Mary Potter

The following weeks passed in a blur of studying and exams. Hermione was in her element as she directed their study group through the motions of making it through the tests. So far, they'd all made it through fairly well, but considering that their future careers were on the line, no one wanted to muck it up.

"We've got Defense, Herbology, Runes, Arithmancy, and Divination on the line for the last exams." Hermione said with a nervous squeak.

"You're top in Runes." Daphne looked up and pushing a stack of note-cards toward Hermione. "You quiz us, then I'll quiz you."

"While anyone taking Runes is doing that," Mary added. "Neville can quiz some of us taking Herbology."

"I'll take Arithmancy." Tracey Davis picked up a thick tome and went to another table. "We can rotate out so that anyone taking multiple classes is able to study."

They split up and spent the rest of the night quietly talking back and forth, making sure that they were all prepared for the tests.

Potions that next afternoon left Mary with mixed feelings, while she had done well in the practical portion of the exam, her Confusing Concoction was a shade darker than she'd intended it to be. Snape had glared at the vial and waved her away, giving no sign or indication that she had done well or failed.

Astronomy that night was a total fail on her part, as the stars seemed to all look the same and she couldn't seem to concentrate on any constellation long enough to name it. It was something she'd have to ask Sirius to teach her, knowing that he was quite good at the subject.

Herbology was a breeze. Even Professor Sprout was ecstatic at how well most of the third years had done. And it was even better when she scowled at the way Malfoy and Parkinson's Puffapods had shriveled up and died.

But it was Defense that Mary felt most at home. She tackled everything in the maze that Professor Lupin sent them into and even made it out with the fastest time. Remus greeted her at the end and smiled proudly as he jotted her grade down on his clipboard.

Ancient Runes were far trickier than Mary had expected, but she was confident that she hadn't completely failed the class. It was Arithmancy that she worried about, having not attended one single lesson, and opting to go with a self study approach. Either way, she knew that she had done her best, and in those two classes she had no help from parallel memories to help her.

Mary spent the rest of the day, relaxing in the common room, glad that the exams were finally over.

"Come on." Oliver shook her shoulder, breaking her from her sleepy haze. "We're having a pick up game. Go get your broom."

Mary ran into her room and snatched her Firebolt from her trunk and ran downstairs with a whoop of glee. Flying sounded marvelous. After the long nerve wracking week of testing, she needed a way to just let go and have some fun.

The minute her feet hit the top step of the Entrance Hall, Mary mounted her broom and sped toward the pitch. Players from most of the four houses stood around talking amicably. They all decided on splitting the large number into two teams. Everyone rapped their wands over their head, casting the charm that would randomly turn their clothes red or blue, dividing the group evenly and without bias. Mary ended up on Blue team, along with Diggory, the Twins, and twenty others.

It wasn't a true match, simply a game of Keep-Away. The Keepers guarded the goals, and the rest of the team had the job of getting the single Quaffle through the hoop. It was madness, utter chaos, but ridiculously fun.

Even though the game ended in a close tie at 100-100, when Professor McGonagall ran out shouting at them that it was after midnight, there was no hard feelings. They all talked loudly and laughed as they made their way back into the castle.

A long mournful howl in the distance pulled Mary's attention away, and she automatically looked up to see the moon sitting full and high in the sky above them. The clouds drifted dark and thick in the air in front of it, sending sinister shadows onto the ground below. Mary stood stock still and watched as hundreds of dark cloaked creatures swarmed in the distance.

She urged her broom to the left unnoticed by the others as she flew further into the grounds and towards the Whomping Willow were the sounds had come from.

How could she forget what night this was and what was supposed to happen? She landed quickly and stumbled twice, but kept her footing and made it to where a large grey wolf stood, teeth bared, long snout pointed up at the sky.

"Moony?" Mary whispered, her eyes darting from the agitated werewolf to the encroaching Dementors. "We have to get Padfoot out of here."

Moony nudged the still form with his snout and looked up at Mary with pleading yellow eyes.

"I'll get him." Mary assured him. "Go on, get back inside the castle."

Moony's hackles raised and he circled around her and nudged her in the ribs with his snout.

"I know." She reached out and patted his thick fur. "We'll go together. Wingardium Leviosa."

Sirius' still form floated in the air in front of them and Moony carefully grabbed the hood of Sirius' cloak between his sharp teeth, pulling the floating form towards the castle doors.

