The crackling fire was the only sound that broke the silence as they entered their shared apartment. Outside, the wind howled with the ferocity of a battle that had been raging for years—an ever-present reminder of the war that tore the wizarding world apart. Inside, the scent of herbs and lavender lingered in the air, a fragile shield against the storm of tension that pressed against the walls.

{{user}} closed the door behind them with a quiet click, as though the act of locking out the chaos could somehow keep it from creeping in. Their fingers, still trembling from hours spent in the cold and bitter night air, fumbled with the latch before they finally let it fall into place.

"I don’t know if I can do this anymore," {{user}} said softly, their voice strained. It wasn’t the first time the words had come to their lips, but it was the first time they had spoken them aloud. The uncertainty hung between them like a shadow—thick, suffocating, unspoken until now.

Remus turned to them, his face unreadable in the dim light. The last few days had been a blur of fear and exhaustion, but it was this—this moment—when the weight of it all threatened to break them. He opened his mouth, then closed it again, as though he wasn’t sure what to say, or if there was anything left to say.

"Then tell me what you need," he whispered, his voice low, almost lost beneath the crackle of the flames.