Trapped In Time: Love's Secrets

Chapter Fourteen

Thursday morning was another grey one, but you could just see the sun working under the thick fluffy blanket of cloud attempting to burn it all away. Moss was rapping on his cage bars, annoyed that his human had once again slept in. Realizing the time and feeling a thrill of nervous excitement in her stomach, Shannon jumped out of bed, fed Moss, put on something flattering, tied up her hair, washed her face, brushed her teeth and popped out the door, hopping she hadn’t missed Remus.

She knew she shouldn’t be doing this, she knew she couldn’t interrupt the storyline or fate, or whatever you wanted to call it. That thought had kept her up most of the night making her feel guilty and selfish for even considering it. But then, it was years before Remus was supposed to fall in love with Tonks and they had this school year together and who was she kidding? Even if she did flirt with him a little, it didn’t mean either of them would develop serious feelings. A little harmless flirting never hurt anyone, right? Even then, Shannon mused, it’s not like her brand of flirting ever got her anywhere!

Opening the staff room door and lost in those same thoughts, she was surprised to see the man himself sitting in one of the low armchairs reading the paper. He looked up when she walked in and smiled, “well I’m glad I’m not the only one who sleeps in around here.”

“You can’t have slept in as badly as I have, since you’re here” Shannon grinned back “I have no excuse; I basically just have to walk across the hall.” Sitting on the end of a chair across from him, she noticed the article about Sirius Black on the front of the paper.

“Oh, is that where you are” Remus started but then realized it was saying too much; he followed her gaze to the front of the paper. Seeing the old picture of what used to be one of his best friends and the artist’s sketch of what he would look like now, Remus’s smile fell.

“He’s been spotted nearby?” Shannon asked, wondering how Alissa and the family were taking his absence so far. Though it had only been a month, she couldn’t imagine worrying so much without hearing any word back.

“Yes” Remus answered softly, his jaw set. Shannon had forgotten that it wasn’t until the end of the year that Remus would understand Sirius’s innocence and hadn’t expected to arouse any emotion with the question. He added still talking to the far wall “until he’s found, please be careful.”

What could she say now? How frustrating it could be to know the end of the story before anyone else. “I will, but I’m not afraid of him.” She also looked away, examining the wardrobe that once in a while wiggled against the wall.

“That is either a very brave or a very foolish thing to say and I was under the impression you were not foolish.” Remus had turned to look at Shannon, anger simmering under his mild features.

Looking back, she met his eyes wishing more than anything she could tell him the truth. The whole year she had with him, she would be lying. Just more proof she should stay away from him. She frowned and looked away again saying “it is not bravery or stupidity, it is just knowledge that I am in no danger from him. You can choose to believe that or not but that is one thing I know without a doubt. Besides,” she paused and looked him straight in the eye again, “I like dogs.”

Remus stared at Shannon in shock, his mind racing. How could she possibly know that Sirius was an Animagus? No one knew that information, they had never told a single soul. He remembered once thinking that it could not have escaped Dumbledore’s notice but if he did know, would he have told this girl? What was the alternative, that maybe she was somehow working with Sirius? Or did he just accept without question what Dumbledore and Shannon had both said, that she knows so much through dreams?

All of this of course begged another question. If she knew that Sirius was an Animagus, then she knew that Remus hadn’t reported him as one. It was all very unsettling and yet she sat there looking the picture of purity and innocence.