Hello Again Everyone!

First of all, I would like to thank everyone who took the time to review my stories: lilyfan, EyesofEmerald, charles weatherby, Siriusly-Nluv, FAIRYPRINCESS13, GoGriffindor, Romulus5, TheFluffyPuppy, Pixe89, bluebird161221, kiwaussi, browneyedgirl2004, Chantal J, poopsie101, BlackKat99, The Grim, Riaelfgirl, danfan14, jonouchi-kaiba-mokie, Aerlalaith, Chicklahoma, The Parrot has ceased to be, Ra and Isis, Dark Vampiresss, PaarsKonijn and Aerandir. I can't tell you how much these reviews mean to me.

I do have a request though...Mind you, I'm very thankful that you all have been so kind as to read and review "Why Do You Stare?" but "The Serpent's Shadow" looks so forlorned...it is my first fanfic and it does mean a lot to me...so if you could possibly stop by and read it and leave me a little review I would truly be thankful.

Ninde Annare

Chapter 7:

Just down this corridor lies Professor Lupin's office. I slow the pace of my walk to compensate for the racing of my numbed heart. I make sure that my steps are muted, carefully I walk as silently as I can, so as not to draw him out of his office prematurely-I need this time to calm myself. The corridors are beautiful in the illuminating glow of moonlight. They pour through the slits of the windows like white thread on ebony velvet. The crisp scent of the night calms my excited heart bringing it out of its furious pace and back to its slow rhythmic beating. I meander through the corridor like a moth in the night. I can see the warm glow of candlelight on the cool threshold of his office door-and like a moth drawn to a flame I move towards it, fascinated but its glow.

I reach out to touch the cold brass doorknob when suddenly the heavy wooden door opens. A blinding brilliance escapes from the room and engulfs me; instinctively I draw myself back into the shadows of the corridors. As I stand under the welcoming darkness of a nearby statue, a man comes rushing out. My eyes still burn from the sudden bombardment of light and I blink dumbfounded, as he sprints by. I hear his voice echo slightly as his whispers quietly to himself.

"Damn it! Pull yourself together, Remus! You're forgetting everything!"

I hear his footsteps retreat out of the corridor. I suppose I should wait for him to return before entering his office. The door is flung open; I peer into the blinding glow of the room-my eyes finally adjusting to the sudden burst of brightness, to find shelves of books. Beautifully leather-bound books, lined lovingly on rickety wooden-excuses-for shelves, fill the room. Perhaps he won't mind if I were to just take a quick look at his collection.

As I enter I notice that there is only one offending candelabra the bathes the room in luminescence. I make short work of the candles and extinguish all but two, just enough light so as not to render Professor Lupin completely blind. The centre of the room remains well lit, while the corners of the room are blurred with shadowy darkness. I am drawn to the darkest corner of his office-which also happens to have been lined with book-filled-shelves that tower to the ceiling. I reach out and gingerly pull a book from the tired shelf-it groans in response to the lifted weight. The book is very old; I cradle it in my arms, as gently as possible without letting it slip from my grasp. Like a childless-mother feasting her eyes on another's child, I browse through the beautifully detailed pages. It is written in a dead tongue: Latin. It appears to be about werewolves.

Werewolves are such sad and misunderstood creatures. Vampires and werewolves are very much a like. We are hated for what is in our nature. But we hunt to survive; we only kill when it is necessary; whereas, the mortal race destroy one another for the trivialities of material wealth. Werewolves and vampires truly are kindred spirits. Kindred spirits…a luxury I will never be afforded.

The gentle clattering of metal and ceramics echo in the hallway followed by gentle footsteps

With great difficulty, I shut the book and place it on the shelf; I run my index finger longingly down its spine, carefully memorizing its title before pushing it into its niche. I turn in time to find a man bustling into the room. His hair is the colour of rosewood with embers of grey interspersed amongst his dishevelled coiffure. With a brass teakettle in one hand, and a small stack of teacups and saucers (none of which seemed to match one another) in the other, he seems unaware of my presence. The pockets of his tattered robes seemed to have been stuffed full of things as well. After carefully placing the teakettle and fragile stack of porcelain on a chair, he turned his attention to his desk-which had been over run with books and rolls of parchment paper. With one fluid motion of his arm he hastily swept them into the drawer of his desk. He then proceeded to set out his mismatched tea set; he unloaded his pockets revealing a jar of jam, a small box of biscuits, and some teabags. He smiled to himself and suddenly he looked to me like a boy of 7, happily admiring his treasures. Upon being sure that the desk was absolutely perfect, he rushed over to the door.

