talia attempts to write

After hours of darkness, dawn’s first light etched its way through the thick trees of the Forest. Wolf shrunk back down into man, and heavy with exhaustion, he passed out onto the soft mossy floor.

A few trees away, high up in the branches, laid a watchful dove, who had fallen fast asleep with her head under her wing.

Moments passed, and the sky began to lighten with coats of yellow painting over the dark hues of black. They both awoke. Y/N floated down to where Remus was and transformed back.

“You okay?” She croaked, grabbing onto his robes that had brand new tears in it from last night.

Remus nodded. “And you?” He cradled her head in his two hands gently and looked down at her stomach.

She nodded back. They pulled each other into a silent hug, their heads pounding and their hearts tight with fear. They were both terrified of what had happened last night, but they didn’t speak on it. They needed the last of their energy to make it back to the Castle, where hopefully, everyone from last night laid safe and would be able to retell everything.

Finally, they reached the Whomping Willow. After grabbing Harry’s cloak and the map they had left there last night, they made their way into the castle. Fawkes was there to greet them, perched upon the railing of the staircase. Y/N and Remus took this as a sign, and followed the bird through the quiet, dim castle into Dumbledore’s office.

“Thank you Fawkes,” Dumbledore said softly as they entered his study, petting him on the head as it returned to its stand. “Professors, you have had a long night.” He gestured to his large divan, on top of which Y/N and Remus gladly crashed. 

“Headmaster—“ Remus cried out softly, the word shakily exiting his mouth in desperation and weariness.

“Do not fret, I will explain everything.” Dumbledore waved his hand, and two steaming cups of tea appeared in front of them, as well as a plate of small cookies. “Please.”

Y/N and Remus gratefully brought the warm liquid to their mouths, and squeezed each other’s hand as Dumbledore began explaining everything. He told them that Ron, Harry and Hermione were currently safe and sleeping in the Hospital Wing. He is unsure of the details on what went down after them two had gone into the forest, but the three children were brought into the castle by Snape, passed out on stretchers. 

Dumbledore proceeded to explain that Hermione had been in possession of a Time-Turner all year long to attend extra lessons. 

“All it took was a word of them freaking out over Sirius and Peter for me to understand everything. But of course, no one would believe the word of three 13-year-old’s and even less mine who had witnessed nothing. I had to maintain neutrality in front of Fudge. That is when I proposed Miss Granger the plan to turn back time. You might forget that one more innocent life was falsely accused last night. And thank goodness, Hermione and Harry succeeded. They snuck back into a presumedly locked Hospital Wing and Sirius took off on Buckbeak right before midnight, with Fudge, Macnair and Snape completely in the dark.”

Remus and Y/N finally exhaled the breath they had been holding in for hours. 

“Thank God.”

“So he’s free?” Remus asked. “Sirius?”

“Yes he is, Remus.” Albus responded.

Remus leaned back into his seat, pressing his fingers against pursed lips. The back of his eyes burned. He nodded. He shut his eyelids for a second. His friend was alive. He was out there.

“God, this is such a mess.” Y/N shook her head, burying her head in her hands. “Pettigrew got away.” She looked up at Dumbledore with worry in her eyes. “What will this mean..?”

Dumbledore shook his head wistfully. “There is no way to know.” He paused in deep reflection for a second. “There is no way to tell right now.”

The three sat together in silence for some time. There was gravity in the air as to what a now free Pettigrew might imply.

“Professors.” Albus smiled warmly. “You have done greatly. I suggest you two get some rest. Before the whole school wakes up. I need to finish writing this letter to the Minister.”

They nodded and left after thanking him for everything.

Remus and Y/N walked slowly, hand in hand.

“At least he’s alive.” Y/N managed to smile, looking up at Remus.

He returned the smile. “He is. He’s out there.” He said, bringing Y/N’s knuckles to his lips.

“Now, come on, into bed.” Remus said almost sternly once they entered their room. He sat Y/N on the edge of the bed and bent down on one knee, insisting on untying her shoes for her. “This much stress can not be good for the baby.”

Y/N laughed incredulously, watching as he proceeded to remove her socks for her, then massaging her feet gently. She knew that whatever fatigue she was feeling, Remus had it 100 times worse, but she saw him push through it in attempt to make her more comfortable.

“Remus?” She said softly.

“Yeah my love?” He said, lifting her arms to pull off her shirt.

“I love you.”

Remus paused with her shirt halfway off. “I love you too.”

Y/N giggled, as her head was stuck in the fabric, but Remus didn’t care and leaned down to kiss her.

Finally completely undressed, Y/N flopped onto her pillow. She ran her hands across her pelvis lovingly. “Our little cub.”

She was so tired that she drifted immediately off to sleep, not noticing how Remus had frozen on the spot. “Cub” set off an alarm in him, a panic that he couldn’t quite shake. He closed his eyes, clutching his blanket tightly to his chest.

+

Y/N felt Remus toss and turn in the bed beside her. She ignored it the first few times, until the last one finally brought her back to full consciousness.

“Are you awake?” She grumbled.

“… No.” He whispered back.

Y/N opened an eye to peek at him.

Remus took a deep sigh and sat up.

“What’s up?” Y/N joined him.

“This… might sound stupid,” Remus began, “but I don’t know, you said something earlier that just really triggered me.”

“Oh?”

“You referred to our baby-“ Remus smiled slightly at the word and the thought, “as a ‘cub’”. He grimaced.

“Oh…”

“It just sent me in a panic and I haven’t been able to quite shake it— and the thoughts, they’re paralyzing me.”

Y/N listened carefully as he continued.

“I just think about me potentially passing down my condition to an innocent child- our child- and having it have to suffer so much, all because of me.”

“Hmm.” Y/N said. “Can I speak— is that all you wanted to share?”

Remus nodded.

“Would you still love my child even if it had the same mental health issues as me?”

“Of course, that’s not even a question.” Remus said.

“So what’s the fundamental difference between that and lycanthropy?”

“Well, you cannot compare the two, they are simply not— being a werewolf is dangerous to others.“

Y/N shrugged, “I could argue that a bunch of conditions can make someone dangerous to others. But yeah, I understand. Fundamentally though, this is our child. Ours, Remus. You and me. I’m going to love this baby so much, because it will be part you. Not in spite of that. And it may inherit some of your worse traits, but it will also inherit the things that make you-” Y/N cupped his face. “the most wonderful man I’ve ever met. If it inherits lycanthropy, it will just be one gene out of 5 million other ones. It won’t change a thing in how much I will fucking love them.”

Remus remained silent.

“Yes, it’ll come with its own challenges. But having a kid was never gonna be easy right? And it’s nothing we can’t prepare for? It’s not like tracking the moon and handling transformations is completely new to us. We would just have two little furry friends every month instead of just the one. And they can come to Hogwarts, just like you have. And they’ll experience all the joys and laughs and cries at this castle as we have. Plus, they will get to grow up in a time where Wolfsbane is more accessible.”

Remus looked half-convinced.

“Plus, the baby will be half me. Will you not love something that is half me?” Y/N pouted.

Remus chuckled, finally breaking, throwing his head to the side. “Of course, I’ll love it. I love things that are 1% you, I love things that aren’t even you but remind me of you.”

Y/N cooed.

Remus put his arm around Y/N’s shoulder and brought her head to his lips. “I love you more than anything there is, and the only thing I would more is I fear, our baby.”

Y/N felt a tear creep up to her eyes. “Me too. So we’ll be okay, okay?”

Remus took a deep breath, feeling the air transition in and out of his body. “Okay”.

The fear wasn’t as strong. He kept holding onto Y/N, until the fear almost went away completely. And they fell back asleep.

+

Their time of respite was cut short by a knock on the door. Y/N stirred, rubbing her eyes. What time even was it? She turned to see Remus still deep in slumber. She smiled, and got up.

“Professor McGonagall!” She said in slight surprise to find her at their door. 

“I’ve come to bring you breakfast,” Professor McGonagall said, carrying a tray with two plates on it.

“Oh, thank you! Come in, come in.” She ushered her in, letting her set the tray on the table. 

“There is… something else I need to discuss.”

“Oh?” Y/N folder her arms across her chest.

Professor McGonagall sat down and ushered Y/N to take the chair next to her. 

“Professor Snape, this morning… at breakfast… well— He told everyone about Lupin’s condition.”

Y/N swallowed. She took a deep breath. Then she began nodding slowly. “Everyone?”

“Well, he mostly said to the Slytherins, but you know the school: if one student knows, every one will know.”

Y/N nodded again, pursing her lips.

“I am really sorry, Y/N.” Professor McGonagall said regretfully. “He… he does not deserve this.”

Y/N merely continued to nod. “Thanks for coming to tell me this, Minerva.”

McGonagall stood, and laid a hand on her shoulder.

“And thank you for the food.”

Y/N watched the older witch leave and looked back at the bedroom door. She tapped her foot nervously. She checked the clock. Breakfast was still being served. She got up. 

Most of the students were enjoying their meal quietly as the Great Hall was filled with a low buzz of morning chatter, cornflakes being poured into bowls and envelopes of morning mail being ripped open to read. Suddenly, the doors burst open, and Y/N came storming in.

“SNAPE!”

A hush fell over among the students, as they were slightly distraught to see their Charms teacher like this. 

She spotted Snape at the teacher’s table, who had awkwardly set his goblet down. “SNAPE!” Her angry footsteps echoed off the walls of the Hall.

“WHERE do YOU get off, telling people about MY HUSBAND’s business?!!” She yelled.

There was a huge, collective gasp from the students.

“Are you this PATHETIC that you feel the need to stoop THIS LOW, and ruin Remus’ ENTIRE reputation? Based on WHAT? HUH? WHAT— are you mad that things, WHERE YOU HAD NO PLACE TO BE TO BEGIN WITH, didn’t go YOUR WAY? SOMETHING YOU WERE COMPLETELY WRONG ABOUT BY THE WAY— you didn’t even TRY to hear us out, but that’s just how you are, isn’t it? SO STUBBORN, I don’t know if you know this, SEVERUS, but we are ADULTS NOW. I COULD PULL THE SAME SHIT AS YOU AND EXPOSE SO MUCH OF WHAT YOU WERE— NO, ARE— but I won’t, I don’t want to waste my BREATH.”

Multiple professors had run down at this point to hold Y/N back, and were busy rushing her to the side and out of the room.

“I’d start with how you got that BUMP on your head, but that doesn’t even matter—“ Y/N fought, “and DON’T EVEN THINK of raising your wand at me, I am PREGNANT—“

The entire student population let out another gasp in unison.

“But again, it wouldn’t be unlike you to want to hurt A CHI-I-I-LD”.

The last word echoed through the doors as Y/N was pulled away by a swarm of teachers.

The Great Hall burst out into a swarm of loud, buzzing chatter as Snape quickly turned away and vanished from his seat.

“OH MY GOD?”

“WHAT JUST HAPPENED—“

“HER HUSBAND?!”

“AND SHE’S PREGNANT—“

“DID SHE REALLY MEAN TO LET SLIP THAT LUPIN IS HER HUSBAND OR—“

“I fucking KNEW IT! FINALLY!”

“BLOODY HELL, WE GOT A CONFIRMATION FOR REAL NOW THAT—“

“PROFESSOR Y/L/N AND LUPIN, I mean, it’s always been—“

“We BEEN knew—“

“HUSBAND?!!!!!!!!!”

Fred and George had risen to their feet on top of their seats with a large roll of parchment and began crying out: “Alright, listen up! Those who bet AGAINST Professors Y/L/N and Lupin, come pay up OR double or nothing— GENDER OF THE BABY! COME PLACE YOUR BETS, WILL IT BE A BOY OR GIRL, BOY. OR. GIRL?!”

It took Professor McGonagall 30 minutes to break up the hullabaloo of gossip-wired teens and dispatch the students into their respective common rooms where they could get ready for the Hosmeade visit scheduled that day.

+

Harry, Ron, and Hermione left the hospital wing at noon, and it was to find an almost deserted castle (courtesy of Professor McGonagall’s incredible crowd-herding skills). The students were all ushered out to the village and she hoped they would burn enough energy shopping and exploring.

Neither Ron nor Hermione felt like going, however, so they and Harry wandered onto the grounds, still talking about the extraordinary events of the previous night and wondering where Sirius and Buckbeak were now. Sitting near the lake, watching the giant squid waving its tentacles lazily above the water, Harry lost the thread of the conversation as he looked across to the opposite bank. The stag had galloped toward him from there just last night.... 

A shadow fell across them and they looked up to see a very bleary-eyed Hagrid, mopping his sweaty face with one of his tablecloth-sized handkerchiefs and beaming down at them. 

"Know I shouldn' feel happy, after wha' happened las' night," he said. "I mean, Black escapin' again, an, everythin' -- but guess what?" 

"What?" they said, pretending to look curious.

"Beaky! He escaped! He's free! Bin celebratin' all night!" 

"That's wonderful!" said Hermione, giving Ron a reproving look because he looked as though he was close to laughing. 

"Yeah... can't've tied him up properly," said Hagrid, gazing happily out over the grounds. "I was worried this mornin', mind... thought he mighta met Professor Lupin on the grounds, but Lupin says he never ate anythin' las' night...." 

"What?" said Harry quickly. 

"Blimey, haven' yeh heard?" said Hagrid, his smile fading a little. He lowered his voice, even though there was nobody in sight. "Er -- Snape told all the Slytherins this mornin'.... Thought everyone'd know by now... Professor Lupin's a werewolf, see. An' he was loose on the grounds las' night.... An’ then Professor Y/L/N came rushing in, cussing Snape out and all that, cause he’s her husband you see. Don’t know where she’s at but he’s packin' now, o' course.”

"He's packing?" said Harry, alarmed. "Why?" 

"Leavin', isn' he?" said Hagrid, looking surprised that Harry had to ask. "Resigned firs' thing this mornin'. Says he can't risk it happenin again.”

Harry scrambled to his feet.

"I'm going to see him," he said to Ron and Hermione.

"But if he's resigned —" 

“— doesn't sound like there's anything we can do —" 

"I don't care. I still want to see him. I'll meet you back here." 

Lupin's office door was open. He had already packed most of his things. The grindylow's empty tank stood next to his battered old suitcase, which was open and nearly full. Lupin was bending over something on his desk and looked up only when Harry knocked on the door. 

"I saw you coming," said Lupin, smiling. He pointed to the parchment he had been poring over. It was the Marauder's Map. 

"I just saw Hagrid," said Harry. "And he said you'd resigned. It's not true, is it?" 

"I'm afraid it is," said Lupin. He started opening his desk drawers and taking out the contents. 

"Why?" said Harry. "The Ministry of Magic don't think you were helping Sirius, do they?" 

Lupin crossed to the door and closed it behind Harry. 

"No. Professor Dumbledore managed to convince Fudge that I was trying to save your lives." He sighed. "That was the final straw for Severus. I think the loss of the Order of Merlin hit him hard. So he -- er -- accidentally let slip that I am a werewolf this morning at breakfast." 

"You're not leaving just because of that!" said Harry. 

Lupin smiled wryly. 

"This time tomorrow, the owls will start arriving from parents.... They will not want a werewolf teaching their children, Harry. And after last night, I see their point. I could have bitten any of you.... That must never happen again." 

"You're the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had!" said Harry. "Don't go!" 

Lupin shook his head and didn't speak. He carried on emptying his drawers. Then, while Harry was trying to think of a good argument to make him stay, Lupin said, "From what the headmaster told me this morning, you saved a lot of lives last night, Harry. if I'm proud of anything I've done this year, it's how much you've learned.... Tell me about your Patronus." 

"How d'you know about that?" said Harry, distracted. 

"What else could have driven the dementors back?" 

Harry told Lupin what had happened. When he'd finished, Lupin was smiling again. 

"Yes, your father was always a stag when he transformed," he said. "You guessed right... that's why we called him Prongs." 

Lupin threw his last few books into his case, closed the desk drawers, and turned to look at Harry. 

"Here -- I brought this from the Shrieking Shack last night," he said, handing Harry back the Invisibility Cloak. "And..." He hesitated, then held out the Marauder's Map too. "I am no longer your teacher, so I don't feel guilty about giving you back this as well. It's no use to me, and I daresay you, Ron, and Hermione will find uses for it." 

Harry took the map and grinned. 

"You told me Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs would've wanted to lure me out of school... you said they'd have thought it was funny." 

"And so we would have," said Lupin, now reaching down to close his case. 

"I have no hesitation in saying that James would have been highly disappointed if his son had never found any of the secret passages out of the castle." 

There was a knock on the door. Harry hastily stuffed the Marauder's Map and the Invisibility Cloak into his pocket. 

It was Professor Dumbledore. He didn't look surprised to see Harry there. 

"Your carriage is at the gates, Remus," he said.

"Thank You, Headmaster.”

Lupin picked up his old suitcase and the empty grindylow tank. 

"Well — good-bye, Harry," he said, smiling. "It has been a real pleasure teaching you. I feel sure we'll meet again sometime. Headmaster, there is no need to see me to the gates, I can manage...." 

Harry had the impression that Lupin wanted to leave as quickly as possible. 

"Good-bye, then, Remus," said Dumbledore soberly. Lupin shifted the grindylow tank slightly so that he and Dumbledore could shake hands. Then, with a final nod to Harry and a swift smile, Lupin left the office. 

+

“After you, darling.” Remus said, holding the carriage door open.

“Thank you.” She hummed, taking Remus’ outstretched hand and climbing into the carriage.

They settled into their seats and the Thestrals began to move. They looked out the window, watching the Castle grow smaller and smaller. Tears rolled down Y/N’s cheeks.

She turned to face forward, slumping into the back of her seat and sighed. She glanced at Remus, who was staring back at her. She pouted.

“You don’t have to come with me, you know.” He began.

She shook her head.

