Emma sat on her bed, nervously waiting for something to happen. Leaving the hospital to go back to Saint Nicholas's felt like an actual nightmare, especially when she was placed back in the same room. Tonks, who had been the one to bring her back, assured her that there would be a sweep done every two hours, but that meant nothing. When it came to Fenrir, it only took seconds for things to change, but at least this time, Emma had a weapon.

It was only mildly reassuring that no one was outside her window when the time came for her door to be locked for the night. She didn't feel anyone's presence lurking outside her window, but she wasn't about to let her guard down. Emma pulled Remus's wand out of her bag and gladly used that to turn her light off and didn't move from her bed. She had no intention of going to sleep.

Having Remus's wand was a small comfort, and she kept her notebook open to talk to him; the light of the moon was enough to read with. They had rekeyed the notebook to work non-verbally and work if she wrote the Marauder's oath in the book, the incantation seeping into the pages and evaporating. It took some effort on Remus's part, but it gave him something to be distracted by. Patches and Bee sat comfortably on her lap as she used Remus's wand to cast nonsense spells just to get a feel for magic again. She was grossly out of practice and the energy needed to cast spells, the combination of her light being out and wearing Remus's borrowed jumper made her tired. If it weren't for the warmth of her bracelet from Remus pressing his charm, she would have fallen asleep sitting up already.

Emma yawned, stretching herself out and trying to wake herself up. She forced her eyes open and nearly jumped out of her skin when she realized eyes were staring at her outside of her window. Her first thought was it was Fenrir, but Fenrir was more likely to have just come in her room already. She growled in aggravation when she processed it was Boris. He was staring at her curiously, and Emma was sorely tempted to hex him, but then he cocked his head to the side, and she couldn't do it. The more time she spent with him, the more she was reminded of a human Golden Retriever.

"Sorry," Boris said after a moment, straightening up from his crouched position. "I didn't mean to scare you."

Emma cast him a reproachful look and gently pressed her bracelet to return Remus's response. Boris stayed where he was, just staring at her, looking unsure. She shot him another look, and he frowned, taking the initiative and climbing into her room.

"Oh my God," Emma said, wincing at how bad it hurt to talk still. Elara said to give it another few days before speaking, but she didn't want to waste time writing.

Boris sat himself down on her floor, crossing his legs and arms in front of his body. "You sound like you've been howling for days," he said, his lips pressing into a thin line as he studied Emma.

"Yes, well, you can thank Fenrir for that one," Emma muttered, trying to keep her voice low. It was much easier to talk at a lower volume. "It's his fault."

"You're one of us now," Boris said, his eyes scanning Emma's face before moving to her shoulder and looking at her exposed bite. "Fenrir's made you his."

"I didn't want this," Emma said sharply. "I don't…I don't want to be Fenrir's."

"Why not?" Boris asked in surprise. "It's an honor to be an Alpha's mate. Fenrir's never taken one before."

"Oh, good," Emma said sharply. "I'm not even of age. Do you know how ridiculous this entire thing sounds?"

"What do you mean?" Boris's eyebrows knit together with his confusion. "You're only a month away from being of age."

Emma's blood ran cold, and she pushed everything on her lap aside and stood up, crossing her arms. She twirled Remus's wand in one hand, studying Boris for any signs that he was lying to her. He wasn't a very good liar, Emma noticed. Boris tried, but his cheeks would turn red anytime he tried to lie to her, and she didn't think that was intentional.

"No, I'm not," Emma said. "I'm only going to be fifteen."

"Which means you'll be of age…"

"No, Boris, it doesn't."

Boris gave her a funny look. "Is that something from your pack? Werewolves are of age at fifteen."

"Buggering fuck," Emma growled.

She closed her eyes tightly with a groan and mentally ran through the list of everyone she was going to kill. Emma was going to start with Fenrir first, of course. Then she would move onto Elara for not telling her, and she would leave Remus last because she loved him even though he kept information from her. That was very crucial information to know and would have been helpful to process earlier. Werewolf culture was much different than typical wizarding culture. It was so deeply rooted in old magic that she had no doubts about Boris's claim. The more she learned, the worse it got.

A long steady stream of swear words left Emma's lips as she paced, and she wanted to scream. She didn't understand how there was so much she didn't know about werewolves when she lived with a werewolf. Emma expected Remus not to tell her certain things, but Elara should have informed her. She was walking a thin line between both worlds, and she only knew bits and pieces of both.

"What's that stick in your hand?" Boris asked her suddenly, pulling Emma out of her thoughts.

