Four To The End (prev Shifting Lines) - Book One (Marauder Era)

Chapter Sixty-Nine - An Argument

"Hullo," she said as he shut the door behind him. "How are you doing today?"

"Um, p--pretty good," he mumbled, scurrying over to the couch. "We pulled off a really big prank today. I think we got away with it."

Fawley smiled. "Good. You four must be keeping the teachers hopping, hmm?"

"I guess so." He sat down, heart pounding in his chest.

"Remus, dear, can we talk about last week?" She didn't even ease into it. Just threw it out onto the floor. He flinched, feeling sick. "I'm very sorry that I upset you."

He stuck his chin out, voice a little shaky. "My dad loves me."

She began twisting her cane around, sighing a little bit. "You understand why I needed to check, don't you?"

"No." Part of him did, a little tiny piece deep down inside did understand that she needed to just reassure herself, that she couldn't trust his word only, but he didn't want to admit that. "He's--he's not bad. He's a good father. He loves me. He's never hurt me."

"He hit you--"

White hot fury flared up in him. "NO!" He didn't mean to shout, it just sort of happened. "N--no, he was just--disciplining me, that's all, and I deserved it. I did!" he protested when her expression tensed. "Maybe they're right, being here is making me lax, and I can't let that happen, and he just--just--"

"Remus--"

"You're wrong." That's all he could say now, any other argument coming out as a hiccuping sob. "You're wrong."

Her hand shot out, grabbing hold of his shoulder. "Remus, please calm down. You've done nothing wrong."

He couldn't understand why she said that, she said it before. He had done something wrong. He had deserved being smacked over Christmas break--probably even deserved it over Easter. He was constantly lying to his family and taking risks--God he had showed off his hearing ability to the other three. He wanted to say all this to her but all he could do was cry because he was a baby. He could hear Mulciber and Avery chanting from the past.

Fawley pulled him into his arms, letting him cry into her blouse. He didn't even know why he started crying, just that there was something horribly deep and pulling inside that frightened and upset him. Fawley stroked his back gently until he finally managed to stop the tears after what felt like an eternity. He pulled back, wiping his eyes and nose off on his robes sleeve. He tried apologizing, but she wouldn't hear of it.

She dampened her handkerchief and began wiping at his cheeks. "You're all right," she said soothingly.

"I sh--shouldn't be crying--it's--"

"No, no, hey, it's perfectly all right to cry." Her cool fingers began raking some of his hair back from his face. "There's no shame in crying."

He gave another loud hiccuping sound then slumped back miserably. He felt stupid for what just happened. The worst part was he really couldn't figure out why. Not the feeling stupid bit, the crying. It was as though something cracked him open. Fear for his father? Anger she thought of his father in such a way? Because of one slap? One piece of discipline (which he deserved!!!!). It wasn't as though his father was slapping him around just because.

He shivered a bit, from her nails gently scraping against his scalp. It felt good. Soothing. It felt a little like a hairbrush, but different--kinda better, since it was someone's hand. Actually touching him like this, knowing he's a werewolf. He almost wanted to lean back into her and had to fight off the urge.