Selene || Remus Lupin

Ch. 18 - An Unexpected Letter

Selene was glad to have arrived back to the Burrow the following morning, completely exhausted from the events of the night before. As soon as they had walked onto the front lawn of the Weasleys' home, Molly ran out, frantically rushing to meet them.

"Arthur – I've been so worried – so worried—"

She embraced her husband tightly, throwing a newspaper that she had had in her hand to the ground.

"You're all right," Mrs. Weasley muttered, "you're alive... Oh boys..."

She abandoned her husband so that she could fling her arms around the twins' necks, knocking their heads together. Selene held back a smile. No matter how hard she was on them, Molly Weasley loved her children.

"Ouch! Mum – you're strangling us—"

"I shouted at you before you left!" Molly sobbed. "It's all I've been thinking about! What if You-Know-Who had got you, and the last thing I ever said to you was that you didn't get enough O.W.L.s? Oh Fred... George..."

"Come on, now, Molly, we're all perfectly okay," Arthur said soothingly, leading her away from the twins and towards the house. "Bill," he added quietly, so that his wife couldn't hear, "pick up that paper, I want to see what it says..."

They all ushered into the house, and Selene sank into a kitchen chair as soon as they had made it in. There was a hustle and bustle of chatter as they crowded into the house, but Selene's exhaustion drowned out their conversations. She had had enough excitement for the year in a single night. She was tired.

"Selene," Molly said hesitantly, breaking Selene out of her reverie. "You've had a letter while you've been gone."

By the look on her face, Selene immediately grew concerned. Had Sirius written her? Had Molly seen his name and realized that Selene was in contact with her criminal husband?

Selene's heart froze when she saw the name on the letter that Molly pushed into her hand.

Scrawled neatly on the front of it was merely Selene Black, but Selene recognized the handwriting at once. She tore it open without a word to Molly, completely unconcerned that the older woman was eyeing her curiously.

My Dearest Selene,

I know that I shouldn't be writing to you, but I couldn't help but indulge myself a little.

I've found a small cottage in Yorkshire, and it's done well enough while I've been looking for a job. It hasn't been very easy. The news of my condition has spread rapidly, so I've been working the odd Muggle job here and there. I suppose it's not been too bad, but they're never very happy when I have to be out for the full moon, so that's led me to jump around a bit.

I hope you've had a nice summer. I expect you've been writing Harry and Sirius both pretty often. I've heard from Sirius that you even got back in touch with the Weasleys; I'm sure that's made you happy.

I hope you won't be angry with me for long, and I hope that one day we'll be friends again. I miss you more than anything.

The truth is, I am a wreck without you.

I know that the decision I made was the right one, but I can't help but wish I was back with you, in your arms. I know that in the end, however, you are much better off without me, and some day, you will realize that too. Even so, I find myself wishing that I had never become a werewolf, and all would be well for you and me.

I don't expect you to write back, but if you did, I would welcome it. The temptation to be even that close to you is too great.

Yours completely,