Neville and the Do-Over

by M. Lauren

The Battle of Hogwarts is over but Neville can't join in the celebration. The device in his pocket haunts him. He's had it since the battle at the Ministry. Now he's going to use it but what happens to his plan when Hermione goes to check on him? (NL & HG get stuck in 1975 & pass as 5th yrs & twins; now starting 6th yr with their friends)[Non-Circular TimeTravel/AU]

14. Chapter 14: Congratulations &Condolences

A/N - updated 3/7/17

What's happened so far:

Ch12: James, Remus, and Sirius talk about 'their Orwell's'. Jean tells Trevor about killing Mulciber as Hartz, and later uses a spell Dumbledore found to alter House Elf Bonds. Remus and Jean fight due to a scratch, and Jean uses Wemsi's doting to punish him until just before Lily is hurt on her patrols with Severus after they find an Elf being attacked by students. Sirius gets word that Narcissa ran away to France and got married. Trevor starts Animagus training, and Jean tries to brew Wolfsbane and Veritaserum. Jean talks to Severus about light and dark magic, and Trevor wakes up due to what turns out to be an attack on Jean (that ends with Dumbledore moving 7 Slytherins into their own Dorm for their safety).

Ch13: James talks Jean into chaperoning a muggle night over the Holiday. Jean poisons herself with a failed attempt at making Wolfsbane, Trevor saves her life with a Bezoar but then Severus can smell the aconite on her (he helps her heal her throat but demands answers) leading him to further suspect Remus is a werewolf, he tries again to convince Lily. A shopping trip to find outfits for the coming wedding, turns into an encounter with Grayback. The morning after the full moon, Severus is waiting up to confront Jean when she tries to sneak back into bed. At the meeting with Dumbledore Jean tells how she wants there to be a fake order and for Hagrid to find his half-brother. Jean, Trevor, and the Prewett's return to the Gaunt shack to take care of the ring with no problems. After, they check in with Dumbledore who asks for the remains of the diadem before they all go to bed. Reggie unexpectedly stays at Hogwarts for the holiday. Remus Floos back to Hogwarts for the full moon over the Holiday, meeting Jean, James, and Sirius and telling them how Dumbledore seemed off before the four find Greyback outside the shrieking shack.

---

Chapter 14 – Congratulations and Condolences

(Thursday, April 15th, 1976.)

"Morning Jean, sleep well?" Severus greeted upon entering their common room and spotting Jean at the little wooden table with the morning paper spread out before her and her familiar planner on her lap.

"Not in the slightest." She sighed heavily, her eyes not leaving the article she was reading. "Sorry," she looked up at his silence, "does the 'no lying' rule not include pleasantries?" She asked, noting his retreat to an unreadable face. "You don't have to ask about it – I don't really want to tell you anyway." She added with a shrug and returned her attention to her paper.

"Works for me." He decided, taking a seat across from her at the table.

"How's Reggie?" She asked after a short pause, her attention suddenly on the planner in her lap.

"Drinking less." He answered as he poured himself tea and banished the kettle and cream back to the kitchen.

"Good." She acknowledged while looking at the book in her lap, smiling slightly as she read Trevor's latest message from her planner.

"And how's your brother?" Severus sighed, with a pointed look to her lap when she looked up at him in surprise. "It's quite obvious you two use those to talk – rather impressive, though." He added with a noncommittal shrug.

"He's helping Plante." Jean answered.

"Ah, yes I heard the rumors. They're true then?"

"If the rumors are that Plante is retiring so he can spend more time with grandchildren, then yes they are true." She answered, but her attention was back on scanning the paper before her.

"Actually, rumor says it was so he could run away with a lover – last time it was a half goblin half Centaur who's humanoid half was female and Equidae half was male - but only idiots would take Hogwarts rumors as truth."

"There has never been a case of successful breeding of Centaurs with any other being." She said. Suddenly her full attention was on him, frowning. "It's believed impossible." She added firmly.

"As far as I know." He nodded with a half shrug, "kind of the point." He added with a smirk before taking a deep sip from his mug.

"Yes, well I'm not sure were you even hear this all, I never hear any rumors." Jean said as she turned to the next page of the paper.

"Well, they are all talking about you half the time." A chuckling voice interrupted.

"Morning Reggie." Severus said without turning around to face the boy.

"Anything good in the paper?" Reggie asked, and Jean glanced back down the paper laid out in front of her and bit back a smirk.

"That Skeeter woman has another article about this 'Balance', who claimed responsibility for the stuff with the Elves." She said as casually as she could.

"I don't see the benefit." Reggie said, sitting down next to Severus. "Why would they go to so much effort to free the House Elves?" Reggie asked. "Are they putting all these elves to work for their own efforts?"

"To weaken and enrage their enemy." Severus answered simply.

"Or because it was the right thing to do! Or maybe because it would give them a valuable group of allies." Jean countered.

"You really are the bleeding heart of Slytherin." Reggie muttered as he added some tea to his mug of fire whiskey.

"You really like puns when you're pissed." Jean countered.

"Well," Severus started, "I would have done it because all the families that hold to the old ways depend on the labor of House Elves, and most, if not all, abuse them. So you change the magic, and your enemy loses their Elves but the people you want on your side that also have Elves are not inconvenienced because they treat their Elves decadently. Which has the added bonus, that they now see you as moral and fighting for what's 'right'." He half-heartedly sneered the word at Jean. "You weaken the enemy, you make yourself look good to the people you need support from, and you potentially have a horde of angry and powerful magical creatures to further your plans – it was a beautiful move." He told Jean with the smallest air of approval.

"Are you going to drink with me today Jean?" Reggie asked, ignoring Severus' speech completely.

"Later, after dinner - I have some things I'd like to work on."

"That reminds me." Severus put down his mug and pulled vial from his robes and placed it gently in front of her.

"You did it? Already?" She picked up the vital and examined it closely.

"I have no idea, I haven't tested it yet. But, in theory, yes."

"Can we test it?" She asked, clearly excited (enough that she forgot to hold back as to not annoy him).

"If you can contain yourself." He scolded as he fixed his robes in a way that reminded her of her old Potions Professor. 'I hope I'm on the right road with you Severus. If not, whatever your new fate is, it will be all my fault.' She wondered sadly as she watched him. 'If it all goes to shit without a spy? If it falls apart because you deserve the chance to fight for the light - in the light? There will be no one to blame but myself.' "Is that you containing yourself or pouting?" He broke her thoughts with a sharp tone and raised a brow.

"Contained." She answered in what she hoped was an aloof tone.

"Good." Severus nearly smiled.

"There might be hope for her yet." Reggie snickered into his mug, as Severus stood, and removed the vial from the table.

"Coming?" Severus glanced at Jean.

"Yes, of course." She tried to answer cordially.

"Better." He said quietly before he turned to the portrait door and left. Jean silently hurried out behind him and was surprised to find him waiting right outside the portrait. "Either tell me why you've been volatile or hide it better." He hissed as he quickly closed the portrait behind her.

"I can't help but feel something is coming." Jean answered in one breath and refused to acknowledge the mental tisking from her 12-year-old self, at the feeling of relief from giving up a tiny truth to Severus Snape. "Usually, I duel with Trevor or Sirius, to get the nerves out, but obviously, that hasn't been an option." She finished.

"Anyone with half a brain knows something is coming." He scoffed.

"I don't mean Voldemort and his Death Eaters and the War they will bring. Well, I do," she conceded, "but nothing so vague as that. To be honest, it's not that something is coming - it's that everything is coming."

"The stress of heading a band of revolutionaries?" He asked coolly, a smirk slowly growing. "You really are far too easy to read Jean." He scolded, his amusement hidden as always but now something she picked up on (the little twitch of his lip, and their slight pursing in an attempt to hold them straight).

"How?" She breathed, her heart beating out her chest.

"That little stunt you pulled with Lupin and your Elf, and that other Elf that helped you out – he was one of the Malfoy's Elves. They invite most of the Slytherins to various parties – much like our dear Professor Slughorn and for the same reasons. I remember the Elf, he was Abraxas' favorite." He sneered. "That and Lily told me about you sending something to Rita Skeeter to stop her lies – she was very impressed by the way – and then what do you know, but the same no name journalist, not even on the job a year, Rita Skeeter is chosen by this Balance to be their contact. That bothered me, why would they pick her? If they wanted to be heard by the most people, they should have picked one of the big names. So, either they are idiots or it's that Skeeter is special somehow, and anyone would know it's not that she's incorruptible – it's not that she's 'on their side'. So it had to be that she was controllable."

"Yes, you really are very clever." Jean sighed tersely. "But I don't see why you care."

"It was a puzzle." He shrugged. "But you're right, I don't care, except this – if this mess lasts til after graduation, then Lily is going to want to fight – you will not include her in this Balance of yours."

"I won't let Lily into the Balance, but I cannot keep her from fighting, there will be other groups, and I will have no control then."

"Understandably," he nodded, "you have my silence then...and my help - we'll start with a duel." He added as he walked away down the hall. "Coming Orwell?" He called back to her without looking back or slowing down.

---

~.~.~

"Hey, Reggie." Jean sat on the coffee table in front of the couch were Reggie was laying cockeyed with a bottle of fire whiskey.

"Hey... is it later?" He slurred.

"Yeah, Reggie it's later." She said and in answer, he held the bottle out to her.

"Catch up." He instructed, wiggling the bottle at her. "Shouldn't take long." He added with a grin. "Lightweight." He muttered, snickering to himself.

"Yes, sir." Jean rolled her eyes and took the bottle (and a quick swig). "Do remember our deal, thou." she said licking the whiskey from her lip.

"Yeah, yeah," he grumbled, "at the end of the holiday I stop drinking."

"Not a drop." She added, taking another drink.

"Not a drop." He sighed with a nod, sitting up so Jean could join him on the couch, and with that, they drink in silence and stared into the fire.

"Why do I care?" He asked after awhile. "Why do I care what they think? They lied to me! They took my brother from me! Why do I want their approval? Why should I want them to love me? To be proud of me? They don't deserve it." He growled.

"I think that's just how people are – children want the love and affection from their parents."

"He doesn't." Regulus growled morosely.

