Chapter 7: Decree number 15.

Here is the time line…it's very important for the story: it's taken from the 'Harry Potter Lexicon.' The Marauders all graduated in June 1978. Peter started spying for Voldemort sometime in 1979. Harry was born at the end of July 1980…

Today.

Remus Lupin breathed a sigh of relief when he opened his eyes and discovered the sun has already set. He waited for this evening since September the first last Monday. He has been teaching for a whole week now and it seemed no one cared even a bit about his delicate condition. He received the shock of his life when he discovered that he was the most popular teacher at school.

He loved teaching, he always felt like this was one of the best things he could ever do. It gave him a wonderful warm feeling when he saw his students studying hard and writing their essays even better then ever. Of course the Slytherins were a different story, especially Draco Malfoy who kept smirking like he knew something Remus had no idea about.

He frowned for a moment and stopped in the middle of closing the buttons of his shirt. Was there a possibility that Draco knew something? His father sneaked his way out of Azkaban again, claiming he was under the Imperio curse, but that was rubbish! Everyone knows Malfoy is a death eater…everyone but Fudge…

Shaking his head, he resumed dressing and combed his hair, trying to look at his best. He was tired and already felt the pull of the silver moon that would be full within a week. He grabbed his coat and scarf and headed towards the fire. He flooed to Diagon alley and from there he proceeded towards muggle London and St.Mungo's hospital.

It was raining hard and he started to get angry with himself for not taking an umbrella. His long black coat turned wet and heavy and Remus hurried towards the hospital. Nothing would make him angry tonight, not on the night he sees his wife. He needed to tell her so much. He wanted to share his happiness of being able to teach again with someone who will understand him.

Making sure no one payed attention to him, he walked right through the window that led to the hospital. Once there, he casted a drying spell on his clothes and hair and proceeded walking, feeling much better.

But when he entered the room his wife was he sensed that there was something terribly wrong with the way the room was…everything was so…quiet…Alice Longbottom didn't run around the room giving everyone sweets and the nurses weren't moving all around the room. He frowned again and walked further inside, towards the bed that stood next to the window.

He was about to open the curtain when Annie, the head nurse, opened it from inside. They both jerked backwards and Annie gasped with surprise. "Remus, I didn't know you're gonna come today."

"I'm here almost every Sunday; you should know that by now, Annie." He tried to smile but a strong feeling of fear filled his heart. "What's going on here? Why is everything so…quiet?"

"Well…Allice Longbottom started screaming and we had to give her a potion to calm her down. I don't know what caused that reaction from her." Annie sighed.

"Is there something wrong with Rose?" He asked bluntly.

"Look…Remus, I'm not sure why, but she seemed very upset lately…"

"Define lately." Remus ordered.

"For about five days." She said.

"Why wasn't I informed?" He asked sharply, his eyes turning dark from anger. "And what do you mean upset?"

"We thought it was something temporary. She barely eats and doesn't want to get out from her bed…"

"Do you think she remembers something?" He cut her mid sentence again.

"The doctor couldn't say. She still doesn't talk."

"Let me see her." he moved forward but she tried to block his path.

"Remus, you might not like what…" she stopped talking when he grabbed her shoulders and moved her gently from his way.

Remus stared at his wife, feeling his heart breaking to pieces. She was curled to a small ball under the blanket, her arms holding her knees and she was crying silently. From her red eyes and swollen face he could tell she's been crying for hours. He sat next to her on the bed and caressed her hair slowly. "Can't you give her a sedative or something?"

At his words Rose jumped away from him and curled into an even tighter ball as far away from him as she could.

"She won't let us." Annie smiled sadly. "I don't want to tie her to the bed."

"Yeah…" Remus nodded. "I'll try to calm her down a bit."

"Okay…" The black haired nurse left them alone.

Rose continued crying quietly and Remus continued staring at her. He felt like he was getting the silent treatment all over again. There were other times where he wanted her to scream at him, wanted her to yell and hate him but she never did it. She always bore her pain quietly.

"Rose?" He whispered. "Why are you sad? What happened?"

She shook her head violently and looked away from him. He sat beside her on the bed and she slowly left her knees and wiped her tears with her hands. Remus held one of her hands and squeezed it lightly, trying to receive any kind of response from her. To his surprise she shook his hand back and looked at him with sad eyes.

Remus's heart stopped beating. For the first time in sixteen years he saw recognition in her eyes. He saw a look she never gave him after that horrible night.

"You know who I am?" He whispered, bearly hearing himself over the sudden roar in his ears.

