BLACK MOON ⍋ Remus Lupin

Chapter 147- The Proof.

REMUS' POV.

Lily and James refused to go until they had calmed down themselves. All just completely numb, and knowing they had to come together as a couple for Harry.

I had a feeling that they were about to treat me like their child too. Despite their own grief.

I'd rather have no one than people's sympathy. Even the Potters.

The house was silent again once they left. The pale blue of the early hours of the next day starting to seep through the windows.

I thought I knew what loneliness felt like before until this very moment. How was I supposed to spend an entire lifetime holding such a feeling?

I couldn't.

I couldn't accept it.

Where was our letter from the ministry?

I was her husband.

Sure, we didn't officiate it with the ministry. We got married under Muggle laws but they'll still have record of that.

She's Artemis Ophelia Lupin.

Was.

Could still be.

I had no proof she was actually the person at the scene. Sure, being with Marlene and Peter was likely. Despite the fact she felt uncomfortable with Peter. He did invite himself along to things quite frequently.

Sirius.

He's been a ticking time bomb since the day I met him. Uncontrolled mental health issues, that Arty had proved were a judgement of his character and not his upbringing just by the existence of her willingness to submit to softness and not fight against it. He was always fighting. Always has been getting us all in trouble. Fist fights growing up. Lack of impulse control. Explosive temper. Stubbornness. Secrecy. The fucking riddles he's made us all figure out because he gets a kick out of keeping people on their toes. Avoiding every single thing he could be held accountable for. Dragging everyone into his mess but still refusing any help. Sending hot and cold signals with everyone close to him. Whenever someone achieves a sense of peace, he's always nearby with something to disrupt it.

Years of never confronting any of the internal war going on inside of him has created an actual terrorist.

At some point in our friendship I would have never believed he could do something so atrocious...unfortunately now I could, but I wanted proof. I needed proof. For her.

Suddenly I found myself on my feet. The same feet that were once still glued to the floor under the dining room table where they had weighed down for hours.

I was on my way to Sirius' flat as the sun began to rise. Moving so fast with intention I almost forgot to breathe properly.

I know he hadn't lived there properly in months but there had to be something, anything that could confirm his madness other than the riddles in those stupid fucking letters.

I scrambled in my pocket for my keys, knowing we all had a spare one to his- just in case. As if he was the fucking victim we had to look out for.

I let myself in and heard shuffling in another room.

A rage in me started to bubble.

He was here.

Hiding, as per usual.

I stormed into the room, wand in hand and my heart thumping. Not with anxiety but with unleashed rage I was ready to let out.

"Whoa whoa!" James held up his hands and scrambled from the floor he was knelt down at, looking through drawers.