A/N: Now, I generally don't get into the POV of secondary characters, but I really like Nora's character, and really wanted to show a bit of her POV in this chapter, even though its not really important..lol just thought I'd say that…also, to answer a Q left for me: In "Sorcerer's Stone", Harry's dad was shown to be a seeker…but I think in some interview JKR said he was a chaser (quite possible he played both positions in different years)…in my fic I went ahead and made him a seeker…oh yea another thing, (lol sorry) first day of class today…I just had one class, and it was interesting…the professor I had…she reminded me remarkably like Kierra…it was ridiculous…I was just sitting there, thinking OMG I created you!! lol but it was interesting b/c before I came to that realization, I found myself not liking this professor at all…she was nice, but too…unprofessional…but this is great, b/c now I've got some more insight on how to present Kierra in some future chapters…won't say anymore here…but in time you'll come to see what I mean… ;)
Anyway, sorry this chapter's kind of short, but alas, I'm maxed out on credits and shall be quite busy trying to up my grades so I can get into a descent grad school…I'll try to update soon though!
Chapter 42/43: Reunion
"Professor Lupin, sir"—Remus, already heading back to his office after class, turned around to face one of his students—
"Yes Nora?" he asked, looking down at her to see her rummaging through her schoolbag.
"I just wanted to give these back to you"—She pulled out three books and extended them to him—"sorry I took so long with them…I meant to read them all during the holidays, but I ended up not having time…"
"Not to worry…" Remus said pleasantly. "Everyone gets busy over the holidays. How was yours by the way?"
"It was fun," Nora replied, "my aunt always comes to visit us for Christmas—kind of why I didn't get my reading done—she sort of demanded most of my time…always wants to talk…" she added with a smile.
Lupin nodded and smiled. "If I had any nieces or nephews to visit during the holidays, I'd be doing the same…"
"I wonder if you remember her," Nora said suddenly, trying to keep from smiling, "she uh…she…she said she knew you…"
Remus laughed. "Ah…so your aunt is Kierra…"
"You remember her then?"
"Yes, of course…we…well, we went to school together…" he replied simply, "Haven't talked to her in ages…Is she still living in the States?"
"No," Nora replied, "she moved to France a few years ago…she works for some wizarding school there…"
"Beauxbatons?" Remus asked.
Nora shook her head. "No, it's another one, in Aveyron...sort of a wizarding university…it's for overage witches and wizards, who want to study further."
Remus smiled. "I knew her well…but I have to admit it's hard to imagine her as a professor…"
Nora laughed. "Well, she's not teaching just now…she's just doing research for them…but she's supposed to start teaching later on, next year I think…"
"Well, that's good for her that she's all settled there…"
Nora glanced briefly at her watch and smiled at Professor Lupin. "Well, I better go. I don't want to be late for potions."
"Of course. Well, if you ever write your aunt, tell her I say hello." He replied.
"Sure thing. I'll see you tomorrow. Thanks again for lending me the books!" Nora said as she headed out the classroom.
As Nora headed down to Professor Snape's class, she couldn't help but smile…"Ah, so Kierra is your aunt…" he had said…he remembered her, he had given consideration to the idea of Nora being related to her…he had thought about her… 'Her being Kierra, of course…' Nora told herself sternly. 'Not me…' Though…if he thought of Kierra being her aunt, he must've…'
Nora frowned and she hurried down the stone steps towards the dungeons. 'He is a professor…you don't like him…and he never thought of you…he thought of your aunt…and even if he thought of either of us, it probably wasn't anything…'
Nora sighed as she pulled open the heavy wooden door of Professor Snape's classroom. It was all Kierra's fault…putting these thoughts in her mind…And now, thanks to her aunt's teasing, Nora spend quite a bit of her time daydreaming about her defense against the dark arts professor, though she was constantly being gnawed at by her guilty conscience…
'What if he and Kierra never broke up, and they got married? He'd be your uncle…' Nora reminded herself... 'What's wrong with you?' she chastised herself as she took a seat in the back. 'You sicko…he could've been your uncle'—
"Five points front Gryffindor." said a cold voice from the front of the class. Nora looked up to see Professor Snape standing in front of his desk, glaring at her. "Class started two minutes, Nakofsky."
"Right, sorry…" she replied quietly. Oh, how she hated being singled out in class…especially in potions…
"Why are you late?" he asked.
