The Marriage Law // Remus Lupin

xi. linger like a tattoo kiss

Aurora walked back into her flat, trying to carry three shopping bags without them breaking. It surprisingly took a lot of effort.

After about ten tries, Aurora had finally done it. The bags were all now sitting on the island counter, waiting for her to unload them. Because that was going to happen anytime soon.

"You know Rory, if you don't put those away, they might go off," Aurora turned around and saw Benjy Fenwick sat on her sofa, with the tv on, and his feet resting on her coffee table.

"Shut up Benjy," She grumbled, annoyed that now she really has no excuse to not put the food away.

"I really thought that I would have scared you that time," Benjy complained. It had been Benjy's life goal to scare Aurora ever since he found out that she was practically unscareable.

"Try harder," She said and got to work unloading the bags.

Benjy huffed and got his lazy ass off of the sofa and came to help her. "I would at least like an excited greeting you know. I haven't seen you for over a month and not even a 'Hi Benjy, how are you?', well I'm fine thanks for asking, 'did you find out who you have to marry?', yes, and he is wonderful," Benjy rambled on, his voice getting higher when he tried to impersonate Aurora.

All Aurora did though, was stare at her friend as if he went crazy. "The more you keep doing that, the less inclined I will feel to actually ask you,"

"Sometimes I wonder why we're friends,"

"We're friends because you wouldn't leave me alone, and I came to tolerate you,"

"Harsh," Benjy pouted.

"You'll recover," Aurora said, a faint smile playing on her lips. "So, how is he then?"

Benjy's face lit up at the mention of his soulmate. "He is amazing, and his name is Caradoc," Aurora smiled at her friend, happy that he's allowed to marry a man in the Wizarding World. It wasn't legal in the muggle world.

"I'm really happy for you, you know," Aurora nudged his shoulder with her own. "I know I don't say it a lot, but you deserve to be happy,"

Benjy smiled at her. "I think that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me,"

Aurora snorted. "Don't get used to it Fenwick,"

"Wasn't going to, Sullivan,"

"So," Aurora said.

"So," Benjy echoed, wiggling his eyebrows up and down. "You going to tell me who yours is?"

Aurora groaned and rested her face in her hands, letting out mumbles of curses in Russian.

"Come on Roro,"

"I'll tell you if you never use that nickname ever again,"

"I don't know, I kind of like it,"

"You won't be invited to the wedding,"

Benjy pouted at her, disappointed to get rid of the nickname. "Fine. It had a good run,"

Aurora laughed "No, it did not," Benjy smiled at her, waving his hand gesturing for her to continue. "Ugh, I'm marrying Remus,"

"What?!" Benjy exclaimed, jumping so high into the air.

"You heard me," Aurora said, grumbling.

"Yeah, but I mean, what? How the hell is it Remus?"

"Beats me," She shrugged and moved to sit down on the sofa.

"Huh," Benjy said. "So that's why you have a letter from Remus on your table?"

Aurora looked over at the table that Benjy previously had his feet on. Right in the middle was a letter from Remus that he had sent earlier that day. Aurora didn't really want to open it though, because their last exchange was confusing and weird.

"Yeah," Aurora sighed. "I kinda did something strange,"

"You always do something strange," Benjy commented, causing Aurora to glare at him.

"Anyway. I yelled at him two days ago, and then helped him the next morning,"

"Okay...? I don't get it. Did you apologise to him?"

"No, and now he's going to think I care," She buried her face into her hands, frustrated with herself.

"I highly doubt that Ro,"

"Har har. Seriously though," Aurora whined. "You have to help me,"

Benjy sighed at the girl in front of him. She had never cared what other people thought, but now she cared what Remus thought. "Oh. My. God,"

"What?"

"You like him! You fancy Remus Lupin!"

"What?! No I do not. I will never like Remus Lupin. Never," She defended herself, but all Benjy did was raise a questioning eyebrow that sent him stammering for more excuses.

"Whatever you say Sullivan," Benjy grinned and sat down on the sofa next to her. "What's on the tv?"

"Shut up Benjy," Aurora grumbled at her friend and then reluctantly picked up the remote.

----

Remus had sent a letter to Aurora asking to talk three days ago. He wasn't sure why she wasn't replying, but it had caused him to spiral into a pit of worry.

He had been flipping through the beginning pages of Aurora's journal religiously, wondering why there had been a painting of him in there. He hadn't dared to go further through it, unsure of what he might find. Remus knew that he was building it up in his head, there were pictures of so many people in here! So why would his being in there be any different?

Remus sighed. He knew why he thought it was different. Because there were none of his friends in there, apart from the recent one of Lily, and she claimed to hate him.

So there Remus was, sat on the edge of his bed in the Potters' house, starting to go mad because of Aurora Sullivan.

"Hey," A voice spoke out, that made him jump, the voice was immediately followed by laughter. Remus looked up to see who it was, and was greeted with Lois leaning against the entryway of his door, and a grin on her face.

"I did knock," She said, but Remus didn't respond, he just continued to stare at her.

"Your sister is confusing," He finally said after a few minutes. Lois snorted, knowing just how difficult her sister could be.

"Tell me about it," She smiled and moved to sit next to him. "What's confusing you?"

Remus groaned, rethinking the events of the previous days. "Well for one, she shouted at me - seemed really angry by the way - and then she healed me?"

Lois was quiet after that, thinking about what her twin's thought process could possibly have been. "Do you know why she was there?"

"Lily said that she said she was worried," He sighed.

"Oh...," Lois flopped backwards now staring up at the blank ceiling. "That's not so bad," Remus looked at his friend, wanting her to expand. "Well Remus," Lois sat back up and poked the boy in the ribs. "It shows she actually cares about what happens to you,"

Remus groaned again. "But that doesn't explain why. She hates me!"

"Does she?" Lois raised her eyebrow, not believing him. "When was the last time she told you that?"

Remus thought about it. He knew she hadn't said it recently. "I- I'm not sure,"

"See? Now you know that it could just be intense dislike," She grinned.

"Because that's so much better," He grumbled.