div class="chapter preface group" style="border-width: 1px 0px 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.5em 3em; padding: 0.643em 0.643em 0px; float: none; color: #2a2a2a; border-style: solid initial initial initial;"
div id="notes" class="notes module" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.643em; position: relative; width: auto; float: none; clear: right; min-height: 5em;"
blockquote class="userstuff" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 1em; line-height: normal; font-family: 'lucida grande', 'lucida sans unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0.643em; padding: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px auto 1.286em; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Bits of this chapter seem a bit teenage drama movie, as well as slightly filler-y, but I am happy with the over all turn out as I hope you all will be./p
/blockquote
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px auto 1.286em; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"_/p
/div
/div
div class="userstuff module" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 1088.64px; float: none; overflow-wrap: break-word; color: #2a2a2a;" role="article"
h3 id="work" class="landmark heading" style="border-width: 0px 0px 0.25em; border-image: initial; outline: 0px; font-weight: 500; font-style: inherit; font-size: 0px; font-family: Georgia, serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0.125em; overflow-wrap: break-word; line-height: 0; opacity: 0; height: 0px; clear: both; color: transparent; border-color: initial initial #333333 initial; border-style: initial initial double initial;"Chapter Text/h3
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"August 29sup style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 13.23px; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 0;"th/sup, 1993/p
hr style="margin: 0.875em auto 1.2525em; border-style: solid; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; width: 359.25px;" /
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"It had taken some coaxing at first but he'd managed to get her into the city. she'd been excited about it just two days ago when the topic had presented itself but her current apprehension was understandable. The two of them had stopped and converted some of her money into GBP at Gringotts's beforehand and now that they were in the heart of London she was entirely overwhelmed by all of the sights, smells, sounds and people./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Just remember your breathing." Remus had done his best to reassure her everything would be fine but it had done little good. "It's really overwhelming." She had mumbled as he'd guided her through a crowd of people towards what seemed to be a quiet shop, at least from what he could see from the street it appeared practically empty. Perhaps it was the uninviting building front./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Better?" it took a moment or two for her to calm down before nodding, he thought it best to get what she'd needed done first before sight-seeing./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Welcome in." the girl behind the register seemed absorbed in whatever book she was reading, completely ignoring them, peering up only to look at the odd pair./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""'Fraid we won't have much that will fit 'im." Seren's annoyance was obvious at once, "We'll just look around." It was no secret Remus found it funny so many kept mistaking her for a boy, but he was certain that would change as her hair grew out more and she put on a bit more weight./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""She seems…perfectly horrid." Seren commented under her breath as they made their way to the back of the shop. "Well, it's my experience Muggle teenagers are incredibly snobbish." There was an indignant snort from the young woman and he couldn't help but smile as she rifled through what was marked extra small./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""it's like those girls from American film's…that dreadful accent they give the mean girls."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""You know American films?" she shrugged, pulling something off the spinning clothes rack, holding it up to her before placing it back, "Oh my gosh, totally!" She'd slipped into a dreadful valley girl accent as if to make fun of him, "Mum sent me to public school until my magic started to show, then I was homeschooled until my Hogwarts letter came." She plucked a rather large sweater off the rack, feeling the fabric before shaking her head and putting it back, "Itchy…" he'd remembered her saying she hated the uniform sweaters, did that same mentality translate to all sweaters? Winters could get quite cold up at the school and he wondered how she planned to deal with it if she hated the feel of wool. He supposed coats were always an option./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Turning his attention elsewhere his eye caught something outside, A street performance of some sort he imagined, not an uncommon occurrence in London, most large cities had street performances and it seemed a viable source of income for most. When he looked back she was gone./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Seren?" he scanned the other spinning wracks but saw no sign of her, she couldn't have gone too far, and he'd not heard the door open or close so he knew she was still inside somewhere. "Does this look alright?" the rustling of the dressing room curtain drew his attention as she stepped out from behind it./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"She'd stepped out a baggy cotton rainbow shirt paired with a black corduroy skirt and the same beat up tennis shoes the healers had given her from the hospital lost and found, he'd thought the outfit made her look a bit young and it's ill-fitting silhouette looked strange, "I'm not sure those two things go together…" she looked down at her choice of outfit before nodding and ducking back behind the curtain, re-emerging moments later with the same skirt paired with a form fitted crimson colored top, she looked considerably less like a young boy now, but seeing her in more suitable clothing did little to quell his jealousy at the thought of her attracting attention./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"When she came out a second time she'd been wearing a simple black dress made of velvet, black tights and a different pair of faded black shoes. Remus eyed the ensemble, curious as to why she'd choose such a thing when it was still technically the dead of summer, "You don't have to wait if you're bored…"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Not at all." He wouldn't admit he thought some of the clothes bit too mature, but she was seventeen and it was hardly his place to tell her what she was and wasn't allowed to wear, not when she'd been wearing his old hand-me-downs for the last month./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""I just think that perhaps you should get some things with room to grow into." She looked at him curiously but nodded, "That's true, I can't imagine with the way they feed us at Hog—" she paused, it was unwise to talk about Hogwarts whilst muggles were present as they tended to ask questions and one never knew who else might be listening, "—At school, that I'll stay this small forever."