Reading Between The Lines ~ Remus Lupin ~ Book 1

chapter 23

Tuesday, 28 December 1976

"Get the phone, Lena!" Lisa yelled from upstairs.

"Fine!" Lena yelled back.

Lena sighed as she got up from the couch. She really didn't want to stop watching the episode of Doctor Who that was on. Lena carried her bowl of cereal with her. She put a spoonful of cereal in her mouth as she answered the phone. "'Ello?" Lena answered, her voice slightly muffled. It was evident she was eating something.

Lena nearly choked as she heard Remus' voice float from the phone into her ear. "Hi, Lena."

Lena swallowed. "Hi, Remus. Uh, Peter's not here right now."

"I know. He's on that trip with your dad."

Every year after Boxing Day, Mark and Peter would go on a fishing trip for a day. Lena was pleased that she was never invited. Standing on a boat in the freezing winter and touching worms didn't particularly appeal to Lena.

"Oh, then why are you calling? Oh God, that sounded so rude. I didn't mean it like that," Lena rambled, her cheeks turning red.

Remus laughed. "Don't worry, Lena. It's fine. I was just wondering if you needed to go over any schoolwork over the break. If you do, you could come over and I can work on it with you."

Lena blushed. She had already finished up all her assignments the Wednesday before when she hung out with Ava and Maggie.

Lena didn't mind doing homework a second time if she got to spend it with Remus.

"That would be great. I could really help with History and DADA. When's good for you to meet?"

"Now's good for me if it works for you."

Lena looked down at what she was wearing. She was wearing a pair of pink pajama pants with hearts on them, a fraying paint-stained jumper, and a pair of unicorn slippers. She needed to change.

"I'll Floo over in about thirty minutes, yeah?"

"Perfect. See you then."

"Can't wait."

<><><><><>

Remus and Lena had finished going over her History assignment and were currently taking a lunch break with Remus' parents.

Lena was surprised that Remus was as lean as he was. If Lisa cooked half as well as Hope did, Lena was confident she'd be two stones heavier than she was.

"This is the best toasted cheese I've ever had, Mrs. Lupin," Lena said happily before taking another bite of it.

Hope smiled. "Thank you, Lena. But I'm sure you're exaggerating."

"I don't think she is, Mum," Remus laughed as he grabbed a homemade chip and plopped it in his mouth. "The last time I went over to Lena's, her mum had caused a fire making toasted cheeses."

"Remus," Hope scolded. "That's not very nice!"

"It's okay. It's completely true. Mum can't cook to save her life," Lena said.

"So, Lena, what house are you in?" Lyall asked.

"I'm in Hufflepuff."

"Ahh, very nice. I was in Gryffindor."

"What about you, Mrs. Lupin? What house were you in?"

"Remus didn't tell you? I'm a Muggle, so I didn't go to Hogwarts."

"That explains why Remus actually knows stuff. I was talking to this one kid and he didn't even know what a football was."

Hope laughed. "It's so funny when James or Sirius come over. They're always so confused when the telephone rings."