Call On Me
Chapter Eleven-Catching Up
"She's coming to," a voice said from somewhere above me.
I groggily opened my eyes and stared into my father's face as well as the man's.
"Caitlin? Are you alright?" Dad demanded anxiously peering down at my face.
I propped myself up onto my elbows and looked at the man named Alex.
"R-Remus Lupin? H-He was killed?" I stammered praying that what I heard was false.
Alex frowned.
"Remus? No, Robert was killed. I only heard the last name Lupin and remembered that. My hearing goes in and out sometimes. I've actually got a doctor appointment to take care of that. Remus is fine. He's here in the Ministry studying to be an Auror. Sorry I scared you," Alex said sheepishly.
A huge wave of relief spread over me. Dad helped me to my feet and I dusted the backside of my jeans off.
"I'd best get going," Alex said. "I'm off to the doctors. Take care, Scott."
Dad and Alex shook hands and Alex gave me a polite little bow before leaving.
"I saw your face," Dad said as we headed over to the elevator lift. "You were as pale as a ghost."
"Dad, I'm just relieved that Remus is okay," I said exhaling. "That was a real fright."
"I'm sure," Dad said earnestly.
We entered the lift. We were the only ones on it.
The lift began ascending.
A cool, female voice rang out:
"Level seven, Department of Magical Games and Sports, incorporating the British and Irish Quidditch League Headquarters, Official Gobstones Club and Ludicrous Parents Office."
The lift doors opened and I saw an untidy looking corridor with various posters of the Quidditch teams tacked crooked on the walls. The doors closed again and the lift juddered upward again.
"Level six, Department of Magical Transport, incorporating the Floo Network Authority, Broom Regulatory Control, Portkey Office and Apparation Test Center."
I remembered when we had come here for the test. Dumbledore had arranged groups of students to come here for the test. We had all passed…well, most of us.
Several paper airplanes swooped over our heads.
"Interdepartmental memos," Dad said softly.
"Level five, Department of International Magical Cooperation, incorporating the International Magical Trading Standards Body, the International Magical Office of Law, and the International Confederation of Wizards, British Seats."
A few of the memos zoomed out when the lift doors opened. They closed again. I was feeling anxious now at the possibility of seeing Remus. I couldn't wait.
"Level four, Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, incorporating Beast, Being and Spirit Divisions, Goblin Liaison Office, and the Pest Advisory Bureau."
I folded my arms over my chest.
"This is taking too long," I muttered.
Dad smiled.
"I know you're anxious at the thought of seeing Remus. We're almost there. Our level is Level 2."
The next two levels weren't it until I heard the female voice:
"Level two, Department of Magical Law Enforcement, including the Improper Use of Magic Offices, Auror Headquarters and Wizengamot Administration Services,"
The lift doors opened and we stepped out of the elevator lift.
We turned a corner and walked through a pair of heavy oak doors and emerged in a cluttered, open area divided into cubicles which were buzzing with laughter. A memo on the nearest cubicle read AUROR HEADQUARTERS.
I paused.
My heart was pounding in my chest. Several of the Auror's had posters of wanted witches or wizards pinned up.
"Morning, Andrews," a pleasant witch said as she stood up and peered over her cubicle. "The meeting is starting."
"Oh no!" Dad wailed.
He turned to me. "Caitlin, stay with Emma. The meeting shouldn't take long I promise,"
I nodded.
Dad took off down a corridor and through a pair of double doors that swung.
The witch was pretty, around Mom's age with shoulder length wavy light brown hair and green eyes. She was dressed in navy robes.
"Hi Caitlin, come have a seat," she said pleasantly.
I entered the cubicle and sat down in front of her desk.
"Do you know where the Auror classes are being held?" I asked casually.
"Oh sure," she said nodding. "Right behind us."
She jerked her thumb over her shoulder to a pair of double doors that led into a large, opened classroom of some sort. I could just barely make out a desk through the glass pane on the doors.
Emma checked her watch.
"Class should actually be over now," she mused.
Sure enough, the doors opened and a large group of witches and wizards emerged, talking and laughing.
I spied Remus immediately. My heart leapt into my throat.
"Remus!" I called happily.
