Fire and Water

This was originally one chapter but I split it.

Chapter 29B

A stunned silence followed this remark and Krystal looked at the shocked teenagers with an alarmed expression on her face. She hadn’t meant that to come out.
‘What do you mean - you don‘t exist?’ asked Harry, frowning at her.
But it was Remus who answered. ‘That’s enough,’ he said, looking at Krystal.
The teenagers looked at him and saw the stress on his face, his jaw clenched tight. ‘Enough now,’ he repeated softly, looking at her with hurt eyes. ’I‘m not ready….’.
He stopped and shook his head, turning away from her. Krystal’s face was pained when she nodded.
“The most important thing now, is to start your training,’ she said, changing the subject.

As Krystal explained to the teenagers what they would be doing over the coming days, Remus watched her, his face beginning to relax as he stared at her. The corners of his mouth turned up in a small smile as she spoke with growing enthusiasm about the things she wanted to show them.
Moving to sit again, he watched her talk. Even at school she had been passionate about defence: many evenings he had been her partner as she practiced spells and hexes, amazed at how effortless she made duelling look. He’d been blown away when, in Second Year, she demonstrated her wandless abilities for him, asking him to keep it quiet as she didn’t want to ’freak the others out’.
He smiled a little to himself. He’d always known why she’d told him about her gift when she did. Not long before, she had discovered he was a werewolf. Krystal and he had become close, and she had sensed how isolated he felt. So, she told him what she’d been hiding - her secret. She had wanted him to know something about her too - something that made her different; something that no one else knew, so he wouldn’t feel so alone.
‘Where did that girl go?’ he wondered. ‘Is she still in there somewhere?’

The sound of the teenagers’ laughter bought Remus back to the present. He watched as Krystal answered Hermione’s question. When she smiled softly at the girl, he felt a swooping sensation in his chest.
‘She always had a wonderful smile,’ he thought, even though this smile hadn’t quite reached her eyes.
He bit back a groan of frustration as he put his head in his hands, rubbing at his eyes to distract himself. He was tempting fate by coming here to see her, but even as he told himself to go, he knew he couldn’t stay away. She had been the last thing on his mind last night and his first thought this morning. Just like she had been from the moment he met her.
He ran his hands around to the back of his neck, head still down. She was right this morning - he should despise her. He shouldn’t want to be anywhere near her, but he was drawn like a moth to a flame.

Tonks had noticed how distant he’d been last night, getting upset when he’d refused to discuss it with her. He felt a shot of remorse, knowing it wasn’t her he’d wanted when he’d taken her to bed last night, for the first time initiating sex. They both noticed the difference: he had been abandoned; passionate, as his usual tight grasp on his restraint disappeared. Tonks had commented on it; happy that he seemed to be losing his inhibitions.
Guilt ridden, he didn’t want to think about how it was Krystal’s face he’d seen as he‘d plunged uncontrolled inside his fiancée, Krystal’s voice he‘d heard whispering his name in his ear, and he’d had to bite his lip till it bled to stop himself calling out to her when he came - a powerful release that shook him to his core. He hadn’t been making love to Tonks; it had been Krystal in his heart and mind. His regret had been instant, but it hadn’t stopped him reaching for her later that night and this morning - his thoughts with Krystal, and his need for her still as fierce as ever.

He knew that at some point very soon he would have to tell Tonks everything, but he needed to talk to Krystal first; to try and get some closure. Finally, he could ask the questions he had thought would never be answered. But first, he needed to work out how to be around her without letting his anger get the best of him: otherwise he would scare her away. As he heard her give a soft laugh, and felt a twist in his stomach, he knew that his anger wasn’t the only part of him still out of control around her.

Realising Krystal had fallen silent, he looked up to see the others looking at him.
“Well,’ he said quickly, standing up. “I have some things to do. I’ll see you all later.”
He stood and waved at the teenagers, who were looking at him curiously.
“Krystal, walk me out?’ he asked. With a slight frown, she nodded and followed him out onto the porch.
He’d been frustrated with the tasks Albus had set him so far. Trying to be an envoy to the werewolves had failed miserably - he was ashamed of what he was; they revelled in it. He was disgusted by them; and had grown increasingly disgusted in himself as he spent more time amongst them. Wanting to do something constructive to help, he was pretty sure that what he was about to suggest was going to be a huge mistake.

