ATHENE {remus lupin}

FIFTY FOUR

Remus Lupin didn't bother going back to the Burrow after Athene had apparated away from him. He went home and sent a patronus to Kingsley, explaining that they had made contact with Harry, Ron and Hermione, and then one to Molly to let her know that he was safe. He thought that Athene must have gone there and he didn't want to argue with her any more. Not right before a full moon.

In the back of his head, Remus felt as if he should send a patronus to Athene at the very least. Explaining why he had offered to go with Harry, telling her that the boy was like his son. That Harry was all he had left, but of course that wasn't true. He wanted to apologise and promise to stay, but he couldn't do that. Remus Lupin knew full well that if Harry had told him that he would like the company, and the help, he would have turned his back on the woman and left. 

Perhaps he truly was a coward. 

He still had his tattered copy of Persuasion in his hands, the copy that he had given her a year ago. Should he have seen this coming? Would it have all been easier if he hadn't made the peace offering of this book?

He sighed and turned to where a page was folded over,

I can listen no longer in silence. I must speak to you by such means as are within my reach. You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone for ever. I offer myself to you again with a heart even more your own than when you almost broke it, eight years and a half ago. Dare not say that man forgets sooner than woman, that his love has an earlier death. I have loved none but you. Unjust I may have been, weak and resentful I have been, but never inconstant.

He huffed when he read the page. Stupid fucking book. He wanted to put it down, and ignore it, ignore her. But, instead of resting as he had intended to, and as he knew he should, he sat on he sofa and continued to read on from where she had stopped. 

Athene apparated to outside of Shell Cottage and banged on the door roughly. Bill opened it, looking curious, with his wand drawn.

"I, Athene Abraxas Malfoy-" She said, with her hands up. The scarred man nodded, and opened the door fully, shouting his wife in the process. 

Fleur rushed gracefully down the stairs and kissed Athene multiple times on both cheeks.

"I have been so worried!" She exclaimed, "did it all go okay? Why have you come here, shouldn't you be at the Burrow?"

Athene opened her mouth to speak and then paused, realising that Molly would probably be worrying about her. She quickly conjured her patronus and sent the wolf to the Burrow with a message that she was safe.

"It went fine."

"And they were there? Harry, Ron and Hermione?"

"They were."

Fleur clasped her hands together, "amazing! Non?"

Athene nodded her head quickly. She could feel her eyes welling and so bit down on her lip to stop herself. When she tasted blood she let the tears fall. Fleur stared at her best friend and grabbed her arm, leading her out of the house.

"We're going for a walk along the beach, William!"

"Okay- have you got your wands?"

"Yes-" Fleur shouted, slamming the door behind her.

Athene and Fleur walked down the steps on the cliff to the beach. It was freezing and the waves were huge, she led her into a cave beneath one of the cliffs.

"My thinking spot," the French witch said with a small smile.

"It's beautiful here."

"Indeed it is, I feel as if I'm in paradise when I'm not thinking about the war," she replied wistfully. Athene smiled at her friend. "But of course, I think about the war all the time. And when I am not thinking about everyone here I am thinking about everyone in France. I suppose, knowing that I can be happy here pushes me to fight on."