Disclaimer: Anything that rings a bell belongs to J.K Rowling

Chapter 19: Are you okay?

Remus manoeuvred about the large reception area, seeking his friends among the familiar faces. There was a steady crowd moving towards the Floo Corridor, most parents seemed caught between relief that their children were okay, and anger that they had snuck out to an unsupervised party.

Remus offered Kenway Shacklebolt a sympathetic smile as his parents marched him across the reception area, the stoic expression on Mr. Shacklebolt's face conveying that Kenway was in no way immune to punishment just because he didn't die in the fire.

However, Kenway's fellow Fifth year and best friend, Dirk Cresswell, seemed to be having an easier time as his mother had yet to let him out of a tight embrace, the blonde boy looked as if he would gladly swop places with his friend though.

Remus noted that the party goers that were legally adults merely looked mildly glum, like Edgar Bones, Lan Daiyu and Alice Burke. Frank Longbottom however, even though he was of age, looked much more concerned than his friends as his mother's exacting nature was notorious at Hogwarts. Remus didn't blame him for his apprehensive look as he crossed through the emerald flames.

"Remus?" He turned to the familiar voice and hastened towards Lily, who, despite her paler than usual demeanour looked quite unhurt.

"Lily, are you okay?" He sounded silly asking the question for some reason, it was evident that she was uninjured considering she wasn't admitted into the hospital.

"I'm fine. Just a little shaken up." She bit her lip and glanced about the room, "I got separated from everyone… have you seen Aiza? I managed to spot Mary and Marlene before they left, and Peter was hanging around here somewhere."

"I was told that there were no serious injuries, so I wouldn't worry too much." Remus' words didn't appease her in the slightest, and he didn't blame her. The nurses upstairs told him the exact same thing, yet here he was, looking to see that his friends were unhurt with his own two eyes.

"It's just that… well James. He wasn't with us when the fire broke out. And I haven't seen him here." Lily gestured to the reception area and her face reddened at her words and she added defensively, "Or Sirius. Or Aiza. I haven't seen any of them."

"I'm sure he's… they're all okay Lily." Remus repeated, hiding his concern from what she had stated, he hadn't seen any of them either and the longer it took to find them the less he believed that they were in fact okay.

"Lily." Phillip Bell approached them, nodding a greeting at Remus which he returned. He didn't know Bell well, but he was one of those boys that everybody knew, his reputation superseded any official introduction. This was as Bell was captain of the Ravenclaw quidditch team, a prefect, and apparently the best keeper in the school. England had apparently approached him for their B side team and rumour has it that he attended the Wimborne Wasps summer camps. "My parents are ready to leave."

"Oh, of course." Lily nodded and took Bell's offered hand, turning back to Remus with a forced smile, "Please let me know when you hear from Aiza?"

Remus smiled at the redhead, trying to calm her obviously frazzled nerves as Bell escorted Lily to the floo, his raven hair as neat as James' was untidy…

Before Remus could properly process Lily apparently dating Phillip Bell a voice cut across the reception area, "Moony!"

He turned to find Peter waving at him from the Floo Corridor, his mother tossed Remus an annoyed stare and pulled her son away. Remus didn't take it personally though; Mrs. Pettigrew always blamed the lot of them for the many letters that get sent home. Not that they were blameless, but Peter was never forced to partake in any of James and Sirius' shenanigans, he was ever the willing participant.

He bumped into someone at that and apologized automatically, smiling when he saw that it was Fabian Prewett and Cassandra Johnson.

Remus' smile faltered at the looks on their faces, it looked like he was interrupting a serious conversation.

Fabian schooled his features quickly and gave Remus his trademark smirk, "Was wondering where you were. You usually tend to prevent them from burning the house down."

"I told you; his mother wasn't well." Cassie gave Fabian a stern stare and then turned to Remus, "I'm sorry. I hope she's better."

Remus didn't respond, he never knew how to. He hated the lie, despised it, it gave him an allergic reaction of a constricted throat and a shame induced fever whenever he had to say it.

So instead, he decided to ignore the statement.

"Where's James?" This seemed to be the worst thing that he could have said though, as Cassie's face fell, and Fabian looked as if he was ready to the punch the wall.

"Probably off with whomever he was with at the party." Remus' brows furrowed as the girl sulked, "I couldn't find him-"

"And I don't know why you even tried." Fabian spat; his jaw clenched.

Remus stared at Fabian in confusion. The Prewett Twins were three years older than them, and whilst they were at Hogwarts they had all gotten on exceptionally well.

Too well by the amount of joint detentions Fabian, Gideon, James, and Sirius garnered.