"What?"

"That stick…what is that? It keeps sparking."

Emma looked at Remus's wand in her hand. She didn't even realize that she was making sparks as she paced. "This?" Boris nodded, and Emma sighed. He had probably never seen a wand used before. Knowing the adults in the pack couldn't keep their wands, it made sense. Fenrir made it a point to keep his wand hidden as if he were some sort of werewolf god that could manipulate things more than anyone else.

"It's a wand," she explained. "You use it for magic."

"That's a wand? What can you do with it?"

"Almost anything you can think of…" Boris looked at her expectantly, and Emma felt terrible. "I can't show you, mate. It's my Dad's, and I'm not even supposed to have it right now."

"Oh, okay," Boris said sadly. "Well, that's all right."

Emma felt guilty not showing Boris, but maybe she could the next night if he came back. He was magical too. "Boris, where is Fenrir?" Emma finally asked, sitting back down on her bed.

"He's doing something, but I don't know what," Boris responded after a few moments. "Why? Do you want him here?"

"Boris, I will actually kill you if you have Fenrir come here," Emma snarled, grimacing at his shocked expression. "Sorry, I just wanted to make sure I could go to bed without being bothered. I'm heading out early tomorrow."

"Oh," Boris said in surprise. "Where are you going?"

"Just out for the day, but we're traveling like Muggles," Emma said, writing a quick note to Remus say that she was going to try and go to bed. "Someone is going to come checking around here all through the night, so do yourself a favor and hide. I would hate for you to get caught. Do you know how to read time?"

"Of course."

"Good. Someone is going to come wake me up around 5, so be out before then," Emma said, throwing Patches and Bee under one arm and holding tight to Remus's wand under her pillow. "Honestly, you could just leave."

"Fenrir's orders are that I stay. He said you would try to make me leave."

"Of course, he did," Emma grumbled. She sighed as she got herself comfortable and met Boris's gaze. "Boris was Fenrir out yesterday by any chance?"

"No," Boris said, "he was with the pack all day. Why?"

"No reason," Emma frowned as she thought about the presence she felt. If it wasn't Fenrir, who was it? "Good night, Boris."

Emma's dream was somehow the weirdest dream she had ever had, and she blamed Brennan for playing Beetlejuice that past Friday. She was dressed in some semblance of Lydia's red wedding dress with Fenrir wearing Beetlejuice's tuxedo. The officiant was a wolf that somehow could speak English, and Remus, Elara, and Sirius were the unwilling witnesses. It felt like a cruel joke that a sandworm didn't come through to eat Fenrir. At least then her dream would have been funny.

She was surprised that Boris had been the one to wake her up at quarter to five. Emma shot him an annoyed look, and he gave her a lopsided grin. "Heard voices and thought you'd want to get up earlier if it's a long trip," he said. "I'm going to leave and wait for Fenrir. You'll be fine, right?"

Emma waved Boris off and shoved her head under her pillow. She wanted to sleep in longer, but he poked her side until she sat up.

"You're already up; might as well stay up," he said with a shrug. He gave Emma a small wave and jumped out of her window. Where he actually went, Emma had no idea.

With a groan, Emma stretched, muttering under her breath. She supposed that Boris had a point. She reached down to the floor to pull her bag up onto her lap to find the potions Elara sent her back with. Elara still wanted to maintain Emma's pain relief, and while the scratches on her face didn't hurt, her bites still did.

She tried to force herself out of bed but only got as far as placing Remus's wand back in her bag and pulling out her outfit for the day. Emma had practically begged Remus for one of his button-down shirts just so that she could cover herself up more. The necks of his jumpers were too wide, and her clothes were all too scratchy. He just sighed and went through his overnight bag and gave her whatever she asked for.

"I'm starting to think that I'm going to be the one who needs an entirely new wardrobe instead of you," Remus told her with a soft smile. Emma had nodded happily in agreement.

Emma was in the process of just lying back down when there was a soft knock at her door. She looked up as the door opened, and she was happy to see it was Mrs. Bryce again. The woman gave her a sad smile as she studied Emma's face.

"I'm glad you're up, dear," she said lightly. "And I'm glad you'll still be joining Professor McGonagall today. I know the children are excited about it."

All Emma could manage was a nod, her face heating up. She opened her mouth to speak, but Mrs. Bryce shook her head.

"I know that you're meant to be on vocal rest right now, dear. Everyone will be meeting in the entryway in forty-five minutes, but Professor McGonagall will be here in fifteen. She'll be waiting in the reception room for the time being."

