Ad Infinitum (Remus Lupin X Reader)

XLIX • Apologia

XLIX • Apologia • Apology

It was late by the time I finally realized my mistake. Or maybe came to terms with it.

I felt terrible. Remus was entitled to privacy. And I was entitled to believe that he was hiding something. There was a difference between not wanting something out in the open and actively hiding it with malicious intent.

I let my insecurity overshadow that fact, and I hurt Remus in the process.

I was batting a thousand.

I should apologize, I thought, running my hands through my hair.

I sighed and left my bedroom. What would I even say to him?

Hey, I'm sorry that I can't ever keep my nose where it belongs. Forgive me?

I shook my head and leaned on the wall outside his classroom, trying to collect my thoughts. Remus was better than me. I knew that he would accept any apology I tried to give, which was why I was stressed. Because he deserved a good one, and I didn't deserve to be forgiven for just showing back up.

There's no sense in delaying, I thought.

I had already done enough damage.

I pushed through the door.

"Remus?" I called, tentatively stepping into his classroom.

No response. I looked around the room but it was dead silent. I quietly walked over to his bedroom door and knocked, hoping he might be inside. The lights were on in the classroom, however, and his desk was cluttered as if he had just been there. There was a steaming cup of tea on the desk and a large piece of parchment.

I walked to his desk when I received no response from his bedroom. The parchment was spread across his desk, beckoning to me, and I knew I should leave it alone. It wasn't my business and I would certainly prove to be nosy if I looked. But it was like it was magnetized, and I found myself leaning over the parchment.

In red ink, a map was drawn, but it was moving. I didn't know where to look. The ink moved faster than my eyes could, and I slowly realized what I was looking at.

"Hogwarts," I mumbled, tracing my finger over the perimeter of the castle. I leaned closer to the map and examined it with wide eyes. Each tiny moving dot was labeled in neat writing with a name. "Incredible."

My lips parted with fascination as I tried to absorb information from the map. Was it just some gag gift or was it something even more amazing? Was it accurate? I brought my finger to the Serpentine Corridor and traced it to Remus' classroom. Leaning close, I read the name above the dot in the room.

Y/N Y/L/N.

I let out a surprised puff of air and sat in Lupin's chair, eyes roving over the map hungrily. I couldn't believe it. I had seen plenty of enchanted objects but the map was incredible. I had no idea how it could be enchanted to record the exact position of everyone in the school. It must have been what Remus was looking at earlier.

I flipped the parchment over at the creases and saw that the map folded neatly. I smiled as it became easily transportable.

Easier to hide.

My eyes caught on a piece of parchment. From where the tip of my wand brushed it, red ink began to spread.

"It should be near the top," he responded and emerged from his room.

Mr. Moony would like to ask that Miss Y/L/N does not stick her nose where it does not belong, no matter how nice her nose may be.

"Did you find it?" he asked.