1982 | Remus Lupin

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

"What?!" Romy exclaimed, jumping up from her place on the sofa. It wasn't long after that she had started pacing the floor, her mind racing a million miles per minute, "what the hell do you mean he offered me a job?!"

"Romy don't think I haven't noticed the millions of books you have penned by Newt Scamander. I know you have tried to hide them before, but I see them collecting dust. Also, you may think I didn't remember you in school, but you were top of the class in Care of Magical Creatures. I know it...so does Dumbledore, you passed the N.E.W.Ts with flying colours!" she was barely listening to a word he said, she left the wizarding world for a reason...she couldn't just go back.

"Why did he offer me a job?" she asked, "it doesn't make sense, what job did he offer you?!"

"Defence – and that doesn't matter, the reason is that I told him to think about you as a potential Professor!" her eyes widened. Her pacing hadn't stopped, and Remus wondered if he had to stop her, "I thought this would be good. We have a few weeks to accept the offers."

"So, I just leave?" asked Romy, "I have a job...at the café. I have a life and a flat and what about Penny and Moony!"

"Well, you can write to Penny and you will get sleeping quarters at Hogwarts...and Moony will be joining us. I made sure of that!" he was grinning, she could tell he wanted this, but she hadn't practised magic in years. She had barely picked up her wand, she wasn't even sure she could still perform magic, especially not to the standard of a Professor.

She hadn't been in the company of any animals since she last left Hogwarts, which wasn't her plan. She planned to travel...to see the world, to discover species and to finally open up the first magical zoo and to let the animals roam free and so she could care for them and allow the Wizarding World of all ages to see how wonderful so many creatures were.

"Remus..." she trailed off, finally stopping the pacing, "I just-"

"You don't need to respond right now; I know this is sudden. Romy, believe me, it took me the better part of a week to comprehend what he was saying. But it was staying at the castle that reminded me of why I loved it so much. It was the reason that made me excited to go back.

I thought as soon as I walked down those halls, I would be reminded of all I lost. I thought I would only think of my friends, and the pain I felt with the memories that overwhelmed me. Believe me, the memories were painful at times, but it was good. I remembered what I loved about magic, I used my wand, I stood at the front of a classroom and performed spells!"

"What about your parents' house, I thought I was to help you clean it?" she asked, "do you still want that."

"Well, yes but we have all the time in the world to do that!" he exclaimed, standing from his place, "think of how wonderful it would be to go back. I don't want to leave you here alone Romy, so if you don't want to go back then I am not going either!"

"Remus, you can't give up on this just for me," she whispered, "please don't. I need time to think, of course, but if I say no, I fully expect you to take up this opportunity. You can write to me...visit me next summer-"

"No, Romy. No." He shook his head, "I can't do this without you. I can't go without you; it wouldn't be the same. The entire time I was away to visit all I could think of is how much I wanted you there. I wanted to see you, I wanted to share this with you. If you aren't there it wouldn't be worth it for me to be there because you're the only thing in my life right now that brings me happiness!"

"I agree with that Remus, but this is your career." She patted his chest that was covered in a cotton jumper, she could already tell that just a few weeks away at Hogwarts had changed him into a much happier person. Magic had changed him back into a happier person, "this is your future."

"No, Romy. You're my family, we are best friends," he grabbed her arm and pulled her into a hug, "we both know fine well that we are each other's futures. I can find a job here, if it's not what you want then I don't care."

She had so much to resent about magic, so much hatred bubbling in her. Remus lost a lot during the war but Merlin so did she. She lost everything about herself that made her happy. The resentment she felt towards magic was such a horrible pain there had been times she wished not to live. She could hardly bear the pain that the war had left her with.

She wanted to be with what she had lost, but instead of death, she decided to rip the magic from her life. It helped. To ignore that magic even existed and to live blissfully unaware as a muggle had helped since the war had ended. The cuts she had within her had still do heal, they were fresh and scarring and she wasn't sure if they would ever fully heal.

"Please, Romy...just think about it." He tightened his arms around her, stroking her hair gently. He truly meant it when he said that she was his family. She had pulled him from the darkest moments in his life, he had gone through more than she knew and she managed to pull the pieces of him back together.

She thought the same about him. She felt as though she could trust Remus with every fibre of her being, and with that in mind, she breathed a heavy sigh and pulled away from him. She made her way towards the very small kitchen of her flat and filled up the stovetop kettle with water whilst he watched her from his place in the middle of her living room.

"What are you doing?" he asked, curious of her random need to make tea, "I'll make us tea, Romy. You always say you like mine more!"

She let out a small laugh, "we need tea, we need tea very much right now."

"Why?"

"Because..." she grabbed two cups, "because I'm going to tell you what happened to my parents."