Emma nodded again, finally getting up to get ready. Deciding to test her theory, Emma applied mascara and some eyeliner. She looked at herself appraisingly in the mirror and nearly burst into laughter when she took in her entire appearance. Wearing Remus's button-down and a pair of jeans with her boots made her look like the much cooler version of her father.

She was flipping through one of the books Hermione had brought her when McGonagall entered the reception room. Emma very slowly lifted her gaze to meet Professor McGonagall's eyes, suddenly nervous. She took in McGonagall's appearance first, a small smile crossing her face at how very Gryffindor her outfit looked. McGonagall was wearing a long dress with half sleeves in a brilliant scarlet with a golden flower print.

"Good morning, Miss Lupin," Professor McGonagall said warmly. "It feels almost like the first time I brought you to Diagon Alley all over again. I never expected that we would be making the trip together again."

Emma gave McGonagall a look to suggest she thought the same thing. McGonagall gave her a quick once over and nodded. Emma was grateful that she didn't focus on her scars at all.

"I fear that there may have been a slight clerical error when sending you this year's supply list," McGonagall said, reaching into her purse and pulling out an envelope. Emma stood up from where she sat to walk up to Professor McGonagall. With a confused look, Emma took the envelope from McGonagall, and her stomach did a happy little flip, and tears sprung to her eyes.

Emma Lupin
Lupin Cottage

Upper Helmsley, York

"Of course, if Black needed to be added, that's doable," McGonagall said. "We weren't entirely sure if you would remain a Lupin, or if your name would be hyphenated, or even if you decided to be a Black. I've been told that's your choice to make."

Emma looked up at McGonagall in surprise and back down to her envelope. She wasn't sure how many people knew about Sirius and Remus, and Emma was glad that someone else knew. She worried her lip between her teeth and let out a slightly watery laugh, pointing to the envelope to show that Lupin was fine. That was all she wanted to be because that's who she was at the end of the day. Sirius never wanted her to take the Black name, insisting he would take Remus's name if they got married. Emma Lupin was perfect.

Emma couldn't help but throw her arms around McGonagall for a hug and immediately froze when she had realized what she had done. She pulled back quickly, her face flushing with embarrassment. It felt so inappropriate, but she was so happy that someone else was treating her like normal.

McGonagall was quiet for a moment before pulling Emma back to her in a gentle hug, cradling Emma's head to her shoulder. "I think my boys would be disappointed if you didn't get to call me Aunt Minerva during the summer," she said gently, the hint of a smile in her voice as she kissed the top of Emma's head. "Besides, none of your friends would ever believe this."

Emma immediately burst into laughter, allowing herself to be held close. She liked the idea of Aunt Minerva, and she allowed herself to embrace the idea of it for just a moment. Professor McGonagall was right – no one would ever believe her if she told them.

Somehow, Emma managed to sleep the entire way to King's Cross station. She had no idea how she managed to sleep when Raewyn and Brennan were talking excitedly. Only Finn was quiet, and Emma's last thought before drifting off was how odd that was.

She practically skipped to the Leaky Cauldron, knowing that she would get to spend the day with her father. The moment they set foot into the pub, Emma's eyes roved around for Remus, and she gave a squeal of delight the moment she saw him. Emma didn't care that she had seen him just twelve hours prior, she ran right into his arms, practically knocking him over.

"Well, good morning to you, too," Remus laughed, squeezing Emma tightly.

She pulled away and dragged Remus back over to the group so introductions could be made. Emma happily kept herself tucked into Remus's side even as the three eleven-year-olds stared at them. She knew how they looked, and it must have been odd to look at them together.

Raewyn seemed determined to believe that Remus wasn't a werewolf at all after deeming him as not scary. Emma had to turn her face into Remus's chest to keep herself from laughing too hard as the other two agreed. Her laugh died out when Finn mentioned that Remus looked nothing like the scary werewolf that was always around the children's home. She looked at Finn with curiosity while Remus and McGonagall looked shocked.

"The scary werewolf?" Remus asked curiously.

Finn nodded, shuffling her feet nervously. "The one that got Emma," she said quietly. "I noticed that he was still around even when Emma was away…"

Remus glanced over at McGonagall over Emma's head, and he gave Finn a reassuring smile. "Well, he won't be a problem for that much longer," he said, keeping his tone level. Finn nodded and tried to smile back. It was very wishful thinking, Emma thought.

