𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐎𝐏𝐇𝐎𝐁𝐈𝐀 // Remus Lupin

(𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞 𝟏𝟐) questions and snowball fights

"Of course, everyone says I'm the best at advice" (this wasn't true),

"I have a friend" Athena began, "who's got himself a problem to do with addiction"

"Oh" Melissa's smile dropped as she looked at her gillywater absentmindedly, "is this about Remus?"

"No it's not Remus" Athena shook her head, "he's called Sirius"

"Sirius Black?" Melissa asked, "don't look surprised dear I know all about the elite families"

"Yes well he's nothing like his family" she pointed out, "but he's um... well he's started taking drugs for fun but I don't know how to get him to stop"

"That's how it starts" Melissa mused, "for fun... really there's nothing fun about it although I'm not highly experienced in the drug department"

"No but it's a similar concept, isn't it?"

"Well I suppose so but... Athena dear I'm not exactly the best person to come to, I mean I'm not exactly recovered am I?"

"No but you're better than you used to be" Athena pointed out, remembering the times when she'd woken up at three in the morning to see Melissa clattering drunkenly in her room with an empty bottle of wine in her hands. Sometimes she'd get so angry at everything, shouting for no reason. It was the main reason why Aurora still resented her.

"That's not saying much" Melissa sighed, "my main advice would be to let him know that you care, sometimes that's all it takes... knowing that someone wants to help you, knowing that someone doesn't want to see you end up in a ditch"

"I tried to do that" Athena nodded, "but he thought I was lying and told me I had a saviour complex"

"Sounds like a classic case of denial" Melissa continue, "sometimes it's easier to pretend you're ok and to ignore what everything's really like, that way you don't feel so guilty about what you're doing to yourself"

"So there's nothing else I can do?" Athena asked sadly.

"Another option would be going to a higher authority" Melissa pointed out, "someone who can assure that the drugs stop but... that would be breaking their trust and sometimes there's nothing worse than that"

Athena pondered to herself why it always seemed that breaking trust was an option she was being led towards. It had been the same with Kennedy, knowing that going to Dumbledore might save her life but also knowing that by doing so she could lose her friend forever. At the end of the day it always seemed easier to not do this, she'd risk losing a friend either way.

"Thanks" Athena smiled quickly as she took a large drink of butterbeer, "I'll think of something"

"I'm sure you will" Melissa nodded, "you've always been a smart girl"

"Aunt Melissa" Athena continued, "can I ask you something?"

"Of course sweetheart" Melissa nodded, "ask away"

Athena paused for a moment, trying to study the expression on her aunts face as she asked the daring question.

"Did you know my uncle?".

Melissa's smile faded ever so slightly, her hands gripped around the glass in front of her as she nodded in a somber attitude.

"Yes I knew him" Melissa nodded, "not that well of course"

"My parents won't talk about him, obviously I understand why but... when I ask they just tell me the same thing over and over again"

"What do they tell you?" Asked Melissa,