𝙥𝙖𝙡𝙚 𝙖𝙦𝙪𝙖 ➪ 𝗆𝖺𝗋𝖺𝗎𝖽𝖾𝗋𝗌

𝐶𝐻𝐴𝑃𝑇𝐸𝑅 𝐹𝑂𝑈𝑅𝑇𝑌 𝑇𝐻𝑅𝐸𝐸

➪ MATISSE ➪

"CAN WE TALK?"

"Only if you promise not to ignore me anymore, Rem," Loki replied, frowning as she looked up at the boy. He averted his gaze and nodded. "I'm sorry. I'm just a little wound up at the moment." She let out a sigh and ran a hand through her hair.

"Don't apologise," Remus shook his head. "I should be apologising for ignoring you. A lot has happened lately, with Sirius and myself, and—and us. Life's been getting the better of us, and so I would completely understand if you wanted to let out some steam."

"No," Loki patted the spot beside her on the long wooden seat. "Let's talk here. Right now so we don't avoid each other any more."

Remus hesitated momentarily. He gazed down at the seat, and he felt, for a split second, immense fear. He slowly lowered himself beside the girl even as his mind conjured up several potential scenarios, all of them ending badly.

"Before you say anything," Loki quickly began to speak, grabbing Remus's hand, "I feel like I need to tell you I'm here for you. I've been through a lot in my life without anyone, and I know you have James and the others to speak with, but if you ever really need someone else—"

"I'll come to you first," Remus smiled. "Promise." He replied, raising their hands and pressing his lips to her skin.

Loki flushed. "So," she coughed, "can you tell me what's been going on? I want to know what happened with you and Sirius."

Remus sighed. He lowered their hands back to the table, gently tunning his thumb over the back of Loki's. She watched him, anxious for his response.

Remus spoke up after several mone ts of silence. "Something happened, and James had to save someone," he began. "They could have died. We found out later it was Sirius who sent them there."

"Why? Who?"

Loki clutched Remus's hand tightly.  She stared, her eyebrows tightly knitted, shaken with disbelief. She couldn't comprehend the fact that Sirius could have led someone to their demise.

"Severus Snape," Remus responded.

"He's the one you hate, right?" Loki blurted. "I'm sorry, I think I'm trying to find something plausible to explain why he would do that

"It's okay," Remus shook his head. "I still find it hard to believe."

"Have you spoken to him about it?"

"No," Remus sighed. "We've been avoiding him like the plague." Remus let her hand go, rubbing his face. "I feel guilty about it."

"Maybe you should talk with him," Loki suggested. "Just you and Sirius. No James, no Peter, no one but you two."

"Maybe," Remus murmured. "I just don't know how to."

Loki hummed, an idea popping into her head. She smiled at it.

Perfect.

➪

"PLEASE, MERLIN, WORK."

Loki muttered the prayer to the old wizard, her hands clasped tightly as she anxiously paced the floor of the kitchens. She glanced at the clock on the wall once more. There were only a few more minutes before when Sirius was supposed to come. Her hand flew to her mouth as she began absentmindedly chewing her nails. Loki's anxiety seemed to disappear only when she heard the kitchen painting open and shut. She spun around, coming face to face with the familiar dark-haired boy.

"You made it," she breathed with a grin.

"Yeah," Sirius stepped closer and shrugged. Loki could smell the faint intoxicating whiff of cigarette smoke and flushed slightly. "So, what did you need, Princess?"

"For now, I need you to wait here," she replied, gesturing to the replica house table. "I'll be back in just a few moments. Promise."

"Alright," Sirius nodded. He trusted Loki, so he believed she had no ill-intent.

Loki left the kitchens and quickly rushed back to her Common Room. She knocked on the barrel two up in the middle of the second row and crawled through the passageway it revealed.

"Remus!" She called as soon as she was on her two feet again. The boy's head appeared from the small seating section she left him in. "Come on. He's there."

Remus's colour seemed to drain from his face. He stepped out, striding over to Loki, and nervously fiddled with his collar as he did so. Loki smiled comfortingly at him, placing her hand on his shoulder.

"What if we get into another argument?" Remus muttered.

"I'll be right outside to break it up," she responded. "I've got my wand in my pocket if it's needed, but I don't think it will be. I can tell Sirius wants to talk with you as much you want to talk with him. He's just been too afraid to."

"You're sure?" Remus frowned as he gazed into Loki's eyes.

"One hundred percent," she nodded. Her hands moved up to cup his face, and she pulled him down for a kiss. "Now, come on. We can't keep him waiting."

Remus nodded. He climbed through the tunnel first and, as he was going, Loki looked back. Her eyes connected with Nicolas, who smiled at her, giving her a nod of encouragement, before turning back to his group of guy friends. She smiled sadly at him, then hastily followed after Remus.

"Are you okay, Remus?" Loki queried when she emerged from the tunnel.

He nodded, rubbing his hands together. "I'm just nervous about speaking to him is all. I've never been this nervous before."

"Remember to hear him out. He'll have a reason for doing it, I'm sure. If you don't think it's good enough, then you don't have to speak to him again." Loki repeated the lines she'd been saying to him since she proposed the idea.

"I know." Remus breathed deeply, taking a moment to compose himself.

"You ready to go in and see him?" Loki asked.

"Yeah."

Loki took Remus's hand and began walking with him back to the kitchens. Each step found Loki becoming more and more anxious. As a way to reassure both herself and Remus, she squeezed his hand. He smiled gratefully at her.

And right before he parted to see Sirius, he squeezed her hand back.

➪ AUTHOR'S NOTE ➪

i'm sorry for disappearing, but i'm going to have to do it again. we're beginning our move tomorrow, so i wont be active for the weekend. And, as i wrote the chapters up previously, i'm updating them so at least you know i'll be back soon.

i've missed you :) i hope you enjoyed this chapter, and i'll see you next time.