"I was in"—
"Defense against the dark arts?" Snape asked. "Yes, your other classmates came from that class as well. Yet somehow they all managed to come on time. Clearly taking your sweet time in getting here is more important than punctuality."
"Please sir," Nora insisted timidly, "I had to see professor Lupin after class"—
"If that be the case, then you should request a note from him excusing your tardiness. You will do so"—Nora got up from her seat—"after my class is over. You won't be going on time…"
Nora nodded and sat back down. Stupid git… Potions rolled by very slowly, and as Snape finally dismissed them, Nora glumly headed back to Lupin's office to get a note of excuse for Snape…
"It's a bit cooler here than I had expected…" Dominique said as she buttoned up her coat.
"You've spent too much time in the Mediterranean…" Remus replied with a smile. "So, where would you like to go? Three Broomsticks is usually packed…especially with all the students there today…"
"Well…how about Madam Pudifoot's?"
Remus frowned. "It's going to be filled with couples, mostly students…I don't want to see it"—
Dominique laughed. "Got it…I'm sorry…of all the days to come to visit, it had to be a Hogsmeade weekend for Hogwarts…" Dominique said with a smile. "Well, I have no idea…I haven't been here in a while, you know…you pick…"
"Well, there's a nice little bistro down the street…very few students there, since it's pretty easy to miss…"
"Sounds good. Lead the way…" Dominique replied.
"So...you've already visited Dumbledore?" Remus asked as they seated themselves at a cozy little booth towards the back of the restaurant.
"Yes, I took tea with him yesterday. It was really nice to see him…" she replied, forcing a smile at Remus.
He smiled sadly at her. "Everything alright?" he asked.
"Yea…everything's fine…" Dominique said quickly. "We had a nice time"—she stared at Remus, who had looked away from her, and sighed—"I can't hide anything from you, can I?" she asked with a small smile.
"We've known each other too long…" he replied. "I'm just guessing here…but…I'm thinking Dumbledore tried talking to you about things you're not ready to discuss…"
Dominique simply nodded.
"D, I'm sure he's just trying to help you"—
"I know…but can't he give it a rest? Almost every time we talk, he has to bring him up!"
"He wants you to talk about it, that's why…" Remus said.
"Well, I don't want to talk about it…" Dominique replied crossly.
"It's not good to keep everything bottled up…" Remus said quietly. "when…everything happened, twelve years ago, you just left all of us…you busied yourself and when you came around, you acted as if nothing happened"—
"I just needed to get away…to mull things over…"
"But you didn't, D." Remus said. "During that time, while we were all coping with the pain, you ran away from it, because you didn't want to feel it. And you've put it on hold for too long…"
"I haven't"—
"You have, and you know the only way you'll have closure and move on is if you endure that pain, and cope with it…you need to let it out…"
Remus looked straight at Dominique. She was staring down at the table, seeming to be on the brink of tears. "I'm sorry…I don't mean to be harsh…"
Dominique shook her head and wiped her eyes quickly. "You're not…I know you care…"
"As does Dumbledore…he always means well for you…"
"I know…" Dominique replied. "I just—you're right…and I hate that," she added with a weak smile, "but you're right…I ran away…I was a coward…I didn't want to deal…"
"I know it's been difficult, but you need closure…if you want to break down and cry, break a few things maybe, it's alright…"
Dominique nodded.
"…we can go to the Shrieking Shack if you'd like, plenty of old furniture there to break…" he added with a small smile.
Dominique laughed. "You're very good, Lupin."
"I don't know how to feel sometimes," Dominique said as they ate their lunch, "I mean…I used to have this world, where I had a wonderful husband who loved me to death…he cared about me and did everything for me…and I had imagined him as this perfect man…and then, all of a sudden he turns around 180 degrees, and this man doesn't exist anymore…I felt so…so…"
"Cheated?" Remus offered.
"Precisely…I felt cheated…thought I was getting a galleon, instead I get a knut….a counterfeit knut, more like it…"
Remus nodded in understanding. "I think we all felt like that…but then time went by and we moved on and forgot about Sirius…and now that he's on the loose"—
"All those memories come back…" Dominique finished. Lupin nodded in return.
"The other day, James and Lily's son was talking with me…I told you in my last letter I was to teach him the patronus charm…and out of the blue, he asked me if I knew Sirius"—
"How did he know?" Dominique asked suddenly.
