𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐎𝐏𝐇𝐎𝐁𝐈𝐀 // Remus Lupin

(𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞 𝟐𝟎) meadows

"Why didn't he come!" Athena called, "why didn't Dumbledore come?"

"He was at the ministry" Sirius explained, his voice hoarse from crying, "he's here now"

Athena turned in surprise and saw the man standing beside Kingsley and Moody. Everyone looked lost but it seemed that Dorcas was the only one not standing.

Pushing Sirius away and ignoring his protests, Athena stormed across the street with tears still streaming down her face.

"Why didn't you come?" Athena yelled. Dumbledore turned in surprise to face her. Kingsley and Moody were staring at her too but she didn't care.

"I had business to attend to"

"You could have saved her!" Athena cried out, "she didn't have to die! She didn't need to die and you could have saved her"

"Rena" Aurora's voice rang out as her sister paced towards her.

"It's true!" Athena snapped back to Aurora, "he could have done something, Dorcas lost her life. Your business could have waited!"

"My apologies for your loss—"

"Don't give me that bullshit!" Athena shouted, "she's dead! She's dead and you did nothing!"

"Rena!" Aurora called again. Athena whipped around in fury to face Aurora who's hair for once wasn't styled perfectly around her shoulders.

"Going to tell me I'm wrong?" Athena asked, "I don't care what you think! Dorcas shouldn't have died today!"

"Remus is hurt" Aurora replied simply, "he needs you"

Athena felt her heart speed up, with her mind being solely focussed on Dorcas she'd forgotten about Remus. Turning, she saw him slumped against a wall clutching his side as Dominique crouched next to him.

Athena ran over immediately and fell beside Dominique. Remus looked up through wary eyes and smiled,

"What's wrong with him?" Athena asked,

"Cruciartus curse" Remus mumbled, "hurts like a bitch"

"Oh my god" Athena gasped as she pulled him forwards and wrapped her arms around him, "how do you feel?"

"I'm fine just tired"

"Rastaban Lestrange" Dominique explained, "he was under for two minutes before we could do anything"

"Felt like longer" Remus muttered,

"Always does" Athena nodded as she held him tight to her, "Remus, Dorcas is—"

"I saw" Remus replied in a whisper, "I don't want to believe it"

"Me neither" Athena cried against his shoulder, glad to feel his arms wrap around her. Dorcas falling under the flash of green light was just one other memory to add to her filling mind of darkness. It was getting too full now. Athena wondered how much longer she was going to have to put up with this.

These memories would be with her forever, scratching at her mind like a painful itch that she couldn't quite reach. It was like torture, not being able to do anything. Now that she'd lost Dorcas and Marlene, losing Lily and James felt impossible to deal with. Before she had comforted herself with the idea that she'd have people by her side but now this list was thinning.

Now the friends she had were Remus, Sirius and Kennedy. Sometimes it didn't even feel like she had two of them. Maybe Remus would be her only standing shield at the end of all this. As he wrapped his arms around her she prayed that this would be enough to stop her falling apart however the voice at the back of her mind told her that she'd already started falling apart. Maybe there was no stopping it now.