Chapter Two

An Omen in the Alley

"I think that went quite well, don't you?" Asked Lyall as the two Flooed back into their living room covered in soot. Hope looked up from the kitchen counter while finishing up making their lunch when she rushed on over, looking at them both expectantly. "I mean, twenty years isn't too bad, but we'll have plenty of visit—"

"Lyall!" His mother chastised, making Remus giggle next to him as he loosened his tie and walked into the kitchen to greet her.

"Only a joke." He replied quickly after running his fingers through his hair while Hope poured Remus a bowl of soup.

"No more charges, mam. After dad was done with them, they dropped them." He said excitedly, burning his tongue on the soup from being a little too overzealous.

"Yes well, as long as we don't get too comfortable with your father's silver dipped tongue, we can keep your criminal record clean."

"We can only hope."

"As much as it pains me to admit, it wasn't my incredible cleverness that cleared you." He walked up behind Remus and messed his hair again, this time properly ruining all of his mother's hard work with the comb. "Now, be a good lad and fetch me my briefcase? It's in my study next to— Oh don't give me that look, the soup won't get cold in the minute it'll take you. Go on then." Remus grumbled getting out of his seat and headed down the hallway, trying his best to ignore the disgusting smooching sound coming from the kitchen as he left.

Since Remus was back home he never ventured much into his father's quarters despite it being right across the hall from his own bedroom. Entering it now reminded him of Dumbledore's office in the way everything had a messy sort of order, but still had a touch unique to him, mainly being the toy-like and quirky quality to the room as opposed to the headmaster's organized hints of sweeties and mystery.

He scanned the room quickly to find his dad's briefcase when his eyes met the brown leather casing sat neatly on top of a small pillar in the corner of the room by his father's desk. Remus dashed over and lifted the case and slung it in his hands when he realised the pillar had actually been a basin filled with water. Out of curiosity, he perched over the bowl to get a better look. The green tinge of the liquid reflected off his face when he realised it went deeper than what it could possibly hold on the outside. Remus took a step back to get a better look again when he realised it was a very particular form of magic indeed that made things look bigger on the inside.

When he peered into the water, he saw the mirror-like reflection of the room he was standing in until bits and shapes started to take form like blobs of ink dropping down into a new room forming in the basin. The first blob formed a type of bed, the next a chair, all of them falling one by one until there was a fully furnished room of ink blots silhouetting the displaced source of light. He started to feel a falling sensation in the pit of his gut that reminded him of when his mother would drive down hilly roads. Remus' sense his feet starting to leave the ground when he firmly placed them back on the carpet of his father's office and pulled his body upright so that was standing.

He'd never felt anything like it before. He took a step back away from the basin, and he could see the silhouettes and the separate room on the inside start to fade away from where he was standing. His mind raced with possibilities over what it was he stumbled upon. From the way the shapes formed, it looked like old furniture of his. Was it a way for his father to store his old things? He thought perhaps it was how witches and wizards store things, in basins and in water under the guise of inkblots. Suddenly the basin looked much less threatening and much more mysterious. As Remus craned his head over, he could see it was like someone was rewinding the blobs, the way the retreated to the surface so quickly. He could practically feel his heart pounding through his ears as if it true home were in between them. Feeling less wary, he took a step forwards towards the basin, and was relieved that he caught only his own reflection in the water.

There was another reflection of his Remus caught as he flicked his eyes up, this time being from the glass breakfront door built into the wall just above the basin. Through the glass and passed his tousle-haired reflection, he could see tiny bottles with labels all lining the shelves with a lone bottle at the bottom. He squinted to get a better look at his father's slanted handwriting from the lone bottle, just making out a capitol letter 'H' followed by a bunch of squiggles when his father's sudden voice calling his name startled him back to his task at hand. He rushed out of the room leaving the basin uncovered.

He promised himself another visit when his father wasn't home, but with school around the corner, snooping around his father's office started to lose its appeal until it was ultimately forgotten.

"The place is a bit packed this time around, isn't it?" Asked Hope as the Lupins meandered through Diagon Alley with Remus' returning supplies list. Like she said, the street had been considerably denser with people this year than the last.

"We're here during the rush now. Probably one of the busier days, but always when they have the best stuff." Said Lyall, not completely focused on the list but rather on Fortescue's ice cream parlor. Hope rolled her eyes again before looking along with Remus on his new list.

