Dying
By: RemmysGal
Disclaimer: I haven't put one of these up in a while…but I don't own Harry Potter Inc., and I am not J.K. Rowling. Victoria is mine and her…fiancée.
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"You're…what?" Remus asked, completely dumbfounded.
"I'm engaged," Victoria repeated.
"And this whole time you've conveniently left out that little detail?"
"I didn't think it was important at the time! You came here and we started talking and I got so confused with all my feelings that I just forgot!"
"Who is he?"
"What do u mean?"
"I mean," Remus said, beginning to get agitated, "what's his name? What does he do for a living? Is he a Muggle? How long have you known him? When's the wedding?"
"Oh," replied Victoria, "Well, his name is David. He is a professor at the local college, he teaches a financing course. Yes, he's a Muggle, I'm not mad to marry a wizard. I've known him since I've been here, we were friends and have been dating for the past two years. The wedding is in March (A/N: it's July now…I think I forgot to say that)."
"And you love him?" Remus asked abruptly. Victoria looked a bit shocked at the frankness of her friend.
"Of, of course I do," She stammered, appalled at the question. "I wouldn't be marrying him if I didn't,"
"Well, congratulations," Remus said, albeit a little grudgingly. At that moment Victoria's phone rang. She rushed to go get it in the kitchen.
"Hello?" she said into the receiver. "Oh hello. How are you?" she waited for a reply and listened as the person on the other line talked. Remus walked over slowly. This was all going terrible. It was so good, she was listening, she was believing, but she was married. She'll never go back now, he thought. Victoria looked at him as he stopped at the table.
"Who is it?" he mouthed.
"David," she mouthed back. Remus sat in a chair by the table and sighed. This made everything so much more complicated. "Today?" he heard Victoria ask, then listen. "I'm sorry David, I've got an old…friend…here. Yes, he went to um, high school with me. Yes, he stayed the night. David, nothing happened! He slept in the guestroom. He's just an old friend. His name?" she looked at Remus. Remus nodded and waved his hand, telling her it was fine. "Remus, Remus Lupin. He's from England. Friends, David. No, I can't come over today. I'm sorry but I —" Remus heard the 'click' as Victoria hung up the phone and trudged over to the table.
"Is he angry?" Remus asked, somewhat cold.
"Yes," Victoria replied softly. "He is insinuating that…something…happened last night. He thinks that I was cheating on him…with you." She laughed a bit. "No offense, Remus. But you're one of my best friends. I just don't feel for you that way."
"Does David know that?"
"Apparently not," Victoria sighed. "Maybe I should call him back,"
"Will it make it any better?"
"Probably not."
"Could it get any worse?"
"Not really,"
"Then come with me," Remus said. Victoria looked at him. "Back to England. If he's really as mad as you say he is, staying here won't make a difference. Just for a while. To see everything. To prepare…" he trailed off.
"Remus, I can't," Victoria said. "I have a job, a store, my apartment,"
"Someone else can look after the store," Remus said. He looked at Victoria with pleading eyes. "Please, Victoria, come. I know you feel like your relationship was left unsettled. Maybe if you come, maybe, you can have some sort of closure." Victoria stared at Remus for a long time.
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Twenty-one-year old Victoria Rokaway looked around her new American apartment. It was late, nearly midnight. She had just apparated from London after…seeing them. The apartment was smaller than Sirius and her flat in London, but it was only one person, so it would do. She set down her trunk and suitcase and went to have a look around. She was just looking around the bathroom when there was a knock on the door.
Victoria went to open the door, without ever looking through the hole to see who it was. She came face-to-face with her boyfriend, twenty-one-year-old Sirius Black.
"Victoria," he whispered, his voice raspy and breathing ragged. His eyes were wild and his usually tamed hair was messy. Victoria was instantly afraid.
"Stay away!" she warned him, going to close the door. Sirius stuck his foot in the house. Victoria began to scream. "Sirius! Go away! Stay away from me!"
"Victoria please, let me explain!" Sirius pleaded his voice urgent.
"What could you possibly have to explain?" Victoria shrieked.
"Please, it wasn't me!"
"It wasn't you? Oh, that's a good one Sirius," Victoria shot sarcastically.
"Vic, you know me! I would rather die than betray my friends!" Sirius tried to push his way into Victoria's house, but Victoria wouldn't let him through.
"Get away, Sirius! I don't even know who you are! Everything has been a lie…hasn't it?" Victoria asked, as she began to cry. Sirius' face softened and he pleaded with her.
"Vic, please, just let me in,"
"Are you crazy?! I'm not letting you in! Go away Sirius! And do not, do not, come back!" Victoria screamed.
"Vic, love, calm down," Sirius tried to soothe her, but to no avail.
"Love? You don't love me Sirius, you have no love for anyone. I don't love you. You are a cold-hearted bastard, Sirius Black. Get the bloody hell away from me." Victoria said, her voice no longer warm and loving but cold and spiteful. Sirius' face fell. His foot loosened its wedge in the door, and Victoria moved to close it
"Ok, Victoria," he said softly. "I'm so sorry, Vic. I can't even explain it to you. But I love you, and I always will. You'll always be mine, Victoria Rokaway." And then Sirius let the door close and Apparated with a 'pop'.
Victoria trudged over to her kitchen table and cried. She stayed like that for a very long time.
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"You really want me to come with you?" Victoria finally asked. Remus nodded.
"Just for a little while," he replied softly. His face was full of concern and love. He scooched his chair closer to hers and put his arm around her waist. "Vic," he said softly into her ear, "I wouldn't ask you this if I didn't think it was important. It was a horrid thing he did to you, but I think you need to go. You need to do this or else you will never move on."
"But I have moved on," Victoria insisted.
"I don't think you have," Remus responded. "I saw your face when I spoke of him. You still love him, Vic, and you need to face this. You can't have these ghosts of the past haunting you for the rest of your life." He stared deeply into Victoria's eyes, pleading with her. She didn't look away for a long time. Finally, when she did, she nodded.
"I'll come," she whispered. Remus hugged her. "But I need to deal with David first."
"What are you going to do?" Remus asked.
"I don't know yet."
"I'll help you in any way I can," Remus promised her. Victoria hugged him and began to cry a little. Remus held her tight. They stayed like that for a long time.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------Author's Note: Yeah, that was really short, but I wanted to get it done tonight. Monday is my last day of school and I'm so excited! My whole summer is devoted to finishing this and my other story. I'm taking on a giant task here, so I hope I can do it.
I went to see Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban on Friday, and it was brilliant! I'll admit, there were a few parts I had hoped to be in, but weren't (i.e. Oliver's lovely, 'this is our last chance, my last chance to win the cup'). They also messed up the whole Firebolt timing thing, and the Weasley twins showing Harry the Map could have been longer, but overall I loved it.
Hope you guys liked this chapter…I should have the next one posted by Wednesday (I hope!). Thanks to Amy and Gemini for reviewing!
Much Love,
RemmysGal