"Don't be foolish Reggie. Sirius has been without their approval for years now, and he may get that love elsewhere, but he wouldn't be so angry if a piece of him didn't still want their love. No matter how much he hates them, the fact that they don't love him – the fact that their love is conditional – there is no healing that completely."

"How does he do it?"

"His friends... and the girls - he is very physically affectionate with anyone who will let him. He has Mr. and Mrs. Potter who think of him as their own – I think that helps a lot – having someone's parents want him."

"I don't have that... I don't have friends like that... no one wants me."

"You have more than you think. What about Severus? You have him."

"Not like that. We're company – protection and insurance – it's reciprocal altruism, not friendship." He sighed.

"It could be friendship. One of you just has to be brave enough to bring it there. I think you both want that, it's just that you both are too afraid to be seen as needy." She said taking the bottle from him again. "Plus, I told you and Severus that night – if you're with me, then we're friends, and I'll be there for you always – like it or not."

"I'm going to have to drink more if your gonna be all preachy." He rolled his eyes at her childishly and gestured for the bottle back.

---

~.~.~

[That weekend/a couple days later.]

(Saturday, April 17th, 1976.)

"I'll be right behind you." Hagrid assured Jean before she closed the door. Hagrid finished shoving the dog bed under his cot and glanced at the umbrella by the fireplace. "Suppose I can't." He sighed and moved to the window where he had spare parchment and a quill to write a quick note. With a sigh, he folded the paper and addressed it to 'Bootis' and left it standing on the clear table. When he glanced out the window he saw Trevor in his suit with Jean on his arm as they made their way towards Hogsmeade. "Someday you'll be able to tell them, and they'll understand." He repeated to himself. "They'll understand." He muttered, heading out the door with an old camera in his hand.

When he caught up to them he insisted on a couple of pictures before they continued and had Jean give the camera a tap with her wand while saying 'Candid'. At which point it slowly raised from her hand and floated around them.

"But the Muggles Hagrid." Trevor protested.

"Don't worry, you two, it's charmed so only those who know it's there, can see it. After awhile you won't even notice it anymore, not until you remember it's there." He added with a laugh.

"What if we forget it?"

"It will return home when the roll is full or after 24 hours. We just have to apparate with it to the wedding and it will take care of the rest – it will follow you around Jeany because you did the spell."

"Oi, there you lot are, you're going to make use late." Fabian scolded.

"We'll arrive 15 minutes after they start receiving the guests." Jean pointed out.

"We're supposed to be there at the earliest possible for all these guest photos the Family wants to get while so much of us are together." Gideon scolded.

"Do you know what having seven older sisters means?" Fabian asked.

"It means getting scolded by each of them, and then Mum." Gideon answered immediately.

"Apologies then, but this is only making you later." Jean smirked.

"I'll get Hagrid, you get them." Gideon said quickly and Fabian nodded.

"Welcome to the Prewett-Potter wedding." Came a disembodied voice. "Please remember that beyond this room, this is a Muggle event. You may store your wands and other items here or stow them securely on your person. The Muggles who see you exit this room will believe that you (like them) have just had your car taken by the valet. Please be conscious of your surroundings while talking about the magical world, and remember to shake-check strangers no matter how sure you are that they are magical. You should know that while there is an Oblivator on hand for accidents, Magical Guests will be escorted from the event for mistreating the Muggle guests and staff. Thank You, and enjoy."

"Was that in our heads?" Trevor asked quietly.

"I think so," Jean nodded, "a spell set to start the message the moment you arrive so everyone gets the same, full massage...fascinating." Jean answered, already pondering the idea.

"A little violating if you ask me." Huffed a short wizard as he passed them.

"I thought the Groom was a Muggleborn." Trevor hissed, dismissing the man with a curious look and a shrug.

"He is." Jean nodded. "Potter is a very common Muggle name, as are your other profession based names like: Smith, Miller, Cook, Baker-"

"How many more do you think she can list?" Fabian asked his brother, making no attempt to keep the question private.

"Ten more max." Gideon answered in kind before they both turned expectantly to her.

"You're on." Fabian smirked at Gideon. Turning to Jean with a raised brow and look that made her half expect to randomly turn into a canary, as he addressed her. "Don't tell me that big brain of yours can't list off twenty-some occupational names." To which Jean gave a mischievous smile and shrugged, leaving Fabian beaming as he turned to his brother. "I want a Galleon for the Eleventh and for each after." Fabian quickly added to his brother before turning back to her. "Go on Miss Orwell." Fabian prodded.

"Let's see then, we have; Taylor, Fisher, Archer, Shoemaker," she listed without pause (Fabian and Gideon counting them on their fingers), "Tanner, Porter, Sheppard..." She added after a short pause."

"That's only seven." Gideon grinned at his brother.

"Farmer... Thatcher..." Jean added.

"And?" Gideon asked smugly holding up nine wiggling fingers to his brother.

"Granger." She answered with a smirk. Trevor coughed and adjusted his tie, to no notice of the others other than a distracted clap on the back from Fabian.

"Thanks." Trevor muttered hoarsely and cleared his throat.

"Now you're just making things up." Gideon said with a pout, paying no more than a glance to Trevor before going back to their topic.

"It's of English and French origin - an occupational surname for he who oversaw the collection of taxes and rent for the lord who owned the land from those who lived on and worked it." She supplied with her head held high.

"I still don't think that counts." Gideon muttered to Fabian, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Course it counts." Hagrid spoke up gruffly and Jean gave him a smile.

"It's fine," She smirked, having had time to think of more as she explained the name's meaning to them, "then how about Abbot, Priest, or Sage? Or perhaps King, Lord, Steward, or Earl?"

"That's 17." Fabian smirked at his brother.

"Double or nothing, if she can make it 20?" Gideon offered.

"Can we please stop listing things?" Trevor interrupted with a sigh.

"Sorry, Gid." Fabian laughed, putting his hand out.

"Right." Jean started. "The point is 'Potter' is very common Muggle name, so outside of being 28th cousins or something else, there is no reason to think there is any relation."

"Seventeen, Granger counts." Fabian prodded his twin.

"Yeah, yeah." Gideon waved his brother's hand away to get to his pocket. "That's supposed to be, why the Potters weren't the 29th of the Sacred Twenty-Eight." Gideon said as he counted out and dropped seven galleons into his brother's hand.

"The Magical Potter Line is just as old as the others." Fabian added seamlessly, pocketing his winnings. "But they have also always been close to the Muggle world - known to help the Muggles in the village around their ancestral home."

"And James and his family weren't invited and with them inviting any semi-close relative, I would expect them to be here if he was family." Jean added.

"Well, they didn't count relation by marriage." Gideon said.

"Purebloods never do." Fabian stage-whispered as if this was a secret. "It would be so hard to find someone who is, at least, a third cousin if you counted relation by marriage." He added.

"And they left out the 'old way' types." Gideon finished, rolling his eyes in that way left for people with foil wrapped around their heads or the ramblings of the insane.

"Door opening other topics." Trevor hissed, as they reached the doors and they entered what looked like an entrance hall to a Victorian-era Great House.

"Ah, welcome! May I check anything for you?" A young man in a freshly tailored suit greeted them.

"No, I don't think any of us have anything to check." Gideon said, glancing at Jean, Trevor, Hagrid and then his brother to make sure.

"Can I have your names then, please?"

"Yes, my brother and I are under Prewett – I understand you have a lot of us."

"Yes, yes we do... just a minute...ah here's the Prewett list."

"Fabian and Gideon." Fabian supplied.

"Yes, here you both are, and it seems the third of your party an 'Alex Morgan' has already arrived."

"Right, we were supposed to meet at the bar." Fabian muttered to himself.

"You go on," Gideon nodded to his brother, "have a private moment before the two of you are assaulted with questions from the family – 'when are you going to get married', 'what about children'." Gideon mimicked.

"And the three of us should be listed together under Rubeus Hagrid." Hagrid said to the man as Gideon spoke.

"Good idea." Fabian answered his brother with a grin before running off.

"Yes, I see you here – 'Rubeus Hagrid plus two'." The man nodded as he checked them off the list. "Walk to the big windows behind me and make your way outside." The man directed. "And have a wonderful day."

---

~.~.~

"Well, what do we do now? There're nearly two hours before the ceremony begins." Jean whispered to Trevor.

"Hagrid, my man!" Came a holler from a short but wide man. "I've been wanting to talk to you for months now but you're never at the pub and then I hear a rumor you quit drinking!" the man finished in a scandalized tone.

"Just the hard stuff." Hagrid assured the man before the two fell into quiet chatter, just off of the group.

"When I went to get Hagrid before we left, he was putting a dog bed under his mattress and said he had been thinking about getting a dog." Jean said as the two turned toward Gideon, standing off to their other side.

"Think it might be Fang?" Trevor whispered, close to her so no one could overhear.

"Only if Fang was magical." Jean answered in a hushed whisper.

"It's so hard to tell with pets unless they change color or dance to show-tunes or something." Trevor muttered back.

"Fabian!" A familiar voice called from behind Gideon. Jean froze at the sound; lucky only Trevor saw the reaction or the look in her eyes. He quickly put his arm around her shoulders and turned her slightly away just as Gideon was turning to the woman with his hand dramatically on his chest.

"My own sister!" Gideon teased. Trevor rambled on about collecting spores from the Venomous Tentacula for Plante the other day, as Jean nodded as if listening while she collected herself. "Oh, Molly these are the Orwell's." Gideon said and so they turned to him and a young (and rather pregnant) Molly Weasley. "Hagrid's godchildren." Gideon added gesturing to Hagrid, a bit off from them but easily noticeable. The look he gave them clearly said he and Fabian had not mentioned their true relationship to their family - 'but then how could they explain their nighttime shack robberies and soul shard destruction activities?' "Remember, I told you Dumbledore asked us to mentor them because they're so advanced with their studies?" Gideon prodded.

"Oh yes, I remember now." Molly smiled at Jean and Trevor while her hands found the two small boys returning to her side after hugging their uncle around the knees. 'Bill and Charlie.' She thought to herself. 'And that must be Percy on the way. How old are they?'

"Jean, Trevor, this is my littlest, big sister Molly." Gideon chuckled to himself (more from Molly's disapproval than the joke). 'Bill's birthday was November 29th, 1970.'

