AN Okay, in this chapter there a lot of scene changes and a couple of time changes, so bear with me and let me know how you think that's worked out.
The THEN parts don't follow on form the last THEN part. But for the most part, I think, hope, it will be in chronological order- I'll let you when it is and if something doesn't fit in.
Italics show mostly thoughts, though they don't always show the thoughts of the same person, but I think its fairly obvious whose thoughts they are, but let me know if there's any complications. They are also used in the rest of the text to emphasise certain words, especially in speech
Again REVIEW me ant questions and comments you may have, I'd love any feedbackAnd a very very big thanks to my first reviewers Musicstarlover and Lydia Lupin- Thanks you two for your support, I hope this chapter lives up to expectations
ENJOY
Chapter One OLD FRIENDSHis mind started to scream at him at the sight of her. No, NO! It can't be her! Dammit Lupin! It isn't her, so will you stop gawking at the poor muggle and...
Remus was interrupted in mid rant by a tentative voice before him, "I'm sorry sir, but could you please point me towards the Ministry building?"
"Huh?" Remus managed intelligently.
Heaving an irritated sigh, the stranger obviously wrestled with her impatience. Forcing on a falsely bright voice, she began again, "You see Sir, I happen to be a blind witch looking for the Ministry building, so seeing as you're a wizard, I assumed you might be able to assist me." Anticipating the question he was about to ask, she cut him off before his lips had scarcely opened, "My dog can usually sense magic and, being highly intelligent, unlike from certain humans, he normally leads me to people who can help me."
By this time the rational part of Remus's mind had bullied itself back in control and he didn't fail to notice the barely disguised sarcasm in her last remark. Striving to put right his earlier insensitivity he stepped forward and began apologetically, "I'm sorry, I was a little...distracted. But, please, allow me."
With that he reached out, touching her elbow lightly, seeking to guide her into the Ministry. But he was totally unprepared for the tremor that ran through him on contact with her skin, yet he didn't think anything of it, or rather, he didn't want to think anything of it. Nor was he the only one affected. The blind witch, too, shivered and drew in a quick breath as she felt the man's fingertips on her elbow. Merlin, An. You haven't felt like that since...
She pulled herself out of following that particular train of thoughts to find that he guide was talking to her and she had to force herself to listen to the man.
"Well, we're here at the reception. Will you be alright, or would you like me to help you across to wherever you're headed?"
She answered quickly, "No, not at all. This is fine. Thank you Mr..." she trailed off.
"Lup..."something held him back "Lucas...er George Lucas." He filled in, with the first name he could think of, praying to whatever gods there were that the woman wasn't familiar with muggle films.
His hopes sank as he saw her lips twitch at his name. Well, you know, the gods haven't given a damn about you in the last couple of years, what made you think that they'd care now? He fumed inwardly as his face grew hotter.
The witch in front addressed him in carefully light tones, "I'm honoured Mr Lucas. I'm a big fan of your films; I'd love your autograph! By the way, I had no idea you were a wizard, why you must be the first wizard to make muggle films right?" her voice began to crack with suppressed laughter.
Feeling grateful that at least she couldn't see him, he stammered as he tried to straighten the mess he'd created. "No, the thing is...I loved my films, and... but I never made them and they're not mine, because they don't belong to me and ....er..." Realising his ramblings were enough evidence to convince anyone of his insanity, he took a deep breath and tried again, "What I mean is, my real name is, um, John, but, er, my friends, they, um, call me George as, as a joke, as I'm fond of the films, you see and I've gotten so used to it that well it slipped out, yeah, um, that's it."
"Oh I see, well, thanks anyway George." Chuckling softly she walked off towards the department she wanted.
Sighing in relief and still burning with embarrassment, Remus barely noticed her go as he himself prepared to apparate home to his own visitor.
Had he been less preoccupied, he would have been very interested to observe that the witch had made her way through a door labelled, Reiya Storm CA (AN- Chief Auror)
THEN (Dec 21st Marauder Seventh Year)
Seventeen-year-old Remus Lupin waited outside The Three Broomsticks and bent down to peer at his reflection on the front window for what must have been the tenth time in the last five minutes.
"Don't worry, you look fine." A voice reassure from behind him.
"Thanks," he murmured absently, before starting and whipping around to face a pair of sapphire eyes twinkling with suppressed mirth.
"Merlin, Anorien! Seven years and you still haven't grown out of sneaking up on me?" he admonished in a mock stern voice, while pretending that his breathing hadn't become faster.
"Merlin, Remus! Seven years and you still haven't grown out of being nervous of me?" She quipped back and before he had time to reply indignantly, she had casually linked arms and steered him into the pub. "Really though Remus, we've been dating fro two months and have been friends for five years before that and housemates since first year! You really shouldn't be nervous. I mean, I'm not that scary!"
Remus chuckled, "I don't know about that," and dodged to avoid her swatting at him, "but you're right about our dating. So, are you ready to make it official Miss Ripple?"
Anorien raised an eyebrow, "I believe I am, so what do you propose Mr Lupin?"
