ATHENE {remus lupin}

FIFTY FIVE

Athene Malfoy did not return to the Burrow until the second of December. Part of her felt guilty, she had written to Ginny to wish her good luck at school, and to tell her to frequently write to her if she could, but she hadn't seen Molly since September. She wondered if Remus had told the woman what had happened between the two of then. She hoped he had, then Molly would understand.

She had written to Mrs Weasley, of course, informing her that Shell Cottage would be her home until further notice, the witch had written back that it worked well, since Fred and George had moved back in with their parents to provide extra protection and escape the death eater riddled diagon alley. With Charlie there too Athene was sure that Mrs Weasley would be relieved to not have an extra person to accommodate for.

Shell Cottage was exactly the sort of home that Athene wished for herself. Everyday she would walk the length of the beach and read on the rocks. Her and Fleur would take a bottle of firewhisky down some nights, and just sit and talk, watching as the sky darkened and the waves got closer. The two women saw less and less of Celine and Tonks, it saddened Athene but Fleur reassured her that it was normal.

"They are a couple now, 'thene."

"You're married and I see you everyday."

"But William and you were not close friends as you were with Celine and Dora. So for you to be here, it is normal. Anyway, William and I have been together for ages, our relationship has everything. They can't go out anywhere, all they have is their privacy."

Athene knew that the witch was right, but she missed her cousin. Her first friend since Ashley. She felt happy for them, but wished that they could see each other more, the war only made her worry and want to spend as much time with her loved ones as possible. Of course that took her to think about Remus, how she would feel if he died on a mission. If she'd regret not speaking to him, not trying to be friends and forgive and forget. She decided that because he hadn't written her, then he must not care.

 So why should she make an effort?

Kingsley hadn't partnered them on any more missions, so Athene thought that Tonks must have spoken to the man, since she was just about the only person he would listen to. Bill said that he'd been doing a lot alone. Athene would have worried about him if they had been in contact, perhaps she would have told him not to do it. 

Her missions had been easy, it was always Hogsmeade with Fleur. They didn't enjoy it the way that they used to, though. Half of the shops had been shut down, and the other half had been broken into and looted. The entire village was a shell of its former self. Athene wondered if Hogwarts was the same.

Bill was occasionally working in Gringotts, trying to figure out how much control the death eaters had from inside there. He said that with goblins, it's impossible to tell. Fred, George, and Charlie were in charge of Diagon Alley, sometimes Remus. Bill said that they would often have terrible duels, and that every day they were in constant danger. None of them had been seriously injured, though. Athene felt for Molly, all of her children were in such dire situations.

Athene decided to visit the Burrow on her 23rd birthday, on the second of December. Fleur hadn't remembered it and that was how Athene wanted it. She had no need to celebrate twenty three. Not until there was anything worth celebrating. She had no idea of Draco's whereabouts or if he was even alive, so she chose not to allow herself a moment of happiness. It felt right, though. To visit the woman who had become a kind of mother to Athene on her birthday, hopefully she wouldn't have remembered. 

Athene knocked gently on the door of the Burrow and a terrified looking Molly Weasley opened it with her wand raised in her shaking hand. Her face softened slightly when she saw Athene but her determination did not falter.