"What could be taking her? Perhaps she doesn't know the way to my office. I knew I should have just met her in Dumbledore's office…. Why is it so dark in here? The house elves must have thought that I had turned in for the evening. Lumos!"

The room was once again plunged into a blinding blaze of light. Turning my face away from the source of the offending glare, I covered my eyes with my hands determined to stop the glow from reaching them.

"Miss? I'm sorry if I frightened you, but shouldn't you be in bed?"

'In bed?'

He thinks I'm a student! In all the time that I've been immortal I had forgotten that I still retained the body of my 17 year-old mortal-self!

"I'm sorry Professor, but I believe you are mistaken." After making sure my eyes had fully adjusted to the glow of the candles, I turned to face him. His young face was marred with worry and weariness, but was all the same beautiful.

"Miss Nox?"

"That is correct and I presume you are Professor Lupin?"

"I'm sorry…I didn't realize it was you…please sit down…" With that he pulled out a chair at his desk. I sat down as he rushed around the other side of the desk to sit across from me. He proceeded to pour the hot water into the waiting teacups, over the crumpled bags of tea. His hands are shaking.

Is my appearance really that disturbing? It must be my eyes. Years of wandering the shadows has made them sensitive to light; the illumination of this room must have caused the pupils of my eyes to be consumed by the blue of my irises. Normally mortals are mesmerized by the jewel-like quality of vampiric eyes, but he seems to be repulsed by them-choosing instead to turn his stare from me.

The gentle clattering of porcelain lures me out of my rumination. He stretches across the desk to hand me a cup of tea. His hand shakes subtly at first but the jostling of the cup intensifies as his hand draws nearer to mine. I take hold of the saucer careful not to touch his hand-even briefly, for that might frighten him more so. Half the contents of the cup have spilt into the saucer by now, creating a moat of sorts. He offers me a biscuit; I simply smile and take one-resting it against the tea soaked saucer. I no longer consume mortal food, and I am only running through the motions of past tea parties now so as not to offend him. The smell of the tea is divinely earthy and alluring. I feel the warmth of the tea flow through the cup into my hand; it's a welcomed sensation to feel any sort of warmth against my chilled skin.

"Miss Nox? I don't know if you remember me, but I was a Griffindor prefect in our last year together." The gentlest whisper of pink, grace his pale skin.

I feel the apprehension slip from me, and the fear I had melt away. In its place stands a mélange of feelings. Memories of my mortal youth washed over me, as flashes sparked in the forgotten realms of my mind.

"Of course I remember you Professor Lupin. You spent countless evenings with me in the library, studying. You were always so studious."

"Oh…right…studious…very studious…" The faintest note of disappointment resounded in his voice. Had he hoped for more? More reminiscing? More small talk? Or perhaps he hoped that I would remember more about him? He smiles at me-a beautiful smile laced with disappointment. I wish I could remember more about my past…not so much for myself-I could care less if I remembered anything at all, but for him…his hazel eyes are just full of so much sadness…I can't stand to disappoint him more…

"It's getting late, Professor…perhaps we should continue this another night?"

Suddenly his expression seemed to shift; like clouds parting for the sun, a revelation of sorts must have dawned on him.

"Before you go, I have something for you…" He rises from his seat and walks towards a battered red trunk with brass metal work. He busily digs through the mass of items inside-socks, shirts, trousers and robes are soon sprawled in all the most unlikely of places.

"Here it is!" He says softly. In his hands he gingerly caresses a parcel. The paper is battered and torn in places. It is covered with faded images of unicorns amongst a thicket of golden leaves, a yellow satin ribbon graces its top. "I had planned on giving you this after our graduation ceremony…but I couldn't find you that day…you must have left early…" With trembling hands he hands it to me.