Therefore, Remus couldn't fathom why Fabian would be upset with Cassie for looking for James… her boyfriend and his friend.

"Hey!" The trio turned around, spotting Cassandra's older brother, Richard Johnson, waiting at a floo for the pair. The tall, dark Kestrals quidditch player glanced nervously about, obviously uneasy at the prospect of receiving unwanted fan attention.

Fabian approached his best friend in quick strides and Remus raised a brow at the steady grip he had on Cassie's hand as he pulled her after him.

"Aiza's down there." Cassie called over her shoulder as she made her way to the exit and the only thing that turned Remus' attention away from the baffling pair was the prospect of seeing his girlfriend.

Of course, he knew that she was alright, he was upstairs when he heard about the fire at Potter Manor, he had arrived a few hours ago due to a self-inflicted stomach wound from a particularly rough Changing last night. He asked the nurse if anybody was hurt and she said nobody from Devon, which was where Potter Manor was located, but there had been another fire in London and there had been one fatality there.

Remus had felt exceedingly guilty that he was relieved that it had not been the other way around.

He then snuck out after they had applied the usual ointment and dressed his wound, he couldn't just sit there, even though his friends were supposedly okay, he had to ascertain for himself.

He stopped when a familiar mane of hair caught his attention and turned to the left corner of the large room where his girlfriend sat huddled.

All alone.

Aiza hadn't seen him yet and Remus enjoyed just watching her. Her slender form was delicately folded on the tiled floor with her straight back to the wall. Her hair, which must have been up in one of those stylish up do's now fell about her in long dark waves, with shiny hair pins feebly hanging from the tresses it once held up.

Remus couldn't see what she was wearing as the short scarlet robe seemed to cover it, which made him think whatever she did wear underneath was all that much shorter. She seemed to be fiddling with a silver object in her hand, a rod like structure which looked like a Healer's recitator.

"You know what's always baffled me? People never seem to have time for someone unless they think they're hurt. Or dead or something. Suddenly their schedule just magically clears up."

Remus stilled, fighting the urge to turn and walk away. He didn't want to lie to her. He didn't want her to ever think that he didn't have time for her…

He had honestly thought he could make it for the party, from his calculations the full moon was supposed to last just two days this month, but it had stretched over three nights, last night being the third night. So what was he to do?

"I'm okay, so you can go do whatever it was you were doing."

A small part of Remus was annoyed that Aiza was acting this way, if his mother was genuinely sick and he was caring for her, would she be this spiteful?

He sighed.

Yes, she would.

That was Aiza.

Her selfishness coated her skin like a rock hard, yet thin exterior, protecting the true softness within.

Time for him to start chipping away the protective layer that seemed to have hardened over the time they spent apart.

He walked towards her and caught the distinct scent of firewhiskey. "I'm sorry."

Remus was. He'd never felt this remorseful for being a werewolf before. Not even in his first year when he had to lie to his new friends when they asked where he was disappearing every month.

He sunk down and flinched at the movement, it wasn't his smartest moves to exacerbate the wound so early, but he followed through his action and sat down.

She finally tore her eyes away from the recitator, her large brown orbs murky with emotions, "What's wrong?"

I nearly ripped my stomach out last night, that's what's wrong.

"I pulled a muscle moving things around for my mother yesterday."

It wasn't a complete lie; he did pull a muscle helping his mother clean but it healed up within the hour.

"Why couldn't you just use magic?" She murmured. Perhaps the mention of his mother had reminded her of why he wasn't around, and she felt guilty for her previous lack of understanding.

"I live in a muggle town, Aiza. Plus, we're not off age as yet." Remus knew that being off age didn't matter to a lot of purebloods. That some of them could still use magic in their manors, but some purebloods had opted to have their wards altered to adhere to the laws, like the Potters, whilst Sirius' family apparently still kept their wards up.

He stilled as he felt warmth on his back, she had slipped her hand up his shirt, "Where does it hurt?"

He was currently using all his energy to keep his blood flow in check, so he shrugged his left shoulder to gesture that it hurt there.

Aiza stood fluidly and then slid behind him, uncaring that her legs were currently stretched out on either side of him as she settled at his back and begun massaging his left shoulder.

Remus' face reddened and looked around, but everyone was exceptionally busy on this floor and the two teenagers were practically invisible to them.

"Is it okay?" There was a tremor of insecurity in her voice. Evidently Aiza had never given a massage before in her life, her pressing hurt his perfectly healthy shoulder and her long nails dug into his skin.