Lupin shrugged. "He said he knew Sirius was friends with his parents…no idea how he knew that… but all I could say was that I thought I had known him…after Harry left, I just thought about that…thinking about the days when we were all friends…I really thought I knew him…"
"Sometimes I just don't understand it…" Dominique said as she reached across the table for the salt shaker. Remus watched as she sprinkled salt on her ravioli and placed the shaker by her plate.
"How he could've turned?" Remus asked.
Dominique nodded. "I just don't get it…he had us all believing he was on our side…but then…I should've had some suspicions…when he started convincing James that it was you who was the spy…that rat…trying to blame you…"
"I have to admit I was a bit suspicious of him…I mean, I knew I wasn't a spy, unless I was being possessed or something. To me it was either Peter or Sirius…and well, we saw what happened to poor Peter…"
Dominique sniffed and dabbed the corner of her eyes with her napkin. "I felt so bad for him…poor guy…practically living in Sirius and James's shadow his whole life…and then Sirius, that stupid jerk"—Dominique sniffed again as the tears fell freely from her face—"blew him up…"
"Shh…" Remus extended his hands across the table and put his over hers. "I know…Peter died a hero though…"
Dominique nodded. "It's because of that asshole that Harry hasn't got any parents…I mean, I know Dumbledore keeps a close eye on him, I know you do too…but it's not the same as having parents…you know?"
Remus nodded. He glanced down briefly at his watch but then gave it a double take.
"Do you need to go?" Dominique asked.
"In a bit…" Remus replied. "I'm sorry"—
"No, no…don't apologize…I'm sorry…you haven't even finished your lunch, we've talked so much…"
"It's quite alright. Soon as I finish though I'll be on my way." He replied.
Remus continued on his lunch for a moment, but stopped to look up as he felt a pair of eyes on him. Dominique had been watching him, but quickly shot her eyes down to her own meal when they made eye contact…
"I hope you're feeling a little better..." Remus said slowly, watching as Dominique ate a spoonful of soup. She rested her spoon against her bowl and smiled at Remus.
"Yes, I do feel better. Thanks…"
She continued to stare into Remus's pale eyes…the way he always looked at her with concern…he might've appeared different with his slightly greyed hair and coarser voice, but he was still the same, caring Remus she had always known… She looked longingly at him, lost in his eyes, when suddenly—
Dominique's heart skipped a beat when Remus leaned across the table, drawing closer to her…she felt herself leaning towards him…Dominique closed her eyes as she also leaned over her meal, and not a moment too soon, his lips were pressed against hers…
Or were her lips pressed against his? Well, It didn't matter…they were kissing each other and it felt good…He was the man she should've gone with, Dominique thought. She had been so smitten with Sirius when she was younger, she was oblivious of the wonderful friend she had known since childhood…he was so perfect…how had she overlooked him?
As Dominique deepened the kiss, she took in the feel of Remus's lips…they were soft and warm…and slightly limp…come to think of it, Remus wasn't the most responsive kisser—
Dominique opened her eyes ever so slightly, and in the corner of her eye, she could barely see Remus's arm near hers…but he didn't touch her…in fact…it looked like…. 'Oh dear…' she thought suddenly…
Dominique slowly pulled away from Remus and looked down at his arm that was extended out on the table…he had been reaching over to take the salt shaker…
"Oh…" Dominique said quietly, feeling herself go red…
Remus looked at the salt shaker and slowly let go of it, deciding he didn't need it anymore…
"Um…" he stammered…what does one say in these situations? Remus had no idea…
"I'm sorry…" Dominique said quickly. She looked down at the table. "I…um…I thought you were…" Her voice trailed off, she was too embarrassed to speak. Dominique bit her lip…she could still taste him…She felt herself burning with shame…
Remus shook his head slowly as he also looked down at the table. "It's ok…" he said rather dumbly…
There was a moment of silence between the two, which seemed like an eternity to Dominique. What had possessed her to do that? How could she have been so stupid to think…Remus...and her…
"You should go now…" she said quietly, still looking down at the table.
"Sorry?"
"You should go now," she said a bit louder, "you have to go back to the castle…"
"Right…" he said, reaching into his pockets, rummaging for money. "Um, listen…D…don't feel"—
"I'm not feeling anything." Dominique said quickly as she got up. "I should get going"—
"But D"—
"Bye Remus…" she said in an almost whisper, tossing a few galleons onto the table before hurrying away.
