Disclaimer: Nothing is owned by myself.
A/N: I am addicted to cliffhangers. I can't help it, I can't help it! My apologies.
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Chapter Eleven: Days Two and Three
Day Two In Hell Hole (aka Remus Lupin's Memories)
After giggling through about five awkward teenage romance moments, all in which ended very badly, and Lupin not getting any, I have to say, I was quite tired. We both were laid back against the ground, staring into the ever-changing scenes.
"Try it again," I mumbled. We waited for a moment. Nothing. "Try it again."
"Tonks, I've already tried it twenty-nine times. We are indefinitely stuck here!" Lupin looked quite bashful.
"Anything you don't want me to see?" I teased, restraining a large yawn.
"Not –" Lupin paused, looking in deep thought. Finally he blushed, and turned to me, his dark eye wide. "Er, Tonks – what did you see, exactly? Before I got here?"
A sinking, terrible sensation fell to my stomach. I had barely had time to even process what I saw. What he told Sirius … how he felt about me … or how he used to feel …
"Nothing," I heard myself say briskly, as though a million miles away. "Nothing interesting." Lupin looked inquisitive, and I was pressed to continue. "Well, I just … saw you as a child … and … and … a memory … with, er, you and your friends … playing Quidditch, well, you were watching, but they were …" My voice drifted off. Lupin looked terribly thoughtful, if not a little worried, too.
"Huh," he said flatly, as it that would resolve everything. "Huh."
The scene, (which had been a small picnic on a weekend afternoon in Hogwarts, with a mouse-ish looking girl who had ended up going off with James for a walk around the lake, leaving Lupin alone) had changed. The dark, warm setting of the Grimmauld Place kitchen at night appeared, and I saw the image of Lupin taking a sip of hot cocoa.
"Wow, this looks interesting," I said, sarcasm dripping from my words, looking over at real-Lupin. He was … blushing furiously? "Oh, my God!" I exclaimed, feeling giddy for the first time since the memory of Sirius daring Lupin to wear a thong. "What happens? Tell me, please, the suspense is killing me!"
"Nothing happens," he mumbled in a muffled voice.
"Oh, come off it," I snapped, "you're bright red! Something happens!"
"You are demanding, you know that?" He returned, just looking at me. "It's quite grating, after awhile."
"You're quite predictable," I said back, my eyes sparkling. "Now tell me what happens!"
"ARGH!" said a voice suddenly, from the memory.
I jumped, and impulsively grabbed real-Lupin's hand. For a moment, I didn't even notice. One embarrassing, hide-your-face-with-a-paper-bag, worse than death kind of moment.
Lupin actually cleared his throat before I noticed, jumped away and blushed, which made it all a million times worse.
The Lupin in the scene was staring, wide-eyed at the cupboard under the kitchen sink, which was shaking violently.
"What is it? What is it? What is it? What is it? What is it? What is it?" I chanted, tugging on Lupin's sleeve and bouncing on my heels.
Real-Lupin was mumbling something under his breath.
Just then the scene-Lupin took out his wand, saying some incantation under his breath. Under a breath was a big thing for Lupin.
Suddenly the cupboard burst open, only to reveal…me?
Except, I wasn't looking quite as glamorous as usual. My usually relatively smooth, white face (I'm gifted, I know) was pockmarked, and a nasty shade of yellow. My eyes were closed, and bordered with heavy black lines. My lips were open slightly, showing off the aggravating thinness that I always tried to hide away by keeping my mouth closed. My limbs were sprawled at very awkward angles, and my shirt was ripped to pieces (aw, don't worry, not that much …), displaying a long, jagged scar I sure as heck wasn't sporting now. I was … dead.
"Can you see the future?" I asked Real-Lupin, half amazed and half scared out of my mind.
"Of course not," Lupin told me brusquely. I pouted. "It's … er …"
Scene-Lupin stared at Dead-me, looking bewildered. "Tonks?" he whispered, putting a hand on my chest.
"Eh, watch it," I grumbled. Real-Lupin scowled.
Scene-Lupin looked actually really sad. Aw. "Tonks …" Suddenly his eyes narrowed, looking at a spot on me that was apparently only visible to him. He stood up suddenly and whispered, "Riddikulus!"
Dead-me twirled around a few times, and then flew back into the cupboard. My mouth was wide open. "Wha-you-huh-wow."
Scene-Lupin muttered something, again, under his breath, causing a loud pop, while Real-Lupin blushed.
"That is so sweet. Dead-me is your Boggart!" I cooed, finally managing something that wasn't gibberish.
Lupin looked angered at my praise. Well, kinda. "I don't know why it is that," he said, all monotone-like.
Scene-Lupin was just staring at the floor, still looking a bit lost. Then he shook his head, and went off in the other direction, hands stuck in his pockets.
"It must mean you like me," I told him. He looked scared. "Not like that," I rushed; hoping dearly he won't figure out I saw The Tell-All Memory. "I mean, you don't hate me. Which is a surprise," I grinned, nudging him. He looked half bemused, half … not.
"Well," He said, then stopped. I waited for a moment, but he didn't continue.
"I like you, too," I told him, quite seriously.
