RP: Waiting out the Storm

[tt_ginny]

Date: 18 March 2002, Mid-morning
Characters: Ginny Weasley, Remus Lupin
Setting: Her home
Content: TBD
Status: Private : Complete



With the storm rolling in, Ginny had stocked up on all the essentials at the marketplace yesterday. Her plan was to stay home and catch up on research for the work she wanted to do with Remus Lupin. She wasn't scheduled on shift for the next two days, so she could also do some more reading on Muggle techniques if she needed a change of pace.

The wind was pushing rain against her windows when she woke that morning, and Ginny went around to make sure all her windows were closed and secured before taking a shower. Since she had no plans to go out, Ginny dressed in shorts and a t-shirt, padding barefoot into the kitchen to get some cool water. A flick of her wand lit the scented candle in the living room and summoned the television control, which turned the viewing box on. Ginny scrolled through the program listing for the day, finding an old movie that she'd found since getting the viewing box - The Hunt for Red October.

Flopping on her sofa, Ginny brought up her notes and began reviewing them to refresh her memory of what she knew of werewolves. Outside, the wind was picking up speed, battering the windows with fat drops of rain and leaves from the trees around her home. She glanced up, over to the window closest, and winced. Charlie had said he was going to the pub that morning for a while and would either ride out the storm there or come home. Ginny went back to reading.

Comments

[tt_remus]

When Remus had woke up earlier that morning, he could already hear the wind whistling as it went around his home. He knew they were going to be in for a big one. He took a quick shower and dressed in dark pants and a dark button up shirt. So very Remus.

Remus transfigured one of his robes into a rain coat in hopes it would help in case the dark clouds overhead should open up. He went ahead and put his datapad in a small bag and put a weather-proofing spell on it, just to ensure it would stay dry.

As he stepped outside his house, the rain began. This was going to be fun. He hurriedly made his way to Ginny's house; it seemed the faster he moved, the more the rain would fall. Before he knew it, he had arrived and he never knew he would be so grateful to see the house.

He loudly knocked on the door and waited, hoping she could hear the knocking above the noise of the weather.

[tt_ginny]

It was warm but Ginny set her datapad aside and got up to stretch her legs, walking into the kitchen to set the kettle on. Having the background sound of the viewing box was a nice distraction from the howling wind outside.

She nearly dropped the kettle when a loud knock came at her door, quickly setting it down, and hurrying to answer. Ginny summoned her wand reflectively as she did, although she fully expected it to be Charlie deciding to ride out the storm with her.

Pulling open the door, Ginny gasped and put her shoulder to it to keep it from jerking out of her grasp as she glanced up at Remus in surprise. "Remus! Goodness, come in, come in," she urged as the wind whipped her hair across her face, stepping back enough to let him through, and immediately pushing the door shut behind him. Leaning against said door, Ginny said. "Just set your coat over there," she gestured to the hooks on the wall.

[tt_remus]

"Thank you for letting me in... and being home, for that matter. I knew I should have sent a message before I came, so I apologize for just showing up," Remus said, taking off his jacket and putting it on the hook. He put a drying spell on his coat - it didn't do so well in this weather - before proceeding to dry himself. However, his datapad was nice and dry in its bag.

"How are you?" he asked, finally taking in her appearance. Perhaps he should have sent a message prior to coming.

[tt_ginny]

"Oh, it's quite all right. I was just doing some reading," she answered, straightening from the door as he attended to his coat. Well, company wasn't how she had planned on spending the storm, but it certainly wasn't unwelcome companionship at that.

"Would you like some tea? I was just putting the kettle on," Ginny asked, preparing to return to the kitchen, but she leaned over the sofa and moved her datapad to the end table to get it out of the way. "Make yourself at home. I don't think it would be wise to go back out there, actually. Not for awhile yet."

[tt_remus]

"Tea sounds wonderful," Remus said. The drying spell may have made him dry but it did nothing to take the chill out of his bones. "Can I help you with anything?" He hated just showing up unannounced followed by not doing anything while he was there.

Remus set his bag by the couch, before taking a seat. He was ready to help though.

[tt_ginny]

"Not yet but I'll take you up on that for lunch," Ginny replied cheerfully, taking down a couple of mugs and sifting out the right amount of tea for each. She leaned against the counter to wait for the kettle to boil, realizing just how much more comfortable she was after their last meeting. It was still hard not to think of Remus as Professor Lupin, but she was going to make a go of it.

