Replies to reviewers:

angel40689 – Welcome aboard! Glad to know there are a few people enjoying this story! Read Ch. 8 for more on "the secret"(if you haven't already by the time you see this note)(you, too, Julia!)

Elwen of Lorien – "Theodwyn, it might be nice to see her around ten or so meeting a nice village boy or something discovering her first love" – ooh! You're sparking ideas, but…MUST…CONCENTRATE…ON…POTTER… (for now!)

Julia – Not just interesting to see "young Dommie" but really weird to see him so tall!

Chapter 9

Aurelia slipped quietly down the stairs to the kitchen, her bag over her shoulder. She set the two letters on the table and then, with one last glance around the room, moved to the fireplace. She took a handful of Floo powder and was soon on her way to the Leaky Cauldron.

The innkeeper seemed used to late arrivals, and she was quickly settled in Room 13. She dropped her bag by the door and went to stare out the window at very early morning London. Snow had begun falling again, giving everything a rather clean and peaceful look.

With a sigh, she moved back to the bed and crawled under the covers without bothering to get into her night clothes. Her emotional exchange with Remus had left her exhausted, but her slumber did not prove entirely restful. Her subconscious mind generated bizarre dreams that twisted the day's events into peace-stealing scenarios.

She didn't bother to get out of bed until around noon, when she ordered some food brought to her room. Once she had eaten, she returned to her bed, and drifted in and out of sleep until the next day.

xxxxx

Harry heard Remus pass his door the second day at Grimmauld Place, and rose to join him for breakfast. He entered the kitchen to find Remus holding two letters, one addressed to each of them. "What's that?" he asked.

Remus held his out to him. "I would assume they are from Aurelia."

When Harry had taken his letter, Remus reluctantly broke the seal on his own and began to read:

Dear Remus:

I'm truly sorry if anything I said or did offended you, but I meant every word of it. Even if I'm not the one who can make you happy, you do deserve happiness. Please allow yourself that luxury. Life is hard enough, especially for werewolves, without needlessly denying yourself the comfort of people who love you.

I don't know if Harry will show you the letter I wrote to him but, if not, please know that I didn't leave because of you. I just thought it would make for a happier Christmas for both you and Harry if I spend it elsewhere. The tension has made us all uncomfortable and that's no way to spend Christmas. I will be fine, and I hope you and Harry have a wonderful time together.

Love,

Aurelia

He read it through several times, but the words never changed, and he felt a strange emptiness inside. He looked up when Harry said quietly, "She's gone?"

"Apparently so," Remus answered, shoving his letter in his pocket.

Harry held out his letter to Remus for him to read.

Dear Harry:

I am sorry to be departing without saying goodbye in person, but I thought it would be easiest this way. I know things didn't work out as you had planned, but in a way it was a good idea that you brought me and Remus together. We got some long-held secrets out in the open; things that needed to be shared. Even if the outcome wasn't what each of us wanted, at least now we all know the truth.

I hope you have a wonderful Christmas. Try not to let these events overshadow that. I'll be fine and I'll see you back at school. Wish Ron and Ginny a Happy Christmas for me.

Sincerely,

Professor Watson

Remus handed it back and turned to the pantry. "Bacon and eggs all right for breakfast?"

Harry just stared at him for a few moments, then replied, "Sure. I'll make some toast." When the food was ready, they ate in silence. Before they finished, Hedwig flew into the room with a letter in her beak.

Harry took it from her and recognized Ginny's writing:

Harry:

Mum says we can come today and stay til Christmas eve. She'd kind of like us all home for Christmas day. We'll see you around 11:00.

Love,

Ginny

Remus obviously realized it was a reply regarding the Weasleys' visit and looked at him questioningly. "They'll be here around eleven today."

Remus nodded and stood to clean up the breakfast dishes, but Harry caught his arm. "I'll clean up." Remus just nodded again and quietly left the room.

Harry wandered through the house for the next few hours, trying to kill time. Finally, eleven o'clock rolled around and he hurried to the kitchen to wait, arriving just as Ginny stepped from the fireplace. He caught her up in a hug of greeting, and then they stepped away to make room for Ron's entrance a moment later. "Happy Christmas!" Harry told them, but something in his voice didn't quite ring true, and Ginny noticed.

"Harry, what's wrong?" she asked.

Ron looked at her in surprise, "What makes you think something's wrong? All he did was wish us Happy Christmas, Gin."

Ginny didn't withdraw the question, but looked more pointedly at Harry. "Come on upstairs," he told them. "I'll tell you what's been going on here."

On the way to Harry's room, they poked their heads in the library so the Weasleys could greet Remus. He welcomed them with a false cheerfulness that even Ron noticed. After a few minutes of idle chitchat, they continued down the hall.

Safely in Harry's room, they closed the door and plunked down on the two beds. "So, what gives?" asked Ginny. "And what's wrong with Remus? Where's Professor Watson?"

Harry grinned at her. "Well, if you can stop asking me questions for just a second, I'll tell you!"

She flushed pink. "Sorry."

He filled them in on the events of the previous day and then let them read the letter Professor Watson had left him. Ron asked, "Well, why doesn't he just go after her?"

"He can't, Ron," Ginny scolded. "It's almost the full moon. And, besides, from what Harry said, I don't think he knows yet how he feels."

"You mean you don't think he loves her?" Ron asked.

Harry shrugged. "I think Ginny's right. I don't think he knows if he does or not. I get the impression he never expected to ever be faced with something like this, and he doesn't know how to deal with it."

"Which also explains why she left," Ginny added.

Both boys looked at her questioningly and she shook her head in disbelief at their lack of understanding. "Come on, guys! It's not that difficult – she tells him she loves him and gets no response at all. If I were her, I'd assume that meant he didn't feel the same way. Maybe he only needs to 'think about it awhile', but if he didn't tell her that or give her any indication that he might feel the same, a girl would naturally take that as disinterest."

"Oh," Harry and Ron said in unison, still not looking like they fully understood it.

"Trouble is," Ginny continued, chewing on her lower lip, "if he is interested, waiting til after the full moon isn't a good thing. If he doesn't follow her soon, she'll really think he doesn't care."

"But he told her he was a werewolf – won't she figure out that's why he didn't come?" asked Ron.

"Not necessarily." She sat lost in thought a moment and then looked at Harry. "If he is interested, he should at least send her a letter – so she'll know. Maybe then she'd come back and they could talk more. At the very least, she might not give up on him, thinking he doesn't care."

Harry shifted uncomfortably. Clearly Ginny was hinting that he mention this to Remus, but so far his interference had been a disaster, and he was reluctant to do anything that might make things worse.

Ginny stood and placed her hands on her hips. "Oh for heaven's sake, Harry! If you're too chicken to do it, I will! If he's as thick as you two are, he'll never figure it out on his own and might ruin this for himself. And if he isn't interested, he doesn't have to do anything."

Harry glanced at Ron, and then shrugged. "Yeah, maybe you're right. Um...do you mind doing it, though? I really don't know what to say. I'd probably just make a mess of it."

She sat back down beside him and slipped an arm around him, laughing. "Big, bad Harry Potter can take on Voldemort, but he can't manage to have a conversation with a friend!"