"Right," Jean chuckled at his joke, "you two had mentioned being the babies." 'So, Bill must be 5 years and 4 months?'

"And having seven sisters in total was it?" Trevor added, from beside her. 'Charlie's birthday was in December but always before his holiday time, and he was two years younger so he must be nearly 3 and a half.' She mentally worked out while not letting her polite and interested face falter.

"That's right." Gideon nodded. "The seventh daughter of a seventh daughter for 6 generations." Gideon laughed, but his sister beat him to the punchline.

"And then I go have two sons right away." She gestured to the two. "This is Bill and this Charlie, and this one," she touch her belly, "is either going to be Ignatius or Ginevra."

"I'm telling you, you can't name my nephew Ignatius," Gideon insisted, "there are no good nicknames – there's Ig and Nat, and those aren't great, to begin with." Gideon eyed her, and when he saw his argument had been ineffective he crossed his arms and tried again. "They'll call him 'Nastious' just like Uncle Ig." At this Bill and Charlie giggled.

"You two will not be calling the baby 'Nastious'!" Molly preemptively scolded her sons. "It's going to be a girl anyway – I just know it." She said to Gideon.

"That's what you said with Bill." Gideon chuckled.

"And Charlie." Fabian called out from behind them, standing next to a tall handsome man with short black hair and striking green eyes. "Remember?" Fabian grinned back at the man beside him.

"I do." He tried not to smile (clearly knowing where this was going).

"'We have the names picked out,'" Gideon mocked in a high pitch voice as he stuck out his stomach and rubbed it while batting his eyes, "'it's Ginevra for a girl or William for a boy – Ginny or Bill for short.'" he finished.

"'Charles if it's a boy, but it just has to be a girl this time.'" Fabian added matching his brother, and little Bill and Charlie started to snicker at their Uncles.

"Alex I don't know how you ever put up with him!" Molly turned from her brothers. "But it's wonderful to see you, dear, it's been far too long."

"Bill, Charlie!" Gideon hissed, gesturing for them to come closer while their mother was distracted. "These here are Jean and Trevor Orwell and that very big man behind them is Hagrid." Gideon said while Fabian kept an eye over his shoulder at Molly.

"I know you usually just look for red hair when you start to get lost, but if you haven't noticed half of this place is redheads. So we want you to look for Hagrid instead." Fabian added quietly to Bill, who nodded.

"He should be easy to find." Gideon said again with a large smile before he checked on Molly and Alex again who were hugging (Alex seeming to know the two were up to something, from the look Fabian was receiving over his sister's shoulder).

"Ok, run!" Fabian hissed, and the two boys took off, weaving through the crowd of people and disappearing from sight.

"Have Fun!" Gideon called out after the two were long gone.

"What?" Molly spun around, eyeing her brothers suspiciously before she took a sweeping look for her boys.

"What'd I miss?" A young Arthur Weasley breathed as he appeared at his wife's side, pecking a kiss onto her cheek. "Oh, Alex! It'd been to too long!" He smiled and opened his mouth as if to continue but then quickly shut it again and gave Molly a sheepish grin. "Where are the boys?" He asked her (having not picked up on her displeasure yet).

"That, is exactly what I would like to know." Molly hissed, with a glare to Gideon and Fabian.

"Calm down Molly." Fabian started.

"Anger isn't good for the baby." Gideon finished.

"Don't think I won't be having a word with you two the moment this baby is delivered! With everything you -" She said in a calm (and terrifying) voice as her eyes smoldered.

"Molly dear." Author interrupted gently, squeezing her hand in his before bringing it up kiss her knuckles.

"Right." She breathed, taking a deep breath and letting her shoulders relax.

"We just told them to run along and play with the other kids." Gideon offered.

"There are lots of kids here," Fabian added, "they wouldn't have invited children if they were against them running around a bit and playing with each other." Fabian spoke again.

"They're good boys, they won't cause any trouble." Arthur assured his wife.

"Nothing like we were." Fabian grinned to his brother in eerily Weasley twin way.

"Not at all." Gideon agreed in kind. 'No, that will come next. Oh boy, April Fools '78 - ready or not...'

"Jean! Trevor!" They heard Jane call and turned to look for her before she suddenly appeared with a young boy a step behind.

"Hey, Jane." Jean and Trevor said together with a smile.

"This is Sam," she beamed grabbing the boy by the shoulder, "Sam these are some of my friends, Jean and Trevor Orwell."

"It's very nice to meet you." He said shyly but still offered his hand politely.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Jane talks about you often." Jean smiled shaking his hand.

"There you two are." A man muttered, placing his hand on Jane's shoulder with a pat.

"Oh, Grandpa these are my friends!" Jane grinned at the man.

"Octivatius Weasley." He introduced himself with a bow to Jean and a handshake with Trevor. "I see you found one of my brother's many grandsons." He chuckled softly as he spied Arthur. "How are you, Arthur?" He asked turning to the man. "Ig said you were expecting soon." He added, giving a kind smile to Molly and her protruding stomach. "Will my nephew finally get a granddaughter?" He smirked.

"I think so this time." Molly smiled. "If so, we'll name her Ginevra."

"A beautiful name." Octivatius smiled. "And if it's another boy?"

"Ignatius." Molly smiled down at her stomach again.

"I see you're in cahoots with my brother." He laughed. "Having more decedents named after him is his new way of rubbing in our father's sudden lack of creativity." Octivatius sighed but still had a smile.

"Grandpa is the only of his brothers to have a birth order name." Jane explained quietly. "Great-Grandpa never thought he'd have an eighth child." She went on quietly as the others continued chatting. "Great-Grandpa was the last of seven boys, as was his father, and his grandfather and great-grandfather were also one of seven children – said seven was tradition." Jane laughed. "So Grandpa Octi decided to name by all his children based on birth order so he'd never not be able to think of a name no matter how many kids he had." Jane added.

"After Uncle Nus was born," Sam started with a big smile, suddenly not seeming all that shy. "Grandpa told Grandma that he wanted to have a tenth baby and she said only if he was going to be the pregnant one." He laughed and beamed when Jane laughed too.

"They did make it to ten, though." Jane giggled. "Nine months after they celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary Decimus was born, and hours later Grandma took an infertility potion and made Grandpa take one for good measure." Jane chuckled.

"Sam," Octivatius called the boy, "would you go fetch your dad for me? Tell him it's about the Weasley Photo, he'll understand."

"Sure!" The boy beamed and ran off, leaving Jane looking torn.

"Talk to your friends Janie." Octivatius instructed. "You are not responsible for him, dear." He added patting her back affectionately.

"So have you two seen Katie yet?" Jane asked, casually glancing over her shoulder.

"Not yet." Trevor answered.

"But we haven't been here all that long." Jean added.

"Well I saw her terror of a brother, so she must be here somewhere." Jane sighed, with a glance around. "Has she ever told you anything about him?" Jane asked, looking from Jean to Trevor.

"Only that he is 'as ugly as he is evil'." Jean quoted.

"If I had a list," Trevor said lowly, "of people I'd like to die horribly, then he and his father would be 4th and 3rd." Trevor nearly growled. Jane didn't seem to take much from this comment, but then Jane didn't know who the two above them were like Jean did (without a doubt, without a moment's thought, Jean knew one and two were Voldemort and Bellatrix).

"My first night at Hogwarts, we were warned about him and Lucius Malfoy – the one that got sent to Azkaban – they were buddies, 6th years at the time, and while they never actually hurt anyone – unlike the Carrow twins, 7th years at the time - they loved to bully the first and second years. Turned this Ravenclaw girl's robes to slim, cursed a boy's wand to shock him when he touched it." She said in a hushed tone.

"I thought the Bride was careful not to invite blood purists." Jean whispered.

"The Parkinson's are a neutral family, at least publically they are." Jane shrugged. "He must have been invited because of his parents like Katie, the bride's too old to know of his behavior at Hogwarts - but she was likely at school with their parents – maybe the same year – I hear that she invite people from her year and everyone in her house at the same time as her."

"Yeah, that's why Hagrid was invited, she was in his year in Gryffindor." Jean nodded.

"Come on, Come on!"

"I'm coming as fast as I can Sam." A woman laughed.

"Sam, be thoughtful of your mother, it's not easy for her rush around with the baby so near." A man scolded gently.

"Mum! Dad!" Jane turned around at the voices.

"Oh! Are these the Orwells?" A strawberry-blonde woman smiled from the group of gingers Sam had led over.

"Yes," Jane beamed, "Mum this is Jean and Trevor. Jean, Trevor this is my Mum and my next brother." She grinned touching the woman's huge stomach.

"When are you due, Mrs. Weasley?" Jean asked the only thing that came to mind, besides 'How are you on your feet?' or 'Wow, you're ready to pop' (both of which she thought would be rude).

"Just under two weeks," she smiled kindly, "and please call me Sarah – there are far too many Mrs. Weasley's here – it would get confusing." She laughed softly again. "I mean so far today, I have talked to over ten other Mrs. Weasleys and we haven't even been here an hour." She added with a smile that looked just like Janes.

Soon, the Weasley and the Prewetts both left to get on the list for the photographers, and Hagrid was taken away by a group of friends. For awhile Jean and Trevor talked with Alex, who turned out to be an Investment Manager and gave them his card when they asked about finding someone to invest their 'inheritance'. Then Alex was taken away by Fabian for some photos with his family, and Jean and Trevor were alone. They made their way to the bar and Jean asked for two flutes of sparkling cider, and Trevor kept his questions to himself until they had their glasses and were alone again (away from prying ears).

"So what is this?" He asked quietly, looking over the flute to her. "I wouldn't say it's very 'sparkly'."

"It's bubbly juice." She chuckled, as he eyed his glass again, before taking a sip.

"It's actually rather good." He hummed.

"I always liked it, but it can't beat Butterbeer on a cold day."

"No, but on a nice day like today, I think I'd take this."

"There you guys are!" Katie hissed, slipping from a large group that paid her no mind. "There are so many people here." She talked quickly (making Jean wonder if that's how fast she talks when people give her those glazed looks). "I had to just look for your dress Jean." Katie added with a laugh, smiling brightly, although a little tiredly.

