A/N: Got a little sidetracked, for a sec. Strange how that happens.
Chapter 5: Protection
Remus walked over to Rosina and took both her hands in his. "You know that you can always count on my help. I'll always be here to protect you."
Rosina chuckled and looked up at him, "Its good to know I have friends as brave as you. But please, be careful, you have your condition... and I don't want to ma-"
He lifted his hand to stop her protesting. "I'm able to handle my condition, and I will not let that get in the way of anything."
The next few days consisted of Rosina roaming the castle grounds and playing the act of a watchful Ministry figure. She would sit in classrooms, attend the Quidditch matches-seated in Slytherin, of course, she was loyal to her house- and always keeping an eye out for anything.
But, all the while, her mind was plagued with guilt. If she were in fact, being targeted, then she would surely bring danger to Hogwarts. But she was given her orders. It was hard to trust the Ministry; no one was sure, but there were rumors that there were and still are traitors among the ministry. Perhaps one of them had sent for her slaying. She wasn't frightened, but she was suspicious. Maybe it was best she wait for the actual confrontation; then she would know the truth.
Rosina stayed in a very pleasant room near the Slytherin wing. It had a fireplace and large windows with a view of the Hogwarts grounds. Unfortunately most of her nights were sleepless. Some nights, she would wake up and go up to her window and look out, waiting for something, anything.
"You don't look so well." Remus came up behind her as she walked. "You've got to get some rest."
"I can't; not when something's around. I have to be ready for any sort of attack, any sign or something." Her eyes were red from the lack of sleep.
"You're stubbornness will get you killed."
"I've been told that before." She took a sip of a very powerful potion she concocted to keep her alert.
He took her arm "Listen, we haven't had much time to catch up. We need to talk. Let's go for a walk after dinner. And if anything does happen you'll have me to help you."
Rosina was looking forward to something that would ease her tensions, and it she had faltered to speak to him longer.
"I think that's an excellent idea."
Fortunately for Remus, his transformation didn't come for another week so he was still fit for a good battle if the time came for one. He met up with Rosina at the library and together they made their way down to the first floor and out to the grassy fields of Hogwarts.
"So, why did you take a teaching position at Hogwarts?"
Remus took a breath of the cool night air. "It was a favor from Dumbledore. Besides, I really did want to come back and see it again. This was my home for a long time, had many memories, good and bad. But I also wanted to help the children learn, especially a subject such as D.A.D.A. They're going to need to know all about this world; even if it's dark."
"Isn't it hard? With ... your condition and all?" Her voice dropped down a bit.
"I managed it during our years here, didn't I?"
The grass was moist from the precipitation that came earlier in the day. You could hear the leaves being crushed as their feet touched the ground.
Remus was tall; she looked up at his profile. He had gone through so much as a youth, with his secret, and not so much as one person could tell what he had being going through. Well, except for the Marauders, Snape.... and....
"Why do you suppose he disappears so often?" asked a dark haired Slytherin girl looking across the Hogwarts grounds at a group of boys convened underneath a tree. She was leaning on her bent elbows behind her back with her legs stretched out in front of her.
"Maybe he's off having torrid affairs." Chuckled a blonde on her right. "Why do you care, Rosina? He's a Gryffindor, for Merlin's sake. Utterly beneath us, he is."
But Rosina didn't respond to the girl's remark, her eyes moved through the crowd and onto the subject of her curiosity. The boy with his face buried in a book. She knew him.
Gryffindor and Slytherin both attended Defense Against the Dark Arts that year. She noticed, during the class sessions they held together, that Remus sat with the same people, Sirius Black, the Casanova, James Potter, famed Gryffindor seeker, and Peter Pettigrew, the adherent of all three.
"What are you thinking of?"
"Just... about the past."
"Nostalgic... isn't it?" the heat of his breath became evident as he spoke into the air.
The night air had now become a bitter cold chill. Rosina rubbed her arms to warm herself. She felt a cloak being placed upon her shoulders.
