p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" align="center"January 18sup 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, 1994./p
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p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Keep up." The stern looking witch guided her through familiar corridors to the department of magical law enforcement, "You'll be with Scrimgeour for tonight's assignment. Lucky you." Seren wondered if that was meant to be reassuring or sarcastic, unable to tell by the woman's voice./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Mister Scrimgeour, the 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;"intern/span is here." None of them had bothered learning her name, and she presumed it was either because she was a werewolf or they simply didn't care. "Ah, yes, the werewolf." She frowned, catching the disdain in his voice. "You'll be joining myself and a few others in knockturn alley this evening, recently our department has caught wind of several back alley dealings."/p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Well…it's Knockturn alley, I imagine there's a lot of that there…it is frequented by dark wizards after all." Scrimgeour frowned at her statement, "Quite." Seren's eyes quickly found the ground, "Head up, girl. You never look away from an attacker. You would do well to remember that if you truly want to be an auror…not that any of us think you'll succeed with your 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;"condition/span." She quickly redirected a firm gaze to the man before her. She began to wonder if perhaps he was right and she should re-evaluate her decision./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"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;"'don't let them wear you down, head up, Seren.' /spanRemus' voice echoed in her mind as she steeled her resolve, feeling someone poking around in her head she quickly forced them out with occlumency, something she'd learned from Remus over the summer, "You'd do well to stay. out. of other people's memories, Mister Scrimgeour." Her voice was steady as her eyes flickered gold for a moment, "My past is none of your concern, you are here to teach."/p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""My, what a foul attitude." She rolled her eyes, "If you're going to sit here and nitpick my disposition, perhaps I have placed myself in incapable hands?" Rufus Scrimgeour gave her a filthy look as he corrected himself, straightening his tie./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Mind your tongue, beast."/p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Only if you mind yours." She replied lividly, "wouldn't want mistreatment of a student to get back to Hogwarts, would we?" she was trying her best to stay composed, but her heart was pounding erratically in her chest and her body felt like jell-o./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"He motioned quickly to the fireplace, insinuating they would be travelling by floo./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Knockturn alley had always been hair-raising, she'd made a wrong turn down the alley way when she'd been thirteen and been witness to some truly horrendous dealings involving human limbs./p
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p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"The foreboding alleyway was just as dismal as she recalled. The dark and dreary side streets were covered in a thick layer of grime and the shops remained just as uninviting as they had five years ago./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"She had made a quick change of her uniform before leaving the leaky cauldron and was now dressed like she'd stepped out of someone's goth girlfriend fantasy./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""What on earth are you wearing?" Seren rolled her eyes at him, "I stand out less than you do, who wears an expensive suit to do a stakeout? First rule is blend in…you'd think you'd know that." Rufus looked at her with disgust, "you look like a cheap whore, but then I suppose that fits the mold." She was growing tired of him taking cheap shots as she wandered down the dilapidated side streets off of Diagon Alley./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"After a routine patrol Rufus had sent her to settle by Borgin and Burkes, telling her to keep an eye out for anything or anyone suspicious. She hadn't even heard the approaching footsteps until a voice behind her made her turn quickly./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""She's a jumpy one, adorable. What's a pretty thing like you doing in a place like this?" the man was considerably taller than herself with striking features and vaguely familiar eyes…perhaps she had seen him in a textbook. His hand struck out, catching her chin and pulling her towards him, "Ah, I knew I recognized that smell…"/p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Let go." She did her best to keep her voice steady, placing the palms of her hands against the mans chest and giving him a rough shove. He barely moved an inch as his grip on her tightened, forcing her head from side to side, "You're the girl from the prophet, pity what happened to your mother…but she couldn't hide you from us forever." There was a curious look in his eye as a sadistic smile stretched across his wolfish face,/p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Us? Seren watched the man, trying to keep her composure but it was quickly slipping as fear claimed it's hold. He leaned forward, taking in her scent/p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Just like your mother, my little cub." Her blood ran cold as his gold eyes stared her down, nausea settled in her stomach and what little fight she may have had quickly drained. As a last ditch effort, she let her wand slip from her jacket sleeve,/p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Bombarda!" she watched the man fly backwards, smashing into some wooden crates before she took off full sprint out of the side alley and back they way she and Rufus had come from the main street,/p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""PRICE!" she didn't stop running until she was back at the leaky cauldron, heavy footfall grabbed her attention and she turned with a panicked look thinking the wolfish man had pursued her, eyes wide with fear as she curled in on herself near the entrance to the alleyway./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""What the hell was that?!"