"Katie!" Trevor beamed, his enthusiasm unhindered by her rant (he had grown up with Hermione Granger, after all, he was immune).

"Shush." She scolded but gave him a big smile. "I'm hiding." She hissed, strategically taking a spot to his right.

"Jane said she saw your brother."

"Yeah...the fucking cunt." She growled. "I hope he never breeds. His spawn is sure to be both ugly and horrible." She said quietly.

"Did you look into that paperwork I told you about?" Jean asked.

"Yeah." She finally smiled without a trace of exhaustion or anger. "I sent it Lucinda a few days ago, yesterday I got a letter back saying it was done."

"So you just have to make your get away then?" Trevor asked.

"Exactly," She beamed, and Trevor suddenly hugged her tightly. "I have everything I care about in that bag you gave me Jean." She said over Trevor's shoulder to Jean.

"Do you need a distraction?" Trevor pulled back but didn't let go. "You could go now make a clean get away."

"Where's the fun in that?" Katie laughed. "I want some of that amazing looking cake." She added with a grin.

"Whatever you need from us, just name it." Jean said sternly.

"Anything." Trevor whispered, letting go, but she stayed close to him and leaned her head on his chest, giving him a small squeeze.

"After cake and one dance." Katie sighed into him. "That's all I want." She added looking up at Trevor from his chest.

"Sure." He nodded. "Uh, turn around and count to ten, Jeany." He glanced at his sister and she complied, humming to herself softly. Counting slowly, she got to eight before she felt a tap on her shoulder, and she turned around.

"I'll send you two a letter with Lucinda's owl, the moment I get there – promise." Katie assured them at a normal distance, but with her hand fitted into Trevor's.

"There you are!" Jane beamed at Katie, appearing this time alone. "How are you?"

"Hey, Jane. I saw you earlier, but my brother was looking for me and would have seen if I said 'hi' just then."

"Oh, don't worry about it. I saw the prat and figured you were hiding from him." Jane waved all concern away.

"Are all your photos done?" Jean asked, turning slightly to Jane and absently moved her clutch under her other arm.

"Yeah, Mum and Dad are still taking some, but they did all the ones with the kids first, so now it's like my Granddad and his brothers, and then each of them with their families. You guys wouldn't mind doing a group shot of us would you?" Jane asked. "I asked the photographers and they said they were there to do any couple or group shots that the guests wanted."

"Sounds fun." Katie smiled. "Too bad everyone else isn't here thou, I'd love to have a picture of all us girls, for my new room."

"You did it?" Jane asked with a huge smile.

"Yeah, it's all filled, I just have to slip away and go to Lucinda's."

"That's wonderful news, who would have thought the answer to your problem would rest with Sirius Black?" Jane laughed.

They talked for a while more until Hagrid came to check on them and they decided it was a great time to go do some group shots. The five of them took a few pictures, then a few of the three girls, then some of Trevor and Katie, and finally some of Hagrid, Jean, and Trevor. When they were done the photographer shook Hagrid's hand – reminding him that there will be a photo of all the guest with the wedding party right after the serves. After a moment the photographers smile changed (he muttered something that sounded like 'had to be') and then told them that a copy of each picture they were in would arrive by owl in a week or so (with copies of negatives so they can have more made if they want).

Hagrid then told them that his friend had a few puppies he thought Hagrid would be interested in. Which he had been keeping himself for the last month while trying to connect with Hagrid about taking one, of now three, off his hands. Hagrid was thrilled when the four (but most importantly Jean and Trevor) were excited at the idea.

"Well, I better go tell him I'll leave with him after the wedding to meet the puppies. He said I should see how they like me, and that if one likes me, then he'll bring him to me in a few days, so I have a chance to set up for him."

"Sounds great Hagrid." Jean smiled, and Trevor nodded along.

"So how has break been for you three?" Katie asked.

"I've just been helping Plante really," Trevor shrugged, "he wants to germinate some Venomous Tentacula before he leaves, says the current group are too old and that he should have done it years ago and that it would be unfair of him to leave that for the next professor to do while adapting to course load and all the maintenance."

"I can't believe he's leaving after only 5 years. Remember Katie, he was new our first year, said we all would figure it out together?" Jane laughed.

"Yeah, Plante's great but I kinda wanted to see those plays Beery put on at the holidays, I was told that every year they just ended horribly, and I had wanted to see for myself." Katie laughed.

"Oh yeah," Jane laughed, "my cousin told me about those, she left the year before we started and was there for the last one. She said the play was cursed."

"Like the Defense post?" Katie chuckled.

"Exactly. They say he resigned to stop it before someone was hurt beyond repa-" Jane was suddenly cut off as she and Jean were hit from behind. Their drinks dosed them, making Jane give a little shriek at the sudden cold running down her front.

Trevor turned quickly, his wand grip tightly in his pocket, and having seen Jean reach for hers and the offender, he stopped her from drawing it out of her pocket. When Jane and Jean turned and looked down they saw a small boy, no older than five, staring wide-eyed at them under a head of messy black hair.

"With a head of hair like that, you'd think he's a Potter." Jane chuckled.

"I-I am." The boy manage.

"Ralston!" A woman, walking quickly to them, scolded the boy.

"My deepest apologise." The boy added in a heavily rehearsed fashion with a little bow.

"It's alright." Jane smiled kindly at the boy.

"No harm done." Jean assured him (noting then that there really wasn't as her dress was dry and unblemished, and looking Jane over Jean saw that while Jane's chest was wet from her drink, her dress was untouched from the liquid she had seen running down it).

"Dorea Potter." The women behind the boy, offered her hand. "My son Ralston Linfred Potter." She introduced, after shaking Jean and Jane's hands. "By your age, I'm guessing you know Fleamont's Boy - the Potter family isn't that big." She explained.

"Fleamont?" Jane asked quietly looking to Trevor.

"Yes, James is a friend." Jean smiled. "Actually, Fleamont will be picking me up after the wedding if you'd like to say hello." Jean added.

"Thank you, I'm sure my husband would love the chance to say hello to his cousin. Sorry to run off, but we are on our way to the photographer."

"Of course." Jane gave an understanding nod and the woman disappeared with her son.

"But I want to play with the other children." They heard the boy say to his mother.

"After the photo darling, and while you're playing you will watch where you are going and not run anyone else over." She added in a stern tone.

"Yes, Mummy."

"That's my good boy." The woman said dotingly.

"So James' Dad is picking you up from the wedding?" Jane asked smirking as she scrutinized Jean.

"Yes, James and Sirius are in need of a crash course in Muggle Studies before O.W.L.'s so I am spending three days with the Potters in a Muggle house to help."

"And what about your Mister Lupin?" Katie smiled wickedly. "Will he be there too?"

"He isn't mine," Jean frowned at Katie (while Jane muttered something sounding like 'sure wants to be', which earned her a frown as well), "and yes he and Peter will be there as well." Jean finished.

"You want him, so make him yours." Katie said simply.

"He isn't mine to take." Jean sighed (clearly unhappy with the turn of topics).

"I don't know about that." Jane muttered to herself.

"We are Slytherins, Jean, we do anything to get what we want." Katie sighed as if Jean was being slow on purpose. "Ravenclaws are cunning too, Hufflepuffs are just as committed to their goals, and Gryffindors are to lay it all down and fight, what makes us sorted into Slytherin instead of one of the others, is that we will do anything," she stressed, "to get what we want. You must have that in you or the Hat would have put you elsewhere." 'Oh, but the hat didn't put me anywhere this time, but it is true I will do anything to get the future I want.'

"There is much I want, and most of it cannot just be taken." was all Jean said.

"All the more reason to take what you can, and you could have him so easily." Katie added.

---

~.~.~

Soon the guest were asked to take their seats and told that the ceremony would begin shortly. Hagrid led their way to the white chairs set out on the pristine lawn. Jean and Trevor were a moment behind him after agreeing to meet Jane and Katie after the ceremony. Trevor sat next to Hagrid, and Jean followed him – about to sit beside him when she paused and frowned briefly before she shook her head and took her seat. Trevor was about to ask what that all was about but was cut off by a commotion at the edge of the yard by the house.

They turned in their seats, like everyone else, and watched the scene. A short man who couldn't stop sneezing was attempting to yell at the wedding staff who had stopped him. Between the distance and his sneezing every other syllable, they couldn't understand what he was saying, and it looked like the staff that had stopped him were just as confused. Soon, three doctors (white coats and all) ran out of the main building and up to the man. They separated him from the wedding staff and the two larger doctors escorted the man away from the event, toward the gates, while the last doctor was talking with each staff member who had surrounded the man.

"That was odd." Trevor muttered to Jean.

"Definitely." Jean agreed.

"You'd think they'd be a little more subtle." Hagrid added at Trevor's other side.

"What?" Trevor started.

"Surely you noticed," Jean whispered to him, "they took him to the gate, not back into the house or towards the parking."

"Of course," he nodded, "that was sloppy – do you think anyone noticed?" He asked quietly glancing around.

"I doubt it, people rarely question doctors." Jean shrugged. "Even if their timing and seeing them dressed in white coats when working an event like this seems strange."

"But?" Trevor prodded seeing something was clearly on her mind.

"I don't know." She admitted. "Something … off about the guy."

"Do we know him?" Trevor whispered, before leaning in closer – so close that his lips brushed her ear as he spoke as softly as he could manage. "Another him?" he asked, his words slow from his efforts to be as near silent as possible. She hummed, barely audible, as she bit her lip in thought (Trevor returning himself as he watched her think). "I can't help but-" He started again when she looked to be getting less and less sure of herself.

"Think you've seen him before?" She cut him off with an agreeing nod. "Yeah..." she sighed discontentedly, "but I don't think he's from our past."

---

~.~.~

When the ceremony was over, everyone was ushered off to the Photographers. Jean rose to leave, as asked but after three feet she froze – a burning need to turn around was lit inside her.

"What is it?" Trevor asked concerned from behind her.

"I -" She started, but couldn't find the words to explain.

"Your bag Jeany." Hagrid said quietly placing the bag into her hands and vanishing the sudden need.

"I guess they were right about not forgetting it." She breathed. "That was very bizarre."