Just like when McGonagall took Emma to Diagon Alley the first time, they went through the pub's back entrance to enter the shopping area. When McGonagall asked Remus to do the honors of opening the entryway, his face turning the same color as the brick wall. Remus turned to Emma, biting back a grin, and Emma cast McGonagall a sheepish grin as she opened her bag. Professor McGonagall only looked slightly surprised as she regarded the two of them as Remus took his wand back.

"Really?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow at the two of them. "Dare I ask how frequently you two snuck around the castle as if you were both students?"

"I wouldn't ask at all," Remus admitted.

A genuine smile threatened to find its way to Emma's lips. If only McGonagall knew the things they actually got up to when the castle was asleep. The nights they spent with the Marauder's Map were brilliant, and she hoped that Harry would want to go on adventures that year. They had a legacy to live up to, and her heart ached to remember that Remus wouldn't be joining them.

"Merlin's beard," McGonagall said, pinning Emma with one of her sharp stares. "I will be keeping a close eye on you this year, Miss Lupin."

McGonagall and Remus went over their respective plans for the day. It was decided they would all go to Ollivander's first. McGonagall had already retrieved money for the new first years, and Remus didn't need to stop at Gringotts. The trio was overjoyed to finally get their wands, and Emma was excited to have her own wand again.

Emma enjoyed watching the faces of the trio as they walked through Diagon Alley. She wondered if she looked that excited her first time, and she happily hugged Remus's arm the entire way to Ollivanders. Their energy was infectious.

Ollivander was at the front of the shop when they entered, and a disappointed look crossed his face the moment he saw Emma and Remus. His face brightened slightly when he saw the three first years, but he turned back to Emma first.

"Do I want to know what happened this time?" he asked, making Emma turn red.

"Er," Remus reached into the inside pocket of his blazer to pull out Emma's wand, which she looked at sadly. "Her wand was snapped – not by her own hand."

Ollivander stared hard at Emma, and she immediately curled in on herself. She didn't like that she was pulling such an expression from the wizard and only relaxed when he let out a dejected sigh.

"You'll need an entirely new wand since the core is exposed," he said. "You won't be the first, and you certainly won't be the last that I see in such a short amount of time. Now, are we fitting you with something new, or will you be giving me a new challenge?"

Emma immediately froze, unsure of what to do. A new wand would be fine, but before she could even try to suggest it to Remus, he answered, "I think a new challenge."

It was a good thing that Emma was familiar with the process. She was pleased to find that her Phoenix feather core decided she was still worthy of keeping it. Stupid jokes popped up in her head about being reborn after everything she went through, but she chose to keep them to herself. Emma didn't need her father telling Dr. Wheeler about her penchant to delve into dark humor again.

The process of finding the right wand combination moved a lot faster than the year before. Emma was surprised that her final three woodblocks came down to cedar like her first wand, maple, and rowan. Emma had liked the maple the previous year, but once again, that was not a match. The cedar and rowan seemed to keep battling it out for Emma's attention, but ultimately, the cedar block won out. It had jumped over to Ollivander by itself as if asking to be made into a new wand.

"Fascinating," Ollivander said as he inspected the block of wood. "Mr. Lupin, your wand is made of cypress, yes?"

"It is," Remus said.

Ollivander's gaze turned to Emma, and she fought hard to keep her expression neutral. Every trip to the wandmaker felt like he was trying to read her mind with his stare.

"Well, this particular block comes from a white cedar tree, which is commonly known as a false cypress," Ollivander explained. "While the woods are very different, I can appreciate the wand's message for Miss Lupin. As your core has maintained its allegiance with you over the years, I pity whoever finds themselves at the other end of your wand if you find yourself in a duel. However, I see great strength in healing those who need it most. I'll have your wand ready later this afternoon."

Emma nodded and cast her father a look the moment Ollivander silently dismissed them to assist the new first years.

"What do you say," Remus whispered to her, "shall we make a quick stop to Flourish and Blotts? They can show you their wands later."

She could never pass up a trip to the bookstore and gladly took her father's hand. Flourish and Blotts always held a soft spot in Emma's heart. She adored the bookstore, loved the smell of old books, and liked to see what strange magical books existed.

A giggle escaped her lips when she noticed a massive sign saying they refused to carry The Monster Book of Monsters. Hagrid's book had really made quite an impression on the shopkeepers. They looked around the store together, picking up the only book she needed that year. Emma pointed at a book on Divination made a face as she spotted it.

"Oh," Remus said. "Would now be a good time to tell you that you're not taking Divination this year?"

