Liv checked her watch. Oliver had spent nearly an hour in Quality Quidditch Supplies before finally deciding on a polish for his broom. He was clearly very passionate about all things quidditch. Liv looked out the window while Oliver paid for his purchases. It was a clear, cool, February day in Hogsmead.
Next, they visited the candy shop Honeydukes. This was Liv's favorite store. She looked around the rows and rows of sweets and found what she was looking for.
"Who's that for," Oliver asked seeing the heart shaped box of chocolates Liv was taking off the shelf.
"It's for me from you," Liv said. "You're going to give this to me next on Monday."
"Why," he asked curiously.
"Because it's Valentine's Day and that's what couples do."
"Oh, right. I forgot!" Oliver said. "Can you tell I'm new to this whole girlfriend thing?"
"Don't worry, I'll have you trained up in no time," Liv said smiling. "Here's your first lesson; if you don't know what to get a girl you like, chocolate is a safe bet. In fact, nearly all problems can be solved with chocolate."
Oliver laughed. "You sound like Professor Lupin."
Liv blushed and looked away.
"Is that one for me," Oliver asked as Liv selected another, less romantic, box of chocolates from the self.
"Oh," Liv said blushing again. "It's not for you. I got you something back at that quidditch shop."
"So who is it for," Oliver asked as Liv paid for the chocolates and put them in her bag. Before she could figure out something to say, Oliver continued. "Are you seeing someone, you know, in real life?"
"No," Liv said quickly.
To her surprise, Oliver didn't seem jealous at all. "Come on, you can tell me. When you told me who you really are, I realized you have a whole life I don't know about, and that might include a boyfriend."
Liv nodded. "Ok then. I'm not technically seeing anyone… but I sort of hope to."
"Who is he," he said very interested.
Liv smiled. "He's just someone I met on the job. We haven't had a lot of time to get to know each other, but we seem to have a lot in common. I shouldn't be telling my "boyfriend" about this though."
"I don't mind. Honestly, it's kind of nice just faking this thing. I think we have a real shot at the quidditch cup now and a real girlfriend might be too distracting."
"Are you saying I'm not distracting," Liv said in mock offense. They laughed together as they left the candy shop.
As they walked through the village, Oliver began telling Liv all about their chances in the cup. By the time they entered the 3 Broomsticks, Liv had a better idea of how quidditch points worked.
"I'm surprised you haven't already won a quidditch cup," Liv said as they ordered their drinks.
"We would have but things kept happening. Last year, quidditch was canceled because of the attacks on muggle borns, and the year before Harry was in the hospital wing. For the love of Merlin, don't let anything happen to Harry Potter this year!"
"I'll do my best," Liv said sipping her butter beer. "I'm going to miss this stuff when this is all over."
"You don't have it where you're from?"
"No," Liv said. "I'm going to drink it every chance I get. Can you get them in the kitchens?"
"No, just here."
"Then how did Fred and George…" Liv started, but stopped. Something clicked in her mind. How had Fred and George brought butter beers and Honeydukes candy to the party last week celebrating the Gryffindor victory? They couldn't have stored it all up in their dorms since the break, could they? Or…
Fred and George entered the shop at that moment and looked for a table. Liv waved her arm to signal them.
"Oliver, I think I'm onto something..."
"You'll never guess what happened yesterday," Liv said excitedly as she entered Remus' sitting room the next day. She waited until he'd closed the door before continuing. "I think I figured out how Sirius Black has been getting into the castle."
"You did," Remus said in surprise. His face looked grave. "How?"
"Fred and George Weasley showed me a secret passage that leads out of the castle and into Honeydukes in the village."
"Merlin's beard… and did you find anything down there," he asked anxiously.
"All I could find were Fred and George's footprints, and a third pair that were pretty small, possibly a younger student's. Unless Sirius Black has unusually small feet, I doubt they're his. But I'm sure that's how he's be getting in; the entrance in along the 3rd floor corridor, the same place I lost him both times he's broken in."
"That sounds like good theory," Remus said as they sat down on his sofa. "So, what's the plan?"
"Well, I can't really tell off Fred and George for using the tunnel since I got them to tell me by pretending I wanted to use it to sneak out of school too. Really, though, they must be pretty stupid to not even consider the idea they might run into Sirius Black down there. I'm surprised they're not dead already. Anyway, I've set a tripwire spell to alert me if anyone, student or not, tries to use that tunnel. But I wanted to ask you if you'd keep an eye on it. Your office is close by so you may see something before I do."
"Of course," he said with a smile. Remus was quiet for a moment, he seemed almost distracted.
"Was there something you wanted to talk to me about," Liv asked remembering how he'd invited her up to talk.
"No," he said breaking his trance. "Nothing specific. I thought we could just talk, you know? I mean, I know so little about you, and most of what I do know has turned out to be false."
Liv happily spent the afternoon with Remus. They sat on the sofa eating chocolate, drinking wine, and talking. They learned a lot about each other.
Liv told him about Ilvermorny and how she discovering her gift for dueling in her 6th year. She competed in the summer before her 7th year and made it to the finals. The final was intense. A spell sent her flying, she fell hard and broke her first wand. She knew how to do a defense spell without a wand, but she had little hope of winning. Liv didn't want to forfeit, so she kept going. She bounced a tickling spell back at her opponent, which made him drop his wand. Liv dove for it and they struggled for it. But in the end, Liv used an old Muggle sleight-of-hand trick her parents had taught to make it look like it disappeared. Her opponent thought she used real magic to make it disappear and forfeited the match. So, Liv produced the wand from her sleeve and won the tournament. A few days later she was contacted by the MACUSA's auror office with an invitation to join their training program after graduating.
Remus told her all about his time at Hogwarts as a werewolf, the rise of Voldemort's following, and joining Albus Dumbledore to fight him.
They talked about everything, and then they talk about nothing, laying together on the couch, her head on his chest, listening to his gramophone. When the music ended, Remus got up to turn the record over.
Something he had said stood out in her mind. "Remus," she said breaking the comfortable silence. "You mentioned knowing James Potter at school… did you know Sirius Black at school too? You must have been the same age."
His back was turned so Liv couldn't see his face as he fiddled with the gramophone. "I knew him. Everyone did; he was very popular." He didn't turn the music back on, but turned around to face Liv again. "I suppose you know he betrayed James Potter to Voldemort."
"Yes," Liv said. "It was in his file. And that Peter Pettigrew, another friend of James Potter, went looking for Black afterward. They dueled and we all know what happened."
Remus nodded. "Peter was was no match for Sirius. He was an excellent dueler."
"I've noticed," Liv said a bit bitterly thinking of how he's gotten away from her twice.
Remus turned back to the gramophone and continued. "He would duel other students when the teacher's weren't looking. He was a bit of a bully, if I'm honest."
"Were you friends with Sirius Black," Liv asked. Remus didn't answer right away.
"We were in the same year, in the same house, same dorm," he said, his back still turned to Liv as he refilled their drinks. "… I knew him very well… or at least I thought I did…"
Liv got the impression he wasn't being fully honest with her. The music started again and he returned to the sofa with their drinks.
"From what I've seen, I think you're a better dueler than Sirius Black," he said joining her on the sofa and sipping wine. "He doesn't have a chance against you."
"Flattery, huh," Liv said. "Are you trying to make me blush?"
"If I wanted to make you blush, I would have said something else," he said setting down his glass.
"Like what," Liv said, setting hers down too.
That was all the encouragement he needed. He smiled mischievously as he leaned forward and began whispering in her ear.