Chapter 32: Moving

Lily, Karen, James, and Sirius sat in the kitchen open mouthed. Remus and Dorcas were the last people they expected to get mad at each other. Lily was the first to recover and went after Dorcas. Karen followed quickly.

They both took the stairs two at a time. When they reached Dorcas' bedroom door, they stopped. They heard movement and the occasional sniffle. Karen and Lily looked at each other. Dorcas hardly ever cried.

"Dorcas?" Lily asked, pushing the door open. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Dorcas replied wiping at her eyes.

"What was that about?" Karen asked.

"Nothing," Dorcas repeated.

"Something's wrong. Come on, you can tell us," Lily encouraged her.

"I think you've got a pretty good picture of what's going on," Dorcas mumbled.

"So you and Remus are together?" Karen guessed.

"No, he left me," Dorcas told her. "I just don't understand it."

"You know right?" Lily asked.

"Yes, I know he's a werewolf," Dorcas sighed sitting on the bed.

"I know it's hard, but he just doesn't want to hurt you," Lily explained sitting next to her.

"I know, but I can take care of myself," Dorcas complained. "It's not like I need a protector."

"I know, but sweetheart, he doesn't know that," Lily tried to comfort her. "He's just doing what he thinks is best for you."

Dorcas just shrugged

James and Sirius sat in stunned silence for a moment before going after Remus. They found him standing outside kicking pebbles.

"Remus?" James asked tentatively.

"Am I a horrible person?" Remus inquired before James or Sirius could say anything. "I hurt her so much. I just wanted to protect to her and all I did was hurt her and push her away."

Sirius and James looked at each other. "Remus, you were just trying to protect her that doesn't make you a bad person," James told him. "It just means that you care about her."

"But I hurt her."

"Do you know how many times I've hurt Lily in the past eight years? That doesn't mean I love her any less," James explained. "Just because you hurt someone doesn't mean that you don't care about them. Everything can't be perfect."

"James is right, Remus," Sirius agreed. "It's not easy anymore. We don't know how much time we have left. It's better to try and fail, than to not try at all."

"I don't know if I'm brave enough to try," Remus mumbled.

"Brave enough? You're a Gryffindor!" James admonished.

"I don't feel like it."

"Come on, mate, just tell her how you feel," Sirius suggested.

Remus just looked sullenly at the ground.

Sirius sighed and laid the paper down. Two more deaths had been reported and twenty people were missing. His best friends were being torn apart. He didn't know what to do anymore. Not that Sirius Black ever planned anything out. He usually just winged it.

"Hey," a voice said from the doorway.

He looked up and saw Karen leaning in the doorway. "You look deep in thought," she stated. "That's a bit odd for Sirius Black."

Sirius smiled at her. "Just thinking about everything that happened. I don't understand how our friends can be so daft."

"Tell me about it," Karen mumbled moving to sit next to him. "First Lily, now Dorcas."

"I wish they would just get together already," Sirius complained. "It's exhausting trying to find ways to get them together."

Karen sighed. "It's not supposed to be like this. When we were in school, we always said that we were going to be out there fighting Voldemort. Now that we are training to become Aurors, I don't know, it's not the same fantasy it was before."

"Saying you're going to do something and actually doing, are two different things. Back then we thought we were invincible," Sirius recalled. "It was so easy back then."

They sat in comfortable silence for a moment.

"You know I was thinking," Karen started.

"This can't be good," Sirius muttered smiling. "What's up?"

"I was looking in the Prophet the other day and I saw these apartments up for rent," Karen told him. "I saw some that were really affordable. I was going to look at them sometime this week when I get the time. I was wondering if you wanted to come with me, you know, so we could maybe move in some place."

"Move? Like move in together?" Sirius questioned looking thoughtful. "Sounds nice. No one to complain about Silencing Charms either."

"Is that the only reason you would want to live together?" Karen asked playfully.

"I can think of a few other reasons," Sirius mumbled pulling her onto his lap.

Karen laughed. "So it's settled then. We go looking sometime this week."

"When did you decide this?" Lily asked Karen as they sat in her room. Dorcas had gone back to her flat saying that it would just be awkward if she stayed.

"A little while ago," Karen told her. "It's not that I don't appreciate what James has done, but I just want to get out on my own."

"I'm going to miss you," Lily smiled at her.

"Yeah, but you'll have time alone with James," Karen teased.

"Nothing is going to happen," Lily reminded her. "I'm going back to work tomorrow and then I'm searching for apartments to live in."

"Or you could come and live with me and Sirius," Karen suggested.

"And hear you shag all night? No thank you."

"We don't do it all night."

"Sure. You two are the most sexual active people I know."

"Whatever. You're going to come and visit right?"

"Of course I am."

"Good, where would my life be without Lily Evans?"

Lily rolled her eyes. "It's not like you're leaving yet."

"I know, but it won't be the same will it."

"I don't think it will ever be the same."

"It won't be like it was at Hogwarts. It will never be like that again. I miss those times so much."

"I know, it's just a part of us."

"Yeah, but you're still my best friend."

"And you're still mine."

With that, the two girls hugged.

A/N: So this chapter is really boring compared to the last two, but it's not so depressing. Review!