A/N: Thank you for the love you show this story! I'm glad people recognize Selene as acting purely Slytherin, as I sometimes find it difficult to put myself in their shoes as a Puff. ;)

Disclaimer: I do not own Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, or any other recognizable character for the Wizarding World universe. I own, however, my OCs the Selwyns and several minor OCs. The plot had been written purely for entertainment value.

Chapter eleven: Independence

30th October 1994. Dorset.

Selene got home to the scent of something baking, that day. Late October weather had rendered the air cold enough for warm tea and cakes, apparently.

"Minty?" she called for the House-Elf whom she'd just left in her London flat with an order to clean the place up.

The small being popped into existence, her pristine uniform looking almost snow-like. "Mistress?"

Selene gestured towards the kitchen. "Did you bake something before heading to London?"

The little House-Elf's wide eyes sparked with amusement. Minty was unusual, her mistress had known that from the very first day, and she was fond of jokes and sarcasm. Which she proved again just then. "No, Mistress, I did not. Perhaps Mistress has a nose problem?"

Selene sent her an unamused glare. "Minty…"

The House-Elf shrugged. "Perhaps Mistress' guests wanted to cook." And she popped back out of being, back to her chores in London.

Selene sighed, hanging her coat beside the door before going further into the house, worried about what she'd find in the kitchen.

The sight made her eyes widen in surprise, and also, unfortunately, fondness.

Minty had been right: her guests had indeed taken upon themselves to bake. Remus was on his knees in front of the oven, surveying something he'd put there to cook, no doubt; while Sirius was sitting at the table, a ridiculous apron around his hips, digging his finger into a bowl of dough.

He grinned like the madman he was when he saw her enter the room. "S! Moony and I have made cookies!"

She couldn't help herself: she snorted. "Sirius, you sound like a five-year-old, restrain yourself." Her eyes went to the werewolf who'd risen to his feet and who was staring at her a bit sheepishly. "Cookies?"

He shrugged. "We were bored, and it's almost Halloween."

Sirius, undeterred by her chastising, came to stand by his cousin, handing her the bowl. "Wanna taste?"

Selene stared at the uncooked dough with a good amount of suspicion.

Apparently, she was an open book. Remus smiled a bit, jokingly saying 'It's not poisoned, you know…'

She glared at him. "I know that."

Sirius nudged her and addressed his friend as if she couldn't explain her reaction herself. "S has never baked anything in her life. I doubt Auntie Daphne ever made her children cookies, too…"

She groaned, falling onto a chair.

Remus was staring at her with something too close to pity in his eyes, now. "You've never had cookies?!"

Sirius barked a laugh and Selene's glare turned angrier, as if he was thinking her a pauper. "Of course, I've had cookies, Remus! I went to Hogwarts just like you, should I remind you!"

She didn't need to remind him, obviously. They both remembered vividly what their common Hogwarts years had been like, especially his last. Remus' gaze darkened, though not in anger, more in…was it longing? Selene didn't dare tread that path…

"Come on, S, taste it. I can never decide if it's better cooked or raw…" Sirius all but shoved the bowl into her hands, forcing her to grab it and dig her little finger into the dough.

She was ashamed afterwards, but she finished the whole thing. Sirius found it hilarious. Remus…well, she didn't look at him for a while, so who knew what he thought of her reaction at all…

That evening, Minty cooked them a warming meal that made the cosy atmosphere of the house even homier. Selene was loath to admit it to herself, but she liked having Sirius and Remus with her. The Dorset house wasn't empty anymore, was filled with laughter and companionship, and she hadn't realised how much she'd missed that feeling in the sixteen years that separated her from her Hogwarts years…

They were still at the table, dishes empty but glasses of pumpkin juice and wine full, as Sirius recalled fondly his godson Harry's birth. Remus' eyes were filled with affection as well, while Selene listened on, as if the prospect of such a happy event was something she had never considered possible.

Which wasn't far from the truth…

At one point, Remus' fond gaze turned to her, and his smile softened. Flushing deeply, either because of the wine she had consumed or the close-by fire, she dropped her own gaze, while Sirius continued, oblivious.

"What about you, Sel? Has anything interesting happened during all those years?"

She looked up into the werewolf's lovely eyes, and sighed.

However, before she could talk, Sirius spoke up, grey irises the size of saucers. "Sel? Since when do you call 'S' 'Sel', Moony?"

Remus seemed the shrink on himself at the question, and turned back to her as if asking her what to do.

In true Slytherin fashion, she covered the slip-up by saying 'Since two seconds ago. And, for the record, Sirius dear, I prefer 'Sel' greatly to just 'S'.'

He snorted. "Pfff. My nickname for you is much cooler than his."

"And again, you act like a five-year-old," she said in false mockery before going back to the question she was previously asked. "I have nothing of importance to tell you, I'm afraid. My father died a few years after I started working at the Ministry, leaving Aurus the Manor and the ownership of my London flat. Six years ago, Antonia gave birth to their precious heir, Castor."

