"Are you drawing me?" Fenrir's surprised tone makes me glance up at him again. He'd been leaning against a bare oak tree while I'd been sitting near where his crossed legs were on our blanket. He'd had them stretched out, crossed at the ankles since we settled down here. The tree was a white color, outlining his tan skin and dark hair instead of blending in like it would have with most other trees. We'd been talking as I sat angled away from him, towards a stream I'd been sketching. Once I finished that though, I flipped the page and began drawing him out of the corner of my eye.

We'd had a pleasant time so far, eating and drinking as we wanted, and talking about meaningless things, along with not so meaningless things- he'd asked about my friends, or lack of, and my family, or what was left of it. I'd asked about the pack he had left, and the cubs he'd taken care of.

I turn to face him fully, knowing my face was probably bright red.

"I didn't ask, did I. I'm so used to drawing someone without them knowing so I never ask permission…" I trail off, drumming the blunted end of my pencil on the paper as he grins.

"You don't have to ask, though I'd like to see what you've drawn." he counters. I hesitate for a moment before relenting and going to hand the binder over.

"Nuh uh, come here." He sits up as he says this, moving so that it was obvious that I was supposed to come sit next to him. I slide over and prop the binder half on my lap and a half on his so that we could both see it.

"You're very talented." He murmurs, tracing the line of the tree with his fingers briefly before pulling away.

"Thank you."

"Do you like portraits?"

"I'm better at portraits than I am anything else. It's what I have the most practice drawing. That's why I didn't say no to bringing my binder here so that I could practice with things besides people. I also need to start using mediums besides charcoal and pencil." I muse. I flip the page back for him to see the sketch I was doing before him, and he takes that as the permission to start flipping idly through the rest of it. I answer his questions as best as I can- yes, they're magically enhanced to move, yes, most of them start as pencil, no, I've never taken classes, That's Blaise, a Slytherin acquaintance I have. He helps with my charms class and I help him with Defense. No, I didn't realize how many of Thule I'd drawn.

"This one is really good," he says, pausing on one of the forbidden forest from the Gryffindor tower.

"It's from the Gryffindor rooms. Er, the fourth year boys window, I think. It was late and the moon gave me enough light to draw until I was tired."

"I think I like it because you got the whole moon in there." he muses, tracing a finger over it. I make a humming noise in agreement and he glances up.

"We should go."

"Huh?"

"You have an hour to get ready for the portkey to activate for the stag party," he tells me, closing the binder and sliding it into my lap. I cast a tempus to see he was right and start cursing. I pack my bag while he packs up the picnic food and the blanket. I seem to surprise him when I move closer and loop my arm in his.

"Thank you."

"For?" he asks, leading us to where there was an area roped off. He wanted to apparate, claiming that my shadow walking felt disgusting on his skin.

"For today. It was relaxing. I didn't realize how stressed I was getting until you suggested a day out. I had fun."

"We didn't do anything, Harry," he says in an amused tone.

"Exactly!" I grin as I turn towards him in the ringed off circle. And I'm a little shocked to see his face relax completely and smile back. His eyes crinkle at the sides, and his teeth stand out against his tan skin as he tucks his chin so he can see me better. Even with my growth spurt from Kesl. the hand holding the basket lifts until the back of his knuckles touches near my jawline.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it. We can come back any time you'd like. Maybe trying a different season next time?" he suggests, moving his hand away and his wand falling into it from his holster.

"I'd like that. Not next time we go out somewhere though. I want to pick where our next date is." I tell him, no longer looking at his face. I focus on his wand hand instead, which was stilled like the rest of him. Because this wasn't technically supposed to be a date. I hadn't agreed to that. I said I'd get to know him, but not that I would date him, or anything of the romantic sort.

But all of today, I'd wanted to settle in beside him and lean against him and the tree. I wanted him to put an arm around me when I did finally settle down next to him. I wanted to make him smile like he had just smiled, and I wanted to make him laugh like he does at Thule, or when he thinks I'm being childish. He listens to me and takes my opinion seriously, and I haven't ever had that.

And this morning, with Thule, the entire domestic scene had hit me hard while I was in the shower and I realized that I really, really wanted that. A man who could be mine, and my child's, and adore us both, and want us to be happy. Someone that could handle my sarcasm and temper, who could give as good as it got in an argument and keep me level headed when it was between me and someone else.

