Simple in the Moonlight

Part 1

As the clouds rolled back and the sun started to peak through the new born morning Remus tried to move. His bones groaned at him and his muscles screamed under the weight he tried to put on them, so he laid back down and looked up at the rotting ceiling.

He heard a clock somewhere in the old house ticking, it surprised him anything still worked here and he smiled at the thought. He'd been here so many times over so many years, things falling apart all around him, and yet things were still working, still spilling out in time with time. He was happy, as happy as he could be; the woman he loved, loved him in return. It did not matter to her what he was, and though it took strength for him to keep her whole he did it and continued to do it with her help and her love.

In fact he heard her coming up the stairs now; he smiled again and called out. "Dora, here!" His voice cracked with tiredness but it didn't matter she was coming. He closed his eyes and waited for her gentle eyes and gentle touch.

"Ahem" There was a worried cough, a man's cough. His eyes flew open to find an older man with balding red hair and glasses.

"Arthur?" The other man's eyes were filled with worry and fear, this in itself scared him more then he could imagine; even in his worn out state he sat up, letting the blankets fall away from him, not caring he was naked. "Arthur, what happened?" He knew something had happened and he clenched the dirty sheets in anticipation.

"She's at St. Mungo's. We'd better hurry." As those words came out of his mouth Remus' world began to spin. She was in St. Mungo's, she was hurt, something had happened and he hadn't been there to protect her, he—he could have been the one to hurt her.

"Arthur…what i exactly /i has happened?" His voice was near the edge of screaming, the agony and anticipation of what had happened was driving him slowly insane.

Arthur shut his eyes and looked away from Remus, a hand flew up to his face and he sighed. "She was bit Remus, she's alive but…"

No more was needed to be said, he was standing up straight as a rod, the chilled air caressed his body in a faux interpretation of a lover. His eyes were wild and face tight with horror. Arthur reached out to him noticing the younger man's expression. "Remus…"

He just pushed him away and looked around the room as if trying to find a way to escape. Arthur again grabbed for him stopping only when Remus growled.

He wasn't quite sure where he was, he knew physically, but mentally his mind was somewhere else, some i time /i else. He was trying to remember if he could remember. If at any point last night he remembered her showing up, even though she knew she wasn't supposed to since they no longer had access to the Wolfsbane potion.

His mind wandered over and over the blank spot that was the night before, he couldn't remember anything, nothing, he hardly even remembered the beginning of the transformation. As his mind couldn't recall the last night's events he began to lose grip on reality.

For so long he'd told her, for so long he'd protected her from his world, and here he'd drug her down with him anyway. He was spiraling down into his own darkness when a shout brought him back to the surface.

"Lupin!" Arthur finally yelled as the other man looked as if he may kill himself or someone else. He grabbed his shoulders and shook him. "Remus, listen to me…"

Remus, though held in place, his eyes showed that he was not focused on Arthur. "Listen! You didn't do it!" A spark, Arthur began to calm his own nerves seeing the spark. "You didn't bite her."

A flicker of hope crossed his face; eyes finally focus on the redhead in front of him. "What did you say?" His voice was cracking with wonder.

"You didn't do it. It was another, Kingsley and some other aurors are out tracking the man right now. She was out on duty last night, tailing a Death Eater, when she was attacked. Luckily when it happened it had been close to when she was supposed to check in, when she didn't Kingsley sent out troops, he knew she wouldn't come in late, not with you…" Arthur stopped and looked down. Remus stared at his friend a bated breath. "You didn't do it." He finally whispered.

Choking, Remus let out a sob and collapsed on to Arthur. Gingerly he patted the man's back not fully understand but at the same time knowing.