The waxing moon - role play for fullmoonwaltz

[true_marauder]

Talking to Snape was never an easy thing.  Asking favours of Snape was almost painful, and something he could only do for someone else's benefit, not his own.  He was eternally grateful to Albus that he had been the one to ask (or, knowing Dumbledore, tell) Snape to make the Wolfsbane potion for him; even then accepting the potion every month was a

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[fullmoonwaltz]

Work had been particularly difficult today, but somehow she had gritted her teeth and soldiered through another day. As the lunar month had progressed from the attack and her wounds began to give way to raised scars, Mana had began to feel weariness hung over her like an old stretched out sweater. Rather staying to chat or play a game, when the day ended, Mana had aparated straight home, cleaned herself up, set Roger to rights and back in his bowl, checked the post before taking a nap for what good it would do her

[true_marauder]

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. Everything's fine." It hadn't occurred to him, what she would think when he showed up at her home out of the blue. It had simply seemed more polite then flooing. He pulled the decanter of potion out from under his robe and held it up.

"I have a..." What did he call Snape? Not a friend, that was sure. Not a colleague, not anymore. Mana didn't know about the Order, so he couldn't mention that connection. "An acquaintance who is rather talented at potions. I had him brew up a weeks worth of Wolfsbane potion for you - it needs to be started tonight, and drunk every night for the next week. It will make things easier for you."

[fullmoonwaltz]

As Remus held out the decanter, a great swell gratitude and relief overwhelmed her-- she wasn't in this alone-- and for the briefest of moments, the former Griffyndor was actually rendered speechless and perhaps even a little teary-eyed. Thank Merlin Teri wasn’t there to see the day.

"Thank you, Remus," she managed, gently accepting the decanter with appreciative hands against her chest and granted him a hug. "Thank you so very much." And she meant every word of it.

With the sunset beginning and a wicked autumn chill whipping off the siding and porch made Mana shudder and retreat a step into the welcoming warmth of the flat. "Please, would you like to come in?" she asks, stepping aside to permit her friend to enter.

"I just made dinner if you’re hungry. Or tea if you’d like?"

[true_marauder]

The hug startled him. For years there had been so few touches, and even now it was only Sirius and sometimes Tonks or Teri who touched him without warning. But he tried not to stiffen and nodded when she pulled away. "I'm just glad I could help."

It was cold, and he shivered a little in his thin robes. "If your dinner is anywhere near as good as that pie was I'd be appreciative. I missed lunch today." And the potion was better taken on a full stomach, but he didn't mention that yet.

[fullmoonwaltz]

The simple compliment stole a smile from her lips that could have rivaled for the warmth from the flame crackling hearth or the lit stove still aglow with the promise of home cooked dinner. "Should never walk around on empty stomach. Your mind’s always with your stomach an’ if you’re not careful you could trip up over it."

The flat, not unlike many flats occupied by wizards, was larger than it had appeared on the outside, but Mana’s was a curious harmonious collision of muggle and wizard influences-a telephone besides an empty perch, moving photographs kept still monochromatic framed memories company on the shelves with volumes of well-loved dogged books, an inkwell, quill and rolled scrolls nestled to the right of a ballpoint pen, and besides the fireplace, an odd looking fish who’d stared a bit too intently for comfort.

"Made chicken an’ dumplings..." she cheerfully remarked making her way into the kitchen, setting the decanter on the table, and began to warm the dish. "An’ probably more than enough for a few days."

[true_marauder]

"I've fallen out of the habit of three meals over the years." Sometimes because he was caught up in something - a 'musty old tome' Sirius would say - and sometimes out of circumstance.

He followed her inside, noting his surroundings. It was a warm and cozy place, and cluttered enough that he felt comfortable. Though her hadn't said anything a few months ago, he had agreed with Tonks' assessment that the Dursley's house was too clean and stark. He liked a place that looked lives in; Mana's flat certainly did. "It smells wonderful in here."

[fullmoonwaltz]

"Doesn’t your stomach growl something awful," she asked earnestly, igniting the stoves flame and began adding ingredients to the pot. To an ardent cook like Mana, skipping a meal seemed as outlandish a concept asking Gringotts’ goblin bankers to miscalculate the day’s accounts tallies or Hogwart’s potion-master to crack a good-natured smile; it was something that went wholly against their better natures

[true_marauder]

"Not generally, though sometimes that's what reminds me it's time to find something to eat." He stood just at the edge of the kitchen, watching her. The way she moved around, not just comfortably but so at peace, told him that this was her home. Not the flat, as nice as it was, but the kitchen. He'd wager that she'd get on well with Molly; give them an hour and they'd be trading recipes and planning menus.

"Cooking herbs, I'd wager," he commented as he sniffed the air. It smelled something like greenhouse five at Hogwarts, the one used mostly by the house elves in preparing food. "I smell chives and rosemary, I think, and perhaps lemongrass?"

He smelled the chicken too, stronger when she set it before him, but didn't pick up his fork, nor did he answer her question. "Aren't you joining me?"