“You can finish the term properly, hand out grades, enjoy the end-of-year feast…”

“We’ve talked about this, Rem.” She cut him, placing her hand on his shoulder. “I wanna be with you. Don’t want you to be alone right now. Plus, if you think I didn’t ask the house-elves to cook up something for me…us…”

Remus laughed incredulously as Y/N showed him the contents of her bag, which included a few wrapped sandwiches, several pastries, a banana and an apple, and homemade candied almonds. 

The two wistfully looked out the window. 

“I want to tell you, Y/N, that—“ Remus looked down at his hands. “This year might have been the best year of my life. Of course there were other happy years in my life, like some at Hogwarts as a child, or when I met you, but…”

He pursed his lips together and looked back at the Castle. “There’s something about being back here… with you this time… Hogwarts was the first place I had ever found joy. And friendship. And being able to revisit it so many years down the line as a man, and experience it doing something I love with whom I love, also doing what she loves…” 

His voice broke as he covered his eyes.

“Oh, Remus.” Y/N grabbed his hand. “I feel the same way. I didn’t really know you when we were first here. But being able to experience Hogwarts with you, it’s been… well, magical.”

Y/N looked at him intensely through glassy eyes. “Oh, and I hate that it has to end like this, I do, no I do—“ She reiterated as he began shaking his head. “Because, you don’t tell yourself this enough, but you have so much to be proud of this year. I’m so proud of you. You’ve accomplished something so special here, you might not see it but I do, I’ve been seeing it all year. You were so important to those students. I literally heard it everyday- in the hallways, in the classrooms, in the library- how much they loved you.”

Remus was full on crying now.

“You.” Y/N said, jamming a finger into his chest. “I have loved this year because of how much it has brought me back to, but it’s been everything to watch you shine. Because of simply who you are. You’ve gotten too used to hiding in the shadows. And I felt like falling in love with you all over again.”

They engulfed each other in a hug as they both cried into each other.

Finally, the carriage came to a halt. The two came apart, sniffling, wiping their wet faces on the sleeves of their robes.

“God, we’re such saps, aren’t we?” Remus let out a wet chortle.

Y/N did the same back.

They both stepped out, with their bags onto Hogsmeade Station. The train had just arrived for them, blowing steam in a loud whistle.

Remus took the bags and began climbing on with them.

Out of the corner of Y/N’s eye, she saw dozens of students on Hogsmeade’s main street, in the middle of their weekend visit. A few of them seemed to be looking back. Recognizing who they were, she gave a big wave with her entire arm. They all waved back. And suddenly, they began growing larger. They were running towards the train platform.

“Oh my God, they’re coming…” Y/N muttered as the mob of students trampled into the station.

A dozen “Professor Y/L/N!”s broke out in different voices.

“Where are you going?”

“We heard you’re pregnant!”

“Is it true?!”

“Will you be back to teach next year?”

Y/N beamed at them as she looked in each of their faces. There was a mix of all her students, from all years and all houses. She felt a pinch of sadness to see that Harry, Ron and Hermione were not present.

“You guys…” Y/N took a deep breath. She put her hand on the shoulders of the two students nearest her. “Yes, I am pregnant.”

There was a collective whoop.

“So, I don’t see myself coming back next year as I would be on maternity leave.”

There was a collective “aw” of disappointment. 

“What about Professor Lupin?” said a timid 1st-year.

Y/N smiled sadly. “I… don’t know, sweetheart.”

A shared expression of sadness fell upon the group.

“You know, we’ve been really depressed after hearing about Professor Lupin.” Seamus said, kicking his feet. “He was the best Defence teacher we’ve ever had!”

Remus had his ear pressed against the train door. He felt his heart clench. Y/N looked back at him and cocked her head slightly. He stepped down onto the platform.

The group of students erupted in cheers. “Professor Lupin!” They broke out in a cacophony of praise and sadness about his departure.

Remus bowed his head down in humility. He was at a loss of what to say. “I… thank you everyone. I am most glad that you have learned this much with me.”

A first-year stepped forward hesitantly, then lunged to hug Remus. Taken aback for a second, Remus then chuckled kindly and returned the hug.

“WE’RE GONNA MISS BOTH OF YOU SO MUCH!”

They then divided into two groups, one to group-hug Remus and the other, to Y/N. The two couldn’t stop laughing of glee, watching the scene unfold. 

“Can we write letters to you when you’re gone?!”

“Of course you can.”

Finally, the train whistled and it was time for Y/N and Remus to board officially.

“I can’t believe you didn’t tell us all year you two were married, by the way.” A student finally said.

Y/N laughed. “Yeah…” She took Remus’ hand. “But I hear you guys were quite keen on figuring it out.”

With one last goodbye, Y/N and Remus climbed up onto the train. They took their seats and waved back at the students through the window. The train tugged forward, and several of the students sprinted and ran across the train, tapping on the window.

Y/N and Remus laughed with tears in their eyes, watching them slow down and stop as finally the train turned out of the station and away from the platform. From afar, they could see a small McGonagall-shaped figure whisk all the students away and back into the village. The figure stopped for a moment and looked at the train. She nodded and waved.

The train picked up speed and within seconds, Hogsmeade was replaced with tall sets of trees on both sides. 

Y/N looked at Remus. He smiled. Taking a deep breath, Y/N closed her eyes and rested her head on his shoulder.

Remus sat there wide awake. He watched etches of forest zoom past them in the window. The train turned a corner and the trees dissipated, freeing the view upon the other side of the lake. The sky was impossibly clear, as tones of light blue filled his vision. Sun glistened atop the water’s reflection. He watched the scenery and thought back to his year, with a bright golden ball of light glowing in his chest. He knew it was going to be difficult to predict when he’d see Hogwarts again. But once again, it had changed him for good. And his future shined impossibly bright ahead.

"What are you going to do with him if I give him to you?" Ron asked Lupin tensely. 

"Force him to show himself," said Lupin. "If he really is a rat, it won't hurt him." 

Ron hesitated. Then at long last, he held out Scabbers and Lupin took him. Scabbers began to squeak without stopping, twisting and turning, his tiny black eyes bulging in his head. "Ready, Sirius?" said Lupin. 

Black had already retrieved Snape's wand from the bed. He approached Lupin and the struggling rat, and his wet eyes suddenly seemed to be burning in his face. 

"Together?" he said quietly. 

Y/N crossed her arms over her chest nervously.

"I think so,,, said Lupin, holding Scabbers tightly in one hand and his wand in the other. "On the count of three. One -- two -- THREE!" 

A flash of blue-white light erupted from both wands; for a moment, Scabbers was frozen in midair, his small gray form twisting madly -- Ron yelled -- the rat fell and hit the floor. There was another blinding flash of light and then —  

It was like watching a speeded-up film of a growing tree. A head was shooting upward from the ground; limbs were sprouting; a moment later, a man was standing where Scabbers had been, cringing and wringing his hands. Crookshanks was spitting and snarling on the bed; the hair on his back was standing up. 

"Well, hello, Peter," said Lupin pleasantly, as though rats frequently erupted into old school friends around him. "Long time, no see. 

"S -- Sirius... R -- Remus..." Even Pettigrew's voice was squeaky. Again, his eyes darted toward the door. "My friends... my old friends..." 

Black’s arm wand rose, but Y/N seized his wrist, giving him a warning look. Sirius jumped, as this was the first time Y/N had touched him— and she quickly retracted her hand as they both turned their attention back toward Remus and Peter.

"We've been having a little chat, Peter, about what happened the night Lily and James died. You might have missed the finer points while you were squeaking around down there on the bed — I'd like to clear up one or two little matters with you, Peter.” 

“D-don’t know… what you’re t-talking about, Remus— He- he—“ He squirmed, pointing at Sirius with a trembling finger. “He’s here to k-kill me, he's got dark powers the rest of us can only dream of!”

Black started to laugh, a horrible, mirthless laugh that filled the whole room. 

"Voldemort, teach me tricks?" he said.

Pettigrew flinched as though Black had brandished a whip at him. 

"What, scared to hear your old master's name?" said Black. I don't blame you, Peter. His lot aren't very happy with you, are they?" 

"Don't know... what you're talking about...," said Pettigrew again, more shrilly than ever. He wiped his face on his sleeve and looked up at Lupin. "You don't believe this -- this madness, Remus --" 

"I must admit, Peter, I have difficulty in understanding why an innocent man would want to spend twelve years as a rat," said Lupin evenly. 

"Innocent, but scared!" squealed Pettigrew. "If Voldemort's supporters were after me, it was because I put one of their best men in Azkaban -- the spy, Sirius Black!" 

"How dare you," he growled, sounding suddenly like the bearsized dog he had been. I, a spy for Voldemort? When did I ever sneak around people who were stronger and more powerful than myself? But you, Peter -- I'll never understand why I didn't see you were the spy from the start. You always liked big friends who'd look after you, didn't you? It used to be us... me and Remus... and James….”

Pettigrew wiped his face again; he was almost panting for breath. 

"Me, a spy... must be out of your mind... never... don't know how you can say such a --" 

"Lily and James only made you Secret-Keeper because I suggested it,” Black hissed. 

"Professor Lupin?" said Hermione timidly. "Can — can I say something?" 

"Certainly, Hermione," said Lupin courteously. 

"If you don't mind me asking, how -- how did you get out of Azkaban, if you didn't use Dark Magic?" 

"Thank you!" gasped Pettigrew, nodding frantically at her. "Exactly! Precisely what I —" 

But Lupin silenced him with a look. Black was frowning slightly at Hermione, but not as though he were annoyed with her. He seemed to be pondering his answer. 

"I don't know how I did it," he said slowly. "I think the only reason I never lost my mind is that I knew I was innocent. That wasn't a happy thought, so the dementors couldn't suck it out of me... but it kept me sane and knowing who I am... helped me keep my powers... so when it all became ... too much... I could transform in my cell... become a dog. Dementors can't see, you know...." He swallowed. "They feel their way toward people by feeding off their emotions.... They could tell that my feelings were less -- less human, less complex when I was a dog... but they thought, of course, that I was losing my mind like everyone else in there, so it didn't trouble them. But I was weak, very weak, and I had 

no hope of driving them away from me without a wand...." 

"But then I saw Peter in that picture... I realized he was at Hogwarts with Harry... perfectly positioned to act, if one hint reached his ears that the Dark Side was gathering strength again...." 

"It was as if someone had lit a fire In my head, and the dementors couldn't destroy it.... It wasn't a happy feeling... it was an obsession... but it gave me strength, it cleared my mind. So, one night when they opened my door to bring food, I slipped past them as a dog.... It's so much harder for them to sense animal emotions that they were confused.... I was thin, very thin... thin enough to slip through the bars.... I swam as a dog back to the mainland.... I journeyed north and slipped into the Hogwarts grounds as a dog. I've been living in the forest ever since, except when I came to watch the Quidditch, of course. You fly as well as your father did, Harry...." 

He looked at Harry, who did not look away. 

"Believe me," croaked Black. "Believe me, Harry. I never betrayed James and Lily. I would have died before I betrayed them." 

And at long last, Harry believed him. Throat too tight to speak, he nodded. 

"No!" 

Pettigrew had fallen to his knees as though Harry's nod had been his own death sentence. He shuffled forward on his knees, groveling, his hands clasped in front of him as though praying. 

"Sirius -- it's me... it's Peter... your friend... you wouldn't --" Black kicked out and Pettigrew recoiled. 

"There's enough filth on my robes without you touching them," said Black. 

"Remus!" Pettigrew squeaked, turning to Lupin instead, writhing imploringly in front of him.

And he scrambled around to Ron. 

"Ron... haven't I been a good friend... a good pet? You won't let them kill me, Ron, will you... you're on my side, aren't you. 

But Ron was staring at Pettigrew with the utmost revulsion. "I let you sleep in my bed!" he said. 

"Kind boy... kind master..." Pettigrew crawled toward Ron "You won't let them do it.... I was your rat.... I was a good pet...." 

"If you made a better rat than a human, it's not much to boast about, Peter," said Black harshly. Ron, going still paler with pain, wrenched his broken leg out of Pettigrew's reach. Pettigrew turned on his knees, staggered forward, and seized the hem of Hermione's robes. 

"Sweet girl... clever girl... you -- you won't let them.... Help me...." 

Hermione pulled her robes out of Pettigrew's clutching hands and backed away against the wall, looking horrified. 

“Y/N! Oh, Y/N— we’ve been friends… you knew me—“ He attempted to lunge at her before being violently pushed back by both Sirius and Remus.

“Don’t you even dare touch her…” Remus growled.

Pettigrew knelt, trembling uncontrollably, and-turned his head slowly toward Harry. 

"Harry... Harry... you look just like your father... just like him...." 

"HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO HARRY?" roared Black. "HOW DARE YOU FACE HIM? HOW DARE YOU TALK ABOUT JAMES IN FRONT OF HIM?" 

Black and Lupin stood shoulder to shoulder, wands raised. 

Hermione covered her face with her hands and turned to the wall. Y/N bit her lip, unsure how to react or feel in the moment.

"NO!" Harry yelled. He ran forward, placing himself in front Pettigrew, facing the wands. "You can't kill him," he said breathlessly. "You can't." 

Black and Lupin both looked staggered. Y/N exhaled a breath she didn’t know she was holding.

"Harry, this piece of vermin is the reason you have no parents," Black snarled. "This cringing bit of filth would have seen you die too, without turning a hair. You heard him. His own stinking skin meant more to him than your whole family." 

"I know," Harry panted. "We'll take him up to the castle. We'll hand him over to the dementors.... He can go to Azkaban... but don't kill him." 

Y/N breathed heavily, cold sweat coating the palms of her hands and the low of her back.

"Harry!" gasped Pettigrew, and he flung his arms around Harry's knees. "You -- thank you -- it's more than I deserve -- thank you --" 

"Get off me," Harry spat, throwing Pettigrew's hands off him in disgust. "I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing it because -- I don't reckon my dad would've wanted them to become killers -- just for you." 

Remus and Sirius looked at each other, and nodded.

Thin cords shot from Lupin's wand this time, and next moment, Pettigrew was wriggling on the floor, bound and gagged. 

"But if you transform, Peter," growled Black, his own wand pointing at Pettigrew too, "we will kill you. You agree, Harry?" 

Harry looked down at the pitiful figure on the floor and nodded so that Pettigrew could see him. 

“Right.” Y/N finally spoke. "Ron, I can't mend bones nearly as well as Madam Pomfrey, so I think it's best if we just strap your leg up until we can get you to the hospital wing." 

She hurried over to Ron, bent down, tapped Ron's leg with her wand, and muttered, "Ferula." Bandages spun up Ron's leg, strapping it tightly to a splint. Lupin helped him to his feet; Ron put his weight gingerly on the leg and didn't wince. 

"That's better," he said. "Thanks." 

Remus turned his gaze on Y/N and was about to ask her how she felt, before Hermione brought up a very real point.

"What about Professor Snape?" 

“Nothing wrong with him.” Sirius bent over him and checked his pulse. “You were just a little… overenthusiastic, Y/N.”

Y/N winced. “Oops.”

Sirius muttered, "Mobilicorpus." As though invisible strings were tied to Snape's wrists, neck, and knees, he was pulled into a standing position, head still lolling unpleasantly, like a grotesque puppet. He hung a few inches above the ground, his limp feet dangling. 

Lupin picked up the Invisibility Cloak and tucked it safely into his pocket. 

"And two of us should be chained to this," said Black, nudging Pettigrew with his toe. "Just to make sure." 

"I'll do it," said Lupin.

"And me," said Ron savagely, limping forward. 

Harry had never been part of a stranger group. Crookshanks led the way down the stairs; Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron went next, looking like entrants in a six-legged race. Next came Professor Snape, drifting creepily along, his toes hitting each stair as they descended, held up by his own wand, which was being pointed at him by Sirius. Y/N, Harry and Hermione brought up the rear. 

Getting back up through the tunnel proved to be a challenge. Remus, Ron and Peter managed to squeeze through sideways, shuffling along in single file. Sirius followed with Snape dangling behind him, his lolling head bumped frequently against the ceiling under Sirius’ control. They walked in silence until they reached the end of the tunnel, where Crookshanks exited first to paw at the root knot, letting everyone else exit without the chaos of the tree’s moving branches. At last, all of them were out.

Silently, with the occasional cry and whimper from Peter, they trampled through the grounds and halted just where the Castle was in view.

Remus detached him and Ron from Peter, helping Ron sit down while keeping his wand on Peter. “Let’s take a break,” Remus said, to which a grateful Ron nodded.

Sirius dropped Snape down carelessly. Harry and Hermione rushed to Ron, joining him on the floor and asking him if his leg was alright.

“So.” Sirius said seriously, looking at Y/N.

She still had her arms crossed over her chest defensively, before letting them down to grab one of Remus’ hands. She raised her eyebrows.

“How much more innocent do I have to be proven to get a hug from an old friend?” Sirius said, spreading his arms wide open.

Y/N smiled slightly, dropping Remus’ hand and slowly walking up to Sirius. She raised her arms, letting Sirius engulf her in a warm embrace, finally relaxing for the first time tonight. “God, it’s been so long.” She sighed.

They separated and Y/N fought back tears as she cupped his face, taking the time to have a proper look at him. “You’re so thin now.” She whispered sadly, brushing her thumbs along his cheekbones which cut right through from underneath his thin layer of skin.

“And you’re beautiful as always.”

Remus watched them with endearment pouring out of his eyes.

“What more do we not know about them?” Ron whispered to Harry and Hermione with a puzzled expression as they watched the unusual reunion unfold in front of them.

“You’re gonna be free now.” Y/N smiled. “You’ll be able to eat whatever you want again. Fill these cheeks out.”

“I’m free.” Sirius chuckled loosely. Y/N nodded, doing the same as a tear threatened to spill. He laughed more loudly now, beckoning Remus to join them.