"It's perfect." Remus muttered, staring at her long legs on either side of him and relishing the fact that Aiza Shafiq was attempting to make him feel better…

After he made her feel like crap…

He didn't deserve her.

She didn't deserve to be stood up at parties. And lied to.

She deserved someone honest.

Someone better than him.

Her massaging thankfully stopped, and Remus felt her hands sneak around his waist, uncomfortably close to his actual wound and he felt her lean her head against his back, "I'm sorry."

The words jilted him with guilt, and he covered her hands at his waist with his own, "You have nothing to be sorry about."

"I do. I'm a horrid girlfriend. Here you are looking after your sick mother, and I'm angry at you. What kind of selfish bitch does that?"

"Hey." Remus scolded and he looked over his shoulder, only seeing the crown of her dark locks, "Don't say that about yourself. You were just disappointed… I disappointed you. I'm a disappointment."

"No, you're not Remus. You're here. You're the only one that's here." Remus' heart quickened as he felt something wet at his back, "I just really missed you."

His heart broke at her words, and he hung his head in shame.

He missed her too. So much.

He had gotten used to having her around that this holiday was like torture.

But how many more times was he going to lie to her?

He returned all her affection with deception.

He took a deep breath, "Aiza… I need to tell you something."

He heard her sniffle and realized that the real reason she slid behind him was this.

She didn't want to cry in front of him.

In front of anyone.

"I… my mother… my mother…" He knew what he had to do. He had to tell her the truth.

That his mother wasn't sick.

That he lied to her.

That he had been lying to her.

But why? Should he tell her what he was…

Could he?

Godric she was the only one who didn't know… the only one he loved that didn't know what atrocity his true self was.

Loved?

He loved Aiza…loves Aiza.

"I love you." His heart stopped at her words, as she muttered them as if she read them straight from his mind. "I realized the first day I was away from you. I didn't just miss you Remus. I love you."

Remus unclasped her hands from his waist and swivelled around and fell to his knees, staring down at her tear strewn face, "I love you."

His voice was steadier than he remembered it being as her face broke into the most beautiful smile he'd ever seen on a human being. There was something so perfect about the smile that he couldn't bear kissing it and ruining it, so he leaned forward and gave her a peck on the forehead.

He chuckled as she returned it by kissing his Adams apple.

She giggled back at him, and his chuckle turned into soft laughter.

"What about your mother?" She murmured as he pulled back.

He smiled in confusion, "What?"

"You were about to say something about your mother?"

His heart froze at that, "Oh… yes… my mother… my mother-"

"Has been looking everywhere for you." Remus jumped at the voice and they both hastened to their feet and turned around. Standing behind them was none other than his mother; his father was standing a few steps back, looking anywhere but at the two teens.

Aiza was furiously straightening herself out as Hope Lupin beamed up at them and walked forward, "You must be Aiza, Remus told us all about you."

She then pulled Aiza into a hug and Remus smiled at the shocked look on the girl's face. His mother let go of her and gave her the once over, "I'm so happy to see you're unhurt. We heard what happened at James' place. Just awful, but thankfully no fatal injuries I hear."

"And how are you feeling Mrs. Lupin?" Aiza asked eagerly, recovering from the motherly affection, in a tone of voice Remus hadn't even heard before.

Was she being…chipper?

"I'm much better today." Hope replied and winked at her son, he hated that she lied for him but there was something just so innocent about his mother that even when she fibbed it felt honest. "Thank you for the flowers, they were so beautiful."

"It was nothing." Aiza muttered, tucking a silky lock self-consciously behind her right ear.

"It was very considerate." Hope reached forward and squeezed Aiza's arm in gratitude. She then turned to Remus, "Darling, I don't mean to disturb you two. But I've just found out that Alphard Black passed away in that fire in London. Now I never know with you wizard folk and whether having the same surname means you're related or not, I know Black must be quite a common name, but your father says that it must surely be a relative of Sirius' and he can't remember if that was his father's name or an uncle?"

He glanced to his dad who was awkwardly staring as his wife spoke, "There's so many of them, and I never was a friend with that lot in school."

Remus nodded and turned to his mother, "Thank you. It's actually his uncle… his favourite uncle. I better go and find him; do you know if he's still here?"

"I saw him down that corridor a little while ago." Aiza held his hand and gestured towards a narrow corridor a little way away.

"You better go." His mother kissed him on the cheek, and he had never been more grateful for her in his entire life. Usually, she would fuss with him about going up to the wing and resting till his wound is healed but she obviously saw the seriousness of the situation.

Remus nodded at his dad in farewell and Lyall Lupin returned it curtly.

