Till the End of the Road.

Chapter Six

As the month of April came to be around the Burrow, it was less gray now and the air was warm, Erin liked this very much and spent loads of time outside, only because she could, when she wasn’t working at Weasely Wizard Wheezes that is, Remus had to go do something on Dumbledore’s orders and so Erin was now being escorted by Fred and George every day. Erin came down to breakfast on a rather sunny Monday only to be met with a shock, Nymphadora Tonks was sitting at the kitchen table, looking glum. And did she ever, she didn’t look at all like she did the last time Erin had saw her, when she was holding hands with Remus and apparating from a hillside. She now had brown mousy hair, and was very pall… Erin wondered if she was ill.

“Oh, Erin, hello” she said, she even sounded upset… wasn’t at all like she had before, upbeat and goofy. “I heard you were back…”

“Yeah…” Erin trailed off, unsure if she really even wanted to talk to her or not.

“Has he been around a lot, Molly?” Tonks then asked, looking up at Mrs, Weasley who looked down and sighed.

“Yes, not lately, he’s out on Dumbledore’s Order’s now… but before, yes, he was.”

‘I knew it” she remarked, looking sadly at her tea cup.

“You know there’s other fish in the sea, Nymphadora” said Mrs. Weasley, sitting down in a chair next to her, patting her arm. “Like Bill… I think you and Bill would be…”

“He has Fleur… and no offense, Molly, but I don’t care for Bill like that, he’s great and all but, he’s no….”

“Yes, yes, I know… I know how you feel,” said Mrs. Weasley, patting her arm again. Erin felt extremely out of place and extremely annoyed, did they not see her sitting there? And another thing she knew they were talking about Remus, it was no shocker there, Tonks had, had it for him for as long as Erin had known her, But Remus had turned her down… and more than the one time Erin had heard him do it, she was sure of that. How many times did he have to say no? Tonks was just being stubborn, at least Erin never confessed to her feelings, and she never expected him to feel the same, though she did wish he did, but she wasn’t going to force it… like Tonks was obviously trying to do.

“When will Fred and George be here?” Erin asked, finally putting an end to the silence that had filled the room.

“Any minute, dear” said Mrs. Weasley, and then got up to fill Tonks’ teacup.

“I think I’ll wait outside,” said Erin, getting up, she said goodbye to them, quick and walked out even quicker. A few minutes later Fred and George arrived. “About time.”

“Sorry” George muttered.

“What’s got you so worked up?” asked Fred, as he and George grabbed her hands and they were gone.

“Nothing” she told them, once they were walking down the street to the joke shop. “Just annoyed is all.”

“I didn’t do anything, this time,” said Fred.

“Not with you, wanker…” she trailed off, walking over to the counter. “Tonks was there today…”

“You don’t like Tonks or something?” asked George.

“I don’t know… but she did seem weird… what happen to her?”

“Nobody really knows…” Fred trailed off.

“Harry said her Patronus had changed too” said George.

“I didn’t know they could change,” said Erin, thoughtful.

“Lupin said they can… he knows a lot about the Patronus” said Fred.

“Yeah, and Ron said Hermione thinks Tonks feels guilty because she lived and Sirius died” said George.

“What?” Erin asked, confused. “How did Hermione come up with this?”

“Ron said she thinks Tonks feels bad because she didn’t finish Bellatrix Lestrange off” said Fred.

“But, Tonks barely knew Sirius as it was... she told me herself… and the last time I seen her it was a few weeks after Sirius…. You know’ed…. and she was fine, pink hair and all… it has to be something else” said Erin.

“Well, that’s what Hermione thinks, and you know Ronald clings to every word she says” smirked Fred.

“I thought Ron got annoyed with her…”

“Oh, he does” said George, smiling.

“But he loves her… just don’t say it in front of him, don’t think the poor bloke knows it yet” smirked Fred, then both twins went into the back room, just then the ugly and annoying face of Hector came into view, she nearly ran for it, but stayed, all the same.

“Hello, Erin, how are you this fine morning?”

“Fine, how can I help you?” she grinned her teeth, she really couldn’t stand him and he just didn’t get the hint.

“I think we both know what I’m here for…. You promised me a drink three weeks ago and still…”

“I’m really busy” she told him. “One day… I will, I promise.”

“Then why not make that today?” he smirked. “I won’t take no for an answer… I know this place closes at six…. I plan to be here at five.”