Mary could feel the cold creeping in and pointed her wand in the direction of the Dementors and thought of the day she and Sirius went shopping for posters at Gambol and Japes. "Expecto Patronum!"

The giant silvery stag galloped through the air, keeping the dark creatures at bay. Mary was so entranced by the sight of it that she didn't notice that they had been surrounded. A loud yelp pulled her attention away and she gasped as she watched the dark cloaked figures hovering above Sirius and Moony.

"Expecto Patronum!" Mary cast again, guiding the Patronus towards the new threat. "Come on."

The Dementors pulled away once again, but there were bigger problems to face. Their dark presence seemed to force Moony into a manic state. The werewolf stalked towards Sirius prone form with white teeth bared in hunger and defense. His yellow eyes flashed in the moonlight and all Mary could see was bloodlust.

Mary lifted her wand and choked down her own fear. "PETRIFICUS TOTALIS!"

She could feel the immense amount of power that it took to bring down the werewolf and realized just how strong Moony was and how hard Remus had to fight to hold back the impulse to let the wolf take control.

Knowing that she was running out of time, Mary ran towards to her two father figures and levitated Moony while dragging Sirius by the robes. Sweat poured down her face and her arms and legs ached from the strain, but all she could think about was getting them to safety. They were all she had.

"Bloody Harry Potter! Expecto Patronum," She ground out the spell and watched as the huge stag cantered off while she dragged her unconscious godfather up the steps with one hand and the petrified werewolf with her other. "Stupid bloody future. Sure it looked easy, but this is just bullshit. Change the future, but don't change too much. Don't tell anybody. Do it all by yourself."

"Potter!" Snape hissed as he rounded the corner and set his dark eyes on her. "I should have known you'd be the idiotic little menace that would ruin my night. What in Merlin's name are you doing?"

"Kind of failing to do two things at once," she gave him a pointed look as she tugged harder on Sirius's robes and finally got him inside the castle, "sir. Expecto Patronum. Bloody Dementors."

"I hope Prongs gores you in the nads!" Mary yelled out as she pushed the heavy doors shut and slid down to lean against them. "I'm too old for this shit."

Snape flicked his wand and levitated Black onto a stretcher and tried to keep his distance from the wolf. "Get away from the beast, Potter."

"He's stunned, Professor." She said quickly, quirking an eyebrow at the dark haired man. "Dementors attacked us on the grounds. Have you seen Hagrid? Is there anybody else out there? We have to get help!"

"Your Patronus warned Hagrid and Professor Sprout in time for them to get into the castle." Snape grudgingly held out a hand to help her up. "Professor Dumbledore has contacted the Ministry and Professor McGonagall is currently checking to make sure that everyone is safely inside."

"That's good." Mary sighed and patted Black's hand. "I'm going to go lock Professor Lupin in his office. Will you take Sirius to the infirmary, professor?"

"I will." Snape replied then walked away with Sirius floating beside him, sparing a glance at the young girl, and shook his head in unveiled exasperation.

Mary flicked her wand and levitated Moony far enough into the air that his tail wouldn't drag on the stone floor and carefully made her way to his office. She set him down on the small cot that took up one corner and turned around to grab a blanket off the back of the small leather armchair to tuck him in for the night.

A low growl erupted behind her and her eyes widened as she slowly turned around with the blanket in hand. "Moony?"

Golden eyes glared at her and the massive wolf bared his teeth as he lowered his head and stared at her. Mary dropped the blanket and kept her hands in plain sight as she avoided looking at the disoriented werewolf in the eye.

"It's me, Moony." She said as calmly as she could, but still her voice shook. "It's Mary."

The wolf lunged and in one bound had knocked her backwards and buried his long fangs around her forearm. Mary screamed out as the burning pain erupted up from the mangled flesh. Within the span of mere seconds, his teeth had ripped her arm apart, tearing away both cloth and flesh and leaving nothing but a mangled mess of both.

Magic rippled across her skin and Moony yelped loudly, releasing her arm and backing away warily, his golden eyes stared at her in horror while he whined lowly and paced the floor. Mary wrapped the sleeve of her robe around the wound tightly, hoping to staunch the worst of the blood-flow, and stood up on shaky legs. Moony whined pitifully as drops of blood fell to the floor.

"I'm okay." Mary whispered to him and tried her best to sound reassuring. "I've got to go check on Sirius and I'll be back to see you in the morning."

Moony laid on the floor by the fireplace and turned his back to her. Mary sighed and walked out of the room, shutting and locking the door tightly behind her.

