BLACK MOON ⍋ Remus Lupin

Chapter 143- A Rat.

The day of our city trip was here. I couldn't wait to see Sonny and be able to go back home and tell Remus he had nothing to worry about. That we could go anywhere to reconnect with friends, that we didn't have to stay in our little village all the time.

Time had passed. Sirius, though cryptic, seemed fine outside of the village and he's a Black just like me. Our mourning and danger ended with Regulus. I can imagine the death of Reggie caused a stir, we're a well off family, the death eaters would not risk another death connected to the Black Family. It would be unwise.

I felt so excited to prove that we could see our friends that we left behind once more. That maybe even Sirius could settle without the desire to run off every time he makes an appearance again. The village didn't have to feel claustrophobic, like a place you could never leave if you decide to rest in it.

Change was coming, I feel it.

"Merlin I missed all this noise!" Marlene beamed as we stepped foot into London.

Honestly, all of the noise felt like a shock to my system. I didn't feel the euphoria Marlene was feeling. I kind of wished I had Remus' hand to hold and ground me.

The bustling of busy people rushing here, there and everywhere felt tiresome just watching.

Perhaps the slow pace of a village suited me just as well as it did for Remus.

Marlene grabbed my hand and we began our journey towards Sonny and Dorcas. The excitement was pushing me through the discomfort of London after all this time.

We wandered for a while. One tube ride and several U-turns because of road closures later, we found ourselves near Anderson & Son...the book shop I re-met Remus at.

I lingered, pulling Marlene back so that I could stop and reminisce. A warm feeling spread through my cheeks, the feeling of a memory so exciting that my heart rate almost mimicked the pace of thumped to on that day.

A vision of Remus from that day flashed through my head. Soggy hair sticking to his face from the rain outside. A tea towel in the hands that went outside to clear a drain, soaked through. I remember he threw the towel into the back room, an almost scowl on his face from the discomfort of dripping over the wooden floors...until he saw me and his face relaxed; admittedly in what seemed to be shock.

"Hi." I could still hear him say. Unprepared and boyish despite a frame that I wasn't used to at the time, my first sight of him as a man.

Marlene snapped me out of my reminiscent state.

"Oh my- no way!" She whispered in a shouty tone and next thing I knew I was being pulled into a jog and around the corner.

"Marlene?!" I hissed, tugging my arm from hers a massaging my shoulder. She almost pulled my arm out of the socket.

"I just saw Sirius!" Marlene said her eyes wild with confusion.

"What?" I asked, scoffing.

"He ran from us! He saw us!" Marlene threw her hands on her hips and frantically looked around the odd interwoven alley way she led us to.

"You're seeing things because we aren't supposed to be here." I said.

"You're not supposed to be here, I'm not seeing things. He was here." She said trying to figure out which way to explore.

"Why would he run from us Marl?" I attempted as she began marching off down the direction she felt drawn towards.

Suddenly she halted almost stumbling back. I crashed into the back of her, so much so I thought perhaps I had winded the blonde.