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"She'd settled for a few outfits suitable for each season before paying and leaving the small consignment shop behind, ducking into an alleyway to shrink the bags down for easier transport, tucking them into her pants pocket. she could undo the spell when they returned to the leaky cauldron later./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""How are you feeling?" she seemed to be in high spirits, any traces of her panic attack earlier were gone, "I think I'll be alright, but…" he encouraged her to continue, to ask for what she needed instead of trying to endure it. "Can we avoid crowds?" that was easily doable as long as they stuck to the side roads./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Just for now…all the noise is overwhelming." She could hear the street performer over by the river and briefly wondered what song it was he was playing, there was a soft and melodic rhythm as he strummed the acoustic strings./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Are you a music lover as well?" Seren shrugged, watching the small cluster of people surrounding the performer, "I can't say I'm all that familiar with music, mum never kept anything but calming classical records in the house, she'd thought anything chaotic and loud might trigger me or something." Remus' eyebrow ticked upwards, "Classic literature, Shakespeare plays and classical music…I can't say that sounds like an exciting life." The idea made him grimace, he himself might have gone made as a boy had his parents pushed such things on him…then again, he'd been an isolated child who'd never set foot in a school let alone anywhere else until Hogwarts./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""It sounds incredibly dull, actually." She laughed, "Oh, it was incredibly boring…and you remember how I told you I'd attended public school? You should have heard some of the things she told my teachers to explain away my absence's around the full moon." He looked at her, urging her to continue./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""There was one time when I was about 8 or 9 she'd told the school this elaborate story that I'd missed school because she'd read the date on the local paper entirely wrong and thought it was Saturday, thus she had not sent me to school for two days. It's kind of a stupid story but the fact the school bought it and excused the absences still makes me laugh. All the while I'd been through a particularly bad transformation. We ended up moving when the school started asking questions."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""That does sound like your mother, but I'm thinking she wasn't lying about misreading your local paper, she was incredibly gifted as a witch…but not incredibly smart when it came to muggle society."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""I know, I once brought home some schoolwork and she understood that about as much as she understood how the radio worked…" he nodded, the musician had begun a new song when she next spoke, "The paradox between the magical and non-magical world is strange. They operate in similar ways as far as societal construct goes, yet they couldn't be more different. Normal, muggle society, had to invent cars as a means of transportation and from that they developed, locomotives and airplanes so they could see what the world has to offer in experiences while witches and wizards have had those methods available to them for centuries."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""You're not going to give me a history of magic lesson, are you Seren?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Well…you've been cramming my head full of knowledge all month…maybe it's my turn." He reached over, ruffling her already messy hair, "Someone's certainly mouthy today. I'm afraid history of magic and muggle studies were never my best subjects in school."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Swatting his hand away she glared playfully, "If anyone is forward in this relationship, it's you, Professor Lupin." He matched her expression, "if you really want me to turn this into a teachable moment, I could." He threatened, a glimmer of mischief in his steely blue eyes./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""You wouldn't dare." His expression didn't change, "Wouldn't I?" They both knew he wouldn't not in the public eye, he wasn't the type. A soft sneeze snapped him from his attempt at intimidation, "Are you cold?" she shook her head, "Don't lie to me, Seren." he fixed her with an unimpressed look as he slipped off his coat, draping it over her shoulders before feeling her forehead, "You do feel a bit warm, are you sure you don't want to head back?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""I'm fine, really." He wasn't going to push the matter, "Do you want to get closer?" she shook her head, "No, I can hear the music fine from here." As the performance continued the two sat in a comfortable silence, her eyes fixed on two kids doing a goofy dance to the rhythm./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"The sounds of the city thrummed like electricity, the chatter of people sounded more akin to rolling thunder and the wind along the river reminded her of a screeching tea kettle, only instead of steam rising off the water there was a distinct smell of fish and aquatic plants carried by the slight fog that seemed to roll over the surface./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""What's on your mind?" his eyes were still settled on the crowd in front of them, "I'm just enjoying the sound of life, even if all of the sounds are overwhelming on their own, once you put everything together it's sort of charming…like being home. I'm also thinking that I'm a bit terrified to be going back to Hogwarts. Not because I think it will be hard, but because thing's won't be the same."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""How so?