"Clausa Maxima." She whispered the spell at the door handle and put a hand against the wood. "Night, Moony."

Snape looked up sharply at her when she stumbled into the infirmary some twenty minutes later, having to lean on the wall to keep from passing out cold in the corridor. "Potter, what are you..." He took one look at her pale face and the thick sheen of sweat that covered her brow and his eyes traveled to the blood soaked arm of her robe. "I'm going to kill that bloody wolf!"

"My fault." Mary shook her head weakly as he helped her into one of the hospital beds. "My spell wore off before I could get out of the room. He was disoriented and scared. He didn't know what he was doing."

"I'll be sure to tell the werewolf how valiantly you've defended him just before the Ministry puts him down." Snape said darkly. "Uncover your arm."

She did as she was told while trying to find something more to say to defend Remus. "No one has to know! It was my fault, really! He won't be punished, will he, sir?"

Snape looked up and met her eyes and she could tell that he wanted to look away, but she grasped his hand with her good one, seeking some kind of reassurance. "Please, sir."

Snape cursed loudly when he saw her mangled arm and Mary tried and failed to look away. But at Madam Pomfrey's shriek, both grimaced and turned toward the irate woman who was stalking toward them brandishing her wand.

"Miss Potter." Madam Pomfrey growled out her name like it was a curse. "Considering it's a full moon that better not be what I think it is."

"I tripped?" Mary supplied weakly and squeezed Snape's hand even though he was desperately trying to free himself from her grip.

"Tripped over what? A Muggle bear trap?" Madam Pomfrey vanished Mary's robe, school sweater and tie then slashed her wand angrily and severed the sleeve of her white button up shirt. "I do believe that you have exhausted every ounce of patience I have for you this year."

"'kay." Mary put her head down in sudden shame and let go of Snape's hand as she looked down at the myriad of exposed muscle and tendons.

A cold pale hand grasped the silver cuff that permanently adorned her arm and Mary followed it up to look at Snape in question.

"Magic won't work on the wound." Snape said to Madam Pomfrey who sat on the edge of the bed and sighed loudly. "Potions will also be useless."

"Isn't a bite like this cursed anyway?" Mary asked, thinking of Harry's memory of when Bill Weasley was attacked by Greyback.

"Exactly." Snape smiled grimly at her. "Lycanthropy is passed through a bite on the full moon and the wounds are highly magical and never heal properly."

"Which means you are the luckiest unlucky person I have ever met." Madam Pomfrey conjured a wash basin full of steaming water and a roll of gauze. "We'll have to clean it out and bandage it the Muggle way. I'm afraid you are going to have a rather nasty set of scars from this."

May 25th, 1994

Severus Snape

"Professor Snape, could you bring the Muggle remedies while I clean the wound?" Poppy asked him, shooting a pointed look in his direction.

He took the hint and extracted himself from the situation. The blasted girl would surely want privacy as she cried and complained about the painful cleansing process. But he knew better than that. Despite his hatred of the child, he couldn't truthfully say that she was the type to whine. It was in his mental notes to believe her possessed if she ever griped about pain or punishment. It was something that he secretly admired about her.

He returned with the needed tinctures in his arms just as Poppy was finishing. The process had to have been excruciating, as the well trained matron stopped every couple of minutes to vanish the blood and cleanse the water. The scars would be horrific. Severus just hoped that the werewolf would regret his carelessness each time he saw them.

"Your hand is far steadier than mine, Severus." Poppy handed him a needle and silk thread, looking quite green. "Sutures are something that I have little practice in."

Potter's eyes met his and he saw the trustful, yet resigned look on her face as he accepted the needle. He looked away and cast a charm to give him more light.

"Stay as still as possible, Potter." He ordered her as he placed the needle to her skin.

"Yes, sir." She replied quickly, staring at the wound.

It took him far longer than he liked. But close to two hundred stitches later, he had finished the work that Poppy had left him with. Potter looked pale and weary, staring down at the criss cross pattern of black thread that covered her forearm.

"It's going to scar quite badly." He informed her, handing her the vials of both blood replenisher and dreamless sleep.

She shrugged and leaned back against the pillows. "I'm no stranger to scars."

"On the next full moon," Snape said heavily. "We will find out whether you have contracted the disease. But if the magical suppressor in the cuff works properly, you will not become a werewolf."

