The Tune Of Time

Chapter 3

The first night Remus found himself in the company of the stranger was the third night she had stumbled into their life. With just three more days to the full moon, he was finding it hard to ignore the scent of the girl that surrounded her room. She smelled like parchment , vanilla and roses. His senses were heightened and he couldn't ignore it anymore. Treacherously, his feet found its way to the room and since then he had spend his night sitting beside her bed, holding her hand.

"I didn't know you were here." Remus was startled by the voice of Lily and opened his eyes to find his friends standing infront of him. She was looking fondly at him while James and Sirius were smirking. Remus realised it was already morning and stood up. His body stiff due to sleeping while sitting but otherwise free of any pain that he might have felt with the coming full moon. It was a first. He mumbled a 'good morning' and walk past them to the kitchen. They followed him.
"You had us worried Remus." Lily said passing him a cup of hot chocolate. "I went to check in on you and you weren't there. You weren't anywhere in the house."

"Sorry." He really felt awful for causing her stress in her condition.

"It took a point me charm to find you." James shrugged in his cup.

Having enough, Sirius cleared his throat. "When are we going to acknowledge that Moony was sleeping with the pretty girl upstairs. Holding her hand." He wriggled his eyebrows suggestively at the red face of his friends.

"Looks like Moony fancies the nameless girl." Janes teased.

"Leave him you two." Lily glared with finger pointed towards the pair of friends. They covered their smirks with their cups.

Remus thanked Lily mentally, although he had been too quick in it. "Its about time you found someone Remus." James and Sirius snorted.

"Itsnotlikethat." Remus mumbled.

"Has the witch rendered you speechless Mr. Moony?" James questioned.

"I don't fancy her." He announced.

"Then what were you doing in her room? Tucking her in?"

"Her smell. It helps." He told them. Though seeing their still confused expression, he explained. "It helps Moony. It works like Calming drought. Helps to relax." And just like that he knew he was never going to see the end of it.

For the days that followed, Remus didn't have to hide till the full moon to go in her room to see her. His friends understood , although this didn't mean they refrained from teasing him.

It was the day after full moon , Remus was helping Lily who was tending to her wounds.
"You know why I have never allowed anyone of you boys to be here while I changed the bandages." Lily was speaking softly as she slowly removed the bandage on her arm. Remus wondered why so, she could have easily done that with a charm but Lily was doing it the muggle way.
"Have you wondered how I knew she was muggleborn?" She asked when Remus didn't say anything.
"I did." He said unsure of what else to say.
"It is horrendous Remus. Whoever did it is a monster." She said, fear evident in her voice.
"What is it, Lils? You don't have to do anything you don't want to, you know that right?" He placed a hand gently on her shoulder.

"I know. Its just, I cannot help but think it could have been me in her place."

In that moment, the last bandage fell free from her arm and red angry scar was in its place. Sitting there on the nights before the full moon, Remus had wondered what were under those bandages but never in his worst nightmare could he have imagine anything like this. Ofcourse, the war have been growing in the world outside but was it really this bad that someone could be tortured by carving a slur in their arm.

"It is cursed. It won't heal." She answered the unspoken question.

Though Remus wanted very badly to scoop the girl in his arm and hold her close to his chest , Lily needed his comfort more in this moment. He pulled her into an embrace.

To say Lily was shocked would be an understatement. Remus Lupin was a reserved man. He never initiated physical contact with anyone beside the Marauders. In the past few years, Lily had tried to get him to open up but he had never hugged her. He had just returned her hugs.

"Oye Prongs, Moony has his arms on your girl." Sirius shouted from the gate.

"If it were you, I would have worried. But not from Moony." Prongs answered from beside him.

Lily rolled her eyes at their antics and took her side beside her husband.

The four friends watched from the door at the unconscious body of the girl who had suddenly fallen into their houses and woven her way into their lives. In his heart Remus knew he would protect her at any cost. The way he would protect James, Sirius , Peter , Lily and her child.