MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Ahem.

"What a difference a preposition makes! If you take the 'with' out of 'Nice to eat with you,' it begins to mean something quite different. Less wholesome. More creepy. It just goes to show that not all eating that happens in literature is friendly. Not only that, it doesn't even always looked like eating. Beyond here there be monsters."

How to Read Literature Like a Professor, Thomas C. Foster

"M-marry you?" Brigit asked in disbelief as she stared at the harmless little ring extended in front of her. "Remus, wait just a second here! We can't get married!" She looked up in time to see the crest-fallen face of her beloved as he shifted uncomfortably on bended knee.

"Why can't we? We love each other, we already live together, and it'd just be a piece of paper that makes it official!" His pleading eyes looked so pitiful that she was almost tempted to say yes just to satisfy him. Almost.

"Remus, listen, get on the bed with me." He did so, a slightly desperate look in his eyes. "Remus, you know that I love you, and I would love to marry you—"

"REALLY?!" he interrupted loudly, a grin on his face. She held up one finger quickly, before his hopes got too high.

"But…"

"I really hate that word."

"But don't you think this is a little hasty? I mean, we haven't even been together a year yet…" Brigit grabbed his hands reassuringly and forced him to meet her eyes. "I don't want to get married because you're afraid you'll die before it happens, Remus. I won't get married because you're scared of Voldemort. To me, marriage is more than just a 'piece of paper that makes it official.'"

"Brigit," Remus tilted his forehead to meet hers as he kissed the tip of her nose lovingly. "I want to marry you so that you can be mine and no one else's. I want to marry you so that I'm guaranteed that your face is the last thing I see in the evening and the first in the morning. I want to marry you because I love you more than anything else in the world. Isn't that a good enough reason to do it?"

Brigit inhaled deeply and closed her eyes, trying to find a way to express herself without crushing his feelings. "Neither of us have jobs, except the Order which is temporary. I want to get married when we have a foundation for a life to build on, thinking past the years of the Order of the Phoenix. Do you understand where I'm coming from here?" She was grasping at straws, she knew that, but she just couldn't get married. Not yet.

Remus stared at her hard. "I understand…but I'm confused. It sort of sounds like you're making up excuses so you won't have to be my wife."

Brigit growled in frustration at the anger behind his words. "I don't think you fully understand how dangerous I am, Remus. Just because nothing has happened in the past year doesn't mean that I'm safe to be around! I could kill you at any moment, given the right circumstances! Why don't you understand that?!"

"You're talking to a werewolf, Brigit. Don't you understand that?! I could kill you or infect you as easy as you could kill me. But I'm willing to put aside my fear—"

"You're not putting aside your fear, you're acting on it! Your fear of death, Remus, is palpable."

"What, and you're not afraid of dying?"

"I'm not afraid to die, no."

"What a load of bullsh—"

"I was raised with the idea that at any second the 'other side' would burst into my house and kill my family and destroy everything I love. Siren's and wizard's have a very different idea of what is scary about death. When you're on the side that's constantly running for their life, you have to live on your fear instead of act on it."

"That doesn't even make sense." Remus snapped. "And stop avoiding the conversation. Answer my question."

"You've asked quite a few, dear," Brigit replied curtly. "Which one would you like answered first?"

"WILL YOU MARRY ME, BRIGIT MAJOR?!" he roared in frustration.

"Oh how very romantic, Remus, gesturing angrily while screaming your proposal at me! I'm about to fall over from excitement."

"That wasn't an answer!"

"No! I won't marry you! Especially when you ask like that! Ask me properly and maybe I'll give you a better answer!"

The two glared at each other for a moment before Remus sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "This wasn't how this conversation was supposed to go…" he sighed again and Brigit softened at the sad tone of his voice.

"We can't get married now, Remus. Someday, but not right now…ask me in a year or two and maybe the answer will be different…" She ran her hand along his scarred face softly as he kissed her palm.

"I love you, Brigit."

"I love you too, Remus."

July, 1980

"It's a boy! A boy! I have a son! A boy! It's a boy!" James came tearing into Brigit's flat where all of his friends were waiting impatiently for the news. He was grinning like a madman as his friends screamed congratulations at him heartily and started dancing around the room.

"What's his name?" Remus asked excitedly, restraining an ecstatic Brigit from pouncing on the new father.

"Harry James Potter," James announced proudly. "He's completely perfect in every way. He even has his mother's eyes!" The fatherly pride was coming off of him in waves, he was grinning so broadly. He turned to Sirius, who was laughing in his dog-like way. "You'll be god-father?" he asked, and Sirius' eyes widened.

"Of course!" he exclaimed, clapping his friend on the back, beaming.

"Well, I think it's time we all went to the St. Mungo's to see the new mothers!" Brigit stated, giddy from all the news. Frank had burst into their flat yesterday to announce that Alice had also given birth to a boy they named Neville. The huge group of people made their way out of the cramped flat with Frank and James leading the way, singing merrily. As Remus went out the door, he turned to see Brigit still standing in the middle of the apartment, smiling to herself.

"What's up?" he asked when she didn't move from her spot.

"Yes." Was all she said. He stared at her in confusion.

"What?" She looked up slowly, tears of happiness forming in her eyes.

"Yes, Remus. I will marry you."

Early October, 1980

"We have to…what?"

"Go into hiding, Mr. Potter. A safe house, with a secret keeper."

"Wh—why?" The dark haired man clutched at his wife's hand.

"I have reason to believe that Voldemort is hunting you. You are no longer safe with only the protection the Order can give you. You must have a deeper level of protection to ensure the safety of your family." Dumbledore frowned at the couple he had known since childhood and watched to grow into adults. They were scared, yes, but not nearly as frightened as he was.