"What about your mother?" Remus asked, as if Daphne Selwyn was an important person in her daughter's life. She wasn't.

Selene shrugged. "She takes care of my niece, Cassiopeia. She's almost of age, now. Aurus thought it better to have her home-schooled, however."

"Why?" Sirius asked, brow furrowed.

The look on her face turned murderous. "Officially, because he doesn't want her to be subject to the bad influences of the other Hogwarts students – like I was – but, in reality…Cassiopeia's magic isn't really…developed."

Her cousin's gaze turned surprised, but almost amused as well. "Your niece's a Squib?"

She groaned. "Not far off. So, you can imagine how my dear brother is taking it all…"

"Oh, the shame!" Remus said, mimicking fawning over the table. Sirius barked a laugh, and Selene let an amused smile slip on her lips.

After the hilarity, though, Sirius' look turned sadder. "Poor kid, though."

Selene nodded, taking a sip of wine. "My sentiment exactly."

Remus' gaze on her told her he shared their opinion, but also that, somehow, it echoed with her own situation. Or, at least, what it had been sixteen years prior…

1st November 1994. Dorset.

"S! Remus!" Selene was awoken rudely by the loud run of her cousin through the bedroom corridor, and as he barged into hers, looking haggard, dishevelled, worried and almost crazed.

Any other day, she'd have jinxed him for invading her space in such a way, but one look at his face and she sat up, summoning her robe to her as Remus ran inside as well, wand in hand as if thinking them to be under attack.

"What's happening, Sirius?"

Selene noticed at once that, when the situation was dire, both friends dropped their nicknames. "Has something happened?" she added.

Sirius dropped onto her bed, lowering his head into his hands with a groan before looking back at them both. "Harry's been chosen as a Triwizard Champion."

Selene's eyes widened. Both Remus and herself knew, of course, that Hogwarts was hosting the first Triwizard Tournament in centuries, since Harry was writing his godfather regularly. However, the news that the fourteen-year-old had been picked as a participant was more than worrying.

"How- How could Dumbledore let that happen?" was Remus' first question. The worry in his eyes was in part due to the dangers of the Tournament and his own fondness for the Boy-Who-Lived.

"Apparently, whenever a Champion is picked, it's bonding. Harry had no choice but to enter the Tournament…" He groaned again, pulling on his hair. "After the fiasco of the Quidditch World Cup this summer, now this…"

Selene put a soothing hand on his shoulder. "Breathe, Sirius. Harry is surrounded by teachers who'll do everything in their power to ensure his safety." She knew that, as the last thread that linked him back to James, Sirius was obsessed with Harry's safety. More than he was for his own.

"They can't show any favouritism," hissed Remus, visibly nonplussed by the fact. "He'll be on his own during the Tasks." He eyed the door, pursing his lips. "I must write Dumbledore right now. Make him stop this at once." And he exited the room without another word.

Selene stared after him before drawing Sirius into a strange one-armed hug. Something she never did. Well, something she never did, except when he reappeared into her life after thirteen years. "He's going to be alright, Sirius."

"You don't know that, S. You can't know that for sure."

She sighed. "You can't do anything to help him. You know it'd be dangerous for you to get close to that school again. Provide him with support, that's all you can do."

He drew back from her embrace as if burnt, and stood. Without looking back at her, he said, solemn in a way he hadn't ever been, "Over my dead body". And he, too, exited Selene's bedroom.

Suddenly, a wave of dread passed over her. She was scared. And not for her own life or safety, no, but for someone else's. Her cousin, her brother in all but blood. Because she knew he would stop at nothing to protect his godson.

She just hoped he didn't do anything foolish.

Eight hours later, however, when she came home from work, Selene found Remus alone at the dining-room table. In his hands was a note and his eyes were filled with worry.

He looked up at her, petrified, and she froze, the same icy wave of dread settling over her.

His words made her breath itch. "Sirius left. He's going back North to help Harry from close by."

She cursed, and dropped onto a chair, defeated.

Sirius had disappeared again.

1980. Dorset.

"Sirius, how many houses do we still have to see? My feet are killing me…"

Selene's cousin grinned wickedly her way and stopped, mimicking a great concentration. "Let me think… Another twelve, I think."

She groaned. "You better be joking."

"Of course, I am joking, S!" He barked a laugh and eyed her high-heels with a smirk. "But you really should have thought twice before wearing these on a day like this…"

She groaned again. "I never wear anything else; it would have been suspicious."

Rolling his eyes, Sirius turned back towards the path ahead. "This is the second-to-last on the list. Hang on."

Selene didn't give him an answer.

Four months after finding her a pity job at the Ministry, and ten weeks after the Potters' wedding, the former Slytherin had found herself being handed keys to a family flat in London. It had belonged to her father when he'd been younger, and he had gifted it to his daughter to, quote, 'Let her have her independence'. After a while, though, she had understood that his offer had nothing to do with leaving her be, and everything to do with hiding her from society.

