𝐏𝐘𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐇𝐎𝐁𝐈𝐀 | Remus Lupin (2)

(𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞 𝟏𝟏) forgive and forget?

The other thing she needed distracting from was Remus. Things had been painfully awkward between them over the Christmas holidays. Athena was still angry that he had lied to her but did that make her a hypocrite? She was lying too after all.

Athena would argue that she was lying for good reason. She couldn't tell Remus the truth of what was happening in Hogwarts because he simply wouldn't understand. He wouldn't agree that Snape should kill Dumbledore and he would get why this all revolved around Draco Malfoy. It had taken Athena a long time to come to terms with it and although Remus was intelligent, his bravery overshadowed this. While Ravenclaw's allowed for swift thinking in negative situations, Gryffindor's would always look for a way out. Athena wouldn't be able to convince Remus that there wasn't a way out.

She remembered a similar time fifteen years ago. The vision of Lily and James losing their lives. Even then, Remus would not accept that there was no way around it. Even though the evidence pointed to this, even though it would be simple to realise the truth, it was impossible for Remus to come to terms with this.

Athena couldn't tell Remus she was lying for good reason because then she would have to provide an explanation. She knew she couldn't cover this up. He was annoyed too and although this frustrated Athena, she understood that from his perspective her behaviour was probably strange and suspicious.

By the end of the burrow reconstruction, Athena only had a few days left before she had to go back to Hogwarts. Remus had even less.

She hated the idea that he was going back to hideout with supporters of Voldemort. If they sussed him out, realised who he was. Athena didn't even want to think about it. The very idea placed her on edge, she felt constantly cold as though she'd never be calm again.

Athena knew that she couldn't avoid talking to Remus forever. Eventually they would work things out just like they always did. It was a consistent cycle of them not liking to talk about their problems and internal frustrations, a trait they both shared.

She knew it was going to happen when she returned home from placing a dozen strengthening charms on the burrow and saw Remus sitting in the kitchen staring at her with a mug of coffee in his hand. Athena knew he didn't take a bag with him to go and stay with the other wolves. They didn't live in luxury and usually used the things around them to survive. However she could tell he was leaving in a matter of hours. Maybe it was his expression of the way he carried himself. He was going and there was nothing Athena could say or do to prevent this.

"How's the burrow looking now?" Remus asked casually.

"It'll be done before the new term" Athena replied, "it's still not entirely safe to live in but with a few more enchantments it'll be done"

"That's good then" Remus nodded.

Silence fell where Athena didn't know what to say or what to do. Suddenly every movement made noise that was unwanted. As though the air was choking her, she tried not to breathe too loud. Tried to blend into the silence as though this was going to make any difference.

"I'm sorry for lying to you" Remus said eventually, "it wasn't to protect you, I know you can protect yourself. I didn't want to go away knowing you were angry with me. I know you'd never be happy with me going"

"No I wouldn't have been" Athena replied simply, "you shouldn't have lied though, I would have been less angry if you'd just told the truth"