ENIGMA

ENIGMA

Chapter 4-Remus’ Confession

Michelle watched as Remus flew down the corridor with such force, his bag had slipped off his shoulder and was now lying at her feet.
She bent down to pick it up.
“Guys, knock it off,” Michelle snapped. “Can’t you see you just really embarrassed Moony?”
Severus raised an eyebrow at that wondering what an interesting nickname she had called Lupin.
Turning away, she hurried after Remus, knowing exactly where to find him.

In the library, she found him sitting at a table, with his eyes locked on a book that he was propping up with his hands. His green eyes were skimming over the paragraphs really fast and she knew he wasn’t really reading it.
She headed over to him and gently placed his bag on top of the table in front of him.
“You dropped this,” she said softly and sat down across from him.
“Thanks,” Remus said not taking his eyes off the book or even raising them to look at her.
Michelle gently reached over and slowly pushed the book down until it was flat so she could see his face and force him to look at her.
“James was just being rude,” Michelle reassured him. “Don’t listen to him. You see what he’s done to me.”
She added the last part with part good naturedness and part annoyance.
“I know,” Remus said clearing his throat.
“We’ve got that Prefects meeting right?” Michelle said changing the subject cheerfully. “We’d better get going or we’ll be late.”
She stood up and stood next to the table, waiting for Remus to stand up, but he didn’t. Michelle leaned against the table and leaned down so that their faces were inches apart.
Remus could feel Michelle’s breath on his face.
“Listen,” she said quietly. “Are you going to the Spring Dance next month?”
Remus stared into her eyes. He’d never been this close to her before and he was really nervous.
“Probably not,” he said. “I’m not going to have anyone to go with and I’ve got a lot of work to do probably.”
“Probably, hmm,” Michelle mused. “That poses a BIG problem.”
“How’s that?”
“I was hoping maybe you’d like to go with me as friends,” she replied sighing. “But if you’re too busy, I’ll maybe ask Snape to go with me instead.”
Remus froze. On one hand, he really wanted to go with her, but on the other he was scared and nervous.
Michelle was watching him with a cocked eyebrow.
“Um, I--,” Remus stammered finally. “I-I’m busy. I’m so sorry.”
Michelle looked disappointed.
“Oh, alright,” she said quietly. “Come on. Let’s get to the meeting.”
Remus felt even worse that he’d hurt her. He angrily grabbed his bag and swung it over his shoulder. He was angry with himself for not speaking up.
As they walked to the meeting, Michelle was really quiet and subdued. She was hoping Remus would go with her because deep down she was starting to have feelings toward him as more than a best friend.
Now she would have to resort to asking Severus. Don’t get her wrong, she liked Severus and all, but Remus was the one she wanted to go with.
Remus sensed Michelle’s subdued nature and he felt even worse.
They entered the meeting and took their seats. Michelle was sitting next to him with her arms crossed on top of the desk. She rested her chin on top of her arm. A bit of her hair fell forward into her eye but she made no attempt to move it. Remus sat next to her, matching her position at the desk. He rested his chin on his arms that were crossed.
Remus, having heightened senses of the wolf, heard Michelle’s heart beating and the blood rushing through her veins. She glanced at him and he momentarily heard her heart beating a bit rapidly as they locked eyes before she turned her eyes back onto the Professor who led the Prefects meetings…Professor Rikers.
He began wondering why her heart sped up slightly when they looked at each other.

The meeting droned on. Michelle had begun dozing off slightly. Remus wondered if she’d been up all night or something. She slumped sideways against him with her head resting against his shoulder.
Remus felt his stomach jolt slightly and his heart pounding.
Professor Rikers frowned at Michelle’s lack of attention, more or less sleeping during the meeting, Remus gently nudged her.
She snapped bolt upright and cleared her throat.
“Sorry, Professor,” she apologized automatically. “I didn’t sleep to well last night.”
Professor Rikers didn’t say anything but continued with the meeting now.