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Well, for starters I'll only see you during mealtimes and classes…I won't be sharing a room with you anymore…though perhaps I'll finally get a good night's rest for once without all your snoring." Remus looked appalled, "I do not snore…do I?" She couldn't help but laugh, "I'll miss teasing you, and having these sorts of conversations."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Well, none of that has to stop, I mean you will have to eat meals with your housemates, but I see no reason our conversations would need to stop. Once you've gotten your timetable we can sit down and look at it, find times where we can continue our…routine" he'd been unsure what to call it, their relationship currently sat at complicated since he'd crossed the boundary between teacher and student into one between a man and a woman./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""If once you've settled in, that is something you're still open to." Seren seemed confused to what he was proposing before the pieces clicked together and she smiled, "I think…given the circumstances…" she looked down at her hands, gently wringing her fingers together "That, if you're still willing to be patient with me…then, I would be open to seeing where this goes."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Remus couldn't help but smile as the warm feeling that washed over him whenever he was around her returned. The comfortable silence resumed and the two sat just enjoying the sounds of the city for a while longer./p
hr style="margin: 0.875em auto 1.2525em; border-style: solid; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; width: 359.25px;" /
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"August 31sup style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 13.23px; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 0;"st/sup, 1993. (Full moon)/p
hr style="margin: 0.875em auto 1.2525em; border-style: solid; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; width: 359.25px;" /
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Seren hadn't moved from her bed all morning and it would be worrying if it weren't the second full moon of the month, Blue moons were particularly difficult because the wolf's more dangerous and carnal instincts were harder to control so as an extra precaution Remus had placed a sealing spell on the room to keep them both inside for the night./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Beyond the unfortunate Blue moon, she'd been miserable since they'd returned to the inn, having developed a nasty fever which now paired with the upcoming transformation had made her beyond irritable and she was currently trying to drown out the sound of the train tearing along the track outside their room. Even silencing spells did nothing to aid them on nights like tonight./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Her cries of pain made him flinch, "I know, Seren, shh. Try to get some rest" He'd been of the mind to lock her in the bathroom but with her body fighting off whatever it was she had it was unwise to leave her unsupervised. He replaced the warm washcloth with a cold one before retreating back to his side of the room./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Part of him thought to cast the sleep charm on her, but there was not telling if it would hold once she transformed, the second set of Wolfsbane sat untouched in his bedside table, it would be best to wait just a little bit longer before drinking it./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"As the hours dragged on, he found himself listening to Seren's fitful sleep as she tossed and turned, wincing only once when her arm had knocked loudly against the wooden bedside table. if he'd been in her shoes he'd probably be fitful as well./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"A sudden scream tore through the quiet, startling him from his thoughts as he looked over. She was still asleep but seemed to be having a nightmare…perhaps a fever dream. As the sun finally began to set he'd withdrawn the final two vials of Wolfsbane from his table, uncorking his and quickly swallowing it down before walking towards her bed,/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Seren?" he retracted his hand almost immediately upon contact, her skin was like fire. "Seren you need to take your potion." Her face was contorted in pain, hands clasped tightly to the sheets beneath her. He tried again, startled when her hand suddenly shot out, as if swatting him away./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Seren." Her eyes shot open, gold and glazed over as her eyes darted around the room, "You need to—" a low growl rumbled in her chest as she lashed out again. Quickly he caught her hand, "No!" catching her second hand he pinned them both above her head as he worked on uncorking the glass vial./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Seren, you have to—" she managed to get her feet underneath him and kick him off, sending him toppling to the floor and screeching at him as she scrambled to her feet before darting across the room. Quickly righting himself he stared at her from across the room, drawing his wand./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Don't make me do something we'll both regret." She snarled at him, warning him to stay away from her, once again his lack of knowledge on she-wolves left him at a loss for how to handle this situation. Piercing gold eyes stared at him from the corner of the room, "You have to drink this, it will help." If his words were reaching her he didn't know, however the closer he got to her the more distressed she seemed to become, it was like she was trying to stay away from him./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"There wasn't time for this, the sun was dangerously low and the moon would rise soon, there was no telling what could happen if he weren't fast enough. A sudden thought came back to him, a memory from a long forgotten lecture when he'd been in school./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;""Those who were born as werewolves don't reach full 'wolf maturity' until they reach puberty, which is somewhere between the age of 11 and 14. When they reach that point, their body starts to change rapidly, their urges to transform start to show more and more, almost uncontrollably."