A Timeless Evil

Chapter 7

Loving someone is difficult. It's why in the stories they never go beyond the moment the two truly let themselves be together. It almost always ends with and they lived happily ever after. What those writers don't tell you, is that's when the true story begins. Yes, it may be hard for two people to bring themselves together. But staying together? That's the hard part.

To be around someone that much everyday is bound to cause problems. Arguments over the smallest things suddenly have that much more importance. Then add that they are completely and utterly in love with each other? Well, that just makes it all the more interesting. It's those feelings that drive you to do crazy things. You keep secrets, lie, all in the name of love. That you were only doing it to protect them. It was very rarely that the other person would actually see it that way though.

This is the situation Remus Lupin found himself in.

No one could deny that Remus was in love with Amelia Stryker. Ever since he had first laid eyes on the girl he knew that she would be his undoing. Though it had never occurred to him that he could've been hers.

Remus was never good at keeping secrets. All his life he had been forced to keep a terrible secret, and he vowed to kept the amount of secrets he had to a minimum. Until he met Amelia. Then He slowly began to realize the allure. To keep the ones you love from pain, if only for a little bit, seemed worth it.

It was now though, that Remus would have to face the aftermath of this secret he had promised to keep. You see, there had been a reason Remus was so surprised to have Amelia walk into his classroom last year. Because he had seen her before.

16 years ago, when she was 18 years old.

Amelia Stryker had found her way to Hogwarts on his final year and managed to throw his entire world upside down. Then she was gone. gone for almost two decades when she reappeared in his life. When she did however, she was younger and had no memory of who he was. Remus had almost thought that it could've been her daughter. The idea of Amelia leaving and eventually moving on, while painful, seemed more appealing then what he was currently faced with. It was that smell and all too familiar shock that rushed through their fingertips that he was unable to deny. It was her. Oh god it was her.

He remembered after she left his classroom that first day how he rushed to Dumbledore's office. The door had slammed open and hit the wall with a loud boom. Albus seemed to not notice.

"Hello Remus."

"What kind of sick game is this?" he growled. 16 years of his life he had spent alone without his mate. Everyday he prayed that it would be the day they'd reunite, remembering the words she parted him with. When we see each other again I'm yours. And I'll never leave you again.

But she wasn't his. She was 17 and a student. His student.

"I see you've reacquainted yourself with Miss Stryker." Albus said fondly, waving his hand to pour a second cup of tea. Remus shook his head "No, that is not Miss Stryker. That's not my Amelia! Amelia is- she's supposed-"

"To be a 34 year old woman?" The headmaster questioned. "Not my student" he finished. Albus scoffed lightly "And she isn't. She's a teacher's aid. There to help you in your classes."

"That doesn't excuse that fact that she is a student. I'm in a position of authority over her. If this is truly when she first meets me then does that mean I.." groomed her. Remus couldn't bring himself to say the words. If he had done so then he truly was a monster. One far worse then even he imagined himself.

The headmaster gestured for him to sit. "Remus, she is 17. She is an adult in the eyes of the ministry. I am also aware of the attachment you have with her. Did you truly think I'd ask you on to become a professor if I didn't think you'd treat her with nothing but the upmost respect?"