Searching for a Savior

On the Run

The car was warm, which was nice after the chill of the evening. I curled up against the door, remembering after a while to put my seatbelt on. Noah had missed me with the gun. I was free. For now. My teeth began to chatter.

The man said nothing, but I saw him glance in the mirror. I saw as he reached to turn up the heat.

"No, it's alright," I said softly. "I'm okay."

Still he didn't say anything. I was thankful for that.

Finally my teeth stopped chattering. I found myself watching his profile.

He was handsome; I could tell that even in the dark. His hair was short and looked like it was a light colour. His nose was neither big or small, but perfectly proportioned and perfectly straight. He had a strong jaw line. I could tell that he was powerfully built, if a little on the slight side. He wore an overcoat. I swallowed nervously.

Before I'd met Noah, this man would have sent my pulse racing. Now all he did was make my blood run cold and my pulse quicken in fear.

Noah was also handsome, but Noah had a wicked temper. I'd been on the receiving end of Noah's temper one too many times.

"Where to?" When the man finally spoke, I nearly jumped out of my skin. He had a beautiful voice, a sleepy sort of voice that made you want to trust him, no matter what.

"As far as you want to take me," I answered honestly. He nodded.

"I thought as much."

I realised suddenly that he was British. I wondered why I hadn't picked that up right away. I must not have been paying attention.

I've always had a weakness for accents, especially United Kingdom accents. They make my insides melt.

Why couldn't I have met you a year ago?

I thought to myself.

I saw him glance in the mirror. He smiled reassuringly. I wondered if he was watching me as I'd been watching him. The thought made me long for a jacket or something to cover myself with.

"I know you're afraid," he said softly. I looked at him in his mirror. His eyes met mine. "I won't hurt you."

I didn't say anything. I looked down at my hands. My left hand was starting to swell and my right hand was starting to clot. Good. It had been bleeding badly.

"My name is Remus."

I looked up again. He was looking at the road again.

"That's an odd name," I said quietly. I could have slapped myself for saying it out loud.

He chuckled. "I know."

I nodded. I looked at my hands once more and realised that something had scratched me as I'd run away from Noah. My legs had fine little scratches all over them and were bleeding a little.

I just looked wonderful.

"My name's Julianne."

*

We rode in silence for a while. Remus didn't ask, and I wasn't telling. It was bad enough that he would assume. I didn't want pity from this stranger.

I could take care of myself.

But all the same, I wished I had some clothes.

I had drifted into fitful slumber when Remus pulled the car over into a little doughnut/coffee shop that are frequently found on the highway. He drove around back and stopped the car.

"Would you like to use the washroom and maybe wash up a little?" he asked gently as he opened one of the back doors. I nodded and slipped out. The air was chilly for August, even if it was nearing the end of the month. But then it had been raining for the last few days. I wrapped my arms around myself and walked through the back door. The washrooms were directly to my right. I started toward them.

"Hold on a moment," Remus said quietly. He held something before him. "I thought you might like these."

I took the bundle. I thanked him and entered the washrooms.

I gasped as I looked in the mirror. My left eye was completely red and I knew it would start to turn black soon. There were scratches and scrapes all over the right side of my face, from my jaw line up into my hair. My lower lip was swollen terribly. I remembered biting it when Noah had pushed me down the stairs.

"God, Noah. I hate you so much," I whispered as I sank down to the floor, my back against the washroom stall. I buried my face into the soft bundle Remus had given me and started to cry.

After sitting there for a few moments, I realised that Remus was probably waiting for me. I got up and washed myself as well as I could. I was covered in scrapes and cuts and I knew I would ache in the morning.

I unfurled the soft grey bundle and found that it was a large cotton sweater and grey cotton sweatpants. I quickly slipped them over my pyjamas. They smelled clean and brand new, yet they felt like they'd been around for years and were somebody's favourite clothes. I bent to lace up my sneakers, which hadn't been laced the whole time I had run from Noah. I was lucky that I hadn't tripped on them.

I looked in the mirror once more. I sighed at the ugly red mark around my eye and the cuts on my face. I used some water and smoothed my brown hair back into its usual pony tail. There. I definitely wouldn't win any modelling contests tonight, but at least I was a bit more presentable.

I left the washroom. Remus was sitting at one of the small tables, staring off into space.

He had hair the colour of straw and his eyes were the most beautiful colour I'd ever seen. They were a slate grey colour, but with deeper colours running through them. Blue and green. I shook myself to keep from staring.

