It had been three months; Remus Lupin knew he could keep them in the dark no longer. He couldn't keep their best friend from them. His guilt had shadowed his conscience for too long. His reasoning, no matter how selfish, was finally not enough. Full moon was approaching and he could not continue himself. He knew that Hermione and Ron would be tearing themselves apart, with no body to be seen and with their families already mourning Harry Potter's death. On reflection, He supposed Hermione hadn't told her own parents, he hadn't expected her too.
He ambled slowly along the path to the Borrow, the crunch of his cane against the gravel, coupled with his ragged breathing was the only sound to be heard in the suffocating July heat. He suffered many injuries during the war. He could see the rickety building known as The Burrow, becoming larger as he walked closer. It was strangely quiet for a sunny July afternoon, the only sun they'd had in a month. No Weasleys' were flying around on brooms, and no good-natured arguments travelled from the house. Remus felt another tug on his heart, the last three months had been hard for the whole wizarding community.
Harry's injuries were extensive, one was even impossible to heal. He sighed, Harry had suffered greatly. The story of his life, it seemed. Remus had moved him to a house in the country, where he wished to live on his own. Remus was sad that he was able to understand this, Harry had felt alone for the majority of his life, what was the difference if he spent the rest of it the same way. Everyone wanted to help him, their saviour, but for every time help was refused, Harry erected another wall around himself. Harry had been through months of unwilling therapy with Nymphadora Tonks. Nowadays, he was tired easily, agitated, and angry. He was hard to cope with.
Remus arrived at the front gate, the sunlight was mirrored by the Burrow windows; somehow it didn't seem right, nothing seemed right. He walked up to the front door, and raised his fist to knock-
The door opened, Surprising Remus and disorientating him for a second. Molly gasped, and ushered him in. Remus found himself pushed along into the kitchen as though a current had forced him there.
"Remus, How are you? Do you bring news?"
The whole of the Weasley family erupted from the rooms around the kitchen, Remus was pushed into a chair, and handed a mug. "Drink up! and How can we help you?" He was engulfed by all the hands, and was being hounded with questions from every side. Molly pushed her face as close as she could to his. "What is it, Remus?" Remus blinked at her, Molly was unusually blunt.
"I'm here to take Ron" He answered, looking around the kitchen, not seeing him "Where is he?"
"Take Ron" Molly's eyes widened "Take him where?"
Remus looked at his brimming mug. "To Harry" There were collective gasps around the room and Molly Clapped her hands together "Oh, Remus," Her voice was raspy, she wiped her hands on her apron. Her eyes were starting to swell with tears "He's alive… I've been so worried Remus! We all thought- Well- I'll pack my things-"
"No, Molly" Remus said, clearly. He knew that Molly considered Harry as her own son, but right now, fuss was not what Harry wanted, no matter how much he needed it. "Only Ron, I'm afraid. Harry isn't up to much visitors…" He visibly blanched "In fact, he doesn't know I'm bringing Ron and Hermione"
Molly paused, as though she did not hear what Remus said at all, since she probably didn't want to hear what he was saying. "What sort of shape is he in? Has anyone cooked him a full meal? Is he staying with you-?" She was cut off, as Remus raised a hand to still her.
"I'm sure he'll visit when he's ready, Molly. He is being fed by Nymphadora, who is quite the cook, I assure you. Dobby was also sent from the castle" Molly bristled, as though Remus was insulting her by allowing a House elf to look after Harry. "As for the shape he is in, well, He's alive, lets be grateful"
Ginny let out a dramatic, shuddering sob. "I'm going with Ron" she exclaimed in a high voice, Remus looked at her in alarm, having forgotten the rest of the Weasleys where there.
"I'm sorry, Ginny. But I cannot allow you to come with us" Ginny burst into more tears at his words and ran from the room, Molly sighed sadly and ran after her, her cries of "Ginny, Dear, Wait" faded off into the depths of the house. The Weasleys filtered from the kitchen, leaving Remus quite alone.
"What took you so Long?" Remus jumped, startled, and turned to see Ron in the doorway.
"Ron" He sighed, standing and turning to face him.
"I said- what took you so long?" Ron repeated, his tone taking some anger.
"Ron" Remus started awkwardly, realising all the reasons he gave himself would never be enough to explain what he had done to this trio of friends "Harry had to-"
"And why couldn't me and Hermione help?"
"He is in bad shape-"
"Do you have ANY idea…What Hermione has been going through!? How much I have-"
He cut himself off, turning his back on the werewolf. Remus sighed, sitting back heavily on the chair. He had expected a bit of retaliation, of course he had. How could he not? He'd let the two people closest to Harry believe their best friend was dead. His guilt was all consuming, and not only for that, but for the face that he wasn't there to help Harry at the end. If he had been there, Harry would have been okay. All he had to do was be there, maybe to warn him in some way. He sighed once again, and pointed his eyes to Ron's turned back.
"I'm Sorry, Ron. To you and Hermione. For everything I've put you through, for letting you believe-" He took a slow, deep breath. "You'll understand when you see him" They would, he hoped.
Ron looked cautious, and then resolute. "I'll grab a bag"
Remus smiled weakly, and watched him run from the tiled kitchen. He rubbed his temples wearily. He wasn't sure what Harry's reaction would be to a surprise visit. He hadn't yet mastered the fact that he can't be as active as he used too. He hadn't mastered how much he could eat, and couldn't eat. He hadn't even mastered the stairs in his own house. How the hell did he expect to live on his own? Remus had battled Harry's request to live alone, throwing all these obvious facts at him, but this had just made Harry more determined to do it. Now there was nothing Remus could do, except wait. At least Harry allowed him the spare key.
