Dark Pasts { A Harry Potter Story }

Chapter 90 - Lupin's Promise

"What in Merlin's beard was that about?" I shouted in anger.

I quick glance at my surroundings and I realized we had Apparated in Remus and Tonks' home.

"We had to leave," Remus said, panting. "The Death Eaters were everywhere."

"You know what I mean!" I cried. "They were right there! Why did you stop me from going to them?"

He and Tonks exchanged a look but did not say anything. I grunted in annoyance before turning around and quickly rummaging through my bag.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"I have to find them," I said, though I knew not how I would do that.

They would not have gone to the Leaky Cauldron, or even to Grimmauld Place for they knew it was too dangerous. So where did they go?

"Elizabeth. . . ."

I glared at him angrily. "It's all your fault that we're separated now!"

"Elizabeth, please, listen to me. . . ." Remus said. "He asked me to do it."

"What?" I said, barely listening.

"Harry," he said, "he asked me to keep you safe and stop you from leaving with them."

I stared at him, my mouth agape, as I processed what he had just said.

"I don't believe you. . . ."

But even as I said so, I knew he was saying the truth, and suddenly everything became clear to me. That was why Harry had been acting strange, why he had avoided my gaze when I talked about finding the Horcruxes, and why I had felt so much sadness when he had kissed me last. He had never meant for me to go with them. He had always known he would leave me behind.

"Sweetheart . . ." Tonks said softly, and I realized tears were streaming down my face.

She made her way toward me and hugged me. "He loves you. . . . he only wanted to make sure you were safe. . . ."

I swallowed back a sob. "I told him I didn't care! I just wanted to be with him. . . ."

"I know, sweetheart," she said. "But he loves you too much to not care."

"But he lets Hermione and Ron stay with him!"

"That's different," Remus spoke suddenly. "When you love someone you realize how you would do anything to know they are safe because you could not bear their pain. . . ."

He stared intently at Tonks for a moment, and I saw a sadness in his eyes.

"You need to sleep," Tonks said after a moment.

She lead me to a guest bedroom and gave me a small smile before closing the door. I tried to sleep that night, but every time I closed my eyes I imagined horrible things happening to Harry. I tried to focus my attention elsewhere by recalling the conversation between Aunt Muriel and Elphias Doge and wondered why Dumbledore had never told Harry they had both lived and lost loved ones in Godric's Hollow?

This only made me think of Harry again, and my heart tightened in my chest. I took a deep breath to settle myself before rummaging through my bag to find the copy of The Tales of Beedle The Bard  Dumbledore had left me. I quickly flipped through the pages, which were very worn out. All children raised by wizards had been told these tails, so I did not understand why Dumbledore had left it to me. Still, I began to read the first tale, wondering if answers lay in the stories.

The room was still dark when I woke the next morning: it was raining outside. The book was still laying open on my chest and I carefully moved it to the bedside table as I stood up before making my way downstairs. Tonks and Remus were sitting at the kitchen table and offered me small smiles as I sat down in front of them.