connecting the dots
Her eyes burn. Cheeks are perfectly dry, but her eyes still end up bloodshot. It all just feels heavy. The past weighing down on her. Narcissa has known that she is not perfect. She makes mistakes, she was a product of what happened to her. She's never tried to say otherwise. She has always let it be that way, even if it's wrong.
All that happened to her is not all that she is though. Slowly, with help, she is coming to see that. To believe it. Still, it shaped her. It's why she ran away in the first place. Inside of her there is more than that. A girl who wants, a girl who dreams. That's why she kept dancing, taking that back to be her own.
Reading the first book hurt. She knew that it would. Bellatrix got through it first and she knew that she couldn't avoid reading it either. The thing is, not all of it was perfectly true. At least she could spot the differences. Little things that weren't quite right. Maybe it was just so long ago that nothing could be exact.
Maybe they all had a different version of how it played out in their heads.
The book that follows her she really did not want to read. Once they got their hands on copies of it though, she had to. The one stipulation Narcissa gave was that she had to read it first. She wanted to know what her sister would be reading before she opened it. Know which things she would need to explain again, know if there was anything she never said.
As expected there was plenty of that. They talked for an entire night without sleeping after.
It was difficult to explain all of the reasons she had to leave. The part of her that could not stay and could never leave a note behind. It would have kept her there and that was never an option. The book doesn't know that, so she told her. The book didn't know where she went, but they have already been over that now.
When her sister asked for the same in return, she obliged. As much as she had been itching to pick up Bella's book. It's surreal. Reading about their own experiences written with such intimate knowledge, yet not their own words.
She feels sick approaching the last handful of pages in this book. Her big sister was always good, she had a handle on everything. She never let it slip if she was anything other than okay. Their parents never needed to worry. Narcissa, until the last year or so before leaving, felt entirely cared for. Because of her.
That did change, she felt it, it spurred her to run away. Reading about what she left behind is even more difficult. Her leaving was not supposed to hurt anyone. Her cousins had each other and that meant they would be okay. Only one of them ever looked to her, but it wasn't her responsibility.
Out of all five of them, Bellatrix is the oldest. She was the one who should have never left. Not when their cousins were still young, still simply trying to survive. A part of her blames her, a part of her is upset.
She left to find her, and didn't manage to. So really she just left. That's it, nothing more.
After closing the book she should call. Words don't come to mind though. There is a lot to say, maybe more to hear. She just doesn't know how to do that. Where to go from here.
It's Narcissa's fault for leaving, it's her fault for making it impossible to find her. But it's not her fault for needing to leave. Some of that falls on Bellatrix. She won't want to hear that again. It's still true.
A knock on the door pulls her from the spiral. "Hey, just checking in."
"Hey Em, I'm… would you believe me if I said I'm fine?"
"No, but I'll let you get away with it." Emmeline laughs, making herself at home in her room. "Want to talk about it?"
She shakes her head. "I'll be doing quite a bit of talking about it when I go over to Bella's tomorrow."
Em nods and gives a little salute. "Noted, no book talk."
It's a change from people she is used to. Living with Emmeline has gone far better than she expected. Especially from finding this place online. It's been good. Home is a safe space for her for the first time in a long time. They flow together with more ease than she has had with anyone other than her sisters.
Instead of doing any sort of talking, they break open a bottle of wine and turn music loud in the living room. It seemed as though Emmeline was going to head out somewhere, before she knocked on the door. It pulls at her to know that her friend stayed home with her instead. Sensing that she needed it. Without having to ask for it.
That's the kind of support she has longed for. One day she thinks that she can get there with Bellatrix. Or rather get back there. It was gone for a while. Maybe the care and love was always there, but the action. Doing something. Helping carry the weight, share it between them. Soon, maybe.
They're working toward it, they have been for months now.
"Okay so you can totally say no…" Emmeline slurs just slightly. "What if I did some digging to try and find your cousin."
She freezes. Of course she's thought about finding either of them, or her sister. It just wouldn't be that simple, there are too many stipulations that come with it. "I don't think so." Not like this.
"If you change your mind!"
She won't, she thinks. Though a different idea rushes through her. Thinking about what her sister said weeks ago.
"Actually…" Narcissa immediately regrets wanting to ask. She doesn't regret asking though. "Can you she what you can find on the editor of the book?"