His face lit up when he saw me.
"Caitlin!" he cried.
He rushed over and threw his arms around me, slightly lifting me in the air as he hugged me tightly.
"My God! It's wonderful to see you! How are you?" he gushed excitedly.
His features sharpened and he looked so handsome now. He was dressed in emerald green robes.
"I'm good," I grinned but then the grin faded. "I'm so sorry about your father."
Remus' happy expression fell.
"Thanks," he said quietly. "I miss him so much."
"When did it happen?" I asked gently.
"About 4 months ago," Remus said.
"I'm so sorry," I apologized again sadly.
"That's part of the reason why I want to become and Auror…to stop You-Know-Who," he continued.
I nodded.
"You look great," Remus said changing the subject. I figured it was too painful for him.
I smiled.
"What's going on with you now? What have you been up to?"
Remus was just about to answer when a pretty witch with shoulder length brunette hair and amethyst colored eyes stepped up beside him and draped an arm around his shoulders.
"Remy? Are you coming?" she purred.
I felt like I had been stabbed in the heart.
"Caitlin? This is my girlfriend, Lisa. Lisa, this is my best friend Caitlin," Remus introduced, looking embarrassed and he avoided looking at me.
"Nice to meet you," Lisa said extending her hand out for me to shake.
I shook it and then realized that my hopes of possibly being with him went down the toilet completely.
"Same here," I forced a bright smile on my face.
"I'm heading off," Lisa said. "I'll see you tonight okay?"
She gave Remus a kiss on the cheek before giving me a friendly wave as she headed off down the corridor.
"She seems nice," I said forcing my tone to be casual and polite.
"Yeah she is," Remus said quietly.
I felt my throat aching with disappointment.
I began backing away.
"I'd best get back to Dad," I said swallowing and forcing the tears not to form. "I'll see you okay?"
"Caitlin, wait," Remus said suddenly. "Why don't we meet tonight? We can catch up more. I'll just tell Lisa that I had to help my mom out with something."
"Um, sure," I said bumping into a cubicle. "Where do you want to meet?"
"How about Radmin Park?" he suggested. "At 7:00?"
"You got it," I said. "See you later."
With that I turned and headed into Emma's cubicle.
REMUS.
Seeing Caitlin again brought back all of my feelings toward her. She looked wonderful. I wasn't happy with Lisa. In fact, I was about to break it off with her tonight.
I mean she was nice and everything, but she could be a bit obsessive at times. I didn't want that.
I turned and left.
I left the Ministry and headed home.
Around 6:30 I told Lisa that I was meeting Caitlin at the park for some catching up. I decided I'd rather tell her the truth than lie to her. She didn't deserve to be lied to anyway.
"Why are you meeting her tonight?" Lisa demanded over the phone.
"Because we haven't seen each other since we graduated from Hogwarts," I said frowning, but knew she couldn't see me. "I'd really like to hear how she's been."
"You saw her at the Ministry. How much more can you talk?" Lisa said.
"I'd like to spend more time with her," I said firmly, getting angry now. "She's my best friend after all."
Lisa snorted on the other end of the phone line.
"Best friend my ass," she snapped. "I saw the way you two were looking at each other. I'm not blind."
I exhaled loudly, forcing myself not to blow up…but then I realized Lisa was right. There's no point in denying it anymore.
"You obviously don't want to be with me anymore," Lisa continued. "It's over. Go be with her."
With that, I heard a dial tone in my ear as she hung up.
I hung up the phone, feeling a bit sad and relieved at the same time.
"So are you meeting Lisa dear?" Mum asked as she stood in front of the stove and stirred the spaghetti boiling in the large pot.
"No," I said. "We broke up."
"Oh no," Mum said sympathetically. "I'm so sorry."
"Meh," I said shrugging my shoulders. "I was actually going to break up with her tonight anyway."
"Why?"
"Because I'm in love with Caitlin, Mum…always have been," I replied.
Mom gave me a smile and began dishing out the food.
"I'm meeting Caitlin tonight at the park," I continued sprinkling cheese over the spaghetti. "I saw her at the Ministry earlier."
"How is she?" Mum asked gently.
"Fine," I said. "She looks wonderful too."
