You Can Never Forget
Surprisingly, the team came back for practice. I had expected them to run for their lives and never come back. But they did. I think Oliver was surprised, too.
"All right, now hopefully we wont have any more distractions," Oliver said to the team, winking at me, "We can go on practicing!"
As we were up in the air, Fred passed me, knocking Bludgers back and forth to George.
"So, how'd it go?"
I shrugged. "I thought it went rather well."
Fred nodded. "That's good. So he's not angry anymore?"
I shook my head. "I don't think so."
I looked down at the goal posts and Oliver was flying in front of the opposite team's, pretending to be Syltherin's Keeper. Alicia tossed me the Quaffle and I flew towards Oliver.
I threw the shot and actually got it. Oliver missed the catch and he wasn't too happy about that. I smiled at him encouragingly and he smiled back.
"I think we'll be ready now," Oliver said to the team, "Slytherin won't know what hit 'em"
"WOOD!" I heard a voice screech. Oliver looked down so quickly he almost fell.
McGonagall stood there on the pitch, her hands on her hips. "Wood," she said in a much calmer voice, "I must borrow Ms. Bell, again."
I sighed. "Not again," I muttered slowly descending.
"But-" Oliver protested.
"You, too, Wood. Come," she said. Oliver's eyes widened.
"Potter!"
"Yes, Professor?"
"Lupin is here, he would like a word with you, as well."
Harry nodded and went to the ground beside us. Oliver looked up in the sky, the rest of our teammates seemed to be paralyzed.
"Listen up," Oliver yelled, "Alicia's in charge, listen to her!"
Alicia, who was talking to George, looked at him. He nodded to her and she nodded back. This was her audition to be captain when Oliver was gone.
As we turned, going towards the castle, I saw Alicia speed to the goalposts.
"All right," she yelled, "This is practice, that means NO talking, Weasley! What'd you say George?? If I heard you correctly, you're taking laps, no 'buts' about it! If I so much as SEE those eyes rolling again, you're sitting down for the rest of the practice as WELL as PERSONAL ignorance from me! Got that?! That goes for the rest of you, too!"
I smiled. Alicia was going to be a good Captain in time.
-------->
McGonagall led us up to Dumbledore's Office. Harry seemed to know the way well and I didn't think Oliver had ever been up there.
McGonagall opened the door for us and I could see Lupin and Dumbledore talking. The door closed and they looked at us.
"Katherine Bell," Remus Lupin said softly, "It's so good to see you again." "Harry," he said, nodding and smiling. "Wood," he said, his voice somewhat lowered.
Dumbledore cleared his throat.
"Ah," Lupin said, "Harry, might I have a word with you outside?"
Harry nodded and they left. Dumbledore motioned for us to sit as McGonagall stood by the doorway. We sat and so did Dumbledore.
"Now," he said, "I have called you here for two different reasons. Wood, do you think that your team is ready for the match in the coming days?"
Wood nodded. "I hope so, Professor."
Dumbledore smiled. "Good, good."
He turned to me. "Ms. Bell, how are you doing?"
I shrugged. "Acceptable."
Dumbledore's jaw clenched. He knew that I was lying. Damn.
"Mr. Wood, you are aware of your teammates…er...predicament?"
Oliver nodded. "Yes, sir, you told me about yourself."
"Right, and do you think she is prepared enough for the match?"
Oliver nodded. "She's fighter. She can do it."
"Have you asked her, yourself?"
Oliver looked at me. I looked at Dumbledore. "I am playing against Slytherin."
Dumbledore shook his head. "I would advise against it. We wouldn't want anything to happen to you. The Flint incident is an example."
I nodded. "But I'm not hurt and if I don't play them we only have one chaser!"
Dumbledore nodded. "As you say."
I heard the door open and Harry came inside. Lupin stuck his head in. "Katie?"
I nodded and left the room. Harry took my seat. I had probably never heard a teacher call me by my first name at Hogwarts.
I stepped outside and Lupin shut the door behind me. I looked at him and he slid his hands into his pockets, looking at me nervously.
"How are you feeling?" he asked me hesitantly.
"All right," I lied. He nodded quickly.
"Good, good, that's good."
"Professor Lupin, what did you want to talk to me about?"
He sighed. "I feel that it is my obligation to look after you, I was one of Nicholas's best friends, and with you mother in her current state, I feel that I am the one to watch over you. Your father mentioned something like that to me once."
Wow. "1) My mother? Her 'current state'?? And 2) He mentioned something like that?"
Lupin nodded. "She's gone crazy. Well, she's been crazy. Not literally, but… you know. Crazy. Not St. Mungos crazy…but out of her mind crazy."
"Why is that? I didn't think she would care that my father's dead."
He hesitated. "She's worried how you are handling everything. I assured her that you would be fine."
