𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙨 𝙛𝙖𝙡𝙡...

xiii

Christy blinked a few times, before she seemed to snap out of whatever trance she was in, ducking her head in a sort of nod.

Lily laced her hand through Christina's, tugging her lightly in the direction of the dormitory, whilst Alice picked up her discarded trunk, following suit.

James stared at the empty space in which Christy had occupied mere moments ago, eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"Prongs..." Remus started, but his voice trailed away.

He didn't have anything to say, yet at the same time, his mind was buzzing with questions that he was desperate to be answered. But there was only one girl who could answer them, and she was currently residing in her dorm.

Wordlessly, James turned and left up the spiralling staircase leading to his own dorm, presumably to speak to Sirius. This of course left Remus. Standing alone, drowning in his own thoughts.

It took approximately ten minutes until the marauders plus Marlene, Dorcas, Alice and Lily sat in a circle in the empty common room.

Yes, technically, lunch break was over and lessons had resumed, but none of them had taken any notice whatsoever.

"Where is she? I want to see her." Sirius stated firmly.
"No." Lily deadpanned.
"No?" he repeated.
"Firstly, you can't see her. She's drawn the hangings round her bed, and hasn't spoken to anyone since she arrived." She said, sighing sadly.

He slumped back into the sofa, dejectedly.
"What did you expect moron. She's grieving!" Marlene exclaimed.
"Marlene!" Dorcas scolded.
"That." Sirius pointed an accusing finger at Marlene, "Isn't grieving."

"He's right." Remus sighed, "It's unhealthy."
"Alright then, what's the plan oh wise one." Marlene said dryly.
"Have you even tried talking to her?" he asked.
"Obviously." She replied in a 'duh' tone.

"Well then I say we give her some space, talk to her tomorrow." Alice suggested.
"Someone should keep an eye on her though." Lily said.
"We will." James gestured vaguely to himself and the boys.
"And how pray tell, are you going to manage that considering you can't go into our dorms." Marlene asked coldly.
"We have our ways." he smirked, winking.

[ ✦ ]

"The stars look pretty tonight don't they Remus?"

Remus Lupin ascended the ladder leading towards the astronomy tower, holding the map tightly in one hand, half of himself wanted to turn around and go back to bed, anxious of what awaits him at the top.

In a moment of recklessness however, he climbed the last few rungs, and finally could see the inevitable.

There she sat. Legs dangling carelessly over the edge, just one tiny movement, and....

"How did you know it was me?" He asked incredulously.
"Call it..... intuition."

Her voice was hoarse, no longer the bright, tinkly sound that made his skin heat up. It sounded as if she hadn't used it in weeks, which logically, was probably true.

"Could you come away from the edge for me please?" he asked, in the gentlest tone he could muster.
"I'm not going to jump, if that's what your thinking." she scoffed lightly.

Remus wasn't exactly sure whether to trust her or not, for all he knew, she could pitch herself off any damn moment.

Slowly, he edged forward, and sat himself beside her, a few millimetres from their thighs brushing.

"I just like the control." she whispered.
"Sorry?"
"I like the way that, if I wanted to, I could jump, I have a choice."

And then it hit him.
"but Jenny didn't." his voice was barely audible, he wondered if she'd even heard him, or had his realisation been whisked away into the night.

"You're a lot smarter than you give yourself credit for you know." for the first time, she turned to face him, and he could really take in her appearance.

In that moment, when icy blue met rich hazel, everything else seemed to fade away.
"You haven't been sleeping." she whispered.
"I could say the same to you."
"my entire family's dead what's your excuse." she said flatly.
"Oh Christy...." he placed his hand on top of hers and squeezed it reassuringly. "I can't pretend to know what your going through because I don't. But you have your parents, they're going to help you get through this. And so am I, and padfoot and prongs and all the others." he smiled sadly.

She looked back across the grounds, the never ending view, stretching for miles upon miles.
"You're not listening Remus." she replied, "my entire family is dead, gone."

"It might seem like-"

"They're dead Remus! For fucks sake!" she cried, cutting him off.
"What are you talking about?" he asked, somewhat apprehensively.
"The attack, at the funeral." she uttered.

Remus was speechless. He knew that there was nothing he could say that would make the pain lessen, so he did the only thing that he could think to comfort her. He wrapped his arms around her gently, even when she tensed against his body, he held on, for what seemed like an eternity, until she finally relaxed, and he heard her breathing deepen and even out.

Sighing, he watched as deep crimsons bled into the swirling oranges and paling yellows, reminiscing over the first time they watched the sunrise together.

"Are you- merlin Christina! You're freezing!" Remus cried, as he lay a hand on Christy's bare arm. "Come on, let's get you back to the castle." he said, making to stand up before the other gryffindor grasped his wrist.
"Wait, no. Let's watch the sunrise."

Over the edge of the murky forest, crimson was already beginning to leak into the blemish-free sky, as oil spills onto a stark canvas.

Hesitantly, Lupin retook his place on the ground beside her, but first, draping his cloak over her arms, smiling softly.
"Cant have you catching hypothermia on my watch now, can we?"

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