"Almost forgot it didn't you?" Katie's voice came softly from behind her. "Feels weird doesn't it?" She laughed softly into Jean's ear before taking her place beside Trevor with her hand in his.

"Very." Jean agreed.

"Compulsion Charm." Katie said quietly. "I'm sure you'll want to put it on your reading list." She chuckled.

"You have an actual list?" Jane asked coming from behind Hagrid with her family, as they all continued their way to where the Photographers were set up to take a photo of the huge group.

"Well yes I do, but Katie was just being snarky." Jean said giving Katie a look, daring her to disagree (but she only smirked and gave a 'so be it' shrug).

"It's ordered by how pressing the topic is, and she reorders it, at least, weekly." Trevor told Jane and Katie with a grin plastered across his face.

"It's efficient." Jean informed them with her nose up a notch higher than usual.

---

~.~.~

"Well, I'm going to go get in line for a piece of that cake." Katie said.

"I'll join you." Trevor smiled at her before turning to Jean and Jane. "Bring you a piece?" He offered. "No reason all of us should have to wait in line."

"Yes, Please." Jane smiled thankfully at him holding up two fingers with a glance to Sam next to her (who stood watching a group of children play under one of the tables).

"That would be great, thank you." Jean agreed.

"You know they just wanted a reason to be away from us, so they could be even more sickening than usual." Jane said when Trevor and Katie were gone.

"I, know no such thing." Jean teased. "It's not like Trevor would ever want to kiss his girlfriend." Jean laughed.

"Eww." Sam added, suddenly paying attention to them.

"Oh shush, soon you'll be kissing people too – or wanting to at least." Jane teased her brother, but he only went back to watching the other children. "You could go play with them." Jane added gently after a moment.

"I don't know..." Sam answered quietly, the three of them still watching the group of children, who were joined by a tall redhead who seemed to spy Sam as he bent over to talk to his two nephews.

"Tell me that isn't one of the Prewett Twins looking over here with that I-have-a-plan look?" Jane asked Jean. "They mentor you and Trevor right?" She added.

"It's Gideon, and he definitely looks to have an idea about something." Jean answered quietly.

"How can you tell?" Jane smirked.

"Oh don't say it like that, and I can tell because they are mirrors of each other, from their crooked grins to the one shoulder that sits slightly higher than the other, to their dominate hand."

"How'd you notice that?"

"We knew another pair of twins," Jean shrugged, "they were completely identical, not even their mother could tell them apart, and they liked it that way." She laughed. "I spent years trying to figure out some way to tell them apart."

"Ever find one?"

"No." She chuckled. "Once they were standing next to each other at a party and they went back and forth on, who was who five times, while never moving." She added with a smile. "Sometimes they made me wonder if they even knew – I mean if their family couldn't tell well enough when they were young then maybe they never thought of one name as their own but rather both names as theirs."

"Wow." Jane breathed, watching Gideon, as he approached them as if she were assessing him with this new information. "Your right." She nodded. "His right shoulder is slightly higher and his smirk tugs to the right too." Jane hissed.

"Hey, Orwell." Gideon grinned at Jane. "Jane." He winked with a smug smirk.

"Gideon." Jane mimicked his smugness.

"You were talking about me." He turned to look at Jean. "Miss Orwell." He tisked, shaking his head as if disappointed.

"Maybe she can just tell you apart, or maybe it was a lucky guess." Jean countered.

"No." Gideon dismissed the idea. "Besides family and close friends, or other twins like you and your brother are the only ones to ever be able to tell us apart."

"Really?" Jean asked him: surprised. "That's rather sad, it isn't that hard."

"You told her how, which means you were talking about me. It was about my unparalleled good looks wasn't it?" He teased.

"I think the whole having an identical twin thing, means your looks are indeed paralleled - by definition." Jean added.

"We were talking about you plotting something." Jane supplied.

"Me? Plotting? Never." He grinned. "I was just trying to help the kids enjoy themselves but sadly the game I wanted to show them won't work without another kid to play." He sighed. "It's a shame, really."

"I-I could play... if you need just one more." Sam spoke up from Jane's side.

"Oh, I didn't see you there! I'm Gideon by the way, and if you would you'd really be helping me out – my nephews think my brother Fabian is just as fun as I am! Can you believe it?"

"Well, I wouldn't want you to look bad just because they're one short." Sam managed.

"Oh, Goodman! Could you tell them I convinced you to play – let me be the hero?" Gideon asked Sam.

" Sure, I can do that."

"Thanks, kid."

"It is alright, isn't it Janie?" Sam turned to his sister.

"Of course Sam." She assured him. "Do try to some fun thou."

"I'll try." He grinned.

"Come on kid, and remember if you say it was my plan all along, there's something great in it for you." Jane and Jean heard Gideon tell Sam as the two disappeared.

"Well, I guess it was a nice plot." Jane said.

"Guess he has a weak spot for kids." Jean shrugged.

"Is it weird that he's now twice as attractive to me?" Jane asked, causing Jean to snort.

"No." Jean shuck her head. "Now, the fact that he's your second cousin by marriage, or that he's like 21 and you just turned 16, those two might make it weird that you are attracted to him." Jean teased.

"By marriage doesn't count." Jane shrugged with a laugh.

"Did we miss anything?" Trevor asked holding three plates of cake, with Katie next to him holding another two plates.

"Where's Sam?" Katie asked.

"Playing with the other kids." Jane beamed, nodding over to the group of kids gathered around a bent over Gideon.

"Hagrid still talking to that woman?" Trevor asked.

"Yes, they're sitting over there, he seems quite impressed."

"I'm impressed, Hagrid and dangerous creatures just seem to make sense, but she's a very petite woman." Trevor said.

"Magic is the great equalizer." Katie tisked at his side. "And brains of course." She added.

"I didn't – it sounded-"

"She knows." Jean smiled at him. "She's just making you sweat a little." Jean assured him.

"It's cute." Katie admitted.

They talked amongst themselves until they were all called to the dance floor (which had been assembled in ten minutes with interlocking pieces, like a giant and boring puzzle).They watched the couple have their first dance, and then the bride danced with her father (as her groom danced with his mother) and the guests were invited to join them on the floor.

"How about that dance?" Trevor asked Katie.

"Sounds great," Katie beamed up at him, "just don't step on my feet." Katie smiled taking his hand.

"Well, it has been a few years." He warned with a laugh, as they turned and left the group, passing a smirking Fabian on their way.

"Love birds, huh?" Fabian grinned, jerking his head to the couple.

"Don't tease the boy, it's cute." Alex shook his head, from behind him.

"Oh alright, Alex." Fabian conceded with a grin before he turned to Jean. "Any idea where my brother is hiding?." Fabian asked quickly.

"Last I saw, he was playing with the kids." Jean answered with a nod behind them.

"Trying to one up me, while I play the adult." Fabian muttered.

"Hmm, play indeed." Alex hummed behind him.

"Find him?" Asked Frank Longbottom the moment he appeared and part of Jean was glad that they had missed Trevor. "Ah no." Frank sighed after a quick look around.

"No, but I have a lead," Fabian turned around, "would you mind?" he addressed Alex softly, "work - you know." he shrugged with a wince.

"It's fine, Jean was excellent conversation earlier anyways." Alex assured him.

"Great!" Fabian grinned, pecking a kiss to his cheek. "I'll be fast, promise." He assured before he turned with Frank following shortly behind, and trotted off to the largest swarm of children. "Five o'clock Alice." Fabian called out as he passed behind her, and she quickly fell into step behind him (beside her husband).

"Oh um, Alex, this is Jane if you didn't meet earlier." Jean said, realizing introduction would be up to her.

"Hello Jane, we weren't properly introduced earlier." He offered his hand, and she shook it.

"Has it been overwhelming with all the distant family?" Jane asked him.

"I'll be fine as long as there isn't a test later." Alex smiled.

"May I have your attention, please?" Said a man standing on a chair. "I'm afraid there been a little accident with the keys at the Valet. The cabinet was knocked over and all of the keys fell off their numbers." The man said. "We have a surprise for the whole family for the inconvenience. So if you would all slowly follow me back to the house we can all sort this out."

"I guess it's a good thing I had a car drop me off." Alex chuckled. "Do you need to go?" He asked Jane and Jean.

"I don't." Jean answered him before turning to Jane. "Don't you need to?" Jean asked trying very hard to convey her concern without Alex picking up on anything. "I'm sure your mother could use the help getting Sam so you all can get whatever this apology gift is."

"Yeah... your right Jean." Jane said trying to hide her confusion. "I'll be right back, then." She added with a forced smile. 'I guess that's better than nothing.'

"Was her mother the very pregnant woman I briefly met?" Alex asked as Jane disappeared into the crowd.

"Most likely." Jean smiled, absently setting her drink and clutch down. "I think she said she was two weeks shy."

"Oh, really any moment then." Alex laughed.

"There you are Jeany." Trevor sighed slightly, appearing to her left. "Oh hello again, Alex." He said in a friendly tone but had to try to hide how his jaw clenched at the sight of him (he wouldn't be able to speak openly with Jean).

"Trevor," Alex acknowledged, "where's Katie – wasn't it?" Alex asked (seemingly missing anything off about his company).

"Oh, she had to leave early, but wanted a dance first, so now she's … off to met her ride." He finished with a slight pause.

"Well, the two of you look good together." Alex smiled.

"You didn't want to walk her out?" Jean asked, damning their lack of true communication in the situation.

"You know," Trevor thought about it, his eye's staring into hers - trying to decipher her exact concern, "I think I should." He said looking a little conflicted before he squeezed Jean's shoulder and left without another word.

"Give her a snog to dream about!" Alex called after him.

"I thought you told Fabian not to tease him." Jean scolded.

"There is a reason we work." Alex smirked. "More alike than many might think, I just hold back better – most of the time anyway." He shrugged and Jean couldn't help but laugh. In that moment, she no longer felt the seconds tick by – each scraping at her nerves as they passed painfully slow. In that moment, the pit in her stomach was gone, and that was when she heard it: pop, pop, pop.

"Shit." She breathed, drawing her wand and grabbing Alex tightly by the shoulder, as their world was rocked by explosions (and the screams following right after them).

