Chapter Four: Old Scars
Title: Harry Potter and the Secret of Godric's Hollow
Author: Ericadawn16
Characters: Harry Potter, Ron, Hermione, Arthur, Remus, Bill, Tonks, Ginny, Molly, Molly/Arthur, Percy/Penelope, Katie/Fred, Bill/Fleur
Rated: PG-13 ANGST AU
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Summary: Remus has a talk with Bill on his wedding day.
Author's Note: I started writing this before Order of the Phoenix came out which meant immediate rewrites! Then, I rewrote it repeatedly over and over as more things came out. I think it's time to finish this thing and post it.
Masterlist: http://ericadawn16.livejournal.com/209841.html
Chapter Three: Lots of Chocolate
Chapter Four: Old Scars
Eager to change the subject, Harry commented, “Olympe was acting weird tonight. She hugged me.”
“Maybe she’s sick,” suggested Ron.
“Hagrid did say that he was going to be spending a lot more time there this year,” said Harry.
“Maybe it’s life threatening,” said Ron, worried.
“I don’t think it’s fatal,” said Hermione, not voicing her theory, “but all the adults seemed to be hiding something.”
“They always are,” complained Ron. They all agreed and went to bed.
Harry woke up to the smell of breakfast. Who’s cooking breakfast? he wondered. It smelled a lot better than normal. He joined Ron and Hermione on the stairs. They all looked inquisitively at each other. In the kitchen, they found Lupin with pots and pans.
“Remus is quite an excellent cook,” remarked Mrs. Weasley.
“Yes, he is,” agreed Mr. Weasley, but caught his wife’s look, “Not as good as my wife’s, of course.”
Harry figured this was as good a time as any.
“I’ve decided that I’m not going back to the Dursleys,” he announced.
“Well, that’s your decision,” said Lupin, looking up from the pancakes at him.
“Are you sure, Harry?” asked Molly, sitting directly across from Ron and Hermione.
“Mmhmm,” said Harry to her displeasure. She looked at Lupin.
“You’re not going to allow this, are you?”
“He’s seventeen. He knows all the risks.”
“But, what about the blood protection? What about Petunia?”
“Well, look on the bright side, Arabella can move wherever she likes now,” said her husband.
“I don’t like it. The risk is too great,” said Molly as the teenagers only watched like spectators at a verbal tennis match. Lupin had barely sat down, but was up again. He smiled at Harry.
“He’s a man now, Molly,” said Lupin, “You knew James and Lily from tales your brothers told, I knew them for ten years. Don’t treat me like you did Sirius.”
“Well, I’ve barely seen you parent, Remus,” said Molly, crossing the line without even seeing it. Lupin’s eyes flashed fire briefly and he responded, “and you know the reason why. I’ll go take care of things in the backyard.”
Harry watched him leave the room and wondered if he should go after him. Arthur took Molly’s hand.
“We’ll have to let them go eventually, dear. We teach them all we can and then it’s their turn.”
“I know, it’s just that…,” she started and couldn’t finish.
“I know,” he said and squeezed her hand. Ron took that as a cue to take the pancakes outside and Hermione followed after him so Harry hurried to go after Lupin. Harry caught up with Lupin who was starting to set up seating.
“Lupin.”
His former professor stopped and turned around. Harry felt like there was a snake in his stomach. Lupin waited for an answer and Harry wanted to postpone what he had to say for as long as possible.
It couldn’t go unsaid forever.
“I don’t think the Occlumency is working anymore,” he said, softly.
“What makes you say that?”
“The dream I had was from Voldemort’s point of view.”
Lupin sighed and came closer. He cupped Harry’s cheeks and looked deep into his eyes. It felt as though it were one of Snape’s lessons. Lupin shook his head and let go.
“You haven’t failed.”
“I…I haven’t? Then, what was that?”
“I can’t tell you, Harry,” said Lupin with a sad smile, “Not right now, but you have your mother’s eyes.”
“I know that,” said Harry, slightly annoyed at information being withheld from him.
Lupin shook his head again and said, “No, you don’t but you will.”
“Harry, we brought you some pancakes,” said Ron coming up to him as Lupin moved more chairs. Harry took the plate from him and the three of them sat down.
“Your mum was a bit harsh,” said Hermione.
Ron briefly stopped chewing to say, “She’s just worried about the wedding and everything. She doesn’t want one of us to die like her brothers did…Gideon and Fabian, they were killed by five Deatheaters before Ginny was born.”
