RISE OF THE FALL | R.B.

XLI.

Disclaimer: The Harry Potter World belongs to J.K. Rowling.

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CHAPTER XLI.

"So," Remus said, as he and Reia both sat down in her room.

"Hmm?" Reia asked, still thinking about where she was going to go and what she was going to do between now and when she gets her N.E.W.T. results.

She had no side to fight for like her brother.

Remus had graduated Hogwarts knowing that he'd fight for Dumbledore almost immediately after, and then he'd been offered what he wanted.

Reia had graduated knowing that she wasn't going to bow down to the Dark Lord.

That was it.

But while she wasn't going to become a Death Eater, she hadn't been invited to fight for Dumbledore either, so Reia felt like she was stuck in between, not sure which way to go.

She wanted to fight beside her brother—she wanted to fight against the Dark Lord.

But she supposed that not everybody got everything they wanted.

"Hey," Remus said, snapping her out of her thoughts, "You zoned out a bit. You alright?"

"Yeah," Reia said quietly, getting up and turning away—not because she didn't want to see her brother, but because her eyes were tearing up and she didn't want her brother to see that.

"What's wrong?"

"Everything," Reia shook her head, "I don't have anywhere I can go."

There was a moment of silence, where neither of the siblings spoke.

"You can stay here, with mother and father," Remus suggested, though Reia detected some guilt in his tone, "They'd love to have you around."

"Sure they would," Reia scoffed, "I'd just be sitting here, being unhappy. I don't exactly want to do that, Remus."

Remus very well knew that she didn't want to sit around at home while everybody else around her was fighting.

Over the past year, even Lyall Lupin had joined Dumbledore, though he attended meetings only when he could and went on less missions that the others, mostly because he wanted to stay with Hope and keep her safe.

Reia didn't know that particular detail, but Remus did.

"What do you want to do, then?" Remus asked.

"I want to fight, Remus, I want to fight for Dumbledore!" Reia cried out, "But I can't, because I'm a Slytherin—because I'm friends with Regulus and Lucius and Narcissa and Josie! I can't, because of the colour I wear, because of my House! And apparently, all Slytherins just are all Death Eaters. Some of us just want to get through our education, you know, without being snapped at by people for something as small as the emblem on our robes!"

Remus didn't speak for a long moment, as though he was soaking up her words.

Finally, he said quietly, "I'll talk to Dumbledore for you."

"You don't have to do that, you know," Reia said, crossing her arms stubbornly, even though inside, she wanted Remus to do exactly that, "If he doesn't want me to fight for him, then so be it."

Remus replied with a slightly exasperated sigh, "It's not like there's much else for you to do if I don't—,"

"How did you go with your N.E.W.T exams, Remus?" Reia asked abruptly, sitting back down and cutting him off rather pointedly.

She didn't want to hear him say it.

She knew it was true, but she didn't want Remus to tell her that she had nothing else to do other than stay with her parents at home.

"Okay, sorry," Remus muttered, before he answered her question, "I did well, actually. How about you?"

"Haven't gotten my results yet," Reia answered with a shrug as she absently glanced around her brother's room.

It didn't appear like he'd been staying here recently—she assumed that he'd stayed with his friends.

There was a moment of silence between them.

"I saw you kissing him, you know."

Reia suddenly sat up straight and said, "I have no idea what you're talking about." She avoided her brother's gaze and turned her eyes to her lap.

"Reia."

"Hmm?"

"Don't play dumb, I saw you kissing him—Sirius' brother, right?"

"Regulus Black, yeah."

"Isn't he a Death Eater?" Remus asked with a frown, "Isn't he dangerous?"

"Look, Rem," Reia said with a sigh, "I love you and all, but you're not his best friend, or his girlfriend, and you don't know him."

"You're his girlfriend?" Remus asked, his eyes widening, "I thought you were just kissing him!"

"Well, I can kiss him and I can also be his girlfriend, you know?" Reia said, raising her eyebrows.

"That's not what I meant—,"

"I know what you meant," Reia cut him off, "And I'm just saying, you're not his best friend and you haven't known him for seven years, so you don't know what sort of person he is."

"I'm best friends with his brother, though—Sirius is one of my best friends. And he says that Regulus has been obsessed with Voldemort since he was little. I don't know, Reia...but there are better people to be around." Remus said, biting his lip, looking genuinely worried for Reia's safety.

"People change, Remus." Reia told him, "And Sirius hasn't exactly talked to Regulus recently, has he?"

"Well, not that I know of, but—,"

"Remus, I'll be fine," Reia waved him off, "Don't worry about me."

"But I do, Reia. Because I love you, and you're my little sister, and I don't want you getting hurt," He said, sounding sincere and a bit upset.

Reia softened at that.

"I can protect myself," She assured him softly, "I'll be fine, Rem. And I love you too."

***

At the next Order meeting, Remus approached Dumbledore.

"Professor," Remus called out, successfully catching Dumbledore's attention.

The room was still empty, as there was still fifteen minutes until the meeting and most of the other Order members were enjoying the afternoon tea that James' mother had prepared for them.

"Ah, Mr. Lupin," Dumbledore said, a twinkle in his eye, as though he already knew what Remus was going to ask, "What would you like to speak to me about?"

Remus took a deep breath and exhaled, "It's about my sister."

Author's Note:

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter; vote and comment to let me know if you did!

Remus doesn't lie, does he? ;)

Anyway, the First Wizarding War is really gonna start to happen soon, so brace yourselves!

-lilia