Eye Of The Storm

8. Blast

1995: blast

a destructive wave of highly compressed air spreading outward from an explosion

The first night at 12 Grimmauld place, four people lied awake knowing entirely who's fault it was that the wind wouldn't stop pounding against the sides of the house.

That being Hermione Granger, who sent hidden glares Ollie's way in their shared bedroom. Ollie was laying down on her back, hands folded on her stomach and glaring at the ceiling. She couldn't get her heart to stop pounding, nor her stomach to stop coiling.

Sirius Black, who tossed and turned wondering if he should go yank Ollie from her bed, and explain himself.

And Fred Weasley, who was glaring at George for being able to sleep through the howling winds.

Finally, Ollie tore herself from her bed, accepting the inevitable that she wasn't sleep tonight and hurried downstairs. Hermione whispered a quiet 'thank you', flipped over and promptly let sleep over take her.

As Ollie distracted herself with a kettle, Sirius and Fred finally found it quiet enough to drift off to sleep meanwhile, Remus woke with a startling feeling in his chest.

He tiptoed down the stairs, acutely aware that Ollie would probably be able to sense him before he even really got a good look at her. Molly and Sirius had kept him at bay all evening, and then pulled him into the upstairs study when the kids eventually all went off to bed. So he was taking his chance when he had it.

"Olivia?"

The window above the sink slammed open and a violent gush of wind tore through the kitchen, banging pots and pans together as Ollie leapt forward to slam the window shut. Remus was quick to cast a muffling charm, and they both waited as the pots swayed to a stop.

"Lupin." Ollie replied, she waited until her hands stopped constricting with spasms before picking up her mug. "It's been a few years." She turned, leaning against the counter to take him in.

His face was scarred, looking near identical to hers despite them both earning them for different reasons. Remus was wearing a cardigan over his pajamas, and the hand that was wrapped around his wand shook in fear. Nothing new.

"You look just like-"

"I know who I look like." Ollie bit out, yanking a chair out to slam herself down into it. It teetered, as if it wanted to snap in half before relaxing.

"Right, my apologies." Remus breathed, helping himself to his own mug of tea before taking the seat across from her.

"I'm sorry." Remus rushed out, not yet having brought his tea to his lips.

Ollie slowly lowered her own mug, and accepted the fact that this conversation had to happen eventually and met his eyes.

"No, you aren't." Ollie whispered, pushing her tea away so she didn't shatter it in her grasp.

"I am, Ollie you don't understand." Remus bit out, his fists clenching but he quickly relaxed them. "There was a lot going on at the time."

"My parents trusted you to take care of me." Ollie pointed at him, the tremble in her finger stilled as Ollie took a deep breath. "They trusted both of you." She swore under her breath as the window squeaked in warning, trying to burst open again. To wrap her up in it's gusts of chill, she'd let it drag her out of the window if it meant she didn't have to talk to Remus anymore.

George, who was asleep right above the kitchen startled awake as his own window bent with the force of the winds. A hiss of a warning.

"I did everything I could." Remus argued, clenching his fists as he abandoned all efforts to drink his tea. He was loosing his control, with the full moon only two nights away he knew deep within himself he was making a mistake, but he pushed forward.