Fire and Water

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Chapter Twenty Nine

Harry’s eyes followed Lupin as he walked slowly back to the house. He moved away from the window, as did Ron and Hermione. They had seen the emotional exchange between Krystal and Remus and watched as Krystal moved out of sight. They had been shocked to see the fury and resentment on Remus’ face; to hear his raised voice - none of them having ever seen him angry before. Harry decided not to pretend he hadn’t seen what had happened. He was too hungry for some answers; and if Krystal wasn’t here to give them, maybe Lupin could - there was obviously history there.

He opened the front door for Lupin, just as the other man reached for the knob. Remus looked startled for a moment, and then read Harry’s face correctly.
“You saw that,” he said flatly, not bothering to make his words a question as he stepped into the hall. Harry nodded anyway.
“I want to know what‘s going on…..,” he began, but Remus interrupted.
“I know, but Harry, I really don‘t know anything that you don‘t - perhaps less, in fact.” He looked at Ron and Hermione, who were standing in the kitchen doorway.
He sat down in a chair and looked at them, his face resigned. “What exactly do you want to know?”

Harry opened his mouth to ask about Snape‘s behaviour last night, but Hermione beat him to it.
“You don’t have to answer this if it’s too personal,” she began “but, how do you and Krystal know each other? I mean, Harry told us you went to school together, and that she’s in the Order but….”
Her voice trailed off. There was just no tactful way to ask about their former professors’ private relationships.

“But her name has never been mentioned, and you’d have to be as thick as a troll not to have noticed that there is some tension between us?‘ he said, anticipating her next words. He looked at the trio of teenagers for several seconds, a frown on his face.
‘I suppose that is as good a place to start as any,” he said. ‘You’d probably figure it out eventually.’
With a sigh, he stood up and turned to face the kitchen windows. He began to speak as he had his back to them.

“Krystal and I were in the same year at school; both in Gryffindor.” He turned to look at Harry. “She was best friends with your mum, Harry.‘
The teenager looked startled; Krystal hadn’t hinted that her and his mum were that close.
‘They lived near each other and were playmates long before they both found out they were witches. In our first year at Hogwarts, we all became friends, but Krystal and I…….”
Remus closed his eyes and let out a shaking breath as he turned away again.
“From that very first night, we were drawn together. We both had secrets, and I think we sensed that about each other. We…just fit. Each of us seemed to have something the other lacked. Krystal…’ He paused, a small smile flitting across his lips.

’Krystal was hyper. She was always happy, smiling and always bouncing around. No matter how hard she tried, she could never stay still. Not even in her sleep - it drove me insane at first,’ he said with a small laugh, not realising how much he’d just given away about their relationship.

‘Krystal needed some calm, some stillness to centre her. And, well, you know about me, and my problem. I needed some light; some laughter in my life. We gave each other what we needed. Lily used to say we were like fire and water - complete opposites, but we balanced each other perfectly. I could control her fire and she…bought warmth into my world. ”

Harry could hear the unmistakable sadness in Remus’ voice before he paused.
‘We were good friends until Sixth Year. Things changed then, and we….we became more than friends.’ He flushed and turned back to them.
He sat back down in his chair, fiddling uncomfortably with the spoon that lay in front of him, as his chest began to hurt. “We began to go out together in Sixth Year, and when we finished school, we moved in together - to Campbell Cottage. It was our home.’
His voice had become raspy and he coughed a little to clear it. “We were planning a future together. We were going to …”

A wave of sadness hit him, robbing him of his breath. He couldn’t finish his sentence; couldn’t tell them how very much he’d wanted to marry her.
Remus threw the spoon he was holding onto the table and stood again. It was too difficult talking about the plans he and Krystal had made for their life. Plans that were destroyed in one night. He began to pace up and down the kitchen.
‘Obviously,” he continued, ‘Things changed.’

“What hap……,” began Hermione.
“No.” Lupin said firmly, looking directly at them.
Harry could see the pain in his eyes; hear it in his voice as he said, “That is enough. I can’t..….That is not my story to tell. And please, all of you, do not ask Krystal about this. If she wants to tell you, she will. But do not press her.”
Harry and the others looked taken aback by his intensity. He took a breath and tried to explain himself.

“There is a lot you don’t know about what‘s happened in the past. A lot I don’t know about why it happened. She wasn’t always this way. Things happened, and changed her.’
He looked miserable as he added, ’Changed all of us. She may seem hard, but Krystal is a very…damaged person on the inside and the way it ended..….,” he paused as he tried to find the right words.
“It is not a happy memory - for either of us,” he said finally, turning away from them, but not in time to hide the distress on his face.
“Excuse me, please. I just…..need some air.”

