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

Chapter Sixty-Nine - The Gryffindor Traitor

Author's note: Wow guys! I'm back! Thank you SO much for all your patience, love, and support during my hiatus. If you missed my notes, it was DEFINITELY needed. I've reconnected with Shifting Lines in a way I haven't been in a very long time. I've missed posting, but I needed it. And now... back to our regularly scheduled Tuesday updates! Whoo! :D ok a bit early today but I couldn't sleep I was too excited for this!

CW for reference to child abuse, very brief mention of sexual assault (nothing detailed), and mentions of racism.

-x-

Remus had gotten a letter from home on Tuesday morning, but hadn't opened it yet. Partially due to needing to get to Arithmancy earlier, and partially due to the fact he simply didn't want to read it. But by his afternoon free period he decided he shouldn't wait any longer and opened up the envelope, trying to prepare himself for whatever his mother had to say.

There was a brief message of condolences about Arthur, and then three pages full of frantic writing begging Remus to come home for the holidays and to forgive Lyall.

He pressed the back of his head against the wall where he was sitting, squeezing his eyes shut. His chest began aching as the memories swirled in his head. It had only been a few days, not even a week! Did his mother expect him to simply forgive and forget so quickly? At least he'd be seeing Miss Fawley that evening and perhaps she'd have some insight...

Except when he went in to see her, he had no idea how to even begin explaining everything. All the hurt and pain... part of him wanted to keep it locked away and private, except he couldn't really keep much of anything from her. Still, when she asked how things were going he told her about Arthur first, not wanting to get into his parents.

Miss Fawley's face fell and she hugged him tightly. "I'm so sorry, my dear. I am so, so sorry. Arthur was such a good owl." She stroked his hair, resting her cheek against the top of his head. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

"No," he sniffled, pressing against her. "But th-thank you. We buried him in the Forbidden Forest."

He waited to see what she would say to that. She knew they went into the forest on multiple occasions but this felt different. "I think that was a good idea," she said, pulling back a little.

"Sirius made a headstone. It just says 'AL' on it because he didn't want my name connected to something in the forest where we aren't supposed to be."

"Sirius is a clever boy."

Remus wiped his damp eyes on his sleeve. "I don't think my parents care."

"I'm sure they do—"

"He hasn't said anything, and she was too upset over other things to say much. Only two sentences, and one of them was 'I know you cared about that owl'." He lifted his chin. "'That owl'."

Fawley cupped her hand against his cheek. "You said she was upset about other things. Sometimes when our mind is consumed by another problem, we don't think about what we say sometimes."

"Her mind was consumed by what happened Thursday. With me." She frowned now, tilting her head. "We talked. I told them I knew the truth."

"Oh."

"They came to the school. He... he was mad." For some reason Remus couldn't bear to say the term 'dad' at the moment. "He kept insisting he never blamed me, while simultaneously blaming me. He—he said that he altered my memory to help me bear the trauma."

"Some parents do that," Fawley said hesitantly.

"How can I know if it's the truth?" Remus demanded, his tears beginning to stream down his cheeks. "How do I know he isn't lying to make himself look better? What if he did that to my memory so I wouldn't remember the things said, so I wouldn't find out he wanted to kill all werewolves?"