Ron skidded back into the kitchen, his backpack slung over his shoulder. "I'm ready" Lupin Nodded and stood, groaning as a sharp pain shot through his back. Something he was sadly accustomed to these days. "Have you said goodbye to your family?" He asked, as they reached the door. Ron looked darkly towards the sound of Ginny's wailing.
"They'll hardly notice that I've gone anyway" He muttered. Remus looked at him sympathetically, he was astounded already at Ginny's behaviour, and he imagined that Harry would not be very impressed at all. Remus reassured himself it really was best not to take her. He tried to look confident at Ron, and straightened himself up, "Best be off then" he said quietly, and opened the door.
"Yeah" Ron answered just as quietly, and followed him out of the door.
Ron landed on the lawn with a soft thump, he still hadn't mastered portkey landing, even after the war. Remus landed effortlessly next to him, and looked at the house ahead of them. The tell-tale flickering lights of a television screen emitted through the large front windows, Hermione had told him of televisions once, and Ron could see a man and a woman sitting on the sofa. Hermione's parents, he supposed. He followed Remus to the front patio, feeling unaccountably nervous about seeing Hermione. He had no idea what state she would be in. The sunshine was giving way to quickly gaining darkness. He stood twiddling his thumbs as Remus knocked hesitantly. Once, twice, three times…
The woman Ron had seen on the sofa opened the door. The chain latch was still locked, and the middle-aged woman glanced at them through the crack in the door.
"Can I help you?" Her voice was small, timid but there was an undertone telling of wisdom. The fear in his eyes shone out like beacons. Remus smiled as kindly as he could,
"We're here for Hermione, Mrs Granger"
Mrs Granger nodded, and blinked slowly. "And you're from the…" She was very hesitant to talk about where her daughter came from, although she had been fully immersed in it on her journeys to Diagon alley with Hermione.
"Wizarding world, Yes" Remus completed for her. Mrs granger smiled weakly and nodded, shutting the door, unchaining the lock and then opening it fully.
"Come in" She said quietly, watching Remus and Ron enter. She shut the door behind them, and looked at them carefully. She opened her mouth and closed it again, before asking with forced politeness. "Can I get you a cup of tea…?"
"No" Remus answered "Thank you, but we are in a bit of a Hurry. It'll be dark soon"
Mrs Granger bit her lip, in way not unlike Hermione and nodded once again. "I'll just go fetch her…she's…she's in the garden"
Ron sent a tense smile at Remus, Remus nodded "She'll be fine, Ron" Ron hoped he was right; he toyed with the buttons on his jumper, biting his lip, and looking to the doorway every few seconds.
Hermione burst into the hall, running towards Ron and threw her arms around him. Remus could hear her sobbing pitifully into Ron's neck, clutching his jumper in tight fists. Her mother watched in dismay, Remus gained the impression that this was the most emotion Hermione had shown in weeks.
Hermione looked up into Ron's face "Did you find him?" Ron nodded, and Hermione exhaled slowly. Remus cleared his throat, a quiet, raspy noise that instantly drew Hermione's attention.
"Remus" she said coldly, her anger at the man standing before her had grown without any signs of abating. He kept Harry from her, let her think he was dead- when she knew he couldn't be. She would feel something more than she did if he was gone, she knew.
Remus had- again- expected this. Retaliation was the last thing he was worried about. For the time being, all he cared about was that Harry's friends saw he was alive. For the time being, all he cared about was getting Harry's faith in life back.
"Hermione-"He started, but he was instantly cut off by her cold threat.
"Just take us to Harry, I hope the journey takes three months, how else will you explain how long it's taken you to get us?"
Remus was left bewildered; he'd never heard Hermione talk in such a tone. He nodded, suddenly feeling how cold it was in the house. He watched Hermione's reaction to his nod, anger, relief, happiness, worry, dread.
"Is he…Has he?" She asked in a grafting tone, filled with horror, her hand slowly coming up to cover her mouth
"No" He answered, gaining his voice. "He's alive" He bit his lip, barely.
"Can we see him?" She moved away from Ron, viewing his backpack.
"That's why we're here", Hermione turned away from them, and ran up the stairs, after stating quietly "I'll get my things"
"Are you taking her away?" Hermione's mother's voice sounded very tired now. Her face lined, and grey colours that Ron hadn't noticed before were coming into the dark auburn that still shined through.
"We'll bring her back, Mrs Granger" Remus placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, his fingers ghostly pale next to her dark top.
"Will you bring her back right?" Remus' forehead creased at this, and he looked at Mrs Granger in disbelief.
The question made Ron's toes curl, Right, what the bloody hell did she mean by right? Didn't she understand what Hermione had been through, what they both had been through? What the Wizarding world had faced…? He regarded her sadly, and guessed not. Muggles would never understand the fear, the consequences of Magic. The dark side of magic, or magic, point blanc. He doubted they could grasp what their daughter had become, let alone the world they didn't want her to belong to.
Remus, very much alarmed by the question, reassured her he'd do the best he could. The three of them waited silently in the brightly lighted Hall. The only sound that could be heard were the whisper of Hermione's feet, and her badly concealed sobbing.
She was on the stairway a moment later, a bag thrown over her shoulder, and her hair tied back carefully. She walked to her mother, wearing a resolved look similar to the one Remus had seen on Ron's face in the Burrow, and put her arms around her. Her mother embraced her back, as if she was made of glass.
Together, Hermione, Ron and Remus stepped out onto the front lawn. The slit of light from on the porch slowly disappeared as the door was shut behind them, and they were left to the cold night.
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