For a second she pauses, letting the music continue around them. Far louder than it needs to be. Her ears ring drowning it out just enough. Eyes unfocused. Waiting for her to respond. She just asked to dig into her girlfriend, that could never go well.
She might say no. It's a bad idea. It would make sense for Emmeline to say no. Talk some sense into her. Get her and maybe even Bellatrix too to stop obsessing over the books. For all they know they weren't written by anyone in their family. It could all be one big coincidence. They can dream.
"Yeah, on it." Emmeline bolts away to grab her computer.
They stay up all night. Never even turning the lights off in the room or brushing their teeth. The day just seems to carry on through until the sun comes up once more. She's shaking by morning. Narcissa really didn't want there to be any connection. She has been ready and willing to explain away Alice's behavior with the fact that she was meeting her family. Bellatrix can be intimidating.
That's all it was. That's all it should have been. Except… She knows.
Emmeline kept the screen facing her until she was sure. Once they got close, she thought it would be better to finish searching while Narcissa tried to think about literally anything else. That barely worked but it gave her a minute to breathe. The look she got over the computer gave no sense of security. Her eyes and face fell, slightly shaking her head.
"It's her." The sound of defeat, even though her job was done flawlessly.
Her heart drops into her stomach. Ready to throw up. Eyes sting all over again.
Alice knows. She knows… Everything. She works with one of her cousins, she knows her life. She edited the words written about some of the most vulnerable moments in her life.
How could she know and not tell her? Has she always known? It's not fair. Something good was finally in her grasp, only to fall apart. Foolish of her to think she could have that.
She can't say anything. No words find their way out of her mouth. What could she possibly say right now? It's not as if she could simply carry on now. She can only pretend she doesn't know for so long. It will eat at her, it will come out eventually. Better on her terms than after months of resentment.
The world falls back onto her shoulders. She's seventeen again. Everything revolves around the family, her life is theirs not her own. Anyone she thought she could trust leaves her high and dry. Betrays her. In the end she's always only been able to rely on herself. Even her sisters let her down.
This was supposed to be different. Alice was different. Alice was good. Now she chokes on her name.
They're so close to one of their cousins. Just out of reach. One person away. Who knew? They're right under their noses and they have never run into each other. It hits her then that Alice isn't the only person they know that has contact. Dorcas, the one Bellatrix works with, is the publisher. The world gets smaller. Tightening around her. Suffocating her.
"I- I need to go." She scrambles up after not saying anything for over an hour.
Emmeline had been talking, she tries again now. Calling after her. She's already out the door and on her way. The only person she can stand to be around right now is Bella. Even after reading the book, those feelings can be pushed aside. She just needs her sister. She needs someone to ground her and share the weight.
It occurs to her as she steps up to the door that it's very early in the morning. She might not be home. Or even awake. Calling ahead would have been the right thing to do. Narcissa wasn't thinking. Her feelings have taken control and if she doesn't get some of them out, all of them will take her. It will burn through her.
"Cissy? What are you doing here, I thought our plans were for… much later?"
"Right yes, they were. Can I come in anyway?" She squeezes her hands together to keep from fidgeting.
"You never have to ask." Bella steps aside.
It feels off. She's uneasy. Perhaps simply because she hasn't slept at all. It's mania, surely. The shakiness in her hands. The way her eyes dart around the room and back to her sister. Something feels wrong. Even just showing up unannounced doesn't feel quite right. She's been doing it for months now, but still.
It's a new tension. The words she read all day yesterday don't even echo in her mind. Mostly Narcissa feels hurt. She wants her big sister. That's why she raced over here. No other reason, not even thinking about the talk they are meant to have. She just sought out comfort and ended up here.
"Okay you're worrying me. What is it? Did the book really send you off the deep end?" She's steps ahead of her already settling onto the sofa.
"I feel like I fucked up." The words barely slip past her lips, she hates admitting anything like this.
Naturally Bellatrix is just as shocked. Even after they both read her book she hardly took any blame for what happened. Not aloud at least. "Okay… It's okay. Say more."
"I shouldn't have trusted her." A breath to force her name from her lips. "Alice, the first person I really let in. I shouldn't have. I should have kept the walls up. I don't know. Maybe I shouldn't have even come back to London."
She looks up from where her hands were rubbing together to get through talking. Finding her sister with a pained look. Then it hits her what she said. That isn't what she meant. It just slipped out. Everything changed again when she came back, everything is different.