“I don’t know if…”

“I won’t take no for an answer” he told her, then winked and walked out, she wanted to scream, she couldn’t stand him… what the hell was his problem? She then decided that she would leave latter… not till seven, she’d just hide out in Fred and George’s loft above the shop, while they went back to the Burrow for dinner.. it was brilliant, and it would completely confuse Hector, then maybe he would finally get the hint…..now she only had to convince the twins of this.

“Please, I hate him… he’s such a… a… a wanker… worse than Fred” she pleaded with them, as they locked the joke shop doors.

“You’re not helping yourself, Erin,” said Fred.

“Please… I can get there on my own… c’mon I hate him….”

“What do you reckon, Fred?” asked George, who was caving.

“I reckon it will be alright, just this one time, but why don’t you just tell him to bugger off?”

“I’ve tired… he’s just…UGH!”

“Enough said, I’ve lived with Percy, remember” Fred smiled and Erin laughed at him, he was always talking bad about his brother… and Erin could see why, he was a complete jerk to their parents, siding with the Ministry when they thought Harry was lying, and now that they knew the truth he still hadn’t said he was sorry. And so they left, leaving Erin alone to sit in their empty loft, most of the time she watched out of the window, she could see Hector sitting on a bench, across the street from the joke shop. She really couldn’t stand him, he didn’t have anything good for him, sure he was good looking, but his attitude made it so all she could see was ugliness. But as eight O’clock rolled around he had finally left, he must have expected her to do something, and so he stayed and extra hour. Erin then finally slunk out of the front door of the joke shop, slowly walking down the sidewalk, it was late, she didn’t go out much after dark, and defiantly not with anyone around, she felt a weird feeling in the pit of her stomach as she kept walking, but suddenly a voice stopped her,

“I knew if I just waited a bit longer you’d show” said the annoying voice of Hector. “I can’t wait for our date… I thought maybe after we’d go back to my…”

“I really got to get home…”

“Oh, nonsense, let’s go get a butterbeer” he told her, grabbing her wrist tightly and pulling her back down the street. She was dragged into the pub and he didn’t even leave her alone to get the drinks, he must’ve known she’d run for it if he did…. Why didn’t he just let her go then? This was freaking her out, she had never been in a situation like this, and she had never felt more alone in her life. Hector pulled her to a table in the back and sat next to her, close… much to close, putting his arm around her shoulder. “So, tell me… are you as taken with me as I am with you?”

“Um….”

“I know… you don’t have to say it… but I’d like to hear so, spit it out… tell me, what did you like first about me? Was it my eyes.. girls always said I had…”

But Erin had stopped listening, she had seen something…seen something that she had seen far too many times, he was sitting at the bar, his head in his hands. She wished he would look over and see her there… what was he doing there anyways?

“Hem-hem” said the voice of an annoyed Hector. “What are you looking at?”

“Nothing, I was thinking about how good-looking you are” she nearly laughed at this lie, but he beamed at her and nodded in agreement. “But I have to use the loo…so if you don’t mind… I’d like to try to look at least half as good as you on our date.”

“Oh, go right along then, I’ll be waiting for you to come back” Hector smirked and as Erin got up and walked away from him she turned back and winked, he beamed on and winked back, once she turned around again she rolled her eyes, how thick was he? She walked to the bar and saw a man slumped in his chair, his one hand holding his head up while the other held a shot glass with brown liquid in it.

“Remus… what are you doing here?” she said, in a loud whisper. At this he turned his head quick, must have been too fast because he closed his eyes tight. He smelled heavily of liquor and his eyes were not completely focused when he opened them again. “You’ve been drinking?”

“I have…” he trailed off, his voice deeper than usual.

“What’s the matter? I didn’t even know you were back...”

“Not many did…. But she did…oh, she did… I don’t understand her, you know Erin… I don’t.”

“What are you talking about?” she asked worried, she did not like to see him like this, not at all, it was worrying her more than Hector, who had surely by now noticed that she was not in the loo but talking to a different man. “Come on, were getting out of here… this is not a good place for a known Order member to be at, especially like this… what were you even thinking, coming here like this?”

“I wasn’t thinking… I’m tired of it” he told her, she pulled his arms and he stood up, falling onto her side, she attempted to support his weight, but he was a lot heaver then her. By the time they got to the door she was completely winded, but when she looked back at the people in the bar she noticed that Hector was coming after her now, and with a great sigh and no help form a drunken Remus she got out of the pub’s door and with that she closed her eyes and wished she was back at the Burrow. And sure enough she felt the ground leave her feet, she held on to Remus with a death drip and only when she felt the ground again was when she loosened her grip on him.

“I don’t know what the hell’s gotten into you… but let’s hope Mrs. Weasley’s got something to help.”