"What?... How?" Alex stammered as he tried to look everywhere at once. His eyes were wide as he tried to understand what he was seeing: people in black costumes appearing out of nothing, lights flying around, things blowing up and, at least, two people contorting in the air like some sick magic trick.

"I have to get you out of here." Jean moved him forward but after only a step she was overcome with the need to go back. She sighed in aggravation as she realized it was her clutch again. Gripping his shoulder tightly, she turned him back to their table – only for the one now at their back to blow up. "Shit, that was lucky." She muttered to herself, tugging on her right ear as that one note screamed away (slowly fading).

"You?" He turned to Jean, confused. His true question was clear, she'd seen that look: 'what could you possibly do' it asked.

"Yes, me." She growled, snatching the clutch from under the table they had been standing at, and shoving it into the bust of her dress (knowing it wouldn't fit in her pockets - meant only for a hand and a wand). "Move with me." She said firmly, in a tone that few dared to question. Alex nodded numbly in response. "Good."

"What is..." He tried, as he watched her: she made some of the lights disappear, she made lights of her own from a stick in her hand. "What are..." He tried again.

"Look," She pulled him behind an upturned table. She flicked her wand and three brick walls appeared - closing them in - then she started speaking very quickly. "I can't walk you through this, and I am sorry for that. I will get you out of here, but your questions, I can't answer." She told him. "What's important right now, is that the people in black cloaks will hurt you, and I can keep you safe, but you have to stay with me and let me focus." She said firmly.

"Don't you have pockets?" He asked frowning at the clutch nestled between her breasts.

"Focus." She growled, snapping her fingers in front of his face until he looked at her hand and then her face. "With me?" She asked.

"I'm with you." He rasped with a nod.

"Good." She stood and pulled him up with her. "If we get separated, make sure the lights don't touch you." She added sternly.

"Got it." He swallowed thickly, and with a wave of her wand the brick walls disappeared and they started moving again. Close to her, she heard a collective scream and turned to see a group of children running in every direction (half of them crying with spots of blood on their clothes with bits of glass and splinters stuck in their arms and hands).

"Hey!" Jean tried to get their attention. "Kids!" She tried again but they were deft to her attempts. "Bill!" She screamed spotting the boy trying to carry his crying brother. "Come on." She grabbed Alex and ran over. "Potter!" She yelled at a boy with messy hair running in the other direction, he turned to her and tried to hold back a sob. "Come with me." She implored, and the boy nodded and ran back to her.

"Alex!" Bill managed a smile, but the man only stared numbly down at the boy.

"This is a bit of sock for him, Bill." Jean said gently.

"Right." Bill said after a moment. "You're Jean Orwell."

"Yes, I know your Uncles, remember?" She turned to ask Charlie (who nodded with a face full of tears). She quickly examined his wounds and vanished the glass and wood from his hands and the side of his face. "Alex, carry Charlie." She said firmly, and he nodded and picked the boy up. "Bill, Potter," She looked to each boy, "stay with me, understand?" She said firmly and both boys nodded. "Come on then." She said to them all but looked at Alex to make sure he was still with her.

"We have to find our parents!" The black haired boy squeaked from behind her.

"And my uncles!" Bill added.

"Your uncles are Aurors." She answered without turning around. "But I will find your parents." She fought their way back to the Great House and into the room she had arrived in with the devoted floo and its ever-burning green flames. She locked the room with a flick of her wand and turned to Bill. "Is there somewhere you can go? Somewhere safe, with someone to take care of you?"

"Yes." He answered. "But my parents?"

"I will find them and send them after you. I can't do that if you're with me." She said but could see he was going to argue with her. "Think of Alex, Bill. He knew of none of this – he doesn't understand Bill. Think of Charlie, he's hurt, they need you." She added.

"Alright, I know where to take them, it's protected, and the elves will take care of us." He said.

"Elves?" Alex asked, his wide eyes planted on Bill.

"Elves." Jean breathed, nearly laughing at herself. She nodded, as she turned and without warning picked up the third boy. "Take him, Alex." She said firmly and the boy started to wiggle and scream. "Bill hold tight to Alex's belt and take him through the floo with you." She urged.

"It's my grandparents." Bill told her quickly before he lead the others into the flames, and the four of them disappeared.

"Wemsi!" She called, and with crack Jean was joined by the elf. "Wemsi I need you to find Head Auror Alastor Moody and tell him the Prewet-Potter wedding is under attack. If he doesn't believe you, you bring him here. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Miss."

"Then find Dumbledore and tell him the same, and to tell anyone in the Order that isn't already here. Thank you - go now." She said in one breath that was punctuated with a crack. "Please hurry." Jean sighed to herself, before flicking her wand at the door and sprinting out of the room through the entrance hall and back to the yard.

Jean fought her way through the mess of people, attacking whatever target presented its self while she looked for anyone on the list she kept running through her head. She wasn't having any luck until from the corner of her eye she saw two cloaked figures disappear into puffs of rainbow smoke. 'That was weird,' she thought, stopping short and turning to find the cause. It only took a few steps for her to put the pieces together: before her was Jane with her brother and mother and in front of them where two pink bunnies where the Death Eaters had been.

"I'm trying to control it." Sarah Weasley rasped, her hand up in warning as Jean approached.

"Just focus on how much you like us," Jean smiled half returning Jane's hug, "especially me, seeing that there has never been a case where a pregnant witch's children have been harmed by her accidental magic." Jean assured while shielding the group as a new pair of Death Eaters descended on them. "We have to move, this stress isn't good for the baby." She added. "It could-

"The baby's already coming." Jane cut her off. "Take them, Jean, I'll hold these two off – you've seen my duals recently, I can do this." Jane urged.

"No, you're the one she needs." Jean insisted, stepping up to Jane, trying to take the attention of the two Death Eaters in the duel.

"I can't leave." Jane said shaking her head. "Sorry Mum, I can't." She called over her shoulder. "Not when I can help; not when they're torturing children."

"Please, Jane." Jean implored.

"You're my friend Jeany, not my keeper. Now you've taught me a lot since Hogsmeade, and I'm going to help this time." She insisted. "You're not responsible for my safety – stop trying to save me, and save them!" Jane growled. "Take them, go!" She pushed Jean's wand hand down and pushed her a step behind her.

"Fine, but I'm coming right back." Jean hissed to Jane. Whipping around she prodded Sarah and Sam to start moving. "Bloody hell, is that what it's like to reason with me?" She muttered.

She tried not to count the seconds as she escorted Sarah and Sam back to the house. Sarah was leaning on her, breathing at a dizzying pace as she hobbled along through the pain (which was only evidenced by her grasp on Jean's shoulder tighten suddenly and the grimace on her face).

"You're doing amazing, halfway there." Jean told her, feeling stupid praising how she was doing when they both knew Jean had no idea what the mother of four was going through.

"Oh, don't fret dear." Sarah managed a laugh before another contraction came.

"Orwell!" Jean's head snapped around to the voice, with her wand ready, but lowered it upon seeing Fabian dragging Molly Weasley by the arm.

"Fabian." Jean breathed in relief. "Don't worry about Bill, Charlie, and Alex – they're safe."

"See?" Fabian turned to his sister. "Now will yo-" Fabian was cut off by a growling grunt from Sarah (followed by a yelp from Jean at the sudden crushing grip on her shoulder).

"Oh dear." Molly breathed hurrying over to them.

"It will be quick." Sarah warned.

"I was born within an hour!" Sam spoke up from behind his mother.

"Molly, take them somewhere – but not Mungo's." Fabian added quickly. "I'll bring the boys to you later." He assured, and Jean took the moment to extract her shoulder from Sarah's grip.

"Alright." Molly nodded and took Sarah's hand in her right, and Sam's in her left, before turning on the spot and disappearing with a pop.

"Your brother and his girlfriend were just over there." Fabian pointed.

"Katie didn't leave?" Jean demanded.

"They were together and weren't trying to make their way out or anything." Fabian shrugged. "I saw Hagrid too – early on, he clocked one of them that was messing with a kid and carried the kid off. I've had a few glances of him with kids in his arms, but that's all I can tell you."

"He's safer than most of us." Jean muttered as she processed. "So Katie and Trevor were together?" Jean asked for confirmation.

"Yes, and seemed to be holding their own." He answered.

"Good, if you see them before me, tell them I went after Jane – she's alone." Jean panted. "Oh, and the boys - Bill said it was his grandparents – that it was protected and had elves to care for them."

"My parents, then." Fabian nodded with a relieved grin. "Good. Thanks."

"Of course, good luck." Jean said.

"You too." She managed a smile before she ran off to find Jane. She tried to figure out just how long ago she had left Jane, she knew it could only have been a few minutes even though it felt like 15. 'It couldn't have been that long,' she told herself. 'We weren't even halfway to the house when we met Fabian and Molly.'

Blood pounding in her ears and her breath dry in her lungs - she ran. Not thinking about how much she hated running and refusing to think of the last time she had run this much. She didn't notice she was running in heels and a cocktail dress and not her ragged jumper and trainers. It felt like she was running from snatchers and at the time it felt like she was at the battle of Hogwarts again. 'Don't think,' she told herself desperately, 'don't think, just move, just fight. Keep moving – keep fighting.'

Finally, she caught a glimpse of Jane fighting an unmasked Death Eater, and her blood went cold. Desperately she pushed herself to run faster - she had to get to Jane faster. She ran through the crowds, her eye's not blinking, never leaving Jane or the horror she was taunting back. Jean ignored how her stomach turned and how her left arm burned at the sight before her. Ignoring how her heart wanted to both beat it's way into her throat and stop dead in her chest at the sight of Jane sneering back at Bellatrix Lestrange (young and freshly married but looking just as cruel and bloodthirsty as she remembered).

Jean had a stitch in her side, but that didn't matter; all that mattered was she got to Jane. She watched Jane fumble through a defense, her opponent smirking at the girl with disturbed eyes. Jean saw it coming: she saw the face of a psychopath turn intent on murder, her heart dived into her stomach as she watched the wand rise to position as she struggled with the crowd of panicked running every which way, to get closer to Jane.

