𝘈𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘭 𝘖𝘧 𝘚𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝄂︎ ☠︎︎ 𝄃︎ 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘗𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳

𝟽. 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙾𝚛𝚍𝚎𝚛

The next week had passed slowly.

Esme only ever slept for about four hours at a time. She'd wake up screaming, the images of that night flashing through her head. Nymphadora was the only one that could comfort her, as the only one that could touch her.

She trusted Remus. But the thought of him getting close enough to touch her made her want to vomit.

Remus respected her space. Any room he'd enter, he'd announce himself first. If she wanted him to leave, he would. Otherwise, he'd stay as far away as he could.

Esme was given their small extra bedroom. The door was kept open, which she preferred anyways.

Esme wondered day in and day out what had to have been happening at Malfoy Manor.

Was Draco okay? Was he punished too? Was her father punished? Were they looking for her?

She tried not to let the worry consume her, but it did. She tried to distract herself by other means. Mainly reading books on werewolves. If she were to be stuck with this condition for the rest of her miserable life, she might as well be educated on it.

"Sirius, if you don't get your ruddy face away from me, I'm going to send my shadows after you." She scolded within the otherwise empty room.

The figure stepped back, holding his hands up in defense. "Apologies. Didn't realize I appeared. How are you?"

"How do I look?" She rolled her eyes, shutting her book.

"Scars are healing. So that's good...i guess."

"Says you. You don't have to look at your skin and be reminded of what that disgusting man did to you." She remarked, setting her book aside.

"Esme?" Remus' voice called out just before he poked his head into her bedroom. "Who are you talking to..?" He was holding a plate of cookies. He must have just made them.

"Sirius." She answered simply as Remus set the plate on a small nightstand he'd put by the door. That way he could back up and she could get it without him having to get close enough to hand it to her.

Remus seemed shocked. "O-Oh... is he here now?"

Sirius smiled. "Of course I am, Moony. Always." He responded, as if Remus could hear him. "Wait! You need a Marauder name!" His limited attention span turned back to Esme.

Esme rolled her eyes. "Yes, he is. He's insisting I get a Marauder name. And I'm very close to choking him out with shadows." She stood, walking over and picking up the plate of cookies before sitting back down on her bed.

Once she was far enough away, Remus returned to the doorway. He smiled fondly at the mention of his friend. "I'm sure he is. Tried to give Eliza one. Nox."

"She bloody hated it. Hey, what about Luna? You're a wolf now too." Sirius suggested.

"I have a friend named Luna. Can't use that." She spoke, even though Remus had no clue what Sirius had said.

"Why don't you take Nox? Works with the shadow...darkness thing." Remus offered.

"If you insist." She picked up a cookie.

Sirius went to say something else, but disappeared. "Well, he's gone. Must have used too much energy."

Remus crossed his arms, leaning against the doorframe. "Does that happen often? They just appear?"

She shook her head. "Not really. It's mainly just Sirius, Regulus, James, and my Mother. I only see James when I'm with Harry. And I only ever see my Mother when I don't need her. Never when i fucking beg her.."