“I would like to help out with their training, if you don’t mind,’ he said, continuing quickly when he saw her frown.
“Please Krystal, I’d like to do this for Harry. And for me. I need to do something useful…‘ He hesitated, trying to find the words he wanted. “We are going to need to talk. Soon. So I guess I also want to make sure you don‘t disappear again.”
He saw his words made her wince, and he was sorry. She put her hand on his arm, and he felt a shiver run through him as her skin came in contact with his.
‘I won’t disappear again, Remus,’ she said softly. ‘I owe you an explanation at the very least. I won’t leave until Harry’s ready, and until you’ve got what you need from me.’

Remus felt an ache that travelled throughout his body. ‘What I need is to kiss her; to taste her; to be inside her.’
The thought hit him hard. He trembled as his body reacted strongly to her touch; her nearness, and he tried desperately to regain a little control over himself.
‘God, this is a really bad idea,’ he told himself. He didn’t need to spend more time with her; to allow himself to remember how it used to be.

‘Right. Well, I have some things to do now,’ he told her, his voice hoarse. ‘But I’ll come back after lunch to help.’ He knew he needed some space from her right now, or he was going to do something he’d regret.
He saw her head lower, her hand sliding off his arm as she stared at her shoes.
“How are we going to work together? Some of the stuff I’m going to show them….’
She raised her head and looked directly at him. ‘You won’t want to be there, Remus.”

He frowned, but said, ‘Harry’s safety is my priority, Krystal. Just like you.” He moved closer to her, feeling his heart rate speed up and seeing her eyes widen.
“We were friends once. Can we just try and put the past aside for now and try to remember that? For Harry’s sake?”
He held out his hand. Krystal looked at it, then back at his face.
She nodded, taking his hand in hers, trying to ignore the tingle that ran up her arm. “Deal,’ she agreed.

Harry watched as Remus and Krystal had a quick conversation on the patio, shaking hands before Remus walked past the enchantments and disappeared. Krystal turned and walked back into the house. She saw Harry near the window and a look of annoyance flashed across her face. She didn’t like being watched so closely, particularly not when she felt so damn vulnerable.
“Right you three,’ she said. ‘We’ve got work to do.”
She spun on her heel and walked back into the now sunny yard, where she took off her jacket and waited, hands on hips, for them to join her. Once they were standing with her, she raised her hands and turned in a circle on the spot, casting an invisible protective wall around the four of them.
“I don’t want anyone else to see what we are doing,” she said to them. ‘I don’t think they’d be too happy about some of the spells I’m going to show you.’

Ron was staring at Krystal, looking a bit distracted, and Harry couldn’t blame him. Her robes had again covered her last night, and she had borrowed a oversized jacket from Bill Weasley to wear in the morning chill. But now, she was wearing a long sleeved bright blue shirt that had a cartoon girl winking on it, with the slogan ‘Naughty but nice!’ emblazoned across her chest, and cut off jeans that showed off her very nice legs.
Her shirt tightened as she raised her arms, and Harry had to make an effort to pull his own eyes away, telling himself again that she had been a friend of his mother. He glanced back over at Ron, and had to stifle a laugh, as he saw his friend’s eyes drop lower and widen a little as Krystal turned her back to them. Ron turned and saw Harry watching him. He turned bright red, and mouthed ‘She‘s hot!’ at Harry, who grinned and nodded.

Hermione was also watching Krystal with her mouth hanging open - for an entirely different reason.
“Wandless magic!” she gasped. “I know that certain spells can be performed wandlessly by very experienced, talented wizards but….” She broke off, apparently too impressed to continue.
Harry recovered himself and decided that this was too good an opportunity to miss. “Krystal doesn’t use a wand at all; for any spells,” he bragged, enjoying seeing Hermione get more and more flustered. “Oh and she’s a born Occlumens so watch what you’re thinking.”

