Chapter 25
Disclaimer – I do not own Harry Potter , I do not own the song Little Red Riding Hood. I don't know who does, however the version I've been listening to is by Amanda Seyfried. I also do not own the song Lucky.
Remus sits beside his most-loved Professor's hospital bed, ignoring the voices behind him. He knows Severus, James, and Poppy are explaining what's happened, he's not needed though. Not needed anywhere but here. He sees a twitch, looking up he sees McGonagall blinking her eyes open.
"She's awake!" He calls behind him as he pulls his chair closer, McGonagall frowns.
"Who are you?" Remus bites his lip.
"Remus Lupin," He replies, holding out a hand for her to shake, she raises an eyebrow at it before accepting the handshake awkwardly.
"Minnie McGonagall."
"You don't go by Minerva?" Minnie scrunches her nose up.
"Minerva is a positively dreadful name, Minnie is far more…expressive." Remus chuckles a bit at this.
"People call me Remy." She smiles at him, the smile lighting up her entire face.
"A pleasure to make your acquaintance Remy."
"And yours Minnie. Tell me, do you know where you are?" She looks around and nods, elegant brown curls bouncing as she does.
"The hospital wing in Hogwarts, only I do not believe I have ever seen you around school before."
"No, you wouldn't have." Remus looks to the side, seeing Dumbledore, Dumbledore simply gestures for him to continue, he turns back awkwardly and inwardly cursing the old man, "Minnie, there was an accident in my transfiguration class. We were working on an aging spell but, some students got it wrong, we de-aged our Professor instead."
"That is horrible! Will he be all right?" He smiles slightly, impulsively taking her hand as he continues speaking, she pays extra attention to him now.
"Minnie, you are our Professor. You've been de-aged to…we're guessing fifteen?" Her eyes widen, she looks around in shock, no doubt taking in the differences in the room.
"This is completely and absolutely ridiculous and convoluted and not at all funny Remy!"
"No one is laughing." Minnie looks at him, distressed, before turning to Dumbledore who simply nods gravely.
"S-So how old should I be then?" She asks, still sounding disbelieving, he supposes were he in her position, he would be too. She looks down at herself, fiddling with her robe for a moment before looking back to him.
"I don't know how old you should be, but it's 1975." Her eyes widen significantly.
"I do not know how to deal with this."
"Well, physically you're in perfect health. Perhaps getting some rest is a good idea though," Pomfrey tells her, she nods dazedly and lays back down. Poppy looks at the others pointedly, they all start moving out, but a hand on his arm stops Remus.
"Stay? I-I do not want to forget where I am when I wake up." He nods, retaking his seat.
"Remy!" Remus jerks awake, looking around wildly before his eyes come into focus, immediately taking in the girl sitting before him, "Are you all right? I think you were having a nightmare…"
"Um…Minnie, right, the spell. Yes, yes I am fine, thanks." Minnie nods though she looks unconvinced, he waves his hand through the air, "Tempus." The time appears in the air for a moment, 20:08, before it disappears again.
"You can do wandless magic?" Minnie asks, awe in her eyes, he grins and nods.
"Didn't have much choice but to learn. One of my mates thought it'd be funny to turn my wand into a cinnamon stick. Still haven't managed to turn it back."
"Why do they not help you?"
"I won't let them, took up the challenge, too stubborn to give in now. It's been three years, it's fine." She laughs at him, he laughs too.
"This is so surreal, I am, for all intents and purposes, sitting in the future. So far into the future I have never even attempted to imagine it."
"Did you just call yourself old?"
"Oh, I-I think I did." They both laugh again, his rough, uncertain is he if it's from disuse or overuse, hers angelic and gentle. Madam Pomfrey walks over to them, glad to hear them both laughing.
"Mr Lupin, I'm afraid you need to leave now. You can return tomorrow, under the circumstances I can write you a note excusing you from classes." She smiles at Minnie's obvious relief.
