Disclaimer - Usual.
Chapter 59
The next Friday, Remus and Lily exchanged rounds so that he would have the night free. He asked Aden to meet him in the corridor outside the Room of Requirement. From the directions he'd given her, and the curious look on her face, he guessed that she did not know of the existence of the room. He arrived early, so the door to the room would already be there when she arrived.
He conjured a lovely bouquet of wild flowers for her then, hearing her footsteps, he leaned against the wall, waiting for her to appear. When she arrived, she saw the flowers and, blushing slightly, she smiled, her eyes sparkling in the torchlight of the corridor.
"You look lovely," Remus smiled, extending his hand to give the flowers to her. He then leaned in and gave her a peck on the cheek.
"What's the occasion?"
"Well, we never officially celebrated being together for a year, so… It's a little late, but… Happy Anniversary."
"Wow… I'm… touched," Aden said genuinely. She had assumed, since he had not even mentioned them being together for a year, that he had either forgotten or it wasn't a big deal to him. Part of her didn't really think that either was true and so she had been curious that he hadn't even mentioned it. "What are we going to do to celebrate?"
"Well, let's find out," Remus said mysteriously. In truth, he hadn't had time to check the room to see what it would conjure up, since she had arrived earlier than he'd expected. He opened the door, butterflies fluttering in his stomach regarding what he would find.
The room was set up similar to a studio apartment in that different parts of the room had different functions. In one corner, there was a small elegant table set with two place settings, with a single-flower vase in the middle. Next to the table was a cart that had their food and drink for the evening which consisted of a pitcher of butterbeer and several covered dishes.
In another corner of the room was a fireplace with a couch in front of it. On one of the end tables by the couch were two photo albums.
Aden explored the room and, when she noticed the albums, she asked, "How did you get this?"
Remus walked over to her and saw the album she was holding. He wasn't entirely sure if the album was the real one or just a duplicate copied by the room, but he chuckled nervously at the power of the room. "Magic."
Remus saw, sitting on another small table in a third corner of the room, a wizard radio. He turned it on and found some appropriate music, letting it play softly so as to enhance the mood, but not interrupt conversation.
"Shall we?" he asked, gesturing to the food.
Aden smiled and nodded. Remus even remembered to pull the chair out for her and scoot her back to the table.
"This is perfect." Aden looked around the room in amazement.
They chatted through the entire meal, both completely at ease and enjoying the change of pace. They joked about what the rest of Hogwarts was having for dinner and what they'd be doing tonight. Once dinner was done, they moved to the couch.
"So," Remus started, and grabbed her photo album. "Will you show me?"
Aden beamed. Remus had known that family was important to her, but watching the way she smiled as she talked about the members of her family, he couldn't help but smile, too. Her eyes danced as she recalled funny stories to share with him about her parents and siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents. They sat close enough for him to see the pictures, but he found himself much more interested in watching her.
Once they had finished with her album, she set it down and asked him to bring over the other album. As soon as he picked it up, he filled with trepidation. He hadn't really looked at his album until then and hadn't realized it was the one his mother kept. He held onto it for a moment, not sure he wanted – or could – share the pictures.
"Why don't you tell me more stories of your family?" Remus suggested.
Aden's eyebrows knit together, though a trace of her smile was still on her lips. "Oh come on. I showed you mine," she laughed gently.
"Family is very important to you?" It was more of a statement then a question.
"Yes. You know it is."
Remus sighed and handed her the album. He was surprised to find that it was actually rather easy to talk about the pictures. It was pleasant for him to remember his past and the happy moments he shared with his family. He found himself sharing stories with Aden with the same kind of warmth and affection she had shown when speaking of her family.
When they were finished going through his album, he was actually sad to have come to the end. He might have dwelled on the fact that there would be no more pictures of his family to complete it, but Aden spoke, intruding on his thoughts.
"Remus, can I ask you a question?"
"Of course," he answered, though the thought crossed his mind that he wasn't going to like the question. People don't normally ask if they can ask a question when it's a run-of-the-mill question or one that's easy to answer.
"At the beginning of your family album, you have… relatives – grandparents, aunts, uncles, even a couple cousins." Remus could already see where the question was going and he shifted uncomfortably. "After your… fourth birthday, it's really just you and your parents." Remus nodded. Having expected more of an explanation than that, Aden asked plainly, "Why?"
"Well… some of them died. Some of them moved away…We moved, too."
"And you never saw any of them? I mean, there are cousins I'm not around often, but that makes get-togethers that much more… special. We're sure to have a camera around."
Remus stood up. He didn't realize he had started pacing until he turned and almost walked into Aden.
