Rose Petals ✿ Remus Lupin - Discontinued :(

Chapter 16

Belle wasn't stupid.

Something was wrong with Remus, what that was she didn't know, but something wasn't right with him. He often came back harmed, tired, and terribly quiet. He wasn't the Remus Belle knew; he was someone entirely different. She had vowed to find out was wrong with Remus long before and had accepted the fact that he didn't want to talk about it, but she was beginning to grow concerned. She knew he couldn't tell her, but that fact just made her more nervous. Was a professor hurting him? Was a student hurting him? The boys also had the same suspicion but were far less subtle than Belle was. They boys constantly pestered their friend to find out and she was sure Remus would eventually tell them from annoyance.

Since Christmas, the friends were all together again, and Lily couldn't be happier. She loved seeing Belle talk and joke with everyone. Everyone in their close group had listened to Belle talk about her mother's death and had all been there to comfort her when she cried. Belle felt more light than ever, as if she were walking on clouds, and even though she knew she was moving on from her mothers' death, she was okay with that. Alexandra was right, it felt a whole lot better to talk about it.

The death of her mother still came into Belle's mind every once and a while, but every time it did, she reminded herself of the happy memories she and her mother shared and how her mother would've wanted her to make more happy memories at Hogwarts. Everyone in the castle knew not to mention her mother, not because Belle would break down, but she would definitely loose her temper.

A Slytherin recently made a snide comment about Belle's mother in passing, and Belle had dropped all of her books and back-handed the boy in the face causing him to fall over. She was set off with a warning for her first ever offense by Professor Slughorn who had witnessed the attack. The boys however did not let this comment slide so easily and made the Slytherin group their latest target. They've yet to let up on the pranks and the teasing.

Belle and her friends were spending their Saturday outside, under a large oak tree by the Black Lake. Sirius, Rose, and Remus had been throwing stones to see how far they could throw them and Lily was off with Serverus somewhere. Peter sat watching the three throw pebbles, the two talking and laughing together as if no-one else was around. James and Eileen were off practicing Quidditch with the rest of their team as they did most days. That left Belle to read. She had a book curled up in her lap, her hair up in a very messy bun and dressed in sweats. She had also brought a blanket out as the snow had gone away but the constant cold did not. Every one of the group present were bundled up in layers upon layers, but Belle brought the blanket just to rub it in their faces.

"Oi, Belle!" Sirius called from where he stood by the water.

"What?" She called back.

"Can I have your blanket?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"I want it."

"You've been hogging it!"

"It's my blanket!" She retorted, laughing.

"So?!"

Remus watched the two bicker, squinting as Belle smiled at Sirius' response. The two were quite perfect together, he had to admit. He was almost positive they'd end up together as would Lily and James, Eileen and Peter, and Rose with whoever she loved in the future. He would end up alone, dreading the large figure in the sky that would make him not him.

"Remus, you okay?" Belle called, noticing the look of despair.

"Oh-yea. Just cold."

Belle grinned, unraveling herself from the blanket and opening one side, inviting him to sit next to her. A slight hint of a smile dusted across his face as he went to sit with her. He wrapped the side of the blanket around himself, the significant amount of body heat making him instantly warmer.