Selene || Remus Lupin

Ch. 39 - The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black

"The wolf!" Remus said heatedly. "I'm talking about the werewolf!"

"It was one horrible accident in which the circumstances were very unusual," Sirius said. "It's very unlikely that she'd ever be within the werewolf's vicinity again."

"Sirius, stop defending me," Remus pleaded with him. "You have no idea what could happen! I couldn't live with myself – the shame –"

"Let it go, Remus," Sirius said loudly, causing Remus to fall silent. "It happened, and it was horrible, but you've got to let it go. You didn't hurt Selene. You'd never knowingly hurt Selene."

"But –" Remus began.

"No!" Sirius said. "Remus, I refuse to let you do this to yourself! You and Selene have something beautiful going on between you and you're throwing it all away because you can't get it through your thick skull how good you have it!"

Remus shook his head. "But I don't deserve –"

"No," Sirius said. "You'll never deserve her. She's too good for you, or me – but she loves you and you love her. Don't throw it away." He gave Remus a long, hard look. "Take the damn chance."

Remus frowned and desperately he said, "Sirius... I can't..."

Sirius clenched his fists. "You know what?" he said. "Here's what I'll do. You don't want to be with Selene? Fine. She is my wife, so I'll just show you exactly what you're missing out on."

"And you'd have every right to," Remus said, trying his best not to let on how he was really feeling. Inside him, a pit of welling shame and loss was eating him alive.

"Alright then, I will," Sirius said, a cocky grin appearing on his face. "At least, until you can get yourself together."

"Sirius –"

"I hope jealousy consumes you," Sirius said suddenly, his voice sharp like knives. "Until you can't stand it anymore, and you decide that you have no other choice but to pursue her."

"Fine, Sirius," Remus said tiredly, rubbing his face with his scarred hands. "Fine."

Sirius shook his head at him in disbelief that Remus still would not cave. "You're a complete idiot."

"Don't tell me things I already know to be true," Remus shot back irritably. "I know what I'm giving up."

"At least you can admit it," Sirius said, still shaking his head. "Come on down for breakfast."

And at that, Sirius turned to stand in Remus' bedroom doorway expectantly. Remus groaned and crawled out of bed, allowing Sirius to lead the way to the kitchen.

Selene's POV

Selene woke up early the next morning, already anxious and dreading the day ahead. She left Sirius, still asleep, in their bedroom and trudged down the stairs, hoping for a quiet moment to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee at the kitchen table.

It seemed that Molly had had the same idea.

The Weasley matriarch eyed her wearily when she came in.

"Good morning," she said quietly.

"Morning," Selene said tiredly, approaching the coffee pot and pouring a generous amount in a nearby mug.

Selene sat across from Molly and gripped her mug with both hands, bringing it to her face and letting the steam brush her face.

Molly watched Selene, and it seemed as if she was on the edge of her chair, waiting for just the right moment.