/span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"His mind reeled, Seren hadn't gotten sick the other day. No, this was much worse, and he'd locked himself inside the room with her. It made sense now why she was trying to stay away from him, the Human part of her was fighting to keep control despite being in Heat./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"If he could get her to Drink the Wolfsbane perhaps the Human side of her would regain full control, but if he got too close she could choose to attack him. He had two options, Apparate out of the inn, find someplace safe for himself for the night, or stay, restrain her and force the potion down her throat./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"His fingers lightly grazed his wand, if he left he knew she'd be trapped in the room for the night, but he'd come back to complete devastation. The latter option won out and quick as a whip he cast the spell./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Incarcerous!" there was a strangled cry of surprise as thin strings of silver light poured from his wand, binding her arms and legs, leaving her in a tangled heap on the floor as he uncorked the potion, "I'm sorry, but this is for your own good." Carefully, Remus knelt in front of her, forcing her mouth open and dumping the bitter liquid into her mouth before clasping his hand tightly over to ensure she swallowed it, even going as far as to tilt her head back when she'd tried to spit it out./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""There, all better." He withdrew his hand, wiping a bit of spit from his palm onto his tweed vest, her gold eyes fixed on his face, hand and legs still bound. "Don't give me that look…" it was like staring a puppy in the face, "I did what I had to do." Though she seemed to have calmed down he could tell she was still in pain as she struggled in the magical bindings, another smaller, almost inaudible whimper slipped from her mouth./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Carefully, he undid the restraints, feeling the effects of his own transformation beginning to take effect./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""I'm sorry…that I didn't tell you" Seren managed as her bones started to shift, the light of the moon beginning to flood the room. Remus moved his hand so it rested at the crown of her head, slowly elongating fingers working through her hair as the wolf took over their bodies./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Once the transformation was complete both werewolves sat staring at one another, Seren eventually moving from her spot on the floor to curl up beside him./p
hr style="margin: 0.875em auto 1.2525em; border-style: solid; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; width: 359.25px;" /
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"September 1sup style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 13.23px; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 0;"st/sup, 1993./p
hr style="margin: 0.875em auto 1.2525em; border-style: solid; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; width: 359.25px;" /
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"When Remus woke the next morning he was less startled at the naked young woman beside him on the bed, he knew nothing had happened last night, but it still didn't make the situation any less awkward. However, If it made things more bearable for her to be close to him during those cycles, he wouldn't tell her no, but he would have to speak with Dumbledore about it after their arrival at the school./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"This year was going to be considerably more difficult than he had initially anticipated. His eyes drift back to the sleeping body beside him. Carefully, so as not to wake her, he trailed his index finger along her cheek noticing how absolutely at peace she seemed now that the ordeal was over. His eyebrows knitted together as the events of last night replayed in his mind and how he'd been so stupid for not noticing what was really going on and how she'd somehow managed to hide her struggle from him for three days, only snapping when it had finally become too much./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"There was a soft groan as she curled further into a ball under the sheets, bringing one of her hands up to find whatever was touching her face. Eyes blinking sleep from them as she looked up to see his face before quickly flitting back to guilt./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Did I hurt you?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""No, you didn't hurt me." his voice was soft as he kept stroking her cheek, "But why didn't you tell me?" the embarrassment that covered her face filled him with concern, "I didn't want you to leave…" Remus hardened his expression, tilting her head up to look at him. "Seren, I can't help you if you don't talk to me. Dumbledore entrusted you to me because he knew I would understand what you're going through, but you not telling me important things makes this more difficult than it needs to be."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"There was a few seconds of silence before he spoke again, "Do you understand that?" her head twitched a bit as she tried to nod, his fingers still resting under her chin, his thumb lightly running over her lips./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""I want to hear you say it, Seren." Her jade green eyes gazed into his steely blue's "No more secrets." She swallowed down the lump in her throat, "Alright…no more secrets." He smiled down at her, "But…"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"His gaze flicked to her lips, "But?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Promise me you won't leave?" she paused, once again trying to force the lump in her throat down, "That you won't abandon me." his eyes came to rest on hers once more, "I would never abandon you, Seren." He was in far too deep to do so, last night had proven without a reasonable doubt that he couldn't leave her if he wanted to./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""It's not within my power to do so." He was close enough now to feel her breath on his face,/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""What do you-" butterflies erupted in her stomach as he finally closed the gap, for the third time since their arrival he'd kissed her, only this wasn't quite the same as the first or second. No, this kiss was softer, she could feel the soft tickle of his breath on her face as his fingers drifted upwards from her chin, grazing softly along her cheek before threading into the soft tufted curls at the base of her neck as she finally kissed him back./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"There was a warmth in her chest when he pulled away and for the frist time she had noticed there was a subtle earthy smell to him, how she had not noticed it before was strange, everything about this was strange and somehow dizzying as she watched him/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""I…that was…" Remus chuckled as she tried to find the words, "As much as I would love to just lie around in bed all day, sadly we have a train to catch." He gave a soft tug to her hair as he climbed out of bed to get dressed./p
