second//bill weasley

twenty one

I land in the fireplace in the living room of 12 Grimmauld Place. I don't see anyone as I look around.

"Remus," I call out.

I can hear someone coming down the stairs. Remus stops in the doorway. He looks surprised to see me.

"Annalise?" I smile. "What are you doing here?" Remus asks.

"I thought I would find you here. And I thought that you could use some company," I tell him.

Remus nods before he sits down on the couch. He puts his head in his hands. I sit down next to him and rub his back.

"I know it's tough. And truly it's rather unfair..." I start.

Remus cuts me off, "Unfair? He would have been thirty six today. He spent twelve years in Azkaban only to spend two years running."

I nod my head. "I know Remus." I can feel the tears coming. "I've already spent my share of the day crying. But then I thought that he had those two years. We got those two years. Even if we didn't get to see him as much as we wanted him to. We had Sirius back and that's something I never thought we'd get."

Remus looks at me with tears in his eyes. "I miss him. I miss James. I miss Lily. I miss Rowan."

I wipe my own tears from my eyes. "I know. I know."

I let out a sob as Remus wraps his arms around me. I can feel his chest heaving as he cries.

As I head back to my office I spot Ron in the hallway walking with Maddie. I rush to catch up to them.

"What do you think you are doing?" I ask.

Ron turns to Maddie. "She's your Mum."

I shake my head. "I'm talking to you Ron. What are you doing with Lavender Brown?"

"Dating?" Ron tells me.

"And the way you went about it upset Hermione," I tell him.

"I can't help it if she's got her wand in a twist. What Lav and I have, well, let's just say, there's no stopping it. It's chemical. Will it last? Who knows? Point is I'm a free agent," Ron tells me.

"You're a pratt," I tell him.

Maddie laughs.

"You can't call me that. You're a professor," Ron tells me.

I shrug my shoulders. "Who are you gonna tell Dumbledore?" I walk away before Ron can say anything else.

I find Hermione right where I expected her to be, the library. I smile as I walk towards her.

"Hermione. Are you alright?" I ask.

"I'm fine. Why?" Hermione asks.

"I just thought all things considered..." I trail off.

"He's at perfect liberty to kiss whomever he likes. I really couldn't care less. Was I under the impression he and I would be attending Slughorn's Christmas party together? Yes. Now, given the circumstances, I had to make other arrangements," Hermione tells me.

"Have you?" I question.

"Yes. Why?" Hermione counters.

I shrug my shoulders. "Just curious is all. Who are you going with?"

Hermione sighs. "Cormac McLaggen."

I can't help but laugh. "Sorry that's not funny." Hermione gives me a look. "Just... Why are you going with Cormac?" Hermione hesitates. I gasp. "It's to make Ron jealous isn't it?" Hermione groans. "Maybe I should take Ron."