Selene || Remus Lupin

Ch. 87 - Looking Back and Looking Forward

July 5, 1993

"Remus, I really think perhaps you and I should just take the year off and go somewhere fun. We could spend the year in a beachside cottage somewhere, or maybe we go international, take a trip to America, perhaps?"

Remus Lupin set down his coffee mug on the counter, staring at his best friend, Selene Black, with a deadpan face. "Selene, you and I have taken a trip to America, and I don't think I need to remind you how that went."

Selene shrugged, tossing her silvery hair over her shoulder. "Okay, but it could be so much better this time. Besides, we don't have to go back to New York. I hear people say that the west coast of America is quite pleasant."

Remus shook his head. "We can't run from our problems, Selene."

"Who said anything about running?" she asked innocently. "We're vacationing. People do it all the time."

"For some reason, I don't think we're 'vacationing' kind of people," Remus said, his eyebrows raised. "What's got you bringing this up all of the sudden, anyways?"

Selene gave him a look. "Have you seen the headline today?"

She stood up from her seat at the counter, striding past him and disappearing into the living room. She was only gone for a few seconds before she returned, holding that morning's edition of the Daily Prophet.

She tossed it onto the counter in front of him before returning to her seat. "Read the headline," she said, huffing slightly.

Remus' eyes scanned the paper.

"SELENE BLACK, WIFE TO MASS-MURDERER SIRIUS BLACK, CALLED IN FOR QUESTIONING AT THE MINISTRY"

He pressed his lips together tightly.

"As if everyone needed a reminder of who I am and who I'm married to," Selene said darkly, glaring at the paper in Remus' hands. "If only they knew the truth, if only they knew that I'd had no choice –"

"Selene."

She fell silent, staring at Remus.

He sighed. "This – this is just a fact of our lives right now. We'll – we'll get through this."

"Not before they ruin my reputation – once again," she said angrily. "I don't know what they expect to hear from me anyways! I don't know anything new!" She pursed her lips. "I didn't know anything the first go around. That was the whole point."

Remus frowned, moving to the other side of the counter and wrapping an arm around Selene's shoulders. "I'm sorry, Selene. I – I wish I could somehow make this easier for you."

Selene chuckled darkly. "It would have been easier if I could have married you instead."

Remus didn't have anything to say to that. What could he say, anyways? It was just wishful thinking.

Just as he was trying to muster a response other than 'I wish you'd married me instead, too,' a knock on the door caught both of their attentions.

Selene's face was immediately strained. "Oh Merlin, they've come for me!" she whispered, clutching on to Remus' arm like a vice.

"Relax, Sel, it could be anyone," he said, though his heart had seized in his chest with a panic. "I'll answer the door."

"No, don't!" she squeaked, but Remus had already made it to the door, turning the knob and pulling it open.

"Ah, Mr. Lupin, just who I was hoping to speak with."

Remus blinked. "Prof – Professor Dumbledore?"

Selene came up behind Remus, standing on tiptoe to peer over his shoulder.