Her mind raced – surely she could think of something – surely she could save her. Her feet dug into the grass as she weaved through the crowd She couldn't risk a spell through the masses, it would never make it to its target. 'Time to test that theory,' she told herself, raising her wand and conjuring her only hope – a brick wall, just big enough to cover Jane, standing between the two. Seconds after it appeared a green light hit it and dissipated – 'it worked.'

Both witches looked around for the source of the wall, but only Bellatrix lock eye's on Jean. A shiver ran down her spine, and Jean couldn't help but think there was recognition in the bitches eyes before her face twisted into a sickening kind of glee. For a moment her eyes jerked to Jane, and she had hope, as she watched Jane stand and ready herself as she came round the wall to face her opponent again.

Her chest tightened as Jane's stun was blocked with barely a thought, as were her silencing and body bind spells, causing nothing but a cackle from her opponent (and Jean knew then, it was bad). Bellatrix wasn't playing anymore, her true target wasn't Jane anymore it was Jean, and she wanted Jean to see her do it. With a wicked smile, she paused to look at Jean smirking gleefully. She raised her wand again and Jean clenched her jaw and did the one thing she could do – she conjured another wall and hoped Jane would hear her.

"Run Jane!" Jean yelled as loudly as she could, trying desperately to conjure walls faster than Bellatrix could vanish them, as she tried desperately to get through the crowd. Jane didn't hear, she didn't run (never even considered the idea), and Jean wasn't fast enough. "NO!" She shrieked in desperation, and she watched in horror as the green light hit Jane and she crumbled to the ground. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that the moment she was too late was the moment the ground seemed to fold in on itself – finally allowing her to reach her friend. It wasn't fair, that the second she was too late was the moment the crowd parted. It wasn't fair.

Falling to her knees she shook Jane, yelling at her in desperation. Her body stiffened as she heard the laughter, - as it sent chills down her spine and turned her blood cold. 'Don't think.' She repeated to herself. 'Just fight.' Jumping to her feet, her eyes fell on her target skipping away.

"YOU!" Jean roared and took after her – her heels marring the lawn. Jean followed her to the edge of the yard and saw her rounding the side of the house. Pushing herself faster, fearing she would lose both the woman and the chance to end her body count early. Rounding the corner, her heart rate spiked at what she didn't see - she didn't see anyone standing before her as she glanced around.

"-ou know I take no pleasure in this." The low, oddly familiar voice met her. "If it was possible I'd make it quick – for my sake, of course." It continued. Jean looked around for the whispering voice that was definitely a man's, and then she noticed Bellatrix on her back in the grass. Jean raised her wand as she scanned the area again for the voice, but there was nothing but Bellatrix and her whimpering.

"H-" Jean breathed, glancing around everywhere and completely missing the red light that hit her.

"Sorry." Said the man's voice. "Can't have you going and being all clever, not yet at least." He amended. "Don't worry, you'll think of it in time this go around." He added softly. "Obliviate."

---

~.~.~

"Bloody hell." Jean groaned, sitting up in the grass and rubbing her head. 'What was I doing?' She thought groggily. "Shit!" She breathed, her eyes wide as she jumped to feet the memories of the attack flooding back to her – Jane was dead, at Bellatrix's hand. Jean looked around and found the offending woman laying on her back in the grass gurgling.

Then she remembered, she had come around the corner after Bellatrix and fired a cutting curse as she tried, and obviously failed, to dodge a throwing curse. Jean felt the back of her head where she remembered feeling pain right before she blacked out, but noting the lack of blood she moved on.

"Can't say I'm not happy about this." Jean shrugged down at the witch whose face still made appearances in her nightmares. Looking her in the face, she was suddenly reminded of Snape's death and was grabbed by an idea.

Summoning empty vitals from her expanded bag (inside her clutch, jammed between her breasts). Jean pressed her wand to the woman's head and twisted as she pulled it away and smiled at the shimmering strands that clung to it. Working quickly, she filled the vials as the woman slowly bleed out or perhaps her lungs were slowly filling with blood (either way Jean had other things to focus on). Later, she would wonder how that didn't bother her. Later, she would be disgusted with herself, but at the moment she didn't spend a moment's thought on the woman below her or her suffering, Jean's only thought was of getting it all before the witch died.

As Bellatrix let go her last breath, the silver strand from Jean's wand was cut short and hung limply. Jean placed it into her last vial (filling it to the brim) and quickly corked it and laid it on the grass with the others. Without a second thought, Jean transfigured the body into a stone and pulled her beaded bag from her clutch again. She put the vials and rock into the clutch with a couple quick charms to make sure nothing broke or uncorked, and dropped the clutch into her beaded bag before she threw it back around her neck (shoving the bag drown her front to keep it from bouncing around when she ran).

---

~.~.~

The fight was winding down, the Death Eaters were outnumbered and one by one they were deciding to run. Jean had other concerns, a moment ago she had cried out and clutched her wrist, now her wrist felt nothing and she had only one thought.

Any Death Eater she saw, she hit without a second thought, after all, they could have been the one. She left several Aurors staring after her (she wouldn't know but she was quite the sight). She had dirt and soot and blood on her skin, but her dress and heels were pristine. Her hair was rumpled, and even held a few blades of grass, but what those staring after her would later say was that it was sparking wildly (but people do tend to embellish).

When she spotted her brother – laying out in the grass with a crumpled Katie only feet away – she couldn't think, she couldn't feel or hope, she could only run. She wasn't able to notice the lake of blood or the shallow flutter of his chest. She couldn't function (couldn't even consider the worst, her brain wouldn't go past the need to be next to him). So she ran, and hope came as a painful slap in the face – she had run into a wall, an invisible barrier between her and them.

"Oh, you clever boy." She breathed, tears in her eyes with one hand gingerly on her nose while the other dispelled the barrier.

In the next moment, she was beside him, her hand on his neck relishing the strong pulse under her fingers. With a relieved breath, her hands found Katie and felt a weak but steady pulse, as she breathed shallowly. Jean moved Katie onto her side (moving her hand under her head, and pulling her top knee up), before turning back to her brother.

"Trevor!" Jean said loudly, shaking him slightly but only received a groan from him and an attempt to turn away from her. "Trevor wake up!" She said sternly but got no response. Growling she put her mouth to his ear "Neville Longbottom you wake up and talk to me this instant!" She hissed at him.

"Her-" He jerked under her, and she pulled back to look at him. "Katie?" He asked her, his voice rough.

"She's alive, but she needs a healer."

"Right. I'll get her." He tried to get up.

"You'll stand." She corrected, quickly on her feet again and offering him her hand. She flicked her wand at Katie and had her floating next to her at hip level. "Lean on me." Jean sigh softly as Trevor wobbled on his feet, and she placed herself under his arm. "Come on." She added gently, moving forward with him.

---

~.~.~

"I'm sorry." A woman stopped Trevor. "You'll have to wait out here, once the Healers are done family will be able to visit, but no one else for some time."

"You can't let her family see her." Trevor objected.

"I can't ke-"

"She's legally separated from her family," Jean cut the woman off, "she is the Ward of the Talkalot's as of a few days ago. The Parkinson's have no rights anymore."

"Even if that's true I have to work off my records – which updates weekly from the Ministry." The woman said as she retook her seat behind her desk. "And unless the Talkalot's arrive with an official copy of the paperwork, before her family, on my records, I can't do anything."

"Aren't there protections against abuse?" Trevor asked.

"Yes, if it was suspected that she was abused by her family, then no one would be able to see her until an investigation was completed.

"Her right wrist was broken by her father the summer of her third year." Trevor said through gritted teeth. "He wouldn't let anyone heal it, so it healed wrong and when she returned to Hogwarts Madam Pomfrey had to remove and regrow all the bones in her hand and wrist. Her elbow and shoulder were also hurt at the same time. I can give you a memory of her telling me if you need it." He added.

"That's good enough to start an investigation." The woman nodded. "No one will be able to see her, for at least a few days – you'll want to make sure the Talkalot's arrive within that time with the papers, or there is a good chance the investigation will be ruled as acceptable punishment." The woman warned.

"Will do." Trevor managed a semi-pleasant tone.

---

~.~.~

Moody placed privacy spells as he closed the door behind Jean, and gave her a calculating look as she did her own spells after him. He took a moment to scrutinized the girl before him; it was the second time he had found her fighting alongside his Aurors and recruits. He recognized the look behind her eyes as the same one he saw in his Aurors after a bad night.

"We really should have our little talk now instead of Friday, although we probably will need to talk then too." She said.

"What do you want to say?" He asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"If that's a yes, then here." She handed him a vial of clear liquid. "Confirm that is Veritaserum however you want. Then I will take it, and you will have one hour to ask anything you want."

"Even if this is Veritaserum -" He started.

"I am under the impression, that Dumbledore has informed you that he personally used Legilimency on me to verify that I am completely unskilled in Occlumency. Honestly, I'd like to change that, but I haven't found a teacher – it's not something easily learned from a book."

"He might have mentioned it, but you could have -" Moody started again.

"Only if I was greatly more skilled than Dumbledore." She sighed. "I doubt anyone is so skilled as to trick him into thinking they have no skill." She added and he gave a snort to note just how outlandish he thought that idea was. "Then Veritaserum will be completely effective," she continued, "but I am willing to show you my memories – which as you know without Occlumency or Legilimency as skills, I am unable to falsify."

"Be right back then." He conceded and walked over to the door and after a wave of his wand, he tried to open it but it didn't move.

"Sorry." Jean hummed sweetly with a large smirk as she flicked her wand at the door.

"Prewett!" Moody called from the doorway.

"Yeah, boss." One of them, out of her line of sight said.

"You're supposed to be a Legillimens – drink this." Moody ordered.

"Um, alright."

"If you don't die, tell me if it's Veritaserum." There was a pause for a few moments. "Well?"

"Feels like it, ask me something."

"What do you know about the rain in my office a week ago?"

"Nothing boss." The Prewett twin laughed. "This is the real deal Moody – strong too."

---

~.~.~

"And I'm afraid your hour is ending Alastor." Jean said, feeling the fog lift.

"Might as well." He shrugged.

"I killed Bellatrix Lestrange."

"You mentioned."

"I took her memories and her body, in hopes that it can help us. She is one of his most trusted – the most devoted of his followers."

"A spy." He nodded. "I know just the man. He used to do the job for the Ministry."

"The Ministry has Spies?"

