Listen To Your Heart

Chapter Nineteen-Dark Fears

I really felt bad for hurting Remus…but I liked Severus. I had hoped Remus understood.

Feeling restless, I pulled Remus aside.

"Listen," I said. "I really hope you understand that I like Severus. I hate thinking that I hurt you."

I put a hand on his arm.

Remus sighed.

"Well," he admitted quietly. "I am hurt because I really love you…but I completely understand and respect your decision."

I looked at him.

Bugger I thought. He says he's okay but I still feel like I've ripped off his right arm.

"I still feel like I've ripped off your right arm," I said swallowing.

Remus broke into a grin.

"Don't worry alright?" he said throwing his arms around me and drawing me close. He hugged me tightly. "It's fine…really."

I hugged him back just as tightly.

"Okay," I said smiling.

We pulled back from the embrace.

"Severus is lucky to have you," Remus finished putting a hand on the side of my face before heading back over to Sirius and Sam.

I turned to Severus.

"Want to go for a walk?" I suggested brightly.

"Sure," Severus nodded.

We linked arms and headed out of the common room.

CHELSEA PARRIS

I entered the Gryffindor common room. I yawned. I had been studying all night in the library and was exhausted. I found fellow Gryffindors already there.

"Hey," I said brightly to Lily Evans. "I'm exhausted."

Lily looked up and grinned.

"Oh hey Chelse," she said warmly. "Why are you so tired?"

"Been studying all night," I said yawning again.

"You're as bad as Remus," Sirius Black cracked. "He's a complete Book Worm too."

I scowled at Sirius.

"Excuse us for actually wanting to learn," I cracked back.

Remus Lupin looked up.

He had taken off his robe and was now just in his uniform and black slacks. He had the white sleeves of the shirt that was under the gray sweater vest rolled up to his elbows. His tie was a bit loose as well. His Prefects badge was clipped to the sweater.

His blue eyes landed on me.

"Ugh I had a lot of trouble with the Wilcox Charm today," I said flopping down on the couch. "It kept backfiring at me."

"I could help you," Remus offered quickly. "We can meet every day after classes to practice."

"Sure," I beamed. "I would like that a lot and I appreciate it."

My name is Chelsea Parris. I'm 17 years old with shoulder length dark brown hair, almost black, and green eyes. I've got an olive complexion and I was fairly tall, but not that tall.

Sirius was grinning goofily at Remus for some reason. I raised an eyebrow at Sirius.

"Is Remus nude or something?" I asked. "You've got the strangest expression on your face."

Sirius immediately snapped out of the stupor.

"Huh?" he asked shocked. "Oh no never mind."

I just shook my head.

I've known them since I started going here; we just never really hung out or anything.

"How about we go practice a bit now?" Remus asked coming over to me. He checked his watch. "We still have a good hour before it's time to hit the sack."

"Sure okay," I grinned.

Remus put a hand on the small of my back as we left the common room.

ROSELYN.

Severus and I enjoyed a nice walk on the grounds. We were heading back to the common room when we bumped into Remus and a fellow Gryffindor named Chelsea Parris.

"Hi," Chelsea said brightly and warmly. "What were you two doing?"

"Just walking," Severus replied frowning. "Is that against the rules?"

Chelsea seemed stunned.

"Relax," I said to Severus. "She's just curious. We took a walk on the grounds."

Chelsea nodded.

"Remus is going to help me with the Wilcox Charm," Chelsea explained brightly. "I've been having a bit of trouble with it."

"That's nice," I replied warmly. "He's good at Charms. You should have no trouble picking it up from him. We'll see you guys later."

Severus and I continued to walk down the corridor.

REMUS.

Roselyn and Severus continued to head down the corridor.

"She's nice," Chelsea said. "Is Severus normally that crabby?"

"Yeah she is nice," I agreed. "He's a Slytherin…what did you expect?"

Chelsea chuckled.

I found she had a catchy laugh and I soon found myself chuckling along with her.

We found an empty classroom.

"Okay," I said facing Chelsea. "Take out your wand."

Chelsea took out her wand.

"Now the Wilcox Charm is supposed to momentarily confuse the nearest person," I explained. "What happens when you cast the charm?"

"It hits the person, but it backfires," Chelsea explained. "It doesn't stick."

"Okay," I said. "Use the charm on me."

Chelsea shook her head furiously. "I don't want anything to go wrong."

"It won't," I said reassuringly. "Just cast it."

Chelsea turned her wand onto me.

"Wilcoxis Alaenim," she said.

A jet of bright pink shot out from the tip of her wand, hit me and then ricocheted off, heading back toward Chelsea.

Chelsea ducked the spell and it hit the wall, creating a small burn on it in a circular pattern.

"See?" she said miserably. "I can't get this spell to work for some reason."

I frowned.

"It's probably your wand movement," I said. "See, like this."

I moved my wand sideways and then flicked it.

"Try it again,"

Chelsea looked hesitant again.

"How else are we going to make sure you're doing the spell right unless I'm the human guinea pig?"

She took a deep breath and cast the spell again.

I felt a warm fuzzy feeling come over me when the jet hit me in the chest. I felt carefree and light.

"What are we doing in here?" I asked awed.

CHELSEA.

Remus was completely confused but after 2 minutes, he came around again.

"You did it," he said proudly. "Way to go. See? You can do it."

I just beamed.

"Okay," Remus said. "Let's head back to the common room."

We headed back.

GILLIAN.