"I'll see you tomorrow morning, Minnie," He tells her, patting her hand gently, she takes a breath and nods.
"Tomorrow then." He nods.
"Tomorrow."
"Hey, how is she, is she okay, OH MY GOD DID WE KILL HER?!" James runs at him as soon as he enters the common room, yelling in his face. Remus puts his hands up defensively, James sees it coming and ducks before the accidental spell hits him, instead making a hole in the wall behind him, "Sorry Moony, are you okay?"
"I, uh…yeah, yeah, m'fine," Remus promises as he takes a few deep breaths, cursing how jumpy and over reactive he's been since…well…anyway. Now used to this, James gives him a few moments to calm down, knowing he'll pick up the conversation when he's ready. Sure enough, a minute later, he answers his queries, "No, you did not kill her. She's okay, still confused and I'm not sure she fully believes us yet but, I doubt I would in her position. Madam Pomfrey's letting me stay with her tomorrow, I think I make her more comfortable because I was the one to first speak with her and explain everything. How'd things go on your end?"
"Flitwick's looking into what happened, though he and Slughorn think the antidote may end up potion related. Still no one is quite sure what we did, Dumbledore's informing the Minister of what's happened, discussing what to do with her in the meantime."
"How's Sev?" Remus asks, trying to ignore the 'what to do with her', James sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Moping, not talking to me, just generally freaking out." Remus nods solemnly.
"I'll see if I can get them to talk tomorrow, just so that he can see she's all right, if a little…shorter."
"Thanks."
The next morning Remus wakes up and immediately gets ready and rushes down to the hospital. Why do I feel so responsible for her? She's Minerva McGonagall, regardless of her age she can bloody well take care of herself! I wasn't even the one who de-aged her! He thinks to himself as he paces in front of the hospital doors, But I am the one who found her, the one who ran…or…flew her here, that made her recovery my responsibility, after all I started it, right? He sighs, Maybe I just want to help someone else since I very obviously can't help myself. But I don't want to use this poor girl as a distraction from my own problems, but she wants me with her, I make her feel more secure. Does it matter why I was there to begin with? It's my duty to stick around now, right? He sighs again and shakes his head, pushing the doors open and walking in.
As he walks in, he takes in her appearance, something he hadn't really found the time to do the day before.
She has chocolate brown hair that cascades in waves down her back, the front parts twirled back into a knot at the back of her head to prevent it falling in her face, or maybe she just thinks it looks pretty. She has freckles across her nose, but seems to have taken off the slight make-up she'd been wearing yesterday. He's never really understood make-up, it seems rather impractical to him. Then again, in his experience, girls could be very impractical.
"Morning, how're you feeling?" Minnie looks at him rather dejectedly.
"I find it much harder to continue denying the truth in the light of day," She admits, Remus smiles kindly at her.
"Perhaps the truth is not so bad? It may not be what you are used to, but Hogwarts is still Hogwarts. It's still your home and will always be, just like it is for everyone who goes to school here." She nods solemnly.
"I know, but it is not Hogwarts that is the problem, it is everyone in it. Which sounds horrible, I know, but everyone I care about is no longer here. Also, it occurred to me that my Father must be dead by now, but I am here. I should be there, caring for and leading my people, not abandoning them to teach." Remus takes the seat beside her bed again.
"Your people?" She nods before seeing he has no idea what she's talking about.
"I come from an island, sort of near here, my father is…was, their leader. I was to take his place when he died. Until then I wanted to leave, to see the rest of the world for myself. I only just barely convinced him to allow me attending Hogwarts, I promised him I would go back. Why on Earth did I betray my people, betray him?" She asks, crying a bit, Remus bites his lip before he puts a hand on her shoulder awkwardly.