The only part of it she doesn't regret right now is that it brought her back to Bellatrix.
"No, I di-"
"It's okay. Just don't." She shuts her down. Narcissa can see her defenses go up right in front of her, keeping her at bay. "Let's not do that now. I can't help you if I'm angry at you so just don't say anything else that will piss me off." Bellatrix says through mostly gritted teeth.
So she explains. Everything her sister thought after meeting her girlfriend is true. Alice knows them, she knows their cousin. She knows the author. She's either known the whole time or put it together that night. It would be too big of a coincidence for them to have met, surely.
Together they spend all morning, multiple cups of tea and coffee, going through everything they know. Emmeline texts her more information as she is able to find it. There is still nothing that points directly to who the author is. No name, no address. Nothing connected to the books at all that's publicly available. Which they expected.
That is not what they are doing right now. If they wanted to find their cousins they would focus on that. More importantly right now is figuring out her girlfriend. What did she know before they met? Did she seek Narcissa out on purpose? Was this part of something bigger? Or if she had no idea, when did she figure it out?
Really, she wants to know how Alice could carry on without saying anything.
She has seen the two sisters together. She knows that they are missing a third, she know they are missing their cousins. She knows it all. There is almost nothing she doesn't know, so how could she keep this up? It burns. All through her, all of the feelings that had been brewing, course through her veins on fire this time. Rage.
"What do you want to do about it?" Bellatrix asks, far more level headed than she expects.
"I don't know."
Every scenario is worse than the last. Bellatrix goes through them like a mad woman, concocting versions of the story that paint Alice in worse and worse lights. That's not her though, that couldn't be the woman she's started to fall for. Her sister has just lost it, clearly. Except the voice in the back of her mind keeps signaling to listen.
Either way, Alice knows now. She's known for a bit, surely, and hasn't said anything. That's what hurts most of all. Narcissa would never want to stand in the way of a family reuniting. That wouldn't be fair.
"Let's confront her. See what she says. I'll be with you."
"No… I don't know that it would go well." Part of her still wants to protect whatever it is she has with her. Salvage it after if she can. She's already let her in.
Even if it's already falling apart at the seams. This time she isn't going to run, she wants to still have something for herself at the end of this. For the first time she is going to be the one to hold on.
With that decided they slow down. Narcissa is ready to crash. Her head is spinning. She keeps herself up right and lets her sister make her something to eat. A light breakfast, enough to keep her going for now. They don't talk through it. She's given the room she needs to breathe.
It's taken a while to get back to simply being comfortable in each other's presence. Somehow it always feels easier when they are in a bit of crisis mode. As if this is their default resting state. At least together it might be. They always were ready for something like this. All their lives, ready to bolt, ready to fight. Silences come easier this way.
One day they might get to a point where they can be comfortable and happy. At ease. Not building up their defenses even around each other or against each other. She longs for mornings like this where they are exhausted from staying up all night but gossiping with each other rather than running through scenarios on a crime scene board.
Neither of them push for any more than the other is ready for. Narcissa has words waiting on the tip of her tongue though. Through everything they talked about with Alice, they didn't once touch on the topic of Dorcas. She knows too. All this time, has she known that Bellatrix sat at the desk next to her? That one of the characters in a book she published was in that very office?
The world just caves in more and more. Her mind goes in spirals and ends up in the exact same spot. How could she not? It's all connected.
At least the two of them finding each other again wasn't planned by anyone. Secretly she knew it could happen. Leaving her emergency contact as it was, surely there could be a time that it comes up. No one intervened in that.
But Dorcas and Alice? They could have some other motives. Faking it being difficult or impossible for them to read the books about their own lives. It could have all been an act. They could simply be playing into their cousin's hand right now. Some big game that brings them all back together. Or purposefully keeps them apart.
Unlikely but not impossible.
In a way it seems exactly the sort of thing that Sirius would do. If he knew that everyone was at a point in their lives where they could find each other and not want to rip each other's throats out, he would. He's mad if he thinks it would work, but hasn't it already started? Isn't is already working?
"We need to find him." She blurts out into an extended period of quiet.
She turns to look at her, brow knit together. "Sirius?" Confused as she may look, they're on the same wave length.
"Yeah, it's him, it's got to be. He would be the one to turn this all into a big puzzle that leads us all back together. Right?"
