Dying

By: RemmysGal

------------------------------------------------------------------

After Victoria broke away from Remus, he held her shoulders and looked at her. "Vic," he said, very serious, "you're really coming with me?"

"Yes," Victoria answered. Remus nodded and released her.

"Well," he began, "while we're discussing you coming back with me," Remus pulled his wand out from his pocket, "it's time you got back in touch with the wizarding world."

Victoria eyes the wand warily. "What do u mean? What am I going to do with your wand?"

"Not mine," Remus said, his eyes sparkling as he twirled the wand so the handle was facing Victoria, "yours."

"M-mine?" she asked incredulously.

"Yes, Vic, yours. Go on," Remus urged, "take it."

Victoria had not touched a wand in nearly fifteen years. "I don't think I…have it…anymore," she replied.

"Well there's only one way to find out, isn't there?" Remus asked, a huge grin spreading,

Victoria slowly reached her slender hand for the wand. Then she looked up at Remus sharply. "Maple and mahogany, 13 inches, essence of Bog Myrtle?"

Remus laughed. "You remembered," he observed.

"A witch never forgets her wand," she replied. She reached and grasped the handle with her right hand. Immediately warmth spread throughout her body, starting from her fingers all the way to her toes. Her fingers were tingling, the wand itching to do a spell after being away from its owner all these years. Remus watched with amusement as Victoria's face changed from wariness to shock and to happiness.

Victoria held it in her hand and stared at her wand lovingly. She had been away from it all these years, and she finally had it back. Despite what Victoria always told herself about being fine living as a Muggle and she didn't care about the wizarding world, the truth was that she missed it. It felt like a part of her was gone. But now that she was reunited with her wand, the part of her that was missing had returned.

"Try it," Remus said, still grinning.

Victoria shook her head. "It probably won't work anyway," she said.

"Try it anyway," he pushed. Victoria sighed.

"Okay," she said. "What should I do?"

"Start with something simple. Lumos, or something."

Victoria looked at the coffee mug on the counter. "Wingardium Leviosa," she muttered as she swished-and-flicked her wand. The coffee mug slowly rose a few inches off the table. Victoria kept it in the air for a few moments until it was a good five feet off of the table, then slowly lowered it back. "I did it!" she squealed.

Remus laughed. "Yes," he said appraisingly, "yes you did."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Did you make it levitate?" eleven-year-old Lily Evans asked eleven-year-old Victoria Rokaway as they exited the Charms classroom.

"Yeah, I did," Victoria answered, "did you?"

"Yeah, Professor Flitwick gave me ten points to Gryffindor." Lily said, clearly thrilled that she had earned points to Gryffindor in their first week.

"Who were you partnered with?" Lily asked as they made their way into the Great Hall.

"Remus Lupin," Victoria answered. "He was really nice cause I couldn't do it the first time then he showed me how to move the wand. Then I did it. Who were you with?" Lily made a face.

"James Potter," Lily answered. "He clearly has no skill with Charms. He couldn't even do it. Lucky I was his partner or he could have lost us points." They entered the Great Hall and found a seat near their fellow first years. Victoria reached for a ham sandwich the same time Sirius Black did. Their hands brushed and Victoria's face shot up.

"Oops," he said, giving her a lopsided grin, "sorry Rock."

"Don't call me that Sirius," she growled. Sirius laughed his bark of a laugh. He took the sandwich out of Victoria's hand and put it on his plate. "Oy!" she yelled, "that's mine!" she lunged across the table at him. Remus Lupin, who was sitting next to her, pulled her down around the waist.

"Accio sandwich," Lily muttered, and the sandwich on Sirius' plate flew into Lily's hand. She smiled satisfactorily and gave it to Victoria. Victoria grinned in thanks.

Sirius gave Victoria a pout and Victoria stuck her tongue out at him.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Victoria spent the rest of the day practicing all of the spells she had abandoned when she left the wizarding world. Remus was a good teacher. It was around seven o'clock when she brought up Apparating.

"How are we getting to England?" Victoria asked Remus as she watched her coffee table fly around the room then start waltzing with the armchair.

Remus looked at her, contemplating how to answer her. "Well, I Apparated, but, can you?"

"I haven't in a long time, I don't know if I still can," Victoria answered.

"Do you want to try?"

"Well, yeah, but I don't want to go splinching myself halfway across the Atlantic Ocean," she answered.

"You could try,"

"Do you think I could do it?" Remus nodded. "Okay," she replied. "I'm going to Apparate to my room down the hall." Remus nodded again.

Victoria concentrated every being of herself to transfer into her room down the hall. She pulled out her wand and took a deep breath. There was a 'pop!' and Victoria disappeared.

Remus waited frantically while he listened for some sound of Victoria. He heard a 'pop!' down the hall and ran to Victoria's room. He opened the door and saw Victoria looking in the mirror and checking to make sure all of her was there. Then he heard the mirror…speak.

"Oh, dear, that was very good. I see you've returned. Oh I say, who is that handsome man in the door?" Victoria whipped and saw Remus standing there.

"Remus," she whispered. She looked at the mirror, then back at Remus and smiled. "I did it,"

"Yes, you did. Why was your mirror talking?" Remus asked as he entered the room.

"Oh, um, I brought it with me when I came," Victoria answered. She thought it was better not to lie.