Emma's mouth fell open, and she grabbed onto her father's arm, a hesitant smile crossing her face. She reached into her pocket to pull out her paper and pen to scrawl out a quick, 'What are you talking about?'

"Well, when Professor Dumbledore sent me over the list of names I needed to write final notes for, I also sent back the form I signed to withdraw you from the course. Since I signed the form while still employed, Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall accepted it. I can see you look absolutely gutted by the news," he teased.

After Flourish and Blotts, they met everyone back in the Magical Menagerie. The new first years were very excited by the idea of having pets. They wanted to look early so they could spend their day deciding on what animal they wanted to bring to Hogwarts. Emma walked around the store aimlessly, delighting in looking around and being surrounded by animals. She was peering at snakes when a small black blur ran past her and leaped at her.

"Kitty," Emma breathed out as a very hairy black kitten landed on her shoulder. The single word was painful for her to say, but it just popped out of her with her surprise. Talking to Boris had been a terrible idea for her to do, and she was paying for it dearly, but she was excited.

Remus whirled around so fast to look at her that Emma swore he would break his neck. He stared at her in wonder, surprised that she had said anything at all, and then his expression softened. "It is," he said, making his way back over to her. "Take it easy with talking. You're not meant to be saying a word just yet," Remus added.

The cat rubbed its furry face on Emma's. It was mildly painful as her scars were sensitive, but Emma loved it. She had grown used to cats running away, and this one came right to her.

"She's pretty," Emma said quietly, scratching behind the cat's ears and beaming as it purred. She had just become completely smitten by the furball, and it nearly broke her heart when she realized she couldn't take it with her.

"She is," Remus said lightly, holding his hand out for the cat to sniff. He was surprised when the cat eagerly butt her head into his hand for head scratches. Remus looked between the cat and Emma and hummed thoughtfully. "Not only does she have the same color eyes as you, apparently she has your personality. How many times have you done exactly this to get my attention?"

Emma gave her father a good-natured glare and gave the cat a good look. It did, in fact, share the same color eyes, and it broke her heart further. "I love her," Emma said sadly, and she truly meant it. Something about the cat resonated with her, a sense of wholeness that she didn't know could exist. Could people find soul pets? Was this cat meant to be hers? If it was, it was such a painful reminder of the wrong place, wrong time.

"What would you name her?" Remus asked curiously.

There was no hesitation when Emma immediately said, "Figaro."

"Figaro?" Remus asked in amusement. "Like from the Disney movie you had me watch with you?" Emma nodded fervently, and he chuckled. "I believe Figaro was a boy and had white patches," he said gently. "And this little one is a girl."

"She's a cat," Emma pointed out, looking at said cat thoughtfully. "Fig for short." A pained look crossed Emma's face, and she lifted her hand to rub at her neck.

"Just take it easy," Remus said, gently pulling the kitten off Emma's shoulder to place it in her arms. "It's been nearly a week since you've said a word. It's going to –"

"Take time," Emma finished with a sad smile as she held the kitten close. "I know."

Remus watched Emma with the kitten for a few minutes, a plan already brewing in his mind. Emma looked entirely at peace with the cat in her arms, gently running her fingers through its fur. The moment Emma's eyes closed, and she held the cat closer so she could rest her cheek against its head, he knew that he was in trouble. He had to buy the cat for her.

"I'll be right back," Remus said to Emma, who cracked open her eyes to cast him a nervous look. "I'm just going to go talk to Professor McGonagall for a moment. I'm not going far – I promise."

Emma's eyes followed Remus to make sure he was going exactly where he said he would before she finally relaxed. She turned her attention back to the cat in her arms, a smile crossing her face as the cat rubbed its head underneath her chin. If he didn't make his decision already, that would have done it.

"I see you find yourself with a quandary, Mr. Lupin," McGonagall said with a knowing look as she regarded Remus.

"I haven't heard back on where Emma's can come home," Remus said quietly, glancing back at Emma. "And as you can see, I do not have the heart to separate the two of them. I think the cat enjoys Emma as much as Emma loves the cat. I know they offer boarding, but I would much rather be able to take the cat home today. I'd prefer to know that no matter what, Emma will have a constant companion."

"You worry she'll be placed somewhere that won't let her have a cat?"

"That's the basic gist of things, yes," Remus admitted. "I will do absolutely anything to keep that smile on her face, and I know she's been lonely. It's also –"

"Very rare to find a cat that can handle being around a werewolf," McGonagall said. "I know that all too well." McGonagall watched Emma and the cat for a moment. "Why don't you send Emma off with the other three to Fortescue's, buy her the cat, and we'll head to the Ministry and get some answers. We'll figure out what to do with her new friend after if we have to."