“FREE!” Sirius shouted, jumping up and down, then squeezing his two friends against him.

“Whoa-“ Y/N said, “o-okay.” She pulled away from them. “Careful”, and she reflexively placed her hand defensively over her stomach. Her jaw dropped as she remembered.

“You okay?” Remus eyed her with slight concern.

Y/N’s eyes widened as her mouth hung open, moving but unable to get any words out. Sirius’ eyes darted between the two, looking for clues on what was going on all of a sudden.

“I’m…” Y/N managed to say. “I’m…” She looked down at her hand and looked back up at Remus. Comprehension dawned on him and he covered his mouth, gasping.

“Are you…”

Y/N nodded furiously, heavy tears spilling out. “Remus, I’m pregnant, I took a test literally earlier tonight— I had forgotten, with everything that’s happened after— but I forgot, and it’s really early, but I was feeling off and so I did the test and—“

It was like all the words that had failed her just prior all fought their way out at the same time. Remus let out a scream that could only be described as close to a joyful howl and ran to her. He dropped to his knees, wrapping his arms around her and pressing his cheek on her stomach.

“Are you really?” Remus whispered for only her to hear, searching her eyes intensely through his own glossy ones, as if confirmation of the truth was hidden somewhere under her pupils.

Y/N nodded, smiling, eyes absolutely sparkling as she cradled his head. She burst into happy tears as Remus’ eyes welled up. For the next minute, all they could do was let out disbelieving gasps as words began to fail them. He stood up, wrapping her in his arms.

They hid their faces into each other’s necks, crying softly into each other. “I love you,” Remus said into her hair.

“I love you too,” she whispered back.

“Holy shit…” Sirius stumbled slightly at the news. 

“It’s still really early,” Y/N said, finally pulling away from Remus, but unable to keep herself from smiling ear to ear.

“I’m…” Sirius whispered. He took both of their hands.

He was unable to finish his sentence but Remus and Y/N knew what he meant by the expression in his eyes and simply returned the silent sentiment. 

“Thank you.” Remus said quietly at his friend, squeezing his hand.

“C-Congratulations Professor Y/N.” Hermione said shyly, afraid to intrude on this incredibly intimate moment. The three of them had just been watching silently from the side until now. Well, somewhat silently, if you excluded Peter’s muffled whines that he let out once in a while. “And Professor Lupin.”

“Thank you, Hermione.” Y/N said warmly. She read her nervous, unsure body language and beckoned her over, wrapping a protective arm around Hermione’s shoulders.

Sirius took a few steps back, turning to face the open air where the Castle stood proud in the dark distance. 

Harry glanced at Ron and Peter, who sat immobile on the ground and inched closer to Sirius. The older man saw him approach.

“In all its’ glory, eh?” He turned back to the castle. Harry nodded. “God, it hasn’t changed one bit. Not from here, at least.”

Harry observed him. Almost longingly. In the span of a few hours, the image of him had completely changed in his mind. He wanted to know so much more. There was so much to ask.

"You know what this means?" Black said abruptly to Harry. “Me being free?" 

“You can eat all you want now?” Harry joked. Black chuckled, glancing back at Remus and Y/N, who had taken a seat alongside the others. Remus couldn’t take his hand off Y/N’s belly.

"Yes...," said Black. "But I'm also — I don't know if anyone ever told you — I'm your godfather." 

"Yeah, I knew that," said Harry. 

"Well... your parents appointed me your guardian," said Black stiffly. "If anything happened to them..." 

Harry waited.

"I'll understand, of course, if you want to stay with your aunt and uncle," said Black. "But... well... think about it. Once my name's cleared... if you wanted a... a different home..." 

Some sort of explosion took place upon Harry’s expression. 

"What — live with you?" he said. "Leave the Dursleys?" 

"Of course, I thought you wouldn't want to," said Black quickly. "I understand, I just thought I'd —" 

"Are you insane?" said Harry, his voice easily as croaky as Black's. 

"Of course I want to leave the Dursleys! Have you got a house? When can I move in?" 

Black turned right around to look at him.

"You want to?" he said. "You mean it?”

 "Yeah, I mean it!" said Harry. 

Black's gaunt face broke into the first true smile where the joy reached his eyes as well. The difference it made was startling, as though a person ten years younger were shining through the starved mask; for a moment, he was recognizable as the man who had laughed at Harry's parents' wedding. 

Sirius looked at Harry as if he were his own son, but feeling slightly awkward, extended out his arm and pat the boy on the shoulder stiffly. 

Y/N was watching the scene unfold between the two from her spot on the ground. Tears were rolling down her cheek, fast and hot. In that moment, hope filled up the chests of Y/N, Remus, Sirius, and Harry. It felt, it almost felt… like the future had a glimmer of a chance of having family in it.

Remus took notice, and wiped her cheeks dry with the back of his fingers. He took her hand, and squeezed it reassuringly. He was still crying himself, at the news that he was going to be a father.

His gaze was rested upon her face and while Y/N’s originally was too, her eyes shifted. They shifted to the sky behind him. A cloud had just cleared, and the night seemed to brighten a tad more.

She dropped his hand. The corners of her lips dropped.

Her face was now fully bathed in moonlight and Remus snapped his head back to see the full moon emerging into the sky. He went rigid.

“He didn’t take his potion tonight!” Hermione gasped.

“Sirius.” Y/N said, deadpan, not taking her eyes off Remus.

Sirius whipped his head around and froze. “Run.”

When Harry didn’t move the second he was told to, Sirius repeated it, and pushed him down the grass to where Ron and Hermione were. “RUN!”

Remus began to shake and Y/N jumped to her feet, but Sirius burst between them. “Leave it to me.” He said.

Sirius attempted to drag Remus’ transforming body away from the others as Y/N clutched onto Hermione and Harry’s shoulders tightly. “You guys need to run, okay?” She said, hands shaking in her grip as she nudged them in the Castle’s direction opposite from Sirius and Remus. “Ron, can you get up—“

She turned her attention to Ron on the floor, and squatted in attempt to help him get to his feet. “Oh, fucking hell—“ She cried at Snape’s unconscious body. She bent over him, slapping him multiple times on the face. “Wake up, wake up, wake up.”

There was a terrible snarling noise. Lupin's head was lengthening. So was his body. His shoulders were hunching. Hair was sprouting visibly on his face and hands, which were curling into clawed paws. As the werewolf reared, snapping its long jaws, Sirius disappeared from Harry's eyeline. He had transformed. The enormous, bearlike dog bounded forward onto the wolf. They were locked, jaw to jaw, claws ripping at each other. 

Harry, Ron and Hermione stood, transfixed by the sight, too intent upon the battle to notice anything else. Peter, who was still tied up, was inching his fingers near Remus’ wand, which had fallen onto the ground not more than a few inches away from him. He squirmed through his ties and… BANG! Light flashed once he got his hands on it and he was free from the restraints. 

“EXPELLIARMUS!” Harry pointed his wand, but it was too late— Peter had transformed into a rat and scurried off in the dark patches of grass. “Y/N, he escaped!”

“Fuck.” Y/N said, giving up on reanimating Snape. She rose to her feet, looking out for the rat, when another sound from afar caught her attention.

Yelping, whining… a dog in pain. A small thud of its body hitting the ground. Then, a howl and rumbling growl. Heavy paws running, and getting louder. The werewolf was headed back towards them. 

Y/N looked between the spot where Peter had disappeared and the three kids. There was no decision to make. 

“GO!” She yelled at them. “DON’T COME THIS WAY.”

And with a crack, she transformed into a dove and flapped her wings to get height. She whistled, getting the wolf’s attention, and soared through the sky, leading him straight into the Forbidden Forest.

The sun was out. Its rays peeking through the leaves of trees, their heat was much stronger in this month of spring than it was in autumn, when Y/N and Remus took their first early morning walk to escape from the Castle. It became a habit they maintained all school year, and it was so hard to believe that they had already walked their way to final examinations season. Two terms had rolled by, laying down all the tiles needed to strengthen their relationship even more.

Y/N’s arm was around Remus’ bicep. It was warm enough now for them to abandon their jackets, and they strolled through the Castle grounds in simple button-ups.

Remus peeked down at Y/N, who by reflex caught his eye. He shut an eye tightly in an exaggerated wink. Y/N smiled, resting her head against his arm for a second.

“Can’t wait for our kid to experience all that is Hogwarts.” Remus said.

Y/N’s eyebrows knit together as she beamed up at him.

“Rem…”

Their chests burned from elation as they continued in their stride.

“Thinking a bit ahead though, don’t you think, we’ve got more than 11 years before we get to that point.” Y/N chuckled.

“Oh, you’re right. Before that, it’ll be you n’ me teaching them.”

“I agree with you. Sending them to Muggle primary school seems way too risky for exposure.”

“I do worry about socialization though.”

“Hmm. Me too. We should probably get in touch with other wizard families that have children the same age as ours.”

They came to a small halt as they overlooked the train tracks.

“I can’t wait for our kid to get on the train for the first time.” Y/N sighed.

Remus patted her hand in his. “What did you feel your first time on it?”

“Terrified.” Y/N chortled. “I was anxious even as a child. You?”

“Me too. But I guess, something really deep inside me- I don’t know. I just felt like my life was going to change, I guess.”

Y/N smiled softly at the gentle man before her.

“And we have to take that train really soon again.”

“Yeah.”

“Crazy.”

They continued walking, the castle of Hogwarts standing tall against them, hovering and watching over them as it has done for so long.

+

As the year continued to draw to a close, the exam season proceeded on. Today were the Charms finals for the 3rd-years, as well as the 5th-years’ OWL’s. Even the Weasley twins had been spotted with their books open, working in a corner of the library.

Y/N downed the last of her tea, as she rifled through a pack of fresh grading sheets. She waved her wand, and yesterday’s 2nd-year evaluations floated upwards, inserted themselves neatly in a folder, and slid themselves into her briefcase.

She clapped her hands together and got up to the door, opening it to a crowd of her 3rd-years. 

“Ready?”

She let them trickle in and take their seats at the individually separated desks. Walking through the aisles, she placed an exam sheet on each one facing down.

“Alright, everyone, please get your things straight and then leave your bags up here in the front. Remember, you’re only allowed your quills for the written part.”

“You guys have one hour. Don’t forget to check both sides of the paper. Time starts… now.”

A synchronized whoosh of 30 papers being flipped over echoed across the room, followed by the etching of quills.

Y/N hated the written exams. She had nothing to do but to count the tiles in the classroom and twiddle her thumbs.

She was on her 5th recount of how many tiles spanned from one wall to another when a figure flashed in her peripheral.

Remus had passed by and judging the complete silence, assumed Y/N was sitting an exam. He waved cheerily, happy he had opted for practical examinations. Y/N rolled her eyes when she spotted him. Remus turned back around and passed the classroom door again.

“STOP.” Y/N mouth silently, gesturing to her students.

A few of them looked up and laughed, leading to a few more turning their heads.

“Enough.” Y/N shook her head, waving her wand and the door slammed shut, Remus disappearing from their sights.

“Professor Lupin’s just gloating that all his finals are over.” Y/N hushed the group. “Now get on, I’m not giving you extra time.”

She winked at the end, and the students returned to their scrolls, the atmosphere in the classroom noticeably lighter.

+

Light filled the room as Y/N clicked the lamp open. She turned to her side to find Remus wide awake as well.

“Can’t sleep?” She muttered.

“Nope.”

Y/N huffed, stacking her pillows and coming up to a seated position.

“It’s the full moon soon. How are you feeling?”

“The usual.” Remus yawned, turning on his side. He examined the grey circles under Y/N’s eyes through his wrinkle-decorated own. “I just feel a bit weird.”

“Hm.” Y/N responded. “Me too.”

“We’re probably just tired from so many back to back exams and all the grading.”

“Yeah. And my heart is kind of hurting. I just can’t really believe this year is ending. This has been the best job I’ve ever had in my whole life.”

Remus slid his hand under the covers to find hers.

“All good things must come to an end, my love.”

Y/N smiled sadly.

“What are the odds Flitwick needs another year off, eh?”

Remus chuckled.

Y/N clicked the lamp off and the two laid back in once again total darkness. Outside their window, roamed the creatures of the night. Centaurs, unicorns trudging across the Forbidden Forest, Dementors floating outside the Castle perimeter, and strolling stealthily in the Hogsmeade village; a ginger cat and its newfound friend, a big shaggy black dog.

+

Remus strolled along on his daily walk of the Castle grounds. Y/N had opted to stay in bed well into the afternoon that day, feeling more tired than usual.

He found a tree stump near Hagrid’s Hut and installed himself comfortably under it. He pulled a book from the pocket of his robes and opened it to the page he had last marked. About three quarters of an hour passed when he noticed Harry, Hermione and Ron come down and go into Hagrid’s. He returned to his book.

A small while later, he noticed more figures make their way to that direction.  One sported a bowler hat, which he recognized as the Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge, and two wizards followed him. One of them had a shiny axe attached to his belt, which glistened when it caught the sun.

Comprehension dawned upon Remus. He had heard of Hagrid’s Hippogriff case with Malfoy and the Ministry, and Y/N had told him in passing of the Harry and his friends’ interest in the outcome.

They emerged from the hut and crossed paths with the men. Remus closed his book. Those three better not involve themselves any further with the case, he thought. He didn’t want them to be exposed to the execution.

+

"THE DARK LORD LIES ALONE AND FRIENDLESS, ABANDONED BY HIS FOLLOWERS. HIS SERVANT HAS BEEN CHAINED THESE TWELVE YEARS. TONIGHT, BEFORE 

MIDNIGHT... THE SERVANT WILL BREAK FREE AND SET OUT TO REJOIN HIS MASTER. THE DARK LORD WILL RISE AGAIN WITH HIS SERVANTS AID, GREATER AND 

MORE TERRIBLE THAN EVER HE WAS. TONIGHT... BEFORE MIDNIGHT... THE SERVANT... WILL SET OU... TO REJOIN... HIS MASTER.... 

Harry dropped the crystal ball he was supposed to return to Professor Trelawney and ran.

Thus began a very fateful night.

+

Remus walked through the Castle that evening and felt a weird shift in the air. Exams were over sure, but there was a certain trio that seemed the opposite of celebratory. Making his way down to the Great Hall, he took a seat next to Professor Sprout.

“Evening, Lupin.” She said happily.

“Good evening, Professor.” He responded kindly.

“Y/N coming soon?”

“Hm? Oh, I’m not sure, she’s taking a nap now. She’s been awfully tired this past week.”

“That’s okay, classic end-of-year burnout” she replied, then proceeded to ask him how if he had finished all his grading.

Remus conversed with her a bit distractedly as he watched over the Gryffindor table, spotting Harry, Ron and Hermione. They were visibly pre-occupied and were huddled away from the other students, discussing seriously.

“Have you heard from Hagrid? Poor thing, his Hippogriff’s been sentenced to death today. It’s going to happen tonight, any minute now actually I think.”

Remus turned to face her. “Really? That’s horrible…”

Professor Sprout pursed her lips in agreement before taking another bite of chicken.

Remus looked over at the trio again. They were standing up hastily, walking out of the Hall with quick little steps. He frowned. What were they up to?

He took the time to finish his dinner calmly and bid the fellow staff goodbye. Making his way back into his office, he pulled out his things quietly as the bedroom door was still shut; Y/N was probably still asleep.

He took a seat at his desk and pulled out what looked like an old used piece of parchment.

“I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.”

The map opened and unfolded as traces of ink bled upon its pages, forming its intricate content. He scanned it quickly, before turning his attention to Hagrid’s Hut. Hagrid’s dot was there, along with Dumbledore’s and other names he assumed were Ministry officials.

Running along the path to his Hut, he stopped at the two dots moving right under the Whomping Willow. It was Harry and Hermione. Where was Ron? What were they doing by that tree?

A thought popped in his head and his stomach sank. He moved up the map, praying to God that his far-fetched conjecture wouldn’t be true. Landing on Hogsmeade Village, he looked for the Shrieking Shack. The weight in his stomach sank even further. Ron’s dot was there, accompanied by none other than… Sirius Black.

His hands shook. He had to go help him. But as he watched the dots move, a third one came into view.

It was labelled “Peter Pettigrew”.

At that second, the blood had left Remus’ face. His hands grew cold. He shook the paper. He rapped his wand at it. He blinked and blinked again. The dot was still there, labelled with that name as clear as day.

In that very moment, a 13 year-old puzzle just came together with this one final piece. The web wove itself to completion. He understood… Stuffing his wand in his pocket, he jumped out of his chair and sped out the door.

+

In the Shrieking Shack, blood pressures were high.

Ron lay in the corner, with his weight off his broken leg, clutching his rat Scabbers. Hermione stood in the corner, quiet and pale.

Harry was fuming, frozen with his wand lifted and pointed to a ghastly, ghost-like Sirius Black.

"Going to kill me, Harry?" he whispered. 

Harry stopped right above him, his wand still pointing at Black's chest, looking down at him. A livid bruise was rising around Black's left eye and his nose was bleeding. 

"You killed my parents," said Harry, his voice shaking slightly, but his wand hand quite steady. 

Black stared up at him out of those sunken eyes. 

"I don't deny it," he said very quietly. "But if you knew the whole story." 

"The whole story?" Harry repeated, a furious pounding in his ears. "You sold them to Voldemort. That's all I need to know." 

"You've got to listen to me," Black said, and there was a note of urgency in his voice now. "You'll regret it if you don't.... You don't understand...." 

"I understand a lot better than you think," said Harry, and his voice shook more than ever. "You never heard her, did you? My mum... trying to stop Voldemort killing me... and you did that... you did it...." 

Crookshanks jumped in between the two and sat itself at Black’s feet, looking back at Harry with deep yellow eyes.