"I see the weather is still as it used to be..." But as she looked up to thank Remus, she saw his face....
Everything went dark. All that could be felt was an excruciating pain down her back. It burnt through her flesh-the sound of hysterical, sinister laughing-bloodcurdling screams-images moving rapidly and replaying-dark eyes staring straight at her, transmitting the pain through her glare.
"No!" she heard Remus scream, but his voice seemed distant.
Her whole existence seemed to be withering away. Her body was exuding her life essence. The darkness. The cold. It was all too familiar a feeling. Rosina forced her eyes open and found she was laying on the cold, wet ground.
"Expecto Patronum!" A flash of white light soared out of his wand. Rosina blinked and tried to get to her feet, but she felt sore all over. Her hands were crippled with the cold from the freezing ground; she could barely manage to get up. "Remus needs help" she struggled. Her hands groped the inside of her chemise. She felt her wand.
Remus's voice was far. "Rosina! Rosina.... Are you alright?"
He grabbed her by the waist and lifted her up beside him; still holding his wand "We need to get to the school, there might be more coming." He looked around. "Lumos" the light of his wand led the way.
They made their way up to the school. "Wait. Let me just catch my breath." Remus laid her down against a nearby tree. Never had she felt so weak. Not since Bellatrix held her captive. They sent that thing to find her and drain her of her soul.
"Seems someone's found you." He knelt down in front of her. There was cold sweat running down her face. "Here, eat this, it'll make you feel better." Out of his pocket came a small bit of chocolate, which he fed to her. He then took out a small handkerchief and began to wipe some of the perspiration from her cheek. He caressed her face lovingly with every touch. "That was close, too close. I could have lost you had it gotten close enough to kiss you." His fingertips lined the shape of her lips; they were so full and soft. She placed her hand on his as he traced her mouth.
"I would rather have your lips touch mine."
She leaned in close and gently nuzzled his mouth with hers. He pulled her closer and pressed his lips affectionately against hers. She fell into his embrace and let him wrap his arms around her. She seemed much warmer now.
Chapter 5: Protection
Remus walked over to Rosina and took both her hands in his. "You know that you can always count on my help. I'll always be here to protect you."
Rosina chuckled and looked up at him, "Its good to know I have friends as brave as you. But please, be careful, you have your condition... and I don't want to ma-"
He lifted his hand to stop her protesting. "I'm able to handle my condition, and I will not let that get in the way of anything."
The next few days consisted of Rosina roaming the castle grounds and playing the act of a watchful Ministry figure. She would sit in classrooms, attend the Quidditch matches-seated in Slytherin, of course, she was loyal to her house- and always keeping an eye out for anything.
But, all the while, her mind was plagued with guilt. If she were in fact, being targeted, then she would surely bring danger to Hogwarts. But she was given her orders. It was hard to trust the Ministry; no one was sure, but there were rumors that there were and still are traitors among the ministry. Perhaps one of them had sent for her slaying. She wasn't frightened, but she was suspicious. Maybe it was best she wait for the actual confrontation; then she would know the truth.
Rosina stayed in a very pleasant room near the Slytherin wing. It had a fireplace and large windows with a view of the Hogwarts grounds. Unfortunately most of her nights were sleepless. Some nights, she would wake up and go up to her window and look out, waiting for something, anything.
"You don't look so well." Remus came up behind her as she walked. "You've got to get some rest."
"I can't; not when something's around. I have to be ready for any sort of attack, any sign or something." Her eyes were red from the lack of sleep.
"You're stubbornness will get you killed."
"I've been told that before." She took a sip of a very powerful potion she concocted to keep her alert.
He took her arm "Listen, we haven't had much time to catch up. We need to talk. Let's go for a walk after dinner. And if anything does happen you'll have me to help you."
Rosina was looking forward to something that would ease her tensions, and it she had faltered to speak to him longer.
"I think that's an excellent idea."