"I think the first stop should be books— Oh..." When he looked up to Flourish and Blott's where he would be getting his books, he could see a line wrapping around the street that he could barely make out the end of.

"Don't worry, we'll wait in line for you." She nudged his father, who still not paying attention, handed her a small leather and jingling pouch and then handed it to Remus. "You take this and get what you can carry. Hopefully by the time you're done we'll be at the door—"

"Wait, we're waiting here?" Lyall whined, finally grasping the reality of having to wait. She nudged him again and he cleared his throat, changing his tone. "Right. We'll wait here." Remus fought the urge to laugh at how miserable his father seemed at the prospect, but was thankful she'd given him the option to do as he pleased, even if it was only for a little while.

Compared to his list of books, the remainder of his supplies list was substantially smaller. Since most of the customers were queued outside of Flourish and Blott's, he was able to check out and pay much quicker and easier. He stopped by the reagents shop first to pick up the bulk of the materials, which mainly consisted of potions ingredients. The old witch at the counter was very helpful and accommodating, making polite conversation with Remus as she sorted his things. She even threw in a few extra bezoars and horned slugs for free, which he was very grateful for. Especially after he let slip that Potions wasn't his best subject. After she finally bagged his rune etchers and new scales, she bode him farewell and luck for his next year, making him smile brightly at her as he headed out the door.

"Poor boy. He would have been so handsome..." She said under her breath just as the bell rang in his exit, making him stand put just outside the door. He knew she never meant for him to hear her, just as he never meant to have listened, but unfortunately his ears weren't always as selective of the whispers they decided to pick up on. Remus looked down at the bag in his hand, now realizing why she'd been so polite. He wondered if he looked like James, Sirius, or Peter if she'd have done the same thing. He caught his reflection from the glass outside her door and immediately felt a lurch in his stomach, seeing the woman wave at him, as she must have thought he was looking at her. After a strained smile and a wave back, he followed his feet down the alley to the next shop.

He thankfully reached the last item on his list as he stopped in front of a small shop with a massive crystal ball just above the sign that read Seer Seeker's in large glittering gold letters. Remus peered into the window of the shop, seeing the new portable telescope he'd needed before hearing a loud crash inside of the building followed by the worried shouts of a woman. He took a cautious step back as he could see her heading for the door very close to where he'd been standing.

"The Hollow!" She wailed as she predictably burst through the front door, making Remus glad he decided to take that step aside. She wore a large shawl and what seemed like hundred of rings and necklaces, and she smelled like fresh incense which made Remus wrinkle his nose at how pungent it was. "The Hollow is in danger!" She was frantic in her movements, walking into the middle of the Alley trying to grab someone's attention, and with every twist and turn she pulled her body, she jingled. "The Hollow mustn't be disturbed!" She cried again, now literally trying to grab the attention of other witches and wizards walking by tugging on their robes, all of who wore the same look of annoyance on their faces as they swore and brushed her off. She made a panicked noise before turning around, catching eyes with Remus who looked away a little too late as he could hear her jingling towards him while pretending to ogle at the telescope he needed. "You boy—" She said, grabbing his shoulder and turning him around. "Yes, you're going to the school aren't you?" The rattled look in her stormy grey eyes was enough to make him humor her as he carefully nodded. She sighed in relief before hushing her voice down to a softer yet much more urgent tone. "Protect the Hollow or the Moon and the Stars will tear. The Grimoire pages will blank—"

"What?" He interrupted. This snapped his attention immediately. She must have known about the book of beasts or at least one of the other books Zilar mentioned. He was originally going to wait until he got to the school to speak with professor Dumbledore, but now she was the next place he'd be getting the answers to his unanswered questions, no matter how loony she seemed. The woman must have mistaken him interrupting her as misunderstanding. She searched his eyes and made another worried noise before turning to the streets and bringing her voice loud enough for everyone to hear.

"The Hollow holds the secrets to questions ought not be answered. Please, listen!" She cried again as a witch bumped shoulders with her to walk by. "Everything we will know will be forsaken and the wheel of time will come to a shattering halt! Minds will harrow, and the very course and direction of the universe will change, as we know it! The unknown must stay so! The unknown must—get your hands off me!" Two men in long brown trench coats that seemed to appear out of nowhere grabbed the witch on either side and started walking off with her down the streets as she repeated her words in warning.