Her plan to appear as weak as possible had worked.

Unfortunately, Selene's independence was a façade, as the flat didn't really belong to her. Her father, mother – although that had never happened – and brother were free to come and go as they pleased, which Aurus liked to do at impromptu moments, as if he was trying to find her in compromising positions whenever he barged in.

She had quickly decided that she needed to find a way around this.

Hence Sirius.

The git had offered to help her find a house for herself, in secret. He'd lend her the money – he had a good amount saved from his Uncle's inheritance – and help her place powerful wards around the place. Powerful enough that nobody would ever find it. Almost as powerful as a Fidelius.

She had pretexted going on patrol for work – which wasn't wrong, every visit or two being followed by a check-up on some misbehaving underage wizards and witches – and found her cousin with a long list, ready to find her a gem.

So far, there had been only two contenders, but they were both too close to Muggle villages to Selene's tastes. Not because of any prejudice, but because it would have been suspicious to anyone to have a house disappear and leave a gap in the landscape.

So far, she liked the area this house was in. In was in the middle of the countryside, flanked by woodland on one side and fields on the other. The path that led to the building was made of gravel and looked disused. Then again, Sirius had said it was an old house that hadn't been occupied in years.

A woman between two ages were waiting in front of a lovely dark wooden porch, the contraption called a 'car' parked on a small patch of grass.

"Good afternoon!" she greeted them both. Sirius had given the sellers fake names, and told them they were siblings wishing to live under the same roof. No one, so far, had commented.

Selene greeted the Muggle, Sirius did the same, a dash of mirth in his smile has he shook the woman's hand.

"My name's Eloise. Nice to meet you!"

"Nice to meet you too!" Sirius said jovially. "So, you said in your letter that this house belonged to your aunt?"

"Yes, my aunt. She sadly passed away about six years ago. We never found anyone to buy the house, though. Too remote for most people, and the electricity is a nightmare."

Selene had learnt that very day was 'electricity' was. A demonic invention, for sure. Still, she smiled cordially as well and tried to soothe their potential seller. "It's no trouble at all. We like remote. And we can…rearrange."

"Oh!" The woman – Eloise – said, eyes widening as she sized her up. "I didn't think you'd be up to doing the place up!"

Selene was offended by what this implied – that she looked too…snobbish to hang up a portrait with her own hands – but supposed that there was truth in the Muggle's words. She wouldn't do a thing in that house. Her wand would do all the work.

Sirius, as usual, took it as a joke and laughed loud and clear. "Everybody says that! Now, can we go inside?" He outstretched an arm towards his 'sister' who took it and squeezed it hard enough to make him wince, and waited for Eloise to open the front door.

Five days later, Eloise was Obliviated and forgot all about her Aunt Margaret's old house. She firmly believed, as did all her family members, that she had won at the Muggle lottery. Selene found herself the owner of a medium-sized house in Dorset, courtesy of an infuriating cousin who helped her redecorate.

Everything that would have been confiscated by Aurus – such as Sirius' letters or the photograph that had been taken at the Potters' celebration and which she had been gifted – was relocated to the house, and the London flat became even darker, even less personal than it had been.

All it needed was…a House-Elf.

She could, of course, have hired for herself one of the many of Selwyn Manor. The problem being that each of them was, first and foremost, sworn to her father Janus. And that each member of the family, Aurus included, could order them about. She had a secret to keep. Well, several secrets, really.

Once again, it was Sirius who found the solution.

He gave her several brochures of association that tried to find new homes for House-Elves that had found themselves without a job. Jobless Elves were a rarity, but Selene was picky. She needed to trust her new help.

She was asked to go to Cambridge, to a small building near the wizarding centre of the city, and there, she met with a dozen Elves, male and female, old and young, under the supervision of a small wizard she suspected had elvish blood himself.

In the end, she was given the opportunity to talk face to face with her three 'favourite' and, after two minutes, she hired Minty, fifty years old, whose Mistress had died without heirs.

Minty was wearing a pristine towel that she had wrapped around herself like a Greek toga, and her big eyes were blue, an oddity for her species. She smiled a lot, and was surprisingly lively. She followed every order given to her – or most orders – but often did so with a joke on her lips.

Selene waited two weeks before showing her the Dorset house.

Minty looked at the big and dusty kitchen, then back at her Mistress.

"Minty, this is my home. London is a decoy. You mustn't ever speak of this place to anyone. Ever. Swear it to me."

The Elf looked at the place again, smiled, then looked back at Selene, golden magic rising above her hand that she placed above her heart, sealing the promise. "I won't ever speak of this place to anyone, Mistress."

Said Mistress nodded, pleased, then said, solemn and tired "Prepare dinner, please."

Before she could turn on her heels to head to the sitting-room, however, Minty answered cheekily "Will Mistress be eating her dinner in this house or in the other house, I wonder?"

Selene eyed her as if she had grown a third arm…