thattimeofthemonth | Open RP Post

Remus thought Draco would say something in return, but when nothing came, he wondered if the boy had already done something he shouldn't or if the conversation was just too embarrassing. He wrestled with himself as he stepped back, making the puppet vanish with a flick of his wand as he thought. "...you're lucky, for all that your parents will undoubtedly have issues with the situation. It's still so much more accepted now a days than when I was your age. It was illegal for a long time."

"Even if it's more accepted...there are still many who feel it's wrong." Draco remorsefully pointed out. "My old group alongfound the topic to be horrible and ridiculed that as much as they had for those who weren't pureblood.

Did you know others who preferred the guys?" He hesitantly questioned curious since Remus had made it a point of how it had been illegal.

"That never stops being true. I think every generation had that time when they berate anyone different for any reason. The more they fear it, the more they mock it." Remus looked up at the sky, staring at the half-moon. He went silent for a time, still wrestling with his own emotions.

"Oh," he finally said when he decided, "yes, I did." He took a slow breath. "I knew a young man who loved another, but it wasn't returned. ...Not any easy life to live."

Hesitantly, Draco reached over and hugged Remus. He had a feeling that young man was Remus himself.

"I know the feeling too. I was simply ignored and only noticed when there was someone to be blamed for." He admitted in a soft voice.

That brought a chuckle out of Remus. "It was a long time ago. Things have changed since then." He gave Draco a quick hug in return. "just keep in mind you're not alone. You've got some back up." He hoped that Draco was wrong and Lucius and Narcissa wouldn't disown their beloved son.

"You're not being ignored now. Not with us. It doesn't erase the past, but maybe it'll make the future a little better."

"Yes, I'm grateful to have this support now." Draco replied. And to know now that Remus had went through a similar situation as he had helped even more. "It's not as scary."

With Remus being so honest, Draco bit his lip as he fought over on what to decide. "About our earlier discussion concerning when to tell about our magic..." Draco looked away trying to hide his shame for not being honest and his embarrassment.

"Jake already accidentally found out." He softly replied.

Oh boy. Remus did, in fact, face palm slowly and rubbed his brow. He closed his eyes, knowing this was a whole knew problem, but his bigger issue was the fact Draco had basically lied to him by omission. "...had you planned on telling me at some point?"

The look of hurt showed. "Why didn't you tell me outright?"

"I was afraid you would get rid of his memories completely," Draco admitted realizing how selfish that was of him.

There was shame on his face when he saw the hurt look on Remus's face. This was the first lie he had told to Remus. It used to be lying never bothered him, but this time it did.

"I didn't know what to do. You had been so strict about the fact that they must not know...and then after this conversation..."

"...Draco..." Remus started, then gave a small sigh. This was turning out to be a very strange night, wasn't it? "I can understand where you're coming from. I do, really, before you think maybe I'm just saying that. I had to lie to my friends for a long time about what I am and I hated every second of it. I lied to a lot of people about it, but Sirius, James, and Peter?" Yes, even Peter back then. "I felt awful. But you know what happened? Because I lied to them, later on... they thought maybe I wasn't as trustworthy as I could be."

It had led to Sirius second guessing him. Peter had become the secret keeper instead. "But I'm also aware that this... this is a new area for you. Trusting anyone outside of your family." A small, if sad, smile at that statement. "So I'll forgive you for it. Let's just not do it again, okay? No matter how bad it is, how bad of a choice or mistake, you can tell me. I won't condemn you for it."

Draco frowned and looked at his feet still feeling horrible for it. His eyes did widen at the news about the switch of the secret keeper. Had it not gone to Peter, Draco was pretty sure things would have turned out a lot differently. Still the news made him feel more ashamed of his actions.

"I'm really sorry about this. I won't let it happen again." Draco replied in a soft tone. Even though it was softly spoken it was clear that he meant the apology. This had been a night of surprises in conversation for both sides.

Remus gave Draco's shoulder a quick squeeze. "Alright, let's focus on a few other surprises that can keep someone safe. There's a particularly good spell I know that will disorient both wizard and Muggle. And, more so, ways to deal with if you triumph over your opponent. You'll either have a... well, a body or a corpse."

He rubbed his chin. "I was there was an easier way to practice you against more than one opponent. Perhaps I should ask Tonks to join us in the future?"

With the quick gesture of support, Draco was able to relax more. He gave a curious glance up at Remus with what he was hinting at. He was pretty intrigued by the idea, let alone having Tonks involved at another point.

"It would be great to have her along," Draco replied. "What's this idea that you have in mind?"

