Reading Between The Lines ~ Remus Lupin ~ Book 1

chapter 69

Thursday, 21 July 1981

Lena pressed her body against Ava's, chest to back, and held her tightly in her arms. Maggie and Alex kneeled in front of Ava. Maggie's hand was stroking Ava's hair while Alex held onto Ava's hand that was limply lying on the bed. Raj sat at the end of the bed by Ava's feet and began to cover her in a blanket.

The McKinnon family had been murdered three nights ago. Marlene had been murdered three nights ago.

It felt as if Ava had been murdered along with her. She was a husk of her former self. The light in her eyes had dwindled and it seemed like all the joy had exited her body.

Lena wondered if Ava's life would ever return to her.

It never did for Regulus after all.

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Saturday, 22 August 1981

"I really hope they don't burn the food," Gwen said as she looked at her husband and his friends laboring away in the kitchen.

"I'm sure they won't," Alice said as she bounced a giggling Neville in her lap.

"I'm more concerned that they're gonna cut themselves," Lily sighed. "I mean look at James with that knife."

"They better not cut themselves," Gwen grumbled and gestured to her bulging stomach. "There is no way I am healing any of them until this little one pops out. I can barely move."

"Be honest, Gwen. Would you help them if you weren't pregnant?" Alice asked with a laugh.

"I mean, if they started crying and complimenting me, then, yeah, I'd help," Gwen grinned, making Lily and Alice laugh. Lena was too preoccupied making faces and talking to Harry, who was smiling and reaching for the woman's face, to listen.

Gwen, Alice, and Lily shared a teasing look and nodded. Lily flicked Lena's head.

"Oi, what was that for!" Lena whined.

"You've been zoned out for the past ten minutes," Lily said.

"Only because my godson is so cute!" Lena said, rubbing her nose against Harry's, who laughed.

"I think I'll have to take back my son," Lily smiled and gently took Harry from Lena's arms.

"If you insist," Lena said, before turning to Neville to make funny faces at him. He clapped excitedly.

"So, when are you and Remus going to have kids?" Gwen asked, as blunt as ever.

Lena went red and started to choke on the air.

"What?"

"Are you and Remus going to start having kids soon?" Gwen repeated.

Lena remained as red as Lily's hair. "Probably not."

"Why not?" Alice pouted. "You'd be great parents! Just look at you with Neville and Harry! And Remus is great with them too!"

"Because we're not married or engaged."

"Lena, I hate to break it to you, but you don't have to be either of those things to have a baby," Lily said.

Lena rolled her eyes. "I know, but we're both really young."

Gwen raised an eyebrow. "You're talking to two people who got pregnant at nineteen and another person who got pregnant at twenty."

Lena sighed and pulled her legs up to her chest. "To be honest, we haven't talked about kids that much. He's a bit... apprehensive... with the whole werewolf thing. He's worried it's hereditary. I don't even think he wants to get married."