What he just witnessed didn't seem real, it happened so fast. Before he had time to process what she said a familiar voice called out to and startled him.

"Oi! Remus!" Said James, making him turn his head down to a shop farther down the alley. He'd honestly never been more relieved to see him. With a goofy smile James strode over, his hair still very untidy in the back, and his large glasses now fitting his face a little better than they did a few months ago. In fact, now that he'd been closing in, Remus could see he'd grown a few inches in the few months since he saw him last. Still, seeing him now made Remus' stomach do flips as he returned a grin of his own.

"Hey James," Remus said as James bear hugged him. "Oof— Didn't miss me did you?"

"Miss you? 'Course not." He pulled away and now that they were face to face, Remus could see how much James stretched out. If he had to bet, he'd assumed his parents would be getting him a new uniform if his ankles weren't popping out of his trousers by now.

"Hey, what was that lady on about? Saw her making a scene from all the way back there, and it looked like you were in the middle of it."

"Nah, I think I just had the best view." Remus replied while fixing his hair in front of his face, hoping James didn't pick up on the nervous tilt to his voice as he nudged his head to get them both walking away from the Seer Seeker. "Seen Sirius or Peter yet?"

"I saw Peter in line at the book shop with his parents. I don't even think Sirius' family bothered showing up today… they like to keep public appearances to a minimum, being royalty and all"

"Royalty? I thought they were just purebloods?"

"'Just purebloods' he says. Don't let them catch you saying that." James laughed. Remus knew he was joking, but the last place he wanted to be was at the nasty end of a Black's curse if he was honest. "Speaking of parents, you haven't met mine yet have you?"

"No I don't think so. I think I saw them on the platform back in June but—"

"But nothing. They're dying to meet you and yours since I've told them all about you and all of your deepest darkest secrets"

"I hope not." Remus replied, smiling to himself.

"Well they liked your letters the most since you had the most legible handwriting."

"And here I thought earning the love of your parents would be difficult. Where are they?"

"They're just there talking to some red bird and— oh! That's your mum and dad innit?" Remus whipped his head forward so fast he almost got whiplash. Sure enough, He saw his parents smiling in conversation with another couple.

"Yeah, it is." He'd recognized them immediately as James parents from his father's stature and his mother's soft facial features. The only thing that caught Remus by surprise was that they seemed a little older than he expected. From where he was looking on as the pair treaded towards them, Remus couldn't help but compare that his parents looked like they were in Technicolor compared to James'. "They look like they're getting on all right."

Just as they'd arrived, the truth was sealed as Mr. Potter ruffled the back of James' head. The untidiness now made sense. When Remus stood next to his parents, his dad took his newest shopping bag of new supplies from his hands while chitchatting on that the line was moving much faster than he thought.

"You must be Remus." Said Mrs. Potter, smiling sweetly at him and reminding him regretfully of his Nan. Not daring to forget his manners, Remus held out his hand to shake hers first.

"I am, and it's nice to finally meet you Mrs. Potter, and Mr. Potter too." Both of James parents raised their eyebrows at the same time while taking turns to shake his hand. He could practically feel his own mother's relief that he remembered his etiquette.

"And you." Said Mr. Potter in a slightly hoarse voice. Remus noticed him glance at his face quickly before blinking his eyes back to eye contact with him. James must have told them about his disfigurement prior to their meeting, and considering the last comment he heard about his scars, he was grateful to his father for making such a subtle gesture. As he grasped Mr. and Mrs. Potter's hands, the realization hit him that it had been the first time he kept a friend long enough to meet their parents. He tried to mask his excited smile with a much softer and less maniacal one to keep from scaring them off. They didn't flinch, so he assumed it worked.

"Dorea and Charlus were just waiting in line right behind us when we heard talk about their son who happened to be the famous James Potter whose letters still litter your bedroom floor." Said Hope, earning a giggle from the rest of them.

"That's right. James has been on about his friends all holiday, and we couldn't be more thrilled to finally put some names to faces." Every time James' mother spoke, the twinkle in her eye made James giddy. The relationship he seemed to have with his parents was similar to his own, and he couldn't resist a small smile at the fact.

"Ah, agreed! Now we know who else to look for if either of you get yourselves into trouble this year." Lyall replied, cutting the boys a look that read murder if another owl holding a notice of detention letter darkened his window sill.