"I will be."
"Good, good, that's good."
"My father mentioned something like that to you? That if he was going to die that you would watch over me??"
This was sounding too weird. Like something I'd read about, or that Harry would experience.
Lupin sighed. "Take a walk with me."
We started to walk down the corridor.
"It started way back when we were here. When we were 7th years and were about to graduate. One day, Nicholas turned to me and said, 'Remus, you are my best friend, and you have to promise me something.' Being his best friend, I naturally agreed to listen. He said that we must a pact. That if we ever got married or had children, that the other would look after them if something should happen to he or I. I thought that strange, but I granted his request. I, you see, never got married or had children, perhaps for the obvious reason that happens with the moon and such, but, anyhow, he did. I never took the pact serious until now.
You see, when you were born all those years ago, your father made me your godparent."
Excuse me??? Talk about LUDICROUS!
"Your mother refused to give you a godmother and your father said that if anything should happen to them, that I would be your guardian. Don't ask me how he did it, but somehow, he got it all down legally."
It was silent for a second. I took a deep breath.
"Let me get this straight, my father is dead, murdered, my mother is, still, psycho, you're my 'godfather', in effect, because of a pact you and my dad made about 18 years ago and you expect me to believe this and actually HANDLE this??"
Lupin stared. "O-Only if you want to…"
Wow. Talk about CONFUSION!!!
"So, what does this mean?"
"It means that if you ever, and I DO mean, ever, need anything, that I'm here."
"Except during the full moon," I said bitterly. Even without the look on his face, I knew that I shouldn't have said that.
"I'm sorry," I said. Lupin nodded. "It's quite all right."
We stood there for a second. "Do you need anything?"
"No, I think I'm good for now," I said, smiling.
"Good, good, that's good." Lupin was nervous.
"How are you feeling, Professor Lupin? He was your best friend…"
He nodded. "I think I'm feeling the same you are. The same loneliness."
I nodded, too.
"I keep thinking about that day at the Pub. When I didn't get to see him that last time. You saw him, how did he look? Was he happy?"
I nodded. "He looked good and very happy. He said a 'hello' to you and was sorry that he'd missed you."
He sighed. "I wish I could have talked to him one last time…"
"I know, me too."
"It must be different for you, being his daughter. You've relied on him so much over your entire life and he's just gone… I mean, there one moment and gone the next. Without ever saying good bye…"
"Thanks…," I said, suddenly feeling completely awful.
"I did not mean…I was only saying that he must've meant so much more to you than me."
I nodded. I knew what he was trying to accomplish, but it just made me feel worse.
"You know, your father talked about you a great deal. He loved you very, very much."
I nodded. It was good to be reminded of that. He turned away from me, looking in the opposite direction. He blinked furiously and I knew that he was fighting back tears as I was.
"No matter what you do in life, you father still loves you and supports you…"
"Present tense…"
Lupin turned. "I'm sorry?"
"You said that in present tense: 'still loves me,' 'supports me'. He's dead. It should be past tense. 'Would have loved me,' 'would have supported me'."
"No, no, no. He may be gone, but gone completely. He's still alive in your memory and my memory. Even if he wanted to be completely erased, that would never happen. We would still think about him and be reminded. We can never forget. That seems to be the strongest element in one's life. You can never forget. If it means something to you, you can never forget even if you tried. I'll bet you anything that you can still imagine what that Pub looked like when you saw your father for the last time. You might not have remembered what it looked like the day after, but now that you are trying to remember, it is as vivid as the day you were there."
He was right.
"So, what I was saying, no matter what you do in your life, your father would have been proud. I will be proud. Now, don't think that I am trying to replace him by taking this position as your godparent, as your father wanted. I would never do that. Not ever. I'm just saying that if things become too unbearable, that I'm here. Don't even think of me as a godparent…more as an uncle, sort of. Something like that."
"Sure, Professor Lupin."
He smiled. "No need to call me that anymore."
I smiled. Talking to him gave me a different sort of comfort. Perhaps the fact that he knew my father when he was my age and was his friend.
"Well, I must be off," he said, "As I said before, if you ever need anything, don't hesitate to send for me. You can always write to me or whatever you choose. Dumbledore would be more than happy to pass on a note or a question to me if that is what you would like to do. I must go now."
I nodded.
"Goodbye, Katie."
I smiled at him and he was suddenly gone.
-------> Back at my room
Oliver was waiting for me when I went back to my room.
"What did Dumbledore talk to you about when I left?"
He shrugged. "Not too much."
"Okay."
"How do you think Alicia did?"
I smiled. "Probably pretty good. You heard her shouting orders."
He smiled. "Yeah. What did Lupin want?"
I sighed and went to sit on my bed. I sat down. "Because of something my dad said years ago, Lupin is now my godparent/uncle figure."