Fortunately for Remus, his transformation didn't come for another week so he was still fit for a good battle if the time came for one. He met up with Rosina at the library and together they made their way down to the first floor and out to the grassy fields of Hogwarts.
"So, why did you take a teaching position at Hogwarts?"
Remus took a breath of the cool night air. "It was a favor from Dumbledore. Besides, I really did want to come back and see it again. This was my home for a long time, had many memories, good and bad. But I also wanted to help the children learn, especially a subject such as D.A.D.A. They're going to need to know all about this world; even if it's dark."
"Isn't it hard? With ... your condition and all?" Her voice dropped down a bit.
"I managed it during our years here, didn't I?"
The grass was moist from the precipitation that came earlier in the day. You could hear the leaves being crushed as their feet touched the ground.
Remus was tall; she looked up at his profile. He had gone through so much as a youth, with his secret, and not so much as one person could tell what he had being going through. Well, except for the Marauders, Snape.... and....
"Why do you suppose he disappears so often?" asked a dark haired Slytherin girl looking across the Hogwarts grounds at a group of boys convened underneath a tree. She was leaning on her bent elbows behind her back with her legs stretched out in front of her.
"Maybe he's off having torrid affairs." Chuckled a blonde on her right. "Why do you care, Rosina? He's a Gryffindor, for Merlin's sake. Utterly beneath us, he is."
But Rosina didn't respond to the girl's remark, her eyes moved through the crowd and onto the subject of her curiosity. The boy with his face buried in a book. She knew him.
Gryffindor and Slytherin both attended Defense Against the Dark Arts that year. She noticed, during the class sessions they held together, that Remus sat with the same people, Sirius Black, the Casanova, James Potter, famed Gryffindor seeker, and Peter Pettigrew, the adherent of all three.
"What are you thinking of?"
"Just... about the past."
"Nostalgic... isn't it?" the heat of his breath became evident as he spoke into the air.
The night air had now become a bitter cold chill. Rosina rubbed her arms to warm herself. She felt a cloak being placed upon her shoulders.
"I see the weather is still as it used to be..." But as she looked up to thank Remus, she saw his face....
Everything went dark. All that could be felt was an excruciating pain down her back. It burnt through her flesh-the sound of hysterical, sinister laughing-bloodcurdling screams-images moving rapidly and replaying-dark eyes staring straight at her, transmitting the pain through her glare.
"No!" she heard Remus scream, but his voice seemed distant.
Her whole existence seemed to be withering away. Her body was exuding her life essence. The darkness. The cold. It was all too familiar a feeling. Rosina forced her eyes open and found she was laying on the cold, wet ground.
"Expecto Patronum!" A flash of white light soared out of his wand. Rosina blinked and tried to get to her feet, but she felt sore all over. Her hands were crippled with the cold from the freezing ground; she could barely manage to get up. "Remus needs help" she struggled. Her hands groped the inside of her chemise. She felt her wand.
Remus's voice was far. "Rosina! Rosina.... Are you alright?"
He grabbed her by the waist and lifted her up beside him; still holding his wand "We need to get to the school, there might be more coming." He looked around. "Lumos" the light of his wand led the way.
They made their way up to the school. "Wait. Let me just catch my breath." Remus laid her down against a nearby tree. Never had she felt so weak. Not since Bellatrix held her captive. They sent that thing to find her and drain her of her soul.
"Seems someone's found you." He knelt down in front of her. There was cold sweat running down her face. "Here, eat this, it'll make you feel better." Out of his pocket came a small bit of chocolate, which he fed to her. He then took out a small handkerchief and began to wipe some of the perspiration from her cheek. He caressed her face lovingly with every touch. "That was close, too close. I could have lost you had it gotten close enough to kiss you." His fingertips lined the shape of her lips; they were so full and soft. She placed her hand on his as he traced her mouth.
"I would rather have your lips touch mine."
She leaned in close and gently nuzzled his mouth with hers. He pulled her closer and pressed his lips affectionately against hers. She fell into his embrace and let him wrap his arms around her. She seemed much warmer now.