"Two fold, really. One you'd be able to try protection on a real person - one I wouldn't be afraid would be unable to get out of an accidental situation and two... You could practice against both of us since you mentioned you were outnumbered. Ah, and three, Tonks is incredibly skilled at her job. She will have ideas I dont." He smiled at the idea; he was proud of his wife.

"That would be great," Draco replied quite enthused by the idea. "I wish at Hogrwarts we had been able to do more exercises like this."

He admitted. Remus had been truthfully the only decent teacher they had that taught them how to prepare themselves. That class had been so jinxed that it was rare they had a decent teacher.

And the possibility of fighting against, Tonks? That was a challenge Draco wanted to take on. He had never really seen her fight before.

Remus gave a slightly frustrated sigh. "They would have, if I could have remained as a teacher. I wanted to make proper dueling times actual defense. The restrictions they had were foolish; it's important to learn about all sorts of Dark Arts, natural and man."

He shook his head. That dream was impossible now that the world knew what he was. "Anyway. This time, I want you to manage to petrify me but you will be on a time limit." He held up a finger. "You have until I cast a dark spell in return." More complicated, slower, stronger. "I'm quick, I'll warn you."

He nodded remaining silent. He only hoped that maybe now that they would reconsider the approach of the class now after all the war. As Remus continued to explain his idea, Draco pulled out his wand.

"Do I get warning?" He asked unsure if he was even going to get an answer. It was hard to tell with Remus what to expect.

"Will your opponents give you a warning?" Dark spells were dangerous, always so damn dangerous, but he had his hand on the casting of some. It wasn't what he preferred, but he knew one or two that would work in this situation.

And with only that as a vague warning, he concentrated, focusing enough to pull more magic together before he brought his wand in a somewhat more dramatic flare to wing this spell toward his young opponent with a shouted word. Never could manage silent casting for dark magic.

Unless one counted his old gang bantering with him as a warning then yes...but Draco couldn't always believe that it would be his gang. It could be someone else entirely.

He stepped back and with a swift gesture of his wand, Draco made an attempt to petrify Remus as he shouted out his own spell.

This time, Draco finally got it. Before the final flourish that would have dropped something on Draco, Draco's spell slammed into Remus, freezing him on the spot. It left the man standing in a somewhat comical position, but it was a success. It left Remus to wait until Draco chose to reverse the jinx, a touch at the younger man's whims. Tonks knew where they were but it could leave him until morning if Draco wanted.

He couldn't help but be proud that he got his teacher on the first try. A long time ago, Draco probably would have left his teacher there just for the sake that he could. However, he did make Remus wait a few minutes before he finally reversed the jinx.

Even though he freed Remus, Draco held his wand out ready to block an unwanted spell just in case. He knew how Remus can be rather tricky and hard to predict.

When finally free of the spell, Remus staggered forward, then shook his head to clear it. He gave Draco a bit of a raised eyebrow, a tiny smirk playing over his lips. "Now what did I ever do to deserve being trapped there?" he teased, though his look did go briefly serious - don't do it again for so long. "Well done, though. Very quick on the draw with no warning. Give another session or two and we might be able to do a full on duel."

He gave a nod and an apology acknowledging Remus's reprimand. At the same time, Draco couldn't help but be proud of the compliment. "An actual duel?!" He replied quite excited by the possibility.

Part of him was still skeptical if he was actually really ready for one. Boasting that he could do one and actually going through it were two different things. Let alone against a very skilled person then a student.

"There's no better way to practice than to do it. Theory is one thing, but you need experience or theory is all worthless." Remus gave another flash of a smile. "In reality, there's never anything like a formal duel. Fights are made and won by being faster, smarter, and more clever than your opponent. The difference is that they don't care- most of the time- about their allies. They will take no need to keep from hurting one another or letting another die. We worry. We protect. So we need to be able to work together better, or think smarter."

Draco gave a nod agreeing with what Remus had to say. The only time it was formal was when they were really practicing. His father always used that as a way to teach him how to be more graceful with flourishing his wand. His father had always been on appearance. He also taught him how to be more calculating using both wand and no wand.

But that was also different. They were on Dark Arts tactics then what Remus had been teaching him. Draco had been trying to combine both what his father had taught him and what Remus was telling him.

"That's what always made my family different though...We were always about protecting each other where all the others didn't care if you were family or not." Draco pointed out.

"And look where you are now. Here, instead of dead or in Azkaban." A pointed raise of the eyebrow, trying to drive that point home. "Your love for your family is obvious, and you're making that difference."

He nodded, proud.

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