Hey, Remus!

It started with flickers. At first, Maria thought she was imagining things: a strange shimmer at the edge of her vision, like sunlight catching on glass. There was a faint buzzing in her ears, a hum she couldn't quite place, like a distant radio tuning in and out of frequency. She blinked hard, trying to shake it off, but the feeling lingered. As they walked through the streets of London, arm in arm, the sensations grew stronger.
The air seemed to hum around her, vibrating with an invisible energy, and colors began to blur at the edges of her vision. For a brief moment, she thought she heard something : a jingle, faint but familiar. It was the theme song from one of the TV shows her mother used to watch every afternoon, the one that always made Maria roll her eyes but secretly made her smile. The sound tugged at her heart, sharp and unexpected.She stumbled slightly, catching herself on a lamppost.
"Mary?" Remus's hand was on her arm instantly, steadying her with that calm, reassuring presence he always carried. His brow furrowed with concern as he leaned in closer. "Are you all right?"
Maria forced a smile, hoping to brush it off.
"Yeah. Just... dizzy for a second."
But it wasn't just dizziness. It was more than that.
As they continued walking, the strange sensations didn't fade . They intensified. The distant hum of traffic, the jingle of an ice cream truck somewhere far away, even the faint strains of a Portuguese song she hadn't heard in ages. Her world, the one she thought she'd left behind, was bleeding into this one. The familiar sights and sounds of her childhood felt like ghosts haunting her steps, pressing closer, growing louder. The Wizarding World around her shimmered like a mirage, as if reality itself was starting to crack at the edges. Maria's chest tightened, panic creeping in like a rising tide. She stopped abruptly, grabbing Remus's hand as if it were the only solid thing in a world slipping through her fingers.
"Something's wrong."
Remus turned to her, his face grave. The concern in his eyes deepened, and she knew he wasn't going to dismiss her fears.
"What do you mean?"
Maria bit her lip, her mind racing for the right words, though none of them felt sufficient to explain what was happening to her.
"I'm... I'm starting to hear things from my world. See things. It's like... like I'm being pulled back."
Remus's expression darkened, his grip on her hand tightening until his knuckles turned white. He didn't say anything at first. Just stood there, processing her words, his mind working through possibilities. Finally, he exhaled, his shoulders sagging slightly. The weight of understanding settled between them.
"Dumbledore warned us this might happen."
Maria's heart sank at the quiet confirmation. She'd known this was a possibility. They had known. Dumbledore had explained the delicate balance between the worlds, how Maria's presence in the Wizarding World was a tear in the fabric of reality. But she hadn't expected the tear to start mending itself so soon. She'd foolishly hoped for more time.
"I know." Her voice was barely above a whisper. "But I hoped... I hoped it wouldn't be so soon."
Remus's gaze softened, his sadness tempered with determination. He reached up and brushed a strand of hair from her face, his touch gentle and grounding.
"We'll figure it out."
Maria let out a short, humorless laugh, a desperate attempt to keep her composure.
"How, exactly? Unless you've got a spare Time-Turner or a portal tucked away somewhere?"
Remus managed a small smile, his lips quirking at the corners in that quiet, understated way that always made her chest ache.
"No," he said, his voice light. "But I've got plenty of tea. And tea solves most problems."
Maria snorted despite herself, shaking her head.
"God, you really are British."
"I take that as a compliment."
They resumed walking, slower now, the weight of the conversation hanging between them like storm clouds. Neither of them spoke for a while, lost in their thoughts. Every step Maria took felt heavier, as if time itself was slipping through her fingers. Every moment felt more precious, more fragile. Finally, Maria broke the silence.
"I don't want to go." Her voice trembled, and she hated how vulnerable she sounded. But there was no point in pretending anymore. Not with him.
Remus stopped walking, turning to face her fully. His expression was steady, but there was a flicker of pain in his eyes.
"Then don't."
Maria's heart twisted painfully.
"It's not that simple."
"I know." He sighed, his thumb brushing over her knuckles. "But that doesn't mean we won't find a way."
Maria looked down at their joined hands, her mind spinning.
"Do you think... maybe this is happening because I don't belong here? Maybe the universe is trying to fix a mistake."
Remus shook his head firmly.
"You do belong here. This isn't a mistake."
"How can you be sure?"
"Because I've seen you." His voice was steady, filled with quiet conviction. "I've seen how you've changed this world. How you've changed me. You've made a difference, Mar. You belong."
Her throat tightened with emotion.
"I don't feel like I've ever belonged anywhere."
"You belong here," he said softly.
Maria blinked, her heart aching at the quiet conviction in his words.
"Remus..."
"I mean it." His gaze didn't waver. "Whether it's with the Order, with London, or even back home, wherever you decide to be, you belong. Don't let yourself think otherwise."