The seconds lengthened. And still Harry stood frozen there, wand poised, Black staring up at him, Crookshanks on his chest. Ron's ragged breathing came from near the bed; Hermione was quite silent. 

And then came a new sound - 

Muffled footsteps were echoing up through the floor — someone was moving downstairs. 

"WE'RE UP HERE!" Hermione screamed suddenly. "WE'RE UP HERE -- SIRIUS BLACK - QUICK!" 

Professor Lupin came hurtling into the room, his face bloodless, his wand raised and ready. His eyes flickered over Ron, lying on the floor, over Hermione, cowering next to the door, to Harry, standing there with his wand covering Black, and then to Black himself, crumpled and bleeding at Harry's feet. 

"Expelliarmus!" Lupin shouted. 

Harry's wand flew once more out of his hand; so did the two Hermione was holding. Lupin caught them all deftly, then moved into the room, staring at Black, who still had Crookshanks lying protectively across his chest. 

+

Y/N woke up to a dark room. She groaned and rubbed her eyes. Her entire face felt scorching hot and her mouth was dry like she hadn’t drank in days. She rolled over in the bed. She had crawled under her blankets in the evening before dinner for a quick nap, but judging by the chill and dark air outside, she must have slept into early night.

She felt a tightness in her pelvic area, like cramps. She placed a hand on her abdomen.

Pulling herself out of bed lazily, she head to the bathroom. Her period was supposed to start a few days ago, so this must’ve been it. However, as she sat down on the toilet, there was nothing.

Suddenly, a realization jolted her mind awake.

She ran back to the bedroom, rummaging through her drawer for a pregnancy test. She went back to the bathroom and waited for the result.

Positive.

She put down the test swiftly, looking away as she felt her heartbeat quicken. She couldn’t believe her eyes. Slowly, she picked up the stick and read the result once more.

Holy shit.

She looked around her and it occurred to her that Remus was nowhere to be found. She checked the clock. It was well past 10pm. 

Where the hell was he?

+

"Where is he, Sirius?" 

Remus spoke in a tense voice, cutting through the weighted silence that took over the Shrieking Shack.

Black's face was quite expressionless. For a few seconds, he didn't move at all. Then, very slowly, he raised his empty hand and pointed straight at Ron. 

Mystified, Harry glanced around at Ron, who looked bewildered. 

"But then..." Lupin muttered, staring at Black so intently it seemed he was trying to read his mind, "... why hasn't he shown himself before now? Unless" -- Lupin's eyes suddenly widened, as though he was seeing something beyond Black, something none of the rest could see, "-- unless he was the one... unless you switched... without telling me?" 

Very slowly, his sunken gaze never leaving Lupin's face, Black nodded. 

"Professor," Harry interrupted loudly, "what's going on --?" 

But Harry wasn’t able to finish his sentence, as what followed knocked the wind from his throat.

Remus lowered his wand. He walked to Sirius’ side, seized his hand confidently and pulled him to his feet. He gazed deeply into his eyes for a second, before the two men pulled each other into a deep embrace.

“I don’t believe it—“ Remus gasped, voice muffled.

“God, it’s been so long,” Sirius muttered back, “my friend.”

"DON'T BELIEVE IT!" Hermione screamed. 

Lupin let go of Black and turned to her. She had raised herself off the floor and was pointing at Lupin, wild-eyed. "You -- you --" 

"Hermione —"

“— you and him!" 

"Hermione, calm down —" 

"I didn't tell anyone!" Hermione shrieked. "I've been covering up for you —" 

"Hermione, listen to me, please'" Lupin shouted. "I can explain —" 

Harry could feel himself shaking, not with fear, but with a fresh wave of fury. 

"I trusted you," he shouted at Lupin, his voice wavering, out of control, "and all the time you've been his friend!" 

"You're wrong," said Lupin. "I haven't been Sirius's friend, but I am now — Let me explain...." 

"NO!" Hermione screamed. "Harry, don't trust him, he's been helping Black get into the castle, he wants you dead too -- he's a werewolf!" 

There was a ringing silence. Everyone's eyes were now on Lupin, who looked remarkably calm, though rather pale. 

+

Where the hell was he?

Y/N’s head was spinning as too much was happening at the same time. She glanced around hurriedly for signs of Remus, then remembered she was clutching the positive pregnancy test and looked back at the positive result, then saw the Marauder’s Map was splayed across the desk, still open.

She closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. She stuffed the test in her pocket then headed towards his desk. She’d be able to find where Remus was on the map, then would go back to sleep.

It took a while for her eyes to scan the entire Castle for his name, to no avail. Where the hell was he? Surely he was not outside… It then dawned on her that tonight was the full moon.

Shit. 

She looked over to the Shrieking Shack and nothing could have prepared her to see what she saw. Not one, but six dots. One was Remus, but he was accompanied by Harry, Ron and Hermione, as well as…

Y/N felt her heart freeze. Sirius Black? And… Peter… Pettigrew?

None of this felt possible. It couldn’t be. Grabbing her wand, she rushed out the office.

With this new information, the full moon had completely been replaced in her mind. Unfortunately, the only one who did seem to still remember was a certain Potions professor, on his way up to their office right now, where the map laid wide open.

+

"Not at all up to your usual standard, Hermione," Remus said. "Only one out of three, I'm afraid. I have not been helping Sirius get into the castle and I certainly don't want Harry dead.”  An odd shiver passed over his face. "But I won't deny that I am a werewolf." 

Ron made a valiant effort to get up again but fell back with a whimper of pain. Lupin made toward him, looking concerned, but Ron gasped, "Get away from me, werewolf!" 

Lupin stopped dead. Then, with an obvious effort, he turned to Hermione and said, "How long have you known?" 

"Ages," Hermione whispered. "Since I did Professor Snape's essay..." 

"He'll be delighted," said Lupin coolly. "He assigned that essay hoping someone would realize what my symptoms meant.... Did you check the lunar chart and realize that I was always ill at the full moon? Or did you realize that the boggart changed into the moon when it saw me?" 

"Both," Hermione said quietly. 

Lupin forced a laugh. 

"You're the cleverest witch of your age I've ever met, Hermione." 

"I'm not," Hermione whispered. "If I'd been a bit cleverer, I'd have told everyone what you are!" 

"But they already know," said Lupin. "At least, the staff do." 

“The staff? Does Professor Y/L/N know?” Ron gasped.

Sirius let out a howl of genuine laughter. “Professor Y/L/N!” He cackled. 

Remus scratched the back of his head, suddenly slightly bashful. “Professor Y/L/N and I… have been married for over 10 years.”

Harry, Ron and Hermione’s jaws dropped.

Silence fell over the room once again, as Remus stood there not knowing what to say next and Sirius standing by his side with his arms crossed, a slight smirk on his face.

“Well, we knew that!” Hermione exclaimed, finally. “That was more obvious than the werewolf thing! The whole school talks about it—“

She was interrupted as a new set of footsteps echoed from the staircase. The kids froze as Remus and Sirius turned to face the door, wands at the ready.

In burst Y/N, as if right on cue in a play. She was flushed and was panting, it appeared she had ran the whole way there. 

“Remus!” She cried out upon seeing him. “YOU HAVE A LOT OF EXPLAINING TO DO—“ She took a step forward until she spotted his company, and slowly took the step back. “What…” She murmured shakily, “is happening here?”

“Professor Y/L/N.” Hermione gasped softly.

Her eyes hovered over Harry, Ron and Hermione, who were in shock to see their Charms Professor, before landing upon Sirius. Something unrecognizable flashed across her gaze. She couldn’t believe what, or whom, she was seeing. She had thought the map made a mistake.

Y/N didn’t hear her. “Siri…?” she whispered, fixated on the man in front of her.

That’s when Harry lost it.

“‘SIRI?’ I TRUSTED YOU TOO! SO THIS WHOLE TIME -BOTH- OF YOU HAVE BEEN HELPING HIM?”

Y/N jumped from the sudden outburst and Remus came by her side to put a soothing hand on her shoulder. “Remus, you better explain and you better explain quick.” She said tensely.

“We have not been helping Sirius," said Lupin. "If you'll give me a chance, I'll explain. Look —" 

He separated Harry's, Ron's and Hermione's wands and threw each back to its owner; Harry caught his, stunned. 

“There”, said Lupin, sticking his own wand back into his belt. "You're armed, we're not. Now will you listen?" 

"If you haven't been helping him," Harry said, with a furious glance at Black, "how did you know he was here?" 

"The map," said Lupin. "The Marauder's Map. I was in my office examining it —“

"You know how to work it?" Harry said suspiciously. 

"Of course I know how to work it," said Lupin, waving his hand impatiently. "I helped write it. I'm Moony — that was my friends' nickname for me at school." 

"You wrote —?" 

Y/N caught Harry’s eye and gave him a confirming nod.

"The important thing is, I was watching it carefully this evening, because I had an idea that you, Ron, and Hermione might try and sneak out of the castle to visit Hagrid before his hippogriff was executed. And I was right, wasn't I?” 

He had started to pace up and down, looking at them. Little patches of dust rose at his feet. 

"You might have been wearing your father's old cloak, Harry--" 

"How d'you know about the cloak?" 

"The number of times I saw James disappearing under it...," said Lupin, waving an impatient hand again. "The point is, even if you're wearing an Invisibility Cloak, you still show up on the Marauder's Map. I watched you cross the grounds and enter Hagrid's hut. Twenty minutes later, you left Hagrid, and set off back toward the castle. But you were now accompanied by somebody else." 

"What?" said Harry. "No, we weren't!" 

I couldn't believe my eyes," said Lupin, still pacing, and ignoring Harry's interruption. "I thought the map must be malfunctioning. How could he be with you?" 

"No one was with us!" said Harry. 

"And then I saw another dot, moving fast toward you, labeled Sirius Black.... I saw him collide with you; I watched as he pulled two of you into the Whomping Willow —"

"One of us!" Ron said angrily. 

"No, Ron," said Lupin. "Two of you.”

He had stopped his pacing, his eyes moving over Ron.

"Do you think I could have a look at the rat?" he said evenly.

"What?" said Ron. "What's Scabbers got to do with it?" 

"Everything," said Lupin. "Could I see him, please?" 

Ron hesitated, then put a hand inside his robes. Scabbers emerged, thrashing desperately; Ron had to seize his long bald tail to stop him escaping. Crookshanks stood up on Black's leg and made a soft hissing noise. 

Lupin moved closer to Ron. He seemed to be holding his breath as he gazed intently at Scabbers. 

"What?" Ron said again, holding Scabbers close to him, looking scared. 

"What's my rat got to do with anything?" 

"That's not a rat," croaked Sirius Black suddenly.

"What d'you mean — of course he's a rat —"

"No, he's not," said Lupin quietly. "He's a wizard.”

"An Animagus," said Black, "by the name of Peter Pettigrew." 

"You're both mental.”

"Ridiculous!" said Hermione faintly. 

"Peter Pettigrew's dead!" said Harry. "He killed him twelve years ago!" He pointed at Black, whose face twitched convulsively. 

"I meant to," he growled, his yellow teeth bared, "but little Peter got the better of me... not this time, though!" 

And Crookshanks was thrown to the floor as Black lunged at Scabbers; Ron yelled with pain as Black's weight fell on his broken leg. 

"Sirius, NO!" Lupin yelled, launching himself forwards and dragging Black away from Ron again, "WAIT! You can't do it just like that -- they need to understand -- we've got to explain --" 

"We can explain afterwards!" snarled Black, trying to throw Lupin off. 

Y/N joined and stepped in front of Sirius. “Sirius, please!” She put both hands on his shoulders, causing him to flinch. Her voice was shaking. “They deserve to know the full picture.”

Black stopped struggling, though his hollowed eyes were still fixed on Scabbers, who was clamped tightly under Ron's bitten, scratched, ad bleeding hands. “Fine. But make it quick. I want to commit the murder I was imprisoned for.”

"You're nutters, all three of you," said Ron shakily, looking round at Harry and Hermione for support. "I've had enough of this. I'm off." 

“Ron.” Y/N said sternly. “Sit down. I’m not joking, you’re going to listen.”

Hermione spoke, in a trembling, would-be calm sort of voice, as though trying to will Professor Lupin to talk sensibly. 

"But Professor Lupin... Scabbers can't be Pettigrew... it just can't be true, you know it can't..." 

"Why can't it be true?" Lupin said calmly, as though they were in class, and Hermione had simply spotted a problem in an experiment with grindylows. 

"Because... because people would know if Peter Pettigrew had been an Animagus. We did Animagi in class with Professor McGonagall. And I looked them up when I did my homework -- the Ministry of Magic keeps tabs on witches and wizards who can become animals; there's a register showing what animal they become, and their markings and things... and I went and looked Professor McGonagall up on the register, and there have been only seven Animagi this century, and Pettigrew's name wasn't on the list." 

Lupin and Y/N laughed.

"Light again, Hermione!" he said. "But the Ministry never knew that here used to be three unregistered Animagi running around Hogwarts." 

Y/N cleared her throat.

“Sorry, four Animagi. Although we didn’t really know back then about you, my love.”

Y/N rolled her eyes. “Still, wanted to make sure you got the number right.”

Hermione’s eyes grew wider if it was even possible. “Professor Y/L/N, you’re an Animagus too?!”

Y/N nodded and gestured to Remus to proceed.

"All right... but you'll need to help me, Sirius," said Lupin, I only know how it began..." 

Lupin broke off. There had been a loud creak behind him. The bedroom door had opened of its own accord. All five of them stared at it. Then Lupin strode toward it and looked out into the landing. 

"No one there…"

"This place is haunted!" said Ron. 

"It's not," said Lupin, still looking at the door in a puzzled way. "The Shrieking Shack was never haunted.... The screams and howls the villagers used to hear were made by me." 

He pushed his graying hair out of his eyes, thought for a moment then said, "That's where all of this starts -- with my becoming a werewolf, None of this could have happened if I hadn't been bitter... and if I hadn't been so foolhardy..." 

He looked sober and tired. Ron started to interrupt, but Hermione, said, "Shh!" She was watching Lupin very intently. 

"I as a very small boy when I received the bite. My parents tried everything, but in those days there was no cure. The potion that Professor Snape has been making for me is a very recent discovery. It makes me safe, you see. As long as I take it in the week, preceding the full moon, I keep my mind when I transform.... I'm able to curl up in my office, a harmless wolf, and wait for the moon to wane again. Before the Wolfsbane Potion was discovered, however, I became a fully fledged monster once a month. It seemed impossible that I would be able to come to Hogwarts. Other parents weren't likely to want their children exposed to me. “

Hermione noticed a hint of sadness as she watched Y/N listen to her husband’s story.

"But then Dumbledore became Headmaster, and he was sympathetic. He said that as long as we took certain precautions, there was no reason I shouldn't come to school...." Lupin sighed, and looked directly at Harry. "I told you, months ago, that the Whomping Willow was planted the year I came to Hogwarts. The truth is that it was planted because I came 

to Hogwarts. This house" -- Lupin looked miserably around the room, -- "the tunnel that leads to it -- they were built for my use. Once a month, I was smuggled out of the castle, into this place, to transform. The tree was placed at the tunnel mouth to stop anyone coming across me while I was dangerous." 

"My transformations in those days were -- were terrible. It is very painful to turn into a werewolf. I was separated from humans to bite, so I bit and scratched myself instead. The villagers heard the noise and the screaming and thought they were hearing particularly violent spirits. Dumbledore encouraged the rumor.... Even now, when the house has been silent for years, the villagers don't dare approach it...." 

"But apart from my transformations, I was happier than I had ever been in my life. For the first time ever, I had friends, three great friends. Sirius Black... Peter Pettigrew... and, of course, your father, Harry -- James Potter." 

Y/N sniffed.

"Now, my three friends could hardly fail to notice that I disappeared once a month. I made up all sorts of stories. I told them my mother was ill, and that I had to go home to see her... I was terrified they would desert me the moment they found out what I was. But of course, they, like you, Hermione, worked out the truth...." 

"And they didn't desert me at all. Instead, they did something for me that would make my transformations not only bearable, but the best times 

of my life. They became Animagi." 

"My dad too?" said Harry, astounded. 

"Yes, indeed," said Lupin. "It took them the best part of three years to work out how to do it. Your father and Sirius here were the cleverest students in the school, and lucky they were, because the Animagus transformation can go horribly wrong -- one reason the Ministry keeps a close watch on those attempting to do it. Peter needed all the help he could get from James and Sirius. Finally, in our fifth year, they managed it. They could each turn into a different animal at will." 

"But how did that help you?" said Hermione, sounding puzzled. 

"They couldn't keep me company as humans, so they kept me company as animals," said Lupin. "A werewolf is only a danger to people. They sneaked out of the castle every month under James's Invisibility Cloak. They transformed... Peter, as the smallest, could slip beneath the 

Willow's attacking branches and touch the knot that freezes it. They would then slip down the tunnel and join me. Under their influence, I became less dangerous. My body was still wolfish, but my mind seemed to become less so while I was with them." 

"Hurry up, Remus," snarled Black, who was still watching Scabbers with a horrible sort of hunger on his face. 

Y/N bit her lip as she dared to watch her old friend. She wanted to go touch him, comfort him, after so long… but she remained frozen on the spot as Remus continued.

"I'm getting there, Sirius, I'm getting there... well, highly exciting possibilities were open to us now that we could all transform. Soon we were leaving the Shrieking Shack and roaming the school grounds and the village by night. Sirius and James transformed into such large animals, they were able to keep a werewolf in check. I doubt whether any Hogwarts students ever found out more about the Hogwarts grounds and Hogsmeade than we did.... And that's how we came to write the Marauder's Map, and sign it with our nicknames. Sirius is Padfoot. Peter is Wormtail. James was Prongs." 

"What sort of animal --?" Harry began, but Hermione cut him off. 