"I don't know if you're right, but it could be worth a shot." Bellatrix hesitates. "What if we just looked for Meda instead?"
For just that moment, it's hardly recognizable who is the eldest and who is the youngest. The way she longs for her sister. It hurts, just as it did then. She can tell Bella is missing Andromeda, her baby. When she first left home, all Narcissa felt was the fact that she wasn't enough. She wasn't the sister that her sister wanted. She never would be.
She still can't be. It stings even though she wants her back too.
It will always sit between them. Andromeda was the bridge. The perfect middle sister. Both older and younger and everything the two of them weren't. The best parts of them both and none of the ugly parts. Narcissa hates her sometimes. If she were born before her, Bellatrix would favor her. They wouldn't be having this conversation.
Resentment seeps into her words. "And tell me, how has looking for a sister gone for you in the past? Do you have a good track record?"
"Oh fuck you," she spits back, she was ready for the fight. "You're the one who left. I wouldn't have had to look for you if you didn't run away."
"What was keeping me at home? What was there for me? Please, indulge me!" There's no argument that can hold up.
This, they have gone through multiple times before. They have rehashed this. Still, they will continue to. It's not able to be laid to rest quite so easily. Narcissa was the younger one, she is still the younger one. Someone should have protected her. Someone should have known that she needed help.
No one taught her when she was so young how to stand up against family. How to speak up when she needed to. Instead it was drilled into her how to comply, how to be the perfect daughter. Never the perfect sister. Bellatrix was all she had to pull her out of it, to make the house a home. She didn't. That will never be able to completely leave her mind.
It may not be fair, but it's how it is. Narcissa is stubborn, it's just a fact. The one who could help her, who should have helped her didn't. And now they're here. Still not quite being enough. Watching Bellatrix long for her first sister again, always a bit lost without her.
At least she has the satisfaction of knowing that Bella followed after her and not Andromeda. If they ever see each other again, she will hold that over her. Remind her any chance she gets. Just enough to be the annoying younger sister she barely got to be, but not enough to send her sister running again. Not once, rather if, she gets her back.
Bellatrix huffs before pleading, waving a white flag. "She's our sister."
"Yes, and I am too." Simple as that. "We can find her after. I just— I need to know about the books." Her relationship hinges on this, she needs all of the information before blowing it up.
"If I agree, you'll help me find her after. Right?"
She nods. Of course, what else would she do? She may resent her, but not enough to fully be okay never seeing her again. Before anything else, she texts Emmeline, who responds immediately. Happy to help find Sirius. Acts as if it is the easiest thing in the world.
He could be anywhere. Neither of the even knows when he left, they haven't read that book yet. Now that they are at this point it feels wrong to read the history in the pages. If they just find him, they can talk. Hear the story from him directly. Though, if he wrote then it wouldn't be all that much different.
Eyes dart across the room to where the stack of matching books sit anyway.
"Just wait and see what Emmeline says. I can text Rita too. No more reading until then. Deal?"
"Deal." She whispers. Fingers flexing around her phone waiting for a ping.
In the end both Emmeline and Rita respond within twenty minutes. One finding where he works, the other finding an old telephone number. Both coming up with names of other people that he may be friends with. None either of them recognize immediately.
Narcissa can't help but laugh. Was it really this simple? Are they just that bad at it? Neither of them able to initially find anything on their own, let alone find each other. Though between them, Narcissa had always been able to reach out. She just didn't have the courage to. Something she pretends to ignore.
They are the one thing stepping in their own way. Purposeful or not. If they all just tried, it could work. There is no way to convince them all to give it a proper try at the same time, they're too separated right now. Imagine if they could though.
"Should we…"
"Show up to his tattoo shop?" She finishes Bella's question for her, by the looks of it. Her face twisting up into a smile because they are finally on the same page again.
"Can't believe he grew up to do that and somehow I'm the one with a normal office job…" She says under her breath as they get ready to leave the house.
They both look a mess from their morning and early afternoon chaos. Not exactly an exaggeration. It was rough, teeth were bared for most of it. Now though, they are a little more at ease. Falling back into their places next to each other. Facing this together instead of as opponents.
Quietly they get it together enough to leave. Narcissa glances in the mirror, only for a second. She hates what she sees in the reflection, eyes far too tired. She can't possibly sleep now. It's the middle of the day, everything is either falling apart or falling into place. Instead she pulls her hair back and up, and puts on her best mask.