Ginny came in, seconds later, with some of her mum’s pancakes.
“We’ll be helping with the wedding today. Just watch,” whispered Ron to Harry over the plate of blueberry pancakes, “Tomorrow, we’ll be moving back to Grimmauld Place and cleaning every day.”
His prediction proved true several minutes later when Mrs. Weasley walked out and said, “It would be great if the three of you could help get things ready.”
“Right,” said Hermione, catching the annoyed looks on Ron and Harry. The males mumbled their consent.
“Have you seen Crookshanks?” asked Hermione, “I haven’t seen him since the party yesterday.”
“Don’t worry, dear,” said Mrs. Weasley, “He’ll turn up.”
The preparations took a long time and it was five hours later that Harry was putting on his dress robes. Ron was straightening his new ones.
********************************************************
Bill was sitting in what used to be his room. He was dressed and ready…except for those last minute jitters. He rubbed a hand over the scars that ran across his face. She had never complained or been ashamed of him, but it wasn’t the same to him. It didn’t feel the same.
*****************************************************
“And this part has to be adjusted for aperture,” explained Tonks to Ginny, who held the newer camera. Ginny was visibly thrilled.
“Thanks,” she said and Tonks smiled, “Think of it as an early birthday present. I loved taking pics when I was your age.”
The Auror looked toward the house and saw Bill through the window.
“Shouldn’t Bill be out here?” she asked the youngest Weasley. Ginny shrugged and Tonks watched a few more seconds. Then, she went in search of someone who could help.
*************************************************************
Molly placed her aunt’s tiara on Fleur’s head. Fleur began to cry again and Gabrielle redid her make-up again. Molly would follow soon.
Her first child to marry had been Percy in January, but she hadn’t been informed until she saw it in the Daily Prophet. It was only because of Amelia that she and Percy were on the barest of speaking terms, but at least Penelope spoke to her mother-in-law.
Then, in May, her son Fred had done the unthinkable. When Katie went to London for the weekend because of an appointment at St. Mungo’s, she and Fred had eloped without telling anyone. Everyone found out when he picked Katie up at King’s Cross a month later.
Molly no longer had any apprehension between Fleur’s behaviour at Bill’s bedside and keeping Molly involved with the details. She was finally going to see one of her children properly married.
******************************************************
Bill looked up to see Lupin shut the bedroom door behind him.
“I thought perhaps we could talk,” suggested Lupin. Bill motioned for the other to sit by him.
“Your mum and I had a bit of a go at each other this morning,” said Lupin with a grimace as he sat.
“Who won?” asked Bill, curious.
“The usual,” said Lupin.
“Left the room before doing something that you’d later regret?” asked Bill.
“Yes, that one,” said the older man. Bill shook his head.
“It’s no wonder my dad got so much done in his shed.”
“Well, marriage is like that…complicated.”
Ah, thought Bill, someone had sent him to talk to me about my feelings and such.
“You know she loves you,” said Lupin.
Bill closed his eyes. He didn’t want to hear it and yet they had pre-empted any argument on his part by sending the one person who’d know what he was going thru.
“She loves me, but I don’t,” admitted Bill, “I love her, but why…why would anyone love this?”
He gestured toward his face. Lupin stood with a start. He removed his robes to reveal pants and a jagged scar running up his left torso. Bill gasped without realising it. It must have started at the hip and didn’t end until within inches of his nipple.
Bill didn’t know what to say which must have been what Lupin wanted.
“He had me in his jaws and I was small for a six year old. They weren’t sure I’d make it. The Montgomery boy didn’t. You had two months to feel sorry for yourself, but that’s really all that can be allowed. We’re at war and self-pity is a luxury we can’t afford.”
“Pot calling the kettle black, wouldn’t you say?” asked Bill, remembering more than one occasion with a less than merry Lupin. The face, looking at him, paled for a moment and the former professor redressed.
“If you only knew what I’ve had to experience, what I’ve had to do, you wouldn’t make such an immature statement,” Lupin almost snarled, “She loves you and you love her and that’s all that really matters in this world.”
Bill studied him. He could tell the other man was being brutally honest. He felt a bit bad for the rash comment.
“So, it gets better?” Bill asked.
“Yes,” said Lupin, simply, weariness seemed to make him an inch shorter than when he entered the room. Bill got up and brushed himself off.
“Thanks.”