"You can change the program if you don't like this. It's just an old favorite of mine that I put on to keep myself company," Ginny explained, plucking at the edge of her shorts. Should she change? No, this was her place and they weren't indecent.

[tt_remus]

He nodded, "I've been told I'm a decent cook. I prefer simple stuff when I cook for myself. I'll leave it here, it's your home. You don't want me touching it anyways. I wouldn't know where to start," he said chuckling. He didn't have one of those in his home. They were still a foreign muggle concept.

"How has work been? You mentioned it was busy..." He, too, was quite comfortable around her. There were times when the 12 year old Ginny came into his mind, but that was just how he last knew her. He knew the adult Ginny was different to some degree.

[tt_ginny]

"Really? I might just let you take over for lunch, then. I cook most days for myself and Charlie," she answered with a soft laugh. It was so nice to hear him chuckle. He was so serious most of the time, or tired, which she could understand, but still, it was a nice change of pace.

"It was crazy after the potioning. Awful, that was, to deal with while I was one of the affected. Were you affected by it?" Ginny asked.

[tt_remus]

Remus shook his head, "No, I wasn't affected. I don't know why. I hadn't been here that long when it occurred. Whatever reason it was, I'm thankful for it. I'm sorry you got affected. I imagine the medical center must have been crazy."

Remus got quiet for a moment, "I saw some of the effects in the marketplace. Was a lot of your friends and family affected?"

[tt_ginny]

"If you were off settlement or over on Two or Three, that would explain it since only our water supply was tampered with," Ginny explained, turning her head when the kettle began to sputter. She moved over closer to the stove, letting the kettle continue until it actually whistled furiously.

Pouring the hot water over the tea, she nodded. "Charlie and I both were, as was my best friend, Alicia. I don't think many people on One escaped being potioned. It caused a bit of bother over at the medical center. I lost count on how many pregnancy tests I had to do after the effects were countered." Ginny carried the mugs over to the sofa, handing Remus one before she curled up on the sofa a small distance from him.

[tt_remus]

"Thank you," Remus said, accepting the cup. He took a sip and immediately felt warmer. Remus moved over on the couch to make more room for her. "I can imagine that was a busy time, both with pregnancy tests, and tests for various diseases. How do you think it will be with this storm?"

Remus was thankful to be in a dry place with good company. Normally, he wouldn't have minded riding out this storm by himself, but today he felt like being with others.

[tt_ginny]

Drawing her legs up under her, Ginny shifted to sit sideways so they could talk more comfortably. "Oh, you have no idea. Did you know there's 48,000 people on Settlement One? There is. It sort of felt like they all came into the Medical center. We had to have a security detail come in. You wouldn't believe how many fights broke out."

"Well, the warning was put out with plenty of time. I expect there might be a few injuries with people who didn't take the warning seriously, but it should be limited," Ginny answered easily. "Mind you, you do realize you'll be staying for the duration, right? Don't worry, I have a spare room. Charlie might have left some clothes in there. He stayed over a few nights when I first arrived."

[tt_remus]

"I'm guessing the potion was for anyone and anyone not necessarily husbands and wives? That is horrible. i don't want to imagine all the fights. That just added to the injuries and demands I'm sure."

Remus shook his head at the thought. "I may be one of the few who didn't take it seriously. I planned on going home later. I guess I'll stay here so I don't have healer wrath after me," he grinned. He honestly did not want an angry Ginny after me. He knew she had a temper.

"If not, I'm sure I could transfigure a few things if magic is still working. Thank you for letting me stay."

[tt_ginny]

"It was a love potion, badly brewed with local ingredients that are - according to the herbologists on staff - about 50 times stronger than what we are used to. Some git from Two put it into the water filtration system for One. It affected everyone who drank or bathed in it," Ginny explained, wincing.

She shrugged. "You're always welcome to stay at Charlie's place next door. He decided that spending the night at the pub was in order," she offered, thinking he might be uncomfortable spending the night alone with her, though it didn't bother her at all. "I don't mind either way. Growing up in big family, you get used to it."

Gin frowned, taking a sip of tea as she thought about what the warning had said. "I'm pretty sure the warning was for transdimensional travel only."

[tt_remus]

"I wouldn't want to risk going back out there even if it is just a few feet." Remus knew a lot could happen in just a short amount of space and didn't wish to toy with the idea. He took another drink of his tea, thinking over various thoughts.

"I just didn't want Charlie getting a bad impression, is all. I know he worries about you."