/div
div id="notes" class="notes module" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.643em; position: relative; width: auto; float: none; clear: right; min-height: 5em;"
blockquote class="userstuff" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 1em; line-height: normal; font-family: 'lucida grande', 'lucida sans unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0.643em; padding: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px auto 1.286em; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Bits of this chapter seem a bit teenage drama movie, as well as slightly filler-y, but I am happy with the over all turn out as I hope you all will be./p
/blockquote
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px auto 1.286em; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"_/p
/div
/div
div class="userstuff module" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 1088.64px; float: none; overflow-wrap: break-word; color: #2a2a2a;" role="article"
h3 id="work" class="landmark heading" style="border-width: 0px 0px 0.25em; border-image: initial; outline: 0px; font-weight: 500; font-style: inherit; font-size: 0px; font-family: Georgia, serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0.125em; overflow-wrap: break-word; line-height: 0; opacity: 0; height: 0px; clear: both; color: transparent; border-color: initial initial #333333 initial; border-style: initial initial double initial;"Chapter Text/h3
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"August 29sup style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 13.23px; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 0;"th/sup, 1993/p
hr style="margin: 0.875em auto 1.2525em; border-style: solid; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; width: 359.25px;" /
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"It had taken some coaxing at first but he'd managed to get her into the city. she'd been excited about it just two days ago when the topic had presented itself but her current apprehension was understandable. The two of them had stopped and converted some of her money into GBP at Gringotts's beforehand and now that they were in the heart of London she was entirely overwhelmed by all of the sights, smells, sounds and people./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Just remember your breathing." Remus had done his best to reassure her everything would be fine but it had done little good. "It's really overwhelming." She had mumbled as he'd guided her through a crowd of people towards what seemed to be a quiet shop, at least from what he could see from the street it appeared practically empty. Perhaps it was the uninviting building front./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Better?" it took a moment or two for her to calm down before nodding, he thought it best to get what she'd needed done first before sight-seeing./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Welcome in." the girl behind the register seemed absorbed in whatever book she was reading, completely ignoring them, peering up only to look at the odd pair./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""'Fraid we won't have much that will fit 'im." Seren's annoyance was obvious at once, "We'll just look around." It was no secret Remus found it funny so many kept mistaking her for a boy, but he was certain that would change as her hair grew out more and she put on a bit more weight./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""She seems…perfectly horrid." Seren commented under her breath as they made their way to the back of the shop. "Well, it's my experience Muggle teenagers are incredibly snobbish." There was an indignant snort from the young woman and he couldn't help but smile as she rifled through what was marked extra small./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""it's like those girls from American film's…that dreadful accent they give the mean girls."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""You know American films?" she shrugged, pulling something off the spinning clothes rack, holding it up to her before placing it back, "Oh my gosh, totally!" She'd slipped into a dreadful valley girl accent as if to make fun of him, "Mum sent me to public school until my magic started to show, then I was homeschooled until my Hogwarts letter came." She plucked a rather large sweater off the rack, feeling the fabric before shaking her head and putting it back, "Itchy…" he'd remembered her saying she hated the uniform sweaters, did that same mentality translate to all sweaters? Winters could get quite cold up at the school and he wondered how she planned to deal with it if she hated the feel of wool. He supposed coats were always an option./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Turning his attention elsewhere his eye caught something outside, A street performance of some sort he imagined, not an uncommon occurrence in London, most large cities had street performances and it seemed a viable source of income for most. When he looked back she was gone./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Seren?" he scanned the other spinning wracks but saw no sign of her, she couldn't have gone too far, and he'd not heard the door open or close so he knew she was still inside somewhere. "Does this look alright?" the rustling of the dressing room curtain drew his attention as she stepped out from behind it./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"She'd stepped out a baggy cotton rainbow shirt paired with a black corduroy skirt and the same beat up tennis shoes the healers had given her from the hospital lost and found, he'd thought the outfit made her look a bit young and it's ill-fitting silhouette looked strange, "I'm not sure those two things go together…" she looked down at her choice of outfit before nodding and ducking back behind the curtain, re-emerging moments later with the same skirt paired with a form fitted crimson colored top, she looked considerably less like a young boy now, but seeing her in more suitable clothing did little to quell his jealousy at the thought of her attracting attention./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"When she came out a second time she'd been wearing a simple black dress made of velvet, black tights and a different pair of faded black shoes. Remus eyed the ensemble, curious as to why she'd choose such a thing when it was still technically the dead of summer, "You don't have to wait if you're bored…"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Not at all." He wouldn't admit he thought some of the clothes bit too mature, but she was seventeen and it was hardly his place to tell her what she was and wasn't allowed to wear, not when she'd been wearing his old hand-me-downs for the last month./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""I just think that perhaps you should get some things with room to grow into." She looked at him curiously but nodded, "That's true, I can't imagine with the way they feed us at Hog—" she paused, it was unwise to talk about Hogwarts whilst muggles were present as they tended to ask questions and one never knew who else might be listening, "—At school, that I'll stay this small forever."