Oliver's eyes widened. "That…that werewolf?!"
I frowned and stared at him. "That was an ugly thing to say, Oliver. That's not fair."
"But it's the truth! For all you know, he could kill you! I don't want you anywhere near him!"
I jumped up.
"If my dad could trust him, so can I. I at least owe him that. And I don't take orders from you! I'll go near anyone I choose! And you can't do a bloody thing about it! I can't believe you're so controlling!"
Oliver stared at me. He knew I was right. I'd won. He sighed and his voice was gentler.
"I know, I know. I'm sorry. I'm just scared for you, that's all. I worry about you. Do you trust Lupin?"
"I will."
"All right, just be careful."
I nodded. I remembered what Lupin said, about forgetting, and I tried to get an image of the Pub. The first picture I saw was of Lupin and then my dad.
I was crying so hard I almost fell. Oliver caught me in his strong arms and held me against him as I cried. He sat down on the bed, taking me with him. I was half on, half off, of his lap, crying into his shoulder.
He gulped and I knew that it was killing him to see me cry. His heart was beating quickly and I cried harder. Oliver kissed my cheek and sighed into my ear.
I wanted so badly to be held, to be comforted. To be told that nothing was real. Oliver lay back and my head was on his chest, listening to his heart.
Oliver held my body to the front of his. The harder I tried to stop crying, the faster the tears came. I was sick of crying and I knew that Oliver was sick of seeing me cry. We both wanted me to feel better.
I looked up at him and he brushed a strand of hair out of my eyes, tucking it behind my ear. I smiled at him and he smiled back adoringly.
I reached up and kissed him softly. He kissed me back, but it didn't feel like Oliver. He was holding back, almost telling me that this was wrong. I lay back down on his chest and his hands ran up and down my back soothingly.
After a while, he leaned down and kissed my neck tenderly, almost afraid of hurting me. My fingers ran over the texture of his shirt and I closed my eyes.
Oliver's arm tightened around me and I cuddled further against him. When his fingers ran down my arm, my skin shivered like I was cold. My skin rose to his touch in angry goose bumps.
He was the one who noticed and wrapped my quilt around us, holding me against him even more.
When you fall asleep in someone's arms, you feel safe, held protectively in a circle of their body. That's how I felt when I fell asleep with Oliver. His fingers played with the ends of my hair and he softly kissed my forehead.
He was so warm and I felt so safe that I fell asleep almost instantly. As I was falling asleep, I was still pondering what Lupin said about forgetting things. I tried to make memories of what falling asleep with Oliver was like, if I ever lost him. I sighed into my chest and wished that that moment was far away from then.
His arms slid around my back, holding me against him tighter. I could hardly move and I didn't care. One arm was around his neck, and the other was around his waist. With his strong body protecting me, I could forget about anything. But I didn't want to forget. I could never forget.
I would never forget anything, and it all started there.
Well I hope you liked!!!!! And thank you reviewers of my one-shot!! I know, it was sad...sorry. ButI was feeling sad, so I wrote something sad. In reference to the last chapter:
Kelsey: You know it!! "You're such a hooker!", "Fairy Monkel Lips!!" "He's got the monkies, he's got the monkies!"
AllysonKat: Thanks!
Doodleflip: Thank you so very much!
Intoxication: Emotional is what I do best!
pokethepenguin01: Thank you for making my story one of your favorites! Oh, by no means do I want you gone!! You are so awesome, Alex! Oh, I'll e-mail you anytime! :-D
Lia06: I'm happy I'm writing it too. OMG! I SO want to see the look on Ben's face!!!! You have to tell me ALL about it!!
mello80: Lol, good point. Define: Fluff
Kathy: Lol, good point. I'm really not sure if Fred thinks the same way, I should look into that. He might care about her more than he lets on, but it will never go beyond friendship. Katie is too paranoid to do that and Fred doesn't want to ruin their friendship. True, Katie DOES have a boyfriend and all, but she still feels sort of attracted to Fred. She tries to change her feelings by saying that he is just a brother figure to her, but she gets confused when he does things, like, for example, the ring. By doing that, he just wanted to make sure that she wasn't totally forgetting about him. There is SOME chemistry between them but they both refuse to see it. Nothing will happen between them. I can assure you.
IhopeForAnarchy: OMG! It's the apocalypse! You signed in!!!!!!!!!!!I really like the song-hiding thing, too. It adds a nice touch, don't you think? Wow, was it really that realistic?? That was what I was going for.
ollie's mine!: More more more is coming! :-D
TooSweet4Words: Thank you!
Obbsesive: Thanks!
pokethepenguin01: yes, paragraphs are BAD. Lol it's a Sparkling day now that you've reviewed!
banana-princess93: Lol, well that's okay. He will get a girlfriend!
Read and Review please!!!