Mary took a shaky breath and looked up at the Potions Master with wary eyes. "Could you check Professor Lupin's office door? I'm worried that my locking charm won't hold. My other spells tonight seemed to have been weaker than usual."

"What charm did you use?" Snape asked as he quickly stood.

"Clausa Maxima." She replied quickly. "It was the strongest one I could think of."

"That charm isn't even in the Hogwarts curriculum." Madam Pomfrey looked suspicious. "And it's certainly not in a normal third years capability."

"Since when have I been considered normal?" Mary asked wryly. "Every time something good happens to me, I get paranoid about what part of my life is going to get royally screwed over next."

"I must say I firmly agree with that sentiment." Snape shook his head. "Idiotic brat."

"Sleep, Miss Potter." Pomfrey ordered while Snape stood and quietly exited the ward.

True to the young witch's capability, the door to the werewolf's office was locked tight and even he felt confident leaving it, knowing that not even a seventh year could break the locking charm without a professors help. Still though, he added wards of his own to be sure that no one would go in or out of the room without him knowing.

Sirius Black

May 26th, 1994

"Mr. Black." A voice pulled him from his sleepy state. "Mr. Black, I need you to sit up."

Sirius groaned as he opened his eyes and blinked at the hazy form of Poppy Pomfrey hovering over him with a mug in her hand. "Wha-?"

"Hot cocoa." The Matron helped him sit up and placed the warm mug in his hand. "There is a bar of chocolate on the table beside you when you're finished with that."

"What happened?" Sirius wondered, knowing that last he remembered he was running through the forest with Moony.

Poppy sighed and shot a spell at the curtains surrounding his bed. "You were attacked by Dementors last night. Miss Potter brought both you and Professor Lupin back into the castle as you were unconscious."

Sirius sat up, almost spilling the cocoa onto the white sheets. "Remus and Mary? Are they okay?"

"I've checked on Remus just an hour ago." Madam Pomfrey answered quietly. "He was quite shaken up, but I gave him a potion to help him rest."

"And Mary?" Sirius held his hand out in worry.

"There was an incident." Poppy held up her hand to stop him from interrupting. "From what I gather, the Dementors caused him to lose rational thought. The only way for Miss Potter to bring him in, was to Stun him. Her spell wore off just after they made it into his quarters. Mr. Black, I know this will be hard to hear, but she was bitten quite badly."

Sirius scrambled off the bed and stood, his heart trying to beat it's way out of his chest. "Where is she?"

Poppy grasped his arm tightly, stopping him. "She's in the private room. But, Mr. Black...Sirius, it was her right arm that was bitten. There is still a chance that she hasn't contracted the disease."

Sirius roughly ran his hands through his hair. "I should be with her."

Poppy nodded and moved the curtain aside, letting him find his own way to the room where Remus usually stayed after the full moon while he had been a student there. Remus. He had just gotten his friend back, there was no telling how badly this would affect the poor man's state of mind. Part of him didn't care and just wanted to rip his throat out for hurting Mary, but he shoved that thought away. Remus, no doubt, had enough self-loathing to do something far more drastic, and Sirius wouldn't lose his last true friend over what was clearly an accident.

But all of those thoughts left him when he walked into the private ward to find Mary deeply asleep, her arm lying on a pillow and covered in thick blue paste. Underneath it he could see the long gouges that were stitched back together, wrapping around her thin arm entirely and leaving not but a place that would be left unmarred.

"Oh gods." Sirius sat heavily in the chair beside her bed and stared at her with profound relief and heartbreaking misery. "I'm sorry, kid."

"Sirius." The soft pain filled voice pulled his attention away from his goddaughter and he turned to see Remus standing in the doorway. "Can I come in?"

"Of course." Sirius answered quickly, transfiguring another soft arm chair on Mary's other side.

Remus stepped in and sniffed the air, his eyes fixed on Mary's arm. "I...I shouldn't be here."

Sirius looked up at him with a stony glare. "Stay."

"Siri?" Mary lifted her head and squinted her eyes.

"Hey, pup." He stood and helped her sit up. "How are you feeling?"

"Loopy." Mary grimaced. "Where's my warden?"

"Quiet you." Poppy scoffed as she walked into the room, holding a tray with a glass of water and numerous potions. "It's just the morphine talking."

"Morphine?" Remus asked quietly, drawing Mary's attention.

"Her right arm is resistant to any magic, including potions that could have healed her in a second." Poppy shook her head in resignation. "We've had to do the best we can with Muggle remedies, although I do think I'll tell Severus that he gave you too much in that last dose."