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"She'd settled for a few outfits suitable for each season before paying and leaving the small consignment shop behind, ducking into an alleyway to shrink the bags down for easier transport, tucking them into her pants pocket. she could undo the spell when they returned to the leaky cauldron later./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""How are you feeling?" she seemed to be in high spirits, any traces of her panic attack earlier were gone, "I think I'll be alright, but…" he encouraged her to continue, to ask for what she needed instead of trying to endure it. "Can we avoid crowds?" that was easily doable as long as they stuck to the side roads./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Just for now…all the noise is overwhelming." She could hear the street performer over by the river and briefly wondered what song it was he was playing, there was a soft and melodic rhythm as he strummed the acoustic strings./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Are you a music lover as well?" Seren shrugged, watching the small cluster of people surrounding the performer, "I can't say I'm all that familiar with music, mum never kept anything but calming classical records in the house, she'd thought anything chaotic and loud might trigger me or something." Remus' eyebrow ticked upwards, "Classic literature, Shakespeare plays and classical music…I can't say that sounds like an exciting life." The idea made him grimace, he himself might have gone made as a boy had his parents pushed such things on him…then again, he'd been an isolated child who'd never set foot in a school let alone anywhere else until Hogwarts./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""It sounds incredibly dull, actually." She laughed, "Oh, it was incredibly boring…and you remember how I told you I'd attended public school? You should have heard some of the things she told my teachers to explain away my absence's around the full moon." He looked at her, urging her to continue./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""There was one time when I was about 8 or 9 she'd told the school this elaborate story that I'd missed school because she'd read the date on the local paper entirely wrong and thought it was Saturday, thus she had not sent me to school for two days. It's kind of a stupid story but the fact the school bought it and excused the absences still makes me laugh. All the while I'd been through a particularly bad transformation. We ended up moving when the school started asking questions."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""That does sound like your mother, but I'm thinking she wasn't lying about misreading your local paper, she was incredibly gifted as a witch…but not incredibly smart when it came to muggle society."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""I know, I once brought home some schoolwork and she understood that about as much as she understood how the radio worked…" he nodded, the musician had begun a new song when she next spoke, "The paradox between the magical and non-magical world is strange. They operate in similar ways as far as societal construct goes, yet they couldn't be more different. Normal, muggle society, had to invent cars as a means of transportation and from that they developed, locomotives and airplanes so they could see what the world has to offer in experiences while witches and wizards have had those methods available to them for centuries."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""You're not going to give me a history of magic lesson, are you Seren?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Well…you've been cramming my head full of knowledge all month…maybe it's my turn." He reached over, ruffling her already messy hair, "Someone's certainly mouthy today. I'm afraid history of magic and muggle studies were never my best subjects in school."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Swatting his hand away she glared playfully, "If anyone is forward in this relationship, it's you, Professor Lupin." He matched her expression, "if you really want me to turn this into a teachable moment, I could." He threatened, a glimmer of mischief in his steely blue eyes./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""You wouldn't dare." His expression didn't change, "Wouldn't I?" They both knew he wouldn't not in the public eye, he wasn't the type. A soft sneeze snapped him from his attempt at intimidation, "Are you cold?" she shook her head, "Don't lie to me, Seren." he fixed her with an unimpressed look as he slipped off his coat, draping it over her shoulders before feeling her forehead, "You do feel a bit warm, are you sure you don't want to head back?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""I'm fine, really." He wasn't going to push the matter, "Do you want to get closer?" she shook her head, "No, I can hear the music fine from here." As the performance continued the two sat in a comfortable silence, her eyes fixed on two kids doing a goofy dance to the rhythm./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"The sounds of the city thrummed like electricity, the chatter of people sounded more akin to rolling thunder and the wind along the river reminded her of a screeching tea kettle, only instead of steam rising off the water there was a distinct smell of fish and aquatic plants carried by the slight fog that seemed to roll over the surface./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""What's on your mind?" his eyes were still settled on the crowd in front of them, "I'm just enjoying the sound of life, even if all of the sounds are overwhelming on their own, once you put everything together it's sort of charming…like being home. I'm also thinking that I'm a bit terrified to be going back to Hogwarts. Not because I think it will be hard, but because thing's won't be the same."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""How so?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Well, for starters I'll only see you during mealtimes and classes…I won't be sharing a room with you anymore…though perhaps I'll finally get a good night's rest for once without all your snoring." Remus looked appalled, "I do not snore…do I?" She couldn't help but laugh, "I'll miss teasing you, and having these sorts of conversations."