"Dominique!" Remus called after her. He quickly pulled out a few galleons and dumped them on the table and ran after her. As he came outside and looked around, he saw that Dominique was nowhere in sight. She had done it again... Remus sighed as he headed back inside the restaurant to get his coat. He wondered though how long her hiding would last this time…
Remus looked carefully over his letter that he had spent almost half an hour trying to compose, wondering if he had been too forward. 'Maybe, but better to be direct than being wishy-washy…' he thought as he reread his letter:
21 May 1993
Dear Dominique,
I hope this letter finds you in better spirits than you were on your last visit here, but as I haven't heard from you, I take it perhaps you are not. I would've written earlier, but preparing final exams for seven classes kept me from doing so. I must admit, I was waiting (albeit too optimistically I now see…) for a letter from you, but now I see that was quite foolish of me to expect that from you. Forgive me, but in light of what happened over a month ago, I must speak plainly to you. You've done it again, Dominique. Didn't you gain anything from our conversation last month? Running away to hide never erases grief or shame. I thought we had agreed that…but now you've gone and done it again. You didn't even want to talk after we kissed—you just took off… Please Dominique, we're both mature adults…we can just forget about what happened and put it behind us…I certainly would like to, I'm sure you do too…
I won't force you to speak your mind and open up to me, but you know I'm always ready to listen. If you want to talk about what happened, I'm here. If not, and you'd like to forget about it and move on, I'm also willing to partake. But I do ask you, Dominique, to not to throw away a lifetime's worth of friendship…We've lost friends to death, and even to Voldemort, so please don't devalue our relationship by ending it over one little kiss.
Yours,
Remus Lupin
Remus ran a finger over the hot wax that solidified as a seal over his letter. It was still soft, resulting in Remus's fingerprint to engrave itself on the seal. With a heavy sigh, Remus got up and tucking the letter away in his robes, he headed out of his office. After he sent the letter, Remus knew, he was due to see Snape in his office for his wolfbane potion…
Once inside the owlry, Remus pulled out his letter and summoned a large tawny owl that he knew to be quite clever.
"I think she's supposed to be in Dublin for a concert…I have confidence you'll find her…" Lupin said as he gently stroked the owl. The owl in return hooted, and clutching the letter with its claws, it flew off.
Remus watched as the owl disappeared into the red-orange sky. Suddenly he remembered: Hagrid's hippogriff was to be executed at dusk…he wondered if they'd try…
Remus shut the door of his office and pulled out his wand as he took a seat at his desk. He pulled out a tattered piece of folded parchment from his top desk drawer that he had confiscated from Harry and tapped it with his wand.
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." He said quietly. Slowly, thin ink lines began to spread out from the spot his wand had touched. His eyes immediately fell on Hagrid's cabin. As he had expected, three dots were heading towards it, labeled "Ronald Weasley", "Hermione Granger", and "Harry Potter". Remembering that Hagrid had told him yesterday that Dumbledore would come to be with him during the execution, Remus's eyes traveled upwards to where he knew Dumbledore's office to be. Sure enough, a dot labeled "Albus Dumbledore" made its way out of the headmaster's office and down the corridors. Remus watched the headmaster make his way outside, where he stopped as he ran into Fudge and Macnair. Together, the three of them made their way down to Hagrid's hut.
Remus's eyes shifted towards the hut, where, to his relief, he saw Harry, Ron and Hermione leave through a back door. But just as he turned his attention to the headmaster, Remus did a double take at his three students—there were not three dots now, but four…
"Impossible…" Remus murmured aloud.
The dot was barely visible—it clung on very closely to the dot labeled Ron, but the name next to it was plain as day—Peter Pettigrew…
Was the map malfunctioning? How could he be with them? But he hardly had time to ponder the matter, as another dot was racing towards the foursome, the name appearing by it made Remus inhale sharply…
Sirius Black had crashed into the group, and began dragging Ron and Peter into the Whomping Willow…
Lupin's mind raced as he dashed out of his office. How…Peter was dead…Sirius wanted to kill Harry, not Ron…As he ran down the hill towards the Whomping Willow, Remus wondered how Peter's name could have appeared on the map…he was just there…with Ron…getting pulled through the willow with Ron…Ron...suddenly a light seemed to flicker in his head…Ron had a rat…didn't he? But…why...all these years…it didn't make sense…unless…no, it couldn't be…
Remus pulled out his wand and muttered an incantation to stop the willow from swiveling its branches at him. He took a deep breath as he crawled on all fours and crawled through the small tunnel he had grown to hate during his years as a student at Hogwarts…this was certainly one marauder reunion he was not looking forward to…