Let Go

i know you'll never lose
what's lost inside you
you're burning down the bridges
you've crossed
and you're still around
so nothing's certain
just let go
we deserve it

Vala sat nervously in The Three Broomsticks, waiting impatiently for Remus to arrive. She'd sent a letter asking him to come on that exact date and time. She checked her watch for the twelfth time, and hissed, "Where is he?" She didn't doubt he'd arrive, but she hated that he was half an hour late.

"Sorry I'm late," he apologized, bending low to greet her. However, she was turning in her seat at the same time, and they smacked foreheads.

"Ouch!" they exclaimed in unison. Vala backed away from him, rubbing her forehead. "Watch it, Remus," she scolded.

He took the seat across from her, rubbing his forehead in the process. "Some impact there." Vala had really missed Remus, and she had to restrain herself from hugging him; he never had been good with emotions.

"Why did you ask me to come here?" he asked, sipping his Butterbeer

She hesitated but chose to take the most direct path. "I'm getting married, Remus."

Remus spit his Butterbeer back into his glass. "You're what?" he sputtered.

Vala leaned forward, placing her hand over Remus'. "Saxon and I… we're getting married the winter after we finish our seventh year."

"That's only a year away… You'll barely be seventeen!" Stress crinkled on Remus' forehead, and Vala had to turn away. It'd only been a few months since the incident, and Remus was aging faster than the average man. There was a sadness in his eyes that'd never been there before, and it made her want to cry.

"Remus, please," she pleaded, tears stinging her eyes. She couldn't bear to see him in pain. She was doing this for him… was he really allowed to complain?

He placed his other hand over hers. "Is this what you really want?" he asked softly.

She nodded and closed her eyes. Quietly she half-lied, "Yes."

"Then I will be there for you." She knew he meant to be there for every milestone in her life. He was her family, and he'd be there for everything.

Vala looked back and smiled at him. She then stood up, walked around the table, and sat down next to him. "Thank you," she whispered, moving into a hug. If only he knew, she thought silently, tears sticking to her lashes. She held Remus possessively, protecting him from all unseen threats.

"Just don't set it on a full moon. I hate full moons."

She smiled and replied, "I would never do that to you."

"Also," he began jokingly, "I want lupins at your wedding."

"Of course!" she laughed lightly.

~+~+~+~

"And what type of flowers would you like?" The director asked, pushing up her purple framed glasses. She wore long, deep purple robes with large, voluminous sleeves.

"Dead roses, black."

Vala stared at Saxon. They'd been at the Wedding Director's office all day, and he'd been answering every question darkly. If it wasn't dead, it spit poison, or ate live chickens every hour.

Vala shook her head and corrected, "We want lupins. Preferably pastel." And Vala thought it could get no worse after Saxon had suggested they leave on a dragon, a Hungarian Horntail, none the less.

"No, we want dead, black roses," Saxon reaffirmed.

Vala turned back to him and argued, "I thought we already discussed this. My uncle wants lupins at the wedding, and I promised him they would be there."

"I don't care what your uncle wants. I want dead black roses."

"And I want lupins. You're not the only one getting married; it's my wedding too."

"Are you sure you two should be getting married?" The director asked, eyeing them wryly. The two claimed they were in love, but they argued about everything. The director was skeptical, and wondered where they might find someone to say the mass for them. If, that is, they planned on marrying in a church. "We can get back to the flowers… When are you planning to get married?"

"Next Winter," Vala replied; sure that Saxon wouldn't disagree.

"Do you have a date?"

"Yes, December 23rd," Saxon specified.

"No, I told you I wouldn't get married on the night of a full moon."

He groaned, "Don't be so childish… It's not as if werewolves will be out."

She crossed her arms and objected, "I don't care. It's not happening."

"Do you have to be so difficult?" he growled.

"Okay, winter's fine… we can talk about dates later," the director assured, trying to break the rising tension. "What about a cake?"

"I want it in the shape of a snake eating a raven… black icing and red filling," Saxon said without hesitation.

The director moved her quill jerkily. "Okay… a little unusual, but the groom's cake is always a bit off."

"I was talking about the wedding cake," Saxon corrected.

