UNDER THE MOON, Remus Lupin

xlix.

AND SO, THE MOTHER
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Spring break; the second greatest week of what is technically the school year. No school, no work, just relaxation. For Alice, it was exactly that. The only difference was that this year she wouldn't be spending the entirety of it at home. She'd be with Remus. It was the first time outside of Hogwarts and Hogsmeade that she'd be spending time with him. There was so much to do and only a week to do it.

Alice was sitting with Zephyr, Aria, Kiara, and (oddly enough) Isabella on the train. Isabella had gotten over her bitter differences with Zephyr and they were remaining acquaintances. For the most part, Isabella had chosen to sit with them to talk to Alice. Even though she'd mentioned going to Hogsmeade together a while back, they never got around to it. They would talk here and there, but that was the most of it.

As Alice watched her friends smile and joke, she noticed how sad Zephyr looked. No, it wasn't some home thing that he didn't like to discuss. He just realized how different things were. Clint wasn't here. And 3 new people were. His other best friend was sitting somewhere alone. Well... he wasn't his best friend anymore. As hard as it was to accept, he'd have to. Both he and Alice would.

Sometimes you lose people on the course of life. Clint just seemed like one of those people that was supposed to be around forever. As it was, Zephyr hadn't talked to Clint in weeks. The last time Alice had talked to Clint was about a week ago. Where she pretty much told him off for good. It was harder than she let on. It was like throwing away one of your favorite childhood toys. Maybe you don't play with it anymore, but there's an emotional connection. And when you let go, hearing it clunk in the trash can, you wonder if you made a mistake. You wonder if maybe one day you would've played with it again.

However, Clint wasn't a toy. If Alice decided she wanted to renew a friendship with him, he was there. He wasn't gone for good in the dumpster. Maybe that was the problem. Every person is good at wanting what they can't have. When they can have it, they don't want it as bad. They don't long for it, because if they wanted it and could have it, they would have it. 

Now that it was officially break, Alice promised herself that she would give herself a break. It was a time for relaxation and time with her boyfriend. This break also meant that the year was almost over. As much as Alice would miss Hogwarts, she was excited to proceed with her life and proceed with her relationship.

Fred had already talked to Charlie for Alice, making sure he would still try to get her a job after she went through the proper courses. He was still trying to make up for being so horrible to her. Even though Alice had forgiven him, Fred found it difficult to forgive himself. She was never just his girlfriend, she was his friend. They were better now. No more fighting, they were beyond that. Fred was accepting that Alice was not the one for him. He had wanted her to be, but it was not set in stone. And that was okay. She taught him a lot and he liked to think he did the same for her.

"So. Are you ready to meet my mum?" Alice asked Remus as they were about to get in the cab to her house.

Aria was watching them with a grin. As strange as it felt that her professor was dating her sister, something about them together clicked perfectly. Behind her grin, Aria worried for Remus. Ruby Lafitte was bitter, especially toward men who were like Remus. Or any men that dated her daughters and didn't immediately flirt with her when meeting her. She was, in two words, an attention seeker.

Aria sat beside the cab driver to give Alice and Remus their own personal space. Especially since she knew they'd be needing it. From what she'd seen so far, they couldn't keep their hands off of each other.