Close to, I could see that he looked tired and strained. Of course, I didn't know where he had come from or where he was going to. He could have been driving for days.

"Can I buy you a coffee?" he asked, snapping me out of my reverie.

I bit my lip, and then regretted it. I winced as a stab of pain shot through it.

Coffee would be okay. I could accept coffee from him.

"Okay," I said hesitantly. "Thank you."
He smiled and pulled a wallet out of his pocket. His clothes looked well worn and perhaps a little threadbare. I found myself wondering if the car was a rental. Where had he gotten the clothes he'd given me then?

I went with him to the counter. He ordered two large coffees for us and then he started ordering all sorts of food. I couldn't help but stare at him.

"A person's got to eat, haven't they?" he asked innocently, glancing down at my shocked face. He smirked. "What can I get you to eat?"

"Oh, no I'm okay."

"I doubt that, but I probably can't help you in that regard. I can at least buy you something to eat."

His eyes were so kind and showed no traces of pity. I ordered soup and a sandwich and a doughnut for desert.

We ate in silence. It wasn't awkward at all. I found myself starting to relax around him.

He watched me as I gingerly ate my doughnut, trying not to move my swollen lip too much. A frown creased his forehead. I could see him struggling with himself, wanting to say something, but wanting to be polite and not prying. The silence started to get awkward. I tried to find a safe subject.

"Do you live here?" I asked abruptly.

He shook his head. "No, I live in Britain. I'm here on business, I suppose you could say."

"What sort of business?" I bit my tongue lightly. "I'm sorry, that was rude."

"No, it's alright. I don't mind. I'm here with the Ministry. Sort of a research project."

"You're a politician?"

He laughed at that. "No, I'm a professor at a...special school."

I wondered at his hesitation before saying the word special, but decided to overlook it.

"I've always been good at research though, and I know the Minister well. He assigned me to come here."

"What are you researching?"

Damn,

I thought. You really need to put a muzzle on your stupid mouth!

He smiled at me. "I'm afraid I'm not at liberty to say."

I nodded, looking down at my plate. I wiped my mouth gingerly. He shifted in his chair. I looked up at him. His eyes were stormy and he looked angry.

"Does that happen often?" he demanded, just as abrupt as I had been.

I looked back down. I didn't want him to think me weak, I didn't need his pity. I wasn't some poor stupid damsel who needed saving.

"Julianne?"

I enjoyed hearing my name in his voice. It had been a long time since Noah had said my full name, and he definitely hadn't said it in that caring tone when he did say it.

"It's happened a couple times before. The first time, I told him that if it happened again, I was gone. The second time...I'm still not sure if it was intentional. We were playing football, and I'd grabbed the ball from him and he punched me in the mouth. But it might have been an accident. He apologized right away.

"It never happened this bad before."

I didn't look up at him as I said all this. It didn't matter what Remus thought of me, really. But it was nice to have somebody care.

Remus was silent for a while. He drank his coffee. I stole a glance at him and found him staring out the window, watching the headlights go by. He looked as though he was thinking hard about something.

"I'm going to rent a room for the night," he said suddenly. I looked at him and he looked at me. "There's a motel next door; I noticed it when we pulled in. I need to sleep."
I said nothing, merely waited for him to finish.

He looked down at his hands, which were clamped tightly around his coffee cup. He slowly relaxed them, and then spoke once more.

"You are welcome to stay with me, if you wish."

I stared at him. I couldn't help myself. He was a complete stranger and he was offering me a place to stay because I had none.

There had to be a catch.

"I can't..." I started. I paused. "What's the catch?"

He smiled, but I saw his eyes grow hard. Oh great, I'd insulted him.

"No catch," he said quietly. "I want nothing at all. I know you're stuck and I'm offering you a place to stay. That's all."

I bit my lip. His eyes glanced down to my mouth as I winced. His eyes grew stormy once more.

"What do you say?"

I nodded slightly.

"Okay," I answered.

And such was my predicament that I agreed to stay in a motel room with a complete stranger.

*

It wasn't an overly impressive place, but at least it was clean and free of insects. Remus let me inside and then went back to speak with the night clerk. There were two beds, thank goodness, and a bathroom. I sat on the closest bed and looked around.

I wondered if Remus would mind if I used the phone to phone my aunt and uncle. They would be phoning in the next couple days, as we always spoke at least once a week. They would wonder about my whereabouts.

I decided to ask later, once I'd gotten some sleep.

I lay there for a while, waiting for Remus. My eyes were starting to burn with tiredness.

Remus entered as I had just closed my eyes. The door banged open and he entered, carrying a couple suitcases. I jumped up to help.

