Four To The End (prev Shifting Lines) Book Three (Marauders Era)

Chapter Sixty-Three - The Truth

Author's note: CW for self-harm (scratching, digging at self), emetophobia, words that 'feel like a knife', and reference to child death.

Because of things going on, I'm not going to get any extra chapters out this month so it will only be today and next Tuesday. Hopefully in September I'll be able to go back to the one-two-one-two releases.

Also I want to add since I know it's been on a lot of minds, it is going to be a while before Remus and Sirius get together. I'm going to go ahead and say it, it's absolutely not going to be in this (the third year) book. I wasn't going to say anything but I know a lot of you have really been wanting them to get together asap. While I am super excited about them finally getting together too, unfortunately it is going to be a while. Sorry guys!

-x-

Tuesday mornings were always the worst, in Remus's opinion. Having to get up for Arithmancy after staying up for a midnight Astronomy lesson was always exhausting. If it was any other class it wouldn't be so bad but Arithmancy...

Remus was writing his name down again and adding it up for something new. His first name added up to 22, which was a special number for this sort of thing so he didn't reduce it to four. When he added everything together and reduced it to the lowest, it was a six.

"... and who got six?" Talkalot asked after talking about numbers one through five. Remus reluctantly raised his hand along with a couple of others. "A six for your expression number means you are naturally inclined to help others, to put their needs before your own. You like to help people solve their problems and hate conflict, though you might have a lot of inner conflict yourself, and work hard at trying to fix that."

Remus tried not to throw down his quill.

"You idealize relationships. Whether romantic or friends. You are also creative, though tend to give up what time you have for yourself to help others. Additionally, you tend to meddle perhaps too much in what is going on with those you care about, to try to fix things."

He slid lowered in his seat, hoping his face wasn't burning. Arithmancy really was the worst.

Talkalot beamed. "In the end, if your expression number is a six you should look into becoming a designer, a herbologist or gardener... or if you want to do something with other people... a healer or a teacher. Now, who got the number seven?"

*

"Boy, Remus, that fit you."

Remus wanted to tell Aegis to shut up, but didn't want to offend his friend. "I know," he grumbled, pretending to look for something in his bag so he could keep his head down.

"You would make a good teacher," Aegis continued, hugging his Arithmancy book to his chest.

"Yours was spot on too, you know," Remus said, maybe a little too harshly.

Aegis went slightly pink. "I suppose."

"Determined? Hungry to find answers to mysteries? Interested in pursuits of the mind and philosophy?" He decided not to add that expression number sevens also tended to shut others out and keep themselves locked away. "You would make a terrific researcher."

"Thank you. You shall be the teacher and I, a researcher."

"It sounds like a plan," Remus agreed, wishing it could be true. Then a tiny little thought bubbled up in his mind: one day perhaps if werewolves weren't quite as hated... someone could form a school for them. Not like the reservations where some werewolves were shipped off to, but a school like Hogwarts. Away from others, safe. Perhaps then he could be a teacher...