Maria swallowed hard, her chest tightening.
"And where do you think I should be?"
There was a pause. A flicker of something  l)onging, maybe) crossed Remus's face before he quickly masked it with a faint smile. His hand tightened gently around hers.
"Wherever makes you happiest."
Her heart twisted at his response. Always selfless. Always putting others before himself. She knew he was thinking of her well-being, not his own.
"You really are impossible," she whispered, her voice wavering between frustration and affection.
"I've been told." His lips twitched into a small smile.
"By Sirius, I assume?"
"And Molly." He chuckled, a soft, comforting sound. "Even Mad-Eye, though he didn't say it as politely."
Maria laughed, the sound catching in her throat but still lighter than before.
"Well, I guess I'm in good company, then."
Remus squeezed her hand once more, his expression softening with that quiet, steady reassurance she'd come to rely on.
"Whatever happens, you'll figure it out," he said gently. "And I'll be here. For as long as I can."
Her chest ached at the words. The weight of them, the unspoken reality they both knew lingered just beyond the horizon. Time was slipping away, but for now, for this moment, they were still here. Together.
"All right," Maria whispered.
They resumed walking, their steps slower now, both savoring the fleeting moments they had left. The city moved around them, bustling and loud, but it all blurred into the background. What mattered was the quiet, steady presence of each other.
Finally, they reached Grimmauld Place. The house loomed before them, dark and foreboding, but Maria barely noticed. She turned to Remus, her heart pounding in her chest.
"I want to see my parents, but I don't want to leave this world. I don't want to leave you."
Remus cupped her face in his hands, his touch gentle but firm.
"Mary... you won't lose me."
"But I will." Her voice was barely a whisper. "If I go back... if I disappear from this world and can never come back here?"
His thumb brushed her cheek, wiping away a tear she hadn't realized she'd shed.
"You won't disappear from my heart. Ever."
Maria let out a shaky laugh.
"That was incredibly cheesy."
Remus chuckled softly.
"I've spent too much time around Sirius. It rubs off."
"God, I hope not," Maria teased, her lips quirking into a small smile. "The last thing I need is for you to start throwing dramatic one-liners and flirting with portraits."
"Wouldn't dream of it." He grinned, but his expression grew serious again as his fingers traced the curve of her jaw. "Mary... I wish I could stop this from happening. I wish I could keep you here. But if something pulls you back, if you have to leave..." He swallowed hard, his voice tightening. "Know that you're not leaving me. Not really."
She blinked, her vision blurring with tears.
"How can you say that?"
"Because I know you." His voice was steady now, his gaze unwavering. "I know your heart. And wherever you go, I'll still be there. And if there's even the slightest chance of finding you again, I'll take it. Every time."
Maria couldn't hold back a sob this time. She leaned into him, pressing her forehead against his.
"You always say the right thing, you know that?"
"I try."
They stood like that for a long moment, the world outside blurring into nothingness. The sounds of the street faded, and all that remained was the quiet, steady rhythm of their breathing, the warmth of their shared space.
Finally, Maria let out a soft laugh, her voice muffled against his coat.
"Do you think Mad-Eye would call this a security risk? Standing out here, being all vulnerable?"
Remus chuckled, his chest rumbling against her.
"Absolutely. He'd have hexed us both by now for loitering."
"And Sirius? What would he say?"
"Oh, he'd make a spectacle of it." Remus's lips curved into a fond smile. "Something loud and inappropriate. Probably call us star-crossed lovers and offer to serenade us."
Maria snorted.
"That would be a nightmare."
"A complete disaster," Remus agreed, laughing.
The laughter died down, leaving behind a quiet, bittersweet ache. Maria pulled back slightly, her hands still resting on his chest.
"I'm scared," she admitted softly.
"I know."
"I don't want to lose this. I don't want to lose you."
"You won't," he said again, his voice firm. "We'll find a way. One way or another, we'll find each other again."
Maria nodded, swallowing back the lump in her throat.
"Okay. But... just in case..."
Remus arched an eyebrow, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
"What?"
Maria grinned, though her eyes glistened with tears.
"Just in case I do disappear, promise me one thing."
"Anything."
She leaned in, her lips brushing his ear.
"Don't let Molly try to replace me with another house-elf."
Remus barked a laugh, the sound breaking through the tension like sunlight through clouds.
"I promise."
They stood there for another beat, both clinging to the moment as if it might stretch forever. But reality pressed in: the flickers of her world breaking through, the looming unknown.
Finally, Remus stepped back, his gaze lingering on her.
"Come inside," he said softly.
Maria nodded, slipping her hand into his. Together, they stepped through the door, into the house that had seen so much: sorrow, laughter, life. And for now, it was still theirs.