Krystal raised an eyebrow at Harry. “You might want to listen to that advice, Harry,” she said with a grin, watching both Harry and Ron turn red, before turning to an increasingly agitated Hermione.
“It’s true, Hermione, although we can talk more about it later. Right now, I want to see your defences.”
As she said the last word, she raised her hands and all three of their wands flew into her hands. The teenagers looked stunned. Krystal’s lips thinned and she glared at them as she threw their wands back to them.
“Lets try that again, shall we?”

Three hours later, Ron eased his bruised body into a kitchen chair. “She’s mental! I don’t think she even wanted us to stop for lunch,” he moaned.
“What are you complaining about?” said Harry, who was slouched over the table with his cheek resting on the cool wood. “I had to do this for days; alone; with no one else for her to pick on.”
Hermione made a tut tut noise. Ron glared at her. “Oh come on, Hermione. You can’t tell us you aren’t sore. She hit you with just as many hexes as she did us.”
Hermione shot Ron a scathing look. “I guess I just appreciate what she is teaching us more than you two,” she said as she lowered herself carefully into the chair next to Harry.

“And so you should,” said Krystal as she walked into the room and threw herself into the chair next to Ron. “This stuff might just save your life one day.”
Harry heard Ron mutter something that sound suspiciously like “I’ll take my chances.” Krystal must have heard him as well, giving a snort of amusement as she stood up and gathered sandwich ingredients. Hermione stood, slowly, to give her a hand and they quickly put together some food.

As they ate, Hermione broke the silence. “You’re really good at defensive magic, Krystal. How did you learn all that stuff?”
Krystal gazed at the younger woman for a moment before answering. “I always enjoyed Defence Against the Dark Arts at school and did a lot of study in my own time. As I explained earlier, I have inherited skills that make my magic quite powerful and unusual. Albus helped me realise that with power came the responsibility to learn about it; to use it properly, and to treat it with respect. So I studied hard and practiced hard.”

She grinned, relaxing and letting her guard down as she looked at Harry. He had been right back at the cottage; he deserved to know more about his parents. And somehow, seeing Remus had made talking about them easier.
“Much to James’ and Sirius’ disgust, I came top every year in DADA,” she bragged, smiled even more broadly as she remembered their faces. “God, they were so pissed off. We teased them about it for days afterwards - the Quiddich King and Hot Stuff Sirius - beaten by a girl.”
Harry laughed, delighted that Krystal had seemed to have given in, and she giggled as well, sounding much younger than her years.

“Hot Stuff Sirius?’ said Ron, who had almost snorted his juice up through his nose. Hermione giggled at his slightly disgusted tone, and Krystal chuckled.
“Yeah, that was what Lily and I called him behind his back. Actually,’ she said, raising an eyebrow, ‘I think I may have called him that to his face too. Sirius was one of the best looking guys at school: he went through a lot of girlfriends. If you could call them that.’ She muttered the last sentence under her breath, but the other’s heard her.

Ron spoke up, before Hermione had a chance to censure him. “Did you and Sirius go out together at school too?”
Krystal looked a little flustered. “No.’ she said, distractedly. “Well, not really. We went to Hogsmeade once, but….it wasn‘t really a date. Sirius was…….a good friend. We were far too much alike to be anything more, and I preferred someone who wasn‘t constantly looking for his next conquest. Not that Sirius was shallow or anything,’ she said hastily, unable to stop her rambling words. ‘He wasn‘t. He was a really amazing guy when you got to know him. But he was so girl crazy for a long time. Not really a quality I…….”
She stopped talking, her smile fading. “You said ‘too’, Ron. ‘Did I go out with Sirius too’.” She looked over to Harry and Hermione, who had been hoping she missed Ron’s slip of the tongue.

“Remus told you about our history together.’ It wasn’t a question. Harry nodded, and Krystal stood up abruptly.
‘How much did he tell you?’ she asked, tension in her jaw.
‘That you were friends, and then started going out together. That he used to live in Campbell Cottage with you until you…..broke up,‘ Hermione said gently, a little taken aback by the panic in Krystal’s eyes.
Krystal blinked at her, then seemed to relax a little.

