Selene || Remus Lupin

Ch. 66 - Harry's House

The next day, Selene rose early to return to her own cottage, knowing that Remus' transformation was over, and he would soon be finding his way back home.

As soon as she got back to the cottage, she immediately made her way in the kitchen, seizing a bag of coffee beans on the counter and pouring them into a grinder that was sitting next to it. She tapped the grinder with her wand and it churned to life, its handle turning furiously as it ground up the beans and then emptied itself into Selene's proffered filter. She waved her wand again, and a kettle sitting on the stove began to spout steam into the air, whistling loudly. She took the kettle and gently poured the water over the freshly-ground coffee, smiling faintly when she saw the deep brown drip to the bottom of the Muggle coffee contraption that Remus had brought into their home so many years ago.

With the smell of fresh coffee in the air, Selene pulled two mugs out of a nearby cabinet and filled them, before carrying them into the sitting room to wait for Remus.

This had been Selene's routine after every full moon for years previously; she'd put a pot of coffee on and wait patiently for Remus to get there, and she'd do whatever was inevitably necessary to care for him.

Within a moment, Selene heard the front door swing open and shut, and she called out to the one person she knew would be coming in.

"I made you some coffee! Whenever you're ready for it!"

There was no immediate response other than a weak chuckle.

"Thank you, Selene. I'll take it in just a moment," a hoarse voice said from across the room.

"I'll keep it warm for you," Selene said, smiling. She pivoted in her chair to look at him.

Remus stumbled slightly in the doorway, and it became visible that there were several large gashes on his chest and face.

"Remus!" Selene exclaimed, getting out of her chair and hurrying over to him. He collapsed into the nearest chair, groaning.

"It was a particularly bad full moon," Remus chuckled weakly.

Selene ran into the kitchen, grabbing a few necessary items to clean his wounds.

"You should've seen the other guy," Remus joked, his voice faintly carrying into the kitchen.

"I wish there was another guy," Selene said dryly, walking back into the sitting room. "I can't believe you do this to yourself."

She made to kneel on the floor so that she could tend to his wounds, but before she could even bend down, Remus grasped her arm, gently tugging her closer to him, so that she had to perch herself carefully on his thigh.

"It's better than doing it to someone else—ah!" Remus gritted his teeth, as Selene pressed a cloth soaked in a cleansing potion to his chest.

"I'm sorry," Selene winced. "I wish you had been able to get here quicker, then I could have healed it with magic and it wouldn't scar."

"We'll add it to the collection," Remus said. "You're no good at healing spells anyway."

Selene smiled sheepishly. "I do my best."

"I know you do, and I'm grateful," Remus said, touching the side of her face with his knuckles.

He was staring at her with a gentle intensity, a small smile on his lips.

"Why are you staring at me?" Selene asked, laughing quietly.

"I'm just taking in your beauty," Remus grinned. "It's refreshing after a full moon like that."

Selene laughed, shaking her head. "Whatever, Lupin."

Remus laughed weakly. "I want to kiss you."

Selene looked at him. "Then do it."