[fullmoonwaltz]

"I’d take that bet, but I have the inside lead. You forgot the thyme and ginger root. Don’t worry, everyone does," she cheerfully conceded moving a pan then pot into the sink. "Don’t have a much of a green thumb- was never my specialty- or much space for keepin’ ‘bout the house what can be bought fresh at market. Besides there’s something entirely sad in coming home to a wilting plant an’ I’ve found only a few hearty enough to survive me. But these," spying a sprig of hanging green peeking out from the recess cabinet, stretching out against the wood panels and stone walls, "They’ve done just fine, I think

[true_marauder]

"I don't tend to stay in one place long enough to have any plants, and G- the place I live in now doesn't have enough natural light to let anything grow. Even the few things you have seem quite amazing to me." As good as the dinner smelled Remus only looked at it once before getting up from the table.

"Had a bit, or had enough for a meal. You need to eat, to keep up your strength. The moon - it's only going to be harder to face if you're not at your physical best." He moved into the kitchen, reaching to take the cups from her. She was tired, he could tell, but at the same time filled with a nervous energy that he was fairly sure had nothing to do with him. "Why don't you sit down with a plate of food and let me make the tea?"

[fullmoonwaltz]

“Oh, you like to travel,” she ingeniously remarks, but seemed to reconsider and allowed it to comfortably pass.

There was no question she was taken aback by the suddenness of Remus’ kindly gesture. It was more than a little jumpiness or a trick of the light in which to dismiss the tense manner in which she’d surrendered the ceramic mugs to his custody, then mumbled out an apology and unconsciously retreated. If one hadn’t known her condition, one might have attributed her odd reaction to residual stress from the attack, but the young witch’s body was weakening, the wolf had eagerly grown stronger and begun to watch just behind her eyes.

But Mana was a stubborn thing, ran her hand through her hair gathering her composure before quietly slumping into the seat.

[true_marauder]

"I spent eleven years after the war traveling the world. I've stayed a little closer to home the last few years, but still never in one place for too long. Perhaps I have restless feet," he said with a shrug. It was only half an explanation, but the easiest he had to offer.

He moved about the kitchen, making two mugs of tea, dishing out a second serving of dinner and warming it with a simple charm before carrying food and drink to the table. He set the plate before Mana.

"Eat a little, even if you don't think you're hungry," he encouraged. "If nothing else it will make the potion set in your stomach better."

[fullmoonwaltz]

At this Mana perked up, propping her elbows up on to the table, which under any of circumstances would have be considered terribly rude if it weren’t her table, chin resting in the palm of her hand. The account made her break into a weak smile. "Must’ve worn through alot of shoes... An’ confused the owls somethin’ terrible, I'd imagine."

She watched internal disproval reading at the tightened corner of her lips-- like the microwavable tv dinners she wrestled away from her little brother from time to time, quickly reheated charmed food tasted funny to Mana’s learned tongue-fortunately she was also skilled at biting her tongue too. "Thank you."

"I’m really not," she insisted. At first, the witch simply nudged the food around the plate with the fork, but seeing his persistence wouldn’t be so easily dissuaded and with his food getting cold... "Please, I’ll eat if you will," she conceded, speculating that he probably wouldn’t begin to eat if she didn’t, Mana began to eat a dumpling.

[true_marauder]

"There weren't too many owls that had too find me. Dumbledore sent a letter upon occasion, but I'm sure you wouldn't be surprised to know that he has his ways of finding people." He, being a bachelor, didn't notice the difference in charmed food and would have traded dishes with her had he known. She was right about him not eating, though. It was only after he watched her take the first bite that he picked up his fork.

"Even better then the pie," he declared after three bites. "Molly would approve."

He ate slowly, both to savor the flavour and to watch his dining companion. The past few weeks she had been visibly recovered from the attack, looking like a normal twenty-something girl should look. But now that the moon was approaching he could see signs of stress, emotional, mental and certainly physical. His own first transformation was too long ago to remember, but he had seen others over the years. It wasn't going to be easy, not that they ever were. "How are you sleeping?"

[fullmoonwaltz]

Her voice warmed with a chuckle. "Yes, he has his ways, doesn’t he?" Mana shared the opinion of many witches and wizards would be greatly surprised if there was something the benevolent and wily headmaster of Hogwarts couldn’t manage. "But as the muggle’s say it’s not nice to ask the magician how he does it." Between talk of Dumbledore and Remus’s flattery, Mana’s disposition brightened considerably.

Her brow lifted as she asked, “Molly?” Who was this woman? And why would she approve?

At his insistence, Mana hand quickly finishing off the remaining dumplings, but leaving the chicken to keep its own lonely company on the corner of the plate. But it was his if he should want it. “How am I sleeping? Somewhere between enough an’ a li’l."

[true_marauder]

"I've long ago learned it's better not to ask Albus how he does things. Sometimes it's better not to even ask why." Once his food was gone he picked up his tea, taking a few sips. Most of it he would save for after the potion, to help wash the taste away.

"Molly Weasley. I think you would have gone to school with a few of her sons - they were all Gryffs. Or I should say they are all Gryffs, since four of them are still there." With Harry, but he didn't mention the boy's name. "She's quite the cook, and thinks it's as shocking as you do that I can eat less then three meals a day."

He was glad to see that she was eating, but frowned at the chicken. Protein, after all, was important for muscles; muscles which would be tearing and reforming in a few nights.