Cursed by Moonlight (HP fan fiction)

Chapter 13: Love, B

Dedicated to the girl above for being an amazing reader!

Sirius' P.O.V

James held a sleeping Harry in his arms; protectively cradling him close to his chest.  I walked through the kitchen to where Lily was preparing food for a small gathering of people.  She walked around doing half of the things muggle style, half using magic.

“Do you need any help?” I asked her whilst taking out a bottle of Fire Whiskey and pouring a small glass.

Her pretty face scrunched up at little at my choice of beverage, “No, the Longbottoms aren’t coming, so it will just be us,” she paused momentarily, “A little early for that, don’t you think?”

I shrugged my shoulders and looked at the wall clock.  Five in the evening was a little early, but it wasn’t like I drank the stuff every day.  Something about tonight felt different.  “Why aren’t they coming?”

The last time I had seen Frank Longbottom, he wasn’t happy with me, or anyone for that matter.  Death Eaters were after him regardless of his Auror status.

“I don’t know, they sent an owl earlier,” Lily said.

James appeared in the kitchen and grabbed three butterbeers.  “They probably had to work; the Auror’s have far too many shifts these days.”

I followed him to the living room to where my two good friends, Remus and Peter Pettigrew, were sitting.  Taking a seat beside the window, I stared out into the back garden, only joining in the conversation about the recent quidditch matches when necessary.

The world was peaceful tonight, like it was before the war years.  The wizarding war couldn’t last forever, I had to remember that.  No matter what, good would always overcome evil.  Or, at least that is what I told myself.

I glanced over to Remus, who was sitting next to the fire place with a piece of parchment in his hands, smiling. 

“Where were you at the full moon?” I asked him.  Every year since Hogwarts the four of us did a moonlight walk in the full moon.  With the war going on it had only been me and Moony lately, but he hadn’t appeared in our usual spot the other evening.

“Dumbledore asked me to hang out with the other werewolves, to see if I could find anything out.”  That seemed like a valid reason, so I brushed off my argument I had ready for a poor excuse.

Quietly, I got up and walked behind him, peering over his shoulder to read the note that he seemed so interested in.

Written in elegant handwriting, was a note:

Enjoy your evening, love, B x

“Who’s B?” I asked, making him jump into the air.

He quickly stuffed the parchment into his pocket, “Nobody.”

I took a seat next to him.  “Come on, who’s the lucky lady, Moony?”  He remained silent, not giving anything away.  If he had met someone, then I was sure we would hear about her.

“Hey Prongs, do you know who she is?” I asked James, calling him by his nickname.  All four of us had been friends since our first day at Hogwarts and never had secrets.

James seemed to think for a moment, stopping his conversation with Peter about quidditch.  “It’s not the same girl from ages ago, is it?  The one you met in Diagon Ally?” asked James, smiling.  Well, this was news.

“There was no girl then, and there still isn't now,” Remus shook his head and still had a slight smile on his face, as though it wouldn't leave.  The kind of smile you have when you first get into a good relationship.

“Why aren't you telling us?  Is she on the other side?” I asked cautiously, not knowing my reaction if he admitted her to be a supporter of the Dark Lord.  You-Know-Who supporters were big at the moment and lurking everywhere.  If one of them had got cosy with Moony, or slipped him a love potion, then it could be hazardous.

Remus remained silent whilst taking a drink, not meeting eye contact.  “There is no girl, stop going on.”

I would have stopped talking about it, but there was something up.  “She signed it, with ‘love’ and a kiss!” I exclaimed trying to think back to any time he might have mentioned a pretty girl.  No memory came to me, but the word pretty suddenly struck me with a new thought, “She's a dog isn't she?  That's why you won’t let-”

“She is not a dog,” Remus cut me off firmly.

James and I smiled widely at each other, knowing we were both getting somewhere.  “So there is a woman, and don't deny it, Moony,” James said.

By now Peter had wandered of, losing interest in our interrogation. 

“How long have you known her for?” I asked, interested in the mystery girl.

“Couple of months,” he replied sounding happy.  I didn’t know whether to believe him, we would have heard about something like this within days, not months.

Small things were beginning to piece slowly together.

“I’m happy for you, man.  When are we going to meet her?” James asked excited for our friend.  He didn’t really have much luck in relationships, due to his werewolf issues.

“I don’t know.” Those three words confirmed my darkest thought.  The girl might not exist.

My mind raced through every girl I knew whose name began with ‘B’.  There was far too many and Remus seemed more than willing to keep this a secret, making me suspicious of why we couldn’t know.

Automatically, I started going through the Death Eaters I knew.  Remus had been acting weird lately, and the more I thought about it, the more it seemed to make sense.  Missing meetings, not visiting as much, not hanging around.  He didn’t even meet me on the last full moon, which is something we had been doing for years.  He could be under the Imperious Curse or a love potion or…

Something was up and I wanted to know what.

Then, like lightening, my mind found the missing piece.  The piece that doesn't fit perfectly, but if you force it in, it almost looks right.  My darling Death Eater cousin, not yet married, would sink her teeth into Remus and never let go.

‘Love, B’

It was obvious.  The more I looked at it, the more it became apparent.  ‘B’ stood for Bellatrix.  I knew now that I had to do something, and I had to do it before it become too late.

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