[tt_ginny]

"I wouldn't either," she agreed, glancing to where the wind and rain were battering the windows with leaves, branches, and other debris. Charlie had reinforced the wards this morning so she wasn't worried about something flying through the glass. "Charlie? My brothers aren't the ones who still treat me like a child."

Pausing, Gin realized that the little gaps of silence weren't uncomfortable. "I saw that Tonks is here. Back, I mean. I haven't seen her yet. Have you?"

[tt_remus]

"My apologies," Remus said, taking another drink of his tea. He sat back on the couch, sinking into it. A nice way to pass the time during horrible weather.

"I met her, yes. Apparently no one told her all the facts. She was quite shaken up. She's a nice young woman. I felt it odd that I tell her everything when I presently have no knowledge of her. I directed her to the datapad information - partially where I got my information." Once again, Remus felt wordy. He figured that Ginny brought it out in him. "She seemed eager, you could say, to meet with Sirius again. Were they close?"

[tt_ginny]

"I can't imagine what that must be like, honestly. The closest experience is with yourself, and you took it pretty well, given everything," Ginny pointed out, offering a gentle smile she hoped would take the edge off that memory.

"I'm not surprised. They're cousins, you know. Well, closer cousins then say myself and Sirius, though we are, through mum's side of the family," she answered, nodding. "They were close after he escaped from Azkaban."

[tt_remus]

Remus shrugged, "I saw the whole thing as a positive. For one thing, I won't die in a few short years. There's no Voldemort. Not a lot of prejudice here so far. Two of my closest friends are back from the dead. All that outweighs any of the negative. Whereas with Tonks, she learned her dad had been killed and that really hurt her the most."

Remus thought over something for a moment, "I guess knowing Sirius was innocent and is a free man is a positive for me as well. What was it like to voluntarily come through?"

[tt_ginny]

"Well, you won't die if you take the warnings more to heart," she teased. "And I daresay if you don't go hiking up the side of the volcano's, either. Yeah, I can see how that would be really hard for her. I remember what it was like, to bury... Fred." She paused, pushing back the sorrow. "I'll text her after the storm, see how she's doing."

Ginny took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, thinking back on the day when she found out what was really going on. "I was still in training, when I was told about the lottery. Just one mental day running into another, and then to be told the prolonged cold was the start of another ice age. I don't think I took it as well as I'd like to have."

"Everything was a bit of a blur. Mum and dad needed help sorting everything at the Burrow, and I was still training. By the time the day arrived, well, it was... frightening but exciting, too. The worst part was having to walk into the Veil - after seeing Sirius lost into it - it was absolutely dreadful to even be near it. Then, stepping in, it was... like a cross between apparating and Flooing, except it took so long to end. Then the heat and air and the forest, it was all so rich."

[tt_remus]

Remus grinned, "Hiking up the side of a volcano was this weekends plans. Ruining my fun again," he teased back.

He tried to picture the cross between apparating and Flooing. It didn't sound fun and he made a slight face. "Did all of you come together - your parents, your brothers, and yourself? Have you heard from anyone over there about how it is now?" That seemed like such a fascinating study more than werewolves.

[tt_ginny]

"Just doing my duty, good sir," Ginny flashed back with a big grin.

"Mum and dad had to help Aunt Muriel get packed. So, I came on my own. Kingsley came out to the clearing to get me since Charlie was dealing with a fussy dragon," she answered, shrugging at the end. The only part that had bothered her was the Veil. It had been amazing to stand in the clearing.

"The only person I can talk to over there is Harry and he hasn't been messaging," Ginny admitted softly.

[tt_remus]

Remus frowned, "I'm sorry to hear that about Harry. ...your Aunt Muriel is still around? Sweet Merlin. I remember meeting her years ago. She's a feisty one for sure."

Remus decided that talking about Harry was probably not a good thing. "I talked to Bill and Sirius about the study. There's an island I can use, and for additional security, Sirius said he could run around with me. It shouldn't skew the results."

[tt_ginny]

"She is. She's over on Three and as feisty as ever," she chuckled, shaking her head. Ginny herself didn't spend a lot of time with her for various reasons not the least of which was she didn't want to explain yet again why she wasn't married yet.

"Are you getting peckish? I can start lunch," Ginny asked, setting her empty tea cup down on the sofa table. "Oh yes, the islands. I'd forgotten about those. One of those would be fantastic. We can pitch camp on one of the adjacent ones. I'll text Sirius about it, then. You're all right with it, then, my observing?"