"No," he grunted, tossing the suitcases on the other bed. "You get some rest. Check out is 11 and I wish to be gone before then. Will it bother you if I make a quick phone call?"

I shook my head and lay back down on the bed.

Remus glanced at his watch.

"Eight-thirty. A bit early, but they'll be up," he muttered to himself.

I glanced at the clock on the table. It read one-thirty am. I realised that he must be calling England.

He sat on the other bed and punched in a number. I turned my back and tried not to listen.

"Molly. Hi."

Who was Molly? His wife?

"No, I'm here. I got here yesterday morning and I've been driving east ever since. No. No.

Uh-uh. Why?"

I smiled to myself. I knew it was rude to listen, but really there was nothing I could do about it.

"No, I had a...setback. Yes. No. I'll handle it, Molly, calm down. No, nothing like that. No. A...young lady. Molly, Molly, calm down!"

Definitely his wife.

Remus laughed. "Quite. No, she jumped in front of the car. Yes. Yes. She is. No, she's right here, trying not to listen."

I felt my cheeks burn with embarrassment. I glanced over at him. He grinned and winked at me.

"Molly! Uh-huh. No I am not. No, no trace of anything yet. Is Arthur still around, Molly?"

Arthur? Maybe she wasn't his wife.

"Morning, Arthur. Sorry to phone so early. No, it's just early here. One thirty. Well, because this is the first chance I've had. No. Nothing yet, Arthur. Don't worry, I'll find it."

Remus laughed again. I found that I enjoyed his laugh.

"You've got him there? Good, I hated leaving him in that wretched place for so long. Especially after I promised him he could come there after a week. Really? He's awake already? Did he go for his...um...license? Okay, I'll ask him when you put him on.

"No. Muggle."

What on earth did Muggle mean?

"Have you talked to Albus yet? Uh-huh. No, I won't be gone for that long. He can take my classes for now, and I'm sure that Severus would be only too happy to teach them as well. The students will enjoy that."

Albus? Severus? Such names! Remus' voice was also dripping with sarcasm when he said the students would enjoy having this Severus teach them.

"When? No, it was last week, remember? On Monday. The next one is September sixteenth. I should be home by then. No. No, Arthur, I'll be fine. Well, I'm sure there are places I can go here if I'm not home by then, so don't worry. Plus, you know I can be there in a snap. Okay, I'll talk to you later Arthur. Yes, please put him on."

How many people was he going to talk to?

"Hey Harry! How are you? Well thank you. I miss you as well. No, I'm in Canada. I'll be back as soon as I can. I know you want to come. No. No, Harry, you can't do that just yet. But that answers one of my questions! Congratulations! Your dad passed with flying colours too.

"How about Ron and Hermione? Did they pass?"
Driver's licenses?

Remus chuckled. "Oh, she can't get hers until next month. Right, I'd forgotten that! No doubt, no doubt. I don't know if I've ever seen her with out a book. Really! Head girl! That's fantastic. There wasn't really any doubt. Who was named Head Boy?"

Remus was silent for a moment.

"That's great, Harry. Yes, James was Head Boy too." I could hear the smile on Remus' face. "I'm very proud of you."

He was silent again.

"Have you spoken to him? I'm assuming he's still...in hospital."

That didn't sound good.

"He'll be alright Harry. It's just a shock, is all. No. Yes, we can go visit him at Christmas. I'm sure he'll be home by then though. Well, maybe if you talk to Professor Dumbledore, you can go visit him on a weekend. Of course.

"Well, there wasn't a lot of improvement from the day before, Harry. He still recognized me. He asked where you were. He mentioned your pretty red headed friend."

Remus laughed.

"If I'm back before the first, we can go. I promise.

"It's your last year. Are you excited? I know. Yes, a Muggle."

There was that weird word again.

"Absolutely. No, Harry." He laughed. "Yes, they are. Now that's no way to talk."

It sounded like Harry was young, maybe a teenager. Probably around seventeen or eighteen, because it sounded like he was entering his last year of school. Now, was he one of Remus' students? Or something else? A son? No, Remus didn't speak to him like a son. Maybe a nephew.

"Don't even think about it. No, Harry. I know she did. I know. I know. Yes you will. I know you have to. Harry. Sirius told you not to do anything stupid. Yes it would be. He does so, Harry.

"Harry, I know," Remus sighed. "No. I know Hagrid's gone. I know. Calm down, Harry. Harry, stop this right now. You have to focus on getting through your last year of school. Then you can do whatever you please."