"That was still really dangerous! Running around in the dark with a werewolf! What if you'd given the others the slip, and bitten somebody?" 

"A thought that still haunts me," said Lupin heavily. "And there were near misses, many of them. We laughed about them afterwards. We were young, thoughtless -- carried away with our own cleverness." 

I sometimes felt guilty about betraying Dumbledore's trust, of course... he had admitted me to Hogwarts when no other headmaster would have done so, and he had no idea I was breaking the rules he had set down for my own and others' safety. He never knew I had led three fellow students into becoming Animagi illegally. But I always managed to forget my guilty feelings every time we sat down to plan our next month's adventure. And I haven't changed..." 

Lupin's face had hardened, and there was self-disgust in his voice. "All this year, I have been battling with myself, wondering whether I should tell Dumbledore that Sirius was an Animagus. But I didn't do it. Why? Because I was too cowardly. It would have meant admitting that I'd betrayed his trust while I was at school, admitting that I'd led others along with me... and Dumbledore's trust has meant everything to me. He let me into Hogwarts as a boy, and he gave me a job when I have been shunned all my adult life, unable to find paid work because of what I am. And so I convinced myself that Sirius was getting into the school using dark arts he learned from Voldemort, that being an Animagus had nothing to do with it... so, in a way, Snape's been right about me all along." 

“Don’t put it all on yourself,” Y/N said grimly. “The blame’s to share. We both decided to not go to Dumbledore.”

"Snape?" said Black harshly, taking his eyes off Scabbers; for the first time in minutes and looking up at Lupin. "What's Snape got to do with it?" 

"He's here, Sirius," said Lupin heavily. "He's teaching here as well." He looked up at Harry, Ron, and Hermione. 

"Professor Snape was at school with us. He fought very hard against my appointment to the Defense Against the Dark Arts job. He has been telling Dumbledore A year that I am not to be trusted. He has his reasons... you see, Sirius here played a trick on him which nearly 

killed him, a trick which involved me —" Black made a derisive noise. Y/N shushed him.

“Oh, Y/N, don’t go defending him now—“ Sirius chuckled.

“I’m not! I’m just— Rem, continue the story.” She said, crossing her arms defensively.

The two exchanged looks between each other, a bit of playfulness coming from Sirius’ end whereas Y/N still looked conflicted about being in his presence.

"Severus was very interested in where I went every month." Lupin told Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "We were in the same year, you know, and we -- er -- didn't like each other very much. He especially disliked James. Jealous, I think, of James's talent on the Quidditch field... anyway Snape had seen me crossing the grounds with Madam Pomfrey one evening as she led me toward the Whomping Willow to transform. Sirius thought it would be -- er -- amusing, to tell Snape all he had to do was prod the knot on the tree trunk with a long stick, and he'd be able to get in after me. Well, of course, Snape tried it -- if he'd got as far as this house, he'd have met a fully grown werewolf -- but your father, who'd heard what Sirius had done, went after Snape and pulled him back, at great risk to his life... Snape glimpsed me, though, at the end of the tunnel. He was forbidden by Dumbledore to tell anybody, but from that time on he knew what I was...." 

"So that's why Snape doesn't like you," said Harry slowly, "because he thought you were in on the joke?" 

"That's right," sneered a cold voice from the wall behind Lupin. 

Severus Snape was pulling off the Invisibility Cloak, his wand pointing, directly at Lupin. 

Hermione screamed. Black leapt to his feet. Harry felt as though he'd received a huge electric shock. 

Y/N gasped and clutched her stomach. Black slowly grabbed her shoulders and placed himself in front of her protectively.

"I found this at the base of the Whomping Willow," said Snape, throwing the cloak aside, careful to keep this wand pointing directly at Lupin's chest. "Very useful, Potter, I thank you...." 

Snape was slightly breathless, but his face was full of suppressed triumph. "I've just been to your office, Lupin. You forgot to take your potion tonight, so I took a gobletful along. And very lucky I did... lucky for me, I mean. Lying on your desk was a certain map. One glance at it told me all I needed to know. I saw you running along this passageway and out of sight." 

"Severus --" Lupin began, but Snape overrode him. 

"I've told the headmaster again and again that you're helping your old friend Black into the castle, Lupin, and here's the proof. Not even I dreamed you would have the nerve to use this old place as your hideout — and you too Y/L/N. Here you are helping him out, a real criminal couple you two are…”

"Severus, you're making a mistake," said Lupin urgently. "You haven't heard everything -- I can explain -- Sirius is not here to kill Harry --" 

"Three more for Azkaban tonight," said Snape, his eyes now gleaming fanatically. “Though I do feel bad for you, Y/L/N, you never should have gotten involved… in the first place…I shall be interested to see how Dumbledore takes this.... He was quite convinced you were harmless, you know, Lupin... a tame werewolf —" 

“Don’t - you - fucking - dare—“ Y/N said through gritted teeth, wanting to lunge forward to strike Snape, but Sirius and Remus caught her arms, holding her back.

“How sweet.” Snape said sardonically.

"You fool," said Lupin softly. "Is a schoolboy grudge worth putting an innocent man back inside Azkaban?" 

BANG! Thin, snakelike cords burst from the end of Snape's wand and twisted themselves around Lupin's mouth, wrists, and ankles; he overbalanced and fell to the floor, unable to move. Y/N screamed, throwing herself down to check on him. With a roar of rage, Black started toward Snape, but Snape pointed his wand straight between Black's eyes. 

"Give me a reason," he whispered. "Give me a reason to do it, and I swear I will." 

Black stopped dead. It would have been impossible to say which face showed more hatred. 

Harry stood there, paralyzed, not knowing what to do or whom to believe. He glanced around at Ron and Hermione. Ron looked just as confused as he did, still fighting to keep hold on the struggling Scabbers. Hermione, however, took an uncertain step toward Snape and said, in a very breathless voice, "Professor Snape -- it it wouldn't hurt to hear what they've got to say, w -- would it?" 

"Miss Granger, you are already facing suspension from this school," Snape spat. "You, Potter, and Weasley are out-of-bounds, in the company of a convicted murderer and a werewolf. For once in your life, hold your tongue." 

Y/N whipped her head around, hearing the way Snape was beginning to speak to Hermione.

"But if -- if there was a mistake --" 

"KEEP QUIET, YOU STUPID GIRL!" Snape shouted, looking suddenly quite deranged. "DON'T TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" A few sparks shot out of the end of his wand, which was still pointed at Black's face. Hermione fell silent. 

“ENOUGH!” Y/N jumped up, pulling her wand out and pointing it straight at Snape. “Hermione, get back.”

“Step aside, Y/L/N. You don’t know what you’re doing.” He grunted.

“I said, get back, all three of you.” Y/N snapped, Harry and Hermione hurrying and backing up to where Ron laid.

“Severus, I’m serious, you need to hear them out.” Y/N said. Her voice was steely. She moved out from behind Sirius and inched her way closer to Snape, softly but steadily like a cat.

Snape ignored her. Remus struggled against his binds, his eyes not leaving Y/N. But deep down, he knew he didn’t have to worry. He had seen her fight during the first Wizarding War, and he knew how much more powerful of a witch she had grown into. Snape unfortunately, did not, as he returned his attention to Sirius.

"Vengeance is very sweet," Snape breathed at Black. "How I hoped I would be the one to catch you...." 

"The joke's on you again, Severus," Black snarled. "As long as this boy brings his rat up to the castle" -- he jerked his head at Ron -- "I'll come quietly...." 

"Up to the castle?" said Snape silkily. "I don't think we need to go that far. All I have to do is call the dementors once we get out of the Willow. They'll be very pleased to see you, Black... pleased enough to give you a little kiss, I daresay... I --" 

What little color there was in Blacks face left it. 

"You -you've got to hear me out," he croaked. "The rat -- look at the rat --" 

But there was a mad glint in Snape's eyes that had never been seen before. He seemed beyond reason. 

"Come on, all of you," he said. He clicked his fingers, and the ends of the cords that bound Lupin flew to his hands. "I'll drag the werewolf. Perhaps the dementors will have a kiss for him too —" 

“Severus.” Y/N warned, wand still at the ready.

Before he knew what he was doing, Harry had crossed the room in three strides and blocked the door. 

“Harry!” Y/N cried.

"Get out of the way, Potter, you're in enough trouble already," snarled Snape. "If I hadn't been here to save your skin --" 

"Professor Lupin could have killed me about a hundred times this year," Harry said. "I've been alone with him loads of times, having defense lessons against the dementors. If he was helping Black, why didn't he just finish me off then?" 

"Don't ask me to fathom the way a werewolf's mind works," hissed Snape. 

"Get out of the way, Potter." 

"YOURE PATHETIC!" Harry yelled. "JUST BECAUSE THEY MADE A FOOL OF YOU AT SCHOOL YOU WON'T EVEN LISTEN --" 

"SILENCE! I WILL NOT BE SPOKEN TO LIKE THAT!" Snape shrieked, looking madder than ever. "Like father, like son, Potter! I have just saved your neck; you should be thanking me on bended knee! You would have been well served if he'd killed you! You'd have died like your father, too 

arrogant to believe you might be mistaken in Black -- now get out of the way, or I will make you. GET OUT OF THE WAY, POTTER!" 

“Okay, I said ENOUGH!” Y/N raised her voice. 

With a wave of her wand, the floor tiles under Harry’s feet rolled upwards in a wave, and sent Harry tumbling back to the back of the room where Ron and Hermione were.

“Snape, I told you to listen,” She said, advancing on him with her wand. “I told you, I don’t want to have to do this. But you have clearly lost your mind.”

Snape turned to face her. His dark eyes darkened even more. “And I told you, to get out of my way.a What are you possibly saying, Professor Y/L/N, you really think I’m going to duel you?”

Y/N cocked her head to the side. “Why, you scared you gonna lose?” She said in a volume just above a whisper.

Snape jerked his wand and a spell flew at her, she whipped her own wand and deflected it. It bounced to the wall and knocked an old painting down.

With her empty hand, Y/N reached out to the trio and conjured a sort of bubble around Ron, Harry and Hermione. It was a protection spell.

Remus screamed in muffled yells as his mouth was gagged, and Sirius tried to free him but to no avail, there was no untying magical ties without a wand.

Y/N’s chest was heaving as she felt her heartbeat quicken.

A rapidfire of spells followed, bouncing between the two like fireworks. Y/N waved her wand, deflecting those Snape sent at her, conjuring out some of her own in the milliseconds in between. 

Snakes shot out of Snape’s wand, flying toward Y/N. She waved her wand and they turned into pink satin ribbons, falling through the air. She flicked her wand one, two, three different motions and jets of orange, red and purple shot toward him. He deflected two of them and managed to physically dodge the third. Snape rose his hands and a ring of fire encircled Y/N.

Remus let out another muffled yell, struggling terribly against his restraints.

“Don’t-“ Y/N muttered through gritted teeth as she began to make effortful circles with both her wand and her non-dominant hand. The others watched in terror. “Piss - me - OFF—“

The molecules of water vapor surrounding her had liquefied and splashed down onto the floor to put out the flames. “The shack’s made out of fucking wood, Snape, you want us all to DIE?”

She raised her wand high above her head, the water getting picked off the floor and she pushed the wave into him. It slammed his body into the wall behind him and with another wave of her wand, the water froze; trapping him there, suspended. 

Remus watched from the ground in awe. He had forgotten how powerful Y/N had become and it was magnificent to witness.

Snape’s head had knocked back and it drooped down, hanging from his neck. He had been knocked unconscious.

Sirius found Remus’ wand and untied him.

Y/N took a deep breath and lowered her wand. She waved her hand, and the protective barrier in front of the trio disappeared. Remus jumped to his feet and rushed to her, capturing her in a soulful hug.

“Are you okay? Are you hurt?” He said, taking her face in his two hands, searching and scanning for signs of distress.

“I’m good, I swear.” She said, steadying her breath.

After what seemed like forever, finally Remus let her go. They immediately turned back around to heightened squeaking noises, coming from a very distressed Scabbers, still stuck in Ron’s tight clutch.

“Professor Y/L/N…” Hermione began. 

“That was amazing.” Ron breathed.

“How you used the Freezing charm to- to- Oh God, Professor Snape.” Hermione gasped once she saw what state he was in.

“This still doesn’t mean I believe you.” Harry said firmly.

Y/N, Remus and Sirius exchanged a look.

“Then it’s time we gave you proof.” Remus said, advancing.

1980. Very shortly after Y/N joined the Order.

“Dog.” Remus pointed out.

“Dog.”

Y/N and Remus were on a walk in a little London park. 

“I need to pet it so bad.” Y/N said. Remus chuckled, sneaking a glance at her.

And luckily enough, as they walked past the owner, the fluffy golden retriever with a waggy tail proved to be friendly, running over to Y/N and Remus.

“Hi! Hello!” Y/N exclaimed happily as the dog ran up to her, sniffing and licking her legs. “May I pet him?” She looked up at the owner.

“Of course.”

“Oh, you’re so sweet aren’t you— oh!” Y/N giggled, kneeling down and petting the dog, giving him good scratches everywhere and letting him lick her face.

Remus looked down on her with fondness on his face before crouching down beside her to pat the dog’s head.

“Have a great day.” Y/N smiled as they got up. The owner tipped his hat at them, and they walked away from each other.

“Big dog lover, eh?” Remus said.

“Yes.” Y/N smiled. “I just love them so much, they’re so cuddly and happy. They make me feel better every single time.”

“That’s really cute.” Remus said, refraining from saying “you’re”. They had just began being friends, he was way too shy to let his crush on her show just yet.

+

It was a Tuesday evening in November and a few Order members were gathered at Number 12 Grimmauld Place after a meeting.

“Hey Y/N, you okay?” Remus said as he walked in on Y/N in the living room, laid down on the couch under a blanket.

“Yeah.” Y/N replied. “Just traditional seasonal depression. It makes me want to hole up and do nothing.”

Remus took a seat at her feet. They stayed in silence for a little while until Remus sat up suddenly. “Wait here.”

He went to the kitchen where Sirius was and whispered something in his ear.

A few moments later, a big shaggy black dog burst through the living room, running straight for Y/N.

“Oh my GOD!” Y/N sat up immediately, closing her eyes as the dog jumped on her and started licking her face. “OH MY GOD, WHERE DID YOU COME FROM—“ She squealed out of happiness as he wagged his tail, nuzzling her and happily accepting her scratches.

Remus felt warmth fill his chest and cheeks as Y/N’s hearty loud laugh filled the room. He realized that he loved seeing her happy like this. And he did like that it was his doing.

+

The kitchen was filled with the clunk of glass Butterbeer bottles hitting the table, the crunch of biting into a handful of chips and loud booming voices.

“Y/N, your turn.” Remus said.

“Mkay,” Y/N said, leaning over to pick up a card. She read it, “Question. Have you ever lied to me and if yes, what was the lie? Hmm…. I’m gonna ask it to the both of you, can I do that?”

Sirius shrugged from across the table. “Okay. So a time where both Moony and I have lied to you?”

Y/N nodded, leaning back in her chair. She looked at the two, smiling. “This should be good.”

Remus and Sirius looked at each other, pensively. Remus burst out laughing. “Well, there is a big thing that we’ve been keeping from you…”

“What?” Sirius looked at Remus confusedly. Remus stuck his tongue out and panted, and Sirius threw his head back in laughter upon comprehending. “Okay, yeah, Y/N there is one thing.”

“What?” Y/N asked in anticipation.

“You know that black dog that Remus brings around whenever you’re sad?”

“Yeah…” Y/N raised an eyebrow. This was not where she expected it to go. 

“Well… it’s ME!”

Y/N spat out her drink. “The fuck you mean it’s you?”

“It’s literally me.”

“Shut up.”

Remus was laughing to the point of tears right now.

Sirius stood up, did a little twirl and transformed into the dog. Y/N fell out of her seat.

“WHAT? REMUS JOHN LUPIN, THIS WHOLE TIME THAT DOG YOU’VE BEEN BRINGING IS MOTHERFUCKIN JUST SIRIUS??? SIRIUS?!”

Remus nodded, unable to speak as he wiped the tears of laughter from his face.

“Hold on… SO THAT’S WHY THEY CALL YOU PADFOOT?” Y/N yelled at the dog. Remus let out a howl of laughter. Y/N was under so much shock that she didn’t even think of admitting that she herself was also an Animagus.

Sirius transformed back into human form and come up behind Y/N to hug her.

“I feel so betrayed what—“ Y/N laughed. “I let you sleep on my lap!”

“And you still can, darling.” Sirius winked.

Remus rolled his eyes. 

“What, jealous Moony? Get over here.”

Remus joined his friends on the floor and the three tangled themselves in some sort of three-way hug.

“Guys?”

“Hmm?”

“I love you guys.” Y/N said, voice muffed in their embrace.

“To friendship.”

“To friendship”.

+

Y/N found herself watching Sirius undo his long mane of hair and comb his fingers through the knots before he threw it back into an updo.

“Siri?” She hummed.

“Yes?”

“You have such nice hair.” She complimented him.

He blushed slightly. “Well, thank you lovely.”

He walked out of the kitchen. Remus, who was sitting across the table from Y/N, lifted an eyebrow. He put down his coffee mug and a mischievous smile came upon his lips.

“Dove…”

“Hmm?”

“Can you come here for a sec?” He asked, leaning back in his chair and spreading his legs.

No need to ask twice for that. Y/N hopped up, and took a seat on Remus’ lap.

“What’s up?” She said, throwing her arms around his neck.

“Can I ask you something?” Remus said cheekily, tracing his thumb over the side of her hip. “Do you find Sirius attractive?”

That was not what Y/N was expecting to hear. She looked slightly taken aback. Her cheeks heat up. “He’s your best friend, Remmy!”

Remus shrugged. “I know. I just wanna know. I wouldn’t be offended you know, the opposite even.”