"Oka-ay…" she replied, scribbling what she'd written.

"A snake eating a raven?" Vala interrupted, "That's disgusting. I will not have anyone cutting into a cake that looks like it's bleeding." She looked to the director. "Do you possibly have a book of cakes I can glance through?"

"I want a snake eating a raven. Black icing, red filling," Saxon insisted.

"I don't care; it's not going to happen," Vala confirmed.

The director slammed her portfolio. "Has it ever occurred to either of you that you may be too young to get married?" She looked piercingly at Saxon and then at Vala. "All you have done is argue, and you cannot agree upon anything. Do you know what I have so far? You're getting married in winter. Nothing else!" She stood up and finished, "We have gotten no where, and this has been a waste of my time. Now get out of my office, and come back when you've made up your mind."

The next second they were ushered out of her office. "Never have I seen a more incompatible couple… I give my pity to any children you may have." With that she slammed the door, and left Saxon and Vala standing in the hallway, left to their own thoughts.

"You know," Vala begin. "We've been going to a different wedding director all this month, and we are no closer to getting married than we were then."

"She's going to pay for that little comment," Saxon sneered, walking away.

Vala rolled her eyes; her fiancé was a walking disaster. If someone so much as said a cross word against him, he threatened his or her life.

Vala didn't want to get married; she was still a child in her eyes. However, she knew she didn't have much of a choice. "Saxon?" She called, running up along side him. "If we're going to get married, we might as well make it mentionable. I'm sick of the embarrassment." She stopped him, "Are you listening to me?"

"Yes, I am… and I agree, but it seems our ideas of mentionable differ," he replied, looking at her.

"Apparently," she said shortly. "But this isn't a Halloween party, this is a Wedding. I don't want anything dead or deadly."

"I thought a full moon was romantic," he countered.

"Yes, and it is, but you know about my uncle," she ended in a whisper. "He is a very important part of my life, and I would like him to be there."

"Very well, and what was wrong with the cake? It wasn't dead or deadly."

Vala rolled her eyes again. "Honestly, Saxon… do you think that's appropriate? I am, however, curious of the connection you made. A snake eating a raven? I couldn't help but notice I'm a Ravenclaw and you're a Slytherin."

Saxon shrugged his shoulders, "I thought it was a good idea."

"Well, I didn't." She jabbed a finger into his ribcage. "You're the one who's insisted on getting married, so start taking it seriously. I know this is just one of your bloody games, but I will not be the laughing stock of my own wedding." She didn't know why she cared so much; she didn't even want to marry Saxon. She supposed she realized this would be her only wedding, and she wanted it to be an unfolding fairy tale; regardless of Prince Charming's absence.

~+~+~+~

"What's this?"

Vala glanced up from her studies. "What's it look like?"

"A rose… but who's it from?"

Vala shuffled busily through some papers, and came up with the notes she was looking for. "Who do you think?" She scanned the notes and groaned, "Ugh, I forgot to write down his name…"

"Are we playing twenty questions?" Grant asked sarcastically.

"I was just about to ask you that…" she trailed, searching through her notes. She glanced up momentarily. "Who killed Orion?"

"Well, that depends on what story you're going by," Grant replied, examining the rose.

"Um, not the one where Diana hit him… The one where Apollo sent someone after him."

Grant was still staring at the rose thoughtfully when he answered, "That someone would be Scorpius, and there's two ending with him. There's the one where Apollo fears for his sister's chastity, and then there's the other where Orion is an egotistical jerk… hmm, sounds like someone I know. Got any idea where I can find a scorpion?"

Vala looked up at him. "You're talking about my fiancé again." She grabbed the rose from him, cutting herself on a thorn. "Damn it Grant, there's probably some deadly poison in those thorns."

Grant shrugged. "I could rid you of all your worries for a hefty fee."

"I bet you could, you blood thirsty git." She set down the rose, and sucked on her finger. Vala didn't know why she told Grant about Saxon and she; no one else, save Remus, knew.

"Why are you getting married again?"

Vala went back to scribbling down notes, and answered off-handedly, "Because we're in love… why else?"

"Yes, too bad it's not convincing," he countered.