“Remus…..,’ she began, choosing her words carefully, ‘Remus is the best person I’ve ever known, and he didn’t deserve….” She stopped, and bit her lip, blinking her now bright eyes.
Ron and Harry fidgeted uncomfortably, and Hermione, remembering Remus’ warning, leaned forward.
“You don’t need to tell us anything, Krystal. It’s none of our business.”
Krystal gave her a tense smile. “I didn’t deserve him. He is far too good a person for someone like me.’
Her jaw clenched as she continued. “I’m glad that he’s found someone who can make him happy,’ she said, taking her plate over to the sink.

“Enough chat for now. Let’s get back to work.” She walked quickly back onto the porch as the other’s packed up their lunch things.
Hermione leaned into Harry and asked, “Were you convinced by that? She was still pretty upset over something that happened, what, 18 years ago?” He shrugged and followed her out to the porch.

Remus was waiting on the porch to take part in the afternoon lessons. He stood near the stairs, looking out over the yard. Krystal was startled when she saw him, wondering if he’d heard any of the lunchtime conversation.
“I asked them not to question you about our past,’ he said, not turning to look at her, his voice low as he confirmed her suspicions.
“They didn’t ask: I guessed that you’d told them,’ she replied, with a quick look behind her to see the trio come out of the kitchen.
Remus turned around and looked at her, opening his mouth to say something but he seemed to become distracted. He let her and the others pass him down the stairs, not hearing the kids greetings as he watched Krystal lead them back into the garden.

He let out a shaky breath and felt a wave of lust rush over him, weakening his knees. The sight of her in that tight, cheeky shirt had made him stop breathing for a moment. ‘Jesus,’ he thought, his eyes moving to her ass as she walked away from him. ‘She’s still fucking hot!’
She didn’t look as though she had aged at all, her body was still as fantastic as it had been at school. She was a little thinner maybe, a little more muscular than she used to be, but those curves that had always bought him to his knees were still there. He knew every inch of that body; the changes in texture, the taste of her, every spot that made her shiver or moan. And she knew every inch of his - she knew exactly where to touch him and how to make him quake for her, much like he was doing now. He shook his head, trying to clear it of the very vivid images his mind had conjured of Krystal without her clothing, berating himself as he moved to join them.

As Krystal put up the barriers again, he couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight of the three sore, cranky teenagers, who were grumbling. He remembered Krystal, James and Sirius having ’playful’ duels at school - gradually making them two against one when Krystal won more often than not, much to the boy‘s annoyance.
“I see you haven’t lost your touch,” he said to Krystal with a genuine smile, feeling a surge of heat rush through him when she grinned back at him, her eye‘s sparkling. It was the first real smile he’d seen her give and he was slightly taken aback at how it effected him.

“Ok. Let’s get going,” she said, a little shaken by Remus’ smile but she couldn’t help smirking when she heard their groans.
“Oh, come on!” she called. “Don’t be such wimps. I thought you wanted a chance to get back at me for this morning?”
Ron looked at her, his face lighting up at the thought of sending Krystal flying with a Stunner.
“That’s not a very charitable thought, Ron,” she admonished. His eyes widen and his face quickly turned tomato red.
Remus laughed. “Careful, Ron,” he said, “not even your thoughts are safe.”

Krystal glanced at him. She could see he was taking their truce seriously - trying hard to emulate the easy friendship they used to have. She had forgotten how much they used to laugh together. Knowing it wouldn’t be long until the past reared its ugly head again, she decided to enjoy their truce.

When he looked at her, she gestured to the teenagers, “Want to join them?”
There was a dare in her words, and Remus took up the challenge with a grin.
“Sure,” he said, walking across the yard to stand next to Harry.
Hermione looked at him in shock. “Remus, four against one? That’s not faaaaiiiiirrrr!” The last word was said in a screech as Krystal waved her hands and turned all four of them upside down.