"Minnie, I find that when people do something drastically out of character, there will always be a good reason for it, even if you are unaware of it. You have to put faith in yourself, there's always a reason." She looks at him gratefully and smiles, it's then that he notices what's beside her on the bed, it having been partially hidden by her before, "Where'd you get a guitar?" She blushes slightly.
"Transfigured a bedpan, actually." Remus chuckles.
"You play?" She nods, "Can I hear a song?" Minnie seems to hesitate, "I'll play one for you if you play one for me?" She looks at him, debating the offer before she grabs the guitar.
"All right, but I've only been playing it for three years." He shrugs.
"Can't be worse than when I let my friend Pete play my guitar, he who had never seen one up close before." She chuckles as she pulls the guitar into the correct position, waiting for herself to calm before she begins. She debates what to play for a moment before catching sight of her red robes in the corner of her eye and begins to play, when she gets to the correct point, she opens her mouth and begins to sing.
"Hey there little red riding hood,
You sure are looking good,
You're everything, a big bad wolf could want.
Little red riding hood,
I don't think little big girls should
Go walking, in these spooky old woods alone.
What big eyes you have,
The kind of eyes, that drive wolves mad
Just to see that you don't get chased,
I think I ought to walk with you for a ways.
What full lips you have,
They're sure to lure someone bad,
So until we get to Grandma's place,
I think you ought to walk with me and be safe.
Gonna keep my sheep suit on,
Until I'm sure that you've been shown,
That I can be trusted, walking with you alone.
Little red riding hood
I'd like to hold you if I could
But you might think I'm a big bad wolf so I won't.
What a big heart I have
The better to love you with
Little Red Riding Hood
Even bad wolves can be good.
I'll try to keep satisfied
Just to walk close by your side
Maybe you'll see things my way
'Fore we got to Grandma's place.
Little Red Riding Hood
You sure are looking good
You're everything, a big bad wolf could want
Little Red Riding Hood
I don't think little big girls should
Go walking in these spooky old woods alone.
What big eyes you have
They're sure to lure someone bad
Just to see that you don't get chased
I think I ought to walk with you for a ways.
What full lips you have
They're sure to lure someone bad
So until we get to Grandma's place
I think you ought to walk with me and be safe." She finishes off the guitar, Remus smiling at her as he had been most of the song, she blushing and smiling back bashfully, they hear someone clear their throat and both look over.
"Headmaster," They both say simultaneously, feeling like children caught doing something they shouldn't, which is ridiculous because you weren't doing anything.
"Mr Lupin, Miss McGonagall. I was wondering if you'd both like to take a walk with me around the grounds, it's such a lovely day." They both get up and follow Dumbledore outside.
As they're walking around, Minnie stops dead in her tracks.
"What is that?" She asks, fear in her voice, Remus follows her line of sight and frowns.
"The Whomping Willow? It wasn't here when you were in school?" Minnie shakes her head, Dumbledore clears his throat awkwardly.
"It was put here for a very specific reason in 1971," He says, Remus' eyes widen as he catches on before he looks back at the tree, almost in awe to be the reason it was placed here, "Now, Minerva, the Minister and I have spoken and we've both agreed that you're to attend the Fifth year classes until such time as we can reverse what's been done to you."
"Surely after so many years the curriculum has changed a lot."
"Yes, however you seem to have attached yourself to one of the three best students we have, and he's close friends with the other two."
"I'd hardly call myself…"
"I know you wouldn't, that does not make it untrue. In any case, Minerva is to rejoin the Gryffindor students, I trust she will be looked after?" Remus snorts.
"With all due respect Sir, I hardly think Minerva McGonagall needs looking after. But she won't be alone, if that's what you mean." Dumbledore looks oddly pleased with that and inclines his head.
"Quite." Then he's walking off, Minnie turns to Remus.
"So…I suppose that is the end of the conversation then?" Remus sighs.
"He does that. Come on, let's head back to the common room."
As they walk through the corridors, whispers and stress follow them everywhere making Minnie very uncomfortable, but a look to her right shows Remus entirely unaffected.