Remus hesitated at the idea. "Every time I leave her, something happens," he said quietly.

"You can't think like that, Remus," McGonagall said, putting a hand on Remus's arm. "She'll be fine."

Remus returned to Emma, who frowned at him when he held his hands out for the kitten. Emma sighed, depositing the cat in her father's hands.

"Why don't you take Finn, Raewyn, and Brennan over to Fortescue's?" Remus suggested, petting the cat's head. "It's a hot day, and I'm sure they wouldn't be opposed to ice cream. It'll be my treat."

Emma frowned slightly, looking at the trio who were marveling over what looked like to be an enormous spider. "I don't know," she said quietly, shifting from foot to foot. "I don't want to take any more of your money…"

"Emma, sweetheart, we have gone over this nearly a million times," Remus sighed. "I don't need you to worry about my finances, love. I can assure you that four ice creams won't be an issue."

"I know, but –"

"No, I don't want to hear it," Remus said firmly. He nodded down to the right pocket of his blazer. "Take a few Galleons with you, treat yourself and your new little friends."

Emma sighed, reaching into Remus's pocket to take a few Galleons. She huffed out a laugh when he bent down so she could kiss his cheek. "Thank you," she said. She gave the cat a final scratch behind the ears with a longing look and retrieved the other three.

Rather than use all of her father's money, she let the trio pick out ice cream, passing on something for herself. As much as she would like ice cream, she didn't need it, and she was happy to just listen to Finn, Raewyn, and Brennan talk. They all showed her their new wands, and Emma admitted she was excited to see what her new wand would look like. Brennan was in the middle of telling Emma something he saw as they were walking around when she heard someone call her name.

"Emma!"

Emma twisted in her seat and immediately tensed up just as Persephone froze where she was. The two stared at each other, mouths falling open in surprise.

"Who's that?" Finn asked, poking Emma's arm.

"I, uh…a friend, I think," Emma muttered. "You three stay right here and enjoy your ice cream. I'll be, uh…I'll be right back."

Emma stood up and grabbed Persephone's hand to pull her far enough away from the trio. She frowned at Persephone, opening and closing her mouth several times as Persephone took a good look at her.

"Effie," Emma said suddenly. "Uhm…what are you doing?"

Persephone continued to study Emma's face with a frown. "I'm so sorry," she said. "I wanted to come and say hi, but this... This wasn't…I didn't…" Persephone scrubbed her hands down her face, covering her mouth as she shook her head. "None of this was ever supposed to happen. Your face…"

"You tried," Emma said, rubbing her arm. "He wasn't exactly secretive about what he planned to do with me. I don't know why I thought he didn't really mean it."

"And he bit you?"

"Twice, actually."

"Twice?" Persephone's eyes grew wide. "Twice? Once wasn't enough?"

Emma nodded, pulling back her sleeve to show Persephone. "Decided he wanted me to match Dad," she said with a sigh.

"And the other?" Persephone asked. Emma pulled aside her collar to show the start of the second bite. "Merlin's saggy tits."

"That one hurts the worst, but the one on my arm doesn't hurt as much. Dad's been really good about helping me find clothes to wear. Clearly, because I'm wearing his shirt…again," Emma said, rubbing the back of her neck. "I've really taken over his wardrobe, I think. Dad and Elle want to take me out to pick out some more clothes, especially since most of my jeans don't fit."

"Yeah, because you've got these hips all of a sudden," Persephone said, gently tapping Emma's hips. She looked at Emma in alarm when she flinched. "Emma?"

"He, uh…well, it's better to show you," Emma said, twisting herself and pulling back the waistband of her jeans to show Persephone what Fenrir had done. "Both sides."

"Emma, I –"

"He's the least of my worries," Emma said, cutting Persephone off. She wasn't entirely sure that she believed herself. "I'm more worried about Jude, right now, I think."

Persephone nodded, looking pale. "Dad's been meeting him."

"Jude?"

"He's staying at your old house in Wales," Persephone said. "That's where they meet when they're not at mine, but you obviously didn't hear that from me."

"What are they planning?"

"I don't know because they don't come to my place anymore," Persephone said with a frown. "I've met with Fenrir, unfortunately, but that's it."

"Does Fenrir know about the last letter you wrote to me?"

"No, I don't believe he does. He just knows that Dad saw Duke. Dad couldn't find any evidence of me writing to you."

