheese?"
Sirius smiled. "That would be nice. Thank you for always thinking of him."
"I am in charge of two men in this house. One my brother and the other I am married to. How can I not think on him?"
He smiled at her affectionately. They went downstairs to let Remus sleep as much as his body would allow.
That was how it always was. Sirius and Khadja Black loved each other and the fact no child had come from their nearly two and a half year marriage did not worry them. Both were young.
James and Lily Potter were expecting a baby. Lily was growing in size, but was not due until late July or August of the next year. James teased it would be a son because he wanted one so bad.
Remus loved his best friends' women for they always were there for him and eased his pain. Khadja often tended his hurts both physical and mental.
His last transformation had not gone well. He has scratched his face terribly with his claws. The transformation itself was very painful for him as well. He had no choice in it.
Remus was staying with the Blacks now. Well staying was not quite correct. Since he could not find work he was living with them. He would do what he could to bring a little money in so he was not a total freeloaded. He had such good qualifications that it hurt that he could not find work because he was a half human. He, however, was used to it by now. The two Blacks did not mind at all. He had a reason and a damn good one and they loved him. As payment he cooked for them and cleaned house while they worked.
It was coming close to the holidays and Khadja knew Remus needed extra love and care. He suffered terrible depressive bouts.
Khadja knocked on his door gently bringing him some soup. "Come in." A hoarse voice called to her.
She smiled at him as she stood in the door. "Hello Remus."
He looked so pale lying on the bed. He smiled weakly back at her as she placed the tray over his stomach and then sat down beside him. He looked at the food bowl. She had a little vase with a beautiful rose from her garden in it.
"Some much trouble." He said looking at the tray.
She shook her head and then lifted a hand to his face that he had scratched so terribly with his claws in one of his nights of madness. "It is healing."
"It itches." He frowned.
"Don't scratch." She warned softly. She ladled some of the soup out with a spoon and blew on it. She brought it to his lips.
He looked at her. Her waist length auburn hair was over her left shoulder in a twisting braid. "I can feed myself." He said, but took the mouthful. He sighed. It was good. A mild sweet curry soup with rice. He cooked well, but she could make dishes with spices that made it to perfection.
"You are shaky Remus." She nodded to his hands which were on the tray. She offered more and he took it. She then moved and lifted the blanket. His leg was bandaged just above his knee. He had bitten himself in his delirium of being a werewolf. "Does it hurt you still?"
"Yes." He said knowing the blanket just barely covered his naked form. He, however, was not at all concerned. He also knew better than to lie to her. Khadja had attended him often after his three days of hell and seen all of him. He had seen much of her as well accidentally when he walked in on her in the shower.
She continued feeding him until he was done. His smoky gray eyes watched her as she gently changed the bandages on his leg. Her long braid obscured much of his view.
Sirius had found him locked in the room unconscious, naked, and in human form. He was bloody as if his thirst for human's to bite had been very strong. Sirius had called for his wife. Remus had awakened a little in his arms. What little he remembered was Khadja running up to them and gently holding his head. She made calming noises though he remembered no words. He calmed as she kissed his brow away from his fresh cuts. He fell back into oblivion as Sirius carried him. He had slept for nearly two days after.
Remus sighed and closed his eyes. He felt a soft hand on his red blonde head. His eyes opened. "Do you want me to stay or shall I leave you to rest?"
"Don't you need to work?" He asked his voice barely a whisper.
"No not today." She said.
"Stay." He said softly. His voice and eyes begged her.
She smiled and sat gently by him listening to him breath as he talked with her.
She was so kind. More kind than he deserved really. She was a gifted witch, though born to Muggles. He sighed. She was a princess, a minor princess, but a princess all the same and she took on hands on work at the Ministry of Magic and had married into the Marauders band.
He fell asleep. She gently kissed his cheek. She stood up and walked to the door.
Sirius was leaning against the far wall smiling at her. "How is he?" He asked softly his eyes full of concern. Remus had looked far worse this last go around than he had in a long time.
She sighed and he brought he into his arms and hugged her. His lips touched her hair.
"He had been worse off." He told her trying to make her feel better and put her at ease. "He is strong. He will be fine."
He kissed her leaning back against the wall with her against him. "What is for dinner?" He asked his tongue tracing her earlobe.
She giggled. "I don't know. Something Remus can handle. Tomato soup and grilled cheese?"
Sirius smiled. "That would be nice. Thank you for always thinking of him."
"I am in charge of two men in this house. One my brother and the other I am married to. How can I not think on him?"
He smiled at her affectionately. They went downstairs to let Remus sleep as much as his body would allow.