"How does this not disconcert you?" Remus looks confused before looking around.
"Oh, people have been whispering about me since second year, and before that they would whisper about my best mates everywhere we went. I'm used to blocking it out I guess."
"I wish I could do that, I feel as though everyone is judging my every move." Remus snorts.
"They are." She frowns at him.
"That was not very comforting."
"Would you rather I lie?"
"No, but I would rather you be kinder about it, or at least more helpful." Remus sighs, turning around.
"Oi! If you mugs are gonna whisper and stare, least be more subtle, a'right Lads?" He calls loudly, everyone quickly bustles past, back to their business, "Helpful enough?"
"Most definitely," She replies, he grins at her as they keep walking, "So, one of Hogwarts' three best students, are you?" Remus groans.
"I still think that's an exaggeration, all the people in this school, no way am I in the top three."
"Not to mention you've had more detention then anyone else in the school, and we go to school with Sirius Black, so that's impressive," Marlene says as they enter the common room, Remus flushes as Sirius sputters indignantly from in front of the fire place.
"That's not friendship Marls, c'mon."
"We aren't friends Sirius, I'm your girlfriend."
"Still has the word 'friend' in it so I'd say you still have to be nice!"
"I'm sorry, have we not met? Marlene McKinnon, arsehole to all, and you are?" Sirius rolls his eyes.
"The idiot that puts up with you." She grins at him, smirks back.
"Thirty years makes a lot of difference," Minnie states, Remus looks over to her shocked face and tries not to laugh.
"Is it bad though?" Minnie grins widely.
"Not at all."
"Right, Everyone, this is Minnie, she's joining fifth year until someone works out how to undo the fuck up the idiots made. Any questions?"
"She one o' yours now?" A sixth years asks, Remus nods, "We'll make sure the word goes out."
"What does that mean?" Remus sighs.
"It's a long story, but no one from Slytherin will bother you."
"No one in general will bother you. Also hi, I'm Marlene, this is Mary, that's Lily, there's James, Sirius, and Peter. We're friends with Remy. Well, most people are friends with Remy but we're extra-sepcially close."
"There's also Sev and Reg. Sev's our boyfriend, and Reg is Sirius' little brother," James explains, gesturing between he and Lily and then to Sirius.
"Hold up, what?" Remus asks, looking between James and Lily, Peter laughs.
"Yeah, you missed that announcement this morning."
"So you're both dating Severus? As in, the three of you are all dating each other?" Lily takes James' hand nervously but nods all the same, Remus looks between the two a few more times, the suspense killing everyone who's standing by in case they need to step in, but then Remus just shrugs, "Okay." Everyone lets out the breath they were holding and Remus looks affronted, "You thought I'd have a problem with it?"
"No, it's just uncommon in the wizarding world, Mary said it's unheard of in the Muggle world and she's still trying to sort of…sort it out in her head. Not in a 'she has a problem' kind of way but in a 'they are all dating' kind of way and you're a half-blood so we just weren't sure where you'd stand on it, I mean we didn't think you would have a problem with it but –"
"Breathe Prongs, relax. I have no problem with it, certainly not gonna kick off bout it." He leads Minnie over to a couch to sit down while James catches his breath, Lily rubbing circles into his back. He and Mary exchange a look over their heads that no one but Lily understands, she glares at them both, they look at her in exasperation, she doesn't stand down.
"…what's happening right now?" Sirius asks in confusion, Lily raises an eyebrow in challenge, Remus sighs.
"Nothing, Sirius." Peter starts laughing after about a minute of tense silence, everyone looking at him for the inappropriate timing but it still takes him ages to calm down.
"D-Did you m-mean 'nothing, Sirius' or 'nothing serious'? Because I couldn't work it out," Peter explains, still laughing and now wiping tears from his eyes. Remus chuckles as he shakes his head at his friend.