I remember that day…my father had dragged me off only moments after I received my certificate from the Headmaster…he hated these social events…he hated seeing me happy… That was the day I decided that I had had enough… I clutch his present to my heart, as if it could stop the pain.

All these years…he had kept if for me, for all these years…

I look up to meet his gaze.

"Here Kaida…I mean Nox...I mean…would you like to sit down?" I nod and smile. I look at the parcel in my hands. I study the wrapping paper closely; it is truly beautiful-despite all wear on its once glossy surface.

"I remember you told me one evening, while we were studying that as a child you adored unicorns…"

He remembered that? I can barely recall our evenings together, and yet he can still remember what transpired during the brief moments when we spoke?

I pull one delicate arm of the bowed ribbon; it gracefully unravels and falls into my lap. The paper unfolds as though it has been waiting all these years to be released. It unfurls to reveal a little cloth bound book, golden letters grace its simple cover-a layer of soot blankets it and its covers have been singed. I can feel the sting of unborn tears.

How can a little book mean so much to me?

"Remus…" I struggled with the words; trying to subdue the ones that would express my feelings best…but there were none to be found. I tear my gaze from my treasure to meet his eyes-they are full of concern and dread. I can feel his heart beat fast; I see his apprehension-it looms over him like a wraith.

"I've upset you, haven't I, Kaida?" His voice so gentle, I scarcely hear it-the sadness in his voice hanging in the air like the reverberations of a bell.

"No, Remus…I'm not upset…I'm simply at a loss right now…" I feel a burning in my throat-it feels like a lump of sorts. I try to steady my trembling voice, but the lump in my throat breaks the flow of my words like a rock in a stream.

"I'm sorry, Kaida…I'm sorry that I couldn't stop her from burning…I'm sorry you have to see it this way…I know how much it meant to you…I don't know what I was thinking…you were probably better off not knowing what happened to it…" His voice is heavy with regret and embarrassment. "I'm such a fool…" He whispers to himself.

"Remus…Do you honestly think that I care about the state this is in?" I cradle the book in my hands like I would a wounded bird. "Remus, don't you understand? You've given me something I thought I had lost forever. I am not at a loss because of its condition, I am at a loss because your gift has touched me so deeply!"

"Kaida, you're sweet to say those things but I can see the disappointment in your eyes…" He turns away from me; his regret blatant.

I reach over and catching the gentle curve of his chin-I am surprised by the silky warmth of his skin. I turn his face to me. "Is that what you think you see? Is that what you see in my eyes?" A sudden wickedness takes me and I look deeply into his eyes-forcing the gaze that he has denied me this evening. I hope-I pray that he can find the words that have eluded me. A silent parley of unborn words ties us. The uncertainty in his eyes fade, the beauty of their inner light more prominent then ever. I watch his handsome face as the worry and uncertainty that had enveloped him this evening fade into oblivion; I watch the years melt away and he is transformed into the Remus I remember.

He knows how I feel, and yet I've said nothing.

"You have such beautiful eyes…"

I feel my face begin to warm. In all my immortal years I've never experienced this sensation.

I'm blushing!

I break my gaze, attempting to hide my now pinking skin.

He manages to catch my eye again, and smiles coyly at me. His heart has slowed. I sense a growing boldness in him.

Damn mortal blushing! Must you plague me even in death!

I try to change the subject, hoping to draw his attention from my face. "How did you get it back? I thought she had burnt it…"

He flashes me a mischievously tooth smile-knowing that his comment had caught me off guard, and in a grandiose voice tells me, "Perhaps I will tell you one day, of my glorious rescue of the coveted journal; perhaps I shan't…If you promise to visit me tomorrow I may feel a bit more 'generous' with the details". I can't help but laugh. "So will you come again tomorrow?"

"How can I say no?" I giggle.

Did I just giggle?! I don't think I've ever 'giggled' before! Not even as a young girl, but then again, I had very little reason to do so…

"You can't"

"Alright, I will visit you tomorrow night"

"You promise?"

"I promise…"