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Well, none of that has to stop, I mean you will have to eat meals with your housemates, but I see no reason our conversations would need to stop. Once you've gotten your timetable we can sit down and look at it, find times where we can continue our…routine" he'd been unsure what to call it, their relationship currently sat at complicated since he'd crossed the boundary between teacher and student into one between a man and a woman./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""If once you've settled in, that is something you're still open to." Seren seemed confused to what he was proposing before the pieces clicked together and she smiled, "I think…given the circumstances…" she looked down at her hands, gently wringing her fingers together "That, if you're still willing to be patient with me…then, I would be open to seeing where this goes."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Remus couldn't help but smile as the warm feeling that washed over him whenever he was around her returned. The comfortable silence resumed and the two sat just enjoying the sounds of the city for a while longer./p
hr style="margin: 0.875em auto 1.2525em; border-style: solid; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; width: 359.25px;" /
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"August 31sup style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 13.23px; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 0;"st/sup, 1993. (Full moon)/p
hr style="margin: 0.875em auto 1.2525em; border-style: solid; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; width: 359.25px;" /
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Seren hadn't moved from her bed all morning and it would be worrying if it weren't the second full moon of the month, Blue moons were particularly difficult because the wolf's more dangerous and carnal instincts were harder to control so as an extra precaution Remus had placed a sealing spell on the room to keep them both inside for the night./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Beyond the unfortunate Blue moon, she'd been miserable since they'd returned to the inn, having developed a nasty fever which now paired with the upcoming transformation had made her beyond irritable and she was currently trying to drown out the sound of the train tearing along the track outside their room. Even silencing spells did nothing to aid them on nights like tonight./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Her cries of pain made him flinch, "I know, Seren, shh. Try to get some rest" He'd been of the mind to lock her in the bathroom but with her body fighting off whatever it was she had it was unwise to leave her unsupervised. He replaced the warm washcloth with a cold one before retreating back to his side of the room./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Part of him thought to cast the sleep charm on her, but there was not telling if it would hold once she transformed, the second set of Wolfsbane sat untouched in his bedside table, it would be best to wait just a little bit longer before drinking it./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"As the hours dragged on, he found himself listening to Seren's fitful sleep as she tossed and turned, wincing only once when her arm had knocked loudly against the wooden bedside table. if he'd been in her shoes he'd probably be fitful as well./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"A sudden scream tore through the quiet, startling him from his thoughts as he looked over. She was still asleep but seemed to be having a nightmare…perhaps a fever dream. As the sun finally began to set he'd withdrawn the final two vials of Wolfsbane from his table, uncorking his and quickly swallowing it down before walking towards her bed,/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Seren?" he retracted his hand almost immediately upon contact, her skin was like fire. "Seren you need to take your potion." Her face was contorted in pain, hands clasped tightly to the sheets beneath her. He tried again, startled when her hand suddenly shot out, as if swatting him away./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Seren." Her eyes shot open, gold and glazed over as her eyes darted around the room, "You need to—" a low growl rumbled in her chest as she lashed out again. Quickly he caught her hand, "No!" catching her second hand he pinned them both above her head as he worked on uncorking the glass vial./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Seren, you have to—" she managed to get her feet underneath him and kick him off, sending him toppling to the floor and screeching at him as she scrambled to her feet before darting across the room. Quickly righting himself he stared at her from across the room, drawing his wand./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Don't make me do something we'll both regret." She snarled at him, warning him to stay away from her, once again his lack of knowledge on she-wolves left him at a loss for how to handle this situation. Piercing gold eyes stared at him from the corner of the room, "You have to drink this, it will help." If his words were reaching her he didn't know, however the closer he got to her the more distressed she seemed to become, it was like she was trying to stay away from him./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"There wasn't time for this, the sun was dangerously low and the moon would rise soon, there was no telling what could happen if he weren't fast enough. A sudden thought came back to him, a memory from a long forgotten lecture when he'd been in school./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;""Those who were born as werewolves don't reach full 'wolf maturity' until they reach puberty, which is somewhere between the age of 11 and 14. When they reach that point, their body starts to change rapidly, their urges to transform start to show more and more, almost uncontrollably."