"His name you dolt." Peter starts laughing again, Remus joining in, Sirius looking unimpressed, then Severus comes walking in in a huff, dropping onto the floor in front of his…A-Are they boyfriend, boyfriend, and girlfriend? Is there a term here I don't know of? James had referred to him as his boyfriend, as their boyfriend. Remus shakes his head at himself, when he looks up again he sees Severus' head in James' lap as Lily's head rests on James' shoulder, he looks away again. Why is it those three of all people can manage to be happy together but everytime I try…I shouldn't still miss either of them. What the hell is wrong with me? Seriously…
"…emy, Reeeemmmyyyyy." Remus looks up, finding his friends all looking at him and honestly unable to tell which of them had spoken.
"Right, What's up Sev? You seem a little unhappy," Mary asks, Minnie looking to Remus in worry, he smiles reassuringly and pats her hand which is resting on his arm.
"Why is it that I try to help someone and I'm the one who deals with all the shit? I stick my neck out to try and help out and the bastard just fucking abandons me to deal with the fall out. Now my house is pissed because we're eighty points down, I have three weeks of detention, and my wand's spewing ducks whenever I try to use it." Remus smirks at him.
"Well, I'd lend you mine but it's pretty much useless unless you want some French toast." Severus' lips twitch at that, James huffing and Sirius snickering, "Want to tell us what happened?"
"Want to? Yes, can? No."
"You're gonna leave it to the unnamed bastard to deal with though, right?" Lily asks, Severus sighs.
"No."
"Severus…"
"Look, I don't expect you to understand, it's not as though you know anything of the situation, but I can't just leave this alone. It's far too important and if the idiot slips up then…it's complicated okay?" Lily sighs, Severus takes her hand in his and looks up at her, "I'll be fine Lils, and don't worry, I'll be giving him a piece of my fuckin mind next time I see him, believe you me."
"Flattering, but unnecessary." The group turn to see Lucius standing in the common room.
"How'd you get in here?"
"You people never shut the door. You're out of detention, have a little faith Severus, I had no intention of leaving you to scrub cauldrons," Lucius tells him with a look of distaste on his face, "I told Slughorn I did it, the points are now my fault and he also gave you ten points as an apology and me five for coming clean."
"Does this mean you are scrubbing cauldrons now?" Lucius turns his nose up at Mary's words.
"Don't remind me."
"Thank you, Lucius." Lucius looks at Severus and nods once before walking out of the common room again.
"Huh, look at that, Lucius Malfoy doing something halfway decent."
"I keep telling you he isn't that bad."
"Oh shush Moony." Remus rolls his eyes, Minnie just looks horribly out of place.
"So, what do you guys want to do?" Everyone looks around, not really having any idea.
"You've been learning a new song, haven't you?" Peter asks him, Remus nods.
"Yeah but it's a duet and really old so I doubt any of you would…Minnie, what year is it in your memories?"
"1946," She replies, his face lights up.
"Do you know the song 'Lucky'?" She nods.
"Of course, everyone with any kind of taste knows that song…ohhh, yes sure." Remus grins giddily and claps.
"I'll be right back." He rushes up the stairs to his dorm.
"We're gonna get to hear Moony sing?" Sirius asks, Peter nods.
"And Minnie."
"Awh, Minnie and Moony."
"Don't even try it Black," Lily warns, Sirius nods.
"Yeah good call."
"Sorry, um, Black? As in Cygnus, Alphard, and Orion Black?" Minerva asks, Sirius seems nervous but nods.
"Orion is my Father." Minnie nods.
"You look a lot like him, or at least, like he did at your age,"
"You know my Father?" Sirius asks in surprise, though really he should have realised that, she nods.
"And your Uncles, Alphie and I were quite close once." Sirius doesn't seem all too surprised about that.
"What changed?" Minnie fidgets a bit.