Y/N looked at him weirdly. Remus let out a shy chuckle. “I’ve never admitted this to you but… Sirius and I… we have in the past… occasionally…”

Y/N’s eyes widened.

“WHAT?”

That was even less of what Y/N expected to hear. “I’ve known you for a while now, and I’ve never heard of this!! What else have you not told me?”

“Just this, I promise.” Remus laughed, burying his head in her neck.

Y/N licked her teeth. “Damn. That’s kinda hot.”

“Really?” Remus lifted off her, reading her face for expression.

“Yeah…” Y/N said. She felt herself become shy. “And to answer your question, yeah Siri is cute. But you know you’re the love of my life, Remus.”

Remus smiled broadly. “I know. But it doesn’t mean we don’t get to have any fun, right?”

Y/N swallowed. She felt herself get aroused. And she knew that Remus would be able to smell it. It was a sense that had been permanently changed since his werewolf bite.

He did.

“You like the idea?” He whispered into her ear, hand sliding up between her thighs.

“Yes.” Y/N breathed, closing her eyes.

+

Y/N hummed to herself as she twirled around in her room in a bright red dress that she had just made herself. 

She heard the apartment door open and two pairs of footsteps walk in. It must be Remus with one of the other Marauders.

“Knock knock.” A voice said.

She looked up above her own reflection in the mirror. “Siri!”

Sirius came in and gave her a quick hug. “You’re the only one who calls me that.”

“It’s cute. Do you mind it?”

“No, not at all. What are you all dressed up for?”

“Oh, nothing. Just one of my latest boredom creations.”

Sirius hummed. “It looks nice.”

His gaze was respectful. It always was extremely respectful with Sirius and Y/N. He was like her gay best friend, except he wasn’t gay. At least not fully.

“Thanks.” Y/N smiled. “If I were to go out in this, how would I do my hair?” She pondered, going back to look at the mirror.

“Up. For sure.” Sirius answered.

Y/N gathered her hair up. “Like this?”

“Hmm. Yeah, but— may I?” He asked. She nodded and Sirius made his way to her.

He settled behind her and ran his fingers through her hair to gather it up in a ponytail. His fingers felt soft as they grazed her scalp.

“Like that.” Sirius said, holding the ponytail with one hand as his other came to rest on her bare shoulder. She felt her pulse in her neck dangerously close to where his hand was.

She looked at him in the mirror’s reflection. He met her gaze.

“Well, well, well, what fun are we up to here?”

Remus stepped in the room, jolting Y/N and Sirius apart. He let go of her hair and it came cascading down. 

“Hey!” Y/N whipped around to face him.

Although nothing really out of the ordinary had happened, the energy was different in the room.

“It feels like I’m interrupting something.” Remus chuckled, a hint of cheekiness in his voice.

“Course not.” Sirius said, plopping himself onto Y/N’s bed.

“I was just showing Pads my newest project.” Y/N gave a light twirl to show off the new dress. “You like?”

Remus licked his lips, stroking his chin. “Very beautiful.” Y/N grinned. From the side of his eye, he caught Sirius watching her too.

“Sirius, you like?”

Sirius broke off his gaze. “Hmm, wha- oh yes of course, our little bird’s quite the seamstress!”

Remus walked up to Y/N, greeting her with a hug. He leaned down placing a quick kiss on her lips. Y/N smiled through it.

She was about to pull away but Remus wrapped his arm around her waist. He slid his finger along her jaw and deepened the kiss.

Sirius looked away.

Y/N opened her eyes, giggling nervously. “Um, baby, Sirius is right there.” She whispered.

Remus opened his, glancing over at his friend on the bed. “Sirius, want to join?”

Both Y/N and Sirius looked at him, taken aback. They grew shy.

Sirius laughed it off, insinuating Remus played too much. But Remus didn’t drop the question.

“Listen, I don’t want to make any of you uncomfortable.” He began. “But… I do know for a fact that you two do find each other attractive.. and God knows it would be the hottest thing for me too. Maybe we can have a bit of fun?”

Y/N swallowed. She did not know what to feel except for a certain ache that began pooling between her legs.

“I- uh.” Sirius breathed. He ran his hand through his hair. He laughed, biting his lip. Y/N almost whimpered. “I’m down for anything if you are.”

Y/N let go of Remus. She nodded. Taking a hesitant step towards Sirius, she glanced back at Remus, who winked at her.

“Why don’t you climb onto his lap, dove, you love doing that.” Remus said, taking a seat in a nearby chair.

Sirius leaned back on his elbows, licking his lips as he watched Y/N climb onto him, a knee on either side of him.

“You’re such a pretty thing,” Sirius sighed.

“Could say the same about you,” Y/N responded as she ran her hands down his chest.

Sirius sat up, placing both of his hands on her hips.

“You can kiss her,” Remus grunted, thoroughly enjoying the sight of this.

Taking a deep breath in through their noses, Sirius and Y/N pressed their lips together. Letting out a moan, Sirius pulled her tighter against him, pressing her center to his.

Y/N cried out, the sound muffled by the kiss, as she wrapped her arms around Sirius’ neck and ground her hips under his hold.

“Merlin,” Sirius panted as the two pulled apart. “You’re exquisite. Can I touch you, sweetheart?”

Y/N nodded and Sirius brought both hands up, sliding up her ribs and coming to cup her breasts. He squeezed them, sending Y/N’s eyes rolling back.

“Such cute tits, oh I wanna see em,” he said, pulling the dress out of the way. He smiled when they were revealed to him, bringing his mouth to one of her nipples.

Remus loosened his tie from his corner, feeling hot.

“Isn’t she something?” He said, getting up and walking towards them. “I bet you’ve got Pads all hard and straining under there.”

Y/N grinned and nodded. “Let’s take care of that.”

She climbed off and Sirius undid his belt, pulling his pants off. Both Remus and Y/N kneeled down in front of him.

“Bloody hell,” Sirius swore again. It wasn’t even his birthday or Christmas.

He revealed himself. He indeed was already furiously hard.

“Gorgeous.”  Remus hummed. It had been a while. He placed a soft kiss on the head, licking over the slit.

Sirius hissed and squeezed his eyes closed. Y/N leaned forward, dragging her tongue down the base of his shaft as Remus sucked at the tip.

“Fucking hell!” He dared to look down, the sight of his best friend and his girl both sucking him off simultaneously enough to bring him closer over the edge.

He cradled both their heads with one hand, shaking and swearing until he finally came. Y/N wiped her mouth on the back of her hand. “Wow”.

Remus smiled, catching his breath. His eyes darkened. He could smell Y/N. And she was sopping.

“You wanna taste Y/N, Padfoot? I promise you she’s got the prettiest fucking pussy you’ll ever see.”

“Hell yes.”

Y/N whimpered, squeezing her thighs together before switching places with Sirius. Remus climbed onto the bed behind her, pulling her dress off over her head. Her breasts were still pink from Sirius’ hands beforehand.

Sirius’ eyes trailed down to her stomach, to the navy cotton underwear that hugged her hips. She spread legs and revealed a wet spot that had soaked through. Sirius almost fainted.

“Aw baby, you’re this wet huh? Sirius teased. He brought a finger to the warm fabric, spreading it and pressing against her clit.

Y/N cried, throwing her head back and Remus was behind her to bear her weight. “Who got you this wet, huh dove?” Remus asked, looking at her panting face as she settled her back nicely into his chest.

“You. You two.”

Sirius removed his hand and replaced it with his tongue, licking along the wet spot and dampening it even further. 

“Oh fuck,” Y/N gasped, crumbling onto Remus. “Take them fucking off.”

Sirius slid her panties down her legs, her pussy so wet that it already dripped and stained the sheet beneath her.

“Open up darling, open up. Let Padfoot see.” 

He slid his tongue up her folds once and wasted no time brushing it over her clit, taking it between his lips and sucking it.

Remus ran his warm hands over her stomach, then brought them up to her chest. With the pressure of Sirius’ tongue on her clit and Remus’ hands on her breasts, she moaned in ecstasy and threw her head back on Remus’ shoulder.

She cried, a string of half-gibberish swears leaving her mouth. Remus’ hand came and caressed her throat, then he ran his fingers over her lips, parting them so she can suck on them.

“So fucking good.”

+

Present day. 1993, Hogwarts.

Y/N took a swig from her goblet of orange juice as she opened the Daily Prophet that was laying around on the teacher’s table in the Great Hall. The headline wrote: “Sirius Black, newly sighted near Hertfordshire”. She lay her goblet down and quickly turned the paper to another page.

She glanced over at her side. Remus was quietly enjoying his breakfast.

“Anything interesting?” He asked.

Knock, knock, knock.

“C’min!” Hagrid’s gruff voice boomed from inside his hut. Y/N opened the door, and stepped inside.

“Hey,” Y/N said, taking her gloves off. “Oh, hi Hermione!”

Hermione was sat beside Hagrid, the two looking over books that were sprawled across his table, with two mugs of tea squished in between them.

“Hi, Professor Y/L/N!” Hermione smiled politely.

“Hermione’s just here helping me with Beaky’s case, found me all these dates and all in these books.”

“Wow, that’s wonderful.” Y/N beamed. “How are you guys doing?”

Hagrid let out a sigh, shrugging. Hermione did the same.

Y/N pursed her lip. “Tough time right now, I get it. Well, I don’t wanna disturb you, Hagrid, you have anything I can help you with today?”

Y/N was somewhat of an animal lover. Or, creature lover, to put it in correct terms. Ever since the winter, she’d go down to Hagrid’s once a week and ask him if she could help out with any creature tending he had to do. It cheered her up.

“Matter o’ fact, I do!” Hagrid sat up, turning around and going to get something from his fridge. “It’s time for the Hippogriffs to eat,” he said, dumping heaps of raw meat into a bucket.

“Wonderful.” Y/N said, walking over to Hermione to read over her shoulder. She placed her hand on her shoulder, “wanna come with?”

“Oh, no thanks Professor. Maybe I’ll join you after when I’m done showing Hagrid all this.”

“Sure.” Y/N smiled. “Ah,” she looked up once she heard the clunk of Hagrid’s bucket.

“Here, take Fang out with you. He’s driving us nuts.” Hagrid added, throwing in Fang’s treat bag in the bucket.

Y/N laughed. “Alright then, I’ll see you soon. Fang! Come on!”

She pulled her gloves back on and grabbed the bucket, holding the door open for Fang to run out beside her. They walked to the Hippogriff enclosure, occasionally pausing so that Fang can go to the bathroom.

“Hi guys,” Y/N called out as she neared the Hippogriff herd. They turned to her.

She bowed down to them one by one, waiting for their look of “ok” before handing them their food. Last, was Buckbeak.

She sat on a rock, watching them tear apart and munch on the pieces of meat with their impressive beaks.

“Oh, yes you get one too, I know you’re jealous that they get to eat,” Y/N said to Fang, who was whining and drooling next to her. She threw him a treat.

Buckbeak finished his meal, and slowly made his way to Y/N.

“Hi, buddy.” Y/N smiled. She watched him lie down next to her and stretch his long neck outward. He nudged the top of his head against her thigh. “You’re cuddly today.” She graciously lent her hand out and ran her fingers through his feathers. 

She sat there for a moment, petting Buckbeak and keeping an eye on Fang who was running around the enclosure. Birds chirped and it was music to her ears. Winters were always so hard for her, and with April looming closer, she began to feel relief.

“Might have a baby soon, you know.” She said to Buckbeak, smiling cheekily. Buckbeak made a sound and beckoned her to keep petting him. “That’s all. Nothing else has changed. I heard you’re going to London soon. I hope it’ll be a nice trip..”

Eventually, she got up, bid the Hippogriffs goodbye, and made her way back to Hagrid’s with Fang. 

“Hagrid,” she knocked, entering. “Here ya go.” She handed him the empty bucket, as well as Fang’s treats.

“Everythin’ alrigh’?”

“Everybody’s super, happy and fed.”

“Thanks a lot, eh Y/N. Hermione’s about to go too, yeh mind walking her up to the Castle?”

“Course not.” Y/N said, patting him on the arm. “You need me to hold something, Hermione?”

“No, thank you Professor, I’m leaving most of the books here.”

The two walked in silence up the hill that separated the Castle and the grounds.

Y/N glanced at Hermione. “You doing alright, Hermione?”

She nodded automatically, refusing to meet her professor’s eyes.

“I guess I’m a bit tired.” She said, finally.

Y/N nodded reassuringly. “You’re doing a lot.”

“I just…” Hermione started. “There’s so much I want to do. You know? I don’t know how to explain it. I feel like I can do so much.”

Y/N nodded once again. “You have the best kind of drive a young person can have, Hermione.”

They walked a little more.

“It’s my favourite part, working with people your age. A lot of you feel compelled to do something big, to save a lot of people. It’s really good, it’s a good thing. A necessary thing for the world to advance too.”

Y/N paused before continuing.

“But in the end, it’s okay if you only save one person. And it’s even more okay if that one person just turns out to be you.”

Y/N let Hermione think as they climbed up the few stairs to the castle entrance. To her surprise, Hermione wrapped her arms around her in a hug. Y/N rubbed her arm encouragingly before they broke apart.

“Thank you, Professor.”

Y/N watched her set off for the Gryffindor common room. Maybe what she said didn’t even register with Hermione. Or maybe it did. Maybe it just did.

+

Remus was in his office, dozing off slightly when his fireplace lit up and a familiar snarling voice called out: “Lupin! I want a word!”

He recognized it to be Snape’s. Thinking it was just something about the Polyjuice Potion, he absent-mindedly clambered into the ashes. Spinning out of his office and into a new location, he was taken aback by Harry Potter standing beside Snape, face adorned with a look of pure terror it seemed.

"You called, Severus?" said Lupin mildly.

"I certainly did," said Snape, his face contorted with fury as he strode back to his desk. "I have just asked Potter to empty his pockets. He was carrying this.”

Snape pointed at the parchment, on which the words of Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs were still shining.

Upon glancing at it, Remus felt his throat close up. He cleared it, attempting to play it off casually while he felt his entire chest seize up. It can’t be…

"Well?" said Snape.

Lupin continued to stare at the map. Harry had the impression that Lupin was doing some very quick thinking.

"Well?" said Snape again. "This parchment is plainly full of Dark Magic. This is supposed to be your area of expertise, Lupin. Where do you imagine Potter got such a thing?”

Lupin looked up and, by the merest half-glance in Harry's direction, warned him not to interrupt.

He racked his brains for a thing to say. Something plausible. How was he even going to get a single sentence out when about a million thoughts and emotions were rushing past his mind?

"Full of Dark Magic?" he repeated mildly. "Do you really think so, Severus? It looks to me as though it is merely a piece of parchment that insults anybody who reads it. Childish, but surely not dangerous? I imagine Harry got it from a joke shop —"

"Indeed?" said Snape. His jaw had gone rigid with anger. "You think a joke shop could supply him with such a thing? You don't think it more likely that he got it directly from the manufacturers?”

Manufacturers? Remus fought to keep a straight face.

"You mean, by Mr. Wormtail or one of these people?" he said. "Harry, do you know any of these men?”

"No," said Harry quickly.

"You see, Severus?" said Lupin, turning back to Snape. "It looks like a Zonko product to me —"

Right on cue, Ron came bursting into the office. He was completely out of breath, and stopped just short of Snape's desk, clutching the stitch

in his chest and trying to speak.

"I -- gave -- Harry -- that -- stuff," he choked. "Bought -- it... in Zonko's... ages -- ago…"

"Well!" said Lupin, clapping his hands together and looking around cheerfully. "That seems to clear that up! Severus, I'll take this back,

shall I?" He folded the map and tucked it inside his robes. "Harry, Ron, come with me, I need a word about my vampire essay -- excuse us, Severus —"

Harry didn't dare look at Snape as they left his office. He. Ron, and Lupin walked all the way back into the entrance hall before speaking. Then Harry turned to Lupin.

"Professor, I —“

"I don't want to hear explanations," said Lupin shortly. He glanced around the empty entrance hall and lowered his voice. "I happen to know that this map was confiscated by Mr. Filch many years ago. Yes, I know it' s a map," he said as Harry and Ron looked amazed. "I don't want to know how it fell into your possession. I am, however, astounded that you didn't hand it in. Particularly after what happened the last time a

student left information about the castle lying around. And I can't let

you have it back, Harry.”

Harry had expected that, and was too keen for explanations to protest. 

"Why did Snape think I'd got it from the manufacturers?"

"Because...," Lupin hesitated, "because these mapmakers would have wanted to lure you out of school. They'd think it extremely entertaining.”

"Do you know them?" said Harry, impressed.

"We've met," he said shortly. He was looking at Harry more seriously than ever before.

"Don't expect me to cover up for you again, Harry. I cannot make you

take Sirius Black seriously. But I would have thought that what you have heard when the dementors draw near you would have had more of an effect on you. Your parents gave their lives to keep you alive, Harry. A poor

way to repay them — gambling their sacrifice for a bag of magic

tricks."

Mind racing, he rushed back into his office, leaving Harry and Ron in the hallway, the map in between his quivering hands.

He fell into the nearest chair he could find once back in his quarters and tapped the map, muttering an all too familiar phrase.

                Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs

Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers are proud to present 

THE MARAUDER'S MAP

Remus traced the ink that appeared with a finger, then opened it and watched as every detail of the Hogwarts Castle and grounds appeared on the pages. He found the small dot in his office labeled ‘Remus Lupin’.

He burst into tears.

+

SMACK!

“Hermione!”

Don't you dare call Hagrid pathetic, you foul -- you evil —"

"Hermione!" said Ron weakly, and he tried to grab her hand as she swung

it back.

"Get off, Ron!”

Malfoy grunted to Crabbe and Goyle, and the three rushed into the castle, the former clutching the side of his face that Hermione had just smacked.