Harry looked at Hermione as he heard Lupin‘s steps on the porch. “Why did you want to know about them?” he asked, a bit impatiently.
Although he was interested in hearing about Krystal, he’d wanted to know about the interactions between her and Snape not her and Remus. Hermione looked back at Harry, a frown on her face.
“I know you wanted to know about Snape, Harry, but Lupin doesn’t know anything. He said it himself. You said Krystal was going to be teaching us; Lupin knows her. The way they acted together last night…..I thought there might be something more, and I was right” She shrugged.
“Well, now you know! It doesn’t really matter….” said Ron, glaring at Hermione as she cut him off.

“Of course it matters. Don’t you want to know more about this woman who has appeared out of nowhere and that no one wants to talk about?”
Harry frowned: Hermione had a point. Krystal had opened up a little to him at her house, but he still didn’t know a whole lot about her, and she’d been particularly closed mouthed about her relationship with his parents, Sirius and Lupin.
But Ron said, “So Lupin doesn’t want to discuss his love life with us; not really surprising is it? They had a nasty break up; that doesn’t mean that there is anything mysterious going on.”
But Harry thought Hermione might be onto something - he remembered the older man’s behaviour last night at Campbell Cottage; his anger outside earlier. Hermione’s voice broke into his thoughts.

“Lupin is acting really strangely, Ron. Harry said he couldn’t take his eyes off Krystal last night, and he’s been really snappy and moody ever since he got the Patronus….”
Harry interrupted her, a question rising in his mind. “How did he react when he got the Patronus? He looked really stunned to see her at the cottage…’
Hermione looked at Ron, who shrugged a shoulder. “Well,’ he admitted, reluctantly. “He went a bit pale and sick looking actually. He just stared at it, then sat there once it disappeared - looked like he‘d just seen a ghost or something. It had gone straight up to him, put its front paws up on his knee and licked at his hand. Mum and Dad were asking him who it was from, but he ignored them and raced off.”
Harry looked over at Hermione. “When he saw Krystal last night, he called her a ghost,’ he remembered with a frown. ‘And he cursed when he saw her. I’ve never heard Lupin curse before. He was upset, almost crying, but then he got really angry with her.”

“He practically begged us just now not to ask Krystal about their past,’ Hermione said, earnestly. “What could have possibly happened that was that bad? Why did they break up when it sounds like they were really in love - they were together for two years; they were living together?”
Ron shook his head, saying, “It was all a long time ago, Hermione. Lupin’s engaged to Tonks now - obviously he got on with his life.”
Hermione looked at Ron with a pitying expression. “Sometimes it’s not that simple, Ron,” she said quietly. ‘Remus and Tonks only just started seeing each other; they‘re getting married really quickly. Have you ever heard about him dating anyone else before her? It must have been at least seventeen years since he and Krystal were together. Why has it taken him this long to move on?’

“How do you know it’s been seventeen years?‘ said Harry, racking his brain to remember if Krystal or Remus had mentioned that.
“Because if she and your mum were best friends, wouldn’t she have been your godmother, Harry? Whatever went wrong, it must have happened before you were born.“
Harry couldn’t help but be impressed by Hermione’s logic, and shook his head at his own lack of it.
“Krystal did say she and my mum fell out before I was born,‘ he said, thoughtfully. “You think he’s still, you know, got feelings for her?’ Harry asked, an image of Krystal and Remus on the porch this morning entering his mind.
They had pulled away from each other like they’d been electrocuted, but the looks on their faces before they did……

“But Tonks…,’ Ron began. Hermione shook her head violently, her bushy hair whipping Harry across his face.
“Remus wouldn’t have gotten engaged to Tonks if he didn‘t think he loved her, Ron. But, you both saw his face just then when he talked about Krystal. He was really hurting - even though it was so long ago. And although he still seems angry with her, he was trying to protect her by asking us not to talk to her about it.’ She paused for a moment. “Something bad must have happened between them.”

They fell quiet when they heard footsteps on the front porch. A few seconds later Remus walked in, trailed by Krystal. Remus, looking a little grey still, sat at the table next to Harry, while Krystal leant against the counter where Lupin had stood five minutes ago.
“Remus tells me you need some answers, Harry.” Harry nodded, seeing the nervous tension in her face. “Alright then, I’ll tell you what I can. My tongue may tie itself into knots occasionally,” she frowned. “Albus seems to have very definite ideas on what I should tell you all.”
She looked back at Harry and sat in the chair opposite him.

“Albus and I had been in regular contact throughout the years, although he wrote a lot more often once you began at Hogwarts, Harry. He bragged about you as if you were his own.” A corner of her mouth turned up a little for a moment.
“After you saw You Know Who return in your Fourth Year, Albus asked me to return to the country and join the Order. I had been living in Australia for a number of years,” she said, seeing both Hermione and Remus’ mouths’ open and anticipating their question.
‘How long?’ broke in Harry, with a quick glance at Hermione.
‘Eighteen years,’ Krystal replied, with a frown. Her tone was almost surprised, as if she couldn’t believe it had been that long.
Harry saw Lupin‘s face tighten, before the older man reached up to rub at his forehead, hiding his expression.