"Of course, they do." He laughed at her, and she narrowed her eyes at him (it had been a very long time since someone has laughed at her for a lack of knowledge). "They keep tabs on the Muggle governments, as well as other magical governments. Of course, I'm not supposed to know this," he added, "but the boy was my best recruit and they snatched him from me." He added bitterly. "But he retired, said he couldn't be sure his orders were to do the right thing, so he left, but he was their best. They begged me to talk to him, get him to come back to the job."

"Alright, then take these." Jean pulled out her clutch. "All the memories I could get." She fished out the vials and handed them to him. "And her body, with all the hair you could ever need for Polyjuice."

"I'll release to the news that she was captured with the others – I like to keep my prisoners separate anyways." He shrugged.

"You'll have to let some others escape with her to help sell it."

"Yeah, I'll make sure the others are the less kill happy of the group."

"Good." Jean nodded. "And if at all possible, make it happen where no one came be blamed. I don't want someone to lose their job for this."

"And you don't want me taking the blame - "

"Because I want you to be their Grim – their Boogeyman – that's what you were, and I think that's what the world needs you to be. Dumbledore might be the one Tom always feared, but you were the one his Death Eaters feared."

"I still don't like this Minister idea of yours." He growled.

"I know." She tried a smile.

---

~.~.~

"Prewett!" Moody growled.

"Yeah, boss?" The two answered together.

"Take the girl to notify the friends." Moody ordered, with a nod to Jean sitting with her brother on the stairs.

"Really?" They asked.

"The girl needs to do something, and we need her in one piece - so go." He ordered.

---

~.~.~

"You know I can do this." Fabian whispered to Jean, nodding to the little house in front of them. "You can wait here, you don't need to go through it again." Jean didn't answer at first. Starring off into the distance where she notices an odd chimney sticking out of some trees.

"I think I could use the air." Jean nodded.

"Don't go too far."

"I'll only be a few minutes." She offered before making her way to the woods and the chimney, glad that she could do something actually helpful.

---

~.~.~

Hagrid sat in his hut alone staring at a bottle of Brandy as the last of the sun disappeared from the sky. He sighed deeply to himself, and put the bottle back under the sink, and poured himself a cup of tea instead. He heard his back door open and close, but he didn't look up from the cream he was adding to his tea.

"How are they?" A voice came from the shadows by his back door.

"Physically, they're fine." Hagrid answered. "Although Trevor could have tremors for the two or three days. At least, they're together."

"I know, you're pissed."

"Pissed doesn't describe it Bootis." Hagrid growled.

"Last time, Katie died, and Trevor was tortured far more and once he was cognitive again he was a mess. Jean was unconscious for nearly a month, you and Trevor were lost without her - hell everyone was - when she woke up everything had gone to shit."

"And Jane?" Hagrid asked remembering the look on his god-daughters face.

"Last time she left with her mother, I don't know what changed." The figure collapsed on Hagrid's bed. "I wish I would have known to save her. I liked Janie - always fighting for the little guy."

"If you had told me."

"If I had told you, you wouldn't have let Jean and Trevor out of your sight. Even if that didn't change who they saved, you wouldn't have saved those kids."

"Someone else would have." Hagrid answered.

"Some of them yes, I'm sure some of them would have been fine without you. Last time you took five children to St. Mungo's. The Death Eaters had tortured a total of thirteen, and ten lived but of them, three never woke up."

"Seven." Hagrid corrected. "I took seven children to St Mungo's."

"This time." The figure corrected. "I don't know if they hurt more kids this time, or if you just happened to get a hold of more, but either way, you helped two more souls than I had hoped for." There was quiet for awhile before Hagrid made a noise of indifferent concession. "Still have the strong stuff, don't you? A bottle of brandy and two of Fire Whisky, under the sink right?"

"Yeah, help yourself." After a few minute of drinking in silence, the man spoke again.

"She didn't kill Bella, but I made her think she did. She won't feel bad for killing her."

"How do you know?"

"I just do."

"I'm getting tired of that answer."

"I know." The man shrugged and took another drink. "She might feel bad about it being slow – about her not wondering if she was suffering while she stole her memories." He added. "That too was my doing, so have something good for her if she comes to you with that."

---

~.~.~

"So do you think you can tell me?" Sirius said softly to the blue eyed girl curled up in his lap with her head on his shoulder and her left hand playing with his hair in the way he loved.

"I wasn't fast enough." She said morosely into his neck, as he looked out at the beach that met the little home's patio. "I saw it, I was running to Jane, but I wasn't -"

"Bad, Moony." James hissed into this ear. He chuckled as Remus jumped and stared at him wide-eyed. "Spying Remus?" James teased. "You're a Prefect!" He scolded.

"Oh shut it." Remus laughed and took the mug James offered him. "Where's Trev?"

"Mum helped him to his room, she's mothering him already. I think she hopes to force him to feel better just to fight her off." James laughed.

"Is she going to take him to St. Mungo's tomorrow, to visit Katie?"

"Probably, she hadn't asked him yet but I'm sure he'll want to." James said, taking a seat next to Remus on the couch. "They're not romantic you know." He added with a nod out the window to the two sharing a lounge chair. "I shouldn't be telling you – Mum would kill me if she knew I had listened in on her and Dad's private talk with Sirius." James sighed.

"I know." Remus sighed softly. "I mean, I think I just figured that out." He amended at the look James gave him. "I mean, look at them." Remus gestured through the window. "Doesn't that remind you of first year?" Remus turned back to James to see a nodding Peter standing next to him.

"And second, and the first bit of third." Peter added.

"We agreed Peter: never to talk about it." Jame hissed.

"Right, because it started to make everyone feel weird – so we stopped." Peter nodded.

"That's talking about it, Peter!" James hissed looking around.

"No one is here to hear James – well there is Jean but she can't hear – your parents know, and we all obviously know."

"Please, can we not?" James whined. "Can we just leave it at yes it's obvious that Jean is now filling that … hole? I guess; despite Sirius saying he didn't need that anymore – that he had grown out of it."

"He only said that because he knew it was getting weird. So he started snogging a different girl every day." Remus sighed. "You had to know he was lying for our benefit."

"Yeah, okay, maybe I did." James huffed. "But in my defense, all the girls seemed to be doing the job, and he was enjoying his time with them."

"But since the first of the year, he's down to like three girls a week." Peter added.

"Most of his previous snog time is now him running after Jean - or Hartz." James chuckled.

---

~.~.~

"I almost killed your cousin today."

"Really? Which one?" Sirius asked conversationally.

"Bellatrix Lestrange."

"Hmm, too bad." He laughed. "Next time, try harder."

"It's not funny Sirius." Jean muttered into his neck.

"Sorry Jeany but the world would be a better place without her in it. She's always been horrible – when she was little they had to keep little animals away from her. Her accidental magic? She lit a litter of bunnies she found on fire." He hissed to her. "I got a cat for my ninth birthday – I only got it because Reggie wanted it, but that's beside the point. A month later the cousins come over for Lunch, and I find Bella with my cat – I had to tell Reggie it ran away just to make sure he never saw what she did to it." He said quietly.

"I'm sorry."

"It's OK you'll get her next time." He chuckled.

"I wanted to kill her." Jean whispered to him, absently wiggling her toes that sat on his right thigh as she sat on his right. "She killed Janie because I was there to see it – it's all my fault."

"No, it's not Jeany." Sirius sighed, continuing to play with her hair. Next door, the porch door slid open, and Sirius took her ankles in one hand and tucked them beside him on the lounge chair (smoothing her skirt over her legs). "What?" He asked Jean's raised brow before he realized her point. "You are in a dress Jeany." He smirked. "Had to take pity on the poor Muggle boys next door."

"They're like thirteen." She argued.

"Exactly." He grinned wickedly. "A sight like that would be too much for those poor boys." He winked, causing Jean to snort.

"Oh shut up." Jean chuckled and turned her attention to his hair – running her nails gently over his scalp.

"Prefect." He hummed happily, and for awhile they sat silently playing with each others hair.

"Am I getting a death stare from our friendly neighborhood Werewolf?" Sirius asked, and Jean sat back in his lap and eyed him.

"Have you been reading comic books?" She asked with a raised brow.

"Yeah," He chuckled and shifted to pull out a roll from his back pocket. "It's about this Muggle, who gets bit by this magical spider." He added. "The bite infects him with a magical disease - like lycanthropy but awesome instead of shitty. Then, he makes these web shooters with muggle magic." He told her in a serious tone but was stopped by her growing laughter. "What?"

"I just," She giggled, "I never thought about superheroes from a wizards perspective before," she laughed, "and it's hilarious. Where did you even get that?" She tapped the comic book in his hands.

"It was in the tiny closet in my room – Remus had this big white thing he said was a 'fan', in his.

"Is that why you thought he would be glaring at you? Because you got the closet with the interesting Muggle book?" She laughed.

"No Jeany," he made a show of rolling his eyes at her, "that would be because of our current sitting situation." He said cheeky grin.

---

~.~.~

"Knock, knock."

Jean looked up from her mug to see Remus leaning in the doorway. She smiled, and patted the seat beside her, before going back to blowing on her Hot Cocoa.

"I see Wemsi's taking good care of you."

"I am under stick orders to have this gone by the time she comes back." Jean said with a small smile. "Want some?" She waved the chocolate bar that had been balancing on her knee.

"You have it. I know better than to cross that Elf." He chuckled.

"You know my favorite thing about magic?"

"What?"

"Chocolate." She smiled. "When I was little – I mean too little to actually to know about magic," she quickly edited, "since we lived in the Muggle world sometimes, you know?"

"Right."

"Well, Mum would give me a bit of chocolate if I scraped my knee or something like that. She liked to say that Chocolate was magic, that it made everything better. Then, I found out it was true." She laughed softly. "From Dementors to depression and stress. It's the recommended treatment, it's amazing." She grinned.

"So how are you? Really?"

"Jane's Mum had her baby." Jean sighed handing a small bit of paper to him, for him to read.

"They named him Jean-Luke?" Remus asked.

"Luke was Jane's pick for his name."

"So Jean-Luke is a tribute to you and Jane, and you don't think you deserve it."

"I don't deserve it." She muttered.