"Harry, you'd better beat him in the Quidditch final!" Hermione said shrilly. "You just better had, because I can't stand it if Slytherin wins!”

"We're due in Charms," said Ron, still goggling at Hermione. "We'd better go.”

They hurried up the marble staircase toward Professor Y/L/N’s classroom.

Y/N glanced over at them as they opened the classroom door, and gave them a quick nod before continuing her lesson.

“Cheering Charms today, pair up!”

Harry and Ron hurried to a desk at the back and opened their bags. Ron looked behind him.

"Where's Hermione gone?”

Harry looked around too. Hermione hadn't entered the classroom, yet Harry knew she had been right next to him when he had opened the door.

"That's weird.”

The lesson ended, and the students filed out of class all grinning ear to ear, the Charms had yet to wear off.

“Is Hermione okay?” Y/N asked Harry and Ron on their way out.

They shrugged, telling her they didn’t know where she went and then thanked her and bid her good day.

Y/N was magically wiping the chalkboards clean when she heard two pairs of loud, heavy footsteps running down the hall and into the classroom.

“I could hear you coming from a mile away, guys.” Y/N chuckled at Fred and George Weasley.

“Good afternoon, Professor Y/L/N!”

“Finished your class, Professor Y/L/N?”

They said in unison.

“Yes, come on in. What can I do for you two today?” Y/N said as she took a seat behind her desk.

The twins shared a look with each other.

“What….—” Y/N said suspiciously.

The twins broke out into identical grins.

“— did you guys do…”

“Nothing! We were just wondering—“ Fred said.

“if you—“ George continued.

“our favourite teacher, by the way—“ Fred intercepted.

Y/N rolled her eyes, urging them to continue.

“would take a look at something we’re working on?”

Y/N looked at them. “I’m guessing this thing you’re working on is not the latest essay I assigned eh?”

The twins chuckled. “Oh, that’s already finished!”

“Way ahead of you!”

“Will be on your desk before tomorrow’s class!”

Y/N smiled. They amused her so.

“Alright, what is it that you want to show me?”

“Okay. It’s a very early prototype.” Fred said, clapping his hands together. “George, the honours?”

“Very well, Fred.” George pulled out a small candy from his pocket. He took his time to unwrap it dramatically, then slowly put it in his mouth. And chewed.

Y/N looked at him quizzically before yelling out as soon as George seemingly gagged something up. The ‘something’ revealed itself to be his own tongue, which was swelling and coming out of his mouth doubling in size.

“FRED? What is this?!” Y/N gasped, jumping up to George’s side.

“No worries, Professor, this is what’s supposed to happen!” Fred cried out, pulling out his wand and muttering the counter-spell.

George’s tongue went back to normal. “Tada,” he said, taking a bow.

Y/N sat back down, looking flabbergasted, then burst out laughing. The twins beamed.

“You guys made that candy yourself?”

The twins nodded.

Y/N shook her head in disbelief. “How long did it take you to figure out how to trap the spell inside the piece of toffee?”

“Since you first taught it to us in December, Professor.”

“Hmm.” Y/N was visibly impressed. “So I teach you guys the Growth Charm, and you guys decide to put it in a candy to make people’s tongue grow thrice its size… This is high-level charmwork, gentlemen. And very creative.”

The twins beamed. “We want to make a business out of it, Professor.”

Y/N raised her eyebrows.

“We’ve got a bunch of other ideas too, like a Skiving Snackboxes line- candy that makes you sick so you can get out of class!”

Y/N nodded.

“You think it’s a bad idea, Professor?” George asked.

Y/N shook her head. “Hold onto the idea. I think you guys have got some real talent.”

The twins whooped and high-fived each other. “We’re set for life, Freddie!”

“Hey, hey, hey— that doesn’t mean you don’t need to put in the work, eh! All brilliant entrepreneurs still need a basic education as a foundation.”

The twins nodded.

“I don’t want you guys to be distracted and flunk your O.W.L.’s this year.” Y/N said. “ESPECIALLY your Charms one.” She winked and the twins nodded, chuckling.

“Yes, Professor.”

Another pair of loud, running footsteps echoed through the hallway and this time, in burst Hermione.

“Hermione!” Y/N exclaimed.

“Professor Y/L/N, I’m so sorry, I missed class, I—“

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, come, sit down. Breathe.”

Hermione sat down and relaxed. Y/N reassured her that it was okay, that she wasn’t upset and that she’d catch up on Cheering Charms the next time.

“No need to freak out, I mean, look at how many times these two have skipped my class.” Y/N said, jerking her head to Fred and George.

“Professor!” The twins retaliated, turning red like their hair. “We have been ill…”

“Hmm hmm, sure.” Y/N chuckled.

Just then, Remus passed by her classroom, poking his head in.

“Remus!” Y/N called out happily, beckoning him to join.

“Hello Professor Y/L/N, hello.” He smiled at her, then to Hermione and the twins.

“We were just eating some candy.” Y/N said lightly. “Care for a toffee?” She said, eyeing the twins.

Fred and George’s eyes grew round as they understood what she meant. 

“Um, here you go Professor.” Fred said, handing Remus a candy.

He put it in his mouth, then became aware that he was being stared at.

“Wha-?” He croaked before choking, his tongue starting to swell.

Y/N burst out laughing, running out of her chair to come to his aid. “I’m s-sorry, I’m so sorry—“ she gasped, pulling her wand out and quickly reversing it.

The three students concealed their laughter as they did not know if they should be allowed to laugh at the fact that they pranked a teacher.

Remus coughed and choked as his tongue went back to normal, Y/N still laughing and clutching onto his chest.

“What was that?” Remus gasped.

“I’m so sorry, it’s this prank thing the twins came up with.” Y/N said, still doubled over in laughter, clutching onto the lapel of his robes.

“Oh my god,” Remus chuckled, closing his eyes. “I should’ve known not to trust you.”

The two laughed, clutching at each other’s arms and hands. Hermione, Fred and George stood there, side-eyeing each other as they watched their two Professors struggle to get it together and keep their hands off each other.

+

"Gryffindor in possession, no, Slytherin in possession -- no!

Gryffindor back in possession and it's Katie Bell, Katie Bell for Gryffindor with the Quaffle, she's streaking up the field -- THAT WAS DELIBERATE!”

It was the Quidditch Cup Final, Gryffindor versus Slytherin, and the tension and adrenaline spread across the pitch was enough to send everyone flying.

"Ha haaa!" yelled Lee Jordan as the Slytherin Beaters lurched away from each other, clutching their heads. "Too bad, boys! You'll need to get up earlier than that to beat a Firebold And it's Gryffindor in possession again, as Johnson takes the Quaffle -- Flint alongside her -- poke him

in the eye, Angelina! -- it was a joke, Professor, it was a joke -- oh no -- Flint in possession, Flint flying toward the Gryffindor goal posts, come on now, Wood, save —!"

“Oh God, I can’t fucking watch this-“ Y/N screamed, clutching onto Remus’ arm.

The students standing across the teacher’s box were following the players but some did a double take as their eyes glossed over Remus and Y/N.

“Look— look, look at fucking Professor Y/L/N and Lupin—“ a student nudged her friend.

Her friend took her eyes off the game and giggled. “Do those Weasley twins still have that bet going on cause I’m definitely gonna put some money in now.”

“— AND POTTER CATCHES THE SNITCH, GRYFFINDOR WINS! GRYFFINDOR HAS WON THE QUIDDITCH CUP!”

The stadium burst into a thundering cheer as waves of crimson-clad students jumped up and down, shaking the seats and ground under them.

The teachers were equally going crazy, McGonagall’s bun had even undone itself from the amount of shaking her arms were doing. Y/N and Remus were yelling into each other’s faces, jumping up and down hugging each other. 

A group of students that were jumping up and down, flailing their arms,  pointed at Y/N and Remus, and began screaming and jumping even harder.

+

“Okay…! Okay Minerva, I see you today!” Y/N exclaimed as she walked in the teacher’s lounge one afternoon, carrying a mug of tea and wrapped in a blanket scarf.

“Thank you, thank you.” McGonagall smiled shyly, showing off her newly done nails to Professor Sprout who was sitting across the room.

Pomona hummed in appreciation. “Cold, Y/N?”

“Freezing. The Castle’s always freezing.”

“You’d think Dumbledore can up the fires a few degrees.” Pomona shook her head.

“You know women’s body temperatures are naturally lower than men’s?” Minerva huffed.

The two other women hummed in surprise.

“So, did you do these yourself?” Y/N gestured to Minerva’s nails as she took a seat.

“No, there’s a new salon in Hogsmeade village. She is quite good.”

“Oh! Did you get her card?”

“I believe so!” She bent down to rummage through her neatly organized bag. “Pomona?” She said, as she offered both of them one.

“Oh no, unfortunately I can never have my nails done! The only downside to Herbology I suppose.”

“Right… what if you wore gloves?” Y/N said.

Pomona shook her head. “It would still chip away, by rubbing against the fabric.”

“Right, right.”

“Guess what I overheard today in my 7th-years—“ Y/N said, bringing her mug of tea to her lips.

“Oh heavens, not some more relationship drama I suppose?” McGonagall said, sifting through the pack of essays she had been working on.

Y/N raised her eyebrows in response, taking another gulp of tea. “Oh yeah. Simon and Ashley.”

“Ravenclaw and Gryffindor?” Pomona asked.

“Yup.” Y/N nodded. “They were arguing in the middle of my class about skirts. He was saying how he didn’t want her to be wearing her skirt outside class time.”

“Oh my God.” Pomona rolled her eyes.

“Something about how he doesn’t like that she’ll be seen in it by the other boys.”

Minerva tutted, shaking her head ‘no’. 

“And get this— he was arguing how it’s a “BOUNDARY’ for him.”

“Oh no!” Pomona exclaimed.

“It’s not a boundary if it’s just a stupid — pardon me — rule that he’s imposing on her—“

“That’s what I thought!”

“I know it’s wrong to say this about our students, but I sure hope they break up…”

Everyone chuckled.

Y/N checked her watch, standing up and chugging the remainder of her tea. “I gotta go.”

“Have a great lesson, my dear.” Pomona said.

“I hate men like that.” McGonagall said. “Controlling, with such a fragile ego and masculinity!”

“I know.” Pomona agreed.

“It’s like— where do they get this from?” Y/N said, picking up her books. “Are they learning this type of stuff from their friends? Their fathers?”

The two other women shrugged. “Poor girl who has to suffer the consequences.”

“She’s so young too.” Y/N said, leaning on the back of Pomona’s chair.

She was about to linger a bit longer to chat more with her colleagues when the door swung open and Remus walked in.

“Hey!” Y/N smiled.

“Hey.” He gently replied back.

“You leaving?” Y/N asked as she held all her books, heading towards the door.

“No, but I’ll walk you.” Remus said.

He put his things down and walked out of the lounge behind her, accompanying her to her classroom.

+

Summer was definitely in the air. The days were warmer, the sun was out longer, and all anybody wanted to do was kick back by the lake with a jug of pumpkin juice and watch the Giant Squid float by.

Unfortunately, that was not the reality for students and teachers alike. It was finals season.

Thursday morning, was the 3rd-year’s Defense Against the Dark Arts exam.  Professor Lupin had compiled the most unusual exam any of them had ever taken; a sort of obstacle course outside in the sun, where they had to wade across a deep paddling pool containing a grindylow, cross a series of potholes full of Red Caps, squish their way across a patch of marsh while ignoring misleading directions from a hinkypunk, then climb into an old trunk and battle with a new boggart.

"Excellent, Harry," Lupin muttered as Harry climbed out of the trunk, grinning. "Full marks.” Looking up, he saw Y/N and smiled, waving.

Y/N came walking down, waving to the other students. “I’m just on a walk, soaking up the sun. Don’t let me interrupt you!”

Flushed with his success, Harry hung around to watch Ron and Hermione. Ron did very well until he reached the hinkypunk, which successfully confused him into sinking waist-high into the quagmire. Hermione did everything perfectly until she reached the trunk with the boggart in it. After about a minute inside it, she burst out again, screaming.

"Hermione!" said Lupin, startled. "What's the matter?”

"P -- P -- Professor McGonagall!" Hermione gasped, pointing into the trunk. 

"Sh -- she said I'd failed everything!”

It took a little while to calm Hermione down. By the time she had, Y/N had come back from her walk and decided to take a seat on the grass and watch the rest of the students pass.

It was Lavender Brown’s turn when she chose the wrong spell and chaos broke out among the Red Caps. They jumped out of their potholes, running in all directions.

“Lavender!” Remus called, dropping his clipboard and pulling his wand out.

Y/N jumped up from her spot on the grass, whipping her wand out as well.

The two professors muttered incantations, trying to immobilize the Red Caps as Lavender had frozen in her spot.

“Don’t worry Lavender, come, back up—“ Y/N ran towards her, grabbing her arm when a Red Cap suddenly jumped on her. She turned around quickly, wrestling with it for a second before Remus blasted it off from her. “Little shit,” she swore, squeezing her wrist after seeing that its long nails had left a cut.

“Y/N!” Remus gasped, running over to them. “Lavender, are you okay?” He glanced quickly at his student.

“Yes, I’m okay but Professor Y/L/N—“

“Where are you hurt—“

Remus looked Y/N up and down frantically, clutching her wrist.

“I’m fine Rem, just a scratch.”

“Lemme see..” He said, gently unwrapping her fingers from her wrist and holding it in his own palms.

It was a scratch and it was barely bleeding.

“We need to see Madam Pomfrey, it might be infected, then we need to—“

“Rem. Rem, hey. I’m fine.” Y/N said, locking eyes with him. “It barely went through my skin, look.”

Remus looked down, brushing his thumb gently over the scratch.

“You sure?” He whispered, looking back up at her.

“Yeah.” Y/N smiled.

Remus muttered a Bandaging Charm and wrapped it delicately around her wrist.

“Impressive shield work, I suppose you've had ample experience dealing with fiery nuisances.”

You grinned at him in the middle of the battle, “my life is basically a never ending bonfire.” 

The demons retaliated with a torrent of flames and you wielded your staff to make your forcefield stronger. 

Loki flourished his sceptre towards the demons, 

“You’re extremely competent with that staff.” Loki said, impressed. 

“That’s what he said.” 

You both laughed heartily. 

“My dear, your quick wit and fiery spirit are almost as impressive as my powers.” 

Loki shot the rest of the demons with two pistols he drew from his holders attached to his tan leather buckled belt.

There was quiet after, and you dropped your forcefield now the enemy had been dealt with. You looked back at Loki, taking in his brown batwing chaps. You had the sudden desire to be as close to him as possible and you both took strides towards each other. Loki gave you a smouldering look, his eyes full of passion, took you in his arms and leaned in…

“Latte?” 

Who had said that? Loki’s lips had moved but a different voice sounded. Had Loki always had that cowboy hat on?

“Latte.” A singsong voice stated again. 

“Hm? Yes please…” 

There was a gentle chuckling which confused you. What had you said that was funny? 

Come to think of it, what was that strange whirring noise? And what was digging into your head?

Your eyes opened slowly and found Thor and Fandral looking at you, grinning. 

Oh god, you’d fallen asleep on the spacecraft. 

Worse still, you seemed to be resting your head on the shoulder of none other than Loki of Asgard. 

He shoved you off, surprisingly not too sharply.

“You have a bony shoulder.” You mumbled, rubbing the side of your head. 

“How did you fall asleep? I thought you were nervous.” Loki asked, almost slightly impressed. 

“It’s a gift.” You yawned and stretched and ignored Loki’s narrowed eyes. “Are we there yet?” 

“Nearly.” Thor answered as he and Fandral shared a look. “Best prepare yourself.” 

They wandered to the front of the helm with Hogan. Prepare yourself? How could you prepare yourself? Maybe you could take a defensive stance or something? 

Unfortunately the more nervous you got, the loonier your brain tended to get and your dream had knocked you off kilter. 

 “Stop it.” Loki said, sharply.

“Wh-i’m not doing anything.”

You refused to make eye contact with him, the dream still far too fresh in your memory. Jesus, what would have happened if you hadn’t been woken up? 

You stared determinedly at the steel floor. 

“I can tell you are ruminating, you are going to work yourself up, as you usually do.” He added at the end unnecessarily. 

Why did he pick now as an opportunity to be kind of sweet? Well as sweet as Loki could be, which was still rather stern and prickly. 

What was that uncomfortable feeling, were you…

“Are you blushing?” Loki asked incredulously. “Like a fair maiden?” He added smugly. 

“No!” You said too fast. 

Loki’s smugness seemed to grow. 

“I hope you are going to be able to focus on the mission at hand.” 

“Ugh don’t be so gross. It’s just a bit warm in here. And besides I’m allowed to ruminate. Is this 1984? Are you the thought police?” You prattled on.

God you hoped not now would be a really bad time for Loki to be the thought police. 

He raised an eyebrow as if to say ‘I told you so’ and you stuck your tongue out at him. 

“Very mature.” 

“Well given that I’m not one billion years old like you are I am allowed to have moments of immaturity, especially before I face certain death.” 

You noticed out of the corner of your eye that Sif was giving you a strange look from the seats opposite you, and it was not exactly friendly. 

You had kind of forgotten about the additions to your Asgardians pals on this trip and the fact that they weren’t particularly used to seeing mortals. And probably not mortals who argued with their most hated Prince. And you had just blushed too which was so uncool. Oh god, you were never going to beat the sycophant rumours. 

Your phone buzzed in your pocket. How do I have signal in space you wondered, starting miraculously at your phone. 

The text was from Oliver, a gif of a cat waving goodbye and the light relief made you chuckle. 

“What has amused you my lady?” Fandral asked, sitting down opposite you next to Sif. He sat with his legs very wide, almost touching Loki’s legs with what little gap there was between the two seating benches. 