I had just been sitting reading. Remus and Chelsea entered the common room shortly after Roselyn had. Severus had gone back to the Slytherin common room. Just then, a bright flash went off before my eyes. I cried out and slid off the couch, landing on my knees. I dug the heels of my hands onto my forehead.

I saw a gray wolf that was Remus outside on the grounds. Suddenly someone came up behind him. He turned around and I saw his tail begin to wag slightly, a signal that he recognized who the person was. A burlap sack was thrown over him. I heard him whelp.

Another flash went off.

I saw people storming the castle…as well as wolves. I heard screaming and jets of green launched from different areas.

The flash vanished. My eyes flew open.

"Gillian? What's wrong?" Sam's concerned face appeared before mine.

"I saw it," I said my voice shaking badly as I got to my feet. "I saw the whole dream all over again…this time it was a premonition."

Everyone exchanged glances.

"Are you sure?" James asked.

I nodded.

"What exactly did the vision entail?" Remus asked with a grave expression.

"Well," I said trembling. "Once again someone kidnapped you. But the weird thing was you recognized this person because your tail began wagging. Then I saw the second half of the dream…the infiltration."

Chelsea looked confused.

"Remus doesn't have a tail,"

Again everyone exchanged glances.

"That part must've been a mistake," Roselyn said thinking quickly. "You mean the second part was when…."

Her voice trailed off. I nodded gravely.

"Alright," Remus said firmly. "I suggest we go to Dumbledore in the morning."

We all nodded and headed off to bed.

ROSELYN.

Lily, Chelsea, Gillian and I entered the girls' dorm room. Lily climbed into bed and was out cold immediately. Gillian too, went out like a light the minute she hit the bed.

"So," I said to Chelsea. "Did Remus help you with the spell?"

"Oh yes," Chelsea said nodding. "He's a great teacher."

I felt myself smiling.

"Yeah he is," I said warmly and climbed into bed.

"Can I ask you something?" Chelsea asked suddenly.

"Sure…anything," I said.

"You and Remus aren't like…dating are you?"

"No," I said shaking my head. "Severus and I are."

There was a silence before I voiced my next question.

"Why?"

"Oh no reason," Chelsea said quickly. "Night."

"'Night," I said.

Before long I could hear snoring coming from her bed. I laid down and stayed awake for a bit before falling asleep myself.

The next morning we went and told Dumbledore what had happened.

"Don't worry, Miss Ross," Professor Dumbledore said kindly. "I will certainly make sure that no one gets on the grounds. Even though there's charms and anti-Apparation spells, I'll add a few extras just to make sure. Nothing's going to happen to Remus."

He turned to me next.

"And how are you feeling, Miss Rourke?"

"Okay," I said nodding. "A lot better actually."

"Good," he nodded. "Now the fact that you got a vision again showing what you dreamed suggests that something will definitely happen. But I'm going to take extra precautions."

A few minutes later, we left Dumbledore's office feeling a bit more secure and better.

Severus was walking with me.

Chelsea was talking with Remus. He was actually laughing and joking around with her and Sirius. It seemed like he and Chelsea clicked. I was glad. Remus deserves a nice girl. Chelsea was pretty, nice and she was just a terrific person. We've known her for the full 7 years, but we just never really hung out even before I started hanging out with the Marauders, a name Lily told me that James dubbed them.

James had dubbed me a Marauder as well. I felt honored.

Severus wrapped his arm around my shoulders as we walked.

"Life is absolutely perfect," I said sighing contently.

Severus looked at me; his dark eyes searching mine.

"You really don't mind me being a Slytherin?" he asked.

I looked at him like he was crazy.

"Absolutely not!" I said shocked. "Why on earth would I?"

Severus looked a bit upset and I sensed something was greatly bothering him.

We entered the Gryffindor common room and immediately, scowls were sent his way. The other scattered themselves around the common room and Severus pulled me aside.

"Listen," he said quietly. "I have something very important to tell you."

"What is it?" I asked concerned as we faced each other.

He sighed.

"My parents don't approve of me dating a Gryffindor," he said.

"But they seemed so nice to me at the train station!" I said surprised. "What happened?"

"They thought we were just friends, which would be fine with them…but then when I told them I really loved you, they hit the roof and forbade me to see you. They contacted Professor Jennings and he's supposed to keep an eye on me. I can't be seen with you that much."

"This is just crazy!" I cried causing everyone to look up with apprehensive expressions on their faces. I felt tears forming in my eyes.

"I know," he said miserably. Tears began forming in his dark eyes as well. "They said that if I'm seen with you, they're going to put a spell on you. But they might harm you too. My parents are big Death Eater supporters. I wouldn't want you to get hurt."

"This is really stupid!" I sobbed angrily.

"I know," Severus said swallowing. "I have to go, Rose. I love you."

He leaned in and kissed me. I kissed him back before he left the common room.

I turned around and just flopped onto the couch. I leaned forward and buried my face into my hands. I began sobbing uncontrollably.

"Rose! What on earth happened?" Remus demanded coming over.

He sat down beside me and put his arm around me.

I began telling them what Severus said.

"Stupid," James hissed. "It doesn't matter what house you're in."

"That's unfair," Lily snarled. "They're hypocrites!"

I just slumped against Remus and pressed my face into the front of his robe. I shut my eyes against the warm inviting darkness of his robe and sobbed long and hard. I felt his arms encircling me, drawing me close.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered resting his chin on top of my head.

I just cried.