Remus was quiet. He sighed.

"Yes, I've got it. Yes, you may. Whenever you like. No. No, Sirius and Dumbledore. That's it. Well, no, he probably won't use it. Not yet, at least.

"No, it's passed. The sixteenth. Probably. Dumbledore or Snape. I know, I know. I'm sorry."

I started to drift off to sleep at this point. Remus' voice was soft and soothing and it was hard to stay awake anymore. I needed to rest.

I gasped and sat up when he hung up the phone a few minutes later. I held my hands out as if to protect myself. I stared at Remus in bewilderment.

"It's okay," he said quietly. He sat on the edge of my bed and took my hands in his. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to startle you. The darn thing slipped out of my hand as I was setting it down."

I could feel my cheeks heating up. I dropped my gaze and nodded.

Remus chuckled.

"Don't be embarrassed. It's alright, really." He lifted my hand to his lips and kissed it softly. I stared at him.

"Was that your family that you were talking to?" I blurted, trying to cover up my embarrassment. I only succeeded in embarrassing myself more.

"Friends. Well...you heard me talking to Harry?"
I nodded.

"Well, I'm sort of his guardian. He is the son of one of my best friends."

Remus sighed as I moved over to let him get more comfortable.

"He's amazing. He's the most incredible person I've ever known."

I smiled.

"How old is he?"
"He turned seventeen on July thirty first. He's going into his last year of school. He's quite upset with me that I won't be there to teach him for the first little bit."

"How come you're his guardian?"

Remus regarded me silently for a moment.

"Harry's parents were murdered when Harry was a year old. Since that time he has lived with his mother's sister and her family. His parents named another of our friends godfather, but he was sent to prison for their murder. It was found out later that he was innocent and had been set up.

"We thought Harry's godfather died two years ago, but he didn't. It turned out that he was a...prisoner of war. We got him back last month, but he's very badly injured. He's been in hospital ever since."
"The night we found Sirius, we lost Hagrid, a professor at the school where I teach and one of Harry's closest friends."

I sat there and stared at Remus, my mouth hanging open. I was crying and hadn't even realised that I'd started.

"That poor child." It was all I could say. It made my problems with Noah seem tiny in comparison to what this person who was not yet an adult had gone through.

"His parents, James and Lily, and his godfather Sirius, were my best friends at school. I was there when Harry was born and it killed me to be away from him for so long. I knew that his wretched relatives didn't want him. They're awful people."

I could tell that Remus wasn't one to criticize people for no reason. Some part of me just knew. I found myself disliking these people who I'd never met.

"Harry has to go back to his aunt and uncle's at the start of every summer because they are listed as his legal guardians. Once school is finished, now that he's an adult, he will be coming to stay with me."
Remus' face broke into an easy smile. I could tell that he couldn't wait. I smiled too.

"If Harry is half the person you are, Remus, he's doing well."
I blushed wildly when I said that. I hadn't meant to voice it.

Remus blushed as well. He looked down at his hands, which still held mine.

"I'm just doing what any decent person would."

"No you're not. A decent person would have picked me up back there, but they would have taken me to a police station or something. They wouldn't have given me clothes, bought me food and given me shelter. I owe you, Remus. Probably my life."
He was still blushing and looking at our hands. Impulsively I leaned in and kissed him quickly.

"Thank you, Remus."

*

I woke around nine feeling very refreshed, considering we'd both gone to bed late and considering I'd had an awful nightmare. I'd screamed so loud in my dream that I'd woken myself. Remus had been at my side in an instant. I was embarrassed now because I'd sobbed into his shoulder for close to ten minutes. He finally had to lay down beside me to calm me down.

He was still there. I gaped at his sleeping form for a moment and then slipped out of the bed. I nearly ran to the bathroom.

I closed the door quietly behind me and leaned against the sink. I ached all over from Noah's treatment of me, and now I felt ashamed of my behaviour with Remus.

Nothing had happened, really. I'd slipped my hands out of his after I'd kissed him and then got under the covers on my bed. He'd sat on my bed for a few minutes and we discussed Harry a bit more. Then he'd gone to his own bed.

Even after he'd joined me in my bed, nothing had happened. I'd cried into his chest for a few minutes, and then I'd gone right back to sleep.

So why did I feel so guilty?

I had a quick shower, which made my aches feel a little better and completely woke me up. Feeling relatively human once more, I went back through the bathroom door into the main room.

And stopped dead in my tracks.

Remus stood in front of me. And he was wearing nothing more than a pair of boxers.