He tightened his hold on Aiza's hand as he approached the corridor.

He knew that Sirius would probably want to be alone, and he probably won't appreciate his friend's girlfriend's presence, but Remus couldn't leave her alone either.

Aiza was correct about Sirius' whereabouts. He found his friend leaning against the empty corridor wall, all alone and Remus hurried towards him.

"Padfoot, I just heard." He muttered as Sirius continued staring at the wall across from him, "I'm sorry mate."

Still no response.

"You look like you could do with some rest, why don't you stay at my place tonight. I'll get James as well." Remus looked around, sudden discomfort settling in as he just realized that he hadn't seen James as yet.

"Here." Aiza stepped forward and held a bottle out for Sirius. It was Danahagh whiskey, and it looked almost empty.

Sirius glanced away from the wall and at the drink; he swiped the bottle and swallowed the contents in one gulp.

Remus frowned; drinking was not the answer to this problem… not that Remus knew what the answer was but he knew it wasn't drinking. Especially in a hospital.

Sirius tossed the bottle aside and it clinked down the corridor.

Okay… that definitely wasn't allowed in a hospital and Remus walked over to pick up the bright green bottle.

"They've officially kicked me out." Sirius' voice was gruffer than usual, and Remus turned away from the bottle to look at his best friend, "They won't even let me go for the funeral."

"What? They can't do that?" Remus gasped as Aiza inspected Sirius' neck with a narrowed eye. It looked like he had been strangled.

"Well technically you can't stop someone from going to a funeral, but you can make it very difficult for them if they arrive." Aiza stepped away from perusing Sirius, "Where's James?"

Sirius straightened at that, as if just realising that his friend wasn't around and it perhaps was the best thing that Aiza could have said at the time because Sirius completely snapped out of it, his apathy replaced for furious concern.

"I don't know. I was looking for him and then… then…"

"James is okay." They turned to the feminine voice and found Mrs. Potter standing at the corridor entrance. Her eyes were glistening with tears, but she smiled at the trio of teens. Sirius and Aiza ducked their heads in shame and Remus mimicked them, even though he technically wasn't at the party that led to her house burning down. "And I am so happy to see you are too."

"We're so sorry Mrs. Potter." Aiza rushed towards her.

"Oh, hush now, I've been meaning to renovate, the most important thing is that you are all okay." Mrs. Potter walked forward, and Remus watched as she looked at Sirius whose head still hung in shame. She reached him and tilted his chin up with her finger, "You are okay?"

Sirius took a deep breath and straightened his shoulders and nodded.

"Now come, your parents wrote me from Italy, and you can stay with us Aiza. I just spoke to Hope and told her that you can come with us Remus, you were always planning on meeting the boys today. You lot had a long day and Charlus has booked into a lovely muggle hotel, and you need to get some sleep. Especially you Sirius, you have to be up early, we have a funeral to attend."

"Mrs. Potter… my father-"

"I know exactly what your father said Sirius. Cygnus Black will know better than to raise a harmful wand towards a son of mine." Remus couldn't help smiling at Mrs. Potter's words and linked his fingers with Aiza's as they followed the pair down the corridor.

"Where's James?" Remus asked the question mostly so Sirius could discreetly wipe the tears from his eyes, his friend was obviously moved by Mrs Potter's words as well.

"Right here." James walked towards them, grabbing Sirius about the shoulders, and ruffling his hair and winking at Remus in greeting. "I see Aiza hasn't killed you."

Remus smirked, hiding his worry at the burn paste on James' forearm and the decidedly… off… look in his eyes, "Don't sound so disappointed."

"True, it's still early in the day." Aiza swatted at James as the group of them made their way towards Mr. Potter who was talking to Remus' parents at the Floo Corridor.

"I'll be there in a minute." Sirius untangled himself from James, and Remus turned to see the boy make his way to a few people who were milling about at the reception desk.

"Is that Dean Logan?" Remus asked as Sirius singled out the boy and took him aside. "What's that about?"

James however didn't respond, his hazels eyes absorbed by the sheet of parchment in his hand.

"Prongs?"

James snapped his head up and pocketed the parchment, "Moony?"

Remus was about to gesture at Sirius talking to Logan but then shook his head.

James' mind was surely elsewhere, and Remus felt that the last thing his usually carefree best friend needed was more worries.

So instead, he slung a hand about his girlfriend and walked towards the floo, glancing at the almost empty reception area behind them.

It would seem that all of Remus' friends were indeed unhurt.

But they were far from okay.

A/N: As always, reviews are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Thank you for reading,

Kalina