And someone had snuck in when I wasn't looking and became that person already. I'd been hesitant before because I hadn't known Fenrir long. But I did know him. I knew that he hated oranges, and rarely drank anything that wasn't water or tea. I knew that he thought sarcasm was the best humor, and that a family was a wizards biggest achievement. I knew that he had left his pack because they had fallen from that line of thinking. I knew that he was amazing with Thule, and I knew that he was smart even though he kept it quiet most of the time. He had a passion for reading that rivaled Hermione, and he had an equal passion for the outdoors that I hadn't yet found in anyone else. He was strong and confident and vicious when someone he loved was attacked, and that was almost everything I could ask for.

"I suppose that's fair." he finally says a lot softer than he normally talks, and tucks his arm closer to himself so that I step even closer. He lifts his wand in warning and I get sucked into a tiny tube, before being deposited at Toms foyer with Fenrir catching me as my knees give out.

"I hate apparition, you hate shadow traveling, let's agree to portkey everywhere from now on." I groan, settling against the wall. He makes an amused sound as he lets my arm go reluctantly.

"Harry, Fenrir. I was wondering when you were getting back." Tom's voice behind Fenrir has us both looking his way.

"I'm headed up to go to the stag party. I will probably be staying at Grimmauld place." I tell them. That wasn't something I was looking forward to. I'd been receiving letters from Remus, who was still residing there. He wanted to know if he still could, as he was technically overstepping my call because he hasn't talked to me about it, just going off of my godfather's word.

It's not like I minded. I'm just worried about him being against everything I've done, which is silly. He sees me as part of his pack. I've talked to, written to, and confided in Remus more than I did anyone, even Ron, and Hermione, besides the necromancy thing. By all rights, I was more upset that Remus was hurt during the battle of ministry than I was that Sirius had died. His last letter was a warning- if I didn't tell him what the hell was going on, I was going to be getting a visit from him no matter where I was, and I wasn't going to like it. I took that threat with a grain of salt- he's the one in my fourth year that had sat me down and taken me to task for trying to outfly a dragon. It had been terrifying.

"Speaking of. I need a scent blocker on me so my uncle doesn't freak out when he smells you all on me." I remind Tom. Fenrir makes a low, grumbly sound and actually takes a step towards me again when Toms hand shoots out and catches his arm.

"Yes, Remus is one of your turned children, isn't he? And Harry, wasn't the pack with your father?" Tom asks quickly, stilling Fenrir.

"Yeah. he sees me as a cub from his pack. I see him as my godfather, or uncle, more than Sirius was. He taught me the Patronus." I agree at Toms frantic look. Fenrir rocks back and takes a deep breath before he shoots a look at Tom.

"Harry had jokingly said that he could take you with him to the wedding," Tom says carefully. I'm surprised at this random topic, because one, he wasn't there, and two, it had nothing to do with whatever reaction Fenrir was having.

"Not as myself. And his wolf would smell polyjuice," he answers, confusing me more. What were they on about?

"Fenrir, I need to go get ready." I cut in hesitantly.

"Go get ready, then. I'll meet you up there with Thule in a little while." he agrees, moving out of my way of the staircase. I skirt around the two of them, still not sure what they were plotting though it seemed to involve sneaking Fenrir with me tomorrow. But why was my concern.

I showered quickly, changing into the dress pants and navy colored button down I had laid out, with a darker blue/black combination robe thrown over it. Bill had insisted we stay at Grimmauld place once I suggested it being used as a base of operations- or, a place we could all portkey or apparate to once drunk- so we weren't going anywhere, but I still had to make a trip to Diagon after the portkey to pick up the alcohol, and I know that reporters are always skulking around to get a photo of me. By the time I'm straightening up from tying my shoes, Fenrir is coming in with Bella behind him and Thule in his arms. Bella seems to be pouting, and I grin slightly as I take Thule from Fenrir. The babe lights up and squeals, babbling at me.

"Bella, what's with the face?" I ask as I move to the dresser and using the mirror to magic my hair into a short tail. That way it was out of my face.

"Fenrir took Thule! I was going to watch him tonight!"

"The plan was for Fenrir to do it, Bella, you know that." I point out as I bounce him on my hip so he wouldn't slide down.

"I know, but I figured with it being so close to your portkey, he'd decided not to…" She trails off and makes a face again and I grin at her.

"You've just got baby fever." I tease.