"Who…who would be the secret keeper?" Lily asked softly, gripping her sleeping son tightly in her arms.

"If you wish, I would be happy to be the secret kee—"

"Sirius." James said flatly, meeting the eyes of his old professor. "No offence, professor, but Sirius."

"James," Lily said quietly to her husband. "James, wouldn't it be safer to have—"

"You know Sirius would never betray us, Lil. You know that. Dumbledore, however, is a much more prominent man in our world. The chances of him betraying us are impossible but he's needed for the Order."

Dumbledore's light blue eyes met James' hazel, and the old man knew his mind was set. "How much time do we have, sir?"

"I would suggest as soon as possible, but I know you will both be intent upon attending the wedding of Mr. Lupin and Ms. Major..." at the couple's nod, he frowned slightly. "Immediately after that then, both you and Mr. Black will go into hiding. You are positive of your decision?" James nodded vehemently and Lily gave a small smile.

Dumbledore sighed an ancient sigh. "So be it."

Later that same month

"Congratulations, you two!" squealed Alice delightedly, causing baby Neville to coo cutely. "The ceremony was beautiful!" Remus and Brigit had on matching grins as they greeted their friends. He kissed her lovingly on the cheek as her brother came up to take her for a dance. James, Sirius, and Peter walked forward at the same time to greet their friend.

"Marauder meeting!" James exclaimed, pumping his fist into the air. Everyone laughed as he led the group away, the other three complaining loudly at how bossy James was. When they were farther away from the group, James pulled them into a huddle. "Now, upon the wedding of our dear Moony," James smirked as Sirius started poking Remus and Peter giggled femininely. "We also know that there's some ill times brewing, and this may be one of the last times all four of us are together." The mood instantly darkened at these words, and everyone frowned in unison.

"You really know how to kill a party, don't you, Prongs?" Sirius asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Be serious." James chastised.

"Always!"

"That joke isn't funny anymore! Get a new one!"

"You two fight like old ladies, did you know that?" Peter snorted as Remus nodded fervently.

"Okay, okay, but really, in all seriousness." James looked at Sirius fiercely, daring him to make a joke. "Padfoot, Moony, Wormtail, you all are my best mates and I don't know what I'd do without you. You made school a crazy blast and I'm honored to fight beside each of you in the Order." Each of them was getting choked up, though they tried to fight it. "The Marauders will go down in history no matter what, but just…try to keep yourselves safe, okay? I don't know what I would do without loyal friends like you."

They all whispered in agreement and, looking at the group from far away, you knew you were seeing brothers instead of friends. James stuck his hand out in the middle of their 'huddle,' and the other three followed suit; a 'secret handshake' they had come up with in first year.

And, for the very last time, they all murmured in unison, "Mischief managed."

"Wormtail, you ready?" the little man straightened his shoulders and nodded, extending his hand to shake James'. "Thanks for doing this, mate. Is Sirius still pissed?"

"A little, but he understands." Peter glanced nervously at Lily, who was smiling at him reassuringly.

"Have you told anyone about this?" James asked in a business-like fashion. If was going to protect his family, he was going to do it the best he could; and if that meant going behind Dumbledore's back and using Peter as a secret-keeper instead of Sirius, well, so be it. Peter shook his head and inwardly sighed.

"You okay?" he asked his wife. Lily nodded slowly, tears forming in the corner of her eyes. It had been devastatingly hard to say goodbye to her friends without actually giving herself away and saying goodbye. She knew, however, that it had been even harder for James to lie to his friends, unsure of who was the leak in the Order.

It's such a dangerous time; you can't even trust your friends. James told himself, frowning. If only he knew how right he was.

February, 1981

"Remus, honey?" Brigit called to her husband who was lying on the bed, waiting impatiently for her to 'get her sweet ass out of that bathroom into bed.'

"Yeah?"

She walked slowly into the bedroom and sat on the bed, facing Remus. She twisted a curl tightly around her finger and nibbled on her lip, trying to figure out how she was going to tell him this.

"Bri?" Remus asked worriedly. She had been looking pale and tired for the past few days, he had been worried about her and now his angst was only increasing. "Honey, what—"

"I'm pregnant." Brigit stated flatly, looking at Remus for a response. His mouth fell open in shock as he took in her words and he gaped at her for several moments before finally able to form words.

"I—I thought you were doing the spells…" he said meekly. She can't be pregnant! We said no children unless we adopted…oh, Merlin, she's pregnant with a werewolf-siren baby…

"I did…but I guess I forgot one time…I—I don't know what happened…" tears started streaming down her face and Remus immediately felt guilty. She was pregnant and emotional; this was no time for him to react negatively.

"Oh, Bri, don't cry, please don't cry! Aren't you happy? We're going to have a baby!"

"I—I am h—happy!" she sobbed. Remus had to restrain himself from smiling at the contradiction. "It's just…oh Remus!" She threw herself into his awaiting arms and sobbed uncontrollably on his shoulder.

"Brigit, don't worry about it. It happened, it's done. There's nothing we can do now but be happy about our child!" he placed his hand reassuringly on her abdomen and kissed her lightly, trying to channel his negative thoughts somewhere else. "We'll go to St. Mungo's tomorrow and figure out the chances of passing on our…less than desirable genes, okay?" She smiled slightly and brightened considerably.

"You're right. We'll have to worry about finding a new flat, one with two rooms…" he pulled her down to lie next to him as she began talking excitedly about plans as he absently stroked her belly where his child was growing.

"When are you due?" he asked her when she stopped to take a breath. She grinned.

"Halloween!"

A/N: Dude, I almost cried writing this chapter. For real. But the real tissue warning is for next chapter as the deaths of several characters approach quickly!

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