Arranging a Trade

[Kris Lupin]

Kris had opened her mouth to reply when Norah came up to them. She clung tighter to her father while she was there, after she stormed off she answered him, "No, she just gave me crappy food and tied me up when I tried to get away... I only hurt myself from struggling against the ropes." Kris said, she looked at Remus and smiled at him. She looked back at her father and said, "I mainly want my sketch books and the muggle things I use for them... some of them have drawings of Mom.. I did them before I forgot her."

[Remus Lupin]

Rupert held her close, protecting her from Norah, until she stomped off angrily. "I'm sorry, sweetie. You're safe now... it's going to be OK. We'll find a way to get your things away from her house. But in the meantime, you're staying here with me. I'll come and get a room in Hogsmeade for a while, so I can be close by, if you want."

He noticed some movement over to one side, and he pointed at the window of the ice cream shop. "Do you know those boys? They keep waving at you."

[Kris Lupin]

Kris nodded, "I do want that, I don't want to go through that again." She looked at the window and smiled. "That's Sirius and his friends." She hugged him again not really wanting to leave him.

(How is the scene? I mean is he holding her or what?)

[Remus Lupin]

Rupert smiled and gave her a little squeeze. "Well, why don't we go in there with them for a bit? Then I'll take you all home. Don't worry, I'm not going to leave you just yet... I only just got you back."

He looked over at Remus, who was still silent. "Are you still mad at me?"

Remus shrugged. A part of him still was angry, but he was at least impressed with what his dad had said and done to save Kris. "I guess not," he said, not meeting his father's eyes. But he wasn't ready for hugs just yet. He walked past them and headed in to the ice cream shop.

[Kris Lupin]

Kris bit her lower lip, as she watched Remus go inside. "At least he talked this time." She looked at the ground, "I kinda don't want to see Sirius..." She blinked back tears, she didn't know if she believed the story he told her. If it was just the bathroom then why was his glass gone from the table? She had so many unanswered questions, questions she felt he wouldn't answer.

[Remus Lupin]

"What's wrong? Are you two having a fight?" Rupert asked her gently, lifting her chin with one finger. "He did come all this way to rescue you... that must show he cares, don't you think?"

[Kris Lupin]

"I caught him flirting with another girl in class and then I kept smelling her scent whenever we went before we stopped in the three broomsticks... he told me the reason he was gone when I called for his help when she was taking me was because he went to the bathroom... but I don't know if I can believe him or not..." Kris wanted to ask Sirius so many questions but she doubted he would answer them. "I think I'm losing him because of my secret."

[Remus Lupin]

Rupert sighed. "I wish you hadn't been attacked. I did all these things to keep you safe, and it was all for nothing." He patter her shoulder. "It's up to you to decide whether to tell him or not... just be careful. It sounds like the two of you need to have a good long talk when you get back to school."

[Kris Lupin]

"I wanted to tell him when we got back to school after the summer, but Remus said he wouldn't understand and wouldn't want me if he knew what I am. I didn't tell him because I didn't want to lose him but I'm losing him anyway. I hate lying to him after the full moons, I've always hated lying." Kris had planned on taking the risk to telling him when they got back but she would have to wait until after the coming full moon.

[Remus Lupin]

"Well, if you tell him, you should make sure you don't tell him about Remus. He needs to do that himself, OK? Let Remus decide if he wants him to know." He gave her shoulder another squeeze. "Come on, let's just go inside, we can sit at a different table, if you want."

[Kris Lupin]

"I would never tell about Remus, I mean if I tell him about me and he doesn't want to be with me because of it then that's fine, but I don't want Remus to lose the little friends he has because of me." Kris said. She wiped her eyes and cheeks and nodded, "OK.. I am hungry... I didn't like the stale fruit cakes she gave me." She shuddered just thinking about Norah.

[Remus Lupin]

"That's all she fed you?" he said, frowning. "Well, I guess I should just be glad she didn't hurt you too much. But I wish I had known a long time ago just how crazy she was. I never would have let her keep you if I had known."

He walked over to a booth nearby the one where the boys were sitting and sat down.

[Sirius Black]

Sirius saw Kris and her father walk in and sit down at another table. "Hang on, guys," he said, slipping out of his seat and walking over to their table. "Um, Kris... I know you're maybe not happy with me right now, but, um... well, I got you some food." He placed the bowl of strawberries on the table in front of her. "They're just strawberries... they cut them fresh for me at the front. You can have them if you want... I know you like fruit...."

[Kris Lupin]

Kris didn't look at Sirius as he spoke. "Thank you, Sirius.. f-for helping me and for the fruit..." She didn't know if he helped her for guilt or because he cared about her. She looked up at him confusion in her eyes, "I want to be alone with my dad right now." She took a shaky breath then picked up one of the strawberries pieces and placed it in her mouth.

[Sirius Black]

Sirius nodded. "Yeah, OK. I understand. You should be with him... I guess you have some things to talk about. But I'll be right over there if you need me, OK?" He gave her a hopeful smile, then walked back to his table.

Once he was there, he dropped his head down on the table. "She's still mad at me," he moaned.

[James Potter]

James watched as Sirius walked over to Kris and her dad. In a way, he felt sorry for Sirius. He was trying to set things right again and it was going to be tough. "Look, don't worry about it right now Sirius. I'm sure that if you talk to her, she'll listen. She'll probably get over the fact that she's mad at you. You can't look on the down side of things. Trust me. I found that out for myself. On our way back to school or something, just tell her that you really want to talk to her alone and do just that. Talk to her. That's going to be the only way you can do anything."

[Sirius Black]

Sirius nodded. "Thanks, I'll do that," he said. "I have a feeling we have a lot to talk about." He sighed. Suddenly he wasn't even sure what the right thing to do was. Maybe it was better just to let Kris go, instead of risking hurting her. The truth was, he'd lied to her and had kissed another girl twice. And even though he wanted to try and make it up to her, he was still tempted by Amy. He couldn't have it both ways.

He ran his hands through his hair in frustration. "Girls," he mumbled. "Why are they always so complicated?"

[James Potter]

James gave a quite chuckle. "That's just the way they are," he replied. "They have to make things hard for us. Other than that, I wish I knew some other answer to that question." James started to eat some of his ice cream. He knew that Sirius should say something to Kris about Amy, but he wasn't sure what to tell him to say.

[Kris Lupin]

Kris looked at her dad then at the table, she really didn't want to go back to school. She felt that she had already lost him and she wasn't sure what to do to. "I'm not mad at him.. I just don't think I can trust him.." She said quietly so her father could only hear.

[Remus Lupin]

"Well, you'll have to have a long talk with him and decide if you can trust him or not," Rupert replied. "The best thing to do is just be as honest with him as you can, and let the rest fall into place." He smiled at her. "If it's not meant to be, then it's not meant to be. You'll be OK."