selenophile || remus lupin

chapter ninety three

"That'll go over well," Ophelia muttered under her breath. She turned on her heel and started searching through the compartments for her younger brother. After looking into several windows and almost bumping into a few people, she finally found a compartment with the tall, dark haired boy she was searching for.

She slid the door open and saw him placing his trunk above the blue seats on the top rack. He looked down at her while pushing his trunk back and sat back down.

"Ophelia," he nodded. "You're looking well. Much better than I saw of you last."

The sun beamed brightly down into the compartment, leading Ophelia to reach forward and shut the blinds, transforming the room into one of semi darkness. "How are you?" she breathed, sitting across from him. She placed a hand on his knee, scanning his face and body movements for any sign of flinching or fear at the touch, but nothing showed which relieved her a great deal. If they had done anything to him, it was nothing severe enough to be startled at small touches.

"I'm fine," he said, playing with the cuff of his sleeve.

"Reg-"

"I said I'm fine, Ophelia," he repeated, raising his voice at the girl. She leaned back away from him, subconsciously distancing herself from the near-shouts. Seeing the slight fear in her, Regulus closed his eyes and sighed, rubbing his eyes with one hand. "I'm sorry, Fia. I didn't mean to raise my voice. It's just been hard, you know what it's like."

"I'm sorry I couldn't have been there for you," she started.

"Don't," he said. "I don't regret what I did. Not what I did to help you. Every single day, I felt glad that you didn't have to be there, facing mother and father. Especially after your note, thank you for letting me know you were safe. That you were alive."

"Can I hug you?" Ophelia asked after a moment of silence. Regulus nodded and Ophelia moved to the seat next to him, enfolding him into her arms as he placed his chin on her head. "I missed you. I wish you could've been there with me."

"I know, but I'd rather be at Grimmauld Place."

Ophelia knew better than to argue with him, so she simply sat there in silence until a few moments later when she stood up and announced that she had to be going to the prefects' cabin.

"I'll be there soon, just give me a minute."

"Do you want me to wait for you?"

"No, that's alright. You go on without me. I'll be just a moment."

Ophelia left the compartment and made her way to the prefects' cabin, finding Remus and sitting next to him.

Lily came rushing over to them from where she was standing at the front of the cabin, all of the chairs facing her, most of them filled.

"Who's the head boy?" she started, not waiting for an answer. "Oh, never mind that, whoever he is, I'm pissed off at him. The meeting starts in two minutes and he hasn't been in here to help set up, let alone introduce himself to me. I'm surprised it's not you, Remus. When you sent me your letter telling me that you didn't get it, I was shocked, to say the least." Lily stopped her busy rambling and went back to the front of the cabin, pacing back and forth until the door opened and she looked up quickly, only to find that it was Regulus, and went back to her pacing.

Regulus stepped inside and looked around for the other prefect in his year, but when he saw that it was Zahara Parkinson, he quickly looked around for someone else in his year. The only open seat he saw was next to a girl he had never met before but had seen in classes. He had never talked to her, being a muggleborn Hufflepuff, but he figured it was his best option other than Zahara.

"Excuse me, can I sit here?" Ophelia watched him ask Ellie Fauns. Moving her cornrows behind her shoulder, fear flashed through her eyes, but she nodded politely and smiled at the boy.

Back up at the front of the cabin, Lily jumped when the door slammed open to reveal James Potter, strutting in with his head boy pin shinning proudly on his robes.

"Oh, this will be good," Ophelia muttered to her boyfriend.

"She's going to be so pissed."

"Nah, she won't."

"Five galleons," Remus bet.

"You're on, Lupin."

"Sorry I'm late, Evans," James said. "Padfoot stole my pin," he flashed it to her.

"You- you- you're-" she spluttered. "Dumbledore chose you instead of Remus?"

"Right you are, Lilyflower."

"I have to share a dorm with you?"

"Lucky me," he gave her a lopsided grin.

Lily blushed and quickly turned away, "Whatever, Potter. Let's just get on with the meeting."

Remus huffed as he handed Ophelia a few galleons, leaning back in his chair as he listened to the meeting, however, his mood drastically changed for the better when James announced that they would be doing rounds with whoever they were sitting next to, as long as it was someone in their year. Remus and Ophelia shared a happy look before they turned back to the meeting.