"So you didn't abandon the whole wizarding world?"

"Well, all of it except my mirror."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't think it was important,"

"Don't tell me you're getting The Daily Prophet or whatever it is you get here?" Remus asked humorously.

Victoria laughed. "No, no I'm not."

Remus laughed. "Okay," he said.

Then the doorbell rang. Victoria walked over to her window and looked out. She saw a blue Mustang parked in front of the house. "It's David," she said.

"You have to tell him you're going," Remus said.

"I know, I am…right now," Victoria answered, and she walked out of the room. Then she came back. "Um, Remus, do you mind staying out of the way right now?"

"Sure," he answered, "no problem."

Victoria walked down the hall and opened the door. There stood David. David was a man of thirty-six. He was tall, around 5'11, with dark blonde hair that was neatly cut. His face was always clean-shaven and his blue eyes always sparkled. He was the type of guy that your parents would adore. He was punctual, pleasant, and polite. Frankly, he was as opposite of Victoria as one could be. Victoria was always late, candid, and outgoing. He was standing there is his khakis and blue polo shirt with a polite smile on his face.

"Hello, Victoria," he greeted.

"Hi David," she replied.

"Is…he…still here?" he asked, looking into the house, as if he was expecting Remus to appear.

"Yes, he's in the guestroom," Victoria answered.

"Oh, I see," David said, still looking around. He looked at Remus' suitcase near the couch. "Are you going somewhere?"

Victoria turned to where he was looking. "Oh, that's Remus'. But yes, actually, I am." David looked surprised.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"Well, Remus came here to tell me that an old…friend…of mine had passed. He's come to ask me to go back to London with him, to…set some affairs in order," Victoria stammered.

"And you're going?" David asked.

"Well, yes," Victoria answered.

"And you're not asking my opinion on this?" David questioned her.

"It doesn't really matter your opinion, David, because I'm going, and seeing how you thought I was "having an affair" with my friend, I don't really care what your opinion is," Victoria said coolly.

David was shocked. "So this is how you're treating out relationship. I guess it doesn't mean much to you, then, if you're going to simply pack up and leave."

"You accused me of cheating,"

"There was a man in your apartment all night,"

"An old school friend,"

"An old school friend that you were scr—" David began to speak but suddenly he was moving his mouth but no sound came out. David became frantic, trying to scream, but no sound. Victoria looked at him for a moment before turning to look in her house. Remus was standing near the hall and pocketing his wand.

"You?" she mouthed to Remus. Remus shrugged and nodded. Victoria almost burst out laughing. It took all of her will power to turn back to David and not laugh. "I'm going to England, David. You and I are over. If you have no trust in my fidelity, than I have no reason to marry you." David was speechless. Literally. Victoria took the tiny diamond ring off of her finger and handed it to David. Then she closed the door.

"Please take it off of him," Victoria said to Remus when she turned around. Remus whispered the counter-spell and there was a sound of David coughing.

"Victoria!" David called from outside the door, "Victoria, you can't just throw all this away! To leave me to go with some old school friend. It's unheard of!"

"Shall I put it back on?" Remus asked lightly. Victoria shook her head, looking at her finger where the engagement ring had been just moments ago. Remus just realized that she had begun to cry softly. "Victoria?" he asked uncertainly.

Victoria sniffed. "I'm fine," she said, "just a little shocked, that's all,"

"You didn't love him?"

"No,"

"So, that means…"

"Yes," Victoria sighed wearily. Remus went over and hugged her. He kissed her lightly on the forehead. "I guess I'd better go pack." Victoria walked down the hall and into her room, closing the door behind her.

Remus sighed and sat down on the couch in the living room. Then he got up and went into the kitchen. He picked up the telephone and dialed the operator. "Yes," he said, "I'd like to place an over-sea call. England please," he was connected to the over-sea operator. "Number 12 Grimmauld Place in London, please."

"Hello?" Kingsley Shaklebolt's voice was heard over the receiver.

"Kingsley, it's Remus," Remus said.

"Hey Remus, how is it going there?" Kingsley asked.

"Good, Victoria's coming,"

"Is she? Well, that's very good to hear," Kingsley sounded a bit surprised.

"Yes, it is I know, we should be leaving tomorrow, so expect us sometime after lunch,"

"Okay, sounds good, I'll see you then?"

"Yeah, tell everyone I said hello,"

"Will do, mate, see you then,"

"Bye Kingsley," There was a 'click!' as Kingsley hung up. Remus did the same. Then he walked into his room and went to sleep. There was to be heard the occasional sigh of frustration from the other room as drawers were opened and closed. There were also some comments from the mirror in Victoria's room, although Remus couldn't decipher what was said. He tried to figure out what he was going to do tomorrow, but he was so tired that he drifted off to sleep before he thought of what to do when they stepped inside Number 12 Grimmauld Place.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Author's Note: Hello again! Hope you liked that chapter…it was a bit longer. The next one's gonna be really long…I promise.

I have a question for my reader(s); actually two questions:

1.) Should Sirius be really dead or should he come back?

2.) Do you want this story to end "happily ever after" or should it be all angsty and stuff?

Thanks to gemini for reviewing…you were right…she doesn't love David.

Hope you enjoyed reading this and please review!

Much Love,

RemmysGal