Sunflowers & Hot Chocolate | Remus Lupin

secret's out

Artemis' PoV:
Once again, I was in the Room of Requirement with my best friend, lover and brother. James and I tried to convince the rest of the Marauders that we should finish the next step to becoming animagi as soon as possible - well, we ended up forcing them

"It's not that deep bro"

"Yes Missy, it is that deep" Remus turned to me with a concerned-but-helpless expression

"No it's not, we're so close, we just need to wait for another full moon" I explained but there was no use, Remus was still convinced becoming animagi was a bad idea

"If something happened to you, I could never forgive myself"

"Glad to know you think like that about us" James wiped away a fake tear, "I love you, bro"

Remus discreetly winked at me and I grinned cheesily; although the other day we both agreed on becoming official we still hadn't told anyone not even the boys.

"Oh no not the Artemis Black Grin" Sirius announced whilst trying to give me the stink eye

"Oh don't be so dramatic, Siri, we all know the grin is your thing" I chuckled

Suddenly, the door slammed shut and my laughter came to a halt as well as shivers crawling down my back.

"Sorry guys, just me" Pete said joyfully

"Merlin Pettigrew, you almost gave me a heart attack"

"Oh quit the dramatics Sirius" we all yelled in unison

As Pete walked toward us he was expressing some sort of guilt on his face

"Pete, you okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine James, I just..."

"You just what Peter?" Sirius butted in

"The girls have been talking and..." and we waited for Pettigrew to take a final breath, "and they think someone in this room's been hiding something from them"

All eyes were on Remus

"No, it's not him" Pete continued and in between James and Sirius, "It's something the three of us don't know"

"Just say it, Peter, for Merlin's sake just say it" I had enough

And it finally hit me, Pete and the girls knew.

"Remus and Missy, are you sleeping with each other?"

I choked. Remus blushed.

"Merlin's sake no Pete"

"So if you're not screwing my sister who are you screwing then, wolf-boy"

"Oh, Sirius stop. Rem isn't sleeping around, we're seeing each other"

"And we have been for five months" The room of requirement became colder than the dungeons after that

Remus scratched his head and continued with the map

"Bro you're not off the hook you know," Sirius said

"Siri you don't need to know every little thing going on in my life"

"I'm your twin brother and your best friend..."

"Debatable" James and Peter spoke in sync

"Oh boys" I shook my head

James took a breath, "So Moony and Missy then?" Rem and I nodded

***
"How long have you known?" I asked my friends during our free period

"Hello to you too, mate," Marls said

I repeated my question but no answer

"Missy honey, no one knows what you're talking about," Lily said sympathetically

"I have a clue" Ez spoke up, so once again I repeated my question

"March tenth" Alice replied softly

I close my copy of 'Magical Hieroglyphs and Logograms' and take the quill from behind my ear, "You've known for three months and I'm only just finding this out now?"

The girls all nodded simultaneously.

"Mis I don't understand why you didn't just tell us in there first place"

"I was scared okay" I belted, "I was scared for my mother to know. Hell, I was scared to tell my own two brothers. I didn't want it to come out"

"Love you're speaking in the past tense, what do you think and feel now?"

"What I think is that if my mother knew I would get beaten" I repeated the last word again

"And what do you feel?"

"I love him" I saw the girls' faces glow in awe after that moment

"I love you too, Artemis" Remus must've been in the room for a while without me noticing because I never heard him come in unless he had the cloak. That's it, he had the map.

"How long has he been here?" Alice whispered to Lily but Lily just shrugged

As I lie in bed snuggled with my boyfriend I review the day before me, no more secrets we were free.