Once the meeting was over, it was time for the last class of the day. Potions.
Michelle and Remus were paired up this time, but Severus was wondering why she wasn’t sitting with him.
“I’ll sit with you tomorrow,” Michelle promised. “I want to sit with Remus for this lesson.”
Severus nodded and took his seat but not before James and Sirius came into the classroom, overhearing everything.
“So, Snivellus wants Michelle to sit with him huh?” James crooned. “She’s way to good for you, Snivellus.”
“She’d rather hang out with her own kind,” Sirius added taking a seat behind Remus and Michelle.
Michelle narrowed her eyes at them.
“Leave him alone, alright?” she demanded.
Sirius and James held their hands up defensively and got themselves ready for the lesson. Michelle sighed and also took out her supplies.
Remus was silent. He’d begun wondering if he should tell Michelle the truth about himself. His greatest fear was that she’d abandon him and then even…hate him. He couldn’t take it if she ever hated him.
But she did deserve to know the truth. He finally came to a decision.
“Michelle? Can I talk to you after class?” he asked quietly as he copied down the instructions for the lesson.
“Sure,” Michelle said nodding.
Remus felt his stomach doing knots and twists.

They were learning the Adran Potion, which was used to help cure 3rd degree burns. If the Hullit roots weren’t added to the potion correctly, the liquid could seriously burn the hand.
Michelle frowned. She was having a bit of trouble with it. Remus leaned in to help her. She flashed him a big grin.
Suddenly, one of the Slytherins by the name of David Owens, walked past their table and dropped something into the cauldron, causing some of the liquid to splash onto Michelle’s hand.
She cried out in pain and clutched her left hand with her right against her chest. Her hair fell forward as she was rocking slightly back and forth. Remus caught her hand. It was a bright pink already with some of the blisters already forming.
Remus quickly tore a piece of his robe and wrapped it gingerly around Michelle’s hand.
“Mr. Owens!” Professor Karen snapped angrily. “I saw that! 10 points from Slytherin!”
David flashed Michelle a sly grin and took his seat again.
“Mr. Lupin, take her to the hospital wing,” Professor Karen said softly.
As Michelle and Remus got up, they saw James and Sirius flash David a murderous glare. Lily was also scowling at David toward the back of the classroom. She gave Michelle a comforting smile as they left the classroom.

Madam Pomfrey put a Marton salve on it and wrapped Michelle’s hand in a clean, white bandage.
“I swear I’m gonna end up living in that wing,” Michelle grumbled irritably, but then realized Remus had wanted to talk to her after class.
“What did you want to talk to me about?” Michelle asked curiously as they walked down the corridor and through one of the opened bridges that connected one part of the castle to the other.
Remus went over to the side of the bridge and rested his hands on the sill of the opened archways. He stared out at the lake and the gentle ripples made from the Giant squid.
Michelle stood next to him.
“I have to tell you something,” he said quietly. “I’ll completely understand if you hate me or want nothing to do with me.”
Michelle looked at him like he was mad.
“Remus, nothing you could say could make me hate you,” she said softly. She had begun to slowly forgive him for what happened before too. “Besides, I’m starting to forgive you for what you did earlier. I should’ve known you would never hurt me intentionally.”
Remus kept his eyes on the lake. He took a deep breath.
“Do you ever notice that once a month I’m always ill?” he asked quietly digging his fingers into the sill.
Michelle nodded.
“Oh God,” she said raising a hand to her mouth. “Please don’t tell me you’re really a woman.”
She joked, trying to lighten the mood a bit.
Remus’ lip twitched and he smiled.
“No,” he said shaking his head. “Much worse than that. The reason I’m ill every month is because…I’m-I’m a werewolf.”
There. He’d said it. He slowly turned to look at her, looking for signs of repulsion or disgust.
Michelle froze.
He’s a werewolf? He changes into a monster once a month! But he’s not a monster…he’s sweet, kind, and caring…
“Do James, Sirius and Peter know?” she asked, finding her voice.
Remus nodded.
“They help me change. They’re unregistered Animagi,” he went on.
Michelle was still speechless.
“Please don’t tell anyone,” Remus pleaded. “Not even Lily. She doesn’t know yet. We haven’t told her yet but I wanted to tell you first.”
Michelle fought between the urge to take a step backward from him, and just hug him.
Remus was still waiting for Michelle’s reaction.
But Michelle’s battle between fear and remorse for his condition was lost. She took a step back.
“You change into a monster once a month,” she said. “How do I know you won’t attack me?”
Remus’ heart wrenched.
“I won’t,” he said earnestly. “That’s why James, Sirius, Peter and I go to the Whomping Willow. There’s an entrance there that leads to the Shrieking Shack. We go there to transform.”
But Michelle was nervous now.
Her fear got the better of her and a small candle that was lit above Remus’ head suddenly snapped in half and fell to the floor. At that, Michelle took off running down the bridge. Remus angrily punched the wall. He expected her not to be alright with hearing that, but she did abandon him…just like he’d feared.
Feeling completely miserable, he skipped the rest of the class and headed back to the common room.