“Nothing will help me” he told her, she just gave him a puzzling look, wishing he’d snap out of it, she then pulled his arm again, dragging him to the door of the kitchen, but when they arrived the door had already been pulled open.

“Erin Evans… what in the name of Merlin… we were worried sick…” came the frightened voice of Mrs. Weasley. “Fred and Arthur are out looking for you now….you could have been killed… what is the meaning of this? I can't believe they left you there alone, you could have been killed... what were you lot thinking?”

As Erin got closer to the door she couldn’t help but smile, for Mrs. Weasley must truly care about her if she was willing to tell her off like one of her own children.

“Remus… what is he doing here?” Mrs. Weasley then asked.

“I found him at The Leaky Calderon, Mrs. Weasley, Hector had been on to me and then dragged me there… it’s a good thing though, Remus is completely wasted, do you have anything for this?”

“Of course, a nice cup of tea and some scones will do the trick, help him into a chair, Erin.”

She did just that, then the fell into the one next to it, just then George came into the room, looking worried.

“Erin, bloody hell” he gasped and then looked over to Remus. “What’s wrong with him?”

“I’m afraid he’s had a bit too much to drink, dear” said Mrs. Weasley, as she happily made the tea.

George smirked at this then walked out again. A few minutes later Fred and Mr. Weasley walked in the back door, Fred looked pissed and he sure was as he came up to Erin and began to yell at her… mostly cuss words, that was until he saw the looked over at Remus.

“What in the name of Merlin is wrong with him?” Fred barked.

“He’s drunk, you wanker” said Erin, Fred smirked, just as George had.

“A drunk professor… never thought I’d see the day… well Trelawney, has always been a drunk.. but currently no one normal.”

“He’s not a professor anymore,” said Erin.

“Close enough…. Thought me well, he did…” Fred smirked, looking at Remus with an amused look. Remus who still looked around with unfocused eyes got annoyed quickly with Fred’s closeness.

“Get away from me” he muttered.

“That’s aright, Remus, dear, drink this you’ll feel better” said Mrs. Weasley as she put a teacup in front of him, he took a sip of it and sighed. “Do you feel better now?”

“Yes, thank you” he said, his voice less deep, Erin wondered what was in the tea, but she defiantly felt like she needed some, first Hector then a drunk Remus Lupin, then a Fred the wanker telling her off. She hadn’t had a good day at all.

“Now, listen to me, Remus, you drink that tea whole and eat the scone, then you’ll need to go straight to bed.”

Erin suddenly felt like Mrs. Weasley was treating him like a child, she didn’t think he’d want that when he was in his right mind, even if he was slowly gaining it back.

“You all can go, I’ll watch…er… make sure he eats it and stuff” said Erin.

“No, that’s perfectly fine, dear” said Mrs. Weasley.

“Well, I feel bad that I made you guys worry, so you can go off to bed if you’d like and I’ll make sure he’s alright” Erin said.

“If you’re sure, dear, I would like a word with Arthur…”

“Oh, ok then, goodnight” Erin smiled.

“Don’t let her fool you, mum, she just want’s to snog him.”

“Shut it, you lying wanker” she yelled at him as he walked out.

“Not so loud” said Remus, holding his head again.

“I’m sorry… she trailed off, she remembered being like this, when Sirius had given her some Fire Whiskey.

“I don’t think I can eat these, as much as I love molly’s cooking.”

“You don’t have to… you can just go to sleep.”

“Good idea” he smiled at her.

“You can sleep in my room again.”

“No...no, not again, it was wrong of me the first time…” he trailed off.

“I’ll sleep on the couch.”

“No, I can’t let you do that… I’ll sleep on the couch.”

“No, you need your rest.”

“But…”

“I don’t want to hear it, you’re sleeping in my room and I’ll take the couch” she told him, sternly, he smiled and stood up and swayed a bit, somehow she helped him to her room, the stairs were super fun… She rolled her eyes at the thought as she watched him fall into her bed. She stared at him a few minutes, it was all to strange for her...

“You’re aright now?” she asked.

“I’ll be fine, thank you, Erin.”

She nodded and headed for the door, she really didn’t want to leave him, but she closed the door anyway and nearly screamed when she saw Fred and George standing there, smirking.

“You’ve got it bad, do you?” Fred smirked even bigger.

“I haven’t the foggiest idea as to what you’re talking about, wanker, get out of my face,” she spat, but he knew, they both knew, Sirius had once told her she was too obvious with her feelings, and that was never a good thing.