Harry Potter Oneshots

Chocolate Hearts (Remus Lupin)

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This is a rewrite, you can find the original in my bonus book.

This is not going to be revolving around Remus the whole time. In the beginning, there's none of him for quite a bit and I'm sorry. Just bear with me because it had to be this way. The story had to be at a certain point before I could drop our lovely Moony in.

...

I was in what seemed to be a dark forest. The 'trees' were pretty much just thin, black columns that rose into the sky but I didn't dwell on that. I knew something was chasing me as I leaped over obstacles and twisted around trees. The snarling and rustling got louder but every time I glanced back the thing wasn't in my line of sight.

My panicked breathing and thumping heartbeat almost drowned out the sound of the thing behind me but not enough. I had to stay ahead of the thing, no matter what, but it was definitely faster than me and I was just buying myself a few extra minutes before the inevitable pain I would feel when it caught me.

I tripped when a root hooked itself around my foot and I crashed into the mud and leaves that lined the forest floor. The filth smeared across my cheek as I turned and looked up, briefly seeing the root that had caused my fall. I pushed myself up but the mud slid beneath me and I sunk into it further. I spotted a branch, the only one on any of the trees, and reached out for it but it was just out of reach.

I squeezed my eyes shut as the thing came out of the undergrowth behind me, breathing loudly and growling softly. A scream ripped its way out of my throat as I heard the thing pause then launch itself forward, sending leaves and dirt flying in all directions as it -

"Honey? Breakfast time!" 

I jerked upwards as the sudden sound split through the terror I felt. I blinked and took rapid, shuddering breaths as the realization that I'd been dreaming dawned on me. I gave myself a shake and called, "All right! I'm coming!

I dropped back onto my bed and covered my face with my pillow and groaned into it, knowing just how early it was on a Saturday morning in the summer. Why couldn't I just sleep in? I lay face-down but threw aside my pillow a few minutes later. I swung my legs off the bed and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes as I got up and left my bedroom, pulling the door shut behind me.

I stomped down the stairs and turned into the kitchen, taking in the normal yet chaotic sight that greeted me as I yawned and moved forward to slip into my seat. Dad was wrestling Carina, a little and demanding five-year-old, into a chair while Mum stacked slices of toast onto a plate. Jasmine, the family owl, was swooping around the table in hopes of snatching some type of food but, when I called for her, she drifted down to my shoulder and hooted sadly in my ear as if her life was the most unfair thing in the world.

I waited for Mum and Dad to be ready before dishing up my plate. I poured a glass of orange juice for Carina when she demanded it and, as I passed it to her, I noticed the worried glances that Mum was sending Dad in a way that suggested that something bad was happening or going to happen.

I frowned as I noted that something was wrong. I looked to Dad then turned to Mum for any hint but she caught me watching and she sighed, "Honey..."

"Yes?" I asked hesitantly, worried she was about to tell me she'd killed someone or something.

She hesitated briefly then breathed out another sigh as she reached into her pocket to pull out a crisp and slightly yellowed envelope. She scanned the outside of it then handed it off to me, looking away as she did.