“We began to put together a plan to help you get through the coming battle,’ Krystal continued. ‘Albus had a theory in regards to how the Dark Lord survived the killing spell that rebounded off you when you were a baby, Harry. I know he has shared that with you, and that you are not supposed to discuss it.”
She glanced at Lupin, who was watching her now and listening intently.
“I know of the task, Harry,” she said carefully, “but, as I‘ve told you, I cannot go with you. I can offer suggestions and help in a tight spot, but that’s all.“ She looked at his face and saw his renewed disappointment.
“Harry, I really only know as much as you do. If I was to come with you, I could only be of use to help you fight. Which brings me to the next part of our plan.”

She stood and began to pace. “Albus asked me to collect you early from your Aunt’s house. We were supposed to work together for weeks before you met up with your friends. No one else knew of this plan - as far as they knew you were at a safe house. Remus….”
Her voice drifted off as she gestured to Lupin, who turned to Harry and spoke quietly, but with unmistakable resentment.

“Dumbledore left me a letter explaining that you would be going to stay with an old friend of his - a foreign Order member - and that I was to let the rest of the Order know you were fine. He didn’t tell me who the ‘old friend’ was; I didn’t know that until I got the Patronus last night - no mistaking who that belonged to.”
He looked at Krystal. “Although I won’t say that it wasn’t a shock, given the circumstances,’ he added.

Harry looked at Lupin. “It was you he told?’ he asked. Remus nodded, but it was Krystal that responded.
“Albus knew that Remus was the only person who would recognise my Patronus,” Krystal explained, now positive that was why Albus had insisted on Remus being her contact. He thought it was time for them to get closure.
Remus’ mind suddenly recalled the puzzling words in Albus’ letter. A plea for understanding and forgiveness that he hadn’t understood at the time, but that now made sense. Albus had done all he could to facilitate a reunion between he and Krystal - a chance for Remus to finally get some answers.

‘He set us up,’ he whispered, Krystal looking over at his almost unheard words. He looked up at her and saw confirmation in her face.
‘Yes, I believe he did,’ she replied, blinking rapidly for a second then continued, turning back to the confused trio of teenagers.
“Dumbledore knew that the task he’d set for you was dangerous, Harry, and that he didn’t have time to tell you all you needed to know. I believe he knew he only had a short…..”
Krystal stopped as the Tongue Tie curse swung into action. The others watched as it ran its course and then released her.

Before she could speak again, Remus spoke up quietly as he realised another puzzle had been solved.
‘It was you in the forest at his funeral, wasn’t it?‘
Krystal turned to him and nodded.
‘I almost caught you, didn’t I?‘ he asked, looking at her closely. ‘I could still smell your shampoo when I got there.‘
‘I didn’t leave,‘ she said, her face remorseful as she moved closer to him. ‘I didn’t have time. I was hiding nearby. That’s how I knew you were engaged. I overheard you and…your fiancee talking.’
Remus looked at her, an expression of guilt on his face, before he stood up abruptly. Tonks had asked him in the forest if he’d thought about her proposal. Krystal had overheard them; had heard him accepting; had seen Tonks kiss him. He felt like she’d caught him cheating on her, and his words slipped out before he thought.

‘God, Krys, I‘m sorry. I wish you hadn‘t seen that,’ he said remorsefully. She shook her head and frowned deeply.
‘It’s fine,’ she whispered, eyes giving away her hurt. ‘Really. I’m happy for you. I wanted you to get on with your life and you have.’
Remus’ eyes closed for a moment, his face clenching in pain. ‘I don’t know if I have,’ he murmured, his voice so low the trio didn’t hear, but Krystal did.
‘You’re engaged,’ she said softly. ‘I’d say that qualifies as getting on with your life.’
But it was his turn to shake his head. ‘Not necessarily,’ he countered. ‘Depends on the circumstances, doesn’t it?’
He stopped talking, catching sight of the suddenly very quiet teenagers. He’d been so focused on Krystal, he’d forgotten they were in the room with them. He turned and faced the window, his back to them as he tried to concentrate on what they were trying to do - help Harry.

Krystal also seemed to remember where they were, and she continued as if nothing had happened.
“Anyway, Albus wanted me to teach you some of the things he didn’t have time to show you: curses and hexes you have not faced; how to duel properly. I guess he thought I was the perfect person to teach you about some of the darker aspects of magic.”

She shot a glance at Remus, who had turned his head sharply to glare at her.
Still looking at Remus she said, ‘He also wanted me to show you how to contact me quickly at any time; to set up a Trace on you so I know how to find you fast when you need me. I know, Remus,” she said impatiently as he tried to interrupt. ‘But I think I’m probably the best person for any illegal activity seeing as I don‘t actually exist anymore.”