“Right then,” said Lupin before he left.
Author: Ericadawn16
Characters: Harry Potter, Ron, Hermione, Arthur, Remus, Bill, Tonks, Ginny, Molly, Molly/Arthur, Percy/Penelope, Katie/Fred, Bill/Fleur
Rated: PG-13 ANGST AU
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Summary: Remus has a talk with Bill on his wedding day.
Author's Note: I started writing this before Order of the Phoenix came out which meant immediate rewrites! Then, I rewrote it repeatedly over and over as more things came out. I think it's time to finish this thing and post it.
Masterlist: http://ericadawn16.livejournal.com/209841.html
Chapter Three: Lots of Chocolate
Chapter Four: Old Scars
Eager to change the subject, Harry commented, “Olympe was acting weird tonight. She hugged me.”
“Maybe she’s sick,” suggested Ron.
“Hagrid did say that he was going to be spending a lot more time there this year,” said Harry.
“Maybe it’s life threatening,” said Ron, worried.
“I don’t think it’s fatal,” said Hermione, not voicing her theory, “but all the adults seemed to be hiding something.”
“They always are,” complained Ron. They all agreed and went to bed.
Harry woke up to the smell of breakfast. Who’s cooking breakfast? he wondered. It smelled a lot better than normal. He joined Ron and Hermione on the stairs. They all looked inquisitively at each other. In the kitchen, they found Lupin with pots and pans.
“Remus is quite an excellent cook,” remarked Mrs. Weasley.
“Yes, he is,” agreed Mr. Weasley, but caught his wife’s look, “Not as good as my wife’s, of course.”
Harry figured this was as good a time as any.
“I’ve decided that I’m not going back to the Dursleys,” he announced.
“Well, that’s your decision,” said Lupin, looking up from the pancakes at him.
“Are you sure, Harry?” asked Molly, sitting directly across from Ron and Hermione.
“Mmhmm,” said Harry to her displeasure. She looked at Lupin.
“You’re not going to allow this, are you?”
“He’s seventeen. He knows all the risks.”
“But, what about the blood protection? What about Petunia?”
“Well, look on the bright side, Arabella can move wherever she likes now,” said her husband.
“I don’t like it. The risk is too great,” said Molly as the teenagers only watched like spectators at a verbal tennis match. Lupin had barely sat down, but was up again. He smiled at Harry.
“He’s a man now, Molly,” said Lupin, “You knew James and Lily from tales your brothers told, I knew them for ten years. Don’t treat me like you did Sirius.”
“Well, I’ve barely seen you parent, Remus,” said Molly, crossing the line without even seeing it. Lupin’s eyes flashed fire briefly and he responded, “and you know the reason why. I’ll go take care of things in the backyard.”
Harry watched him leave the room and wondered if he should go after him. Arthur took Molly’s hand.
“We’ll have to let them go eventually, dear. We teach them all we can and then it’s their turn.”
“I know, it’s just that…,” she started and couldn’t finish.
“I know,” he said and squeezed her hand. Ron took that as a cue to take the pancakes outside and Hermione followed after him so Harry hurried to go after Lupin. Harry caught up with Lupin who was starting to set up seating.
“Lupin.”
His former professor stopped and turned around. Harry felt like there was a snake in his stomach. Lupin waited for an answer and Harry wanted to postpone what he had to say for as long as possible.
It couldn’t go unsaid forever.
“I don’t think the Occlumency is working anymore,” he said, softly.
“What makes you say that?”
“The dream I had was from Voldemort’s point of view.”
Lupin sighed and came closer. He cupped Harry’s cheeks and looked deep into his eyes. It felt as though it were one of Snape’s lessons. Lupin shook his head and let go.
“You haven’t failed.”
“I…I haven’t? Then, what was that?”
“I can’t tell you, Harry,” said Lupin with a sad smile, “Not right now, but you have your mother’s eyes.”
“I know that,” said Harry, slightly annoyed at information being withheld from him.
Lupin shook his head again and said, “No, you don’t but you will.”
“Harry, we brought you some pancakes,” said Ron coming up to him as Lupin moved more chairs. Harry took the plate from him and the three of them sat down.
“Your mum was a bit harsh,” said Hermione.
Ron briefly stopped chewing to say, “She’s just worried about the wedding and everything. She doesn’t want one of us to die like her brothers did…Gideon and Fabian, they were killed by five Deatheaters before Ginny was born.”
