Fully Booked - Remus Lupin

001 - turmoil

I sat on the balcony of the small motel and stared down at the pool below.  The moonlight gleamed on the water, rippling with the flow of the pool.  On the other side of the iron fence, cars drove by, lights dancing as they go.  I leaned against the railing of the balcony with a sad sigh.  It was hard to believe that life had really come to this.  My family was living out of a cheap muggle hotel to hide, and it was all my fault.  If I hadn't been born a witch, my family wouldn't be as much of a target.

Every so often, I would get ahold of a copy of the Daily Prophet and pray that I didn't see the names of my friends in it.  Unfortunately I have recognized far too many of the names of the deceased.  Thus this living situation.  We had been living at muggle motels and campsites all summer.  My parents even talked about moving to the states.

"Tessa?"  My mother came out onto the balcony and sat beside me.

"So did you and dad decide?"  I asked, hugging my knees close to my chest.

"Yes, sweetheart.  We have."  Mom slumped slightly in her chair, looking defeated.  "We're going to let you go to school.  We have received many promises of your safety from Dumbledore and many other members of staff.  We, however, once you go back to school that is...  We're going to move to America.  It's what's safest for Will."

Will was my little brother.  He had started to resent me recently for being a witch.  He was a twelve year old muggle kid that had been ripped from his life to flee because of me.

"That's good.  I hope he'll be happy there.  He deserves it."  I felt a little sad that we would all be so far apart, but I knew it was better this way.

"You will write to me often?"  She patted my hair soothingly, and I leaned into her touch.

"So much that the neighbors will think you have an owl sanctuary."  I joked, earning a chuckle from her.

"I might have to start one as a cover."  I looked over to see tears shining in her eyes. 

"Mom, everything's going to be okay."  I hugged her tightly, hoping with every once of me that that was the truth.

"Just promise me, you'll work hard, and be safe."  She pulled back to look into my eyes.

"I will.  Promise."

~~~~~~~

The next week my parents dropped me off five blocks from the train station.  The both hugged me goodbye in a random parking lot, mom crying freely and dad clearing his throat often.  We all know that there's no way I would be able to come home for Christmas.  I wouldn't see them again until June.

"Bye Will."  I offered a hand for him to shake, but he surprised me by pulling me into a hug.

"Don't die."  He muttered in my ear.

"You either," I retorted.

I watched as my family drove away to the muggle airport to begin their new lives as I returned to mine.  I carried my backpack over my shoulder, grateful for the extension charm on it as I approach the station.  I kept my wand up my sleeve and my eyes on the move as I approached the platform.  I noticed several other small groups nervously making their way through the station as well.

However, I also noticed a large amount of strangely dressed men and women meandering about.  If I had to guess, I would say they were aurors, attempting to blend with the muggles.  They weren't very good at it, but I guessed a pureblood death eater wouldn't realize the difference.

I slipped through the wall between platforms nine and ten, entering the enchanted one.  Here the aurors were in full wizard garb, not needing to hide.  They watched as the students said their hushed goodbyes and climbed onto the train.  I remembered when this used to be a loud affair.  Students calling out to friends and parents shouting at their children.  It's eerie how quiet it was in comparison.