The Little Flower (Remus Lupin) ✓

forty - eight

That night, Rosalie could not sleep. So much had happened in such a short amount of time that her brain was still processing it all. She did not know how to feel. She had so many emotions running through her that in the end, she felt numb. Her body ached in places she did not know could feel such pain and breathing was a struggle on its own as her ribs had been broken. She hoped that Madam Pomfrey could fix her up, or make her look presentable by morning. The last thing she wanted was for Remus to see her in such a state and blame himself. She would visit him tomorrow with a broad smile, and make sure he knew he did nothing wrong.

"Rosalie, are you asleep?" Harry asked as he laid in the bed to her left. She turned to face him.

"No, my brain can't seem to stop replaying the events of tonight." She gave a small smile, which he returned.

"It was crazy."

"Yeah..."

They sat in comfortable silence for a moment as they both thought back on the night. In a space of a few hours everything they knew had been flipped.

"Where do you think they are? Sirius and Buckbeak?" Harry asked as he stared out of the window.

Rosalie smiled at the thought as she followed his gaze. "Somewhere far away, and free, I hope."

Harry grabbed her hand, catching her attention. "We will make him a free man one day, and then we can live with him, and be a real family." Rosalie loved the idea, living with Sirius and Harry would be a dream, but that was the issue, it was a dream. The only people who knew the truth of the situation was Harry, Hermione, Ron, Remus, Peter, Sirius and herself. And she doubted anyone would believe three thirteen-year-olds, the 'killer's' daughter, and a werewolf. The only way Sirius would be free is if Peter was found and he admitted everything.

"Yeah, we will." But she was not about to shut down Harry's dreams.

Rosalie ended up falling asleep around six in the morning, and her brain was too exhausted to dream of anything. When she finally woke up, it was one in the afternoon, and her body felt like it was on fire. The ache she felt last night did not compare to the pain of that morning. She tried to sit up but instantly regretted it as her body shot with pain. She could not help but let out a loud groan, which alerted Madam Pomfrey that she was awake.

"Don't move!" She told Rosalie with a stern point. Rosalie couldn't move even if she wanted to, so she laid in her bed, starting up at the sun that shined through the window. Her mind snapped to Remus. He would have been back. She needed to see him; she was ready to force herself to move. "Don't even think about it!" Madam Pomfrey's voice screeched from the other room, making Rosalie freeze.

Rosalie's eyes lit up when Madam Pomfrey walked back into the room with a cup. "Take this; it'll ease your pain." Rosalie drank it without a second thought. Despite the toilet water taste, the drink worked immediately, and she was relieved when her muscles finally relaxed. She could move free of pain, and before Madam Pomfrey could say anything else Rosalie was out of the hospital wing, yelling a 'thank you'.

Hogwarts was empty; most students had gone to Hogsmede and Rosalie was glad. She did not need any questions on why her clothes looked wrecked or why she was in the hospital wing again. She changed into suitable attire before heading off to see Remus. Her stomach filled with nerves as she walked down the halls of Hogwarts. She was unsure of how he would act. She just hoped he was not too hard on himself.

Rosalie gave two knocks on his office door, the few moments of silence she felt a wave of fear wash over her, she had not thought of the possibilities of him not being in.

"Come in," his voice allowed her to relax as she opened the door slowly. "I saw you coming." He gave a faint smile as he signalled to the Mauraders Map that sat on his desk. The pit at the bottom of her stomach twisted and turned. He looked terrible. His eyes were red with dark bags underneath. His face was covered in scratches, and his shoulders slumped over.