[tt_remus]

"I can help you with lunch, please? Even if it's just setting the table." Remus said to her, he didn't want to seem useless or like he was mooching. "I trust Sirius, and James, to help keep you safe. Being on my own island should be safe in and of itself."

He was looking forward to the research, actually. It had been so long since he had just run around free. Of course, he hated the losing of his own mind.

"I just hope I don't attack some poor little rabbit. You may think bad of me."

[tt_ginny]

"Oh, sure! Like I said, make yourself at home," she answered, standing, giving the edge of her shorts a small, absent tug before circling the sofa and heading toward the kitchen. "I was thinking of something simple like bangers and mash or sandwiches."

"It should, yes. Unless werewolves can swim, which I don't think I've read anything about. Do you recall anything like that? Pardon, I don't know how much of what happens you actually remember," Ginny apologized swiftly, blushing lightly. "Remus, as long as you don't attack me, I won't be thinking badly of you."

[tt_remus]

Remus smiled, "Either of those is fine," he said and thought about his memories. "Well, I guess they could swim if absolutely necessary. At school, I was in the Shrieking Shack and Forbidden Forest, no need to go to the lake."

"I honestly don't have many memories when I transform like that. The quick change is kind of like dealing with an elderly muggle who has dementia. While sometimes they are present with their thoughts, most of their thoughts are elsewhere." Remus couldn't really explain it properly. He knew the werewolves mind was essentially gone of any human thought and control.

[tt_ginny]

She opted for the sandwich fixings, setting them out on the counter from the cooler. Charlie had assured her that the power might flicker but it wasn't likely to go out, but she wasn't going to chance it just yet. "I can ask Sirius to put up some 'do not notice me' wards around the campsite, just in case," Ginny assured him warmly.

Drawing out a couple of pint bottles from the cooler, Ginny brought them to the table and went back for the sandwich plates. She paused, setting down the plates, lost in a memory that she rarely tried to think about. "I think I know what that's like, actually," she said somberly as she pulled out her chair to sit. "Sometimes I could remember parts of what happened when Voldemort possessed me, sometimes I just woke up with nothing but a feeling of dread."

[tt_remus]

Remus nodded, "That sounds like a good idea too. Why ask for trouble?" He waited for her to sit, "thank you for lunch," and opened his bottle.

"That sounds an awful lot like what I go through when I don't have the potion. This is actually the first time in years I've gone without out." Poor Remus - he wouldn't know that he'd actually go through a transformation without a potion, in another world, in just a couple months.

He took a bite of his sandwich, a bunch of thoughts racing through. Transformation was similar to a possession. You had no control over yourself whatsoever.

[tt_ginny]

"I plan to let you take over for dinner," Ginny replied, grinning slyly at the novel thought of Remus cooking for her. Well, for them both, but it was still intriguing.

She reached over and laid her hand on his arm, giving it a light squeeze. "But you won't be alone this time. We'll be there and we won't let you get hurt, Remus."

Picking up her pint bottle, she popped off the pressure cap and took a drink. It didn't taste very different from the local pints back home, though she was thinking of this place as home now. "If you would like, I could pensieve the memory for you afterward - so you could see what happened. It might help you feel more... aware."

[tt_remus]

"I actually enjoy cooking, I may not be own-my-own-restaurant good, but it's decent," Remus said, eating once more. After he swallowed, he made a slight face, "I'm not sure I want to know what all I did. I know I won't be too radical and wild, but I still don't want to know. It's a part of me that, while I acknowledge and accept, I don't 100 per cent accept it."

And that was the truth. He couldn't change who he was, even if he wanted to. It didn't mean he had to embrace it and everything. It made him different and un-likeable, in his mind. At least, when he was much younger.

"I just hope people get knowledge out of this."

[tt_ginny]

"I understand, I just wanted to give you the option," Ginny replied with a nod. She did, understand that was, more than she could aptly express. Her time under the possession of the Dark Lord would never leave her, not even here in this paradise of a world. She could never have viewed a pensieve of the things she had done under that possession.

"We all will. I firmly believe that, Remus. Your cooperation is the key to making strides in werewolf protection. It might be the one thing that allows the Ministry to put werewolves on the lottery list," she assured him warmly, glad for his company. The light was playing with the highlights in his eyes, making his gaze warmer.

Finishing up her sandwich, Ginny relaxed back in her chair as they continued their conversation, trading ideas and thoughts about the upcoming research. It would be hard on Remus but he wouldn't be alone. She and his friends would do everything possible to keep him safe during the transformation.