The Unspoken Legacy

Chapter 18: Hollow Shadows

The air was crisp as I walked through the corridors, my footsteps echoing softly against the cold stone floors. The light in the castle seemed dimmer, or maybe it was just the shadow that had settled over me. I didn't feel the same anymore, and I knew it was showing. I was colder now, hollow in ways I hadn't been before.

I found Remus in the library, sitting alone at a table tucked away in a quiet corner. He looked up as I approached, his eyes filled with the same tired warmth they always had. But there was something else there, something that had always been there, hidden in the background.

"Ariah," he greeted, his voice gentle.

I sat down across from him, my expression unreadable. "Remus," I replied, my tone flat.

He studied me for a moment, concern flickering in his eyes. "You seem different."

I met his gaze, my voice barely above a whisper. "I know about you, Remus."

He stiffened slightly but didn't look away. "What do you mean?"

"I've known since second year," I said, my tone devoid of emotion. "About you being a werewolf."

Remus' face paled, and he looked down at the table, his hands trembling slightly. "How... how did you know?"

"I've always known," I continued, my voice steady. "I've seen you. In the background, hiding in plain sight, always watching. You've tried to keep it hidden, but I saw through it. I noticed the way you would disappear before the full moon, the way you'd come back looking worn and frail. I knew, and I did what I could."

He looked up, confusion and sorrow in his eyes. "What do you mean?"

I reached into my pocket and pulled out a small, wrapped piece of chocolate. "I've been sending these to you since second year. Magical chocolate to help with the pain. I thought it might make things a little easier for you."

Remus stared at the chocolate in my hand, his eyes wide with disbelief. "You've been doing that... for me?"

"Yes," I said simply, my voice still hollow. "I didn't want you to suffer alone."

Tears welled up in Remus' eyes, and he looked away, struggling to find his words. "Ariah, I... I don't know what to say. You've done more for me than I ever deserved."

I shook my head, my expression unchanging. "You don't owe me anything, Remus. I just wanted to help. But I didn't do it out of kindness. It was more out of necessity. You were suffering, and I couldn't stand by and watch."

He finally looked at me, his eyes filled with a deep, unspoken pain. "You're stronger than you realize, Ariah. You've seen me at my worst, and yet you still cared. That means more to me than you know."

For the first time in what felt like an eternity, I allowed myself to feel something. A faint, almost imperceptible warmth spread through me as I looked at Remus. "We're both hiding in our own ways, Remus. You from the world, and me from myself."

He nodded, understanding washing over his features. "Maybe we don't have to hide anymore. Maybe we can help each other, instead."

I didn't respond immediately, letting the weight of his words sink in. Finally, I nodded. "Maybe."

The conversation shifted something between us, a bond formed in the quiet understanding of shared pain. We sat in silence for a while, the unspoken agreement hanging in the air. I felt a strange sense of comfort in Remus' presence, as if he was someone who truly understood the darkness within me.

As I stood to leave, Remus reached out and gently touched my arm. "Thank you, Ariah. For everything."

I nodded again, the hollow feeling inside me lessened slightly by his words. "Take care, Remus."

Later that evening, I overheard Remus talking to James in the common room. Their voices were low, but the tension was palpable.

"You need to grow up, James," Remus said, his tone uncharacteristically stern. "You can't keep treating people the way you do. It's time to start taking responsibility for your actions."

James looked taken aback, his expression conflicted. "I know, Remus. I just... I don't know how to fix things."

"Start by being honest with yourself," Remus replied, his voice softening. "And with others. You owe it to them, and to yourself."

James nodded slowly, his gaze dropping to the floor. "I'll try."

As I watched them, I felt a pang of something I couldn't quite name. The bond between Remus and me was new, fragile, but it was there. And as for James... I wasn't sure if there was anything left to salvage. He was growing closer to Lily, and I was slipping further away, into the coldness that now defined me.

But for the first time in a long while, I felt like I wasn't completely alone. Remus understood, and that was enough. For now.