"I can't feel it." Mary poked at her arm and chuckled. "So no worries."

"Drink up, dear." Poppy handed her vial after vial of potions. "You can have some water and a light breakfast after you've finished."

Mary made a face of disgust as she handed the last empty vial back to the matron. "Thanks, ma'am."

"I'll send breakfast in momentarily." Poppy patted her leg and walked out, shutting the door quietly behind her.

"Mary." Remus started in a mere whisper. "I'm so sorry. I know there is nothing I can do to make this right, but please know that I've already handed Professor Dumbledore my resignation and I promise that I will never bother you again. I just had to see you one last time - and apologize - before I left."

"What?" Mary stared at him in confusion. "Why are you doing this? You can't leave! Please, don't leave!"

"Look at yourself." Remus stood and pointed at her mangled arm. "I did that. I hurt you. You...you can't know how much I hate myself for this. And now, knowing what I'm capable of, surely you can't want me around."

"Don't tell me what to think and how to feel." Mary growled out, her green eyes glowing slightly. "I may be young, but I'm more than capable than deciding such things for myself. What I told you at Christmas is as true today as it was then. You are part of my family, and I will not see you walk away out of guilt. And whether or not I become a werewolf doesn't change that in the slightest."

"I can't bear the thought." Remus said brokenly.

Mary reached forward and grabbed his hand, smiling warmly up at him. "You're my Moomy and I love you."

Remus leaned down and carefully pulled her into a hug, while Sirius sat back, a small smile on his face as he realized just how proud he was of her. "She's right, Remus. We're not letting you go anywhere without us."

The door opened and Professor Dumbledore walked in, four trays of food – stacked on top of each other – hovered in the air in front of him. "Ah, good. You're all here."

"Good morning, sir." Mary smiled at the elder wizard and accepted a tray for herself.

"Good morning, child." Dumbledore grinned back, his eyes twinkling as he nodded at each of them. "Dig in. I do believe the house elves have outdone themselves today. The scones look fantastic. Remus, I must apologize. I'm afraid that I cannot accept your resignation until after the school term ends."

"He was going to retract that anyway." Sirius spoke for his friend. "I think he may have gotten a bit hasty and spoke too soon."

"Wonderful to hear." Dumbledore conjured a chair for himself and sat down.

"Professor?" Mary looked up at Dumbledore while her left hand grasped the shining silver cuff on her upper arm. "Shouldn't this be burning me?"

Dumbledore stared at her over the rim of his glasses, his eyes twinkling brightly as he nodded. "Theoretically, if you had contracted Lycanthropy, it would burn you."

"So she'll be okay?" Remus looked from Dumbledore to Mary, hope shining in his eyes.

Dumbledore's eyes dimmed slightly. "I think it's a bit early to make assumptions. At worst, young Mary's arm, and arm alone will transform. But considering the way the Suppression Cuff has worked so far, I think she will not have to face that."

"Thank the gods." Remus sighed in relief.

"Mary," Dumbledore turned his gaze first to Sirius, then to her. "I'm counting on you to let me or Madam Pomfrey know immediately if you start feeling any symptoms."

"What should we look for?" Sirius turned his gaze to Remus who narrowed his eyes in thought.

"Sensitivity to light, smells, sounds." Remus said quickly. "Those were the first three things I can remember from after I turned."

Mary's hand twitched and Sirius glanced at her quickly, only to see the tightness around her eyes. And he knew then and there that she had already experienced those symptoms, but wasn't going to say anything about it. As though she felt his gaze, Mary's head turned and her eyes met his. He could see the stubborn set of her jaw and the defiance that glowed like embers behind those bright green eyes that reminded him so much of Lily that it hurt.

"Professor Dumbledore," Poppy walked in and looked at the Headmaster with a pointed look. "Professor Sprout is in the main ward. She needs to see you immediately."

"Ah," Dumbledore vanished his tray and smiled at them all. "Excuse me please."

The second the door shut, Sirius stood up and sat back down on the edge of Mary's bed. "No secrets, kid. I love you too much to lose you now."

"Sirius?" Remus leaned forward.

"Mary?" He urged her.

"Those first three symptoms." Mary whispered. "This morning I thought I was going to pass out. The lights in here just about gave me a headache. The potions, while they normally smell foul, I thought I was going to be sick. And it kin of sounds like you've all been yelling at me."