Loki rolled his eyes and made an irritated noise which Fandral ignored. 

“Nothing really.” You shrugged it off. 

“Well something has got you smiling.” Fandral raised his eyebrows at you, teasingly. 

“Honestly it’s nothing a text.” 

“What’s a text?” Volstagg asked, biting into an apple. 

“Must you always be eating?” Fandral asked, laughing. “A text is a Midgardian form of electronic communication.” He smirked at you, knowingly. 

You fought back the laughter that threatened to escape you at the sight of Volstaggs confused face. 

“That’s right.” 

“But I wonder, who is sending you texts?”

“Just a friend wishing me well.” You replied hastily. 

“Ah” Fandral frowned. “But there is no need for such wishes, you have Asgards mightiest warriors with you.” He winked. 

Loki scoffed, and seemed to be about to say something when the craft suddenly jolted, as if it had hit an invisible wall. 

Thor took a few strides back to face the party. 

“We’re here.”

                                                                        ***

Surtur was huge. And also terrifying. And had you mentioned the huge thing? You could see why the fire demons had made him their leader.

He looked as though he was made completely from molten rock and seemed to remain ablaze. He had two horns sticking out of either side of his skull which alone must have been about the height of a double decker bus.  His eyes were two yellow fires held in the twisted roots of his skull.

You guessed this was sort of the court for the fire demons. Surtar sat at the furthest end of rocky landscape (fire demon architecture left much to be desired) with a few other important looking fire demons surrounding him who seemed to be swagged out with various pieces of gleaming multicoloured rock jewellery. 

There were more of the demons surrounding, snarling at your group as you walked past. Thor and Loki strode ahead of the party, and you had tried to position yourself in the middle, hoping you wouldn’t be noticed. 

God it was hot. You fought the urge to fan yourself and you felt yourself getting a very sexy top upper lip sweat already. Your outfit was doing nothing to help although you were grateful for it. Stark had kitted you out in head to toe Stark tech. The material was flame resistant, as well as having some other properties that seemed helpful but you couldn’t for the life of you remember what they were now.  

Of course, the Asgardians didn’t seem to have worked up a sweat. 

“Your council seem unhappy to see us, Surtur.”

“My council are unused to visits from Odinsons. As am I.” Surtur spoke with a deep, gravely voice that you felt in your stomach.

“We want no trouble.”

“And yet, you bring the God of trouble himself.” His voice reverberated around the room, encouraging the other demons to laugh, a sound that concerned you. 

“We demand answers. Why have you attacked Midgard?” Loki ordered. 

Surtur laughed again,

“Surely you have not come all this way, placed yourself in danger to lecture us about a tiny world that none of us care about?”

Rude, you thought. 

“Midgard is under Asgards protection. My father stopped the frost giants from conquering Midgard many moons ago and I will stop you from doing the same now if I have to.” Thor stated.

“I have no desire for Midgard.” 

Then why attack at all, you wondered.

Luckily, and also scarily, Loki was on the same page as you.

“If Midgard is so wretched, why even bother attacking them?”

Surtur frowned his great big forehead. 

“Midgard had grown complacent, it was time to remind them their fairytales were real.” He opened his mouth into a fiery grin.

You didn’t buy it personally, but you had bigger problems to worry about. One of the Surtur’s burning councilmen was staring directly at you, his eyes glistening like black coals. 

“Come now Surtur, you can’t think us so foolish as to believe that, when for thousands of years you have left the Midgardians alone? Your attacks on Midgard seemed random; attacking three cities and then retreating quickly? Not the strategic planning of the Surtur that we all know and revere.” Loki played to his ego. 

“The attacks on Midgard were just the beginning.” Surtur leant forward in his gigantic throne. 

The fire demon doing his best to stare you out was continuing to make you uncomfortable. You wanted to ask about the disappearances; after Stark had told you about the attacks you had done some googling and it turns out that a number of people in the cities had gone missing during the attacks. They were presumed dead, their bodies left somewhere in the destruction and rubble but something about it felt off to you. You had raised it with Stark and he had agreed. 

You were stuck between mentioning it but not wanting to draw any more attention to yourself. You thought briefly to how Loki sometimes talks to you in your head, a phenomenon you were not particularly fond of. 

Could there be a way you could do the same with him? You weren’t sure exactly how it worked and maybe it was just one of Loki’s irritating tools in his magical toolkit but could there be a way of reaching him in a similar way?

You focused firmly on the back of Loki’s head. 

Ask about the disappearances.

…nothing happened. 

Next, you tried to imagine sending the words from your head and into Loki’s head, but again 

nothing seemed to happen and you felt a bit stupid. You tried again a couple more times, shouting the words louder in your own head. Finally, you closed your eyes and imagined pushing the thought like a wave, crashing down onto him. 

Ask about the disappearances, bitch 

You tried louder and angrier too, in case that helped. 

You watched Loki closely as he shifted slightly. 

By the Norns, can you stop shouting at me? 

Oh my god, it worked. 

How did I do that?

I left the channel between us open and you figured how to tap into it.Even telepathically Loki sounded irritated, as if he regretted doing so. You however, were very pleased he had.

So I’m not telepathic? 

Fortunately not. 

But I did figure out how to do this. You felt very smug.

Congratulations. Loki sounded sarcastic. 

“What do you mean ‘just the beginning’” Thor frowned. 

You snapped back to the conversation happening not in your head. 

Surtur laughed in response. 

You noticed a shared annoyed glance between Loki and Thor. 

“What about the mortal disappearances?” Loki asked.

“So many questions.” Surtur goaded them, “how does it feel to be in the dark Asgardians?”

He was loving this, it was very frustrating. You wanted to punch his massive scorching face. Although, your hand would probably burn which wouldn’t have been ideal. 

Still you thought, he didn’t deny the mortal disappearances which could mean something. Or perhaps he was simply playing with you all. 

Thor scoffed, “Surtur you old fool, Asgard is still the most powerful realm in the Cosmos, do you really think whatever scheme you have bought into is going to prevail?” 

“Odin grows old, Asgard is not what it was. Perhaps it is time for change. The end of things as we know it and the rebirth of something new.”

“The ‘rebirth’?” Loki took a step forward, “careful now Surtur, that sounds suspiciously like…”

“Ragnarok.” Surtur finished in his deep, slow voice. 

The Asgardians around you shifted, and Sif made a noise of disgust. 

What was that word? You thought you could vaguely remember reading it somewhere but you couldn’t remember what it meant. By the reactions of the people around you, you guessed it was not good news. 

“What?” Sif spat and grabbed hold of her sword. 

Loki’s eyes were hard and steely, and his face pale despite the heat but he replied dryly,

“Ragnarok? A tired prophecy Surtur. Surely you can conjure a more original plan than that?” 

“Puny Gods, you cannot stop this. If I were you I would go home and spend your remaining time with your loved ones.” Surtur chuckled. 

You cursed yourself inwardly for not paying more attention to your books, if only you could remember what Ragnarok meant so you knew what they were talking about. 

Thor looked properly angry, a look you had not seen on him before, “Cease this senseless nonsense, this is your warning or Asgard will have no choice but to engage in war.” 

“You will have your war Odinson and you will loose. Ragnarok has already begun and there is no stopping what the fates have decided. The prophecy must come true.” 

“Then you know what we will do, you have signed your people a death sentence.” 

As Thor’s hammer glowed an electric blue, your heart jumped as you realised that a fight might break out. 

Oh god this is really happening. 

“Thor, let’s think rationally about this.” Loki put his hand on Thors shoulder. 

Thor however seemed beyond reason, and he shrugged him off as he held his hammer up and swung it, preparing to fight.

“You have made a grave mistake Odinson.” Surtur stood suddenly and you followed his flaming body with your eyes, amazed and terrified at the size of him now you could see his full height. 

“Don’t say it.” Loki groaned.

“I make grave mistakes all the time, but everything seems to work out.” 

“And you said it.” 

The air crackled with tension for a few seconds, and then before you could comprehend what was happening, fire demons began their attack. 

After a couple of seconds of standing there with your mouth open like a fish without water, you remembered the plan you Thor, Loki and Stark had come up with before your visit here; if a battle starts to get out of harms way as quick as possible. Luckily, the demons rocky architecture you had been judging earlier made for plenty of hiding places. 

As Loki distracted the demons conjuring illusions, you managed to spring yourself into action, ducking and diving behind a large rock. You moved further over to the left, staying low behind the walls where you could be covered and still keep an eye on the action. Gripping hard on your gun that you felt ridiculously underprepared to use you focused intently on what was going on. The weapon you had been supplied with in case of a worst case scenario, wasn’t outrageously powerful or anything, you doubted you would be trusted with anything too deadly however it could cause some damage if needed. 

You hoped however that you would’t need to use it. What had Loki said yesterday? Take any opportunity to leave or hide.

It was alright for him you thought dryly as you studied Loki fighting off a demon. Despite fighting seeming to you more akin to a nightmare, he seemed to be enjoying himself.

In fact, they all did. You watched Thor wielding his precious hammer that you could never remember the name of with unwavering determination, lighting crackling around him. Sif with her sword gleaming in the firelight, moving with grace and precision striking swift and deadly blows. Even Hogan, armed with his mace stood as an immovable force. Sif and Hogan seemed to have some sort of count on, with who could kill the most demons. 

You watched Fandral and Volstagg bantering as they fought off a couple of ugly looking demons. 

Watching them joke around make you feel more confident, as surely nothing bad could happen if the Asgarians didn’t think this was too difficult a feat. 

Where are you you heard Lokis voice. 

Behind some rock you sent back to him.

Very helpful, can’t you be more precise? 

What am I, a compass? I’m somewhere to your left, I can still see you all.  You replied. Directions had never been a strong point of yours. 

Stay hidden. 

You rolled your eyes. As if you were going to do anything else. Did he think you were going to try and take on a fire demon single handedly? You thought about replying something snarky but decided you’d better just let him concentrate. 

Indeed, Loki seemed very busy weaved in and out of reality, appearing and disappearing, his daggers cutting through the fiery adversaries. You knew that Loki’s skills were looked down on by the other warriors, Fandral had made cutting remarks during your time in Asgard but you still couldn’t understand it. You hadn’t had an opportunity to watch him mid action like this before and it truly was a sight to behold; he was lithe and quick while still strong and powerful, thwarting demons like it was his day job. 

It reminded you of something…then it hit you. This was similar in some ways to the dream you had had on the ship. 

Oh my god now is not the time. You physically shook your head to stop yourself from going any further than that route. 

Turning your attention back to the others, you watched Thors hammer crashed into the demons, unleashing thunderous blasts that scattered through their ranks, as Sif and Fandral sliced their swords through the air. 

Despite the fierce onslaught, the demons fought back relentlessly. Their fiery attacks rained down upon the group, testing their mettle. As the battle raged on, the ground shook beneath their feet as flames engulfed the surroundings. 

You wiped the sweat out of your face, looking around you for anyone who might have found your hiding space. However everyone was concentrated on fighting the Asgardians. 

Loki had told you to look out for opportunities to find out information that you might be able to gather more than others, however given the current circumstances you doubted there would be any chance of that. In fact, you felt a little bit useless crouched here watching the rest of them fight. 

Granted, your skills were never going to lie in hand to hand combat, but you still felt desperate to do something to support them. 

Despite Lokis’ warning to stay out of sight, you decided to take a chance. You stayed low and moved swiftly to the next bolder, dodging an ill timed flame headed towards you. From here, you were slightly closer to the action. 

You had a sudden strange feeling of playing laser tag as a child and how this felt much the same; crouching behind walls and hiding in dark corners. Unfortunately, the stakes were much higher now. 

Your eyes drew back to Loki, watching as he used his magic to push back against the demons. You bit down on your lips hard, as there was a close moment he barely missed a fireball that could have burnt his arm.

Can you be more careful you idiot, you sent your concern over to him before you stopped yourself. 

Worried for me mortal? How cute. 

You wish. 

You were though, worried for him. You knew Loki and the rest were seasoned pros at fighting off monsters but you had never been in a battle situation before. 

Come on, you told yourself, pull it together its not like they haven’t done this before, worry about yourself. 

While you were staring at him, you suddenly felt your back get very warm. You turned quickly, clutching your weapon to find the demon that had been staring at you earlier staring down at you. 

Your heart thumped loudly and you panicked, fumbling for the trigger on your weapon as you tried to half stand; an awkward movement due to your panic and trying to ensure the back of you wasn’t left exposed to an open attack.  

Before you could do anything, the demon surprised you by speaking. 

“Your friends are going to die. There is no getting out of this.”

You stared at him, unsure of how to respond to that. Instead of something heroic or even settling for something normal, you blurted, 

“Why haven’t you attacked me yet?” 

“Are you a mortal with a death wish?” His black eyes glinted at you.

“No.” You chocked out.

God seriously get a grip, you chided yourself, stop acting like such a prat. 

“Leave these Asgardians to their demise and come with me, there’s a greater future waiting for you.”

Now you were confused.

“What are you propositioning? What greater future?” 

“The human race is weak and frail.” The demon hissed. “But they can help make you stronger.”

“Who can?” You graciously ignored the insult. 

The demon just grinned at you, menacingly. 

“Who are you working with?” You asked again. “Who has promised you Ragnarok?” 

“You are on the loosing side mortal. Look at you, useless, cowering while the others fight. But that can change if you surrender yourself to them.”

He wasn’t wrong but it still stung a little. Hadn’t you just been thinking that it would be nice to be able to feel more helpful? 

“We can make you powerful.” The demon continued to press you.

Powerful…

You laughed and met the demons eye, drawing yourself up straight for the first time. Maybe that would have been a tempting offer to someone else. Unfortunately, if he was trying to sell you something he was going the wrong way about it. The thing is, you had never been particularly interested in the notion of power. 

“The issue with power is that it usually comes with responsibility. And I really, really hate responsibilities.”

You took a deep breath in. 

“Tell me who you are working with, or I’ll blast you with this…thing.” 

In a flash, you saw the demon narrow his eyes and lift his hand to throw a fireball at you, which at this distance would have killed you. You closed your eyes, let out a scream and pressed the trigger. 

You heard the blast and a noise that sounded suspiciously like something hitting a rock, and opened one eye slowly to see what you had done. Hitting something at close range meant that the weapon had proved to be pretty impressive, and you saw the demon lying in a heap a few feet away from you.

You shuddered, that was horrific. You wondered if Captain America usually shuts his eyes and screams like a ninny when dealing deadly blows. 

You gipped. 

Oh god I’m going to be sick, you thought, dropping your gun and gripping your stomach with one hand and a nearby rock with the other. 

The adrenaline of nearly dying but besting a demon and the gory sight of seeing it laid on the floor had proved too much. You were embarrassed to find tears in the back of your eyes.

Seriously dude, this fire guy was going to kill you and you beat it. Cheer up a bit maybe. You mentally shock yourself. 

It was then you realised that the demon had managed to burn you before you had shot it, your hand that you had held the gun with, that hadn’t been covered in anything was bleeding and sore. 

You’ll have to process this later you told yourself, trying to push it back into your mind so you could focus on the rest of the fight. Your hand stung but it would recover fine.

After a few breaths you pulled yourself around. You still weren’t overly keen on the idea that you had just killed something but you also had a sense of pride too. You had just beaten a demon for Gods sake! Useless human who? And you had been able to find out something interesting too, these mystery figures wanted humans for something. 

You bent back down and picked your gun up, turning back to face the fight. You looked up and made eye contact with Loki. His eyes took in your grimacing expression and caught the dead demon not too far away from you. 

Everything suddenly fell into slow motion. Loki took steps towards you and his mouth opened, you could see him saying your name but you couldn’t hear it. As his attention was turned towards you, a particularly large demon was running towards him from the left. 

Without giving it a second thought you ran straight towards the fight. 

The demon opened his palms to shoot the flames towards Loki and you weren’t going to make it in time.

You changed your direction running towards the demon and shot your weapon as you leapt straight in front of the torrent of fire that was made for Loki. 

It hit you straight in the chest knocking you forcefully back onto the gravely terrain and you cringed as you felt your head hit the floor. 

Someone was shouting your name but you weren’t sure who. There was a ringing in your ears from the impact nearly drowning out the noise of the battle. You could only focus on your chest hurting; it stung and ached and you were winded. You hoped that your outfit had helped a little in preventing burns but given the pain you weren’t so sure. 

Loki’s face appeared in front of you, a little blurry but still looking furious. 

“What the hel were you thinking?” You could tell he was incandescent but you were struggling to focus on anything other than the pain. 

“You’re welcome by the way.” Your mouth tasted like blood and you winced. 

You felt yourself being taken into his arms which you huffed at and he ignored, and he placed a surprisingly freezing cold hand on your burns. You looked down to see your Stark tech top was ripped and the skin under looked red and inflamed. Where Loki rested his hand, his skin was blue. 

“What the fuck?” You tried to move away, the sight taking you by surprise.

Loki shushed you and held you tighter so you couldn’t move.

“Stop fighting me for once.” He paused, his forehead creased 

“You… I would have been…” He stated, his eyes met yours, his forehead creased. He looked confused and vulnerable for a second.  

“Okay, this is dramatic, let’s not tell anyone about this.” You let your head rest in the crook of Loki’s arm. 

Just as you spoke, Thor realised what was happening and after he had finished off his fight came over to see. The others either hadn’t noticed or were holding down the fort with two of their men now fussing over a human. 

As the adrenaline was wearing off, the pain got worse and everything started getting more blurry. Your body felt heavy and tired.

“If you die I’ll go to Hel and bring you back myself so I can kill you again for being so stupid.” 

You tried to keep your eyes open for as long as you could.

“I’ll look forward to it.” 

Then everything went black. 

Notes: What did you think????? Also yes I had to get the AI's sequence in somewhere it was too funny lmao. I so so hope some of you are out there and reading this and I'm not just talking to myself.

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