"Why are you taking a portkey, if you can shadow walk there?" Fenrir pipes up from his spiraled position in my desk chair. I give him a look for that- he was a big man, and it was a tiny chair. It looked like it was going to break.

"I was given it before I could walk, you know that. And, you also know, that Ron may or may not be there depending on his behavior, as well as Charlie. And while I do get along with the tamer, I don't know where he stands with Necromancy and I know Ron would have a fit."

"Everything you've said so far about this Ron has been negative. Why do you still want him around?" Fenrir asks offhandedly as he picks up a book from my desk. I see Bella's eyes go wide, and she's bolting out of the room like he'd set it on fire.

"Ron was my first friend, Fenrir. The first person that was vaguely nice to me besides Hagrid that I could remember. I'm not going to let that go until I see for myself what's going on." I manage to get out evenly. Really, it's not like I approve of all of his friends, either! Mcnair was a nasty asshole, who actually enjoyed torturing people when Tom did occasionally call for it. And I'm sure he did it when he wasn't asked to, either. But Fenrir thinks he's hilarious, and while he doesn't do any torturing, he doesn't put an end to it, either.

"You have plenty of friends who accept you for who you are now, though."

"Who, Bill? Fleur? Or maybe the twins. They won't do me any good when I'm in Hogwarts. And at school, all I really have that knows and accepts it is Draco, and most days I think he does that because his father has forced him to." I point out, putting Thule in his crib.

"All the adults that know aren't available once I go back, and anyone I might have told and haven't is now under observation until further notice because they're suddenly singing a different tune to what they were at the beginning of the summer. So no, I don't really have anyone around that would accept that." I tell him as I snap on my wand holster and the watch that Tom had given me after the adoption. It was old, silver in color, with a snake etched onto the cover and an emerald the size of my thumbnail as the button to open it. The chain was overly long because it's meant as a necklace for when a woman claims the house seat and had small emeralds attached to the links periodically. It was a beautiful watch. The name Slytherin was etched onto the outside in parsel as well, meaning only those who received the gift of speaking the language could open it the first time.

"Well. if things don't work out with him, you can come here for the evening. But I'll hope for your sake that you can work things out with him." he finally says as he sets the book back down. I nod at his diplomatic end to the slightly tense conversation and walk over to him as he stands up. He gives me a weary look.

"Tom has convinced me that, if you still want me to, I should go with you tomorrow."

"You'll get in trouble!" I exclaim immediately.

"Not if I'm under a blood glamour with Thule." he points out, leading us out of my bedroom. Bella was sitting in the lounge area, glancing looks at us nervously.

"You'll pose as his father, then?"

"And your plus one. I know you like Lupin, and you trust Bill and Fleur, but I do not," he admits. I frown at that but have to agree to disagree because I knew I wasn't going to change his mind anytime soon.

"I can come and get you two tomorrow around noon. The wedding is at 1, and I'll be up front for most of it but we've already agreed to forgo the wedding table and just have everyone sit where ever they want." I suggest as we descend the stairs.

"Alright. How long do you want to say we've been…" he trails off, making a face, and I realize he doesn't want to say dating.

"Hmmm. How about a month? About as long as I've been staying here. I can say I'm staying with a wizard family, and I met you through them. What would be your name?"

"Fen Raebeck, son of Beck Raebeck, an old geezer that's had at least 17 kids with just as many women. I work as a Potions Maker, which is what I do in my spare time anyway. I work out of my home because of my son, and his mother is dead, dying in childbirth in complications that she inherited from her mother. Shevbe Glartant. Thule's keeping his name."

"And will you be wearing Dress robes?" I tease, turning to face him as we reach the hallway to the foyer that branches with the one towards Tom's study.

"Most likely. I'll see if I can find some to match Thule." he muses, his tone going teasing as well. I laugh at that response.

"Well, you have fun with Tom tonight. I'm going to go get some firewhiskey and whatever else Bill put on my tab at the store in Diagon with Charlie." I tell him, rocking back a moment before I stretch up and kiss his cheek quickly, my own face flaming as I spin and hurry to the foyer before my portkey would take me to Grimmauld where I would be meeting Bill and Charlie.

~My bonus to you all, for your continued patience~ Fenrir~

I'm still slightly stunned when I make it to Toms study. He motions me in with an almost alarmed look and when I fall into the chair opposite his desk, he sits hesitantly.

"Fenrir?"

"I'm going tomorrow. With Thule. As Fen." I tell him, making a face.