"That's because I kept your letter with me," Emma said.

An awkward silence fell between the two as they tried to figure out what to say next. It was difficult for Emma to keep her emotions level, but she needed to. She had so many questions for Persephone, especially knowing more of the situation now. After being clueless for so long, she finally had leverage in her predicament.

"Persephone, I really don't understand what you're doing right now," Emma said. "I don't…with everything that's happened with us and knowing that we were friends for so long. I don't understand this right now. Why are you helping now? Why did you start?"

"I know," Persephone said sadly. "Our friendship started because Fenrir wanted you to be familiar with someone your age. It was never…what it became wasn't what it was supposed to be. You were never actually supposed to go to Hogwarts, but then you got your letter anyway. It was decided that Fenrir was going to take you and raise you…entirely human."

"So me getting my letter changed everything? That was what kept me from being turned?"

Persephone nodded. "And so I got dragged into things. I never…I only ever did what I was asked to do. They all promised me that it was to help you. I never realized how much I was hurting you…until Jude almost won."

"Did you know about my memories, then?"

"Yes and no. I didn't realize that it was a whole thing," Persephone said quickly when Emma scoffed in disbelief. "Emma, I know that you probably don't believe me, but I swear I'm telling you the truth."

Emma was about to respond when the entrance bell echoed in the ice cream parlor. Both girls tensed up as Persephone's mother entered the building, struggling with the bags in her hands. "I have been looking all over for you, Persephone. It's a wonder that I saw you talking with your friend through the window," Sage said, not looking up from the bags she was readjusting. "You just ran off without a word, and I –" Sage immediately trailed off when she finally looked up and noticed who Persephone was actually with.

Hullo," Emma said. She didn't blame Sage for looking so surprised when her back was to the windows.

Sage swallowed hard, looking between Persephone and Emma. "I'm very aware that you know what's been going on even if my husband doesn't realize that you understand. I know it won't matter much, but I am so sorry," Sage said softly.

The situation only grew worse when the bell tinkled again, and Remus entered the ice cream parlor shortly after Sage. Remus's eyes darkened, and his lips pressed into a thin line as he spotted Emma with Persephone and Sage. He was swift to make his way over and put his arm protectively around Emma's shoulders, pulling her close.

"Remus, I understand what things look like, but you don't understand –" Sage started to say before Remus cut her off.

"What I understand is that your husband has been working with Greyback," Remus said with a growl.

"I never wanted to be a part of it," Sage said sharply.

"And yet you're equally as guilty. You've known this entire time, and now look at what's happened."

"If I had realized –"

"You should have known right from the start. And to think that your daughter has been dragged into this, too?"

"Daddy," Emma whispered, "not now, please. Not here."

"Emma, this –"

"Daddy, please stop," Emma said, looking over her shoulder at Finn, Raewyn, and Brennan. She took in the looks of the other customers, who looked less than pleased to see them both.

"We'll go," Sage said, with another look at Emma. "Your daughter is right. Now isn't the time, but you have to understand I didn't want any of this."

"Make sure that Jude is aware that Emma is my daughter," Remus said tightly. "If he even thinks of trying to harm her again, I will make sure it's the last thing he does."

Remus and Emma made their way back to the table to join the first years. Remus sat with his arms folded, his expression unreadable as he answered Raewyn's curious questions. She had so many questions for both Emma and Remus, and they answered them politely. It was nice to talk freely about magic, and for a brief moment, Emma reconsidered the idea of working at the Ministry. She liked the idea of being a professor sometimes, but she didn't think she could ever do the job justice.

"Everything is all taken care of, Remus," McGonagall said when she finally joined them all at Fortescue's. "You will be bringing Emma back?"

"Of course," Remus said. "There are a few things that I'd still like to get done."

McGonagall looked between Emma and Remus for a moment trying to understand their expressions. She gathered the other three children, ushering them out with fond farewells. The moment they departed, Remus sighed, moving his chair next to Emma's and pulling her into his side. A sudden frown crossed his face as he looked at Emma.

"Did you finish your ice cream already?"

"Er, no…" Emma said quietly. "Didn't get one."

"What? Well, that just won't do. I told you to get something, now come on."

They decided on a chocolate, vanilla, and raspberry mixture to share. They couldn't decide on a single flavor and decided to get all three.

Emma handed the spoon to Remus first when she took in his furrowed brow as they sat back down. "Eat," she said, with a small smile, "you'll feel better."