"Do you want to go for a walk?" Aden asked. Remus nodded and, hand-in-hand, they left the cozy comfort of the room, walked through the castle, and out onto the grounds. The night was breezy and cold, but they didn't notice, still feeling the effects of the room, and both of them were lost in thought. They made their way down to the lake and stood looking out at the water. There were soft ripples and the sound of the water lapping on the shore.
Finally, Aden asked quietly "What happened?"
Remus sighed. "I want to tell you, but…"
"Then tell me."
Remus turned toward Aden, taking both her hands in his. He pressed his forehead to hers and closed his eyes. "You're very patient. And I can't… thank you enough for that. It's more than I…"
Aden let go of one of Remus' hands and put a finger to his lips. "Don't. I know what you're going to say, and don't. You're welcome… for the patience. But… I don't know how much longer I can wait. It's not even the waiting that bothers me… Really. It's the knowing you don't trust me."
"I do…" Remus began to protest, but was cut off.
"No. You don't. And I don't know how to prove to you that you can. You… You practically told me you have some kind of… disease. And I'm still here. Doesn't that tell you anything?"
Yes. She was right. She was still around. And he knew that holding onto the secret was driving her away. He'd lose her no matter what. If he kept silent, she'd leave. If he told her she… might leave – would probably leave. A voice that sounded oddly like Sirius' reminded Remus that if she wasn't given the choice, she could never say yes to staying. Remus nodded at Aden, then stepped away from her, closer to the water's edge. "I hate the moon," he said quietly.
"What?" Aden asked and came to stand next to him. He could feel her staring at him, but he kept looking forward.
"I hate the moon."
Aden sighed. She was confused by the abrupt change of subject, but part of her was screaming that Remus was trying to share something important, so she held her tongue. When he didn't continue, she asked, "Why?"
"It's my curse." When Aden continued to stare at him, Remus couldn't help but marvel that his friends were such freaks. Being a werewolf was so unthinkable in "normal" society, that even staring at the glaring evidence, most wizards would literally have to watch someone transform and then be bitten to understand and believe what they were seeing.
Turning to face Aden, he said, "I'm a werewolf."
Aden remained frozen where she was. After thirty seconds or so, she dropped her head and started walking away.
"Aden?"
Half turning back to him, she said angrily, "Remus! All I asked for was the truth. Besides… that's not something to joke about."
"Aden." Remus walked up to her and grabbed her by the arms so she was facing him and couldn't walk away. He couldn't tell what she was thinking, but he couldn't just let her leave, either. "Aden. I'm not joking. Why do you think I'm gone for two days every month? Why do you think my friends call me 'Moony'? Why do you think… Why do you think I tried to keep you away – afraid I might hurt you?"
With each word Remus spoke, Aden's eyes grew wider and she started shaking her head. "No," she whispered.
"Yes." Remus had never been so simultaneously terrified and relieved all at the same time. The secret was out – at least to her – but would she run? He waited.
Aden raised her hands and gripped Remus' arms tightly. In a breathy voice, she said, "I think I need to sit." And with that, her legs buckled underneath her.
Remus caught her and lowered her gently to the ground. He lowered himself to a seated position, the action made somewhat awkward by the fact that she still had his arms in a vice-grip. "Aden?... Aden, my arms…"
She suddenly released him. "Sorry," she said in a barely audible voice. She had yet to make eye contact, Remus noted. "How did it happen?"
Remus told her the story, at least what he could remember and what his parents had filled in later. This was the start of a question/answer period.
"What about your parents? Was that…" she couldn't seem to finish the question.
"Me?" Remus frowned. She nodded and he said, "No. That was Fenrir – coming to collect… me." His voice was filled with both venom and pain at the name Fenrir.
Aden instinctively reached out and put her hand on his. Remus stared at her hand, then turned his over to hold it, his thumb caressing her hand.
He looked up, afraid of what he might see there. She was not smiling, but she no longer held that glazed-over, fearful expression. Their eyes locked.
"Happy Aniversary." Remus joked. Aden let out a small chuckle, but quickly returned to her silence.
"I need to know you're not going to tell any one." Remus' voice was calm; he was anything but.
"No. No, I won't tell anyone." Aden's voice sounded strange and Remus couldn't quite place what was behind it.
Remus reached out and turned Aden's face to his. She flinched slightly at the touch. Dropping his hand, Remus gave her a questioning look. "Aden?"
She seemed to shake herself from her internal reverie. Blinking, she looked Remus in the eyes again. "I'm sorry," she breathed. She leaned forward and touched her forehead to his. "I'm sorry. This is just… a lot to take in."
