Blood of the Moon {Remus Lupin}

Chapter 9

Alrighty here's another one for you. Enjoy :)

Song recommendation:
I Can't Fall in Love Without You - Zara Larson

The winter wind swirled around Auriga as she shoved open the door to the Three Broomsticks. The crackling fire filled her with warmth as she made her way over to the bar and sat down on a stool. There weren't many people there - maybe fifteen or so - so the pub was fairly quiet and filled with faint chatter.

Auriga took a deep breath, inhaling the smoky smell, as she removed her cloak and folded it onto a chair next to her. "What can I get you?" Rosmerta, the barmaid, asked her.

"I'll just have a butterbeer, please," she said, placing thirteen sickles on the bar.

Rosmerta chuckled at the fact that she knew the price of one. "We get a lot of your kind in here," she said, placing down a tankard of golden liquid and picking up the stack of silver coins.

"My kind?" Auriga asked, taking a sip of her butterbeer.

"Old Hogwarts students," Rosmerta explained, "They come for the nostalgia." Auriga didn't respond to that. "You getting married?" Rosmerta asked, eyeing her engagement ring.

"I don't know," Auriga replied truthfully, fiddling with the handle of the tankard.

"Ah," was all Rosmerta said, before moving on to serve another customer in shabby brown robes.

Auriga let her mind wander for a while, replaying all the memories she had from this very spot. She hadn't had many friends at Hogwarts, so coming to Hogsmeade with her dorm-mates had been a rare occasion of fun for Auriga. She had always been more of the studious type, choosing to spend her week-ends in the library or at the duelling club instead of out in the grounds and castle.

She was interrupted from her musing when somebody tapped her lightly on the shoulder, "Could I have this seat, please?" he asked her.

"Sure," she said without looking up. She picked up her cloak and draped it elegantly over the back of her chair.

The man sat down next to her and took a long swig of butterbeer. "Where do I know you from?" the man asked, and Auriga finally looked up. She was surprised to see a familiar face, but not one she could place.

She shrugged, "I don't know."

The man smiled kindly, "Well in that case," he stuck out his hand, "I'm Remus."

Now Auriga remembered him. "Lupin?" she asked, and he nodded, "The werewolf?" His eyes saddened and he lowered his hand. He took a sip of his butterbeer. "I gave you directions at the ministry," she explained, looking dead ahead at the wall behind the bar. He did the same.

"Ah," he said, "I remember now - Malfoy." They sat in silence for awhile longer. "What brings you to Hogsmeade at this hour?" Lupin asked her.

"I came for a drink," she said indicating the tankard, "You?"

"Same," he said. She downed the rest of her butterbeer and placed the empty glass gently on the bar.

"See you around then, Remus Lupin," she said with a faint smile as she secured her cloak around her shoulders.

"See you," he said sadly, drinking his butterbeer. As she turned to head towards the door, he called out to her, "Could I get you another drink sometime?" he asked.

Auriga smiled sadly at him, seeing the instant look of regret in his eyes, and waved her left hand at him, indicating her ring, "Sorry," she said, "Not this time." And then she left the pub and disapparated back to Malfoy Manor to face the wrath of her parents.

*****

To Auriga,

Thanks for writing to me - I'm glad you consider me a good enough friend to rely on advice from me. I stand by what I told you last April - do not marry Augustus. You don't love him, and someone better will come along. And if he's being violent the best thing you can do is leave, even if that means cutting ties with your family.

I'll be here if you need anything at all, even a place to stay,

Thomas

Auriga folded the letter back up and filed it under her glass of pumpkin juice. "Who's the letter from, darling?" her Father asked from further up the table as he sliced his omelette.

"Just a girl from school congratulating me on my engagement," she replied, taking a sip of juice.

"Is this the same girl from school that you wrote to last week?" Augustus asked, taking a bite of bacon. Auriga didn't say anything.

Everything happened so fast. Augustus grabbed the letter and knocked her glass flying from her hand, spraying pumpkin juice all over the white tablecloth. Before he could open it, Auriga had her wand out. "Incendio!" she half-shouted, and the letter burst into flames.

Augustus dropped it in surprise and the tablecloth caught alight. "Aguamenti!" Lucius shouted, and the flames subsided. He threw his napkin down on his plate in disgust, "Dobby!" the house elf appeared in front of him, "clean this mess up!"

And he strode from the room, quickly followed by Narcissa, who cast a warning glare at Auriga before following him. "Who was the letter from?" Augustus asked quietly as Dobby began clearing away the plates.

"I already told you," she snapped, glaring at the pile of ash, before following her parents' example and leaving the room. She had a lot of work to do anyway.

*****

Auriga stepped into the drawing room where her parents were waiting for her. Her mother looked up and gasped, rushing forward and clasping her hands together, "Darling you look beautiful," she said, taking in the full view of Auriga in her wedding dress. Narcissa herself was in rose coloured dress robes to compliment the bridesmaid's emerald green ones. "I'm going to get everyone settled and tell the Carrows we're ready," she said, placing a kiss on Auriga's cheek and hurrying off to the gardens where the wedding guests were waiting.

Auriga stepped further into the drawing room towards her father, who regarded her with a mix of sadness and pride. "My little girl," he said, planting a kiss on her forehead, "all grown up."

"I was wondering if I could have a moment alone, please, Father?" she asked, "I'll meet you by the backdoor?"

Lucius looked surprised at the request, but then smiled, "Anything for my darling's special day," he promised, before leaving from the room, black dress robes billowing behind him.

Auriga turned and looked at herself in the mirror above the mantle. She did look beautiful. In fact, she couldn't remember ever looking so pretty. But she didn't feel beautiful. She felt ugly and sick, and she had a knot in her stomach that wouldn't go away.

Auriga burst into tears and fell to the floor, her skirts billowing around her. She gasped through her violent sobs. She didn't want to do this. She didn't want to marry Augustus. But she also didn't want to leave her family. Finally her cries subsided and she peered at herself in the mirror again. Her makeup was ruined. Mascara dripped down her face in great muddy tracks. "Mrs Auriga Carrow," she whispered to herself. That was it. She'd made up her mind.