Chapter Six

"Late at night when all the world is sleeping

I stay up and think of you

And I wish on a star

That somewhere you are thinking of me too"

- Selena

Remus watched as Austin jumped from the carriage. It almost seemed like he was always thinking about her now. Ever since that bloody Christmas party and their almost kiss, he couldn't forget about it. He hadn't been able to speak to her about it; he could hardly get her alone. Remus looked up at the sky. The full moon was going to be during the week. He dreaded Wednesday.

"Remus, you a'right?" Austin questioned, her hand on his arm and her expression soft.

Remus jumped and looked down at her. He looked horrible. His eyes had dark circles under them and even though he had shaved before coming onto the train that morning, he was now sporting a little bit of stubble on his chin. He knew that he must look horrible and he didn't wonder why Austin was worried about him.

"I'm just feeling a bit under the weather, is all. Perhaps I should have stayed home until this passed." Remus sighed before smiling. "I should be fine soon."

Austin nodded with a glint in her eye and a small smile on her face. "I'm sure a little food will help. Come on, before Jimmy and Siri eat it all." Austin took his hand and began to pull him towards the castle.

Remus did feel better once he began to eat, but he knew it wasn't the food. It was the company that he was holding. He couldn't understand why his friends, who knew what he was, would even bother with him. He was a monster and he didn't deserve them. He didn't even deserve Austin, but she was everything that he wanted.

Austin at the moment was laughing with Peter and tossing a few peas at Lily. Remus watched the commotion around him, reveling in the fact that he still had friends and that he still had the attentions of the girl that he liked. That was until she found out what he was. That was when she would run away screaming from him and never want to see him again.

"Remus, are you still feelin bad?" Austin whispered as she leaned over towards him. Remus didn't bother to speak, he just nodded his head. "Come on, I'll walk ya up."

Austin stood and pulled Remus to his feet. "Don't you want to stay for dessert?" Remus questioned, looking at the food that was starting to disappear from the table.

"Not really." Austin wrinkled her nose. "I actually want to get unpacked already. That way Lils won't be yellin at me tomorrow."

Remus smiled as he could picture Lily being upset about the girls in her dorm not having unpacked their trunks after the winter holiday. The two walked from the Great Hall, telling their friends that they would see each other in the common room, and headed off.

Austin was very worried about Remus. He really didn't look very good. They were sitting together in Defense on Tuesday. He was pale and had a light layering of sweat started on his brow. Austin felt a tickle of something in the back of her head, but pushed it away. She didn't want to think about her family, it was too hard to think about when she was trying to learn how to fight off a vampire.

"Miss Cross, would you please escort Mr. Lupin from my class? He needs to go to see Madam Pomfrey." Professor Peale sighed from the front of the room as she threw her wand on the desk.

"Of course, Professor." Austin spoke politely as she stood from her seat and began to pick up her books.

"You don't have to walk me there." Remus whispered in a hoarse voice.

"Don't worry, Remus. I'm kinda curious about what's wrong with ya." Austin smiled before she felt a stab of pain in her abdomen. "Not to mention, I think I need to see Pomfrey too."

Remus looked at her and she just shrugged. "What's wrong with you?" Remus smirked at her as they walked down the stairs towards the first floor.

"Just hurting a little bit." Austin smiled softly as she fiddled with her locket. "Happens sometimes."

Remus nodded his head and didn't continue the conversation. Austin noticed the he had become a little green in the face and decided that they better hurry. She grabbed his elbow and led him down the corridors.

"Mr. Lupin, Miss Cross, why are you here?" Pomfrey asked when they came into the wing.

"Sorry for disturbing you, Ma'am. Professor Peale told us to come and see you. Remus is ill and I need my medicine." Austin explained as she sat Remus down on one of the beds.

"Of course, dear." Pomfrey smiled maternally before going into her office quickly.

Austin placed a hand to Remus' forehead and frowned. "You're burnin up, Rem." She whispered before looking into his eyes. "And you're eyes are glazed over."

Remus smiled weakly before nodding. "I'll be fine, Austin. Just a little bug, that's all." Remus returned before leaning back on the three pillows, two of which Austin stole from other beds for him.

Austin frowned before looking back towards Pomfrey's office. The matron was coming out with four potions levitating in front of her. One of them zoomed straight to Austin and the other three settled themselves on Remus' bedside table. "Drink up, you two." Pomfrey nodded towards the potions before going about checking Austin's temperature and vitals.

Austin grimaced as she took her potion and she chuckled when she saw Remus go even greener. "It's not funny, Austin." Remus mock glared before his face tightened up in disgust at the after taste.

"Alright, Austin. You're good to go. However, I think Mr. Lupin will need to stay with me for the remainder of the night." Pomfrey explained before bustling back into her office.

The young witch sighed before picking up her rucksack that was filled with her school books. "Wonder if I can get out of classes for the rest of the day." She mused thoughtfully.

"I don't think so, Austin. I need you to take notes for me." Remus winked before settling into his bed and pulling out his school books to study.