"Erm…perhaps you should ask your Uncle about that." Then Remus returns, now carrying his acoustic guitar.
"Okay, you ready?"
"You're doing this in the middle of the common room?" Sirius asks, Remus nods.
"Sure, I've been doing so for four years."
"Come on, I've been looking forward to this!" Mary complains, Remus chuckles, looking to Minnie who nods so he starts to play.
"Do you hear me, I'm talking to you
Across the water across the deep blue ocean
Under the open sky, oh my, baby I'm trying
Boy, I hear you in my dreams
I feel your whisper across the sea
I keep you with me in my heart
You make it easier when life gets hard
I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend
Lucky to have been where I have been
Lucky to be coming home again
Ooohh ooooh oooh oooh ooh ooh ooh ooh
They don't know how long it takes
Waiting for a love like this
Every time we say goodbye
I wish we had one more kiss
I'll wait for you, I promise you, I will
I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend
Lucky to have been where I have been
Lucky to be coming home again
Lucky we're in love in every way
Lucky to have stayed where we have stayed
Lucky to be coming home someday
And so I'm sailing through the sea
To an island where we'll meet
You'll hear the music fill the air
I'll put a flower in your hair
Though the breezes through the trees
Move so pretty you're all I see
As the world keeps spinning round
You hold me right here right now
I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend
Lucky to have been where I have been
Lucky to be coming home again
Lucky we're in love in every way
Lucky to have stayed where we have stayed
Lucky to be coming home someday
Ooohh ooooh oooh oooh ooh ooh ooh ooh
Ooooh ooooh oooh oooh ooh ooh ooh ooh."
"Oh my god you guys are amazing!" James practically squeals excitedly, Severus laughs at him until he punches him in the arm.
"Thanks guys," Remus tells them, only now looking away from Minnie, Minnie blushes slightly as she looks down at her lap.
"You have got to be kidding me," Sirius mutters under his breath, an incredulous laugh escaping as he gets up and walks straight out of the common room, laughing manically as he goes.
"…does this have something to do with him being weird yesterday morning?" Remus asks, Lily shakes her head.
"Nope, this is…unrelated to that…mostly."
"Is he okay?" James scrutinizes Remus' face closely, whatever he sees makes him roll his eyes and sigh.
"Yes, he's fine, don't worry about him Remy," He tells him with a gentle smile, Remus frowns but does not reply.
"How about we do our homework and Minnie can see what we're doing in class at the moment?" Severus suggests, Remus is suitably distracted.
"Yes, Minnie, the other two Dumbledore was talking about are Lily and Severus," He says, pointing to them each in turn.
"Why was the Headmaster talking about us?"
"Two best students in the school." Minnie looks at Remus, unimpressed, Remus looks away and bites his lip.
"That is not quite what he said." Remus sighs.
"No, but it is the truth."
"We are our own worst critics Remy, if the Headmaster says you three are his top students, I am inclined to believe it true."
"Moony, are you being self-deprecating again?" James asks him, Remus facepalms as he feels his frustration growing. Usually at this point he'd snap at someone, but Minnie doesn't have anyone else at the moment, not really, he can't afford to leave her alone. He'd told Dumbledore she wouldn't be, and what would his Professor think when she's changed back? He takes a deep breath.
"Possibly a little."
"Does this have something to do with…you-know-who. Oh, I mean, not you-know-who as in he-who-must-not-be-named, but you-know-who as in…well…you-know-who," Peter stumbles awkwardly, Remus glares at him.
"Derek. He has a damned name."
"You're defending him again Remus," James tells him gently, Remus slumps back onto the couch, I should have sent someone else to spend time with Minnie, or left someone else with her yesterday afternoon. I can't even…I just…everything is so fucking wrong! How am I supposed to help someone else cope in a strange place when I can't even cope with what's familiar?!
"Come on, we've got History homework to do. Pretty sure I spotted a mistake in one of the books, want to ask Binns about it during class tomorrow?" Remus smiles at Lily and nods.