/p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""He…he knew who I was…a-a-and I panicked and blasted him…" Rufus merely looked at her with apprehensive confusion,/p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Who knew who you were?" his features softened for a moment, "That man…he had wolfish features, long, greasy brown hair…and…gold eyes…"/p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""did he say anything of note, Price?" her mind was still spinning and all she wanted to do was leave, "He…he called me cub. S-said I smelled just like my mother." She replied shakily, Scrimgeour's face fell into a deep frown, even he knew this was bad./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""That…" he knew he should try and calm her down, but if she didn't learn to cope with things like this she'd never be successful, "I'll send in another team for tonight, we'll head back. From now on you'll do training only, no more in the field assignments until you've proven yourself capable, it's too risky and you're clearly not cut out for it just yet." It was like the man was two different people, he had called her beast and likened her to a cheap whore hours earlier…and now he was being somewhat fatherly and protective./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Come along."/p
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p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"A soft knock on the large oak door alerted him to a visitor and his eyes briefly flickered to the clock. It was well past curfew and all of the students would be back in their dorms now…he made his way to the door, pulling it open to come face to face with the tear streaked face of Seren Price./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Remus was at a loss as he took in her appearance, she'd had her first field assignment today which he imagined would explain away her current choice of wardrobe and make up, but it did not explain why she was standing outside his office in tears at ten thirty p.m./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Seren, why aren't you—?" she quickly wrapped her arms around his torso and he could feel the tremors of her body as she lost any control she had left./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""What happened?" he stepped backwards, wrapping and arm around her as he closed the door, "can you talk to me please?" her grip on him only tightened,/p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"'there was a man. H-he ambushed me in knockturn alley…I never even heard him come up.' Remus felt his own body tense, as he brought a hand up to stroke her hair in an effort to calm her down,/p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"'he…' the scene from the alley way pushed itself into Remus' mind and what he saw sent him over the edge as he suddenly unwound her arms from him and took several steps back, staring at her with apprehension and a hint of something else./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""You're 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;"his/span daughter?" there was a disgust in Remus' eyes and she suddenly felt terrified…unsure how to respond, no…unable./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Answer me, Seren!" she flinched, taking a step away from him, "ANSWER ME!" A small whimper filled the room, and she instinctively flinched away as he suddenly stepped towards her, roughly grabbing her shoulders before shaking her in anger, "I…I didn't know, honest…" there was a sudden dull ache in her chest and she suddenly regretted the decision to come to him first./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Was it all just a game to you, did he put you up to this?!" the dull ache in her chest grew to full blown pain as he interrogated her, "I told you I didn't know…it was only ever…" she lurched, the pain in her chest getting worse, "my mum and I…" her breathing grew ragged as she tried to stay on her feet,/p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Please…it hurts." The horrifying realization settled into him that the mating mark came with a dark side, in turn with being able to share memories and hear thoughts…/p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Maybe I want it to hurt, like it hurt me when 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;"your father/span took away my life!" it felt like someone had plunged an ice cold hand into her chest and was squeezing her heart, suddenly she was back in that musty dungeon room./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"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;"'Dumbledore…wouldn't tell me…who he was.'/span There was a faint trail of blood from the corner of her mouth when Remus' anger seemed to finally subside and Seren toppled to the floor with a stomach churning thud. he'd done this…he'd hurt her. He'd done the one thing he'd promised he would never do./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Seren laid curled up on the wooden floor of his office, eye's clenched shut tightly and eyebrows knit together in pain, her breath came in rough patches as she clutched a pale hand over her heart, she looked just as she had the day he found her, small and terrified…and he'd done that to her./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Kneeling beside her he carefully reached out a hand but she flinched away from him, "I'm sorry." He whispered, "I'm so sorry." When she finally let him touch her he gently slid an arm under her, lifting and cradling her to his chest./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""I didn't know…" she croaked, sounding as if someone had stepped on her windpipe, "I'm sorry…I didn't know…I'm really sorry…" she whined. how many times had she cried like this at the hands of men just like Greyback, at the hand of Voldemorts followers? How many times had she begged for an end to it all, begged for death?