The walk there, because somehow it isn't all that far away, they don't talk. She has no idea what to say. Could it really have been this easy all along? If they had simply made an effort. That's somehow all it would have taken. A quick walk across town.
It doesn't matter that it's nearly freezing, they keep walking. A car would have been easier, but the walk is needed. Clear their heads. It's been nine years since they have seen him. What's the same? What's different?
They land across the street from the shop. In a row with others, book shops and cafes and clothing stores. She's passed here more than once before. "Do we just go in?"
"What if he's not there?" Bellatrix throws the possibility out.
"Then we talk to whoever is and figure out what to do next."
She nudges her. "Hey, I'm the older one. why is it you all of a sudden have the good ideas?"
"Older isn't always wiser." Her hand extends waiting for her sister to take it, to bring them toward the shop.
In all it takes maybe five minutes to work up the courage to cross the street and actually make it to the door. A chime sounds when they push it open. No one is at the front to greet them. Of course it wouldn't be that easy to just stumble upon Sirius.
Looking around there are possibly hundreds of tattoos on display to showcase the work. Is all of it Sirius'? When did he get so good at this? A few tables are empty just past the desk, waiting for clients to come in.
"Hello?" Her sister speaks up, she can't find er voice. "Anyone here?"
A girl pokes her head out of a door toward the back. She perks up and walks to meet them at the front.
"Oh hi! Bellatrix, right?" She asks, but Narcissa has never seen her before. How could she possibly know her sister?
It takes a second for her to process. "Oh, er— You're Dorcas'… girlfriend? Right? What are you doing here?"
This catches her off guard. They've already come to the conclusion that Dorcas knows their cousin, and now this. It's too much. Is this how she became the publisher of the books? Looking between Bellatrix and this girl, who still has not said her name, she can't figure out what is happening. How her sister knows too many people connected to this all.
"Yeah, Marlene. Been a while since we met wasn't sure if you remembered. Couldn't forget a name like yours anyhow." She flashes a smile. "What can I do for ya?"
"Hi, I'm her sister. Narcissa. We were…" she hesitates, but really there is no time for that. "We're looking for Sirius. Is he in?"
"Nah, he doesn't work today. Took all week off actually. I can give him a call if you want, or if I can't help you myself." Marlene offers.
She doesn't immediately rush them away. There is nothing that she knows, it seems. Nothing telling her to send them away. Nothing pushing them out or setting off alarm bells in her mind. They're just two people. Would she react different if she knew they were his cousins?
"Could you do a favor and ask him to come in?" Bellatrix smiles, a wicked smile that she hasn't seen in a long time. "He'd want to if he knew we were here."
"Why is that? I doubt anything would bring him in right now though." Cryptic. Maybe she does know.
"Just call him. Better yet, give me his number. We just want to catch up, it's been so long that we don't have his phone number anymore." She continues, providing just the bare minimum information. Twisting everything in hopes that it will go her way.
It becomes a face off. Narcissa isn't even sure how her sister knows her, when they met or why. Or how collectively they somehow have too many connections to their cousin that they didn't even know about. It's uncanny.
They stare at each other, she watches on. It's never wise to get into this with Bellatrix. She's far too stubborn for anyone to ever win. Once she's decided on something, she will make sure it happens. Eventually, if not immediately.
After minutes of silence, Marlene seems to surrender. She reaches for her phone and dials. "Hey, no I know… I know, just put him on please."
Patiently they wait, not asking any questions.
"Hi I'm sorry. I— yes I know. Yell at me all you want later, okay?" She continues through pauses, this time Narcissa knows it's Sirius talking on the other end. "Two people are here asking for you. Will you talk to them?"
Her breath catches. Not flowing through her lungs until he answers. She doesn't give away who they are, not even by name. Bellatrix looks at her in disbelief. Somehow it's really this simple. Nothing is ever quite so easy.
As she extends her arm holding the phone over the counter, her sister snatches it first. Though she hovers it between them. Narcissa leans in and everything hits her all at once. His voice coming through the phone, a voice she never thought she would hear again. They were never as close, but the feeling is like a gut punch.
"Hello?" Sirius' cracks.
"Sirius?" Bellatrix instantly softens.
He sounds exhausted. "Yeah, who's this?"
"Bellatrix." It comes out with all of the air from her lungs.