/span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"His mind reeled, Seren hadn't gotten sick the other day. No, this was much worse, and he'd locked himself inside the room with her. It made sense now why she was trying to stay away from him, the Human part of her was fighting to keep control despite being in Heat./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"If he could get her to Drink the Wolfsbane perhaps the Human side of her would regain full control, but if he got too close she could choose to attack him. He had two options, Apparate out of the inn, find someplace safe for himself for the night, or stay, restrain her and force the potion down her throat./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"His fingers lightly grazed his wand, if he left he knew she'd be trapped in the room for the night, but he'd come back to complete devastation. The latter option won out and quick as a whip he cast the spell./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Incarcerous!" there was a strangled cry of surprise as thin strings of silver light poured from his wand, binding her arms and legs, leaving her in a tangled heap on the floor as he uncorked the potion, "I'm sorry, but this is for your own good." Carefully, Remus knelt in front of her, forcing her mouth open and dumping the bitter liquid into her mouth before clasping his hand tightly over to ensure she swallowed it, even going as far as to tilt her head back when she'd tried to spit it out./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""There, all better." He withdrew his hand, wiping a bit of spit from his palm onto his tweed vest, her gold eyes fixed on his face, hand and legs still bound. "Don't give me that look…" it was like staring a puppy in the face, "I did what I had to do." Though she seemed to have calmed down he could tell she was still in pain as she struggled in the magical bindings, another smaller, almost inaudible whimper slipped from her mouth./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Carefully, he undid the restraints, feeling the effects of his own transformation beginning to take effect./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""I'm sorry…that I didn't tell you" Seren managed as her bones started to shift, the light of the moon beginning to flood the room. Remus moved his hand so it rested at the crown of her head, slowly elongating fingers working through her hair as the wolf took over their bodies./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Once the transformation was complete both werewolves sat staring at one another, Seren eventually moving from her spot on the floor to curl up beside him./p
hr style="margin: 0.875em auto 1.2525em; border-style: solid; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; width: 359.25px;" /
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"September 1sup style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 13.23px; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 0;"st/sup, 1993./p
hr style="margin: 0.875em auto 1.2525em; border-style: solid; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; width: 359.25px;" /
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"When Remus woke the next morning he was less startled at the naked young woman beside him on the bed, he knew nothing had happened last night, but it still didn't make the situation any less awkward. However, If it made things more bearable for her to be close to him during those cycles, he wouldn't tell her no, but he would have to speak with Dumbledore about it after their arrival at the school./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"This year was going to be considerably more difficult than he had initially anticipated. His eyes drift back to the sleeping body beside him. Carefully, so as not to wake her, he trailed his index finger along her cheek noticing how absolutely at peace she seemed now that the ordeal was over. His eyebrows knitted together as the events of last night replayed in his mind and how he'd been so stupid for not noticing what was really going on and how she'd somehow managed to hide her struggle from him for three days, only snapping when it had finally become too much./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"There was a soft groan as she curled further into a ball under the sheets, bringing one of her hands up to find whatever was touching her face. Eyes blinking sleep from them as she looked up to see his face before quickly flitting back to guilt./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Did I hurt you?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""No, you didn't hurt me." his voice was soft as he kept stroking her cheek, "But why didn't you tell me?" the embarrassment that covered her face filled him with concern, "I didn't want you to leave…" Remus hardened his expression, tilting her head up to look at him. "Seren, I can't help you if you don't talk to me. Dumbledore entrusted you to me because he knew I would understand what you're going through, but you not telling me important things makes this more difficult than it needs to be."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"There was a few seconds of silence before he spoke again, "Do you understand that?" her head twitched a bit as she tried to nod, his fingers still resting under her chin, his thumb lightly running over her lips./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""I want to hear you say it, Seren." Her jade green eyes gazed into his steely blue's "No more secrets." She swallowed down the lump in her throat, "Alright…no more secrets." He smiled down at her, "But…"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"His gaze flicked to her lips, "But?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Promise me you won't leave?" she paused, once again trying to force the lump in her throat down, "That you won't abandon me." his eyes came to rest on hers once more, "I would never abandon you, Seren." He was in far too deep to do so, last night had proven without a reasonable doubt that he couldn't leave her if he wanted to./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""It's not within my power to do so." He was close enough now to feel her breath on his face,/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""What do you-" butterflies erupted in her stomach as he finally closed the gap, for the third time since their arrival he'd kissed her, only this wasn't quite the same as the first or second. No, this kiss was softer, she could feel the soft tickle of his breath on her face as his fingers drifted upwards from her chin, grazing softly along her cheek before threading into the soft tufted curls at the base of her neck as she finally kissed him back./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"There was a warmth in her chest when he pulled away and for the frist time she had noticed there was a subtle earthy smell to him, how she had not noticed it before was strange, everything about this was strange and somehow dizzying as she watched him/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""I…that was…" Remus chuckled as she tried to find the words, "As much as I would love to just lie around in bed all day, sadly we have a train to catch." He gave a soft tug to her hair as he climbed out of bed to get dressed./p
/div