Ginny came in, seconds later, with some of her mum’s pancakes.
“We’ll be helping with the wedding today. Just watch,” whispered Ron to Harry over the plate of blueberry pancakes, “Tomorrow, we’ll be moving back to Grimmauld Place and cleaning every day.”
His prediction proved true several minutes later when Mrs. Weasley walked out and said, “It would be great if the three of you could help get things ready.”
“Right,” said Hermione, catching the annoyed looks on Ron and Harry. The males mumbled their consent.
“Have you seen Crookshanks?” asked Hermione, “I haven’t seen him since the party yesterday.”
“Don’t worry, dear,” said Mrs. Weasley, “He’ll turn up.”
The preparations took a long time and it was five hours later that Harry was putting on his dress robes. Ron was straightening his new ones.
********************************************************
Bill was sitting in what used to be his room. He was dressed and ready…except for those last minute jitters. He rubbed a hand over the scars that ran across his face. She had never complained or been ashamed of him, but it wasn’t the same to him. It didn’t feel the same.
*****************************************************
“And this part has to be adjusted for aperture,” explained Tonks to Ginny, who held the newer camera. Ginny was visibly thrilled.
“Thanks,” she said and Tonks smiled, “Think of it as an early birthday present. I loved taking pics when I was your age.”
The Auror looked toward the house and saw Bill through the window.
“Shouldn’t Bill be out here?” she asked the youngest Weasley. Ginny shrugged and Tonks watched a few more seconds. Then, she went in search of someone who could help.
*************************************************************
Molly placed her aunt’s tiara on Fleur’s head. Fleur began to cry again and Gabrielle redid her make-up again. Molly would follow soon.
Her first child to marry had been Percy in January, but she hadn’t been informed until she saw it in the Daily Prophet. It was only because of Amelia that she and Percy were on the barest of speaking terms, but at least Penelope spoke to her mother-in-law.
Then, in May, her son Fred had done the unthinkable. When Katie went to London for the weekend because of an appointment at St. Mungo’s, she and Fred had eloped without telling anyone. Everyone found out when he picked Katie up at King’s Cross a month later.
Molly no longer had any apprehension between Fleur’s behaviour at Bill’s bedside and keeping Molly involved with the details. She was finally going to see one of her children properly married.
******************************************************
Bill looked up to see Lupin shut the bedroom door behind him.
“I thought perhaps we could talk,” suggested Lupin. Bill motioned for the other to sit by him.
“Your mum and I had a bit of a go at each other this morning,” said Lupin with a grimace as he sat.
“Who won?” asked Bill, curious.
“The usual,” said Lupin.
“Left the room before doing something that you’d later regret?” asked Bill.
“Yes, that one,” said the older man. Bill shook his head.
“It’s no wonder my dad got so much done in his shed.”
“Well, marriage is like that…complicated.”
Ah, thought Bill, someone had sent him to talk to me about my feelings and such.
“You know she loves you,” said Lupin.
Bill closed his eyes. He didn’t want to hear it and yet they had pre-empted any argument on his part by sending the one person who’d know what he was going thru.
“She loves me, but I don’t,” admitted Bill, “I love her, but why…why would anyone love this?”
He gestured toward his face. Lupin stood with a start. He removed his robes to reveal pants and a jagged scar running up his left torso. Bill gasped without realising it. It must have started at the hip and didn’t end until within inches of his nipple.
Bill didn’t know what to say which must have been what Lupin wanted.
“He had me in his jaws and I was small for a six year old. They weren’t sure I’d make it. The Montgomery boy didn’t. You had two months to feel sorry for yourself, but that’s really all that can be allowed. We’re at war and self-pity is a luxury we can’t afford.”
“Pot calling the kettle black, wouldn’t you say?” asked Bill, remembering more than one occasion with a less than merry Lupin. The face, looking at him, paled for a moment and the former professor redressed.
“If you only knew what I’ve had to experience, what I’ve had to do, you wouldn’t make such an immature statement,” Lupin almost snarled, “She loves you and you love her and that’s all that really matters in this world.”
Bill studied him. He could tell the other man was being brutally honest. He felt a bit bad for the rash comment.
“So, it gets better?” Bill asked.
“Yes,” said Lupin, simply, weariness seemed to make him an inch shorter than when he entered the room. Bill got up and brushed himself off.
“Thanks.”
“Right then,” said Lupin before he left.