"Come to the Christmas Ball with me?" He said it airily, but Anorien didn't miss the eagerness in those dancing amber eyes that still took her breath away.
"I'd love to." She said simply and sincerely, and followed it by a quick kiss on the cheek before tugging him out again and leading the way through Hogsmeade, calling out behind her, "But you know what that means, right?"
Remus had learnt what it meant by the end of a long two hours shopping spree, when they met up with Lily and James outside Gryffindor Tower. Or, more accurately, the girls met up outside Gryffindor Tower, carrying two bags in each hand and sharing identical grins as the two boys tottered along behind them with a load of at least twenty bags. They exchanged a look of mutual sympathy as soon as they could see each other (or anything else for that matter), after depositing the bags inside the Tower.
They hadn't had time to do much more when familiar raise voices from the Middle of the Common Room attracted their attention. The four of them gave each other a glance that plainly cried 'here we go again.', before pushing their way through the crowd that had gathered, to reach their friends.
They arrived in time to hear Reiya scream out, "You bloody GIT! What kind of a girl do you take me for? Do you think I'm one of those floosies that follow you around, just waiting to be shagged by the great Sirius Black?"
Sirius cried out just as heatedly, "What the hell is the matter with you, you bitch? All I wanted was to buy you a nice dress for the Ball as a present and all you can do is insult me! What's wrong with the bloody dress? It looked great on the model and I thought you'd like it so I..."
He didn't get further, when Reiya cut him off with a shriek, "Nice dress? NICE DRESS?! You bloody bastard, it has about thirty centimetres of material and you thought I'd LIKE it? What else did you think I'd LIKE? On top of it all, you have the...the nerve to stand there telling me that you watched some half naked model strut around in it! I'll show you what's wrong with it!"
With that she flung the dress at this face and then a sharp ringing sound echoed round the room as he palm found its way onto his cheeks, before marching off to the dormitories, leaving behind a bewildered Sirius with smarting red cheeks.
"What did I do?" he pleaded to his friends, as everyone else slowly dispersed, "All I did was buy her a dress and...it wasn't even a real model, just one of those dummy-thingies..."
Anorien and Lily gave him pitying glances, "You might have mentioned that before. There is the slightest difference between seeing it on mannequins and watching real live models wearing that! And as for the dress, well it gives out completely the wrong impression! It's so immodest and revealing that it says you only want one thing form her, get it?" Shaking their heads, the pair went after Reiya to sooth their tempestuous friend.
"Well, what am I supposed to do now?" And how was I supposed to know she'd feel like that?" Sirius turned to the guys for support.
"Don't worry about it mate. Leave it to the girls, they'll sort it out, they're the only ones who understand each other." James commented easily. "And look how many times Lily has slapped me, and we're still okay, er, for the most part."
Always the more thoughtful one, Remus added, "You might want to get her another gift, as a peace-offering," seeing Sirius ready to protest vehemently, he quickly went on, "something a little more innocent though, flowers, chocolates, you know. Stay away from dresses, jewellery, even perfumes, until your tastes improve or you have one of the girls helping you." He finished wisely.
By this time Anorien had slipped back downstairs, "We're getting there." she answered Sirius's mute inquiry, "Don't worry Sirius. We're all here for each other, we'll all help out."
NOW (Remus's cottage- post GoF)
Sirius Black, ex convict, fabled murdered, high school hero, the 'Cool Guy', the guy who never worried, was worried.
He frantically paced Remus's tiny living room, four strides forward, four strides back, on and on he went for at least an hour, panic slowly building up as he considered all his options and racked his brains to think of what might be holding Remus up.
He was debating between his top two choices- run to Dumbledore, or run to the Ministry. Favouring the second option, he was about to transform into Padfoot, when a crack in the kitchen alerted him to Remus's arrival.
Racing intot the kitchen and after assuring himself with a quick glance that his friend was fundamentally unhurt, if rather pale, he felt free to burst into a one sided tirade, "Where have you been? What happened? Did you tell them at the ministry? How come you're late, I've going out of my mind with worry...Are you all right? Where have you been?"
Remus didn't seem to notice the questions he was being bombarded with, but instead, he took a long two minutes (which almost had Sirius climbing walls again!) to gather his thoughts before stumbling out, "Arthur, Tonks and Kingsley at the Ministry have been alerted to Voldemort's return and your situation. It didn't take longer than we expected, but I was held up whilst I helped a blind witch across..." Here he ran a hand through his unkempt greying hair, "I told her my name was George Lucas and made a prize idiot of myself...I don't know...Sirius I haven't lost it like that in years. I think maybe it was because...because she reminded me so much of her...of Anorien." He finished in a hardly audible voice, before turning his brightening eyes towards the walls.
Without a word, Sirius slid off the kitchen table, crossed over to where his friend was sitting, tightly hugged him and whispered. "You still miss her."
It wasn't a question.
AN What do you think? I hope its okay and that you enjoyed it. It was my first try at a bit more lighthearted writing, so go easy on me, but PLEASE tell me what you think.