/p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""I'm sorry…" she parroted, over and over again as he smoothed down her hair, "No…I'm the one who's sorry…it's just as you said, you didn't know…" placing a soft kiss to her forehead he pulled her as close to him as he was able, "Can you forgive me, love?" he pulled the handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the small trail of blood off her skin, finally taking notice of the faint, finger shaped bruising along her neck and jawline./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Grayback had hurt her, left her completely terrified and she'd come directly to his office at her return because it was the one place she felt absolutely safe…would that still be true now?/p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Im sorry…" the break in her voice left him shattered, "Shh, it's not your fault." Gently he lifted her off the floor and headed for the back bedroom, "none of this was your fault." Carefully he sat her down on the mattress, "Can you look at me?" fear filled green eyes struggled to meet calming blue and carefully he tilted her chin so their eyes met. He felt like he was dealing with a child./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Remus felt like he'd taken another two steps back with the young woman in front of him, as was the case with anything that triggered a flashback or traumatic episode and he felt woefully unequipped to handle her episodes when they came on so suddenly. He wanted her to feel loved, yet anytime he showed her affection enough to break down one wall, it seemed something happened to put another in its place./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"This was just the latest incident in the novel of Seren Price's short life. Another stream of salty tears pooled against his hand and he quickly thumbed them away, "I'm sorry." It was like a broken record and he couldn't even bring himself to scold her. He would have to accept that these episodes may be life long as long as she kept finding herself thrown into situation after situation that she wasn't equipped to handle./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Looking back at her he noticed she seemed to be searching his eyes for any further signs of anger and that one of her hands had reached out and grabbed onto his shirt. It was like he was back at the Leaky Cauldron with her…when he'd first kissed her./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Maybe he'd misread her fear? No, the fear was there, but so was the glimmer of something else/p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Desperation, maybe?/p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"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;"'May I…'/span he wasn't sure why he was asking permission; he'd been touching her since she'd knocked on his door, but the small nod of her head lifted an unknown weight off his chest as he leaned in and captured her lips in a soft and loving kiss./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Remus could feel her hesitation as she slowly but surely kissed him back, her hand still clinging tightly to his shirt and part of him derived an odd satisfaction from knowing that while Grayback had been the one to turn him as a boy…he'd claimed checkmate on the man in one way or another by claiming his daughter as his /br /but he hadn't known that when they'd sealed the pact and it felt he was cheapening her in a way, thinking about their bond in such a spiteful manner./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""I love you." he breathed as he pulled away, looking into pupil blown jade eyes with an endearing smile, "I…" Remus gave her an encouraging look, "I love you, too." She whispered, "would you…um…I mean…could we…"/p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"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;"'are you certain that's what you want, love?'/span she gave the subtlest nod of her head, her eyes once again diverted to the floorboards./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""I want you to be absolutely certain, Seren. If we do this…there's no taking it back." He'd told her much the same thing the night he'd marked her, that once it was done it couldn't be undone, sex was exactly the same, once it was done there was no going back, not even for wizards./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""I…" her hesitation was palpable, and Remus worried in her condition what the exertion alone would do to her, "I really think we should wait; I don't want you to make such a serious decision with a clouded mind. Not to mention the condition you're currently in…" she caught the look of worry that had replaced the anger and disgust from only moments ago./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Can I stay?" his lips twitched into a sympathetic sort of smile; his hand cupped her cheek tenderly as he tried to think of a way to help her as her hand came to rest atop his, finally letting go of his shirt./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Lie down." He gently laid her back on the mattress, positioning himself so he hovered over her, one hand holding himself up as the other stroked her cheek lovingly, tilting her head to the side ever so slightly. Giving access to her lovely neck Lupin kissed her tenderly as her eyes fluttered, "Is this ok?"/p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Yes" she replied losing herself in the sensation as more kisses were placed down her neck. He grazed his teeth at the junction between her neck and shoulder, enjoying the way her body responded to him, pausing briefly as if trying to find the right words "Do you trust me?" his breath against her ear made her gasp, sending a shudder of anticipation down her spine./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Yes"/p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Good. And if I do anything, and I mean anything that makes you uncomfortable in any way I'll stop. Just tell me, ok?"/p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" He stared down at her, dark hair splayed out over his pillows as he waited for her response, he'd barely noticed that she was wearing makeup similar to what she'd worn for Christmas, a detail that had been besmirched by Greybacks actions. "Can you promise me that?"