Remus's expression softened, and he took a large spoonful of ice cream. "You know, I don't like it when you use my own words against me. It's dangerous."

"I live for danger," Emma said, waggling her eyebrows and taking the spoon back from Remus to take her own heaping spoonful of ice cream.

"Yes, and that's what terrifies me," Remus admitted, pulling a smile from Emma in response. His smile fell slightly when he noticed Emma slowly closing in on herself. "What is it? You're thinking too loud."

"I'm just thinking about how much I miss this," Emma said after a long pause, taking another spoonful of ice cream. She passed the spoon back over to her father and took a look around the room. Customers kept casting them furtive glances, some pulling their children closer if their gazes moved in their direction. "And I don't particularly like the weird stares."

"Hmm, yes, the staring is…it's a bit much," Remus admitted as he took a look. "You know you're going to get it when you're back at school?"

"I know, but I'll have had more time to get used to, well, me," Emma said. "Can we…can we leave? I don't like it."

"Yes, of course," Remus said. He looked at the cup of half-eaten ice cream, and a smile crossed his face. "Did you want me to take that home for you so you can have it tomorrow night?"

"No," Emma said. "There's no point if I can't have it."

"Emma, listen to me – do you want me to take that home for you so you can have it tomorrow night?"

Emma was confused as she tried to process what Remus was trying to say. "I don't understand," she said, trying to talk through what he said. "You asked me if I…oh! Wait, no. Do you mean –?"

"We have almost three weeks together," Remus confirmed, beaming at Emma's excited smile. "I know it's not all summer – yet, but things have been moved around. I told you that I wasn't giving up."

"I really get to come home? The approval came through?"

"You get to come home tomorrow night. Professor McGonagall and I snuck off to get more information, and she, er, might have bullied them into approving the move. It means that you'll have to go back for one more night, and I have to fill out some paperwork, but then you get to come home. So, I want you to think about everything you want to do because we're going to do it. Even if that means you're going to torture me and make me take you to Alton Towers, after all. If we're lucky, then hopefully this entire ordeal will be over with sooner rather than later."

It was very difficult for Emma to not be in incredibly high spirits as they made their way back to Ollivander's. She was going to get to go home, and her cheeks hurt from smiling so much. She could handle one more night in the children's home – that meant nothing.

Ollivander was waiting for them when they returned to the shop. He opened the box for her wand as they approached the counter, and he pulled the wand, presenting it to Emma, handle first. "11 ¾ inches and slightly springy," Ollivander explained. "Of course, with cedar and your Phoenix feather core."

Her wand was beautiful, and Emma missed the familiar thrum of magic beneath her fingers. She had hoped that the hawthorn from her last wand would have been inlaid into the cedar, but she was glad that it wasn't. Emma adored the white wood and was delighted to see that Ollivander left most of it alone.

The bottom of her wand was very similar to her last wand but had more of a teardrop shape rather than circular. It was stained dark at the bottom and blended in an ombre pattern into the white wood. Her wand went up into its point almost in a straight line except for the engraved helix that started just before the wand's halfway point, spiraling upward for an inch and a half. Small vertical notches were etched in the wood that separated the engraved twists and added to the wand's beauty. It was simple, but it was perfect.

"You know, we'll have to make another stop at the Menagerie before we head back," Remus said with a sigh as they left Ollivander's.

"Why? Don't we only need to go to Eeylops to get things for Aurora?"

"No, there's someone that we need to pick up before we leave."

Emma took in the cheeky smile on her father's face. He didn't say something; he very specifically said someone. "Daddy, you didn't," she said, her voice breaking. "Did you buy me Fig?"

"Oh, I most definitely did," Remus said, pulling Emma into a tight hug. "You deserve her and so much more, love. I refuse to let you be alone again. While I don't know how long things will take, things have a funny way of working out in the end."

a/n: I got sent down the rabbit hole of that Artbreeder site, and I have literally spent a good week sitting and making characters from the story. If you're curious to know what everyone looks like, I've got a "super secret" link with everyone I've made so far. Someone over on asked me who I visualize Fenrir and Elara as, and I realized I had no idea. I was very happy when this site was brought to my attention because I've been having iway too much fun/i. I struggle to keep a consistent visual while drawing everyone myself, so I like having "real" versions of them to look at. Hopefully you do, too.

I started to share these on Discord, and shared pretty much all of my unedited versions on Twitter, but I decided to put them all in one spot. So, punch in the link without the spaces and brackets if you want to see how I see everyone.

mymoonyandstars . tumblr .com[/] moonlitcharacters