“Death Eaters aren’t going to wait while you debate the ethics of a four against one fight, Hermione!’ Krystal said, smiling at the girl’s indignation.
There was laughter from Remus and then a flash from his wand and they all dropped until their heads were only inches off the ground. Harry looked and saw Krystal still holding them in the air with one hand, using the other to conjure a shield to deflect the Body Bind hex Remus had just shot at her.
“Come on! Give me a challenge, Remus!“ she called. He heard the older man chuckle again. Harry laughed out loud himself. She was fantastic.

Dusk found five people laying on the Weasley’s lawn, exhausted. Krystal had tried to keep the practice light and playful now that Remus was there, not knowing how he would react, how she would react, if they had to use dark spells. She stuck to using ordinary duelling spells that the kids would have learnt in school, but her energy had tired her and the other’s out.

Krystal had duelled against all four of them for a while, showing off her lightning reflexes. She had not been hit with one single spell, and, adding insult to injury, had managed to get her hexes through all of their shields at least once, laughing when they groaned in frustration. Even Remus, who had seen her duel was impressed.
‘You’ve been practicing,’ he said, puffed.
‘You’re out of practice,’ she retorted, laughing as he bent over to try and catch his breath.

Then she split them up - Ron, Hermione and Remus against Harry and Krystal, teaching them how to back up an ally in a fight with multiple opponents. They continually swapped partners so she worked with all the teenagers, trying to get to know their weaknesses and strengths.

‘Harry is talented,’ she admitted after watching him fight Remus. His only faults were his impulsiveness, which she felt hypocritical criticising him for; and his reluctance to use force when he needed to. Ron was an adequate fighter - when no one was watching. He lacked confidence. Hermione was technically perfect, but when it came to using her gut; her instinct to fight, she collapsed.

She then paired up with Remus to show them how to use their shields as weapons, not just for protection. This made Krystal uncomfortable, but Remus seemed to be coping.
‘I know what you’re doing,’ he said to her in a low voice, as she sent a soft spell flying off into the barriers instead of at him. ‘And you’re not helping them.’

As the sun began to sink, Remus finally got a Disarming spell around Krystal’s shield, sending her crashing to the ground, raising a cheer from the watching teenagers. Krystal stayed down, laughing and panting and calling it a night.
’Thank God!’ exclaimed Remus in relief, flopping onto the ground near her, exhausted.

The teenagers laughed, watching the adults trying to catch their breath from their position on the grass. Harry saw Hermione looking at them with a thoughtful look on her face, then she glanced at him. She indicated with her head towards the house, shaking it in frustration when he frowned, confused.
“I need a bath. A long, hot bath,” Hermione groaned, glaring meaningfully at Harry and Ron before crawling to her feet and making her way into the house. Ron, catching on, rolled over and pushed himself up. He followed Hermione, staggering a little as he went. Harry looked over at Krystal who was lying on her back and staring up at the darkening sky.

“Thank you,” he said, wanting her to know how grateful he was for her help. She turned her head to look at him.
“For teaching us this stuff. I…,” he stopped, a little embarrassed. “I’m glad you’re going to be there to help me, you know, later. I’m glad that I won‘t be alone.”
Krystal smiled. “You were never going to be alone, Harry. Not really.”
He saw Remus turn his head to the side and look at Krystal, and suddenly realised what Hermione had been trying to tell him. Harry smiled and pushed himself to his feet.
“Thanks, Remus,” he said. Remus raised his hand and waved as Harry took off after his friends, leaving the adults alone.

“Are they gone?” he said to Krystal. She turned her head towards the house.
“Yep,” she said looking back at him.
He rolled over onto his side and groaned. “Good. I didn’t want to cry in front of them.”
He joined in as Krystal laughed. “Are you getting soft in your old age, Remus?,” she said as she propped herself up on her elbows. He threw a grass sod at her. She smiled and looked back towards the house.
Her smile faded. “Will they be ready?”
Remus sat up and looked at her. “I don’t think they could ever be ready, but they’ll certainly be more prepared now that they have you.”

He timidly stretched. “You always did pack a hell of a punch, lady,” he said, then froze, looking at her. She stared up at him, eyes wide, looking as though he’d just smacked her in the face.
Remus sighed and shook his head. “I didn’t mean…..” Then he stopped and looked at her distressed face.
“Maybe it’s time we talked,’ he said, his voice low.