She takes over speaking, it's hard for her too. The words fight to make it through the phone. "And Narcissa. Can— can we come see you?"
This she gets to somewhat prepare for. Not to say she's been at all in control or stable since last night, but there's time. Asking if they can see each other rather than waking up in a hospital bed to estranged family.
He is the one to hesitate. Which is fair. No one would expect otherwise. Both sisters want more, they want to rush other there. They rushed here. Though if he asked them to come another time, they would at least consider it. The thing is they are grasping at straws. It's been years, but something still pulls them together.
After a long pause, they can hear him swallow thick. "Alright. Have Marlene give you my address. I'm not great company right now—" He sounds far away, like he doesn't know what's coming, like he doesn't believe this is real.
"Doesn't matter. We would want to see you either way." Bellatrix cuts in, taking the words right out of her mouth.
If there are more reunions in their future, so far none have gone as planned, they can only hope for better. Circumstances have taken their tolls. Only fitting for this family. They hang up the phone, knowing they will see each other soon enough, and her sister whips her head back to his friend.
"Address please. Told you he'd want to see us." It comes out just as smug as she likely intended for it to.
"Sure, fine. I wasn't fully doubting you by the way, Sirius has just been having a really bad week. Something happened and he's hardly talking to anyone at all." She starts to explain. "He's only talking to me when it comes to work, doesn't even have his phone on him most of the time."
"Got it, we won't do anything to make that worse." Narcissa nods, though it isn't exactly something she can promise.
"How do you know him anyway?"
They look at each other, softly smiling. "He's our cousin."
If they didn't already have somewhere to go, they would have stayed to interrogate Marlene over the last look she gave them. Face white as a sheet, words seemingly stuck in her throat. So she knows about their family, at least a bit. Whatever he's told his friends most likely. Bellatrix pulls her away, perhaps not seeing the look as clearly.
He doesn't live all that far from the shop. The lazy prick made sure he could get to work quickly. Good to know he hasn't changed, she'll bet he still shows up late. They are just as quiet on this walk. Narcissa can hear her own heart beating, amplified by the matching pace in her sisters chest. Breathing in sync.
The door to the flat is now all that stands between them. Almost a decade apart and now only a few seconds more. Bella reaches for the knob, but she goes to knock. The proper thing to do when arriving somewhere, especially a place they have not been. Even if he's family.
The door opens, but not to Sirius. "Hi, you must be Narcissa and Bellatrix?"
He's nice enough. A bit scraggly, though exactly the kind of person they would expect Sirius to hang around. The kind of person that would piss off his parents. Surely the first thing he aimed to do whenever he left. They nod and are slowly let in through the door.
The flat is neat, a good size. Something he worked for without the family money. He's only two years her junior, but she still feels a swell of pride for the life he's made for himself. She's happy that they all got to a point where they seem content. At least the three of them.
"His friend said he's…" She doesn't know how to really ask what she's trying to.
"Not good. It's not good. I'm Remus, by the way. He's in here," Remus leads them toward the bedroom.
Upon first look, no one is in the room. Following him even further, Sirius is in a puddle on the floor, on the far side of the bed. Head tilted just enough to look out the window. If he hears them come in, he doesn't lift his head.
"Sirius," Bellatrix gasps, his name tumbling from her lips.
This stirs him, he bolts up and his eyes widen. "Bella…"
Neither of them expect it, after so long how could they? Except he's a little kid again. They're all so much younger. Sirius runs into her arms, despite being taller now he still buries his head against her shoulder. He could be eight years old all over again.
"Cissa?" He turns to look at her and she rushes over to hug them both.
Not the reunion they ever thought this would be. As far as she knows, they both thought this would never happen. Being together, the two of them, again was enough. It could sustain both of them if that's all they could have.
Now though? Narcissa sure as hell wants everyone back.
"Are you really here?" Sirius rotates his gaze between them over and over.
She nods, her sister finds her voice again. "Yeah, we are. Come on, let's sit. Then you can tell us what the fuck happened to you, you look a literal wreck. And also tell us who the guy is." Not caring that it's rude, not caring in the slightest, she points at Remus and pretends there is not a decade of space between them.
He looks panicked for a second, still working out that they are both here. His head shakes and his eyes start to go wide. Fully waking up from the state they found him in. She waits for him to settle in, to sit and talk. But he doesn't, he just leaves the room without a word.
Leaving them alone and confused once again.