Michelle was in the girls’ dorm. Shortly, Lily came in. She saw Michelle was clearly upset.
“Michelle? What’s wrong?” Lily asked worriedly.
“Nothing,” Michelle grumbled.
“Is it what happened in Potions?” Lily asked curiously.
“Yeah,” Michelle lied.
“David’s a jerk,” Lily said. “Don’t pay attention to him.”
Michelle just laid on her stomach and buried her face into the pillow, bursting into tears. The person she cared about a lot, well, loved really, is really a monster once a month.
Once a month, he’s Remus the rest of the time. You know him…he would never intentionally hurt you. Regardless…
Michelle was torn now.

Remus sat in the common room, just staring at the fire. James and Sirius came in and saw him.
“Moony? What’s up pal?” James asked with concern taking a seat across from him.
“I told Michelle that I’m a werewolf,” Remus said quietly. “She was terrified…I could smell it and sensed it. She took off down the bridge. She’s terrified of me now.”
“Remy, it was a shock,” Sirius said calmly and soothingly. “Beyond the tormenting that we used to do, we’ve grown to know Michelle too. I think she’s just confused and scared right now. She won’t abandon you…trust me.”
James continued to study Remus closely.
“You like her,” James said with realization. “Don’t you?”
Sirius glanced from James to Remus.
Remus didn’t answer.
“Yeah you do,” James said. “As more than a best friend?”
Again, Remus didn’t answer.
“Oh sorry pal,” Sirius said. “That’s why you ran off. We didn’t mean to embarrass you.”
He looked genuinely upset.
Remus just muttered something incoherent.
“Look,” James said as-a-matter-of-factly. “Give Michelle some time. She’ll come around alright? If she cares about you, which we know she does, she’ll come back.”
They headed into the boys’ dorm to get ready for dinner.

They headed down to the Great Hall for dinner that evening.
Michelle sat with James, Sirius and Lily, who was oddly able to talk civilly to James. She avoided Remus’ glances.
Remus pushed his plate away, his appetite lost. He just got back on Michelle’s good graces and now he’d lost her again.
But to his surprise, Michelle got up and sat down across from him.
“Remus,” she began slowly. “I’m sorry that I ran off like that. That was rude. Can you forgive me?”
Remus smiled.
“Of course!” he said sincerely. “I didn’t expect you to be alright with it one, two, three.”
“I’m not okay with it, but I accept it with you because that’s who YOU are,” she replied quietly.
Remus smiled and to his delight, Michelle stood up, leaned over the table slightly and kissed him on the cheek.
Remus’ cheeks flushed automatically with color as Michelle went back to her seat, now a bit more relaxed and talking with James and Sirius. Lily caught Remus’ expression and gave him a wink.
His heart felt light and he felt really happy.
She kissed me! He thought happily.
That night, they headed back to the common room, and finally into their dorms for the night.
Remus, was grinning into his pillow and he dozed off dreaming.