"Says the guy who's going to study while he's in the hospital." Austin rolled her eyes with a smile. "A'right, guess I'll see you tomorrow morning."

Austin turned around to leave the wing when a sharp pain twisted at her abdomen. She gasped and her bag fell to the floor. Pens and paper spilled out onto the floor as she grabbed at her stomach. She clenched her eyes shut and shook her head from side to side, trying to rid her mind of the pain that she was feeling. She just wanted it to go away. She didn't want to feel this anymore.

"Madam Pomfrey!" Remus yelled from beside Austin; she hadn't even realized that he was there.

Austin could feel Remus' hands on her face and she could hear Pomfrey running across the room to get to them. She felt herself being levitated into a bed and being prodded in the stomach. "No, no!" Austin gasped as she pushed at her shirt that Pomfrey was trying to pull up.

"Darling, I need to look to make sure that they didn't open. If you want I can put a screen up?" Pomfrey questioned.

Austin nodded her head before her world went black.

Remus tried to argue with Pomfrey to get her to let him stay, but he was pushed out behind the curtain. What was going on? He had never seen Austin like this…he had never known that she had ever been wounded. He had seen the tips of scars running across her stomach before she managed to get her shirt back down. It explained why she would always make sure that her front was covered, why she always was pulling at the hem of her shirts. But, why?

Remus found himself pacing the length of the room, all thought of his transformation that night far from his memory. What had happened to Austin to cause her to be in so much pain?

"You really don't know, do you?" A snide voice came from the doors of the hospital wing.

Remus spun around, his hand already on his wand. It was Severus Snape, the git. "What do you want?" Remus growled out in a low and dangerous tone.

"Watch yourself, Lupin, I'm not here to fight." Snape smirked as if he was looking for a fight after all.

"Just here to gloat then?" Remus retaliated quickly.

Snape's smirk got wider before he nodded his head towards the curtain. "Austin has secrets, Lupin, and it's best if you stay out of them. She doesn't need you messing her life up. You and your kind have already done enough to her."

Remus stiffened and his glare got even darker. "I would watch it, if I were you, Snape. You're treading in dangerous waters."

Snape chuckled at this and shook his head. "She'll be fine, so you know. This happens every once in a while."

Remus turned his attention to the curtain. He could hear whimpering behind it. Snape and Remus started towards the curtain as soon as Pomfrey began to bring it down. "I didn't hear you come in, Mr. Snape. I'm sorry, but I had to give Austin a sleeping drought. She should be back to normal by morning."

Snape nodded and pulled up a chair at her bedside. "Thank you, Madam." Snape stated quietly.

Remus was fuming as Pomfrey led him back to his bed. "I will have to make sure that she stays asleep when I take you down and bring you back. I'd rather not have to make any excuses up to her." Pomfrey whispered after she had managed to get Remus back into his bed.

"I understand, Madam. Will she be alright?" Remus questioned instead of fought.

"She'll be just fine after a good night's rest. She's just been through a lot." Pomfrey nodded her head before patting Remus on the hand and leaving.

Austin's eyes fluttered open at the sound of a groan. She blinked a few times before she sat up in her bed. She knew where she was, there wasn't a trace of confusion about her. She looked towards Remus' bed and frowned. Madam Pomfrey had put up the curtains.

Austin looked at the door and noticed that Lily was standing there. Once Lily saw that she was awake, she rushed to her side. "Austin, I was so worried! When James came and told me you were here, I didn't know what to think!" Lily gushed in an excited whisper.

"Did you just call him 'James'?" Austin smirked before leaning back into her pillows.

"Hush up. What's wrong?" Lily questioned quietly.

"I'm fine, that's all that matters. No damage." Austin smiled softly before looking towards Remus' bed. "What's wrong with Remus?"

"He had a rough night. Apparently he was sicker than we thought." Lily frowned before shaking her head. "Madam Pomfrey told me earlier when I came by to check on the both of you that he should be released this evening. She said that she would clear you as soon as you woke up, though."

Austin nodded before frowning. "He seemed perfectly fine before I fainted."

Lily shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know. I'm not the healer here."

Austin rolled her eyes, "I think you've become stupid on me, Lils."

Lily rolled her green eyes before moving away from the bed. "Let me see if I can pull Madam Pomfrey away and get an update on Remus for you." Lily smiled before walking away.

Austin turned and looked out her window before closing her eyes and touching her stomach. So much has happened in her life and she wouldn't even tell her best friend the most horrible part of it. Everyone knew, of course, what happened to her family. What they don't know is what led up to the attack on her family. Austin closed her eyes, not wanting to remember it. If she thought too hard on that day, she would just end up crying.

"Miss Cross, you can leave whenever you feel up to it." Pomfrey's voice sounded softly nearby.

Austin looked at the matron and nodded her head with a smile. "Thanks for lettin me stay here, Ma'am. I had a good time."

Pomfrey laughed lightly before shooing the two young witches from the room.