"And did you tell him who Fen was?" he asks, leaning onto the desk. He snorts when I instantly scowl at that.

Fen was the name I was given by my father, Beck. I was the third son of the Raebeck name and so I was raised by my mother, who shoved me outside into the woods around her ramshackle, old house most days. It was how I'd been changed by Ryder Greyback, the man who went around biting children to create a pack. My mother had tried to kill me after she found me, and so Ryder had taken me in. I'd despised the man more than my father, but he did teach me a lot. He was killed shortly after my seven-year-old self attacked a small child on a full moon, Remus Lupin. Somehow, all of those stories of Ryder Greyback became the stories of Fenrir Greyback, and I was cast out. Tom was going to fashion a complex glamour around me, masking my scent, and my looks, as that of a biological half-brother he's met. Nothing would change besides I'd shrink and my eyes would turn the baby blue color they had been when I was a child. My face won't be as squared off, like it is now, either.

"No, I suppose I should. I will, eventually. Before he leaves for school."

"In a month," Tom says a little dryly, and I pointedly turn from him to his mantle.

"That wasn't the only thing that had you looking like you'd been imperiused, is it?" he asks after a beat of silence.

"Hmm. no. I didn't have the time to tell you before, but Harry has decided he's choosing where we go on our next- uh, outing."

"He's picking where you go for your date?" he muses, a smirk on his face when I turn back to him.

"Yes. And before he left with the portkey, he kissed my cheek. He fled fairly quickly afterward, He was embarrassed, I think. Something happened while we were at Eden. All we did was talk, and he drew the surroundings and me, but he was…. Much less hesitant than he was when we first discussed us by the end of it. I'm hoping he's seen that even if we haven't been a couple in the literal sense, we've been acting like it since he got Thule." I admit to him.

"Speaking of Thule, did you tell him that you were thinking about adopting the child?"

"No, I haven't discussed it with him. It's all theoretical until the potion is finished."

"But he might think that you're overstepping into his territory. Especially if he plans on doing the same." he points out. I shift uncomfortably at the thought. I hadn't thought about him doing that- he was 17, why would he want to adopt a child- but Tom was right. Harry could get possessive and adopt the child as his own, and I'd be stepping all over him if I petitioned too, because I was older.

"Lucius won the petition for Headmaster, did he tell you?" I ask to get off the topic of Harry while I stand and move for his bookshelf. He makes a positive sound in response.

"He immediately asked if Fen could take the position of Potions Master because he's keeping Severus in defense."

"Why? Severus has a mastery of potions, not defense." Tom asks, confused.

"I asked the same thing. He says that Severus will be able to guide the students in that subject the best, now that he doesn't have to do what Dumbledore tells him to. And if I say no, he's getting Slughorn back." I tell him, pulling down a book with a bird on the spine. When I see it's about animagus', I set it on the corner of his desk. Harry said he mediated most of last year and was trying to reach his Animagus form. He refused to tell me what it was, though I'm assuming it's a feline because of the way he was snickering when he told me about it.

"You'd be able to see Harry. I wonder if they would change the student-teacher rules?" he says, laughing when I send him an annoyed look. I was trying to stay off the topic of Harry for a few minutes.

"Right now, so long as the student is 17 and no favoritism is shown, there's no rule against it. Severus will just have to give his tests if I do it."

"Well. maybe by the time you have to give an answer, Severus will be speaking to Harry. And have that potion published. EIther way, again, it's something you need to discuss with your mate." he stresses, making me glare at the bookcase as I scan the titles. I pick one at random and fall into my chair again.

"And after the potion is administered, Lucius has already said he will petition to have you questioned for your crimes instead of the kill on sight order. If it's him and Greengrass acting as Chief Warlock and Head of Wizengamot then I don't see a problem, and they will sway your sentencing anyway. You could teach as Fenrir then." He muses to himself. I ignore his ramblings the best I can as I settle into translating complex Nordic rune structures for warding buildings. Maybe if I shut up and read, he'd stop talking about all the things I still needed to tell Harry.

A/N

This was something I wanted out last week, but I was moving into my apartment and needed to clean up and have some time to settle. I'll begin rewriting the next chapter soon, and the one after, and then we should be caught up to where I had dabbled the first time around.

But hey, to those of you in school, it's May! you're almost done with the year, congratulations! I was there last year. You'll make it, I promise.

the next chapter should be up within the week if I can keep focused.