Comforted by the familiar gesture, Remus smiled a little. "Yeah."
"Can we go back inside?"
"Yeah, sure." Remus figured she might want some time alone to sort through everything. He was a little nervous about whether she would actually keep her silence or not, but he was more nervous about whether or not she would remain with him or walk away.
Once inside, he headed toward the corridor that would take them to the Ravenclaw tower.
"No. Sorry. I meant the other room." Aden smiled. Remus' heart gave a momentary leap for joy and he led her back to the Room. He was surprised to find that the door was still there, waiting for their return. When they entered the room, everything was as it had been, except the plates had been cleared from the table.
Aden shivered slightly. The cold had been all but forgotten in the tenseness of what had occurred, and now, back inside the warmth of the castle, the effects of the otherwise-forgotten cold could be clearly felt. Remus picked up two warm mugs of butterbeer and handed one to Aden, who was already sitting on the couch.
They sat side-by-side, not really speaking. Instead of simply holding hands, their fingers would occasionally entwine, only to pull apart again, as their fingers played and danced with each other. It was surprisingly comfortable, all things considered.
After a while, Remus spoke. "Why are you still here?"
Aden looked over at him. "What do you mean?"
"I mean 'Why are you still here?' I'm not complaining, mind you," he smiled gently. "But if you just wanted to think about what was said tonight… You could do that in your dorm, right? Why stay with me?"
Aden turned so that she was no longer sitting next to him, facing the same direction, but she was now next to him with her whole body facing his. She studied Remus' face for a minute. "Because, when I do decide to talk about what I'm thinking, you're pretty much the only one I can talk to. Besides," Aden blushed, "no one makes me feel like you do. And I need that right now."
Remus smiled and leaned in to kiss her. She backed away ever so slightly, immediately regretting it as she saw hurt flash through his eyes. He started to pull back and she put her hand behind his head, preventing him from moving. They both leaned in this time and kissed – tentatively at first, then more fully, intensity increasing as the seconds ticked on.
- - - - -
Seven o'clock on Saturday morning, Remus heard Sirius' voice in his head. "Moooonyyyy." Remus groaned. Suddenly, the covers were pulled off of him and he groaned again, this time curling into a ball and covering his head with his pillow.
"Moooonyyyyyy," Sirius said more loudly. Remus could hear in his voice the maniacal grin Sirius was wearing.
"Go away." That was what Remus said, but it was too muffled to make out clearly.
"Moony! Come on. You're going to be late for class." Sirius barked at him.
Remus sat up and started getting dressed. He was vaguely aware of snickering in the background, but since he hadn't really opened his eyes yet, he wasn't sure where it was coming from.
"We'll be waiting for you in the common room," Sirius said. Unbeknownst to Remus, Sirius winked at James, who had wrapped his arm around his own head to keep his laughter hidden from the obviously delirious Moony.
When Remus finally stumbled down the stairs, he took in the sight of his three best friends. Peter shifted from one foot to another, watching Remus all too closely. James looked as though he was the cat who had swallowed a canary. Only Sirius looked normal – well, for Sirius anyway.
"Uh… Moony?" Sirius casually started. "Why do you have your bag?"
"For class." This statement dropped James to the floor in fits of hysterical laughter. Peter had also started laughing, while Sirius just smirked at Remus. It was then that Remus noticed the other three did not have their bags. He further recalled that he had been out very late last night because it was a Friday night. Remus' eyes squinted at Sirius. "Sirius," Remus growled, "start running."
Sirius heeded the warning and took off immediately, cackling like a madman as he went.
Turning his heated gaze on the other two laughing buffoons, he said, "You too."
Peter immediately took off. James had a little trouble getting started, as he tripped on his own feet trying to get up. Once the three had left, Remus smiled in satisfaction. Then he went back up the stairs, deposited his bag on the floor and crawled back into bed. Ah, blessed peace.
- - - - -
A/N - Thanks again for all of the wonderful reviews. And a cookie to Fifth Business for finding the mis-spelling of Myrtle's name. (Sorry Myrtle; thanks Fifth. According to HPL, Myrtle is with a "y" - to which I have to say - I think Rowlings is just trying to mess with me. Is it with a "u" in England? And why not use an "i.") Thanks also to my beloved betas - Mom, mei mei and J.A. Carlton.
Nonair - I'm glad to hear I'm still keeping in character. Truly, that is one of my biggest concerns. That, and showing their development into the men they become. Thanks again for the many kind words and your ability to pick out details and make connections as the characters grow and change. Thank you.