"Professor Binns is still teaching? No offense to him intended, but how is the man even still alive?" The students freeze, looking to her with worried expressions, Remus sits back up and takes both her hands in his.
"Minnie, Professor Binns dies in the staffroom about a decade ago. He teaches as a ghost now." Minnie's eyes widen in surprise.
"Oh…" She's silent for a few moments, the others exchanging looks, unsure what to do, "At least he's still teaching I suppose, is he happy?"
"S'long as Remus isn't in the room." Remus glares at Marlene, "Innapropes, sorry."
"We've got History Of Magic first thing in the morning, you can find out for yourself then," Lily tells her, "Though I should warn you, our class doesn't have the best track record with him." Minnie nods.
"All right, so, show me what we are doing." They all get their stuff and spend the next hour and a half doing work.
Eventually Sirius returns, by that point they're sitting around the fire talking about all the pranks they've pulled off, and Minnie talking about the time she accidentally turned Dumbledore's beard orange and he liked it so much he kept it for a year.
"Man I am soooo glad Minnie's been de-aged," He announces as he walks into the room, giggling.
"You're high again, aren't you?" Remus asks, though it's sort of a pointless question.
"Oh yeah, you blokes should try this. I feel great."
"Go to bed Sirius."
"Only if you come with me," He replies flirtatiously before giggling again, Remus looks at him, unimpressed, and so misses the panicked looks on the rest of the group's faces. Minnie, once again, feels very out of place and confused.
"Should we…?" James starts to ask, Mary huffs.
"No, if the idiot wants to go get high, he can suffer the consequences of running his damned mouth. It's about time it came out anyway."
"Right, in the interest of saving my relationship though, I'm going to step in so he doesn't hate me when he comes down," Marlene tells them, James looks at him in confusion.
"Doesn't it bother you that your boyfriend is in love with someone else?" Marlene shrugs.
"No, I knew that going in. We had a long talk about it the day after we started dating so it's all good."
"What is wrong with you Sirius?" Remy asks him bluntly, Sirius laughs again.
"Nothing anymore."
"You realise we have OWLs this year, right? We can't really afford to be messing about."
"Tell you what Remus, I'll stop smoking weed, if you find a different way to entertain me and take my mind off shit."
"Homework?" Marlene goes over to her boyfriend before he can reply and wraps her arms around him.
"Wanna go make out?" Sirius looks at her with a sudden clarity, cupping her face in his hand.
"Marley, we should go on a date. Like an actual date. I could take you to dinner in Hogsmeade?" Marlene's face brightens.
"Sounds brilliant Honey, now come on, let's go find a way to distract you." He follows after her happily as she leads him to the boy's dorm.
"You know I speak Finnish?" Sirius tells Marlene as they walk away, "Parents wanted me to learn Latin so I learnt Finnish instead. 'Course no one else speaks Finnish so it's dead boring and waste of time. Pissed them off though."
"Bout bloody time he got his shit together with her," Remus says before turning around and seeing the others not looking quite as happy, yet also relieved. James looks after them before sighing and turning to Remus with a content smile.
"Yeah, about time."
Note:
I know Lucky was only released in 2008, but it's sort of old styled…ish…okay look I really just wanted things to play out like this, I threw historical accuracy out the window of a car going 110 km/h like oh 25 chapters ago…
Also, I can't remember if I mentioned this before, but technically speaking Alphard and Cygnus are Walburga's brothers and Cygnus' 2nd cousins along with Walburga herself, but I did not know that when I wrote this and it's been brought up a few times and I don't want to re-write that much of the story when I literally have no idea where in the story it's mentioned. So, for this, Orion, Cygnus, and Alphard are brothers, and Walburga is their second cousin/wife and sister-in-law. GTL the Black family, amiright?
Anyways, hope this is enjoyed 😊