/p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Yes." She breathed as his hand left her face, dropping to pull her shirt off of her, leaving his fingers free to roam, feeling every curves of her body under his hold as he continued to lavish her neck as his fingers ghosted down her rib cage and then slowly back up./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"She was sensitive and her breathing had picked up. He slowly trailed his fingers down her breasts, she shivered pleasantly. "You're mine Seren and mine alone" Seren would be the first between them to admit she enjoyed the husky tone of his voice, rich and dripping with desire as want coiled hotly in her stomach. There was a small whine as he bit her neck possessively, being careful not to break skin as his feather light touches suddenly dipped lower, allowing his fingers the faintest touches in between her thighs, making her gasp in pleasure./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"His eyes flick down on her body as he drank in her pleasure under the dim lighting. "So gorgeous." He said reverently his hands coming up to knead her breast in his palms. "Is this ok?" Her hands travel, taking in his form in the same manner that he took hers before firmly rubbing his hardening length through his pants as she answered, "yes"/p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Remus growled as her hand moved over his cock, the tightness of his pants was becoming unbearable, "Seren." He reached down, hand closing around her wrist and she wondered if he might stop her, instead he held her hand there, letting her continue to stroke against his erection./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Merlin!" as her hand found the tip of him he let go of her hand bending down to whisper in her ear again, "If you had even the slightest inclination as to what you do to me, little one…" Seren had never noticed just how possessive Remus could be or, despite everything, how much she loved it. as Remus pulled back to look down at her he was met with a curious gaze and he could feel her hand work at the button on his pants before dropping to his zipper./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Is this okay?" she asked quietly, but Remus knew better, noticing the slight purr in her voice as her hand once again lightly palmed over his erection, drawing another seductive growl from the man above her, "Fuck."/p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Can I help take care of you?" those words coming from her mouth made his breath catch as he leaned back, allowing the dark haired vixen beneath him to sit up. After a moment of consideration, "Yes."/p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"He watched eagerly as Seren climbed off the bed, positioning herself on her knees on the floor, beckoning to him and watching as he moved to the edge of the bed, legs spread with his knees on either side of her head./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Are you certain?" she gave a timid nod, bringing her hands up to free his cock from his boxers, bringing her head forward to lick over the tip of him, drawing out a hiss of pleasure as she took him into her mouth, his hand quickly flying to her hair, fisting in the short dark locks as her tongue swirled around him, moving down his shaft before slowly dragging herself back before peering up at him with an innocent look as she repeated the motion./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Merlin, Seren! So good for me, little one." he watched her move, newly captivated as she finally pulled off. The reason she was so good was heartbreaking but seeing her suck his cock stirred new things in him and he swelled a bit with pride knowing she was his and only his./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Feeling the swirl of her tongue on his head was what drove him to the edge and his fingers tightened their grip on her hair, drawing forth a small whine of pain from her, his grip loosening to lightly stroke her hair in apology./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Once more she moved along his cock in a painfully slow motion, flinching back as he finally came./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Fuck!" there were bits of cum in her hair as he reached for his wand to clean up the mess. Seren reached for her shirt when Remus snatched it away from her, "I like this view better." There was a devilish smile on his face as he patted the spot beside him, watching her stand and take the spot as his hand caught her chin, drawing her in for another kiss, tasting himself on her as he trailed down to nip at her pulse again./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""My beautiful girl."/p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"He carefully laid her back, taking the spot beside her on the bed before pulling her close to nuzzle his nose in her hair, letting a calm quiet fall over the room for a while./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""I never meant to hurt you, you know that, right, love?"/p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""I know." The soft sound of her voice was one of the many things he adored about her, "I…came to you first because you're who I feel the safest with. I trust you…"/p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Even after I said those cruel things?"/p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Remus, you apologized. You had every right to be angry, to take out your frustrations…it hurt…but I was more terrified of you telling me you didn't want me anymore, that you'd made some horrible mistake when you'd marked me."/p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Her words sank in as she rolled over to face him, jade eyes boring deep into blue as he processed what she was telling him./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Seren." He whispered her name like a prayer, staring back into jade pools with a loving expression. In no uncertain terms she had just made a serious promise and one he had heard loud and clear./p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""I would die for you, Remus Lupin."/p
p 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: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""And I you."/p