The Bookworm and the Beast (A Remus Lupin Love Story)

Chapter 11: All is Forgiven

Julia POV:

For the next few weeks, Remus avoids me. Lily cries herself to sleep every night when she thinks no one's listening. Slytherins shove into me in the halls, call me names when they know I'm listening. Andy stays close by my side, the act of being my boyfriend seeming to turn into more than an act. The Marauders still give me glares, but also looks of pity. I don't talk to the them anymore, I mostly stay locked in my dorm with Lily and do homework.

I miss Remus a lot. I keep thinking of how badly I screwed up, how badly I screwed us up. If only I had just waited patiently to start dating Remus then this wouldn't have happened. If only I had realized sooner that Andy's plan was bad then I could have saved the amazing relationship that could have been.

"Lily, hurry up, we're going to be late!" I call to my ginger friend from the bottom of the girls staircase.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," she shoots back rather grumpily. It's been like this for the past week, it seems Lily's sanity is wearing thin.

As I'm waiting for her to come down, someone walks briskly past me, head down. I know by the golden hair and scarred arms who it is immediately.

"Remus!" I call, jogging to catch him before he disappears. "Remus, wait!" But as soon as I exit the portrait hole, he's nowhere in sight. I lean on a wall and curse loudly. "Why am I so stupid?"

Lily walks out and sighs. "Question of the day," she says. The two of us make our way to potions in complete silence, Lily's last comment still hanging in the air.

*^*

"Alfie, give me back my chocolate!" I exclaim to my little brother, chasing him down the stairs and nearly tripping over my own feet.

Despite the fact that I told my parents about the danger of me being with them, they still insisted I come home for Christmas. They're pretty good parents as parents go, my Mum who's strong-willed and kind, and my Dad who's caring and hardworking. They don't know much about my life as a wizard, mostly because they struggle to understand the basics. Honestly I think some of it scares them.

"Mum, Julia's being mean again," my brother cries after swallowing the last bit of my chocolate.

"Julia," my Mum warns, shooting me a look from where she stands on a chair trying to hit a spider with a rolled up newspaper. I throw my hands up in annoyance and stalk out of the room. "Don't forget," she calls, "your friend Lily is coming in a few hours!" I smile to myself at the thought, it has been a week and a half since I've seen my spunky ginger friend.

"Julia!" My dad calls suddenly. I walk into the living room to see he's holding the phone at arms length from his ear, an annoyed look on his face. "I think it's for you," he tells me, shoving the phone into my hands. I put it up to my ear.

"Hello?"

"JULIA!" I nearly drop the phone as I James's loud voice. "I'M USING A PHONE! SO I WANTED TO ASK YOU-"

"James, stop yelling," I tell him, but he keeps going.

"CAN YOU HEAR ME? Here, Padfoot, you try."

"James, Sirius-"

"WILLOWS CAN YOU HEAR ME? SORRY I DON'T KNOW HOW TO WORK THESE BLOODY MUGGLE TELEPHONES-"

"SIRIUS, JAMES-"

"OH, I HEARD YOU! Prongs, I think I heard her!"

"Idiots, give me the phone, there's no need for you to yell." My heart contracts as I hear Remus on the other line. "Sorry about that, Julia." My heart beats faster. It was nice to hear Remus's voice again.