He stared at his shoes.
It was going to be a long day.
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Day Three In Awkward Land (aka Remus Lupin's memories)
I had to endure a dozen more memories, half of them about Lupin's dear childhood duck, Duckie.
"God, do you ever sleep?" I complained grumpily, as Duckie and his best friend, the chewed-up dishtowel, finally faded into blackness.
"Well, I have been around for thirty-five years," he retorted, just as crossly. "I ought to have quite a few memories!"
"Hmph." I said, listening to my stomach growl. I conjured up a bowl of cereal.
"Do you ever stop eating?" Lupin asked me, looking bewildered.
"Conjured-food isn't filling," I told him plainly, taking a big mouthful. Lupin grimaced, disgusted.
The next scene started to appear, and wriggled my toes, clad in pink-orange flip-flops that, yes, I do wear as slippers.
I recognized the scene immediately as the Gryffindor common room – after all, I had been one myself. I smirked happily.
Lupin immediately paled. "No, no," he muttered. "Why? Why, God? Why these memories? Why in front of her?"
I tutted.
Lupin ignored me, "Why?"
"Aw, relax, I won't judge you." I saw Lily enter, immediately catching Lupin's eye, who was seated on the sofa. They were looking at each other just like they had at the Quidditch pitch that day. "Holy crap, Lupin, I'm judging you! Don't do it! Don't do it! Dirty! Dirty!"
Lupin paled to the point of deadness at my rants.
"Hi," said Lily, breathless. I scowled. Oh, come on. It's not like she just climbed any stairs or anything.
"Hi," said Lupin back, eyes wide and hopeful.
"Pansy," I whispered.
"Klutz," he said back.
"Do you mind if I sit by you?" she asked quickly.
"Well, at least she's polite." I held my chin up with my hand, scowling menacingly.
"You could learn from this," he answered, eyes held on the scene with fascination.
He stills loves her. A nerve-racking chill ran down my spine.
"No, I – yes, no, I … I don't mind," he answered finally. He looked quite red, while she smiled humorously.
"Oh, smooth talking, you'll win her over for sure now," I told Lupin harshly. I couldn't stop myself. It was like I had been possessed.
"What would you now?" he retorted, still not looking at me.
"A lot!" I snapped, and then winced at my pathetically pathetic comeback.
"Thanks," Lily was saying. "It's freezing outside you know." Suddenly she looked unsure. "Do you – do you know when James is getting back?"
Scene-Lupin looked as though struck by lightning. "I … no, I don't." He voice was now a lot softer, realizing he had nothing to gain now.
"Oh. Okay." She fiddled with her thumbs. "Remus," she said, her voice very low. "This …" She sighed, and shook her head slightly. "This thing between us. It can't happen." Lupin looked shocked, but Lily smiled, this time with absolutely no humor at all. "You know what I'm talking about. We're not stupid people. I know you can feel it too." She touched him, as though demonstrating. My stomach twisted into a knot and shoved itself into my windpipe as I saw scene-Lupin draw in a sharp breath. Lily moved her hand away, and Lupin clutched his arm where he had been touched. "It can't happen, Remus. I love," she stopped, looking thoughtful. "I feel something for James. He feels something for me. We have a future. I can't betray him," she sounded pained, and I wondered, for a split second, if she ever really did love James.
"I …" Scene-Lupin looked at the fire. "I know. I would have never …" he smiled wistfully. "I would never have let it happen, Lily." They both turned to each, sharing a smile; like they knew so much then a simple onlooker could ever gather.
"Okay." Lily looked at him for a moment, and then lowered her face to his, pressing her lips to his for a spilt second, then moving away. "I look forward to a thriving friendship with you, Remus Lupin." She stood up, saluting. I couldn't help but smile a bit.
"As do I with you," he said, returning the salute with the raising of an eyebrow. I sighed, then immediately blushed furiously as real-Lupin stared at me in bewilderment. Scene-Lupin lay back on the couch, looking delightfully satisfied. "You're going to love him, like you never knew you could, Lily."
The fiery redhead stopped right before the door, a large, goofy grin on her face. "I know. I can't wait!" she exclaimed, opening the door to the girl's dormitory and stepping in.
I looked at real-Lupin, studying his features. He looked happy, happier then I had seen him in a long time.
"I had forgotten about his memory," he said, which is a very funny line indeed.
"Did you love her?" I said before I could stop myself. Damn, damn, damn.
"No," he told me, looking at the fading memory, "well," he narrowed his eyes, "as a friend, of course. More than anything. But as anything else … no," he said, almost proudly. "No, I didn't. And I'm glad I didn't. Her and James were so … perfect. They loved each other so much," he told me, as though I needed reminding. I nodded, unable to stop the lovely bubbly feeling erupting inside me.
He sighed, and I turned around, bumping into something large, squishy and…human?
"Wow," said the voice of Sirius Black, "I never knew about that!"
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A/N: Terribly sorry about the Remus/Lily, terribly sorry. I know a lot of people … don't have bundles of good feelings toward that pairing, and I'm sorry. But, rejoice in the simple fact that nothing major happens, and they eventually just become friends! R&R, perhaps? Please?