She nodded slowly, more tears streaming down her face. She held his palms and traced the finger that once held the ring she chose for him. "I still have it." He whispered, choking from his own tears. He reached out and pulled a gold chain that was hidden under his shirt. The chain held a plain, white gold ring. He enveloped her hands with his palms and breathed hard. "I couldn't find yours…you took it off because…because…" He was sobbing now, bearly capable of whispering. "You said your fingers got swollen from the pregnancy and after the fire…I couldn't find it…"

Rose enveloped him in her arms and he held her tightly, not wanting to let go. He pressed his lips to her hair and inhaled her scent. "Oh…Rose…what triggered this? Can you talk? Talk to me…" he whispered, nearly begging.

She looked into his eyes and opened her mouth but nothing came out and she burst into tears once more. He held her close to him until she relaxed, promising her without words that everything will be all right. Eventually, she fell asleep in his arms and he found that he couldn't let go. He closed his eyes and drifted to sleep, a single thought in his mind.

'I still love you.'

Then. June 1979.

Rose Haunter continued reading even after she heard the front door of the Lupin's house being slammed shut. She was on his bed, reading one of his many books. It was pretty late and although she was tired she wanted to wait for him to get from work.

Now, a year after graduation, she was head healer in St.Mungo's hospital, a job that took most of her time and energy. Remus worked in all kinds of jobs and had troubles finding one that would last more then a month or two. They haven't seen each other for almost two weeks and she missed him terribly. He always made her feel safe and content and could make her smile after a hard day. Not seeing him for two weeks made her feel like all her strength left her.

Her thoughts were disturbed by the sound of him walking up the stairs, obviously upset over something. She could easily hear him cursing loudly at an unknown victim. He barged inside his own room, throwing what looked like a copy of the

'Daily Prophet' and a few galleons on the desk.

"Stupid, stupid witch…" he muttered.

"You wanna tell me something?" She said and startled him. He turned to look at her and then sat next to her on the bed.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, hugging her tightly.

"I haven't seen you in ages." She caressed his back. "I missed you."

"Oh…I missed you too…" He bent down and kissed her sweetly. "Where are my parents?" he raised his eyebrow.

"Your mom said they are going to visit some friends. What happened? Why were you so angry?"

He sighed. "I lost another job."

"You'll find another one." She said and pulled him to another kiss.

"I'm not sure…"He sighed."Have you read the paper today?" she shook her head and he gave her the paper. He eyes widened when she read the article in the first page.

"Werewolves decree number 15…" she read in horror."Dolores Umbridge, assistant to minister of magic…werewolves will not work at the following jobs…" She read silently the list of jobs that were forbidden for werewolves. "…In fear that they might hurt innocent bystanders…but that's rubbish!" She exclaimed. "That woman knows nothing about werewolves…I'll kill her, I swear!" she rose from his bed, dropping the book she read on the floor, and started pacing.

"Don't be silly…" Remus said gently. "Is she a relative of…him?"

"Yes…I'm not sure, I think she's his cousin or something…how could she do this?"

"Come on…Rose…I don't want to talk about it now." He begged and pulled her back towards the bed.

She sat down next to him. "Fine." She muttered and he laughed at her.

"Don't get angry now…" he smiled. "Tell me about your day."

"It was hard as usual." She shrugged. "I love my job but it completely drains me."

"Stay with me tonight." He pulled her with him on the bed and tucked them both under the covers.

"What will your parents say?"

"We're not kids anymore." He kissed her forehead. "Besides, were not going to do anything."

"Yeah…" She felt a bit disappointed at his words but knew he was right. They were together for a year and a half and done nothing more then snogging when they had some time alone. And even though, lately, it was getting harder and harder to stop touching and kissing each other, she knew they won't do anything more.

He wanted her…there was no doubt in her mind but they both knew that werewolves like wolves, mate for life. And Remus, being the kind man he was, would never force her into it without her permission. She closed her eyes and enjoyed his hands that traveled all around her back, caressing her gently.

"What were you reading?" he asked.

"I looked for your name in the mythology."

"Oh, yeah?" he sounded amused. "And you found that Remus was killed by his brother?" she nodded and he faced her, smiling. "You know, I already had this conversation with James and Sirius…I don't have a brother…"

"Yes you do…" She said and he kissed her deeply.

"Don't believe everything you read, sweet Rose…" he murmured to her lips and she kissed him back, hard, making him to moan and sneak his hands under her shirt. His warm hands drove her mad with desire and she almost screamed with frustration when he froze and stopped moving.

His eyes grew wide and he moved away from her, trying to cover his own need and excitement. Her flushed face and the desire in her eyes didn't help in calming his already aroused body. He breathed hard. "This might not have been such a good idea…"

"I'm sorry…"

"NO! No…it's not your fault…I need to get some water…" and with those words he left the room, leaving her alone with her thoughts. She felt like she wanted to burry herself with the humiliation of being rejected like this but after a while she came back to her senses and understood his need for a bit of space.

She rested her head on the pillow and closed her eyes. He'll come back in a while and will hold her when she sleeps. She smiled at that thought and then frowned as a new thought crossed her mind.

'He has a brother…he has three brothers…'