Her quill stopped, but she picked it up again; why did she bother lying? He already knew. But Grant was a pest, or so she liked to believe. As many times as she denied it, she actually liked Grant. When everything else in her life was strict and serious Grant was her escape. He always had random thoughts to share, and amusing ideas to engage. He had a certain way with people, and that made Vala laugh because no other Slytherin did.

"Very well, we can bring up the subject another time," he said.

"We always do," she agreed.

~+~+~+~

Vala walked quietly down the halls of the third floor. She wasn't due to a class for another hour and a half, so she was spending her time exploring the castle. Suddenly, something soft rubbed up against her leg. Instinctively, she jumped to the side. She looked down and connected eyes with Mrs. Norris.

"Why hello, Raissa," she greeted, bending to pet the cat. Raissa purred in gratitude, and arched her back in delight. Vala giggled before she could contain herself; it was so odd to think Mrs. Norris really wasn't a cat. "How many people know about you?" she asked, referring to Raissa's real background.

The cat blinked, and looked down at the ground. She extended a paw and padded four strikes.

"Ah, let me guess… There's me, Fae, I should hope Filch as well, and…" The cat nodded in agreement. Vala stared down at her. "And I can't think of the fourth." The cat nodded towards someone Vala had failed to notice standing nearby.

"I see Raissa's told you her little secret."

She looked up into the soft blue eyes of Albus Dumbledore. Anyone else and she would have been embarrassed. She was, after all, talking to a cat; or what appeared to be a cat. She was, however, lost for words. She still wasn't very fond of him, nor was she angry with him. He was… just another person on her road of life. She stood up slowly, staring questionably at Dumbledore.

"Why don't you walk with me, Vevila?"

She gulped and squeaked, "Okay."

"Don't worry… you're not in trouble," he smiled.

The two began walking down the hall followed by Mrs. Norris. "Raissa and I were talking-"

"You can talk to her?" she interrupted.

"Yes, she isn't any ordinary cat, you know."

"Yes, I am quite aware of that, but I can't talk to her, so…"

"Do not always assume the obvious, Vala." He smiled and continued, "Raissa and I were talking the other day, and she brought forth a concern of hers. Since she cannot speak to you she asked me to say it."

Vala's pace slowed. "Is that so?" she asked, her voice cracking lightly.

He went on as if he hadn't noticed, "First you must understand that I'm speaking for Raissa, and I'm not entirely sure why she insists on telling you this." Vala nodded her approval, and he continued, "You've been told why Raissa is stuck in a cat's body, but you haven't been told why she ever switched bodies with a cat. The truth is, she feared Argus was unfaithful, and her cat convinced her to switch bodies so she could spy on him. That was the same day an Albatross attacked her, and she escaped with a scratch on the ear."

"Excuse me, Headmaster, I don't mean to interrupt, but… I don't believe I'm following. Why is it important that you tell me this?"

Dumbledore stopped patiently and stared down at Raissa. "I'm unsure… she believed it was important that you know. May I continue?"

"Yes."

"Raissa spied on Argus, and realized he hadn't been cheating on her, but it didn't matter. She was stuck in a cat's body for as long as she lived, and nothing could change that. She'd ruined everything they'd had over a suspicion." He bent to pick up the cat, stroking it gently he finished, "Nothing can save this one, but she said she wanted to save another from becoming blind." Raissa meowed, and Dumbledore added, "Don't let suspicions interfere; trust the one you love." He then set Raissa down, who rubbed up against his leg before leaving.

The conversation was uncomfortable, and Vala couldn't figure out whom Raissa was referring to. Was it Remus or Saxon? "Excuse me, Headmaster?"

He smiled and responded, "Yes?"

"I couldn't help but notice that Fae Mortel, a Hufflepuff, could also speak to Mrs. Nor- I mean Raissa. Is there… something wrong with me?"

"Not at all," he answered gently, "She can speak to few. Not even Argus and she can talk, but there are several forms of communication, and they manage. Fae Mortel happens to be an exception to this rule."

"How so?" Vala asked curiously.

"That is not something for me to release… Perhaps if she sees it fit she will tell you."