Remus' hands clenched into fists. "But silver didn't burn you."

"Not at all." Mary shook her head. "Don't worry, Remus, I'm fine. If anything I've gained some super powers and a few more wicked scars."

"Wicked?" Remus hissed, his eyes burning in guilt. "Your arm is marred beyond recognition! They scars will never fade or heal completely. They'll ache and burn the closer the moon gets. The pain goes all the way to the bone. At times you'll feel as though you'd rather cut off your limbs than deal with the tremors that race through them!"

"Remus." Sirius stood up and grasped his friend by the shoulder's while trying tot to jostle Mary's bed. "Stop. Now."

"I'm sorry." Mary looked down at the bed. "I didn't mean to make light of it, really."

The door opened once again and Madam Pomfrey poked her head in. "Mr. Black, Professor Lupin, the Headmaster would like to see you in his office immediately."

"Mary?" Sirius looked down at his goddaughter and saw the way she seemed to shrink in on herself, as though she was trying to bury herself under the covers.

"I'm tired." Mary whispered weakly.

Madam Pomfrey waved her wand and walked into the room holding a small bottle of blue liquid. "Dreamless Sleep, child."

Mary accepted the bottle, avoiding everyone's gaze and laid back down, pulling the covers over her head.

Remus glanced at him in remorse, but Sirius shook his head and walked out of the room, knowing that they would talk later. Remus walked beside him in silence until they both made it to the gargoyle guarding the headmaster's office, which opened as soon as Sirius said his name.

Dumbledore sat behind his desk with his head down, his eyes focused on the stone pensieve that sat in front of him. "Have a seat, please."

"What's happened, sir?" Remus asked him worriedly.

Dumbledore was silent for a moment longer before he finally sighed and lifted his head. "Do you both remember the prophecy that sent the Potters into hiding?"

Sirius balked at the subject and stood up quickly, pacing the floor. "We could hardly forget it."

"Another has been made, just today." Dumbledore admitted. "Pomona happened by Professor Trelawney who was walking through the corridors aimlessly. The moment Trelawney seen her, she gave her second true prophecy to date."

With a wave of his wand, the bespectacled woman's face appeared in a ghostly haze, floating above the Pensieve. "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 servant's aid, greater and more terrible than ever before. Tonight ... before midnight ... the servant ... will set out ... to rejoin ... his master ..."

"No." Remus choked out. "It's not possible."

Dumbledore looked every bit his age as he looked at them, twinkle absent from his eyes. "I've never believed that Lord Voldemort was truly dead. He was far too fearful of mortal life to not pursue more drastic measures to ensure his own survival. I believe he has spent these past years as a wandering spectre, biding his time until the right opportunity presented itself."

"But Mary." Sirius said heavily. "She'll be a target."

"Yes." Dumbledore said slowly. "I'm afraid that I must ask a lot of you both for a time to come. Sirius, with the Blood Wards no longer protecting Mary, she will need a place that will be far safer than a flat in the middle of a busy street."

Sirius grimaced and gritted his teeth. "I have full control over Grimmauld Place. The wards will keep anyone out. We can even put the Fidelius over it. It will need cleaning though, it's been empty since my mother's death."

"Would you be willing to prepare it for Order meetings, if it comes to that?" Dumbledore asked him seriously.

"Of course." Sirius agreed quickly.

"And me, sir?" Remus leaned forward, as though waiting a sentence from a judge.

"When the time comes," Dumbledore sighed. "I will need you to find other's with Lycanthropy and try to keep them from joining Lord Voldemort's forces as they did last time."

Remus nodded in resignation. "Of course, sir."

They left the office the way the came, in complete silence, both of them lost in dark and warring thoughts. Sirius knew that there was only thing that mattered, and that was keeping Mary both safe and happy. While he knew better than to mention anything in front of Dumbledore, he was already resolute in his decision to tell Mary about both prophecies. Like himself, she was not one who did well with secrets and always handled more information better than none.

He would train her. He would teach her. He would make sure that she was ready to face any threat in her path. He would make sure she survived. But more than anything, he would make sure that she was loved and happy.

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A/N: I'd like to say thank you to everyone who followed, favorite-d, reviewed, and added it to C2's. It means the world to me.

I hope everyone is enjoying the story so far. Drop me a line and let me know.

P.S. Third year is almost over and the fun is about to really start. But I will warn you that the story will get drastically darker in theme towards the end of Fourth Year.