"What time are you meeting her?"
"7:30," I replied. "Don't worry…I know enough to be home before dark."
She beamed.
I hungrily dove into my dinner.
At 7:00, I left the house and headed to the park. The pathways were lit by lamps and little fire fly's zoomed around. I looked up at the sky. A full moon was just barely visible. I had to be home before 9:00 when I changed. The park was silent and sometimes couples came here to spend time with each other. It was sort of romantic.
I entered the park and saw Caitlin standing by one of the lamp posts. She was dressed in jeans and a white poplin shirt. A red cardigan sweater was over the shirt. Her hair was pulled into a braid but a few short strands had come lose and hung down against her shoulder. She spied me and broke into a grin. I had to grin back.
CAITLIN.
Remus was walking toward me. The night was a bit chilly so I had put on a red cardigan sweater over my white poplin shirt. My hair hung in a braid down my back.
Remus looked great. He was dressed in tan slacks, a white shirt with a burgundy V-necked vest over it and a black leather jacket over that. He was wearing black boots.
He stood in front of me.
"Hey," he said softly. "Let's sit down okay?"
He gestured to a bench directly under the lamp. I nodded and we sat down.
He sat down next to me and leaned forward, his elbows resting on his thighs. He clasped his hands.
"So what have you been up to all this time?" he asked gently.
"Not much," I said shrugging. "I wanted to be a teacher for a Muggle school, but I was afraid that I might end up doing magic in front of the kids so as of right now, I don't have a job or anything. I'm living with Mum and Dad."
"You're okay financially right?" Remus demanded automatically. "Cause I can lend you some money."
I smiled and shook my head.
"We're fine, thanks," I said earnestly. "I appreciate you offering to help though."
"Don't hesitate to ask me if you need it okay?" he said firmly.
I nodded.
"Promise,"
"You could've gone for that teaching job with the Muggle school," Remus said. "As long as you knew enough not to bring your wand with you every day."
I shrugged again. "I thought about it. I kind of miss the magical prospect of my life. I miss Hogwarts like crazy and I realized I would probably be a lot happier teaching in a magical environment,"
Remus looked thoughtful. "You could teach at Hogwarts. I've told Dumbledore to please let me know if a position opens there. I've got my license and everything. If you remember it only took me the 6 months to get it when we were at Hogwarts,"
"That sounds like a good idea," I said nodding.
"So," Remus continued, as he shifted on the bench. "How's life going otherwise? How's your boyfriend?"
His tone seemed to have changed when he said that.
"Life is going well and I don't have a boyfriend," I said quietly. "Lily and I keep in contact constantly. We send each other owls."
"How's Lily doing?" Remus asked, his tone now changing to what I picked up as a happy one.
"Well," I said. "She's working in the Ministry now in the Pest Advisory Division."
Remus' lip twitched.
"I bet she's good at that,"
I chuckled.
"Yeah," I said. "She was telling me about a case 4 weeks ago about this elderly woman who complained that her house was being overrun with Tricknine's and called her office every 5 minutes wanting to know what to do. Finally, Lily sent out some of the advisors from the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. Needless to say, the elderly woman was a bit off. Instead of Tricknine's, she was infested with Womjiack's."
"Yikes," Remus said.
"So how long have you known Lisa?" I asked sweetly.
"For several months," he replied. "We actually broke up tonight."
"Oh no," I said sympathetically, but secretly I was pleased. I'm not the cruel type, but for some reason I was happy as a clam.
"Don't be," Remus said. "I was going to break up with her anyway. So it's all for the best."
We were silent again. I just enjoyed the atmosphere and the peace and quietness of the park. A few couples were walking hand in hand along another path while a woman walked her dog along the other.
A cool burst of wind blew, blowing the strands of hair that had come lose from the braid. I tucked them behind my ear and shivered.
"Cold?" Remus asked concerned.
"Yeah," I admitted. "I thought maybe the cardigan would be enough but I guess not."
"Here," Remus took off his leather jacket and wrapped it around my shoulders.
"You'll get cold," I said alarmed.
"Naw, remember, werewolves don't feel the cold much," he whispered leaning close.
I got a whiff of a faint cologne and snuggled into the leather jacket.